Abstract
Background: Chronic low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in different countries that people of any age can experience many times. This study aimed to predict the chronicity of non-specific acute and sub-acute LBP and related risk factors among cases referred to physiotherapy clinics.Methods: This case-control study was performed among 420 patients suffered from acute, sub-acute and chronic LBP referred to two physiotherapy centers in Tehran-Iran in 2020. Data were obtained using the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Pain Catastrophic Scale (PCS-13), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Walker's Health-Promoting Lifestyle Questionnaire, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Data analysis was performed by applying independent sample t-test, chi-square, and multiple logistic regression in SPSS software version 25. IBM Amos version 22 was employed for path analysis.Results: The mean age and body mass index in all patients were 43.94 ± 6.72 years and 25.69 ± 3.54 kg.m-2, respectively. It was found that some demographic parameters (i.e. weight, BMI, job, type of occupational task performance, history of low back pain, work shift, underlying diseases and income), some cognitive parameters ( i.e. fear-avoidance beliefs, kinesiophobia, catastrophic pain, and depression), some lifestyle parameters (i.e. health responsibility, physical activity and interpersonal relationships), sleep quality and pain related disability were among the most critical risk factors in the chronicity of acute and sub-acute LBP (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Personal, psychological, and psychosocial parameters can be among the most critical predictors in the chronicity of acute and sub-acute non-specific LBP. Hence, paying attention to all the mentioned factors at the beginning of patients' treatment to create a targeted treatment algorithm and prevent the conversion of acute and sub-acute into chronic LBP has particular importance.
Reviewer’s comments concerning “Altered breathing patterns during lumbopelvic motor control tests in chronic low back pain: a case–control study” (J. Nijs et al., ESJO-D-08-00264 R2)
