Changes in Pain Catastrophizing and Fear-Avoidance Beliefs as Mediators of Early Physical Therapy on Disability and Pain in Acute Low-Back Pain: A Secondary Analysis of a Clinical Trial

Pain Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany L Sisco-Taylor ◽  
John S Magel ◽  
Molly McFadden ◽  
Tom Greene ◽  
Jincheng Shen ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective The Fear-Avoidance Model of chronic pain (FAM) posits that pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs are prognostic for disability and chronicity. In acute low-back pain, early physical therapy (PT) is effective in reducing disability in some patients. How early PT impacts short- and long-term changes in disability for patients with acute pain is unknown. Based on the FAM, we hypothesized that early reductions in pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs would mediate early PT’s effect on changes in disability (primary outcome) and pain intensity (secondary outcome) over 3 months and 1 year. Subjects Participants were 204 patients with low-back pain of < 16 days duration, who enrolled in a clinical trial (NCT01726803) comparing early PT sessions or usual care provided over 4 weeks. Methods Patients completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ work and physical activity scales) and outcomes (Oswestry Disability Index and Numeric Pain Rating Scale) at baseline, 4 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year. We applied longitudinal mediation analysis with single and multiple mediators. Results Early PT led to improvements in disability and pain over 3 months, but not 1 year. In the single mediator model, four-week reductions in pain catastrophizing mediated early PT’s effects on 3-month disability and pain intensity improvements, explaining 16% and 22% of the association, respectively, but the effects were small. Pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs did not jointly mediate these associations. Conclusions In acute low-back pain, early PT may improve disability and pain outcomes at least partly through reducing patients’ catastrophizing.

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 538-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Z George ◽  
Joel E Bialosky ◽  
Julie M Fritz

Abstract Background and Purpose. Elevated fear-avoidance beliefs are believed to be a precursor of chronic disability, yet effective intervention options have not been described in the literature. The purpose of this case report is to describe physical therapist management of a patient with acute low back pain and elevated fear-avoidance beliefs. Case Description. The patient was a 42-year-old sales manager with acute low back pain. The patient had no previous history of activity-limiting low back pain and initially had limitations in straight leg raising, limitations in lumbar movement, and elevated fear-avoidance beliefs. Intervention. Treatment-based classification and graded exercise were used. Outcome. Disability, fear-avoidance beliefs, and pain decreased 4 weeks after starting physical therapy. Six months later, disability and fear-avoidance beliefs had increased, but were still improved when compared with the initial measurements. Discussion. Disability and fear-avoidance beliefs improved following a fear-avoidance-based physical therapy intervention. Research is warranted to investigate the effectiveness of this approach.


2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (10) ◽  
pp. 973-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie M Fritz ◽  
Steven Z George

Abstract Background and Purpose. Psychosocial factors are known to affect recovery from acute low back pain. The factors with the greatest influence and the optimal methods of measurement and interpretation have not been established. The purpose of this study was to examine baseline psychosocial variables and their ability to predict prolonged work restrictions. Subjects. The subjects were 78 people with work-related low back pain who were participating in a clinical trial (mean age=37.4 years, SD=10.4, range=18–58; mean duration of pain=5.5 days, SD=4.6, range=0–19). Methods. A baseline examination including measures of impairment, disability, and psychosocial variables was performed. All subjects had physical therapy interventions. Work status was assessed after 4 weeks. Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were calculated for the prediction of work status by the use of psychosocial variables. Receiver operator characteristic curves and logistic regression were used to identify the variables that were most predictive of work status. Results. Twenty-two subjects (29%) had persistent work restrictions. The work subscale of the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire was the strongest predictor of work status (negative likelihood ratio of 0.08 for scores less than 30, positive likelihood ratio of 3.33 for scores greater than 34). Discussion and Conclusion. Fear-avoidance beliefs about work was the psychosocial factor that could best be used to predict return to work in patients with acute work-related low back pain. Examination of fear-avoidance beliefs may serve as a useful screening tool for identifying patients who are at risk for prolonged work restrictions.


2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilse E. J Swinkels-Meewisse ◽  
Jeffrey Roelofs ◽  
Andr?? L. M Verbeek ◽  
Rob A. B Oostendorp ◽  
Johan W. S Vlaeyen

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document