AIM: To assess the effect of a pain neurophysiology education program plus therapeutic exercise for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). DESIGN: Single-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Private clinic (Clinica Bonn) and Alcala de Henares University, Madrid, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 56 patients with CLBP for 6 months or more. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomized to receive either a therapeutic exercise (TE) program consisting of motor control, stretching, and aerobic exercises (TE group, n = 28) or the same therapeutic exercise program in addition to a pain neurophysiology education program (PNE+TE group, n = 28), conducted in two 30 to 50 minute sessions in groups of 4 to 6 participants. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: The primary outcome was pain intensity rated on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale which was completed immediately following treatment and at a 1-month and 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcome measures were pressure pain threshold, finger-to-floor distance, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, and the Patient Global Impression of Change. RESULTS: At the 3-month follow-up, a large change in pain intensity (-2.2 (-2.93 to -1.28), p < 0.001; d = 1.37) was observed for the PNE+TE group, and a moderate effect size was observed for the secondary outcome measures. CONCLUSION: Combining pain neurophysiology education plus therapeutic exercise resulted in significantly better results for participants with CLBP, with a large effect size, compared to therapeutic exercise alone.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher