Pain Neuroscience Education for Acute and Sub-Acute Low Back Pain

University of Nevada, Las Vegas80 enrolled

Overview

To determine if Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) would result in positive clinical changes in patients presenting with acute or sub-acute low back pain (LBP).

Background: Pain neuroscience education (PNE) has shown efficacy in treating chronic pain. Clinicians may believe PNE is not suitable for acute and sub-acute pain. Subgroupings of low back pain (LBP) imply some patients with LBP may respond favorably to PNE. Objective: To determine if PNE would result in positive clinical changes in patients presenting with acute or sub-acute LBP. Methods: Eighty consecutive patients with LBP \< 3 months were enrolled in the study. Patients completed a demographics questionnaire, leg and LBP rating (Numeric Pain Rating Scale - NPRS), disability (Oswestry Disability Index), fear-avoidance (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire), pain catastrophization (Pain Catastrophization Scale), central sensitization (Central Sensitization Inventory), pain knowledge (Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire), risk assessment (Keele STarT Back Screening Tool), active trunk flexion and straight leg raise (SLR). Patients received a 15-minute verbal, one-on-one PNE session, followed by repeat measurement of LBP and leg pain (NPRS), trunk flexion and SLR.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Low Back Pain Pain, Chronic Pain, Back

Interventions

Pain Neuroscience EducationBEHAVIORAL

15 minute verbal one-on-one education session

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * a complaint of LBP with or without leg pain less than 3 months, and * a willingness to participate Exclusion Criteria: * a) were under age 18 (minor); * b) had undergone lumbar surgery; * c) could not read or understand the English language; * d) presented with any cognitive deficits rendering them unsuitable for PNE (i.e., stroke, traumatic brain injury, etc.), * e) declined to participate or * f) presented with a medical etiology (red flag) associated with their LBP.

Locations (1)

University of Nevada Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

NPRS - LBP

Numeric Pain Rating Scale for Low Back Pain (Range 0 = no pain to 11 = maximum pain)

Time frame: Immediate change from baseline after assigned intervention

NPRS - Leg pain

Numeric Pain Rating Scale for leg pain (Range 0 = no pain to 11 = maximum pain)

Time frame: Immediate change from baseline after assigned intervention

Secondary Outcomes

Active trunk flexion

Active trunk flexion measured in centimeters from fingertips to floor

Time frame: Immediate change from baseline in centimeters after assigned intervention

Passive Straight Leg Raise

Range of hip flexion angle during passive straight leg raise test measured in degrees

Time frame: Immediate change from baseline in angular degrees after assigned intervention

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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