Psychology and low back pain

Abstract 

Psychological and social factors are associated with complaints of back pain. These factors may be risk factors or prognostic factors. Risk factors are associated with a higher likelihood that the individual will experience back pain in the future. Prognostic factors are associated with a higher likelihood that a patient's pain will become chronic. The cardinal psychosocial risk factors for back pain are attitudes, cognitions, fear-avoidance beliefs, depression, anxiety, and distress. The cardinal prognostic factors are distress, somatization, and catastrophising behaviour. There is no evidence, however, that psychosocial factors cause back pain. The fear-avoidance model offers certain predictions concerning the nature of suitable interventions that address psychosocial factors.

Keywords: Low back pain, Psychological factors, Social factors