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Physical, psychophysical and psychological predictors of persistent or recurrent non-specific low back pain

Review written by Ben Cormack info

Key Points

  1. Depression and psychological distress significantly predicted persistent low back pain and disability.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Low back pain (LBP) is often described as a condition that comes and goes, but for some people it persists or repeatedly returns. Identifying who is more likely to experience ongoing problems could help clinicians target support earlier and potentially reduce the impact of LBP in people's lives.

A range of factors have been proposed as predictors of persistent or recurrent LBP. These include physical characteristics, such as altered trunk movement; psychophysical factors, such as increased pain sensitivity; and psychological factors, including depression, anxiety, fear avoidance and catastrophising.

The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate whether physical, psychophysical and psychological factors could predict persistent or recurrent non-specific low back pain.

Psychological factors such as depression, anxiety, fear avoidance and catastrophising may predict persistent or recurrent low back pain.
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Considering psychological factors in our treatment and explanations may help patients to make sense of their back pain and potentially manage it better.

METHODS

  • The researchers searched nine databases, including MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL Plus and Scopus, alongside grey literature sources. Searches covered publications up to January 2025.
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