Self-management, fear of movement, and pain in working adults with low back pain: a qualitative longitudinal study

Key Points

1. Two distinct groups of patients emerged from this research, the “pilot” and the “passenger”.

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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and contributing to a growing burden of disability and rising health-related costs (1). This study explored how working adults with low back pain (LBP) experience self-management, fear of movement (FOM), and pain over a 12-month period following either direct access (DA) or conventional physiotherapy.

Focusing on patient experiences over time, the authors were able to contribute meaningful insights into the psychological and behavioral dimensions of recovery, which are often underexplored in quantitative research.

The research question was: “How do working individuals with LBP experience self-management, fear of movement and pain after their physical therapy visit?”

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and contributing to a growing burden of disability and rising health-related costs.

The identification of the “pilot” and “passenger” groups helps clinicians understand and recognize characteristics that can influence the trajectory of recovery for their patients.

METHODS

This study employed a longitudinal qualitative design, which allows for a deeper understanding of how patients’ perceptions evolve over time. Data was collected at four time points (baseline, three, six, and 12 months), enabling the researchers to capture changes in

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