How do pain, disability, and catastrophizing change after physical therapy in subjects with chronic low back pain? A descriptive and retrospective study
Abstract
Objective: To describe pain, disability, and catastrophizing scores in subjects with chronic low back pain (CLBP) at discharge from physical therapy, as well as the changes in these variables compared with values at the beginning of treatment. The secondary objective was to report the number of subjects who achieved complete recovery.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive and retrospective study was conducted in which records of subjects older than 18 years with CLBP were included. Pain, disability, and catastrophizing scores, measured using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), respectively, were analyzed at the beginning and at the end of treatment. Complete recovery was defined as an RMDQ score ≤2 and an NRS score of 0.
Results: Data from 51 subjects were analyzed. At the end of treatment, subjects presented a median NRS score of 1 (IQR 0-3), RMDQ score of 2 (IQR 1-5), and PCS score of 11 (IQR 6-16), with a 66.6 % reduction in pain and disability and a 64.5 % reduction in catastrophizing. In addition, 17 subjects (33.3 %) achieved complete recovery.
Conclusion: Subjects showed a reduction in pain, disability, and catastrophizing; however, only one-third of the sample achieved complete recovery. These findings allow a better understanding of changes in subjects with CLBP in Argentina.
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