Model of Fear of Movement/(Re)injury Runs Clockwise From Catastrophizing: Evidence From a Sample of Outpatients With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain.
Marco Monticone, Federico Arippa, Luca Frigau and 4 others
PMID 39805039WHAT IT FOUND
Higher pain catastrophizing scores tracked with greater fear of movement, disability, depressive symptoms, and pain in 180 outpatients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.
This does not prove catastrophizing caused these symptoms.
Key findings
01Higher catastrophizing scores were associated with greater fear of movement, disability, depressive symptoms, and pain.
02In regression models, catastrophizing was a significant statistical predictor of fear of movement, and catastrophizing and fear of movement were significant statistical predictors of disability and depressive symptoms.
03Most participants were low-level catastrophizers, and high-level catastrophizers were more often in the highest disability and pain quartiles.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that catastrophizing caused fear of movement, disability, depressive symptoms, or pain. All participants had chronic nonspecific low back pain lasting more than 3 months and were recruited from Italian rehabilitation settings, so findings may not apply to acute pain, other settings, or other populations. The sample was also used to validate the Italian Pain Catastrophizing Scale. The study did not examine physical tests or specific home exercise programs. The high and low catastrophizing split and quartile analysis were postdictive and should be read cautiously.
Declared interests
The paper reported no funding, grants, equipment, financial benefits to authors, or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating catastrophizing will reduce pain or disability. This study found associations and regression links in one cross-sectional sample, not a treatment effect.