Maaike Leeuw, Ruud M.A. Houben, Rudy Severeijns, H. Susan J. Picavet, Erik G.W. Schouten and Johan W.S. Vlaeyen
A cognitive behavioural account of chronic low back pain (CLBP) proposes that the relationship between pain catastrophizing and functional disability is mediated by fear of movement/(re)injury. This study includes people with low back pain (LBP) in the general population, and aimed to investigate whether fear of movement/(re)injury mediated the relationship between pain catastrophizing and functional disability. The results were unable to demonstrate that the relationship between pain catastrophizing and functional disability was mediated by fear of movement/(re)injury, however, pain catastrophizing was significantly related to fear of movement/(re)injury 6 months later. The authors conclude that although this study leaves some indistinctness concerning the actual relationships between pain catastrophizing, fear of movement/(re)injury, and functional disability, it does provide some evidence for the contributing role of these factors in LBP in the general population.
European Journal of Pain, Volume 11, Issue 3,