A Comparative Analysis of Psychological and Physical Models of Low Back Pain Experience

A total of 162 patients with low back pain of no more than two months duration were physically examined and completed a series of psychometric questionnaires. Principal components analysis of the data demonstrated that some ‘physical’ measurements correlated more closely with psychological variables than other physical signs. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the physical model of low back pain did not contribute significantly to the overall prediction of twelve months outcome and it was a contrived model of psychological ‘distress’ which accounted for variance over and above that of the other models. The results are interpreted as representing the complexity of low back pain experience and support the view that physiotherapists need to recognise the importance of psychological aspects of the symptom in order to be effective.