Effect of illness perception on results of physical therapy in patients with chronic low back pain

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of illness perception on results of physical therapy in patients with low back pain. Material and Methods: Patients who were planned to have physical therapy programme for low back pain were evaluated. Patients who had pain at least 3 months were included. Patients were applied total 10 sessions (5 sessions in a week) physical therapy programme which includes hotpack, ultrasound, TENS, and home exercise programme (range of motion and resistive exercises) for low back pain. Revised illness perception questionnaire(IPQ-R) were answered by all patients before treatment. Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) for pain, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) for function, Nottingham-Health-Profile(NHP) for quality-of-life were answered by patients before and after treatment. Treatment results were determined by the percentages of improvements between postand pre-treatment values of evaluation parameters. (100=full recovery, 0=no change). Results: Fourty patients (21, 52.5% female, 19, 47.5% male) with the mean age of 46.4±11.54 (21-66) years, and symptom duration was 25.5±43.3 months were evaluated. There were significant correlations between IPQ-R-timeline (acute/chronic) and percentage of RMDQ improvement (p=0.026, r=-0.353), and NHP-Energy level improvement (p=0.042, r=0.323); IPQ-R-consequences and percentage of VAS improvement (p=0.04, r=-0.327); IPQ-R-personal control and percentage of RMDQ improvements (p=0.043, r=-0.322); IPQ-R-treatment control and percentage of NHP-Energy level improvement (p=0.018, r=0.372); IPQ-R-emotional representation, and percentages of VAS improvement (p=0.001, r=-0.522), RMDQ improvement (p=0.003, r=-0.46), NHP-pain improvement (p=0.01, r=-0.402), NHP-Physical activity improvement (p=0.003, r=-0.456). Conclusion: Keeping in mind the relationships of illness perception and results of physical therapy may be beneficial when planning the physical therapy programme for patients with low back pain. Copyright © 2011 by Türk Tibbi Rehabilitasyon Kurumu Derne?i.