[Chronic low back pain with endurant pain coping--optimizing rehabilitation success in a hitherto neglected patient group]

Abstract

In view of a frequently poor success rate of rehabilitation programmes in patients with low back pain, a specific intervention programme was developed addressing the subgroup of patients with endurant pain coping behaviour and evaluated within a research project sponsored by the National federation of pension insurers, VDR. In terms of a control group design with 4 points of measurement (beginning and end of rehabilitation, 6- and 12-months follow-up), an intervention group (n = 163) was compared to a control group (standard programme of an orthopaedic rehabilitation clinic, n = 252). Data were collected using the KSI, BDI, IRES, FFbH-R and a pain questionnaire. Subjects were blue-collar insurants, aged 46 on average with a pain history of 9.6 years. Findings show a stronger reduction of pain intensity and strain, significant enhancement of functional capacity as well as a greater decrease of sick leave days and pension requests. These results are presented over the course of the 4 points of measurement as well as in relation to the intervention programme, which focuses on the endurant pain coping behaviour. The consequences of implementing such therapy components into standard rehabilitation programmes are discussed.