Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Observational Study
. 2025 Jun 1;48(2):106-112.
doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000667. Epub 2025 Apr 9.

Changes in physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and associated motivation after multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for chronic low back pain patients

Matthieu Haas  1 , Julie Boiché  1 , Isabelle Tavares-Figuereido  2 , Anne-Lise Courbis  3 , Arnaud Dupeyron  1   4
Affiliations
Observational Study

Changes in physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and associated motivation after multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for chronic low back pain patients

Matthieu Haas et al. Int J Rehabil Res. .

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is recommended as a primary treatment to reduce pain and improve function in chronic low back pain (cLBP). However, adherence to PA guidelines and the limitation of sedentary behavior (SB) remain challenging for cLBP patients. While some studies focus on PA promotion, past results are mixed, and the role of SB has not been thoroughly investigated. This observational study aims to assess changes in PA and SB levels among cLBP patients participating in a rehabilitation program (RP) and explore related changes in both explicit and implicit motivational factors. Patients wore an accelerometer for 1 week before the RP (T1) and 3 months afterward (T4) to measure PA and SB. At the start (T2) and at the end (T4) of the RP, we measured motivation, including implicit attitudes, toward these two behaviors. Between T1 and T4 ( n = 33), the results show a significant decrease in SB. Between T2 and T3 ( n = 62), all motivational variables were significantly more in favor of an active lifestyle, but implicit attitudes did not significantly change. This study shows that an RP can transform behavior determinants and reduce SB but is less efficient to increase PA levels. It also emphasizes the need to work with patients to enhance adherence and objectively measure behaviors in the future.

Keywords: behavior therapy; low back pain; motivation; sedentary behavior.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Hartvigsen J, Hancock MJ, Kongsted A, Louw Q, Ferreira ML, Genevay S, et al.; Lancet Low Back Pain Series Working Group. What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. Lancet 2018; 391:2356–2367.
    1. Hoy D, Bain C, Williams G, March L, Brooks P, Blyth F, et al. A systematic review of the global prevalence of low back pain. Arthritis Rheum 2012; 64:2028–2037.
    1. Vos T, Allen C, Arora M, Barber RM, Bhutta ZA, Brown A, et al. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet 2016; 388:1545–1602.
    1. Froud R, Patterson S, Eldridge S, Seale C, Pincus T, Rajendran D, et al. A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the impact of low back pain on people’s lives. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2014; 15:50.
    1. Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forciea MA, Denberg TD, Barry MJ, et al.; Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 2017; 166:514–530.

Publication types