Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a combination of pain neuroscience education and targeted cognitive motor control training with targeted cognitive motor control training alone in patients with chronic low back pain.
Materials and Methods: Fifty-four chronic low back pain patients (pain neuroscience education with targeted cognitive motor control training group, n=27 and targeted cognitive motor control training only group, n=27) participated in this study. Pain, disability, central sensitization inventory, and kinesiophobia were assessed at baseline and eight weeks after interventions. Repeated measures analysis of variance and linear mixed models were used to examine between-group differences.
Results: A significant group×time interaction effect was found for pain (p=0.008), central sensitization inventory (p=0.002) and kinesiophobia (p<0.001) in the pain neuroscience education with targeted cognitive motor control training group compared to the targeted cognitive motor control training only group after eight weeks. Main effects of time were observed for pain, disability, and fear of movement after interventions (p<0.001). No significant group×time interaction effects was found for disability (p=0.50).
Conclusions: This study’s findings support the provision of pain neuroscience education as a clinically effective addition to targeted cognitive motor control training in chronic low back pain patients.
