Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ Perspectives
Prompt and appropriate treatment of chronic low back pain (cLBP) is of the utmost importance for preventing relevant disability, high burden of disease, and increasing costs for the healthcare system. Recently, the concept of functional impairment has been associated with any type of chronic pain, a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Personalized Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/13/6/1012 |
| _version_ | 1797593907883671552 |
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| author | Arturo Cuomo Franco Marinangeli Alberto Magni Emiliano Petrucci Alessandro Vittori Marco Cascella |
| author_facet | Arturo Cuomo Franco Marinangeli Alberto Magni Emiliano Petrucci Alessandro Vittori Marco Cascella |
| author_sort | Arturo Cuomo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Prompt and appropriate treatment of chronic low back pain (cLBP) is of the utmost importance for preventing relevant disability, high burden of disease, and increasing costs for the healthcare system. Recently, the concept of functional impairment has been associated with any type of chronic pain, and mounting attention has been paid to extending the aims of treatment beyond mere pain remission, including restoration of working capacity, everyday functioning, mobility, and quality of life. Nevertheless, a shared definition of functionality is still lacking. Notably, different specialists involved in the treatment of cLBP such as general practitioners, orthopedists, pain therapists, and physiatrists, and patients themselves have different opinions on what “functional impairment” actually means. On these premises, a qualitative interview study was performed to investigate how the concept of “functionality” is interpreted by different specialists involved in the management of cLBP, and by patients. Overall, all different specialists agreed that functionality should be assessed in clinical practice. However, in spite of several instruments available for evaluating functionality, no homogeneity of behavior is observable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:15:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-24c2e5ed5afd4ecba44e7c7468b3ef5a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4426 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:15:10Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Personalized Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-24c2e5ed5afd4ecba44e7c7468b3ef5a2023-11-18T11:11:53ZengMDPI AGJournal of Personalized Medicine2075-44262023-06-01136101210.3390/jpm13061012Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ PerspectivesArturo Cuomo0Franco Marinangeli1Alberto Magni2Emiliano Petrucci3Alessandro Vittori4Marco Cascella5Division of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS, “Fondazione G. Pascale”, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Treatment, University of L’Aquila, Piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100 Coppito, ItalyItalian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care (SIMG), Via del Sansovino 179, 50142 Firenze, ItalyDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, San Salvatore Academic Hospital of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Anesthesia and Critical Care, ARCO ROMA, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, ItalyDivision of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS, “Fondazione G. Pascale”, 80131 Naples, ItalyPrompt and appropriate treatment of chronic low back pain (cLBP) is of the utmost importance for preventing relevant disability, high burden of disease, and increasing costs for the healthcare system. Recently, the concept of functional impairment has been associated with any type of chronic pain, and mounting attention has been paid to extending the aims of treatment beyond mere pain remission, including restoration of working capacity, everyday functioning, mobility, and quality of life. Nevertheless, a shared definition of functionality is still lacking. Notably, different specialists involved in the treatment of cLBP such as general practitioners, orthopedists, pain therapists, and physiatrists, and patients themselves have different opinions on what “functional impairment” actually means. On these premises, a qualitative interview study was performed to investigate how the concept of “functionality” is interpreted by different specialists involved in the management of cLBP, and by patients. Overall, all different specialists agreed that functionality should be assessed in clinical practice. However, in spite of several instruments available for evaluating functionality, no homogeneity of behavior is observable.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/13/6/1012chronic low back painfunctionalitymusculoskeletal disorderdisabilitychronic painquality of life |
| spellingShingle | Arturo Cuomo Franco Marinangeli Alberto Magni Emiliano Petrucci Alessandro Vittori Marco Cascella Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ Perspectives Journal of Personalized Medicine chronic low back pain functionality musculoskeletal disorder disability chronic pain quality of life |
| title | Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ Perspectives |
| title_full | Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ Perspectives |
| title_fullStr | Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ Perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ Perspectives |
| title_short | Investigating Functional Impairment in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study from the Patients and Specialists’ Perspectives |
| title_sort | investigating functional impairment in chronic low back pain a qualitative study from the patients and specialists perspectives |
| topic | chronic low back pain functionality musculoskeletal disorder disability chronic pain quality of life |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/13/6/1012 |
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