Samenvatting

There is no strong evidence to
support the claim that 80%
to 90% of patients with low
back pain (LBP) become pain-free
within 1 month; on average, 62%
(range42%–75%) of the patients
still experienced back pain after 12
months.1 Studies following patients
over a 12-month period have shown
that LBP is characterized as having
periodic attacks and temporary
remissions, rather than being “chronic.”
Shorter periods of temporary
remissions are frequently seen in
patients with chronic nonspecific
low back pain (CNSLBP) (12
weeks) in combination with higher
levels of limitations in activities. A
recent meta-analysis5 reported that
patients with acute, subacute (12
weeks), and persistent (12 weeks
to 12 months) LBP experienced substantial
reductions in pain and
improvement in disability in the first
6 weeks, but only very small reductions
in average pain and disability
between 6 and 52 weeks were demonstrated.
The course of limitations
in activities among patients with
CNSLBP varies per patient. Therefore,
knowledge of the course and
prognostic factors of disability experienced
by patients with CNSLBP
might be clinically relevant for optimizing
rehabilitation. The rehabilitation
of normal patterns or activities
of movements in patients with
CNSLBP is a focus during multidisciplinary
treatment.