Evidence-Based Resource Summary

Low-back pain is a major health and economical problem that affects populations around the world. Chronic low-back pain, in particular, is a major cause of medical expenses, work absenteeism, and disability. Current management of chronic low-back pain includes a range of different treatments such as medication, exercise, and behavioral therapy. Research has shown that social roles and psychological factors have a role in the course of chronic low-back pain. This review of 30 studies (3,438 participants) evaluated 3 behavioral therapies for chronic low-back pain: (1) operant (acknowledging that external factors associated with pain can reinforce it), (2) cognitive (dealing with thoughts, feelings, beliefs, or a combination thereof that trigger the pain), and (3) respondent (interrupting muscle tension with progressive relaxation techniques or biofeedback of muscle activity).