Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 63. No. 1, 2024.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2024.63.01.15
Anxiety, fears and fear-avoidance beliefs and therapeutic outcome after lumbar microdiscectomy
Slobodan Pantelinac
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia; Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Medical Rehabilitation Department, Novi Sad, Serbia
*
Dušica Simić-Panić
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia; Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Medical Rehabilitation Department, Novi Sad, Serbia
Gordana Devečerski
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia; Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Medical Rehabilitation Department, Novi Sad, Serbia
Snežana Tomašević Todorović
; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia; Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Medical Rehabilitation Department, Novi Sad, Serbia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Microdiscectomy is one of the surgical methods for the treatment of herniated
intervertebral disc in patients with low back pain. The aim of the research was to evaluate the presence
of psychological and cognitive-behavioral factors, including anxiety, fears and fear-avoidance beliefs
of physical activity and work and their correlation with the pain and functional disability in patients
after lumbar microdiscectomy and subsequent physical therapy. Th e research was performed on
198 patients (95 men and 103 women), mean age 50.20±10.26 years. Th e following questionnaires
were used in the study: Spielberger Anxiety Inventory-State and Trait; Fear-Avoidance Beliefs
Questionnaire (Physical activity and Work); for intensity of pain, visual analog scale and Oswestry
Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire. Th ese assessments were carried out after microdiscectomy,
as follows: just before rehabilitation treatment, and 1, 3 and 6 months after microdiscectomy. Th e pain
and functional disability had significant correlations with the following factors: anxiety-state (p<0.01),
anxiety-trait (p<0.01), fear/avoidance beliefs - physical activity (p<0.01) and fear/avoidance beliefs -
work (p<0.01). Th e pain and functional disability in patients after lumbar microdiscectomy showed
significant correlation with anxiety, fears and fear-avoidance beliefs. The mentioned psychological
and cognitive-behavioral factors can predict the degree of functional recovery and indicate additional
therapy after lumbar microdiscectomy.
Keywords
Low back pain; Lumbar microdiscectomy; Anxiety; Fears; Fear-avoidance beliefs; Disability
Hrčak ID:
322045
URI
Publication date:
1.4.2024.
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