Objective

Psychosocial factors appear increasingly decisive in functional disability related to chronic low-back pain. Catastrophizing and kinesiophobia lead to deconditioning and the perpetuation of pain. The purpose of this study is to evaluate fear, beliefs, catastrophizing and kinesiophobia in chronic low-back pain patients about to begin a training programme in a rehabilitation centre.

Material/patients and methods

Retrospective study conducted in the department of physical and rehabilitation medicine in the Military Tunis hospital between March and June 2015, concerning patients followed for chronic low-back pain. We used validated French-language scales to score the patients’ pain-related disability and psychosocial factors.

Results

Thirty patients were included in the study; there were 25 men and 5 women. The mean age was 45 years. The mean pain visual analogue scale was 7.5/10. Twenty patients were sedentary and 10 performing heavy work, the mean Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia was 43.2 (40–44), the mean Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire (FABQ) physical was 12 (2–16) and the mean FABQ work was 38 (23–42).

Discussion – conclusion

Psychosocial factors are very common in population of chronic low-back pain military. Rehabilitation programs could optimize patient management by taking these factors into account.