Pain, depression, anxiety and disability in back pain : do people seeking osteopathic treatment fit known profiles?

Background and objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a common and challenging problem in primary health care. Many people consult osteopaths regarding LBP. The biopsychosocial model is significant in LBP research, highlighting the effects of psychological factors on the development and outcomes of LBP episodes. However to date there have been no studies carried out in osteopathic clinics to investigate these relationships. This study aims to establish whether there is an association between length of LBP episode, acute or chronic, the type of pain experience, depression, anxiety and disability in people presenting to a student osteopathic clinic. The results suggest that the population attending an osteopathic clinic with LBP do not fit the biopsychosocial model prevalent with current literature. More research is required in the future to confirm these findings. This minor thesis was written by a post graduate student as part of the requirements of the Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) program