Body awareness and chronic low back pain: validity and reliability study of Turkish version of body awareness rating scale

Body perception outcome measures in chronic non-specific low back pain: A systematic review of measurement properties using the COSMIN approach

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a highly prevalent health problem. Recent research has suggested that disruption of body perception might contribute to the problem and represent a target for treatment. Valid and reliable outcome measures are required to understand the relationship between disrupted body perception and clinical status. This systematic review aimed to identify patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) used to assess body perception disruption in people with CLBP and evaluate their psychometric properties. Five databases were searched for studies investigating the psychometric properties of PROMs designed to assess body perception in people with CLBP. The appraisal of the methodological quality and measurement properties adhered to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology. Sixteen studies were included, evaluating two PROMs: the Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) and the Body Awareness Rating Questionnaire (BARQ). The studies included data from 2545 participants, comprising 1694 individuals with CLBP. The following measurement properties were investigated: content validity; structural validity; internal consistency; cross-cultural validity; test-retest reliability; measurement error and construct validity. While there is evidence for test-retest reliability and construct validity, neither questionnaire demonstrated adequate content validity and there was a low level of evidence for sufficient internal consistency. Consequently, both the FreBAQ and BARQ were classified as 'B', indicating their potential for recommendation, contingent upon further research to evaluate their quality. Future research should address identified limitations of the questionnaires, particularly content validity. This will lead to the development of more useful tools to measure body perception in the CLBP population. Perspective This article presents an evaluation of the psychometric properties of patient reported outcome measures used to assess body perception in individuals with chronic low back pain. These tools could potentially help clinicians identify and address body perception distortions in people with chronic low back pain, leading to effective management strategies.

Effectiveness of Basic Body Awareness Therapy on Body Awareness, Pain, Disability and Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Pilot Study

AimWhile there are several conservative therapy methods used for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), there remains a need for more holistic approaches. This pilot study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Basic Body Awareness Therapy (BBAT) in patients with CLBP.MethodsTwenty-eight patients with CLBP, 14 in the Conventional Therapy (CT) group and 14 in the BBAT group, were included in our study. Both groups received CT for 6 weeks, which included electrotherapy, hot pack, and general exercises. The BBAT group received BBAT in addition to CT. The Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) was used to assess pain, the SF-12 was used to evaluate quality of life and the Awareness Body Chart (ABC), Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ) and Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaires (FreBAQ) were used to evaluate body awareness. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Physical Impairment Index were used to assess disability.ResultsGreater improvements were observed in BBAT group compared to CT group in the emotional index and total scores of the SF-MPQ, as well as the SF-12 mental health scores (p < .05). BBAT produced greater improvements in body awareness values for the cervical-lumbar region, chest/abdomen, back, shoulder, thigh/hip, lower leg, and overall score of the ABC compared to CT (p < .05). However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the FreBAQ and BAQ scores (p > .05).ConclusionIn patients with CLBP, the addition of BBAT to CT resulted in positive outcomes such as increased body awareness, decreased pain, and improved mental health.