v anglickém jazyce: Incidence and management of muscle imbalances in physically active and inactive populations: Objective rehabilitation solutions for populations with nonspecific back pain Summary Totally 258 patients with chronic low back pain aged 51,5 +8,4 years were treated for three weeks in the Rehabilitation Centre focused on lumbar back pain. We observed incidence of muscle dysbalances and accomplished their exact objectiveness using the Tergumed system. We tried to compare and solve their mutual influence during the rehabilitation treatment. We compared differences between physically active and physically inactive population, the impact of total motivation,age and other factors on the improvement of strenght, motion, dysbalances and total pain relief.Significant improvement of movement and muscle strenght p <0,001 were documented on the Tergumed in three weeks.The physically active population and patients motivated.by using the Tergumed preferred active exercises to passive therapy. We also observed improvement in finger-floor distance and reduction of pain, documented by the visual analogue scale, decrease in body weight and cholesterol level (p <0,001). In three- week observation nor significant changes in muscle dysbalance, neither their differences according to sex,age ,chronical...

A comprehensive background is herein presented for lumbar skin strain and its effect on skin adhered wearable (SAW) products. A background of the development of computational models of the interaction of skin and novel SAWs being researched is also presented. These include products involving the use of high deflection strain gauges to measure skin strain during functional movements (FMs) as a method to address the complicated phenotyping of the etiological causes of low back pain (LBP). The background concludes with the mathematical calculation of the principal skin strain magnitudes and orientations using retroreflective marker coordinate data in a motion capture lab setting and the potential role of principal skin strain on the post-operative management of wounds to accelerate healing and minimize infection and scarring. The mechanics response of lumbar skin among 30 participants was measured during various FMs, for which high strain movements (Flexion, Flexion right/left, Sit To Stand) exhibited principal strain magnitudes repeatedly above 50% while others (Rotation right/left, Lateral Bending right/left, Extension, and Extension right/left) exhibited magnitudes repeatedly below 50%. Principal strain orientation was presented in easily visualizable mappings that demonstrated minimal variability both within and between participants for a given FM. Principal strain rates were measured, ranging between 25% and 151% per second among movements. The mechanics response of lumbar skin was again measured for a single participant, albeit this time between bare skin and skin with a SAW; which in this example was kinesiology tape with a high deflection nanocomposite strain gauge. Results indicated very significant skin restriction during Flexion, for which a macroscopic skin strain of 65% was reduced to 22% because of the KT tape and additionally down to 13% because of the addition of the sensor (on top of the KT tape). A FEM was created based off this scenario, for which it was shown that the mechanical properties of skin in vitro are insufficient in representing the mechanical response of skin due to its stiffness. This was hypothesized to be due to the increased hydration (lower stiffness) of in vivo skin, for which high deformation stiffness in the literature is not available. The thesis is concluded with future research directions that would benefit the design of SAWs where high deformation is considered. Future research directions are also discussed regarding post-operative wound healing and the potential role of repeated skin strains, such as concerning scarring and infection.

Objectifs Les études évaluant l’efficacité de l’entraînement physique chez les lombalgiques chroniques observent généralement des tailles d’effet faibles à modérer. Une possibilité est que les essais ont été trop courts pour observer le plein potentiel de l’exercice physique. Nous avons cherché à caractériser la cinétique de la douleur pendant un régime d’exercice multimodal afin d’explorer si les participants pourraient bénéficier de régimes d’exercice plus long. Méthodes Cinquante-sept participants souffrant de lombalgie chronique ont suivi un régime d’exercice multimodal (exercices aérobies et en résistance) ou une période d’attente. Les capacités physiques et fonctionnelles des participants ont été évaluées avant l’intervention et la semaine suivant la complétion du protocole. L’intensité de la douleur dans le bas du dos a été enregistrée au début de chaque séance d’entraînement afin de suivre l’évolution de la douleur pendant le programme d’entraînement. Une modélisation linéaire à effets mixtes a été réalisée pour décrire la cinétique de la douleur. Des analyses de modération ont été effectuées pour vérifier si le sexe, l’intensité de la douleur au début du programme et l’amélioration des capacités physiques pouvaient prédire une plus grande réduction de la douleur. Résultats Les participants du groupe d’entraînement, mais pas ceux du groupe contrôle, se sont améliorés aux tests de capacités physiques. Cependant, les participants du groupe d’entraînement ne semblent pas avoir amélioré leurs capacités fonctionnelles. La douleur a diminué tout au long du programme d’entraînement (terme linéaire : 𝛽 = −14.89, 𝑝 < .001). Cependant, la réduction de la douleur ralentissait à mesure que les participants progressaient dans le programme d’entraînement (𝛽 = −5.48, 𝑝 = .001). La réduction de la douleur était modérée par l’amélioration des capacités physiques et l’intensité de la douleur au début du programme, mais pas par le sexe. Conclusion Il semble que l’efficacité de l’entraînement physique atteigne un effet plancher, empêchant les participants d’atteindre un état sans douleur. Favoriser l’amélioration des capacités physiques semble aussi être une stratégie pour maximiser l’effet du programme d’entraînement. / Objectives Trials investigating the efficacy exercise therapy in low back pain (LBP) patients typically yield small to moderate effect size. One possibility is that trials have been too short to observe the full potential of physical exercise. We sought to characterize the kinetic of pain during a multimodal exercise regimen to explore if participants could benefit from longer exercise regimen. Methods Fifty-seven LBP patients completed a multimodal exercise regimen (aerobic and resistance exercises) or a waiting period. Physical and functional outcomes were measured prior to the intervention and one week after its completion. Pain intensity in the lower back was recorded at the beginning of each training sessions to monitor the evolution of pain during the exercise regimen. Linear mixed-effect modelling was performed to describe the kinetic of pain. Moderation analyses were performed to test whether sex, baseline pain intensity and improvement in physical capacities predicted greater pain reduction. Results Participants in the exercise group, but not the control group, improved in physical and functional outcomes. Pain decreased throughout the exercise regimen (linear trend: 𝛽 = −14.89, 𝑝 < .001). However, pain reduction slowed down as participants progressed in the training program (quadratic trend: 𝛽 = -5.48, 𝑝 = .001). Pain reduction was moderated by improvement in maximal aerobic capacities and baseline pain intensities, but not by sex. Conclusion It appears that the effect of exercise therapy reaches a floor effect, preventing participants from reaching a painless state. Designing physical training program maximizing improvements in physical capacities may be a good strategy to increase the efficacy of exercise therapy.

La chiropratique est une profession de la santé qui s’intéresse au diagnostic, au traitement, et à la prévention des troubles musculosquelettiques. L’intervention la plus communément utilisée en chiropratique est la manipulation vertébrale (dite « ajustement chiropratique »). D’ailleurs, les consultations en chiropratique sont principalement pour des douleurs vertébrales, particulièrement dans la région lombaire. La lombalgie est la principale cause d'incapacité à travers le monde. Elle engendre des coûts considérables pour la société et les individus atteints. Chez environ un tiers des individus, la lombalgie persiste et devient chronique, entraînant une incapacité et une diminution de la qualité de vie. Chez ces individus, aucun processus pathologique affectant les tissus vertébraux ne peut être mis en évidence. En effet, cette douleur, dite nociplastique, serait plutôt causée par des mécanismes pathologiques du système nociceptif. La lombalgie chronique, dite primaire chez ces individus, est ainsi considérée comme le diagnostic en soi, et non un symptôme secondaire à une pathologie sous-jacente. Chez certains individus, les manipulations vertébrales peuvent soulager la lombalgie chronique primaire. Cependant, leur efficacité comme intervention de première ligne et leurs mécanismes hypoalgésiques restent à démontrer. L'objectif général de cette thèse est d’examiner les mécanismes hypoalgésiques des manipulations vertébrales. Le premier objectif spécifique est d’examiner les mécanismes hypoalgésiques d’une manipulation vertébrale à l’aide d’un modèle expérimental de douleur persistante chez des individus en santé. Le deuxième objectif spécifique est d’examiner les mécanismes du soulagement de la douleur lombaire chronique primaire par une intervention chiropratique de quatre semaines, qui comprend douze séances de manipulations vertébrales. La thèse comprend deux études empiriques, soit une étude expérimentale et une étude clinique, qui sont précédées d’une revue de littérature ciblée. Le premier article est une revue narrative explorant les mécanismes neurophysiologiques de la manipulation vertébrale pour soulager la douleur vertébrale. Le deuxième article décrit les résultats d’une étude expérimentale chez des individus en santé. Dans cette étude, nous avons examiné les mécanismes d'inhibition de la douleur en réponse à une manipulation vertébrale ciblant un segment vertébral dont la peau a été sensibilisée par une application topique de capsaïcine. Le troisième article est une revue narrative examinant l'efficacité des manipulations vertébrales pour le traitement des douleurs vertébrales. Le quatrième article décrit les résultats d’un essai contrôlé randomisé avec groupe placebo chez des individus atteints de lombalgie chronique primaire. Dans cette étude, nous avons examiné si le soulagement de la lombalgie chronique primaire par une intervention chiropratique s’accompagne d’une atténuation de processus pathologiques contribuant à la douleur nociplastique. Les résultats indiquent qu’une manipulation vertébrale peut atténuer l’hyperalgésie mécanique secondaire observée avec le modèle expérimental de douleur persistante. Ceci suggère qu’une manipulation vertébrale pourrait agir sur des processus pathologiques qui mènent à la douleur chronique. Ces résultats sont cohérents avec la réduction de la douleur observée chez les patients atteints de lombalgie chronique primaire recevant des manipulations vertébrales. De plus, la réduction de la lombalgie chronique était accompagnée d’une réduction de l’hyperalgésie mécanique lombaire et de la dramatisation de la douleur. Dans l’ensemble, ces résultats suggèrent qu’une intervention chiropratique comprenant des manipulations vertébrales est efficace pour réduire la lombalgie chronique primaire, et que cet effet pourrait découler en partie d’une réduction de processus contribuant à la douleur nociplastique. Ceci renforce les recommandations cliniques sur l’utilisation de la chiropratique pour le soulagement de la lombalgie chronique primaire. D’autres études seront nécessaires pour clarifier les mécanismes neurophysiologiques et anti-inflammatoires des manipulations vertébrales. / Chiropractic is a health profession focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, mainly through spinal manipulation (also known as "chiropractic adjustment"). The majority of patients consult a chiropractor seeking spine pain relief, primarily in the lower back. Low back pain is the leading cause of global disability, generating considerable costs for society and affected individuals. At least one third of people with low back pain experience persistent pain, leading to chronic disability and a decrease in quality of life. In affected individuals, no pathological process affecting the spinal tissues can be identified. Instead, this pain, called nociplastic, is presumed to be caused by pathological mechanisms within the nociceptive system. Thus, in these individuals, low back pain is considered as chronic primary pain, and not the symptom of an underlying disease. In some individuals, spinal manipulations can relieve chronic primary low back pain. However, their effectiveness as a first-line intervention and their hypoalgesic mechanisms remain to be demonstrated. The overarching aim of this thesis is to examine the hypoalgesic mechanisms of chiropractic spinal manipulations. The first specific objective is to investigate the hypoalgesic mechanisms of a spinal manipulation using an experimental model of persistent back pain in healthy individuals. The second specific objective is to investigate the mechanisms of relief of chronic primary low back pain by a four-week chiropractic intervention, including twelve sessions of spinal manipulations. The thesis includes two empirical studies: an experimental study and a clinical study, both preceded by a targeted literature review. The first study is a narrative review exploring the neurophysiological mechanisms of spinal manipulation to relieve spine pain. The second article describes the results of an experimental trial on healthy individuals, where we examined the mechanisms of pain inhibition following a spinal manipulation targeting a spinal segment sensitized by the topical application of capsaicin The third article is a narrative review examining the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for the treatment of spine pain. The fourth article describes the results of a randomized placebo-controlled trial with individuals suffering from chronic primary low back pain. In this study, we examined whether the relief of chronic primary low back pain by a chiropractic intervention is accompanied by an attenuation of pathological processes contributing to nociplastic pain. The results indicate that a single spinal manipulation can mitigate segmental mechanical hyperalgesia observed with the experimental model of persistent pain. This suggests that spinal manipulations could act on pathological processes that lead to chronic pain. These results are consistent with the pain reduction observed in patients with chronic primary low back pain receiving spinal manipulations. Furthermore, low back pain relief was accompanied by a reduction in mechanical hyperalgesia and in pain catastrophizing. Overall, these results indicate that a chiropractic intervention including spinal manipulations is efficacious in reducing chronic primary low back pain, and that this effect could in part stem from a reduction in processes contributing to nociplastic pain. This reinforces clinical recommendations on the use of chiropractic for the relief of chronic primary low back pain. Further studies will be needed to clarify the neurophysiological and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of spinal manipulations.

No description available.

<p>An objective measure of muscular low back pain (LBP) symptoms eludes clinicians. This study assessed efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar multifidus using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal fractal dimension (FD) analysis and muscle cross sectional area (CSA) in LBP assessment. MRI results were compared to two questionnaires, the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog score (VAS).</p> <p>Right-left asymmetry in both DTI metrics and T2-weighted (T2W) CSA were greater in the injured. Also, asymmetry measures were correlated with body mass index (BMI) but not age, height, or level of physical activity (measured via Godin activity questionnaire). The relationship between asymmetry and LBP symptoms in T2W and DTI scans increased for subjects with BMI below 35kg/m².</p> <p>BOLD FD did not scale with LBP symptoms. However, FD analysis showed promise following therapeutic Swedish massage, hypothesized as being related to local perfusion changes, indicating that FD is sensitive to changes in the lumbar muscle, just not LBP symptoms. Thus the BOLD FD does change with treatment, just not with the symptoms of LBP.</p> <p>When combining data from multiple scan types, the symptoms of LBP correlated best with the unweighted mean of DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) and T2W CSA asymmetry, and the correlation was greatest (R²=0.88) when only <em>symptomatic (not both symptomatic and control)</em> subjects with BMIs from 18-25kg/m² were considered. From these results there appears to be clinical utility in characterizing the symptoms of non-acute LBP using DTI and CSA.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p>Povratak na posao nakon operacije lumbalne diskus hernije determinisan je funkcionalnim stanjem, prisustvom i stepenom tegoba od strane lumbosakralne kičme, zahtevima na radnom mestu bolesnika ali i psihosocijalnim faktorima, koji pri oceni radne sposobnosti zaposlnih zahtevaju individualni pristup. Grupa pacijenata koja se neće vratiti na posao može biti identifikovana putem prognostičkog modela. Cilj ove studije je definisanje prognostičkog modela za povratak na posao bolesnika operisanih zbog lumbalne diskus hernije kao i identifikacija najznačajnijih faktora rizika odgovornih za lo&scaron; ishod operativnog lečenja, posmatrano kroz prizmu povratka na posao. Istraživanje je prospektivna studija koja je obuhvatila ukupno 200 ispitanika, koji su operisani zbog lumbalne diskus hernije na jednom nivou i praćeni su u vremenskom period do 12 meseci nakon operativnog lečenja. U statističku ananlizu je u&scaron;lo 153 bolesnika, koji su ispunili kriterijume selekcije ispitanika studije. Nakon određivanja značaja posmatranih biolo&scaron;kih, profesionalnih i psihosocijalnih faktora rizika za povratak na posao, kreirani su i evaluirani prognostički modeli bazirani na svim i na odabranim atributima desetostrukom kros-validacijom: stablo odlučivanja (DT), model vi&scaron;eslojnih perceptrona (MLP) i model potpornih vektora (SVM). Za predviđanje povratka na posao najveću tačnost, specifičnost i senzitivnost za odabrane atribute postiže model potpornih - podržavajućih vektora (SVM). Najbolju intuitivnu i praktičnu vrednost za predviđanje povratka na posao pruža model stabla odluka (DT). Identifikacijom najznačajnijih faktora rizika za nepovoljan ishod povratka na posao omogućeno je preventivno delovanje na iste, u cilju smanjenja broja pacijenata sa umanjenjem radne sposobnosti i invaliditeta.</p> / <p>Return to work after lumbar discectomy is determinated by functional status, presence and degree of discomfort in the lumbosacral spine, the requirements in the workplace of patients and psychosocial factors that in the assessment of working capabilities require an individual approach. Groups of patients which don&rsquo;t return to work after surgery could be identified by predictive model. The aim of this study is to define prognostic model to return to work patients after lumbar discectomy, as well as the identification major risk factors responsible for the poor outcome of operative treatment viewed through the prism of returning to work. This prospective study included a total of 200 patients, who underwent surgery for lumbar disc herniation on one level and were followed up in period of 12 months following surgery. The statistical analysis included 153 patients who fulfilled all selection criteria of the study subjects. After determining significance of the observed biological, professional and psychosocial risk factors for return to work, prognostic models were designed and evaluated based on all and selected attributes by tenfold cross-validation: decision tree (DT) model of multilayer perception (MLP) model and support vector (SVM). For the prediction of return to work best accuracy, specificity and sensitivity for selected attributes, is achieved by supporting vector model (SVM). The decision tree model (DT) provides the best intuitive and practical value for predicting return to work. By identifying the most important risk factors for adverse outcome for return to work it is made possible for preventive actions, to reduce the number of patients with reduced work ability and disability.</p>

Introduction : L’évaluation clinique du contrôle neuromusculaire des muscles du tronc est criante en réhabilitation et en entraînement. L’objectif principal de cette étude a été d’évaluer la reproductibilité intra et inter-évaluateur d’un test clinique le soulèvement actif de la jambe tendue (SAJT) chez une population active et saine. Méthode : Chaque sujet (18 joueurs de tennis) a été testé à deux reprises par 2 physiothérapeutes avec le SAJT. Résultats : La reproductibilité intra-évaluateur s’est avérée élevée à très élevée (ICC = 0.81 à 0.93) tandis la reproductibilité inter-évaluateur s’est avérée cliniquement non viable. Conclusion : À notre connaissance, le SAJT est le premier test clinique reproductible évaluant le contrôle neuromusculaire du tronc avec des compensations musculaires et cinétiques chez des sujets actifs et sains. Une formation plus importante des évaluateurs aurait certainement amélioré la reproductibilité inter-évaluateur. / Introduction: The clinical assessment of the trunk muscles neuromuscular control is lacking in rehabilitation and in conditioning. The main goal of this study was to assess the intra and inter-rater reliability of a clinical test, the active straight leg raise (ASLR), on an active and healthy population. Method: Each subject (18 tennis players) was tested twice by 2 physiotherapists with the ASLR. Results: The intra-rater reliability turned out to be high to very high (ICC = 0.81 à 0.93) while the inter-rater reliability came out clinically unsustainable. Conclusion: To our knowledge, the ASLR is the first reliable clinical test to assess the core neuromuscular control based on muscular and kinetic compensation observations with active and healthy subjects. A more exhaustive training of the assessors would definitely improve the inter-rater reliability.

A dor na coluna vertebral é a principal causa de incapacidade no mundo, com altas taxas de prevalência global. A partir de estudos sobre a fisiologia da dor e suas relações com estados psicológicos, tornou-se essencial a avaliação psicológica dos indivíduos com quadros dolorosos, para selecionar os perfis mais favoráveis às diferentes formas de tratamento. O questionário DRAM (Distress Risk Assessment Method) foi desenvolvido como instrumento de triagem para portadores de dor na coluna vertebral subclassificando os indivíduos em quatro grupos distintos (normal, sob risco, somático e depressivo), conforme a pontuação dos dois questionários que compõem o DRAM (MSPQ e Zung). O objetivo desse estudo é traduzir e adaptar o DRAM para o português brasileiro da versão original em inglês, além de analisar a confiabilidade da versão traduzida e adaptada. Segundo a metodologia IQOLA, consagrada em inúmeras publicações, foi desenvolvida uma versão em português brasileiro que foi aplicada a uma amostra inicial de 30 pacientes e a seguir à amostra final de 85 indivíduos dos três centros participantes portadores de dor lombar. Os resultados comprovaram a confiabilidade e reprodutibilidade da versão traduzida e adaptada do questionário DRAM com índice de Cronbach alfa de 0,815 para o MSPQ e 0,794 para o Zung e coeficiente de correlação intraclasse de 0,688 para o MSPQ e 0,659 para o Zung. Tais dados permitiram concluir que a versão do questionário DRAM traduzida e adaptada culturalmente para o português brasileiro é confiável e está disponível para uso na prática clínica / Back pain is the leading disability cause worldwide, with high global prevalence rates. Based on studies regarding pain physiology and its relation to emotional distress conditions, psychological evaluation became essential to determine the most favorable patient profiles to distinct therapeutic approaches. DRAM (Distress Risk Assessment Method) has been developed as screening instrument for patients with lumbar pain, classifying them in subgroups as normal, at risk, distressed somatic and distressed depressive, based on the two components of DRAM scores (MSPQ and Zung questionnaires). The objective of this study is to translate and culturally adapt DRAM to Brazilian Portuguese language, and determine the final version reliability. As proposed by IQOLA method, a Brazilian Portuguese version of DRAM has been applied to an initial sample of 30 patients and finally to a 85 individuals from three participant centers. Results confirmed the reliability and reproducibility of DRAM in its Brazilian Portuguese final version: Cronbach alpha of 0.815 (MSPQ) and 0.794 (Zung) and ICC (intraclass correlation coefficient) of 0.688 (MSPQ) and 0.659 (Zung), thus concluding that the presented DRAM version in Brazilian Portuguese is reliable as available to clinical practice use

INTRODUÇÃO: A incapacidade relacionada à lombalgia crônica é um fenômeno complexo, multideterminado e pouco compreendido. OBJETIVO: Identificar a prevalência, caracterizar a incapacidade e identificar os fatores preditores independentes de incapacidade em pessoas com dor lombar crônica. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal com amostra não probabilística de 215 adultos com dor lombar crônica (idade média 45 anos; DP=11,1, 65% eram mulheres, média de escolaridade de 11 anos, média da intensidade da dor de 7,3; DP=2,3) atendidos em 3 serviços de saúde e trabalhadores de duas indústrias. Os dados foram coletados entre janeiro e novembro de 2008 e os participantes responderam a 8 instrumentos: a Ficha de Caracterização, o Oswestry Disability Index, o Questionário de atividade física habitual de Baecke, a Escala de Auto-eficácia para Dor Crônica, Inventário de Atitudes frente à Dor, a Escala Tampa de Cinesiofobia, Inventário de Depressão de Beck, a Escala de Fadiga de Piper Revisada. Após testes de confiabilidade de todos os instrumentos, o Questionário de atividade física habitual de Baecke foi excluído. Utilizaram-se os pontos de corte previstos nas Escalas e determinaram-se pontos de corte para as variáveis: auto-eficácia, medo e evitação da dor e fadiga. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de incapacidade foi de 53% e a maior parte dos indivíduos apresentou incapacidade de moderada a severa (68%). Na análise univariada, 19 dos 20 fatores investigados apresentaram associação com incapacidade: sexo, idade, escolaridade, situação de trabalho, renda familiar, IMC, intensidade da dor, duração da dor, depressão, fadiga, crença de auto-eficácia, crença de medo e evitação da dor, crença de controle, crença de emoção, crença de que dor incapacita, crença de dano físico, crença de solicitude, crença de medicação e crença de cura médica. Na análise de regressão múltipla identificaram-se quatro fatores associados independentemente à incapacidade: afastamento do trabalho, crença de auto-eficácia frente à dor baixa, crença de medo e evitação da dor alta e dor intensa. CONCLUSÕES: A chance de incapacitação para indivíduos sem trabalho foi 219% maior; aqueles com auto-eficácia baixa apresentaram chance 113% maior de ter incapacidade; os indivíduos com elevado medo e evitação da dor apresentaram chance de incapacidade 41% maior do que para os demais e, para os indivíduos com dor intensa, a chance de ter incapacidade foi 30% maior. Os quatro fatores preditores observados são passíveis de mudança. Intervenções como a recolocação do indivíduo no trabalho, a minimização da intensidade da dor e a reconceituação das crenças de auto-eficácia baixa e de elevado medo e evitação da dor devem ser implementadas nos programas de reabilitação, visando à prevenção e redução da incapacidade em pessoas com dor lombar crônica. / INTRODUCTION: Disability related to chronic low back pain is a complex, multidimensional and misunderstood phenomenon. AIMS: To identify the disability prevalence, its characteristics and independent predictors in chronic low back pain adults. METHOD: Cross-sectional study, non-probabilistic sample of 215 individuals from three health services and two industries: mean age=45 years (SD=11.1), female (65%), 11 years of schooling (SD=3.5) and mean pain intensity=7.3 (SD=2.3). Data collection was from January to November, 2008. Respondents answered 8 instruments: Identification Form, The Oswestry Disability Index, The Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire, The Chronic Pain Self-efficacy Scale, Survey of Pain Attitudes, Tampa Scale Kinesiophobia, Beck Depression Inventory, Revised Piper Fatigue Scale. The psychometric properties of the instruments were analyzed and The Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire was excluded after unsatisfactory reliability tests results. The instruments that had cut-points previously defined were assumed and specific cut-points were established to self-efficacy, fear-avoidance pain and fatigue for this sample. RESULTS: The prevalence of disability was 53% and it was moderate to severe in 68% of the sample. 19 out of 20 explored variables were associated with disability (p<0.05): sex, age, education, work situation, family income, BMI, pain intensity, pain duration, depression, fatigue, self-efficacy beliefs, fear-avoidance beliefs, control beliefs, emotion beliefs, disability beliefs, physical damage beliefs, solicitude beliefs, medication beliefs and medical cure beliefs. The multiple regression model identified four independent predictors of disability: work situation, low self-efficacy beliefs, high fear-avoidance beliefs and severe pain intensity. CONCLUSIONS: To non-workers the disability chance was 219% higher than for workers; those with low self-efficacy showed 113% higher chance of disability; the individuals with higher fear-avoidance beliefs showed 41% higher chance of disability and the individuals with severe pain showed 30% higher chance of disability. The predictive factors identified are modifiable. Interventions like work relocation, reduction of pain intensity and reconceptualization of self-efficacy and fear-avoidance beliefs must be implemented in rehabilitation programs, aiming to prevent and reduce disability in chronic low back pain patients.