Changes of Pain and Functional Parameters in Back Pain Patients Over Time

Changes of Pain and Functional Parameters in Back Pain Patients With or Without Radiculopathy Over Time

Back pain affects patients' daily life. Patients can suffer from various symptoms which appear intermittent or permanent; pain, sensory malfunction, reduction of muscular strength and coordination. Therefore, patients are impaired in participation and activity.

Physiotherapy is recommended to improve those symptoms and to positively affect the cause of the problem. However, some patients do not benefit from physiotherapeutic treatment and require a surgery.

The investigators intend to attend patients suffering from back pain and to document the changes of pain and functional parameters over a period of 6 months. The investigators include pre-operative, post-operative or non-operated patients which allows to discuss the different treatment options and its effects.

To assess pain and functional parameters physicians, medical staff and physiotherapist often use subjective clinical testings which impede the comparability of testings over time, between testers and between subjects.

Therefore, a second aim of this study is to evaluate each subjective clinical test with a standardized objective measurement tool.

Inclusion Criteria:

• appointment at the neurosurgery department due to back pain
• German speaking
• willingness to see a physiotherapist
• willingness to participate in 3 measurements over 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• no appointment at the neurosurgery department due to back pain
• not German speaking
• no willingness to see a physiotherapist
• no willingness to participate in 3 measurements over 6 months