Are you in need of a modern approach to manage your persistent lower back pain?

Looking for a modern and revolutionary approach to treating lower back pain? Tried every treatment before with no improvement..?

Most people with severe non specific chronic lower back pain (back pain with no specific structural cause found) have two things in common, they usually have severe pain and also a lack of function. Many of them have undergone treatments including manual therapy, exercise therapy, core exercises, stabilising exercises, manipulation, electrotherapy, massage, pilates, yoga , medications, injections etc (the list goes on....). The evidence base for management of back pain has evolved immensely over the last decade but despite this many patients continue to be treated with all of these traditional therapies with little effect.

Even the latest national guidance from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) clearly state that practitioners should not be offering acupuncture, injections and electrotherapy for treatment of lower back pain (source). 

Frustratingly, these types treatments are still marketed and sold to people in pain on a daily basis. There is therefore a clear need for physiotherapists, doctors, surgeons, osteopaths and chiropractors to improve the quality of what we offer for conservative management of non specific lower back pain and in the process move to a more contemporary approach. 

(USEFUL ARTICLE TO READ ON NEED FOR DRASTIC CHANGES IN CURRENT MANAGEMENT OF LOWER BACK PAIN)  

Since its inception, the Consortium clinic has always listed Cognitive Functional Therapy as a service provided for its patients. The research has shown this approach to be significantly more effective than any previous approaches we have traditionally used to manage back pain (source). This is exciting news for the future for those of you who suffer from severe disabling back pain. 

What is Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT)?

When it comes to treating lower back pain - a one size fits all approach simply does not work.

CFT is most importantly patient centred. This means it is focused entirely around you as a person, your life and your goals. CFT looks at the way you move and analyses some of the strategies you have adopted as a result of living in pain. It targets the fears and beliefs that are associated with performing spinal movements and the movement behaviours you often display around your back. It will help you understand that pain will not necessarily cause your back any damage. We will look through your MRI scan with you and help you to dethreaten some of the worrying things you may have been told about it. CFT will try to get you out of the vicious circle that so many patients find themselves trapped within. Often all of these things lead to a significant increase in the tension around your back and this often drives the nervous system to be over sensitised.

CFT will look to undo and change many of these things to provide you with better strategies to ease your pain and lessen your disabilities. It will help empower you to get back to doing the things in life that are of value to you.

What does the research say that Cognitive functional therapy achieves?

The trials for CFT suggest that this approach is far more effective than the traditional management of being manipulated, mobilised or exercised. It has been shown to significantly reduce peoples levels of pain, disability and fear of movement. It often improves your mood and mental wellbeing. Patients who have had CFT often have less need for ongoing treatments or time off work (source).  

Is Cognitive Functional Therapy appropriate for everybody?

CFT can be applied to the majority of back pain. It is most appropriate for people with non specific back pain that is provoked by certain movements, postures or activities (85% of back pain). It is often even more appropriate for the more complex and disabled patients. It is also used successfully for those people with mild to moderate levels of back pain. However, CFT is not for everybody..... there are some patients (less than 15%) who have had a very specific structural cause of lower back pain identified, this approach is still beneficial but may focus on specific structural cause of symptoms aswell as all of the other contributing factors.

Want to learn more?

This video interviews one of the key researchers in CFT, it discusses what cognitive functional therapy actually is and the significant effects it can have....

Interested?

The Consortium clinic believes strongly in the use of the CFT approach for lower back pain. Should you wish to discuss with one of our clinicians then please contact our enquiries line on 01482 847705. We can always schedule one of our spinal specialists to ring you if needed. Alternatively you can email us at enquiries@consortiumphysio.co.uk