Psychological Support for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review on the Validity of a Growing Remote Approach

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the main health problems imposing a significant burden both personally and socially. It is estimated that 70-85% of people experience LBP during their lifetime, with nearly 20% of cases becoming chronic (CLBP). Interest in psychosocial factors and their correlations with the onset and outcome of low back pain has increased in recent years. The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the validity and promote the adoption of psychological therapies delivered through remote platforms for the treatment and management of chronic pain related to LBP.

The clinical studies we reviewed in our research were identified from the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. Out of the initial 11,859 studies, only 20 met the inclusion criteria.

The results of our study confirm the effectiveness of psychological therapy delivered remotely in the treatment and management of chronic pain caused by low back pain. This highlights the importance of psychological intervention to improve the quality of life for these patients. Remote therapy can indeed facilitate treatment adherence and patient empowerment.

Living with a chronic illness requires continuous support and the development of personalized interventions where the patient is accompanied and supported daily through active intervention. This underscores the importance of expanding the availability of traditionally available psychological strategies to remote delivery to support a growing number of people affected by CLBP.