French physical activity perception questionnaire for chronic low back pain: development and preliminary validation

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Psychometrics
• Pain Management

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) is crucial for managing chronic low back pain (CLBP), improving function and reducing disability.
• Patient adherence to PA is a significant challenge in CLBP management.
• A validated tool to assess PA perceptions in CLBP patients was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and psychometrically evaluate the French Assessment of Physical Activity Perception in CLBP individuals (APAP-CLBP) questionnaire.
• To explore associations between APAP-CLBP scores and clinical characteristics in CLBP patients.

Main Methods:

• A 26-item questionnaire was developed based on qualitative data on PA barriers and facilitators in CLBP.
• The APAP-CLBP was administered to 97 CLBP participants.
• Psychometric analyses included acceptability, validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change.

Main Results:

• Principal factor analysis supported a 13-item, 3-factor structure: 'Constraints' (Cronbach's alpha=0.75), 'Barriers' (Cronbach's alpha=0.73), and 'Pain' (Cronbach's alpha=0.80).
• Test-retest reliability was substantial for all subscales (ICC range: 0.66–0.75).
• The 'Barriers' subscale showed an exploratory trend toward sensitivity to change.

Conclusions:

• The French APAP-CLBP is the first questionnaire assessing PA perceptions in CLBP.
• Preliminary findings support a concise 13-item structure focused on PA barriers.
• Further validation in larger samples is required to confirm psychometric properties for clinical implementation.