BACK PAIN is responsible for enormous disability in the UK and has a devastating effect not just on the people suffering from it, but also on their families & friends. The cost to the NHS and to industry is enormous. But effective treatments do exist and can be delivered by a range of disciplines.

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

The programme is designed to provide health professionals with (depending on seminar)

• Up to date theory, practice and skills in assessing the chronic back pain patient
• Up to date theory, practice and practical skills in back pain management techniques
• Use the practical skills learned for the benefit of your patients TOMORROW

This Seminar/workshop will discuss the biopsychosocial model of disability as applied to the development of chronic low back pain related disability and explain the role of psychosocial factors in the development of incapacity from LBP. There will be discussion of the relative usefulness of psychometric questionnaires in the assessment of back pain patients at different durations. Participants will be introduced into a structure interview screen for "Yellow Flags" for poor outcome and identify barriers to recovery.

• Predictors of poor outcome Chris Main
  The psychosocial factors which predict low back pain and what is the evidence base to make assumptions that some patients are less likely to improve than others?
• Identifying predictors of poor outcome in low back pain. Chris Main
  Are screening questionnaires useful in the assessment of back pain? Do they inform clinical decision-making? If so which ones should we use and how should we use them?
• Case example - how to get it wrong Paul Watson
  A practical example of how patients can be end up being inadvertently mismanaged.
• Interview strategies for back pain Paul Watson
  A practical approach developed by the workshop presenters based on the "Yellow Flags" document and adapted for use in back pain in different clinical settings.
  

This seminar/workshop follows on from the previous one. The workshop starts with a review of the evidence base for the non-surgical management of low back pain. Using the interview strategy outlined in the first workshop participants will learn how to develop patient management strategies by the addressing the barriers to recovery. This will be through discussion and case examples. The management of the highly distressed or angry patient will be discussed. The focus of the workshop will be on skills that can be used by those clinicians who do not have direct access to Pain Management Programmes to help them manage patients individually in a primary or secondary care setting.

• What works in back pain? A review Paul Watson
  What is the evidence for the use of analgesia, manipulation, exercise and electrotherapy in the management of back pain? Do responses differ by duration of symptoms?
  
  
• Linking assessment and management Chris Main and Paul Watson
  Developing the previous assessment protocol to inform clinical decision making by addressing those factors predicting poor outcomes and enhance increased function.
  
  
• Specific techniques for increasing function
  Case examples Paul Watson
  Practical examples of reducing barriers to improvement.
  
  
• Managing distress and anger Chris Main
  Many clinicians find highly distressed and angry patients difficult to cope with. This session offers practical advice on how to help such patients without becoming distressed yourself.

What Delegates are saying: