There are some things in life that need repeating – the ABC’s are one of them. In this case I mean the ABC’s of persistent pain, and I’m really referring to the risk factors for chronic disability associated with pain.
Diane Jacobs, of Sherwood Physiotherapy, has summarised some of the discussion a few of us were having on SomaSimple about the so-called ‘Yellow Flags’ or psychosocial factors that are known to be associated with disability from pain. It’s available here and is a great resource freely available on the internet. Just don’t copy it without appropriate reference to her, and don’t alter it without consulting Diane or myself. The original ‘Psychosocial yellow flags’ document is available here, integrated with the NZ Acute Low Back Pain Guide.
It’s designed to be given to a patient to go through, preferably with a clinician, to help the person identify factors that might be problematic in their recovery. It can be used as a discussion pointer, and it might be an eye-opener for other clinicians too!
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