Language and communication in back pain- how to help and not harm

The words used to explain and describe low back pain (LBP) to patients can influence their beliefs and level to which they engage and take part in their own care and management. Primary care manual/physical therapists are well placed to co-construct with patients, positive beliefs around their pain and disability, which helps to provide them with an optimal outcome. Conversely, therapists are equally positioned to either re-enforce patients’ existing negative beliefs or re-construct new beliefs which might nurture unhelpful behaviour (e.g. hypervigilance, fear-avoidance and dependency on passive treatment). With a professional language full of biomechanically-focused theories, manual therapists run the risk of doing ‘more harm than good’ when using these ideas to shape how we communicate to patients the nature and meaning of their pain and disability. Osteopaths are well positioned to co-construct either helpful or unhelpful beliefs and cognitions in patients with back pain. At the end of the session you will:

• Situate your clinical practice and reasoning in the biopsychosocial model.
• Understand the importance of language when talking with patients with back pain.
• Reflect on your language you use when communicating to back pain patients in clinical practice.
• Enhance your knowledge of strategies to communicate helpful messages regarding LBP