Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to measure the change in disability following a 2-week cognitive behavioural pain management program.

Methods: Subjects (n=67) were patients with chronic low-back pain referred to the 2-week, 70 hour program, who had no further medical treatment available. At referral their disability was assessed by way of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). The program is aimed at changing their behaviour, and returning them to normal function as much as possible.

Data were assessed at intake, at the end of the 2-week program, and at follow-up after 1 month and after 1 year.

Results: Over the 2-week programme period there is a sharp decrease in the ODI and the RMDQ scores. ODI scores went from 38 to 29 (range 0–100), RMDQ scores went from 14 to 8 (range 0–24). Over the 1-year follow-up there is an additional decrease in ODI score of 6 points and an additional decrease in RMDQ score of 1 point.

Conclusion: The sharp decrease in disability scores over the 2-week programme period shows that cognitive factors, i.e. the perception of disability by the patients plays an important role, since two weeks is not adequate time to see significant improvement in physical function. The change in behaviour that results from the program may lead to the further reduction in disability scores.