Clinical research has clearly revealed that this construct of fear-avoidance is closely associated with increased pain, physical disability, and long-term sick leave in chronic pain patients. Because it is so prevalent in chronic pain patients, psychometrically-sound instruments have been developed to measure fear-avoidance, such as the Fear of Daily Activities Questionnaire (FDAQ), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), and the more recent Fear-Avoidance Components Scale (FACS). Fortunately, there are now treatment techniques that can successfully reduce fear-avoidance beliefs and behaviors in patients with pain.
Learning Outcomes
The significance of fear-avoidance beliefs in chronic pain patients
Methods for measuring fear-avoidance beliefs
Methods for treating fear-avoidance beliefs in chronic pain patients