This study demonstrated that physicians request physical therapy services based on certain patient characteristics. Patients who were referred earlier tended to return to work sooner than those who were referred later, which indicates that timing of physical therapy is an important factor in the rehabilitation of workers with low back pain.
Patients who disagreed with their physician were less satisfied with their medical management, and catastrophized more about their pain than those who agreed, but disagreement was not associated with chronicity or disability. Studies with larger sample sizes should investigate the role of other factors, such as patient expectations, in the transition to chronicity.
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