The FRP helps people:

• With pain for more than a few months
• Whose problem does not have a clear surgical cure
• Whose pain limits their ability to work, play and/or perform day-to-day activities

Each person has personal goals in these areas, and the FRP helps achieve these goals by:

• Helping them move better (with improved flexibility, strength, and endurance)
• Teaching skills to control and manage pain
• Planning with each person for how to get back to a productive work, play and/or daily life

Do people get better by doing the FRP?

In general, people improve their physical abilities and can do things with less (not more) pain. Learn more below.

• Overall, patients have less fear that they will get hurt by doing physical activities.
• The highest score possible on this survey is 66.
• We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.
• 173 patients filled out the survey between November 2003 and March 2006.

• Overall, patients are less depressed after doing the FRP.
• A low score means less depression.
• A score higher than 19 for someone in chronic pain means they have depression.
• We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.
• 151 patients filled out the survey between November 2003 and March 2006.

• Overall, patients can walk longer and further after doing the FRP.
• Patients walk on a treadmill. They increase their speed and slope (like walking up a hill). This makes the intensity of walking go up.
• Patients walk on the treadmill at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP. That is where we get the information for this graph.
• 172 patients walked on the treadmill between November 2003 and March 2006.

• Overall, patients can lift more weight after doing the FRP.
• Patients lift a weight from the floor their waist. They increase the weight until it is no longer comfortable. We record the biggest number of pounds they can lift.
• Patients lift weight at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP. That is where we get the information for this graph.
• 173 patients lifted weights between November 2003 and March 2006.

Patients are more flexible

• Overall, patients are more flexible after doing the FRP.
• Patients stand and bend forward and backward at the waist. The staff measures how many degrees (how far) the patient can bend.
• Patients do the bending exercise at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP. That is where we get the information for this graph.
• 152 patients did the bending exercise between November 2003 and March 2006.
  

• Overall, patients do things with less pain after doing the FRP.
  A high score means less pain.
• We ask patients about how much pain they have had lately. We also ask them how much their pain gets in the way when they do things.
• We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.
• 78 patients filled out the survey between April 2005 and April 2006.

Patients have a better mental outlook

• Overall, patients have a better mental outlook after doing the FRP.
• We ask patients how they are feeling mentally. For example, we ask them how often they feel sad, happy, and tired.
• We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.
• In the general public the average score is 50. This means that half the people score higher and half score lower than 50.
• 78 patients filled out the survey between April 2005 and April 2006.

A lower score is better.

• Overall, patients are less disabled after doing the FRP.
• We ask how disabled the patient feels when they do day-to-day things such as walking, sleeping, or social activities.
• We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.
• This survey is just for patients with spine problems.
• 78 patients filled out the survey between April 2005 and April 2006.

• Overall, patients can move around more easily after doing the FRP.
• We ask patients if they have problems doing things like walking, bending, or lifting.
• We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.
• In the general public the average score is 50. This means that half the people score higher and half score lower than 50.
• 78 patients filled out the survey between April 2005 and April 2006.

• Overall, patients who want to, go back to work.
• We called patients to ask if they were working.
• We only called patients who had a goal of going back to work. Not everyone in the FRP has a goal of going back to work.
• We called 30 patients who did the FRP from April to October 2005.
• We made the calls 6-13 months after these patients finished the FRP.