Psychosocial Aspects and Pain Perception Models in Low Back Pain

Low back pain is strongly influenced by psychosocial factors that shape pain perception, chronicity, and disability. The biopsychosocial model integrates biological pathology with psychological processes and social context, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding pain beyond structural abnormalities. Cognitive factors such as catastrophising and expectations, emotional states including depression and anxiety, and behavioral patterns like fear-avoidance significantly modulate pain experience. Contemporary models, including the neuromatrix and predictive processing frameworks, describe pain as a constructed output of brain networks influenced by prior beliefs and contextual inputs. Recognising these mechanisms is essential for effective, multidisciplinary management strategies targeting both physical and psychosocial dimensions of low back pain.