Table 1.

Primary and secondary objectives to be investigated in CSP patients

Primary objectives	Longitudinal phase
	- Effect of a modern neuroscience approach on pain compared to usual care evidence-based physiotherapy
	- Effect of a modern neuroscience approach on indices of central pain processing (i.e. widespread cold pain, pressure pain tresholds (PPTs) and conditioned pain modulation) compared to usual care evidence-based physiotherapy
	- Effect of a modern neuroscience approach on functioning compared to usual care evidence-based physiotherapy
Secondary objectives	Cross-sectional phase (baseline)
	- Relation between brain gray matter structure (cortical thickness) and pain (including symptoms of central sensitization)
	- Relation between brain gray matter structure (cortical thickness) and (dysfunctional) motor control
	- Relation between pain and motor control
	- Associations between pain, functional disability, and physical/psychological correlates of pain and dysfunctioning
	Longitudinal phase
	- Effect of a modern neuroscience approach on brain gray matter structure compared to usual care evidence-based physiotherapy
	- Effect of a modern neuroscience approach on motor control compared to usual care evidence-based physiotherapy.
	- Relation between changes in pain, functional disability, and physical/psychological correlates of pain and dysfunctioning
	- Proportion of patients that reach therapy success after 3, 6 and 12 months from cross-sectional phase visit
	- Factors associated with clinically important changes in primary outcome measures
	- Factors associated with poor outcome following treatment
	- Mediating factors for treatment effects

CSP: chronic spinal pain.