Table 1. Participant characteristics.
| Alias, age, sex | Occupation and work status | Symptoms | Duration | Course | Imaging | Treatments received | RMDQ | TSK | Management plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward 71, M | Retired | Leg pain | 40 years | Episodic (not in an episode at the time of interview) | MRI | Medication, acupuncture, chiropractic, physiotherapy | 1/24 | 32 | Self-management |
| Myfanwy, 53, F | Police officer; on sick leave due to symptoms | Leg pain > back pain | 8 months | Episodic | MRI | Medication, chiropractic, physiotherapy, spinal injection | 11/24 | 41 | Review with APP |
| Gordon, 57, M | Delivery driver; unemployed; stopped work due to symptoms | Leg pain | 10 months | Severe, constant | XRMRI | Medication | 22/24 | 43 | Physiotherapy |
| Gethin, 42, M | Employed | Leg pain> back pain, foot numbness | 1 year | Constant, not changing | MRI | Osteopathy | 14/24 | 33 | Physiotherapy and review with consultant |
| Marley, 52, M | Self-employed, runs own training company | Leg pain | 3 years | Constant, variable | MRI | Medication, osteopathy, physiotherapy, spinal surgery | 3/24 | 23 | Nerve root block±surgical opinion |
| Ricardo, 45, M | Engineer;occasional days off | Leg pain > back pain, foot numbness | 2 years | Deteriorating | MRI | Medication, acupuncture, physiotherapy | 16/24 | 48 | Surgical opinion |
| Margret, 76, F | Retired | Leg pain | 3 months | Improving | XR | Medication, physiotherapy | 5/24 | 32 | Self-management |
| Maria, 63, F | Employed carer; off work 3 months | Leg pain > back pain | 9 months | Variable, but improving overall | XRMRI | Medication, acupuncture, chiropractic, physiotherapy | 17/24 | 45 | Nerve root block |
| Megan, 21, F | Student and works in a supermarket | Leg pain | 8 months | Severe, constant, deteriorating | MRI | Medication, chiropractic, physiotherapy | 20/24 | 43 | Surgical opinion |
| Harry, 44, M | Civil servant; intermittent time off | Leg pain | 18 years | Episodic, deteriorating | MRI | Medication, chiropractic, physiotherapy, nerve root block | 18/24 | 45 | Review with consultant |
| Patricia, 68, F | Retired | Leg pain and numbness | 5 months | Improving | XRMRI | Medication, physiotherapy | 8/24 | 42 | Review with APP |
| Martha, 54, F | Teaching assistant; returned on light duties | Leg pain, foot cramps, numbness, and paraesthesia | 4 months | Improving | None | Medication, osteopathy, physiotherapy | 10/24 | 38 | Physiotherapy |
| Hannah, 45, F | Healthcare support worker; returned on reduced hours | Leg pain, foot paraesthesia, and cramps | 9 months | Severe, constant, not changing | MRI | Medication, massage therapy, physiotherapy | 15/24 | 51 | Nerve root block |
APP = advanced physiotherapy practitioner. MRI = magnetic resonance imaging. RMDQ = Modified Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire.29 TSK = Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (>37 high score, and ≤37 low scores).28 XR = X-ray.
‘>’ indicates patient’s relative rating of pain; for example, leg pain rated to be greater than back pain.