Samenvatting

Chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) is a major problem and a leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide, with its burden expected to increase further. Disability represents a particularly important outcome in CNSLBP, as it is more strongly associated with reduced quality of life, work loss, and increased healthcare and societal cost than pain intensity alone. Contemporary physiotherapy management therefore emphasizes interventions addressing both physical and psychosocial contributors to disability. Among these, myofascial release (MFR) and pain neuroscience education (PNE) are widely used, yet their relative effects on disability remain unclear. The purpose of this literature review to evaluate the effects of MFR and PNE on disability in adults with CNSLBP.
Conclusion: Both myofascial release and pain neuroscience education are associated with significant reductions in disability in adults with chronic nonspecific low back pain. However, due to heterogeneity of interventions and the absence of direct comparisons, no conclusion can be drawn regarding the superiority of one intervention over the other. Based on these findings, both MFR and PNE may be considered as part of a multimodal physiotherapy approach aimed at reducing disability in patients with CNSLBP. Future research should focus on well-conducted randomized controlled trials directly comparing MFR and PNE using standardized intervention protocols and consistent reporting of clinically relevant disability outcomes.