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Cognitive Behavioural Skills to Treat Back Pain: The Back Skills Training (BeST) Programme

Learn an evidence-based, cognitive behavioural approach to manage low back pain with this CPD course for health professionals.

26,405 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    6 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Understand a cognitive behavioural approach to manage ongoing low back pain

The Back Skills Training (BeST) programme focuses on ‘undoing’ beliefs about low back pain, and provides skills to become more active, despite pain. The programme was developed by experts in psychology, physiotherapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, and people with long-standing low back pain. According to a rigorous clinical trial, the BeST programme produces long term reductions in people’s pain and disability and is a very cost effective treatment.

On this course you will explore the BeST programme, examining the causes of persistent low back pain, and the cognitive behavioural approach.

What topics will you cover?

  • The nature and cause of persistent low back pain.
  • The cognitive behavioural approach.
  • Exercise and activity for low back pain.
  • How thoughts and feelings can influence pain.
  • Pain management skills.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Apply a cognitive behavioural approach to effectively help people better manage persistent low back pain.
  • Reflect on how to implement these techniques in clinical practice.
  • Lead a group back skills training (BeST) programme in your clinical setting.
  • Demonstrate understanding of a cognitive behavioural approach to managing persistent low back pain.

Who is the course for?

This course is approved by the British Psychological Society for the purposes of Continuing Professional Development for healthcare professionals. It is designed for healthcare professionals with a role or interest in managing patients with low back pain (including nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychological therapists).

It will also be useful for students training to become healthcare professionals. The Certificate of Achievement for this course would be useful for providing evidence of CPD.

What do people say about this course?

Key to running group sessions, and avoiding clinician burnout.

"The BeST training sets you apart from other clinicians by coaching you step by step on how to deliver cognitive-behavioural elements in your clinical practice."

BeST teaches you to get participants onto a self discovery journey.

"As clinicians we can be didactic and tell people what to do, whereas my take on the BeST programme was trying to get participants onto a self discovery journey really with their back pain."

Who will you learn with?

Pippa is a physiotherapist and researcher at the University of Oxford, focusing on the management of musculoskeletal conditions which affect older people.

Esther is a physiotherapist and researcher at the University of Oxford. She is Deputy-Director of the Centre for Rehabilitation Research.

Beth Fordham is a health psychology researcher. Beth aims to use psychological theory and practice to improve quality of life in physical and mental health conditions.

Zara is a physiotherapist and a cognitive behavioural therapist. She integrates the two professions through her research, clinical, and teaching work.

Who developed the course?

University of Oxford

Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It has been at the forefront of understanding the world – and shaping it – for centuries.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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Join the conversation on social media

You can use the hashtag #FLbackskills to talk about this course on social media.