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