Factors predicting the transition from acute to persistent pain in people with 'sciatica' - The FORECAST Study

Example of two pain drawings of patients with sciatica. The first patient has pain going from the groin area to the foot. The second patient has pain going from the lower back to the foot. The distribution of pain can vary substantially between patients. — Examples of pain drawings in patients with sciatica. The distribution of pain can vary substantially between patients.

BE PART OF A RESEARCH STUDY THAT AIMS TO FIND OUT WHY SOME PEOPLE WITH SCIATICA DEVELOP CHRONIC PAIN

Sciatica is a common condition and is caused by injured or irritated nerves in the lower back. Sciatica causes pain, tingling or weakness in the leg. Whereas many people with sciatica recover, some develop persistent pain or symptoms. Our study investigates whether we can predict who will recover and who will continue to have persistent pain.

While FORECAST has now finished recruiting, our team have a number of other sciatica studies under development - if you are interested in participating, as someone with sciatica or as a healthy volunteer, please contact us on FORECAST@ndcn.ox.ac.uk or 01865 234543

patient advisors needed

Do you have experience of living with sciatica, now or in the past?

We need your help!

Could you join our patient advisory group to help guide and improve sciatica research?

We are running a study to better understand sciatica and we want to hear from you!

We are looking for patient advisors to meet with us online 3 or 4 times over the next year. Bringing researchers and people with experience of sciatica together to guide the FORECAST study, the patient advisory group will help to make sense of the study findings, and advise on the best ways to share our findings. Patient advisors will gain experience of getting involved with research and improve sciatica research helping to make things better for people with sciatica in the future. Patient advisors will be compensated for their time.

Key dates

Official Project Launch: 17/05/2022

Recruitment completed:

Our final patient joined the study in September 2024

Our final healthy volunteer joined the study in December 2024

Recruitment

Recruitment progress so far (last updated 1/10/24)

We are delighted to have completed recruitment for FORECAST, with 201 people with sciatica and 78 healthy volunteers joining the study.

People with sciatica stay in the study for one year, completing questionnaires and returning for a repeat visit one year after they joined the study. While around 160 people have now completed the study, the final FORECAST participants are still being followed, with questionnaires and visits due to finish in September 2025.