Table 1 The systematic review inclusion criteria

1. Prospective design (i.e., observational study or a secondary analysis of a randomized control trial-RCT).

4. LDH had to be confirmed by clinical diagnostic test (MRI, CT, or myelography) or by operative findings (i.e., bulging/protrusion, prolapse, extrusion, or sequestration).

2. Study should have included any of the FAM factors preoperatively (back pain, leg pain, pain catastrophizing, pain coping, fear, avoidance, anxiety, functional disability, depression, or physical activity) to predict postoperative pain, disability, or return to work outcome (or a composite measure that included anyone of the aforementioned outcomes).

5. All preoperative FAM measures have been taken within 6 weeks prior to surgery.

3. All included patients were scheduled to undergo surgery to remove LDH causing symptoms related to sciatica (i.e., either discectomy or microdiscectomy).

6. Follow-up outcome measures were taken at least 3 months after surgery.

7. Did not include patients with other diagnoses (e.g., stenosis, spondylolistesis, or arthritis).