['A longitudinal assessment of the association between pain-related fear and joint motions in 36 participants with subacute low back pain.', 'To determine how the psychologic construct of pain-related fear maps to motor behavior in standardized reaching tasks.', 'Pain-related fear is a significant predictor of avoidance behavior and occupational disability in individuals with low back pain. However, it is not currently known how pain-related fear maps to motor behavior.', 'Participants with an episode of subacute LBP were tested at 3, 6, and 12 weeks following pain onset. Participants performed reaching tasks at comfortable and fast-paced movement speeds to 3 targets (high, middle, low) located in a midsagittal plane. Three-dimensional joint motions of the thoracic spine, lumbar spine, and hip were recorded using an electromagnetic tracking device. Group differences in joint excursions were assessed using 2 groups (high pain-related fear, low pain-related fear) x 3 times (3, 6, 12 weeks) x 2 movement speeds (comfortable, fast paced) x 3 target heights (high, middle, low) MANOVAs.', 'Individuals with high pain-related fear had smaller excursions of the lumbar spine for reaches to all targets at 3 and 6 weeks, but not at 12 weeks following pain onset.'] Is pain-related fear associated with avoidance of spinal motion during recovery from low back pain?