Impact of Physiotherapist Communication on Outcomes in Adults with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating how a physiotherapists communication skills affect patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. This study involves 69 adults with pain in the cervical or lumbar spine, knee, or shoulder lasting more than three months. The goal is to understand if different communication approaches change the clinical presentation of chronic pain. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group watches a video where the physiotherapist uses good communication skills while explaining chronic musculoskeletal pain. Another group watches a similar video but without enhanced communication skills. The control group does not watch any video. This setup allows comparison of the impact of communication quality on patient outcomes. During the study, researchers measure changes in pain intensity and pressure pain threshold from before to 10 minutes after watching the videos. Additional assessments include pain distribution, illness perception, anxiety, fear of movement, video engagement, therapeutic alliance, and overall change ratings. These evaluations help monitor how patients respond to the different communication styles. The study begins in January 2024 and ends in March 2025.

Effectiveness of Physiotherapist's Communication Skills on Clinical Outcomes in Chronic Musculoskeletal Patients