Does feeling pain help prepare future clinicians to treat pain? A qualitative exploration of a novel experiential approach to teaching health professional students about pain.

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION: Pain is a subjective phenomenon, that is often misunderstood and invalidated. Despite recent advances in health professional training, it remains unclear how students should be taught about the subjectivity of pain. This study explored how a novel teaching activity that integrated physiotherapy students' first-hand experiences with laboratory-induced pain could address this gap. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of physiotherapy students in relation to a workshop where physiotherapy students experienced laboratory induced pain. METHODS: We used a descriptive qualitative research design. Eighteen students participated in interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using an inductive conventional content analysis. RESULTS: We identified four overarching themes: 1) First-hand pain experiences facilitated engagement in learning; 2) Reflecting on these personal and peer pain experiences helped students make sense of pain; 3) The learning activity helped students understand the inherent subjectivity and complexity of pain; and 4) Students saw benefits for clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Integrating first-hand pain experiences within entry-level physiotherapy training appears to have novel value in helping students understand pain subjectivity. Future research should use robust and controlled designs to explore how this novel approach can be used to facilitate further understanding and empathy within clinical interactions with people living with pain.

Return-to-Work Following Occupational Rehabilitation for Long COVID: Descriptive Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that worldwide, between 30% and 50% of those who are infected with COVID-19 experience long COVID (LC) symptoms. These symptoms create challenges with return-to-work (RTW) in a high proportion of individuals with LC. To tailor rehabilitation programs to LC sequelae and help improve RTW outcomes, more research on LC rehabilitation program outcomes is needed. OBJECTIVE: This study describes the characteristics and outcomes of workers who participated in an LC occupational rehabilitation program. METHODS: A cohort study was conducted. Descriptive variables included demographic and occupational factors as well as patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs, ie, the Fatigue Severity Scale [FSS], the Post-COVID Functional Scale [PCFS], the 36-item Short Form Health Survey [SF-36], the Pain Disability Index [PDI], the pain Visual Analogue Scale [VAS], the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9], the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire [GAD-7], and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders Fifth Edition [DSM-5] posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] checklist [PCL-5]). The main outcome variable was the RTW status at discharge. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Logistic regression examined predictors of RTW. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 81 workers. Most workers were female (n=52, 64%) and from health-related occupations (n=43, 53%). Only 43 (53%) individuals returned to work at program discharge, with 40 (93%) of these returning to modified duties. Although there were statistically significant improvements on the pain VAS (mean 11.1, SD 25.6, t31=2.5, P=.02), the PDI (mean 9.4, SD 12.5, t32=4.3, P<.001), the FSS (mean 3.9, SD 8.7, t38=2.8, P=.01), the SF-36 PCS (mean 4.8, SD 8.7, t38=-3.5, P=.001), the PHQ-9 (mean 3.7, SD 4.0, t31=5.2, P<.001), and the GAD-7 (mean 1.8, SD 4.4, t22=1.8, P=.03), there were no significant improvements in the PCFS, the overall mental component score (MCS) of the SF-36, or on the PCL-5. The availability of modified duties (odds ratio [OR] 3.38, 95% CI 1.26-9.10) and shorter time between infection and admission for rehabilitation (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00) predicted RTW even when controlling for age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Workers undergoing LC rehabilitation reported significant but modest improvements on a variety of PROMs, but only 43 (53%) returned to work. Outcomes would likely improve with increased availability of modified duties and timelier rehabilitation. Additional research is needed, including larger observational cohorts as well as randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of LC rehabilitation.

Elective surgery in ankle and foot disorders-best practices for management of pain: a guideline for clinicians.

PURPOSE: Complex elective foot and ankle surgeries are often associated with severe pain pre- and postoperatively. When inadequately managed, chronic postsurgical pain and long-term opioid use can result. As no standards currently exist, we aimed to develop best practice pain management guidelines. METHODS: A local steering committee (n = 16) surveyed 116 North American foot and ankle surgeons to understand the "current state" of practice. A multidisciplinary expert panel (n = 35) was then formed consisting of orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, chronic pain physicians, primary care physicians, pharmacists, registered nurses, physiotherapists, and clinical psychologists. Each expert provided up to three pain management recommendations for each of the presurgery, intraoperative, inpatient postoperative, and postdischarge periods. These preliminary recommendations were reduced, refined, and sent to the expert panel and "current state" survey respondents to create a consensus document using a Delphi process conducted from September to December 2020. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred and five preliminary statements were summarized into 51 statements. Strong consensus (≥ 80% respondent agreement) was achieved in 53% of statements including the following: postsurgical opioid use risk should be assessed preoperatively; opioid-naïve patients should not start opioids preoperatively unless non-opioid multimodal analgesia fails; and if opioids are prescribed at discharge, patients should receive education regarding importance of tapering opioid use. There was no consensus regarding opioid weaning preoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Using multidisciplinary experts and a Delphi process, strong consensus was achieved in many areas, showing considerable agreement despite limited evidence for standardized pain management in patients undergoing complex elective foot and ankle surgery. No consensus on important issues related to opioid prescribing and cessation highlights the need for research to determine best practice.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Les chirurgies électives complexes du pied et de la cheville sont souvent associées à une douleur intense avant et après l'opération. Lorsque cette douleur est mal prise en charge, elle peut entraîner une douleur postopératoire chronique et une consommation d'opioïdes à long terme. Comme il n'existe actuellement aucune norme, nous avons cherché à élaborer des lignes directrices sur les meilleures pratiques en matière de prise en charge de la douleur. MéTHODE: Un comité directeur local (n = 16) a interrogé 116 chirurgiens nord-américains spécialistes du pied et de la cheville pour comprendre « l'état actuel ¼ de la pratique. Un groupe d'experts multidisciplinaire (n = 35) a ensuite été formé, composé de chirurgiens orthopédistes, d'anesthésiologistes, de médecins spécialistes de la douleur chronique, de médecins de soins primaires, de pharmaciens, d'infirmières autorisées, de physiothérapeutes et de psychologues cliniciens. Chaque expert a fourni jusqu'à trois recommandations de prise en charge de la douleur pour chacune des périodes suivantes : en préchirurgie, en peropératoire, pendant l'hospitalisation postopératoire et après le congé. Ces recommandations préliminaires ont été réduites, affinées et envoyées au groupe d'experts et aux répondants du sondage sur « l'état actuel ¼ afin de créer un document de consensus à l'aide d'une méthode de Delphi réalisée entre septembre et décembre 2020. RéSULTATS: Mille quatre cent cinq déclarations préliminaires ont été résumées en 51 énoncés. Un consensus fort (≥ 80 % des répondants étaient d'accord) a été atteint concernant 53 % des énoncés, notamment les suivants : le risque de consommation postopératoire d'opioïdes devrait être évalué avant l'opération; les patients naïfs aux opioïdes ne devraient pas commencer à prendre des opioïdes avant l'opération, à moins que l'analgésie multimodale non opioïde n'échoue; et si des opioïdes sont prescrits au congé, les patients devraient être informés de l'importance de réduire leur consommation d'opioïdes. Il n'y avait pas de consensus concernant le sevrage des opioïdes en période préopératoire. CONCLUSION: À l'aide d'experts multidisciplinaires et d'une méthode de Delphi, un fort consensus a été atteint dans de nombreux aspects, montrant un accord considérable malgré des données probantes limitées pour une prise en charge standardisée de la douleur chez les patients subissant une chirurgie élective complexe du pied et de la cheville. L'absence de consensus sur des questions importantes liées à la prescription et à l'interruption des opioïdes souligne la nécessité de recherches pour déterminer les pratiques exemplaires.

Development of a national pain management competency profile to guide entry-level physiotherapy education in Canada.

BACKGROUND: National strategies from North America call for substantive improvements in entry-level pain management education to help reduce the burden of chronic pain. Past work has generated a valuable set of interprofessional pain management competencies to guide the education of future health professionals. However, there has been very limited work that has explored the development of such competencies for individual professions in different regions. Developing profession-specific competencies tailored to the local context is a necessary first step to integrate them within local regulatory systems. Our group is working toward this goal within the context of entry-level physiotherapy (PT) programs across Canada. AIMS: This study aimed to create a consensus-based competency profile for pain management, specific to the Canadian PT context. METHODS: A modified Delphi design was used to achieve consensus across Canadian university-based and clinical pain educators. RESULTS: Representatives from 14 entry-level PT programs (93% of Canadian programs) and six clinical educators were recruited. After two rounds, a total of 15 competencies reached the predetermined endorsement threshold (75%). Most participants (85%) reported being "very satisfied" with the process. CONCLUSIONS: This process achieved consensus on a novel pain management competency profile specific to the Canadian PT context. The resulting profile delineates the necessary abilities required by physiotherapists to manage pain upon entry to practice. Participants were very satisfied with the process. This study also contributes to the emerging literature on integrated research in pain management by profiling research methodology that can be used to inform related work in other health professions and regions.

Contexte: Contexte: Les stratégies nationales nord-américaines préconisent des améliorations sensibles à la formation de base en matiére de prise en charge de la douleur afin de contribuer à la réduction du fardeau de la douleur chronique. Des travaux antérieurs ont généré un ensemble de compétences interprofessionnelles utile en matiére de prise en charge de la douleur afin de guider la formation des futurs professionnels de la santé. Cependant, trés peu de travaux ont porté sur l'acquisition de telles compétences pour des professions individuelles dans différentes régions. L'uisition de compétences spécifiques à une profession adaptées au contexte local est une première étape nécessaire pour leur intégration dans les systèmes réglementaires locaux. Notre groupe travaille à cet objectif dans le cadre de programmes de formation de base en physiothèrapie partout au Canada.Objectifs: Cette étude visait à créer un profil de compétences consensuel pour la prise en charge de la douleur, propre au contexte canadien de la physiothérapie.Méthodes: Un devis Delphi modifié a étè utilisé pour parvenir à un consensus parmi des formateurs en milieu universitaire et clinique en matière de douleur en milieu universitaire et clinique.Résultats: Des représentants de 14 programmes de formation de base en physiothérapie (93 % des programmes canadiens) et de six formateurs en milieu clinique ont été recrutés. Après deux tours, 15 compétences ont atteint le seuil d'approbation prédéterminé (75 %). La plupart des participants (85 %) ont déclaré être « très satisfaits ¼du processus.Conclusions: Ce processus a permis de dégager un consensus sur un nouveau profil de compétences en matiére de prise en charge de la douleur propre au contexte canadien de la physiothérapie. Ce profil délimite les habiletés requises des physiothérapeutes pour prendre en charge la douleur en début de pratique. Les participants ont été très satisfaits du processus. Cette étude contribue également à la littérature émergente sur la recherche intégrée en matière de prise en charge de la douleur en définissant une méthodologie de recherche qui peut être utilisée pour éclairer des travaux similaires dans d'autres professions de la santé et dans d'autres régions.

Barriers to Physiotherapists' Use of Professional Development Tools for Chronic Pain: A Knowledge Translation Study.

Purpose: The Pain Science Division (PSD) is a special interest group of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association that serves physiotherapists who have an interest in better understanding and managing patients' pain. The PSD developed evidence-based resources for its members with the goal of improving patient care by supporting professional development. However, online metrics tracking access to these resources indicated that access was low. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers PSD members encountered to the use of PSD resources and to recommend interventions to address these barriers guided by the Theory and Techniques Tool (TTT). Method: We distributed an online survey to PSD members across Canada. We used the TTT, a knowledge translation tool, to guide the design of the questionnaire and identify actionable findings. Results: Response rates from 621 non-student members and 1,470 student members were 26.9% and 1.4%, respectively. Based on the frequency of practising physiotherapists' (n = 167) agreement with items in the TTT, the primary barriers to use of the PSD resources were forgetting that the resources were available and forgetting to use them. Conclusions: The TTT can be used to identify barriers to use of professional development tools.

Objectif : la division science de la douleur (DSD) est un groupe d'intérêt de l'Association canadienne de physiothérapie destiné aux physiothérapeutes qui souhaitent mieux comprendre et gérer la douleur des patients. La DSD a préparé des ressources fondées sur des données probantes pour ses membres afin d'améliorer les soins aux patients grâce au perfectionnement professionnel. Cependant, les mesures virtuelles qui surveillent l'accès à ces ressources ont révélé que cet accès était limité. La présente étude visait à établir les obstacles auxquels se sont heurtés les membres de la DSD pour utiliser les ressources de la DSD et à recommander des interventions afin d'écarter ces obstacles en fonction de l'outil Theory and Techniques (TTT). Méthodologie : les chercheurs ont distribué un sondage en ligne aux membres de la DSD du Canada. Ils ont utilisé le TTT, un outil d'application des connaissances, pour orienter la conception du questionnaire et déterminer les résultats réalisables. Résultats : le taux de réponse des 621 membres non étudiants et des 1 470 membres étudiants s'établissait à 26,9 % et à 1,4 %, respectivement. D'après la fréquence d'accord des physiothérapeutes en exercice (n = 167) avec les points du TTT, l'oubli de l'existence des ressources ou l'oubli de les utiliser étaient les principaux obstacles à l'utilisation des ressources de la DSD. Conclusions : le TTT peut être utilisé pour déterminer les obstacles à l'utilisation d'outils de perfectionnement professionnel.

Which Exercise for Low Back Pain? (WELBack) trial predicting response to exercise treatments for patients with low back pain: a validation randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Exercise therapy is the most recommended treatment for chronic low back pain (LBP). Effect sizes for exercises are usually small to moderate and could be due to the heterogeneity of people presenting with LBP. Thus, if patients could be better matched to exercise based on individual factors, then the effects of treatment could be greater. A recently published study provided evidence of better outcomes when patients are matched to the appropriate exercise type. The study demonstrated that a 15-item questionnaire, the Lumbar Spine Instability Questionnaire (LSIQ), could identify patients who responded best to one of the two exercise approaches for LBP (motor control and graded activity). The primary aim of the current study isill be to evaluate whether preidentified baseline characteristics, including the LSIQ, can modify the response to two of the most common exercise therapies for non-specific LBP. Secondary aims include an economic evaluations with a cost-effectiveness analysis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Participants (n=414) will be recruited by primary care professionals and randomised (1:1) to receive motor control exercises or graded activity. Participants will undergo 12 sessions of exercise therapy over an 8-week period. The primary outcome will be physical function at 2 months using the Oswestry Disability Index. Secondary outcomes will be pain intensity, function and quality of life measured at 2, 6 and 12 months. Potential effect modifiers will be the LSIQ, self-efficacy, coping strategies, kinesiophobia and measures of nociceptive pain and central sensitisation. We will construct linear mixed models with terms for participants (fixed), treatment group, predictor (potential effect modifier), treatment group×predictor (potential effect modifier), physiotherapists, treatment group×physiotherapists and baseline score for the dependent variable. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study received ethics approval from the Hamilton Integrate Research Ethics Board. Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04283409.

Improving Cultural Knowledge to Facilitate Cultural Adaptation of Pain Management in a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Community.

Purpose: Health care disparities exist for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Addressing the cultural competence of health care providers could limit these disparities. The aim of this study was to improve cultural knowledge of and humility regarding pain in a CALD community. Method: This interpretive description qualitative study used focus group discussions (FGDs) to generate ideas about how South Asian culture could influence how health care providers manage pain. A total of 14 people with pain and of South Asian background (6 women and 8 men, aged 28-70 y) participated. Two investigators independently analyzed the data. This process involved repeatedly reading the transcripts, then manually sorting the key messages into categories. The investigators compared their categorizations and resolved differences through discussion. Next, similar categories and concepts were grouped into ideas (potential themes). These ideas, along with supporting categories and verbatim quotes, were presented to the full research team for feedback. After compiling the feedback, the ideas formed the thematic representation of the data. Results: The data from the FGDs revealed how pain management could be culturally adapted. The FGDs generated four themes about South Asian cultural perspectives that could influence the pain management experience for people living with pain: (1) cultural and linguistic impediments to communication, (2) understanding of pain in terms of the extent to which it interferes with function and work, (3) nurturing or personal attention as a marker of good care, and (4) value attributed to traditional ideas of illness and treatment. Conclusion: This study demonstrates how engaging with CALD people living with pain can lead to improved cultural knowledge and humility that can form the basis for adapting pain management. Through this process, it is more likely that a meaningful and client-centred pain management plan can be developed.

Objectif : les membres de communautés linguistiques et culturelles diversifiées (CLCD) font face à des disparités en matière de soins. Si les dispensateurs de soins acquéraient des compétences culturelles, il serait possible d'atténuer ces disparités. La présente étude visait à améliorer les connaissances et l'humilité culturelle au sujet de la douleur dans les CLCD. Méthodologie : étude qualitative descriptive et interprétative faisant appel à des entrevues de groupe pour générer des idées sur la manière dont la culture sud-asiatique peut influencer les modes de gestion de la douleur par les dispensateurs de soins. Au total, 14 personnes d'origine sud-asiatique qui souffrent de douleur y ont participé (six femmes et huit hommes de 28 à 70 ans). Deux chercheurs ont analysé les données de manière indépendante. Ce processus incluait la lecture répétée des comptes rendus, puis la catégorisation manuelle des principaux messages. Les chercheurs ont comparé les catégories et résolu leurs différends par des discussions. Ils ont ensuite regroupé les catégories et les concepts semblables en idées (thèmes potentiels). Les idées, de même que les catégories et les citations textuelles qui les appuyaient, ont ensuite été présentées à l'ensemble de l'équipe de recherche pour qu'elle y réagisse. Une fois les réactions compilées, les idées ont formé la représentation thématique des données. Résultats : les données tirées des entrevues de groupe ont révélé des manières d'adapter la gestion de la douleur à la culture. Les entrevues ont produit quatre thèmes sur les points de vue de la culture sud-asiatique qui pourraient influer sur l'expérience de gestion de la douleur des personnes qui vivent avec la douleur : 1) les obstacles culturels et linguistiques à la communication, 2) la compréhension de l'importance de l'entrave que représente la douleur pour le fonctionnement et le travail, 3) l'accompagnement ou l'attention personnelle comme marqueur de bons soins et 4) la valeur attribuée aux idées traditionnelles de la maladie et du traitement. Conclusion : la présente étude démontre que le fait d'engager un dialogue avec des personnes de CLCD qui vivent avec la douleur peut améliorer les connaissances et l'humilité culturelles sur lesquelles reposeront les mesures d'adaptation. Grâce à ce processus, il est plus probable d'établir un plan concret de gestion de la douleur, axé sur le client.

Exploring the causes and impacts of falls among ambulators with spinal cord injury using photovoice: a mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVES: This study explored: (1) fall circumstances experienced by ambulators with spinal cord injury (SCI) over a 6-month period, (2) the impacts of falls-related injuries and fall risk and (3) their preferences/recommendations for fall prevention. DESIGN: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design with two phases. SETTING: A Canadian SCI rehabilitation hospital and community setting. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three ambulators with SCI participated in phase 1 and eight participants that fell in phase 1 participated in phase 2. METHODS: In phase 1, fall circumstances were tracked using a survey that was completed each time a participant fell during the 6-month tracking period. Phase 2 involved photovoice; participants took photographs of factors that influenced their fall risk and how their fall risk impacted their work/recreational activities. Participants discussed the photographs and topics related to fall prevention in an individual interview and a focus group. RESULTS: Of the 33 participants, 21 fell in 6 months. Falls commonly occurred in the home while participants were changing positions or walking. Most falls occurred in the morning or afternoon. In phase 2, interviews and focus group discussion revealed three themes: (1) falls are caused by bodily impairments (eg, impaired reactive response during slips and trips and weakness and altered sensation in legs/feet), (2) impacts of fall-related injuries and fall risk (eg, psychosocial effects of fall-related injuries, limiting community participation due to the risk of falling and activity-dependent concern of falling) and (3) approaches to fall prevention (eg, fall prevention strategies used, components of fall prevention and utility of professional fall prevention strategies/interventions). CONCLUSIONS: Fall prevention interventions/strategies should focus on minimising a person's fall risk within their home as most falls occurred in the home environment. Ambulators with SCI would benefit from education and awareness about common fall circumstances that they may encounter in their daily lives.

Perspectives of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury on fall circumstances and fall prevention: A mixed methods approach using photovoice.

INTRODUCTION: Wheelchair users with spinal cord injury are at a high risk of falls. However, the perspectives of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury on their fall circumstances and their preferences for fall prevention strategies/interventions remain understudied. Therefore, we aimed to: a) describe the circumstances of falls experienced by wheelchair users with spinal cord injury over a six-month period, b) explore their perspectives of why falls occurred in certain situations, and c) explore their perspectives on recommended content/structure of fall prevention strategies/interventions. METHODS: This sequential explanatory mixed methods study had two phases. Phase I involved tracking of falls experienced by wheelchair users with spinal cord injury over six months, in which participants completed a survey after experiencing a fall to track the number/circumstance of each fall. Data from the surveys were descriptively reported. Phase II involved a photovoice focus group discussion of the survey findings and their preferences for fall prevention strategies/interventions. Data from the focus group discussion were analyzed using a thematic analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-two participants completed phase I. More than half of the participants fell at least once in six months. Falls commonly occurred in the afternoon during a transfer, or when participants were wheeling over uneven ground. One-third of the falls caused an injury. Eleven participants that fell during phase I participated in the focus group. Two main themes were identified from the discussion: 1) "circumstances surrounding the falls" (e.g. when falls occurred, the home is a 'safe space') and 2) "suggestions and preferences for fall prevention strategies/interventions" (e.g. fall prevention involves all, fall prevention training available as needed). CONCLUSION: Fall prevention strategies/interventions should be an integral component of rehabilitation practices across the lifespan. Participants recommend customizing fall prevention strategies/interventions to their specific needs to guide the structure, content, and delivery of targeted fall prevention programs.

Low back pain and radiographic severity as predictors in hip osteoarthritis patients receiving steroid injection therapy.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the effects of lower back pain (LBP) on measures of pain, disability, and function in highly symptomatic hip OA patients receiving intra-articular steroid injection (IASI) therapy. We also investigated the effect of radiographic severity of hip OA for comparison to LBP. METHODS: 97 consenting subjects with symptomatic hip OA presenting for IASI were evaluated at baseline, assessed over an 8-week period, and followed at least 1 year later for new arthroplasty. At baseline and 8 weeks follow-up patient demographics, presence/absence of back pain, physical function tests, a single anteroposterior pelvis x-ray, and subjective scores of pain, stiffness and function (VAS and WOMAC) were collected. We also followed which subjects proceeded to obtain total hip arthroplasty in the examined hip. RESULTS: Cohorts with LBP reported significantly worse scores for all of VAS pain and WOMAC questionnaires but showed no difference in ROM and were not more likely to proceed to arthroplasty. Cohorts with severe radiographic OA had significantly worsened scores for stiffness (χ2 = 6.74, p = 0.009), decreased ROM (p < 0.01), and were more likely to proceed to arthroplasty (χ2 = 9.79, p = 0.044). DISCUSSION: Back pain has a substantial effect on clinical parameters relevant to assessment of severity of hip OA, especially self-reported pain and function. This finding highlights LBP as a significant confounding factor in hip OA patient assessments and will inform future studies to determine the most effective treatment strategies for hip OA patients.

The current state of pain education within Canadian physiotherapy programs: a national survey of pain educators.

Purpose: To determine the current state of pain education across physiotherapy programs in Canada.Materials and methods: Educators that were responsible for teaching pain-related content at each of the 14 Canadian physiotherapy programs were invited to complete a cross-sectional survey. The online survey evaluated total time spent on pain education and the integration of content from international guidelines on pain education curricula.Results and conclusions: Complete data were obtained from all Canadian physiotherapy programs. The total median time spent on pain education was 18 h, ranging from 8 to 65 h. Across all programs, only 38.6% of the recommended pain curriculum themes were fully integrated within physiotherapy programs. Most of the curriculum themes were partially addressed (median: 52.6%) and a small minority were not addressed (median: 10.5%). There was an overall trend in which greater time spent on pain education corresponded to a higher proportion of pain curriculum themes that were fully integrated. This is the first national survey of pain education that has included all physiotherapy programs across Canada. These data provide a foundation for understanding the current resources and content dedicated to pain education and are an essential step in benchmarking and potentially improving pain education for physiotherapists.Implications for rehabilitationIntegrating pain education within entry-level physiotherapy programs is a foundational step in translating pain research into effective physiotherapy pain management.This survey of all entry-level physiotherapy programs across Canada shows considerable variability in the time and scope of pain education and that, on average, less than 40% of recommended pain education curriculum content is adequately addressed.This work highlights the need for national reference standards in pain education to help improve consistency across training programs.

Advancing Pain Education in Canadian Physiotherapy Programmes: Results of a Consensus-Generating Workshop.

Purpose: This article reports on a national stakeholder workshop that focused on advancing pain education in physiotherapy programmes across Canada. Methods: Workshop participants included national leaders from the following stakeholder groups: people living with pain; physiotherapy students and recent graduates; pain educators; physiotherapy programme administrators; and representatives from the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators, Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada, Canadian Physiotherapy Association, and Physiotherapy Practice Profile project. During the workshop, barriers to, facilitators of, and strategies for advancing pain education were discussed, and a stakeholder-endorsed consensus statement was generated. The workshop was recorded, and data were thematically analyzed. Results: Participants identified important barriers and facilitators associated with the field of pain, standards and regulatory processes, physiotherapy programmes, and physiotherapy students and people living with pain. Strategies for advancing pain education included integrating pain competencies into standards and regulatory policy, encouraging the development of best teaching practices, partnering with people living with pain, building awareness, and setting goals and assessing clear outcomes. The consensus statement highlighted the central importance of pain education for physiotherapists and the need for a reference standard to guide its implementation in the Canadian context. Conclusion: This was the first initiative to specifically explore national stakeholders' perceptions of pain education. The workshop outcomes provide a strong mandate and direction for advancing pain education across Canadian physiotherapy programmes.

Objectif : rendre compte d'un atelier national d'intervenants visant à accroître la formation sur la douleur dans les programmes de physiothérapie du Canada. Méthodologie : les participants à l'atelier étaient des leaders nationaux des groupes d'interventions suivants : personnes vivant avec la douleur, étudiants et récents diplômés en physiothérapie, formateurs en douleur, administrateurs de programmes de physiothérapie et représentants de l'Alliance canadienne des organismes de réglementation de la physiothérapie, de l'Agrément de l'enseignement de la physiothérapie au Canada, de l'Association canadienne de physiothérapie et du projet de profil d'exercice de la physiothérapie. Pendant l'atelier, les intervenants ont discuté des obstacles, des incitations et des stratégies pour accroître la formation sur la douleur et sont parvenus à un énoncé consensuel. L'atelier a été enregistré, et les données ont été analysées par thème. Résultats : les participants ont cerné des obstacles et incitations importants associés au domaine de la douleur, aux processus d'adoption de normes et de règlements, aux programmes de physiothérapie et aux étudiants en physiothérapie et aux personnes qui vivent avec la douleur. Les stratégies pour faire progresser la formation sur la douleur incluaient l'intégration des compétences sur la douleur à des normes et à des politiques de réglementation, l'incitation à élaborer des pratiques exemplaires d'enseignement, les partenariats avec des personnes vivant avec la douleur, la sensibilisation, l'établissement d'objectifs et l'évaluation de résultats cliniques clairs. L'énoncé consensuel a fait ressortir le rôle crucial de la formation sur la douleur pour les physiothérapeutes et le besoin de recourir à une norme de référence pour en orienter la mise en œuvre dans un contexte canadien. Conclusion : il s'agit de la première initiative à explorer expressément les perceptions nationales des intervenants à l'égard de la formation sur la douleur. Les résultats de l'atelier procurent un mandat et une orientation solides pour accroître la formation sur la douleur au sein des programmes de physiothérapie du Canada.

Development and Persistence of Suspected Neuropathic Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty in Individuals With Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the effectiveness of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis (OA), up to 20% will report knee pain 1 year after surgery. One possible reason is the development of neuropathic pain before or after TKA. OBJECTIVE: To longitudinally describe suspected neuropathic pain in patients pre- and post-TKA and to explore relations between pre-TKA suspected neuropathic pain and post-TKA outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Participants were recruited from orthopedic surgery clinics prior to inpatient elective primary TKA. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of 135 patients were assessed for eligibility; 99 were enrolled and 74 completed the 6-month follow-up. METHODS: Participants completed the Self-Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) and outcome measures at baseline (pre-TKA) and 1 and 6 months post-TKA by postal survey. Demographic variables included age, gender, and comorbidities. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the presence of suspected neuropathic pain at each assessment and course of outcomes for various suspected neuropathic pain trajectories. Further, t-tests were used to compare outcomes between those with and without suspected neuropathic pain at each assessment. Multiple linear regressions assessed the relationship between baseline suspected neuropathic pain and 6-month outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression. RESULTS: Suspected neuropathic pain was present in 35.5% of pre-TKA patients, 39.0% at 1 month, and 23.6% at 6 months post-TKA. Those with suspected neuropathic pain had higher scores for ICOAP total pain (P = .05), pain catastrophizing (P < .01), and depression (P < .01) at each assessment. After adjusting for potential confounding, pre-TKA suspected neuropathic pain did not predict ICOAP total pain or PHQ-9 depression scores at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Although 14% of individuals with knee OA had suspected neuropathic pain that persisted 6 months post-TKA and those with suspected neuropathic pain had higher levels of pain, catastrophizing, and depression, the clinical identification of neuropathic pain remains enigmatic. Preoperative suspected neuropathic pain, as measured by S-LANSS, may have limited prognostic value for post-TKA outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Pain Assessment Recommendations for Women, Made by Women: A Mixed Methods Study.

Objective: To quantitatively describe women's priorities for pain assessment and qualitatively explain unique features of women's pain experiences. Design: Mixed-methods study that included a three-round Delphi study followed by in-depth interviews. Setting: Clinical research study. Participants: Twenty-three women with chronic pain recruited from three women's pain treatment facilities and one interdisciplinary chronic pain clinic. Methods: Phase 1 (Delphi) involved completion of a questionnaire that rated agreement with the importance of 32 commonly used pain assessment measures. Answers were compiled, and controlled feedback was provided after each round. This iterative process continued until acceptable stability was reached. Stability was defined as proportion agreement for each response that reached the a priori cutoff score of 75%. Phase 2 (qualitative) involved one-to-one telephone interviews that followed a semistructured interview guide partially informed from phase 1 findings. A descriptive approach summarized and described participants' perspectives while avoiding abstractions. Textual data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Phase 1 identified 15 pain assessments as important. Some commonly used pain assessment measures such as the numeric pain intensity rating scale did not reach agreement as important. However, no pain assessments reached agreement as unimportant. Ten additional women completed face-to-face interviews, and an overall theme of stigmatization emerged that highlighted the importance of soliciting the pain narrative and why some aspects of psychosocial pain assessment did not reach agreement. Conclusions: Priorities identified by women for the assessment of pain were largely consistent with expert recommendations; however, important differences were raised that merit consideration for clinicians to reduce stigma.

Effectiveness of psychological interventions delivered by non-psychologists on low back pain and disability: a qualitative systematic review.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Psychological treatments delivered by non-psychologists have been proposed as a way to increase access to care to address important psychological barriers to recovery in people with low back pain (LBP). PURPOSE: This review aimed to synthesize randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assess the effectiveness of psychological interventions delivered by non-psychologists in reducing pain intensity and disability in adults with LBP, compared with usual care. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review without meta-analysis was carried out. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials including adult patients with all types of musculoskeletal LBP were eligible. Interventions included those based on psychological principles and delivered by non-psychologists. The primary outcomes of interest were self-reported pain intensity and disability. Information sources included Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Registrar for Controlled Trials. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias was used for the evaluation of internal validity. RESULTS: There were 1,101 records identified, 159 were assessed for eligibility, 16 were critically appraised, and 11 studies were included. Mild to moderate risk of bias was present in the included studies, with personnel and patient blinding, treatment fidelity, and attrition being the most common sources of bias. Considerable heterogeneity existed for patient population, intervention components, and comparison groups. Although most studies demonstrated statistical and clinical improvements in pain and disability, few were statistically superior to the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the broader psychological literature, psychological interventions delivered by non-psychologists have modest effects on low back pain and disability. Additional high quality research is needed to understand what patients are likely to respond to psychological interventions, the appropriate dose to achieve the desired outcome, the amount of training required to implement psychological interventions, and the optimal procedures to ensure treatment fidelity.

Change Narratives That Elude Quantification: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of How People with Chronic Pain Perceive Pain Rehabilitation.

Chronic pain negatively impacts health, well-being, and social participation. Effective rehabilitation often hinges on long-term changes in pain-related perceptions and behaviors. However, there are important gaps in understanding how patients perceive these changes. The present pilot study addresses this gap by using qualitative and quantitative methodologies to explore how patients perceive and experience changes in function, participation, and pain-related factors following a chronic pain rehabilitation program. A mixed-method design was used in which the core method was qualitative. Descriptive quantitative data was used to further characterize the sample. Semistructured interviews were conducted 1-6 months following treatment completion. Questionnaires were administered before and after treatment and at follow-up. Interview data was analyzed thematically. Participants' individual descriptive data was compared to established cut-scores and criteria for change. A major theme of personal growth emerged in the qualitative analysis. Participants also discussed the factors that facilitated personal growth and the ongoing challenges to this growth. The quantitative data revealed limited improvement on measures of pain, disability, catastrophizing, and depression. These findings suggest that, despite limited improvement on treatment-related questionnaires, patients can experience an important and enduring sense of personal growth. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.