Patient experience of the diagnosis and management of patellofemoral pain: A qualitative exploration

"Restoring That Faith in My Shoulder": A Qualitative Investigation of How and Why Exercise Therapy Influenced the Clinical Outcomes of Individuals With Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain

OBJECTIVE

Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP) is the most common form of shoulder pain. Exercise therapy is a first-line recommended treatment for RCRSP. However, the causal mechanisms underpinning the benefits of exercise for RCRSP are not well understood. Moreover, how individuals with lived experience of RCRSP believe exercise helped or did not help them is unknown. This study aimed to gain insights into how individuals with RCRSP believe exercise influenced their shoulder pain and identify the clinical conditions that promoted or inhibited their beliefs.

METHODS

This qualitative study was underpinned by a critical realist approach to thematic analysis. Participants were recruited using hybrid purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Each participant attended an online semi-structured interview. The data were coded by 2 members of the research team (J.K.P. and N.C.) and verified by a third (B.S.). Recruitment continued until theoretical sufficiency was achieved. Participants reviewed and validated preliminary causal explanations.

RESULTS

Three causal explanations were consistently expressed by 11 participants to explain the benefits of exercise therapy: (1) shoulder strength; (2) changes to psychoemotional status; and (3) exercise has widespread health effects. However, the activation of these causal mechanisms depended on (1) the presence of a strong therapeutic relationship; (2) the provision of a structured and tailored exercise program; and (3) experiencing timely clinical progress.

CONCLUSION

Participants believed exercise improved their shoulder pain through associated health benefits, improved shoulder strength, and psychoemotional variables. Whether an exercise program was able to cause a clinical improvement for an individual with RCRSP was contingent on clinical contextual features. Thus, the clinical context that an exercise program is delivered within may be just as important as the exercise program itself.

IMPACT

Exercise is a recommended first-line intervention to manage RCRSP. The results of this study suggest that a positive experience and outcome with exercise for RCRSP is contingent on several clinical contextual features, such as a strong therapeutic relationship. The clinical context that an exercise program is prescribed and delivered within should be considered by clinicians.

Effects of Hip Pain Diagnostic Labels and Their Explanations on Beliefs About Hip Pain and How to Manage It: An Online Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of diagnostic labels and their explanations on people's beliefs about managing hip pain. DESIGN: Online randomized controlled trial involving 626 participants. METHODS: Participants aged ≥45 years with and without hip pain considered a hypothetical scenario (initial doctor consultation for hip pain). They were randomized to receive a diagnostic label and explanation of (1) hip osteoarthritis, (2) persistent hip pain, or (3) hip degeneration. Primary outcomes were the beliefs (1) exercise would damage the hip and (2) surgery is necessary at some stage (scales, 0 = definitely would not/unnecessary, 10 = definitely would/necessary). Secondary outcomes included beliefs about other treatments and care providers. RESULTS: Compared to hip degeneration, participants who were allocated to hip osteoarthritis and persistent hip pain believed exercise was less damaging (mean difference -1.3 [95% CI: -1.9, -0.7] and -1.8 [-2.3, -1.2], respectively) and surgery less necessary (-1.5 [-2.1, -1.0] and -2.2 [-2.7, -1.6], respectively). Compared to hip osteoarthritis, participants who were allocated to persistent hip pain believed surgery was less necessary (-0.7 [-1.2, -0.1]), but not that exercise was less damaging (-0.5 [-1.1, 0.1]). Compared to hip degeneration, participants who were allocated to hip osteoarthritis and persistent hip pain were less concerned about their hip and believed exercise and care from an exercise and sports physician, rheumatologist, or physiotherapist would be more helpful, and care from an orthopaedic surgeon less helpful. CONCLUSIONS: People who were allocated a diagnostic label and explanation of hip osteoarthritis or persistent hip pain believed exercise was less damaging and surgery less necessary for a hip problem than hip degeneration. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2023;53(11):673-684. Epub 5 October 2023. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11984.

Clinical reasoning in managing chronic hip pain: One in two Australian and New Zealand physiotherapists diagnosed a case vignette with clinical criteria for hip OA as hip OA. A cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVES

Using a case vignette of an adult (George) presenting with hip pain consistent with hip OA, this study aimed to describe: (a) whether physiotherapists make diagnoses and identify bodily structures using either patient history and/or physical examination findings; (b) which diagnoses and bodily structures physiotherapists attribute to the hip pain; (c) how confident physiotherapists were in their clinical reasoning using patient history and physical examination findings; (d) what treatments physiotherapists would offer to George.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of physiotherapists in Australia and New Zealand. We used descriptive statistics to analyse closed questions and content analysis for open-text responses.

RESULTS

Two hundred and twenty physiotherapists completed the survey (39% response-rate). After receiving the patient history, 64% diagnosed George's pain and 49% of these as hip OA; 95% attributed George's pain to a bodily structure(s). After receiving the physical examination, 81% diagnosed George's hip pain and 52% of these as hip OA; 96% attributed George's hip pain to a bodily structure(s). Ninety-six percent of respondents were at least somewhat confident in their diagnosis after the patient history, and 95% were similarly confident after the physical examination. Most respondents offered advice (98%) and exercise (99%), but fewer offered treatments for weight loss (31%), medication (11%), and psychosocial factors (<15%).

DISCUSSION

About half of the physiotherapists that diagnosed George's hip pain made a diagnosis of hip OA, despite the case vignette including clinical criteria for a diagnosis of OA. Physiotherapists offered exercise and education, but many physiotherapists did not offer other clinically indicated and recommended treatments, such as weight loss and sleep advice.

Exploring User Visions for Modeling mHealth Apps Toward Supporting Patient-Parent-Clinician Collaboration and Shared Decision-making When Treating Adolescent Knee Pain in General Practice: Workshop Study

BACKGROUND

Long-standing knee pain is one of the most common reasons for adolescents (aged 10-19 years) to consult general practice. Generally, 1 in 2 adolescents will continue to experience pain after 2 years, but exercises and self-management education can improve the prognosis. However, adherence to exercises and self-management education interventions remains poor. Mobile health (mHealth) apps have the potential for supporting adolescents' self-management, enhancing treatment adherence, and fostering patient-centered approaches. However, it remains unclear how mHealth apps should be designed to act as tools for supporting individual and collaborative management of adolescents' knee pain in a general practice setting.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to extract design principles for designing mHealth core features, which were both sufficiently robust to support adolescents' everyday management of their knee pain and sufficiently flexible to act as enablers for enhancing patient-parent collaboration and shared decision-making.

METHODS

Overall, 3 future workshops were conducted with young adults with chronic knee pain since adolescence, parents, and general practitioners (GPs). Each workshop followed similar procedures, using case vignettes and design cards to stimulate discussions, shared construction of knowledge and elicit visions for mHealth designs. Young adults and parents were recruited via social media posts targeting individuals in Northern Jutland. GPs were recruited via email and cold calling. Data were transcribed and analyzed thematically using NVivo (QSR International) coding software. Extracted themes were synthesized in a matrix to map tensions in the collaborative space and inform a conceptual model for designing mHealth core-features to support individual and collaborative management of knee pain.

RESULTS

Overall, 38% (9/24) young adults with chronic knee pain since adolescence, 25% (6/24) parents, and 38% (9/24) GPs participated in the workshops. Data analysis revealed how adolescents, parents, and clinicians took on different roles within the collaborative space, with different tasks, challenges, and information needs. In total, 5 themes were identified: adolescents as explorers of pain and social rules; parents as supporters, advocates and enforcers of boundaries; and GPs as guides, gatekeepers, and navigators or systemic constraints described participants' roles; collaborative barriers and tensions referred to the contextual elements; and visions for an mHealth app identified beneficial core features. The synthesis informed a conceptual model, outlining 3 principles for consolidating mHealth core features as enablers for supporting role negotiation, limiting collaborative tensions, and facilitating shared decision-making.

CONCLUSIONS

An mHealth app for treating adolescents with knee pain should be designed to accommodate multiple users, enable them to shift between individual management decision-making, take charge, and engage in role negotiation to inform shared decision-making. We identified 3 silver-bullet principles for consolidating mHealth core features as enablers for negotiation by supporting patient-GP collaboration, supporting transitions, and cultivating the parent-GP alliance.

Six Treatments Have Positive Effects at 3 Months for People With Patellofemoral Pain: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of nonsurgical treatments on pain and function in people with patellofemoral pain (PFP). DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis. LITERATURE SEARCH: We searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from their inception until May 2022 for interventional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in people with PFP. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: We included RCTs that were scored ≥7 on the PEDro scale. DATA SYNTHESIS: We extracted homogenous pain and function data at short- (≤3 months), medium- (>3 to ≤12 months) and long-term (>12 months) follow-up. Interventions demonstrated primary efficacy if outcomes were superior to sham, placebo, or wait-and-see control. Interventions demonstrated secondary efficacy if outcomes were superior to an intervention with primary efficacy. RESULTS: We included 65 RCTs. Four interventions demonstrated short-term primary efficacy: knee-targeted exercise therapy for pain (standardized mean difference [SMD], 1.16; 95% CI: 0.66, 1.66) and function (SMD, 1.19; 95% CI: 0.51, 1.88), combined interventions for pain (SMD, 0.79; 95% CI: 0.26, 1.29) and function (SMD, 0.98; 95% CI: 0.47, 1.49), foot orthoses for global rating of change (OR = 4.31; 95% CI: 1.48, 12.56), and lower-quadrant manual therapy for function (SMD, 2.30; 95% CI: 1.60, 3.00). Two interventions demonstrated short-term secondary efficacy compared to knee-targeted exercise therapy: hip-and-knee-targeted exercise therapy for pain (SMD, 1.02; 95% CI: 0.58, 1.46) and function (SMD, 1.03; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.45), and knee-targeted exercise therapy and perineural dextrose injection for pain (SMD, 1.34; 95% CI: 0.72, 1.95) and function (SMD, 1.21; 95% CI: 0.60, 1.82). CONCLUSIONS: Six interventions had positive effects at 3 months for people with PFP, with no intervention adequately tested beyond this time point. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2022;52(11):750-768. Epub: 8 September 2022. doi:10.2519/jospt.2022.11359.