Physiotherapists partially recognised cognitive , psychological and social factors in people with LBP .
Physiotherapists expressed a preference for dealing with the more mechanical aspects of LBP , and some stigmatised the behaviours suggestive of cognitive , psychological and social contributions to LBP .
Physiotherapists perceived that neither their initial training , nor currently available professional development training , instilled them with the requisite skills and confidence to successfully address and treat the multidimensional pain presentations seen in LBP .
QUESTION What are physiotherapists ' perceptions about identifying and managing the cognitive , psychological and social factors that may act as barriers to recovery for people with low back pain ( LBP ) ?
Do physical therapists change their beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, skills and behaviour after a biopsychosocially orientated university course?
AIM The aim of this study is to examine the effects of an 8-day university-based training course , aim ed at identifying and addressing psychosocial prognostic factors during physiotherapy treatment , in shifting therapists towards a more biopsychosocial orientation as measured by changes in beliefs/attitudes , knowledge , skills and behaviour . METHOD We combined a r and omized controlled trail with a pre-post design . Forty-two physiotherapists applied for a university-accredited training course design ed to enhance knowledge and management of psychosocial factors in their practice with patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain . The course participants were r and omized either to receiving the course or to a waiting list for training . Attitudes and beliefs towards , and knowledge of psychosocial factors , patient vignettes and a video of an imaginary patient were tested before and after training . The patients of the course participants were asked to fill out a question naire with background questions at treatment start . The patients also received a question naire about the physical therapists ' behaviour and patient satisfaction 6 weeks after treatment start . RESULTS The results show that physical therapists ' attitudes and believes became more biopsychosocially and less biomedically orientated , they were less convinced that pain justifies disability and limitation of activities , and their knowledge and skills on psychosocial risk factors increased after a university-accredited training course . Yet despite these changes their patients perceived their practice behaviour before and after the course as similar and were equally satisfied with their treatment and treatment result . CONCLUSION A course , which enhanced biopsychosocial attitudes and beliefs , as well as increased such knowledge and skills did not change the way patients perceived their physical therapists . A future question is whether it improves patient outcome
Physiotherapists partially recognised cognitive , psychological and social factors in people with LBP .
Physiotherapists expressed a preference for dealing with the more mechanical aspects of LBP , and some stigmatised the behaviours suggestive of cognitive , psychological and social contributions to LBP .
Physiotherapists perceived that neither their initial training , nor currently available professional development training , instilled them with the requisite skills and confidence to successfully address and treat the multidimensional pain presentations seen in LBP .
QUESTION What are physiotherapists ' perceptions about identifying and managing the cognitive , psychological and social factors that may act as barriers to recovery for people with low back pain ( LBP ) ?