Pain Neurophysiology Education for Sport Therapy Students

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The effect of a 70 minute Pain Neurophysiology Education session on Sport Therapy Students Knowledge, Attitudes and Clinical Behaviour Towards Athletes With Chronic Pain

Detailed Description
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This single-blind, randomised control trial aims to investigate the effect of a brief 70 minute Pain Neurophysiology Education session on sport therapy students knowledge, attitudes and clinical behaviour towards athletes with chronic pain. Participants will be selected from first year undergraduate and postgraduate sport therapy cohorts. Random number generator will assign participants into two subgroups. Group 1 will receive a control education on clinical 'red flags'. Red flags are questions that are routinely asked by therapists in clinical practice to screen for sinister pathology. Group 2 will receive education called 'Pain Neurophysiology Education' (taken from the Explain Pain publication). This mode of education uses the neurophysiology of pain to explain the experience, and has been used as an educational tool for patient, healthcare practitioners and students alike. Data collection (completion of three questionnaires) will take place immediately prior, and immediately after each education session. The change in these outcomes pre and post intervention will subsequently be compared between groups.

Official Title
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The Effect of Pain Neurophysiology Education on Sport Therapy Students Knowledge, Attitudes and Clinical Behaviour Towards Athletes With Chronic Pain: a Randomised Control Trial

Conditions
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Knowledge, Attitude, Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Education


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 1st year undergraduate sport therapy students 1st year postgraduate, pre-registration sport therapy students Enrolled at Teesside University, UK. Exclusion Criteria: Previous detailed pain education on either PNE or Red Flags.
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: PNE group<br>Pain neurophysiology education group. | Other: Education<br>* 70 minute education session.<br>|
| Experimental: Red Flag group<br>Red Flags education group. | Other: Education<br>* 70 minute education session.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pain Neurophysiology Quiz. (knowledge) | A 13 point validated questionnaire assessing participant knowledge of contemporary pain knowledge. | Outcome measure assessed IMMEDIATELY post intervention, on the same day. NO FOLLOW UP. | 
| The Health Care Pain Attitudes and Impairment Relationship Scale. (attitudes) | A 13 item validated likert-scale questionnaire to measure health care professionals attitudes towards the ability of patients with pain to function despite their pain. | Outcome measure assessed IMMEDIATELY post intervention, on the same day. NO FOLLOW UP. | 
| Clinical Vignette. (clinical recommendations) | A case vignette is a validated proxy measure of clinical behaviour, and is assessed by multiple choice recommendations following a case scenario. This recommendations are weighted as either 'appropriate' or 'inappropriate' based on current clinical guidelines. | Outcome measure assessed IMMEDIATELY post intervention, on the same day. NO FOLLOW UP. |