Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38039307›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Physiotherapists clinical reasoning to prescribe exercise for patients with chronic pain: A qualitative study research protocol.

Michael C Kelly, Jenni Naisby, David J Bell

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Establishing a Research Agenda for Physiotherapy in Portugal: A Delphi Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Michael C KellyDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-2412-9226
Jenni NaisbyDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
David J BellDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Northumbria University · GBNorthumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysiotherapists' play a key role in the management of chronic pain, and as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, prescribe exercise to support patients with chronic pain. However, there is very limited evidence supporting physiotherapists on what type of exercise or dose of exercise should be prescribed. Physiotherapists' therefore have more onus on their ability to clinically reason how to prescribe exercise. At present, there is no research investigating how physiotherapists' working with patients that have chronic pain, clinically reason when prescribing exercise. This study proposes to investigate how physiotherapists experienced in pain management prescribe exercise, to understand what the key influences are on their reasoning, and how these impact on clinical practice.

methodsThis will be a qualitative study, utilising semi-structured individual interviews. Participants will be Health and Care Professions Council registered physiotherapists, working predominantly with patients that have chronic pain. Recruitment will focus on physiotherapists working within the United Kingdom (UK). Up to twenty participants will be recruited. The study, including the interview guide, will be supported by a steering group consisting of academics and physiotherapists experienced in chronic pain. The data will be analysed using framework analysis.

resultsThe study will be reported using the COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines. The findings of the study will be disseminated through publication in a peer reviewed journal.

conclusionThis study will provide novel insight into how physiotherapists experienced working with and managing chronic pain patients, prescribe exercise, and will gain new insight into clinical practice to help inform future research and education.

Indexed as

Chronic PainPhysical TherapistsExerciseExercise TherapyHumansQualitative Research

Identifiers

PMID38039307
PMCPMC10691676
OpenAlexW4389234663

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.