Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40089768›Full record

ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2025

The feasibility and acceptability of an online mindfulness-based stress reduction program for chronic musculoskeletal pain: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Anita B Amorim, Trudy Rebbeck, Nicholas T Van Dam, Charlotte Johnstone, Claire Ashton-James, Nathalia Costa, Talia Barnet-Hepples, Matthew Jennings, Kathryn Refshauge, Evangelos Pappas

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Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Anita B AmorimDiscipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. anita.amorim@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8932-1561
Trudy RebbeckDiscipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Nicholas T Van DamContemplative Studies Centre, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Charlotte JohnstoneDepartment of Anaesthesia, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Claire Ashton-JamesPain Management Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Nathalia CostaDiscipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Talia Barnet-HepplesDiscipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Matthew JenningsSouth Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Kathryn RefshaugeDiscipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Evangelos PappasDiscipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

Sydney Health Partners Implementation Science (AU) DOC2021/2606220
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic musculoskeletal pain conditions affect millions of people worldwide and place a significant burden on individuals and the healthcare systems. Managing chronic musculoskeletal pain requires a multidisciplinary approach that considers biological, psychological, and social factors. However, access to multidisciplinary pain care is challenging, and long wait times can lead to increased stress and health deterioration. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a mind-body approach developed specifically to reduce the distress of living with chronic conditions, such as chronic musculoskeletal pain. This study proposed a novel approach by offering an online MBSR program to patients on waitlists to attend a multidisciplinary pain clinic in Australia's public healthcare system that could improve health outcomes. The study aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of this approach using a pilot study design with a mixed-methods approach.

methodsThis is a mixed-methods pilot randomised controlled trial with an embedded qualitative study. Participants will be recruited from waitlists at two multidisciplinary pain management centres within the Sydney Local Health District in New South Wales, Australia. This pilot trial will randomly assign 32 individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain to either an online MBSR group or a usual care control group. Feasibility outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, adherence to mindfulness practice, and adverse events will be assessed using validated questionnaires. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with participants in the MBSR group to explore their experiences and evaluate acceptability, and barriers and facilitators of engagement with the intervention. DISCUSSION: This pilot study will evaluate a novel approach to integrating MBSR into the Australian public healthcare system as a mechanism for providing support to individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain who are waitlisted for a multidisciplinary pain management program. Findings from this study will indicate the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and preliminary efficacy of this approach in terms of patient-reported outcomes to guide the design of future large-scale clinical trials.

trial registrationThis trial was prospectively registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622000822785).

Indexed as

Chronic musculoskeletal painClinical trialFeasibilityMindfulness-based stress reductionPilot study

Identifiers

PMID40089768
PMCPMC11909893

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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.