ArticlePloS one2025
The perception of individuals with low back pain regarding reassuring information: Insights based on physiotherapists messages.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundClinical guidelines for the management of low back pain (LBP) emphasize the importance of reassuring patients, as this reduces concern and increases confidence in recovery. Although physiotherapists (PTs) often use reassurance strategies, the perception of the different reassuring messages remains unclear.
objectiveTo investigate perceptions of confidence of different reassurance messages delivered by PTs to people with LBP.
methodsA survey was conducted among 544 participants with LBP. The survey included 21 reassuring messages divided into six themes 'Prevalence and statistics', 'Red flag', 'Natural healing', 'Imaging', 'Treatment strategies', and 'Pain physiology'. Participants had to rate the extent to which each message increased their confidence using a 5-point Likert scale. Messages were categorized into four levels of perceived confidence based on participants' responses: high (≥80% rated the message as 'provide confidence' or 'significantly provide confidence'), moderate (60-79%), low (40-59%) and very low (≤40%). Correlation and non-parametric analyses examined the relationships between confidence ratings, demographic variables and personality traits.
resultsMessages that emphasized patient autonomy and the absence of red flags were perceived as particularly reassuring and received the highest ratings (≥80%). In contrast, messages that referred to natural healing and the neurophysiology of pain were perceived as less effective in providing confidence. Personality traits and background characteristics had minimal effects on perceived reassurance.
conclusionsReassuring communication that emphasizes patient autonomy and the low likelihood of serious pathology can boost confidence in individuals with LBP and may be more impactful than patient-specific characteristics. These findings may help PTs refine their communication strategies and strengthen therapeutic relationships, potentially leading to better treatment outcomes. Future research should explore the implications of these findings in clinical settings in real-life interactions.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.