Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41484990›Full record

ArticleChiropractic & manual therapies2026

Patient education for chronic musculoskeletal pain: a scoping review of recommendations, effectiveness, and educational content.

Alice Kongsted, Anders Christer Larsen, Mette Holz Meinhardt Gregersen, Tonny Elmose Andersen, Morten Hoegh, Per Kjaer, Anne Møller, Sophie Lykkegaard Ravn, Søren T Skou, Jan Hartvigsen

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Chiropractic & manual therapies, 2026. 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
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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.

Alice KongstedCenter for Muscle and Joint Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark. akongsted@health.sdu.dk.
Anders Christer LarsenCenter for Muscle and Joint Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
Mette Holz Meinhardt GregersenCenter for Muscle and Joint Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
Tonny Elmose AndersenDepartment of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
Morten HoeghDepartment of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Gistrup, Denmark.
Per KjaerCenter for Muscle and Joint Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
Anne MøllerSection of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Sophie Lykkegaard RavnDepartment of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
Søren T SkouCenter for Muscle and Joint Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
Jan HartvigsenCenter for Muscle and Joint Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatient education is considered a core aspect of health care, aimed at helping individuals understand and manage their conditions. However, no systematic overview across patient education approaches exists that can guide the optimization of educational strategies for musculoskeletal disorders.

objectivesThis scoping review aimed to map 1) recommendations provided about patient education in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), 2) research on the effectiveness of patient education, and 3) educational content recommended for chronic spinal pain, osteoarthritis, and mixed chronic primary musculoskeletal pain.

methodsFollowing JBI guidance for scoping reviews, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO from January 2014 to July 2025 for systematic and scoping reviews, Delphi-studies, and consensus studies on patient education. Study selection and data extraction were conducted by pairs of reviewers. Findings were summarized within and across evidence types.

resultsOut of 4,243 unique records screened, 178 full-texts were assessed, and 66 papers included. CPGs consistently recommended patient education, and patients emphasized a need for individualization. Educational themes included helping people understand their condition and factors impacting pain, providing reassurance, and guiding management strategies. There was substantial uncertainty about the effectiveness of various types of patient education, and no reviews investigated individualized education.

conclusionsPatient education is central in recommendations of care for musculoskeletal pain disorders, but effectiveness is uncertain, and no specific approach has been shown to be superior. We identified a gap between patient preferences for education individually tailored in a collaborative process and effectiveness studies focusing on pre-defined patient education programs.

Indexed as

Chronic PainMusculoskeletal PainPatient Education as TopicHumansPractice Guidelines as TopicBack painEvidence gapsMusculoskeletal painNeck painOsteoarthritisPatient educationPatient preferencePractice guidelines

Identifiers

PMID41484990
PMCPMC12865995

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.