BackgroundThe therapeutic relationship between patient and physiotherapist is a central component of patient-centred care and has been positively associated with better physiotherapy clinical outcomes. Despite its influence, we do not know what conditions enable a physiotherapist and patient to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship. This knowledge has implications for how clinicians approach their interactions with patients and for the development of an assessment tool that accurately reflects the nature of the therapeutic relationship. Therefore, this study’s aim was to identify and provide in-depth descriptions of the necessary conditions of engagement of the therapeutic relationship between physiotherapists and patients.MethodsInterpretive description was the qualitative methodological orientation used to identify and describe the conditions that reflect and are practically relevant to clinical practice. Eleven physiotherapists with a minimum 5 years of clinical experience and seven adult patients with musculoskeletal disorders were purposively sampled from private practice clinics in Edmonton, Canada. The in-person, semi-structured interviews were completed in a location of the participant’s choice and were audio recorded and transcribed. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the textual data and constant comparison techniques were integrated to refine the categories and sub-categories. Rigour strategies used throughout the study were peer debrief, interview notes, reflexive journaling, memoing, member reflections, audit trail, and external audit.ResultsFour conditions were identified as necessary for establishing a therapeutic relationship: present, receptive, genuine, and committed. These conditions represent the intentions and attitudes of physiotherapists and patients engaging in the clinical interaction. Although distinct, the conditions appear related as being present and receptive create a foundation for being genuine and committed.ConclusionsThese conditions of engagement are needed for physiotherapist and patient to “be” in a therapeutic relationship. Although communication skills are important for advancing therapists’ relational abilities, awareness and integration of intentions and attitudes are essential for shaping behaviors that develop the therapeutic relationship. These findings also suggest there are characteristics of the therapeutic relationship specific to physiotherapy. Therefore, theories from other contexts (e.g., psychotherapy) should be used judiciously to guide physiotherapy practice and research.

Pacing as an intervention appears with great regularity in the chronic pain management literature and yet what service providers actually mean by pacing is unclear and poorly defined. This short communication reports the findings of a structured review of the literature which examined the strength of the evidence for pacing as an intervention for people with chronic pain. The McMaster critical review guidelines were followed and the relevant electronic databases were searched. Findings revealed a paucity of outcome studies specific to pacing as an intervention. Although background literature demonstrates that pacing is often one part of a multidisciplinary intervention program, the research conducted on these programs presents pacing itself as an ill- or undefined construct. It is evident from this review that "pacing," while a widely employed term, lacks consensus of definition and a demonstrable evidence-base.

The findings of the present concept analysis will help to standardize the use and definition of the term pacing across disciplines for the purposes of both pain management and research.

The therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient is embedded in the clinical interaction. Research using self-report tools has illustrated that positively evaluated therapeutic relationships can have favorable impacts on patient satisfaction with services and clinical outcomes. However, little is known about how physiotherapists develop the connections, or positive attachments, that help establish the therapeutic relationship. This study aimed to identify the various ways that physiotherapists establish meaningful connections with their patients. Interpretive description, a qualitative methodology, was used to structure the inductive and iterative design. Eleven physiotherapists and 7 patients from private practice clinics participated in semi-structured interviews to describe their experiences of the therapeutic relationship. Textual data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and constant comparison. The iterative data generation and analysis process resulted in a framework composed of three "ways" (i.e. categories) of establishing connections: (1) acknowledging the individual, (2) giving-of-self, and (3) using the body as a pivot point. Findings were supported by various rigor strategies including peer debrief and external audit. This framework demonstrates that establishing connections is a multi-faceted endeavor with personal and professional characteristics. The findings provide practical knowledge that can be used to guide clinicians, educators, and researchers in addressing the therapeutic relationship.

This study sought to determine if knowledge regarding the risk for knee injuries and the potential for their prevention is being translated to female adolescent soccer players (13-18 years), their parents, and coaches. Eligible participants in the 2007 indoor soccer season were surveyed to determine their knowledge of the risk for and the potential to prevent knee injuries, and their knowledge of effective prevention strategies, if they felt that injury prevention was possible. Team selection was stratified to be representative of both competitive and recreational level play and age group distributions within the selected soccer association. Of the study subjects, 773/1396 (55.4%) responded to the survey: 408 (53%) players, 292 (38%) parents, and 73 (9%) coaches. Most respondents (538 [71%]) were aware of the risk for knee injury. Coaches and parents were more likely than players to view knee injuries as preventable; however, appropriate prevention strategies were often not identified. Four hundred eighty-four (63.8%) respondents reported that they had never received information on knee injuries. Substantial knowledge gaps regarding knee injury prevention and effective preventative strategies were identified. Given the predominance of knee injuries in female adolescent soccer players, there is an urgent need for knowledge translation of prevention strategies to decrease both incidence and long-term consequences of knee injuries.