[Current level of knowledge about pain among German physiotherapy lecturers]

Pain is the leading cause of disease burden and disability worldwide. Physiotherapy plays a major role in the treatment of people with pain; however, there appears to be a lack of knowledge in this area.

The aim of the nationwide study was to quantify the pain knowledge and postural, structural and biomechanical (PSB) orientation of physiotherapy lecturers (PL) in Germany.

An online test, which included the German version of the revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (rNPQ-D) and the Essential Knowledge of Pain Questionnaire (EKPQ), in which the achieved score is given from 0-100%, was answered by N = 184 PLs (n = 165 physiotherapists, n = 19 physicians) using SoSci Survey. A satisfactory result is achieved when at least 90% of participants achieve a score of at least 66.67%.

The mean score of the rNPQ‑D was 73.91% ± 13.11% and of the EKPQ 42.03% ± 20.78%, with statistically significant lower scores in the EKPQ (p < 0.001; d = 1.594). In both tests less than 90% of participants achieved a score of at least 66.67% (rNPQ-D: 79.89% of participants; EKPQ: 13.59% of participants). Teaching physicians achieved significantly lower scores in the EKPQ than teaching physiotherapists (p < 0.05; d = 0.494). The PLs who achieved their highest educational qualification abroad achieved higher scores than PLs with their highest educational qualification in Germany (rNPQ-D: p < 0.05 and d = 0.666; EKPQ: p < 0.05 and d = 0.649). Academized PLs achieved higher scores on average than nonacademized PLs, which was significant for the rNPQ‑D (p < 0.05, d = 0.38). Neither the professional and teaching experience of the PLs nor the number of their further training courses were related to the level of the respective test scores. The PLs with specific further training, such as manual lymphatic drainage, fascia therapy or physiotherapy according to Bobath, achieved significantly lower scores.

The knowledge of German PLs about pain is deficient and strongly PSB-oriented, despite the responsible task of correctly imparting knowledge to future physiotherapists. In addition to the education and further training of physiotherapists, a comprehensive implementation of modern pain neuroscience knowledge in the curricula should be strived for.