Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
Author Spotlight: Fu's Subcutaneous Needling for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain
Published on: March 24, 2023
Evaluating change in self-reported function and pain in patients with musculoskeletal concerns attending a
Andrea Hams1, Chloe Prudden2, Emmah Baque2
1School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Australian Centre for Precision Health and Technology (PRECISE), Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Background:
Musculoskeletal conditions contribute significantly to global health burden through impaired function and pain. Physiotherapy student-led services provide a model for addressing community healthcare needs while offering clinical training experiences. Despite their prevalence, description of patient demographics and clinical outcomes (function and pain) remains under-explored.
Objectives:
To evaluate changes in self-reported function and pain and describe patient demographics and presenting musculoskeletal conditions of patients accessing a student-led service.
Design Setting And Participants:
Observational pre-post study at a student-led musculoskeletal physiotherapy service in Australia involving ninety-nine community-dwelling participants (Mdn age = 29 years, IQR = 22-40).
Methods:
Final-year physiotherapy students managed patient care under senior physiotherapist supervision. Demographic and presenting condition data were collected at the initial appointment, while self-reported outcome measures of function (Patient Specific Functional Scale: PSFS) and pain (Numeric Pain Rating Scale: NPRS) were recorded at all appointments.
Results:
A significant positive correlation was observed between appointment frequency and PSFS scores. At each appointment, the PSFS score increased by 0.8 units (95% CI 0.4 to 1.1, p < .001). There was a significant negative correlation between appointment frequency and NPRS scores, with each appointment associated with a 0.6 unit decrease in NPRS scores (95% CI: -0.8 to -0.4, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
This study adds to growing evidence describing patient-reported outcomes within student-led physiotherapy services, showing that patients attending reported improvement in self-reported function and pain. Limitations of a pragmatic service evaluation are acknowledged; further multi-site longitudinal research is recommended. CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER.
More Related Videos
03:50Author Spotlight: Effectiveness of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Achilles Tendinopathy Treatment
Published on: August 2, 2024
06:28Biomechanical Changes Related to Low Back Pain: An Innovative Tool for Movement Pattern Assessment and Treatment Evaluation in Rehabilitation
Published on: December 13, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:25Assessment of apical radial pulse
The A-R pulse assessment involves simultaneous evaluation of the apical and radial pulses. When the apical and radial pulse rates vary, this assessment helps identify a pulse deficit.
Pre-Procedural Preparation
01:15Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
01:14SBAR II: Application of SBAR
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
01:24Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching I: Assessment and Diagnosis
It is critical to determine the patient's learning needs during the assessment. Determination of learning needs compounds data from the...