The Core Components and Instruments of the Therapeutic Relationship in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy: A Systematic...

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy
• Rehabilitation Sciences
• Health Psychology

Background:

• The therapeutic relationship significantly impacts patient rehabilitation outcomes.
• Understanding its core components and assessment in physiotherapy remains incomplete.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify core components of the therapeutic relationship in musculoskeletal physiotherapy.
• Determine patient-reported instruments used for its assessment.

Main Methods:

• Systematic integrative review of six databases.
• Independent study selection and quality appraisal by two reviewers.
• Inductive qualitative content analysis for data synthesis.

Main Results:

• Eighteen studies included in the review.
• Identified two core components: therapeutic partnership and collaborative person-centered physiotherapy, with six subcomponents.
• Six instruments for assessing therapeutic relationships in musculoskeletal physiotherapy were identified.

Conclusions:

• The therapeutic relationship in musculoskeletal physiotherapy is dynamic, comprising therapeutic partnership and collaborative person-centered practice.
• Physiotherapists can enhance the relationship through communication, person-centered strategies, and patient empowerment.
• Existing assessment tools offer partial coverage, necessitating further research for conceptual clarity and refined assessment.