Communication-focused pain neuroscience education for chronic musculoskeletal pain
Effectiveness of the 'Algo(S)Therapy' Pain Neuroscience Education Program Emphasizing Physiotherapists' Communication Skills in Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This will test whether teaching physiotherapists extra communication skills while they deliver pain neuroscience education helps adults with chronic back, neck, shoulder, or knee pain more than the same education without communication training or usual physiotherapy.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Thessaly Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Lamia, Central Greece) |
| Trial ID | NCT07001449 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial will compare three groups: pain neuroscience education (PNE) delivered by physiotherapists trained in both PNE and communication skills (Algo(S)Therapy), PNE delivered without the communication emphasis, and usual physiotherapy care. Adults aged 18–65 with chronic musculoskeletal pain in the lumbar spine, cervical spine, shoulder, or knee of more than three months and average pain ≥3/10 will be enrolled and randomized. Outcomes include pain intensity, function, and psychosocial measures collected over the intervention period following CONSORT guidelines. The setting is the Physiotherapy Department at the University of Thessaly in Lamia, Greece, and all participants must speak Greek.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults 18–65 with chronic musculoskeletal pain of the lumbar spine, neck, shoulder, or knee lasting more than three months, reporting pain ≥3/10 on most days, and able to speak Greek are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with acute pain, neurological disorders, fibromyalgia, recent surgery or fracture, pregnancy, cognitive impairments, active cancer, current corticosteroid use, or non-musculoskeletal chronic pain are excluded and unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, combining PNE with enhanced clinician communication could reduce pain and disability and help patients better understand and manage their chronic musculoskeletal pain.
How similar studies have performed: Pain neuroscience education alone has shown moderate benefits for pain and function in prior studies, but adding structured communication training for clinicians is relatively novel and not yet widely tested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 to 65 years * Diagnosis of chronic musculoskeletal pain in the lumbar spine, cervical spine, shoulder, or knee * Pain duration longer than 3 months * Pain intensity ≥3/10 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) * Pain present most days of the week * Able to understand and speak the Greek language Exclusion Criteria: * Acute pain in any body region * Neurological disorders or myopathies * Chronic pain of non-musculoskeletal origin * Active cancer diagnosis * History of trauma, fractures, or surgery in the past year * Pregnancy * Diagnosis of fibromyalgia * Cognitive impairments affecting communication or completion of questionnaires * Current use of corticosteroid medication * Participation in other treatment programs or alternative therapies during the study period * Concurrent enrollment in another clinical trial
Where this trial is running
Lamia, Central Greece
- Physiotherapy Department, University of Thessaly, Greece — Lamia, Central Greece, Greece (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Konstantina Savvoulidou
- Email: ksavvoulidou@uth.gr
- Phone: +30 22310 6017
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.