Patients' perceptions of recovery following a 6-week exercise intervention for the treatment of patellofemoral pain: A mixed methods study.
Dominique C Leibbrandt, Quinette A Louw
PMID 31392291WHAT IT FOUND
Most participants with knee pain said function and recovery were better at 6 months after individualised exercise, but half said they were only partially recovered.
Goals were return to sport, education and self-management; three reported new pain elsewhere.
Key findings
01At the 6-month follow-up, only one participant was classified as not recovered, while half were fully recovered and half were partially recovered.
02Twenty-nine participants reported improvements in activities of daily living they previously found difficult, but 13 still struggled with at least one activity.
03Three participants reported new pain in other areas after the intervention period, despite improvements in knee symptoms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study did not describe a control group, so it cannot show whether the exercise programme caused the reported recovery. Recovery was self-reported, and participants were asked about their expectations after the intervention had already ended. The interviews were telephonic, not recorded, and relied on the interviewer's notes. The same two physiotherapists who delivered the exercise intervention also conducted the follow-up interviews, which may have influenced responses. The participants were mainly active, working adults with biomechanical contributing factors, so the findings may not apply to people with different goals or other causes of knee pain. The study followed participants for only 6 months, so it does not show whether recovery was maintained later. Whether participants continued self-management after the supervised exercise period was not measured. The authors did not check the themes with participants to confirm that their responses were accurately reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the exercise programme caused recovery. The study did not describe a control group, used self-reported recovery, and the therapists who delivered the exercise also asked the follow-up questions.