[Current knowledge of German physiotherapy trainees and students on pain and the influence of a teaching intervention].

BACKGROUND

In order to properly inform patients about their pain and initiate targeted therapies, it is important for physiotherapists to learn about the latest scientific evidence on pain during their training.

AIM

This study aimed to assess the pain knowledge of German physiotherapy trainees and students. In addition, the influence of a teaching intervention (Pain Neuroscience Education, PNE) on their pain knowledge was investigated.

METHODS

An online test was performed, which contained the German versions of the revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (rNPQ-D) and the Essential Knowledge of Pain Questionnaire (EKPQ). This test was completed by physiotherapy trainees and students (N = 279) in their final semester of vocational education or graduation under virtual supervision. After the test, a sub-cohort of physiotherapy trainees (n = 31) received a four-hour online teaching intervention (PNE), whereupon two retests took place.

RESULTS

The mean rNPQ-D score (63.8%) was significantly higher than the mean EKPQ score (28.4%) (p < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between the scores of rNPQ-D and EKPQ (r = 0.365, p < 0.001). Undergraduate students from university (n = 142) achieved significantly higher scores in both questionnaires (p < 0.001) compared to trainees from vocational schools (n = 137). In the sub-cohort, the online teaching intervention significantly improved the scores of both questionnaires immediately (p < 0.001) and six weeks after intervention (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The knowledge of German physiotherapy students about pain seems to be insufficient for an evidence-based treatment of pain patients. A PNE-based online learning program with the latest scientific evidence can significantly improve physiotherapy students' knowledge about pain.