IMPROVING PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF PAIN: THE IMPACT OF PAIN NEUROSCIENCE EDUCATION

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is one of the most common reasons individuals seek medical care, as chronic pain can significantly affect daily activities, quality of life, social relationships, and work performance. In addition to physical discomfort, chronic pain is often associated with psychological distress such as stress and anxiety. Given its prevalence and impact, pain neuroscience education (PNE) has emerged as an important physiotherapy intervention for chronic pain management. This study aimed to examine the effect of a PNE lecture on physiotherapy students’ knowledge of pain and to compare outcomes between a PNE group and a control group. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study was conducted involving 67 undergraduate physiotherapy students (mean age 22.06 ± 0.86 years). Participants were assigned to either a PNE intervention group (n = 31) or a control group (n = 36) using purposive sampling. The intervention group received a single 70-minute lecture on pain neuroscience, while the control group attended a 70-minute lecture on basic neuroanatomy. Pain knowledge was assessed before and immediately after the lectures using the 12-item Revised Pain Neurophysiology Questionnaire (RPNQ). Results: RPNQ scores in the PNE group increased significantly following the lecture (p < 0.001), with post-intervention scores (6.32 ± 2.02) exceeding pre-intervention scores (3.81 ± 1.60). A 2 × 2 mixed ANOVA revealed a significant effect of time (p < 0.001) and a significant group-by-time interaction (p = 0.011, partial eta squared = 0.096), indicating greater knowledge gains in the PNE group. No significant main effect of group was observed (p = 0.400). Conclusion: A single 70-minute PNE lecture significantly improved physiotherapy students’ understanding of pain neurophysiology. Integrating PNE into physiotherapy education may enhance future clinicians’ ability to manage pain effectively and empathetically.