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Publications

Journal Article Ahead of print

PubMed: 42166867 DOI: 10.1016/j.msksp.2026.103588

Physiotherapists' ability to identify and manage specific low back pain: an exploratory vignette-based cross-sectional study.

Musculoskelet Sci Pract 84:103588

Authors: Antoine Fourré, Corentin Denis, Pieter Verschueren, Wim Dankaerts, Annick Timmermans, Nina Goossens, Pieter Severijns, Laurent Pitance, Lotte Janssens, Nathalie Roussel

Affiliations

  • CeREF-Santé, Haute Ecole Louvain en Hainaut (HELHa), Montignies Sur Sambre, Belgium; REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, UHasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Neuro Musculo Skeletal Lab (NMSK), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (MOVANT), UAntwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
  • Neuro Musculo Skeletal Lab (NMSK), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium.
  • REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, UHasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
  • Research Group for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
  • Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (MOVANT), UAntwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Low back pain (LBP) is a major global burden expected to increase in the years to come. Clinical practice guidelines recommend diagnostic triage as a first step to differentiate specific from non-specific LBP, which might be challenging in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVES

This exploratory study aimed to evaluate the ability of specialized musculoskeletal physiotherapists to recognize and manage cases of specific LBP.

DESIGN

This study design is an online cross vignette-based-sectional study.

METHODS

Physiotherapists (n = 105) with a post-graduate degree in musculoskeletal/orthopaedic manual therapy were recruited in Belgium to participate in an online study (Direct Physio trial). We evaluated their ability to recognize specific underlying spinal pathologies through two clinical vignettes describing the symptoms of a patient with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and spondyloarthritis (SA).

RESULTS

The majority of physiotherapists suspected a specific cause of LBP in both vignettes (i.e., 69% for the LSS and 94% for the SA case). The detection rate of the correct spinal pathology was 47% for the LSS case and 28% for the SA case. As a first clinical step, 31% of the physiotherapists chose to refer the LSS case for medical management, compared to 94% for the SA case.

CONCLUSION

This exploratory study provides preliminary, condition-specific insights into the diagnostic triage performance of specialized physiotherapists. Although the majority of physiotherapists suspected a specific cause of LBP, recognition of the diagnosis and referral decisions remain variable across the conditions explored. Future efforts should focus on the evaluation of clinical and cost-effectiveness of direct access to physiotherapists in healthcare trajectories.

MeSH

Physical Therapists, Low Back Pain, Cross-Sectional Studies, Pain, Triage, Pathology, Back Pain, Spine