Risk-based identification of patients with musculoskeletal pain and individualized care pathway in primary healthcare (RETAR study) – a study protocol for a benchmarking controlled trial

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Improving outcomes in patients with musculoskeletal pain; Musculoskeletal Diseases

• Registration Number: ISRCTN59800706
• Lead Sponsor: niversity of Oulu

Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-08-09
• Last Update Posted: 19 August 2024
• Study Completion: 2034-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Ongoing
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 222

Inclusion Criteria

1. Patients who will be visiting physiotherapists in primary healthcare due to MSK pain. MSK pain is referred to pain in the following anatomical areas: neck/shoulder, upper limb, lower limb, and/or back, or multisite pain (pain in many of these locations).
2. At least 18 years of age
3. Possibility and ability to use a smart device (phone, computer, or tablet)
4. Consent to take part in the trial.

Exclusion Criteria

1.Red-flag symptoms/findings (acute urinary retention, faecal incontinence, perianal anesthesia, symptoms of paralysis or major numbness of the limbs, fever or unexplainable weight loss related to pain)
2.Trauma as a reason for pain in the past six months
3.Memory disorder
4.Cancer
5.Serious mental health disorder, such as schizophrenia or psychotic depression
6.Pregnancy
7.Operation on the area where musculoskeletal pain occurs within the past year
8.Insufficient Finnish language skills for participating in the interviews and answering the surveys

Study & Design

• Study Type: Observational
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Primary implementation/sustainability outcomes<br>1.The usage of the ROPS (Risk of Pain Spreading questionnaire) is measured continuously during the intervention phase with checklists targeted at physiotherapists participating in the trial<br>2.The design of care pathway according to the ROPS (has it occurred or not, and if it has, how) is measured continuously during the intervention phase with checklists targeted at physiotherapists participating in the trial<br><br>Primary patient-level outcome measure<br>1.Functional ability is primarily defined with the PROMIS-29+2 Profile and is measured between the baseline and the follow-up periods of 6, 12 and 36 months