The perceptions of individuals with musculoskeletal disorders towards prognosis: An exploratory qualitative study

Question(s) How do individuals living with musculoskeletal disorders perceive the concept of prognosis? Design Exploratory phenomenological study. Participants Individuals aged 18 years or older currently experiencing a musculoskeletal disorder. Data analysis Single semi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews were conducted. Data was analysed using inductive coding and thematic analysis. Results Five themes were identified. First, participants defined prognosis as the likely outcome associated with their diagnosis. Their prognosis was often associated with outcomes related to pain, tissue health, and function. Second, participants perceived pain as having a negative impact on their prognosis by limiting their function and having a psychological impact. Third, participants held biomedical views in that tissue health was perceived as a cause for their pain and that tissue healing was essential for pain cessation. It was also difficult for participants to distinguish between pain related to tissue damage, and pain that was not. Fourth, participants use their ability to complete leisure and functional activities to determine the success of their recovery. Finally, participants perceived receiving individual prognoses for pain, tissue health, and function that may be simultaneously occurring as both important and beneficial. Conclusion Overall, participants viewed receiving prognostic information as important and beneficial. When constructing their views on prognosis participants perceived that pain, tissue health, and functional ability could all impact upon prognosis, whilst having a prognosis of their own. Physiotherapists should consider conceptualising and discussing prognosis in terms of pain, tissue health, and function when managing musculoskeletal disorders.