When teaching my students about managing patients, I always ask them, “What do you think the primary reason is why these individuals are coming to see you?”, and they usually answer back “Because they are in pain.” Pain is very prevalent among our patients, and this topic was the focus of the first Special Issue in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice published in March 1997 with the issue titled “Pain disability and physiotherapy”, edited by Maureen Simmonds (at that time a deputy editor for the journal). Our second Special Issue was also focused on pain and was published in December 2002 focusing more specifically on Management of Low Back Pain. This issue was edited by Raymond Lee who is an associate editor for the journal. The consensus of both special issues was the need for additional research and the notion that patients should be a center point for the management of their pain.
Since this time we have had three additional special issues: (1) Physical Therapy in the Twenty-first Century, edited by Associate Editor Elizabeth Dean and published in July–August 2009; (2) Scoliosis and Evidence-Based Practice, edited by Hans-Rudolf Weiss and published in January 2011; and (3) Philosophy and Physiotherapy, edited by David Nicholls (new associate editor this year) and Barbara Gibson and published in August 2012.
This sixth special issue spanning nearly 20 years brings us full circle back to pain. This Special Issue “Perspectives on pain neuroscience education” brings the latest science to managing pain to the forefront. This Special Issue discusses the role that the therapist plays involving the patient interview, examination, and the application of patient education for the management of pain. The editors for this issue are well published and are Adriaan Louw, Louie Puentedura, and Kory Zimney. Please enjoy this incredibly interesting Special Issue and please embrace the ideas that surface and consider these into your daily practice.