Group pain neuroscience education combined with supervised exercises reduces pain and improves function of Brazilian women with central sensitisation and a low level of education: a single-subject study

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this single-subject experimental study was to describe the patient’s outcome following pain neuroscience education in combination with therapeutic exercise for Brazilian women with central sensitisation and a low level of education.

Methods: Eight Brazilian women with central sensitisation and a low level of education were screened from a total of 57 patients with musculoskeletal disorders in an outpatient physiotherapy department. Twelve sessions were performed, once a week, including group pain education and supervised exercises. The outcome measures of pain intensity, functionality, catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, quality of life, knowledge of pain physiology and global improvement rating were collected pre- and post-intervention.

Results: There was an improvement in pain (before median = 8.5, after median = 5.0; Z = −2.032, p = .042) and functionality (before median = 2.5, after median = 5.6; Z = −2.366, p = .018) at post-intervention evaluation measured by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A meaningful improvement was observed in global perceived effect. There were no statistically significant differences for other outcomes.

Conclusion: Following a combination of pain neuroscience education with therapeutic exercise, Brazilian women with central sensitisation and a low level of education showed pain relief and improved function. Nonetheless, psychosocial factors, knowledge of pain and quality of life did not improve with the intervention.

Keywords:

• Musculoskeletal pain
• central sensitisation
• pain management
• neurophysiology
• chronic pain

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro and National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq), Brazil. Leandro A C Nogueira is supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brazil Brazilian Government (10.13039/501100002425)