Prescribing exercise therapy for the management of musculoskeletal pain: new-graduate physiotherapists’ perceptions and perceived training needs

Figures & data

Table 1. Example interview questions.

Example interview questions

What have been your experiences of using exercise to manage pain? Why do you choose exercise as an intervention? Describe your feelings of how well you are prepared for giving exercise to patients with pain. Do you experience any challenges when prescribing exercise to patients with pain? If yes, what are they? Why is this a challenge? How do you overcome the challenges? What support have you had, or feel you might have needed in the workplace?

Probing questions

What do you think helped you to become competent or confident in that area? What particular aspects of exercise prescription do you find challenging? You said you feel confident (or not confident) to do this. Why do you feel this way? Can you elaborate on why you have this view?

Table 2. Participant demographic information.

Participant #	Age (yrs)	Gender	Entry level physiotherapy program	Time since graduation (months)	Setting of practice
P1	21	M	Bachelor	6	Private practice
P2	22	M	Bachelor	6	Private practice and private hospital
P3	25	F	Masters	18	Private practice
P4	23	F	Bachelor	6	Public hospital
P5	28	M	Masters	18	Private practice
P6	22	F	Bachelor	6	Public hospital
P7	24	M	Bachelor	6	Private practice and residential aged care
P8	26	F	Bachelor	6	Private practice
P9	22	M	Bachelor	6	Private practice
P10	24	F	Bachelor	6	Private practice
P11	27	M	Masters	6	Private practice and community rehabilitation
P12	25	M	Masters	18	Private practice
P13	22	F	Bachelor	6	Public hospital
P14	23	F	Bachelor	7	Public hospital
P15	25	F	Masters	18	Public hospital
P16	22	M	Bachelor	6	Public hospital