Psychologically Informed Education Video Reduces Maladaptive Beliefs in Adolescents with Patellofemoral Pain.

Mitchell Selhorst, DPT, OCS; Jessica Hoehn PhD; Todd Degenhart PT,Laura Schmitt PT, PhD; Alicia Fernandez-Fernandez, PT, DPT, PhD

Prevalence of Patellofemoral

Pain (PFP)

Not That Easy

80% completing rehab

still report pain

91%report persistent or

recurring pain that lasts for

years.

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Maladaptive Psychological

Beliefs and PFP

• Pain-Related Fear and Pain Catastrophizing

associated with greater pain and dysfunction

• Change in these maladaptive beliefs are

associated with positive clinical outcomes

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Study Objective

• The purpose of this study was to test the

hypothesis that a brief psychologically-

informed educational video can reduce

maladaptive psychological beliefs in

adolescents with patellofemoral joint

dysfunction.

Methods

• Prospective case series of 20 adolescents

• Nationwide Children’s Hospital PT clinics

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Inclusion Criteria

– Age 12- 17 years

– reported pain around or behind the patella,

which was aggravated by at least one activity

that loads the patellofemoral joint during

weight bearing on a flexed knee (e.g.,

squatting, stair ambulation, jogging/running,

hopping/jumping)

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Exclusion Criteria

1) prior patellar dislocation,

2) suspicion of other diagnosis of the knee

3) other concomitant injury of the lower

quarter

4) previous surgery in the lower quarter,

5) neurologic or developmental disorder

which alters lower extremity function.

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

PAIN RELATED FEAR

PAIN CATASTROPHIZING

Intervention

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Primary Outcome Measures

Psychological Beliefs

Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire-Physical

Activity Subscale

Kinesiophobia-Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale-11

Pain Catastrophizing Scale-Child version

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Secondary Outcome Measures

Highest Pain

Numeric Pain Rating Scale

Function

Anterior Knee Pain Scale

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Sample Size

A priori calculations determined a sample

size of 20 necessary

Alpha= 0.05

Beta= 0.20

MCID of FABQ-PA=25%

Standard deviation=5.8

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Data Analysis

Repeated-Measures Analysis of Variance

Pre-educational intervention, Post-educational intervention,

and 2 weeks later

Baseline CharacteristicsAll Patients

(n=20)

Age (years) 14.1 ± 2.4

Sex (% female) 10 (50%)

Body mass index (kg/m2) 22.4 ± 4.4

Duration of symptoms (weeks) 12 (6-25)

Bilateral knee pain (% yes) 6 (30%)

Participates in organized sport (% yes) 19 (95%)

Tegner Activity Level 7.5 ± 1.7

Highest pain in past 24 hours (0-10 NPRS) 4.0 ± 2.4

Anterior Knee Pain Scale 76.9 ± 13.3

12

7.9

5.5

Pre Post 2 weeks

Fear Avoidance (FABQ-PA)

32%

54%

Meaningful change

observed immediately

(p <0.01)

22.1

17.4

14.7

Pre Post 2 weeks

Kinesiophobia(TSK-11)

22%

33%

Meaningful change

observed at 2 weeks

(p <0.01)

14.3

10.7

7.6

Pre Post 2 weeks

Pain Catastrophizing(PCS-Child)

26%

47%

Meaningful change

observed immediately

(p <0.01)

Change in Function

76.9

88.4

0

20

40

60

80

100

Pre 2 week

Change in Highest Pain

4

1.8

0

2

4

6

8

10

Pre 2 week

Discussion

Psychologically-informed education, when

presented appropriately can be effective and

understood in young patients

PAIN-RELATED FEAR+

PAIN CATASTROPHIZING

What does this mean

It is unclear how this education effects pain

and function

– Disagreement in literature

– Never assessed in PFP

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Study Limitations

No control group

-immediate reassessment reduces potential

confounders

Participated in PT after study session

-No specific pain science or psych education

-Changes in pain in function cannot be

attributed to video with current design

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Next Step-in progress

Randomized Controlled Trial

Psychologically-Informed Education

v.s.

Biomedical Education

Assessing Function, Pain, and Physical Performance

………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Clinical Relevance

Incorporating a brief one-time education

video into standard physical therapy care

can significantly reduce maladaptive

psychological beliefs in adolescents with

patellofemoral joint dysfunction

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