Pain Neuroscience Education in Physiotherapy Students With Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain

Immediate Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education in Physiotherapy Students With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain: a Pre-Post Intervention Study

This study aims to examine the immediate effects of a single-session Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) program in physiotherapy students who experience chronic non-specific low back pain. The PNE session focuses on explaining pain mechanisms, central sensitization, and the role of psychological, cognitive, and behavioral factors in chronic pain. Participants complete outcome measures assessing pain intensity, pain knowledge, pain catastrophizing, and kinesiophobia before and immediately after the intervention. The purpose of the study is to determine whether a brief educational session can produce immediate improvements in pain-related outcomes in a student population.

This study is a retrospective registration of a completed pre-post interventional study conducted among undergraduate physiotherapy students with chronic non-specific low back pain. The objective of the research was to evaluate the immediate effects of a single-session Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) program on pain intensity, pain knowledge, pain-related beliefs, pain catastrophizing, and kinesiophobia.

The PNE session lasted approximately 70 minutes and was delivered by a physiotherapist trained in pain neuroscience and the biopsychosocial model. The session covered pain neurophysiology, the distinction between acute and chronic pain, central sensitization, factors contributing to persistent pain, and the role of cognition, emotions, and behaviors in pain experiences.

Participants completed self-report outcome measures at two time points:

Baseline (pre-intervention)

Immediately after the intervention

Outcome measures included the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (RNPQ), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK). The study followed a single-group design with no control group and no randomization.

The study was conducted between April and October 2025 at Karabük University, Turkey. Ethical approval was obtained from the Karabük University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Decision No: 2025/2208), and written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection.

The results of this research aim to contribute to the understanding of how pain neuroscience education may provide immediate benefits in young adults experiencing chronic non-specific low back pain, particularly within a physiotherapy student population. The findings may support the integration of pain education approaches in physiotherapy curricula and early clinical training programs.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergraduate physiotherapy and rehabilitation students
• Chronic non-specific low back pain for at least 3 months
• Pain intensity ≥3/10 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale in the last week
• willing to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of back surgery within the last 6 months
• Presence of neurological, orthopedic, cardiac, or systemic chronic disease
• Current participation in any physiotherapy, exercise, or medical treatment for low back pain