Myofascial Pain Syndromes
Conditions
Keywords
pain, myofascial pain syndrome, treatment expectation, quality of life, fatigue
Brief summary
This cross-sectional study aims to determine the predictors of treatment expectations in individuals with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). MPS is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal pain and is associated with reduced quality of life. Patients' pre-treatment expectations are known to influence clinical outcomes, yet the factors that predict these expectations have not been established. Adults diagnosed with MPS who are scheduled to receive physiotherapy complete measures of treatment expectations, pain intensity and duration, health-related quality of life, and fatigue. Multiple regression analysis is used to examine the extent to which pain intensity, pain duration, quality of life, and fatigue predict treatment expectations.
Detailed description
Design and setting: Cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted at a private physiotherapy clinic in Konya, Turkiye, between April and August 2026. Participants: Adults (18 years and older) with a diagnosis of MPS, a pain intensity of at least 3 on a visual analog scale, and scheduled to receive at least two weeks of physiotherapy. Individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis, a chronic systemic disease, or any barrier preventing communication are excluded. Sample size: Based on an a priori power analysis (G\*Power; effect size 0.15, power 0.80, alpha 0.05), a minimum of 85 participants is required. Measures: A personal information form; the Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q), Turkish version, as the dependent variable; pain intensity and duration via a visual analog scale; health-related quality of life via the Short Form-36 (SF-36); and fatigue via the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). Analysis: Descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality, and multiple linear regression models (with 95% confidence intervals) to examine the associations between treatment expectations and pain intensity, pain duration, quality of life, and fatigue. Statistical significance is set at p\<0.05.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
KTO Karatay University
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age 18 years and older * Diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome * Pain intensity of at least 3 on the Visual Analog Scale * Scheduled to receive at least two weeks of physiotherapy
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosed psychiatric disorder * Chronic systemic disease * Any barrier preventing communication
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment expectations | At enrollment, before the physiotherapy program (single cross-sectional assessment) | Measured with the Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q), Turkish version. The total score of the first 15 items ranges from 0 to 150, with higher scores indicating greater treatment expectations. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain intensity | At enrollment (single cross-sectional assessment) | Assessed with a 10 cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for rest, activity, and night pain; 0 = no pain, 10 = unbearable pain. |
| Pain duration | At enrollment (single cross-sectional assessment) | Self-reported duration of pain complaints, recorded in weeks. |
| Health-related quality of life | At enrollment (single cross-sectional assessment) | Assessed with the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Subscale scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health status. |
| Fatigue | At enrollment (single cross-sectional assessment) | Assessed with the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI); higher scores indicate greater fatigue. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORHasan Gercek, PT, PhD
KTO Karatay University
Outcome results
None listed