Patients’ expectations and experiences of accelerated access to physiotherapy for sciatica: qualitative findings from a mixed-methods study

Objectives Physiotherapy is often utilised in the management of sciatica and yet little research has been undertaken to examine patient expectations and experiences of physiotherapy and its timing. This study reports patient expectations and experiences of accelerated access to physiotherapy for sciatica. Setting & Participants Participants with clinically diagnosed sciatica (n = 33) were recruited for individual interviews (n = 46) from 14 National Health Service (NHS) primary care general practices, and one physiotherapy service provider in the same city in England. Design This was a nested qualitative study within a pilot randomised controlled trial evaluating accelerated access to physiotherapy for sciatica. Interviews with consenting participants were undertaken with some participants prior to randomisation and again after completion of physiotherapy (n = 13), some before treatment commencement (n = 7) and others only after cessation of treatment (n = 13). All interviews were audio recorded and thematically analysed. Results Three themes emerged from the interviews: participants' expectations of physiotherapy, with negative expectations of physiotherapy being associated with experiences of previous unhelpful physiotherapy. Secondly, the perceived therapeutic value of accelerated physiotherapy in managing sciatica and preventing physical and psychological deterioration. Finally, the value of a personalised approach, with a physiotherapist who actively listened in partnership, and who provided a bespoke multimodal regimen. Conclusion Findings from this study suggest that accelerated access to physiotherapy has value in terms of aiding perceived recovery and/or halting further physical and psychological decline. An individualised patient approach alongside accelerated access to physiotherapy should be considered for patients with sciatica. (C) 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Key messages The study add s to the small body of literature exploring patient experiences of physiotherapy for sciatica This work reports the potential benefits of accelerated access to physiotherapy in terms of aiding recovery and reducing psychological and physical decline and improving copings trategies. The study highlights the psychological distress occurring as part of the condition, which may be best addressed by personalised treatment plans.