Balancing between being the most valuable player (MVP) and passing the ball: a qualitative study of support when living with chronic pain in Sweden

Objective This study aimed to elucidate the meaning of lived experiences of support from social networks and the healthcare sector in persons with chronic pain.Design A qualitative, phenomenological hermeneutic method was used to analyse interview data.Setting Participants were recruited from patient organisations in Sweden.Participants Ten (seven women, two men and one non-binary) individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain were included.Findings The meaning of lived experiences of support in persons with chronic pain involves balancing between being the most valuable player (MVP) and passing the ball, meaning balancing between being a capable person and accepting support to be that capable person.Conclusion For participants who lived with chronic pain, support means balancing between being capable (the MVP) and willing to accept support (passing the ball), which aligns with the concept of person-centred care. Our findings may be useful for policy-makers, managers and clinical professionals when planning and performing care for persons with chronic pain. Future research should focus on how the healthcare sector can create support to enable persons with chronic pain to be the MVP while being able to pass the ball to their social networks and the healthcare sector.