[Current knowledge of German physiotherapy trainees and students on pain and the influence of a teaching intervention].

Background: In order to properly inform patients about their pain and initiate targeted therapies, it is important for physiotherapists to learn about the latest scientific evidence on pain during their training.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the pain knowledge of German physiotherapy trainees and students. In addition, the influence of a teaching intervention (Pain Neuroscience Education, PNE) on their pain knowledge was investigated.

Methods: An online test was performed, which contained the German versions of the revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (rNPQ-D) and the Essential Knowledge of Pain Questionnaire (EKPQ). This test was completed by physiotherapy trainees and students (N = 279) in their final semester of vocational education or graduation under virtual supervision. After the test, a sub-cohort of physiotherapy trainees (n = 31) received a four-hour online teaching intervention (PNE), whereupon two retests took place.

Results: The mean rNPQ-D score (63.8%) was significantly higher than the mean EKPQ score (28.4%) (p < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between the scores of rNPQ-D and EKPQ (r = 0.365, p < 0.001). Undergraduate students from university (n = 142) achieved significantly higher scores in both questionnaires (p < 0.001) compared to trainees from vocational schools (n = 137). In the sub-cohort, the online teaching intervention significantly improved the scores of both questionnaires immediately (p < 0.001) and six weeks after intervention (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The knowledge of German physiotherapy students about pain seems to be insufficient for an evidence-based treatment of pain patients. A PNE-based online learning program with the latest scientific evidence can significantly improve physiotherapy students' knowledge about pain.