Approaches used for the Quantification of Pain in Physical Therapy Practices-A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine the most common pain intensity assessment tool that has been used in different physical therapy management-based studies as a primary outcome measure for the quantification of pain. Methodology: The electronic databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, PEDro, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant studies from January 2015 to September 2021 by using keywords like 'pain,' 'pain intensity,' 'Visual Analogue Scale,' and 'Numeric Pain Rating Scale.' Randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies in which pain management is considered an outcome measure published in the English language were included. In contrast, Non-RCTs were excluded that were based on pain management strategies other than physical therapy or conducted in inpatient department or based on approaches of telerehab. Results: The findings revealed that n=1,292 participants were given different physical therapy interventions in which n=792 (61.3%) were evaluated for their pain on VAS, followed by n=453 (35%) on NPRS and n=169 (13%) on PPT of the total population. Conclusion: VAS was the most frequently used tool to determine the patient's perception of pain, followed by NPRS and McGill Pain Questionnaire.