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Participating in and delivering the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage)interventions for chronic back pain: a qualitative study of professional perspectives

Participating in and delivering the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage)interventions for chronic back pain: a qualitative study of professional perspectives
Participating in and delivering the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage)interventions for chronic back pain: a qualitative study of professional perspectives
Objectives: To outline professionals’ experiences of participation, perceived benefits and acceptability of the interventions delivered in the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage), for patients with chronic or recurrent back pain.
Design: Qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with a purposeful sample of twenty professionals (general practitioners(GPs), nurses, Alexander technique teachers, and massage therapists).Data were recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically using the constant comparison method.
Results: Evidence of effectiveness GPs wanted an evidence base for the interventions, whilst nurses, Alexander technique teachers and massage therapists perceived patient reports of benefit as evidence. Professionals’ perception of the acceptability of the intervention:
professional perspectives differed, with GPs and nurses viewing the structured nature of exercise prescription and Alexander technique lessons as more beneficial and acceptable than massage in alleviating patients’ backpain. Economic cost: the cost to patients pursuing Alexander technique lessons and massage was perceived to be a barrier outside the trial. Inter-professional communication: there was little communication between the professionals groups within the trial.
Conclusions: Valuable insights have been gained in to the perceived benefits and acceptability of exercise, Alexander technique lessons and massage as interventions for chronic back pain. Lessons in the Alexander technique with or without exercise, was perceived as more beneficial and acceptable than massage by professionals who participated and delivered the ATEAM trial
interventions.
0965-2299
119 -127
Beattie, Angela
a681b4cd-1480-4b97-85d6-b003978c872d
Shaw, Alison
07447f29-cb39-432c-b639-38bccb74c55d
Yardley, Lucy
64be42c4-511d-484d-abaa-f8813452a22e
Little, Paul
1bf2d1f7-200c-47a5-ab16-fe5a8756a777
Sharp, Debbie
d9bbb95c-bc44-4be2-9de8-f08cdc8ae7b7
Beattie, Angela
a681b4cd-1480-4b97-85d6-b003978c872d
Shaw, Alison
07447f29-cb39-432c-b639-38bccb74c55d
Yardley, Lucy
64be42c4-511d-484d-abaa-f8813452a22e
Little, Paul
1bf2d1f7-200c-47a5-ab16-fe5a8756a777
Sharp, Debbie
d9bbb95c-bc44-4be2-9de8-f08cdc8ae7b7

Beattie, Angela, Shaw, Alison, Yardley, Lucy, Little, Paul and Sharp, Debbie (2010) Participating in and delivering the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage)interventions for chronic back pain: a qualitative study of professional perspectives. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 18 (3-4), 119 -127. (doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2010.05.037).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objectives: To outline professionals’ experiences of participation, perceived benefits and acceptability of the interventions delivered in the ATEAM trial (Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage), for patients with chronic or recurrent back pain.
Design: Qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with a purposeful sample of twenty professionals (general practitioners(GPs), nurses, Alexander technique teachers, and massage therapists).Data were recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically using the constant comparison method.
Results: Evidence of effectiveness GPs wanted an evidence base for the interventions, whilst nurses, Alexander technique teachers and massage therapists perceived patient reports of benefit as evidence. Professionals’ perception of the acceptability of the intervention:
professional perspectives differed, with GPs and nurses viewing the structured nature of exercise prescription and Alexander technique lessons as more beneficial and acceptable than massage in alleviating patients’ backpain. Economic cost: the cost to patients pursuing Alexander technique lessons and massage was perceived to be a barrier outside the trial. Inter-professional communication: there was little communication between the professionals groups within the trial.
Conclusions: Valuable insights have been gained in to the perceived benefits and acceptability of exercise, Alexander technique lessons and massage as interventions for chronic back pain. Lessons in the Alexander technique with or without exercise, was perceived as more beneficial and acceptable than massage by professionals who participated and delivered the ATEAM trial
interventions.

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Published date: June 2010

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 168103
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/168103
ISSN: 0965-2299
PURE UUID: 392462dc-313f-44bf-a232-dbdc72977013
ORCID for Lucy Yardley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-883X

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Date deposited: 24 Nov 2010 14:22
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:42

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Contributors

Author: Angela Beattie
Author: Alison Shaw
Author: Lucy Yardley ORCID iD
Author: Paul Little
Author: Debbie Sharp

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