Physiotherapy for fibromyalgia: a phenomenological study of patients’ experiences

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterised by widespread pain,fatigue and other disabling symptoms. It affects up to 5% of the United Kingdom population. Fibromyalgia patients are often referred to physiotherapists for exercise-based therapy. The physiotherapist-patient relationship can be impacted by referral delays, differing expectations for intervention and outcomes. A better understanding of patient perceptions could raise practitioner awareness and support effective relationships. A purposive sample of twelve participants was recruited via Fibromyalgia Action UK and interviewed in depth about their experiences of physiotherapy for fibromyalgia. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) guided this study. Four themes were generated. “The physiotherapy journey” reflected experiential phases in participants’ care, including three sub-themes, “Journey to physiotherapy: waiting and expectations,” “Journey through physiotherapy: positivity or private care,” and “Journey beyond physiotherapy: struggling or succeeding with selfcare.” Three themes reflected participants’ mixed experiences of and aspirations for physiotherapy care: “Maintaining movement and wellbeing,” “Treating all of me,” and “An understanding collaboration.” Increased awareness and understanding of patients’ experiences could help physiotherapists work in a truly patient-centred, compassionate and collaborative way with their patients.