Physiotherapy Outcomes Are Associated With Shorter Waiting Times, More Treatment Sessions and Younger Age: Analysis of a Clinical Database.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect over 20.3 million people in the UK, presenting a substantial economic impact on health and social services. Physiotherapy can alleviate MSK conditions, especially if delivered in the acute or sub-acute period. However, patients often present after significant waiting times.

OBJECTIVES: Our analysis examined how waiting times and the number of treatments influenced physiotherapy outcomes for MSK conditions.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of the Data for Impact, Physio First dataset.

METHODS: Logistic regression models assessed the effects of symptom duration, treatment frequency, and other variables on pain, Patient-Specific Functional Scores (PSFSs), and Goal Achievement (GA).

RESULTS: Analysis of 15,624 patient records showed that patients treated within two weeks of symptom onset were more likely to have favourable outcomes in pain (odds ratio [OR] = 2.01, 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI] = 1.65-2.45), PSFS (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.55-2.08), and GA (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.51-2.01) compared to those treated after longer durations. Receiving four or more treatment sessions significantly improved outcomes compared with only one session (pain: OR = 4.64, PSFS: OR = 5.72, GA: OR = 1.94, all p's < 0.001), with no additional benefits beyond four sessions. Younger age was associated with better outcomes (approximately OR = 0.99 per year age difference). Other findings included better outcomes in males and in those with fewer previous episodes of the condition.

CONCLUSIONS: Shorter waiting times, a greater number of treatments, and younger patient age are associated with better physiotherapy outcomes for MSK conditions.