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How Well Do You Expect to Recover, and What Does Recovery Mean, Anyway? Qualitative Study of Expectations After a Musculoskeletal Injury

Background Expecting to recover from a musculoskeletal injury is associated with actual recovery. Expectations are potentially modifiable, although it is not well understood how injured people formulate expectations. A better understanding of how expectations are formulated may lead to better knowledge about how interventions might be implemented, what to intervene on, and when to intervene. Objectives The objective of this study was to explore what “recovery” meant to participants, whether they expected to “recover,” and how they formed these expectations. Methods This qualitative study used interpretive phenomenological analysis. Eighteen semistructured interviews were conducted with people seeking treatment for recent musculoskeletal injuries. Results Recovery was conceptualized as either (1) complete cessation of symptoms or pain-free return to function or (2) return to function despite residual symptoms. Expectations were driven by desire for a clear diagnosis, belief (or disbelief) in the clinician's prognosis, prior experiences, other people's experiences and attitudes, information from other sources such as the Internet, and a sense of self as resilient. Conclusions Expectations appear to be embedded in both hopes and fears, suggesting that clinicians should address both when negotiating realistic goals and educating patients. This approach is particularly relevant for cases of nonspecific musculoskeletal pain, where diagnoses are unclear and treatment may not completely alleviate pain.