What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to explore the impact of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on pain intensity, knowledge, and catastrophizing in elite volleyball players with chronic shoulder pain.

April 22, 2026Open Access

Pain neuroscience education for the management of chronic pain in elite volleyball players with chronic shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial

Key Points

This research aims to explore the impact of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on pain intensity, knowledge, and catastrophizing in elite volleyball players with chronic shoulder pain.
Participants were randomly divided into a PNE group and a control group.
The PNE group received six weeks of education sessions alongside regular training, while the control group continued their training without PNE.
Outcomes were measured using standardized scales for pain intensity, knowledge, and catastrophizing.
The PNE group experienced significant reductions in resting and activity-related pain compared to the control group.
Improvements in pain knowledge were marked in the PNE group, with significant statistical effects noted.
Pain catastrophizing significantly decreased in the PNE group, particularly in subscales such as rumination and helplessness.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on pain intensity, pain knowledge, and pain catastrophizing in elite volleyball players with chronic shoulder pain. In this randomized controlled prospective study, participants were allocated to a PNE group (n = 16, mean age ± SD = 20.56 ± 1.26 years, 7 females) or a control group (n = 24, mean age ± SD = 23.96 ± 4.89 years, 11 females). Participants in both groups continued their regular sports training programs. In addition, the PNE group received PNE sessions for six weeks, consisting of two sessions per week, each lasting 45 min. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), pain knowledge was evaluated using the Revised Pain Neurophysiology Questionnaire (R-PNQ), and pain catastrophizing was measured with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). A mixed-model ANOVA was used to analyze time and group effects. No significant differences were observed between groups at baseline for any outcome (all p > 0.05). Significant time × group interactions were found for resting pain (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.42) and activity-related pain (p = 0.003, ηp² = 0.21). A significant interaction was also observed for pain knowledge (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.42). For pain catastrophizing, significant and large interaction effects favoring the PNE group were identified for the rumination (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.59), magnification (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.60), and helplessness (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.68) subscales, as well as for the total PCS score (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.76). The findings suggest that PNE may contribute to reductions in pain intensity and pain catastrophizing in elite volleyball players with chronic shoulder pain, while also supporting improvements in pain-related knowledge. PNE may represent a useful adjunct strategy in the management of chronic shoulder pain in elite volleyball players. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07393347, registered on 23/01/ 2026. Retrospectively registered via this link ( https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/beta/studies/S000GOZR00000039/recordSummary ).

KI fragen

Bookmark

View Full Paper

Cite This Study

Koç et al. (Mon,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e864c46e0dea528dde970e https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-026-01698-6

KI fragen

Bookmark

View Full Paper