title: Ready for a paradigm shift? Part 1: introducing the philosophy of qualitative research.
abstract: The manual therapy professions have almost exclusively focused on the use of quantitative research to help inform their practices. This paper argues that a greater use of qualitative research will help develop a more robust and comprehensive knowledge base in manual therapy. The types of knowledge used in practice and generated from the two research paradigms are explored. It is hoped that an understanding of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research may encourage more manual therapists to value and use this approach to help further inform their practice; for some, this may involve a paradigm shift in thinking.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Centre for Health Professions, School of Health Professions, University of Brighton, Aldro Building, 49 Darley Road, Eastbourne BN20 7UR, United Kingdom. N.J.Petty@brighton.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nicola J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.forename: Oliver P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stew
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D010684:Philosophy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D006113:United Kingdom