title: Occupational Therapy Interventions in Chronic Pain--A Systematic Review.
abstract: The use of interventions based on the best available evidence in occupational therapy is essential, and evaluation of research is part of an evidence-based practice. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of studies describing and evaluating the effects of occupational therapy interventions on chronic pain. A systematic review of studies with diverse designs was carried out. A quality assessment was conducted, and the level of evidence was defined using the Research Pyramid Model. Of 19 included studies, three received the highest evidence level, and three were considered to be of high quality. The clinical recommendations that can be derived from this study are the following: occupational therapy interventions should start from the identified needs of the person with chronic pain; no support exists for the effectiveness of electromyographic biofeedback training as a supplement, more studies are needed to confirm this result; the efficacy of instructions on body mechanics was significant during work-hardening treatment; and occupational therapists need to perform and present more clinical studies of high quality and high-evidence level to build up a trustworthy arsenal of evidence-based interventions, for example, in persons with chronic pain.
authors.affiliation: Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hesselstrand
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kersti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Samuelsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liedberg
mesh_terms: D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
keywords: evidence-based practice; outcome; quality assessment; rehabilitation