Beliefs about scans may affect outcomes for people with musculoskeletal disorders
Lauren Finestone
In a study of people with musculoskeletal conditions, more than 60% of participants held at least one unhelpful or inappropriate belief about MRIs and X-rays. These beliefs can affect how well they recover.A study suggests that certain ‘maladaptive’ beliefs about the need for imaging are linked with higher pain levels and lower physical function in patients seeking care for musculoskeletal disorders. What are maladaptive imaging beliefs? ‘Maladaptive’ means something that is not helpful or appropriate and that often leads to a negative outcome or that gets in the way of someone's ability to adjust to circumstances. In the...