Pain science and practice as a ‘threshold concept’ within undergraduate and pre-registration physiotherapy education: a jewel of the curriculum?

Abstract

Background Threshold concepts describe learning experiences that transform our understanding of a concept. Threshold concepts are variously: troublesome, transformative, irreversible, integrative and bounded. Purpose The aim of this narrative review is to consider the case for characterising pain science and practice as a threshold concept within undergraduate and pre-registration physiotherapy education. Summary This article considers the underlying tenets of threshold concepts as they relate to teaching and learning and the relative merits and limitations of characterising pain science and practice as a threshold concept within undergraduate and pre-registration physiotherapy education from both pedagogical and epidemiological perspectives. By evaluating pain, as it relates to physiotherapy education and practice, according to the five defining characteristics of a threshold concept then presenting data related to the epidemiology and impact of pain, the worthiness of characterising pain science and practice as a threshold concept will be discussed and further debate invited.