Barriers to Treatment Adherence in Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinics: A Systematic Review
9 Key Barriers, 20 Studies
SOURCE
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20163979/
REFERENCE
80
NICE
REFERENCE
123
organisation
Manual Therapy
TITLE
Barriers to Treatment Adherence in Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinics: A Systematic Review
9 Key Barriers, 20 Studies
SOURCE
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20163979/
DISC COMMENTARY
This systematic review draws on 20 high-quality studies to examine why patients with musculoskeletal conditions struggle to stick with physiotherapy treatment plans. It identifies the barriers most consistently linked to poor adherence.
What was studied?
The review analysed 20 studies of physiotherapy outpatients, examining which physical, psychological and social factors were most consistently associated with patients not completing prescribed treatment.
What did they find?
Nine key barriers emerged, including low self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, helplessness, poor social support, practical constraints, and pain that worsens with exercise. Psychological and social factors mattered as much as physical ones.
Why it matters
How well a treatment plan works often depends as much on a patient's confidence, mood and support system as on the exercises themselves. Struggling to keep up with a plan reflects common barriers rather than personal failure.
Why we included it
It illustrates that adherence is shaped by psychological and practical factors as much as physical ones, showing why supporting the whole person matters more than the exercise sheet alone.
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What was studied?
The review analysed 20 studies of physiotherapy outpatients, examining which physical, psychological and social factors were most consistently associated with patients not completing prescribed treatment.
What did they find?
Nine key barriers emerged, including low self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, helplessness, poor social support, practical constraints, and pain that worsens with exercise. Psychological and social factors mattered as much as physical ones.
Why it matters
How well a treatment plan works often depends as much on a patient's confidence, mood and support system as on the exercises themselves. Struggling to keep up with a plan reflects common barriers rather than personal failure.
Why we included it
It illustrates that adherence is shaped by psychological and practical factors as much as physical ones, showing why supporting the whole person matters more than the exercise sheet alone.