BACKGROUND: Expecting to recover from a musculoskeletal injury is associated with actual recovery. Expectations are potentially modifiable, although it is not well understood how injured persons formulate expectations. A better understanding of this may lead to better knowledge about how interventions might be implemented, what to intervene on and when to intervene.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to explore what 'recovery' meant to participants, whether they expected to 'recover', and how they formed these expectations.
METHODS: This qualitative study used interpretive phenomenological analysis. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with persons seeking treatment for recent musculoskeletal injuries.
RESULTS: Recovery was conceptualized as either complete cessation of symptoms/pain-free return to function or return to function despite residual symptoms. Expectations were driven by desire for a clear diagnosis; belief (or disbelief) in the clinician's prognosis; prior experiences; others' experiences and attitudes; information from other sources such as the internet; and a sense of self as resilient.
CONCLUSIONS: Expectations appear to be embedded in both hopes and fears suggesting that clinicians should address both when negotiating realistic goals and educating patients. This is particularly relevant for cases of non-specific musculoskeletal pain where diagnoses are unclear and treatment may not completely alleviate pain.