Building therapeutic alliances with patients in treatment for low back pain: A focus group study.

The physiotherapists in this focus group study expressed a shared view that therapeutic alliance should build upon person-centering, motivational communication, and facilitation of lifestyle adjustments within a biopsychosocial perspective of low back pain. Complex clinical reasoning necessary as the optimal cause-corrective treatment strategies were often not obvious. Time and tools to uncover and modify relevant psychological obstacles for recovery were perceived challenging and partly dependent on clinical experience. Addressment of psychosocial obstacles for recovery should be included in basic as well as postgraduate curriculums for physiotherapists. Collaborative practice support strategies like peer guidance and better platforms for interprofessional collaboration and decision support could contribute to improve practice in the psychosocial domain.