Physios take on ER duty: study tests if they can replace doctors for back pain
NCT ID NCT07443098
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether specially trained physiotherapists can safely diagnose and treat non-urgent muscle and joint pain in the emergency room, compared to standard care from doctors. 102 patients with back, neck, or shoulder pain were randomly assigned to either a physiotherapist or a resident physician. A senior doctor then reviewed each case to see how well the physiotherapist's decisions matched the senior's. The goal is to see if physiotherapists can help reduce ER wait times and free up doctors for more serious cases.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could support using physiotherapists in emergency rooms to handle muscle and joint pain, potentially reducing wait times and freeing up doctors for more urgent cases.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-hospital study with only 102 participants. Results may not apply to other hospitals or more complex cases. It tests agreement, not long-term patient outcomes.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Bethesda Spital AG - Basel
Basel, 4052, Switzerland
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