Creative co-design, knowledge mobilisation and musculoskeletal physiotherapy

Exploring the role of creative co-design as a knowledge mobilisation strategy to improve the use of ‘evidence’ in musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice.

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Study Investigator: Cheryl Grindell
Supervisory team: Alicia O’ Cathain and Liz Croot
Funder: University of Sheffield PhD Scholarship and The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Charitable Trust (CSPCT) Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF) award.

Knowledge mobilisation (the use of evidence, such as research findings or guidelines) is important to ensure people are getting the best healthcare. It is known that getting ‘evidence’ used in practice is challenging and for physiotherapists, this is no exception. There are large amounts of evidence and guidelines on the best way to treat people living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. But it can be difficult for physiotherapists to make sense of this abundance of evidence and apply it in practice. 

This project aims to understand whether creative co-design, where physiotherapists and patients work together to design new solutions to problems, can be used to improve physiotherapists’ use of evidence to treat MSK problems. It is hoped that the co-designed prototype intervention will improve, not only evidence use,  but the way decisions are made and information is shared in the physiotherapy consultation to ultimately improve patient care

Project information

Co-KaMP study information video

Co-KaMP study summary information sheet

Co-Kamp study leaflet

Project findings

Key insights and needs

Key findings posters

Longer summary of findings

Co-design workshop ideation

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