The effect of a computer-based patient education programme in physiotherapy rehabilitation for shoulder injuries.

INTERVENTION: The computer‐based patient education (CBPE) programme is interactive and tailored to gender and broadly to age. It consists of shoulder anatomy, shoulder exercises, adherence enhancing strategies, advice on functional activities and quizzes. Participants will be directed by the researcher to the relevant content for their disorder. The programme will be available to the participants for 8 weeks, during which time they can access it at any time. They will record their exercise adherence in a self‐report diary. Participants in the intervention group will make action and coping plans with the researcher at the beginning of the study. Over the 8 weeks study period all participants will continue receiving standard physiotherapy treatment. CONDITION: Adherence to physiotherapy rehabilitation using computer‐based patient education (CBPE). Soft tissue injuries of the shoulder PRIMARY OUTCOME: Adherence to home‐based physiotherapy rehabilitation Functional outcomes of the shoulder. This variable will be assessed using the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH) and the P4 pain scale (Spadoni, Stratford, Solomon, & Wishart, 2004). SECONDARY OUTCOME: Behavioural intentions will measured by a self‐report questionnaire about the participants intentions to follow the physiotherapy. These validated questionnaires have been adapted from the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) model (Scholz, U., Sniehotta, F., & Schwarzer, R., 2005). Knowledge. This will be measured by 10 multiple choice questions relating to shoulder structure and function, and behavioural strategies. Face and content validity were checked by a panel of experts that included patients, physiotherapists and educators Patient satisfaction with CBPE programme. It will be assessed by seven items adapted from the original 13 item Physiotherapy Patient Satisfaction Scale questionnaire (Bassett, S., Clark, C. H., McNair, P., & Harman, B., 2010). Participants will score each item using a 7 point Likert scale. Self‐efficacy with the physiotherapy programme will be measured by action self‐efficacy, maintenance self‐efficacy and recovery self‐efficacy self report questionnaires. These validated questionnaires have been adapted from the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) model (Scholz, U., Sniehotta, F., & Schwarzer, R. (2005). INCLUSION CRITERIA: Soft tissue injury of the shoulder At least 16 years of age Understand written and spoken English Have no cognitive disorders that could impede learning.