23: Do Expectations Shape Results? (with Mark Bishop)

Mark Bishop’s research shows that clients who think treatment will help benefit more than those who don’t expect much relief. What is more, practitioners who expect their modality will help actually get better results than practitioners who are less certain. What’s up with that? 

In this episode, Til and Whitney interview manual therapist, physiotherapist and researcher Mark Bishop about his fascinating investigations into how expectations can shape results; the role of client preferences in treatment success; and how practitioners can most effectively leverage these effects. 

Mark Bishop PT PhD FAPTA is a physiotherapist with more than 30 years of clinical and research experience in the area of rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain disorders. His work has focused predominantly on the mechanisms underpinning the efficacy and effectiveness of conservative interventions for pain, especially manual therapy and exercise. He is currently a faculty member in the Department of Physical Therapy with affiliations in the Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health, and the Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence at the University of Florida. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites! 

Resources discussed in this episode: 

• Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health 
• Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence 
• “Patient Expectations of Benefit From Interventions for Neck Pain and Resulting Influence on Outcomes” (Bishop et al, 2013) 
• Spinal stiffness study mentioned by Dr Bishop (Fritz et al, 2011) 
• Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com 
• Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com 

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(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)