{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T13:23:59Z","timestamp":1787837039608,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":70,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787788800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":26,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,13]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Neck and thoracic pain are common musculoskeletal conditions that can substantially affect daily functioning. There is limited understanding of how people with neck and thoracic pain experience physical functioning and the factors that facilitate or hinder change over time. Understanding physical functioning at different time points is important for providing meaningful and patient-centred care in musculoskeletal research and practice.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The objectives of this study are to (1) explore how patients with neck and thoracic pain experience physical functioning over time, (2) explore how patients with neck and thoracic pain experience facilitators and barriers to physical functioning over time.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and analysis<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This is a longitudinal qualitative study using Thorne\u2019s approach to interpretive description within a constructivist paradigm. Adults aged \u226518 years with neck or thoracic pain lasting \u22653 months will be eligible to participate. Purposive sampling will ensure variation in age, sex and disability. Participants will take part in semi-structured interviews at 3 and 12 months after entering the SPINA Spinal Rehabilitation Registry. Data will be analysed using reflexive thematic analysis in an iterative manner. To enhance trustworthiness, the study will be guided by Tracy\u2019s Big-Tent criteria.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Ethics and dissemination<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study was approved by the Western University Health Science Research Ethics Board in Ontario, Canada (application # 128384). This study will provide foundational insights to guide future research on physical functioning and inform the development of physical measures to support patient-centred assessment and more responsive clinical care for neck and thoracic pain. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and knowledge-sharing sessions with patient partners.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2026-120001","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T13:10:31Z","timestamp":1787836231000},"page":"e120001","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["An interpretive description of patients\u2019 experiences of physical functioning in neck and thoracic pain over time: protocol for a prospective longitudinal qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1352-0016","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rabea","family":"Begum","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"},{"name":"CANSpine Research Group, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alaa","family":"El Chamaa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"},{"name":"CANSpine Research Group, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul","family":"Parikh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"},{"name":"CANSpine Research Group, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David M","family":"Walton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"},{"name":"CANSpine Research Group, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8114-7669","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alison","family":"Rushton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"},{"name":"CANSpine Research Group, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026082706101893000_16.8.e120001.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/JPR.S105892"},{"key":"2026082706101893000_16.8.e120001.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S219","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmpt.2008.11.022","article-title":"The Prevalence and Incidence of Work Absenteeism Involving Neck Pain","volume":"32","author":"C\u00f4t\u00e9","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Manipulative Physiol Ther"},{"key":"2026082706101893000_16.8.e120001.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-3959(01)00334-7"},{"key":"2026082706101893000_16.8.e120001.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2474-10-77","article-title":"Thoracic spine pain in the general population: Prevalence, incidence and associated factors in children, adolescents and adults. 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