Self-Management in Chronic Pain: Widely Recommended, Rarely Embedded

Pain conditions, including chronic musculoskeletal pain, are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Their global burden is projected to continue increasing, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Additionally, people with chronic musculoskeletal pain are often multimorbid, commonly presenting with mental and metabolic conditions. These factors further intensify pressure on healthcare systems through increased utilization. Despite biomedical advances, traditional provider-driven models fall short of addressing the complex, multifaceted nature of these patients, underscoring the need for sustainable, effective approaches.

While international guidelines consistently recommend person-centered and biopsychosocial approaches, the implementation of self-management and self-management support in clinical practice and across systems remains a challenge. This topical workshop focuses on self-management as a fundamental element of contemporary chronic pain management and consists of four presentations designed to spark critical reflections and dialogue on the state of self-management support for people with painful conditions.

The session begins with a presentation about person-centered self-management support for musculoskeletal pain conditions (Hutting, Eur J Physiother, 2024) and a practical framework for implementing person-centered self-management in musculoskeletal pain (Hutting et al., Musculoskelet Sci Pract, 2022). Moreover, practical tools and instruments, such as the Musculoskeletal Self-Management Questionnaire (Hutting et al., Musculoskelet Sci Pract, 2025), will be introduced. These and other tools help clinicians translate theoretical biopsychosocial principles into individualized, meaningful and measurable self-management support.

The second presentation will explore how interpersonal dynamics within pain consultations can meaningfully enhance patient self-management. It will highlight how validating communication from clinicians builds trust and legitimises pain experiences, laying essential groundwork for shared-decision making and patient agency in self management. The presentation also explores patient perspectives from multiple studies, including experiences of medication self-management when using antidepressants for chronic pain, and discusses how individuals understand and can self-manage the psychosocial impacts of living with pain.

Building on a programme of co-designed research with people with lived experience (Hale et al., J Pain, 2025) and Māori (the Indigenous population of Aotearoa New Zealand) with chronic pain (Davies et al., J Pain, 2024), the third presentation will focus on the role of integrating lived experience expertise in supporting pain self-management. This evidence-informed talk will provide novel insights on the concepts of “self-management” from a non-Western perspective and enable the audience to critically reflect on the possibilities for meaningful engagement with lived experience experts.

The final presentation focuses on self-management among individuals with low health literacy, using insights from the European Digi4MSK project (https://digi4msk.eu) and related research that highlights the importance of identifying and addressing patients’ pain literacy to provide tailored education and support self-management. This part explores how digital and blended education strategies can improve accessibility, inclusiveness and sustainability of self-management support for people with chronic pain.

Together, these four presentations provide a coherent overview of how self-management can be implemented as a cornerstone of person-centered pain management across diverse contexts and populations. Participants will gain an updated conceptual foundation and practical insights to strengthen self-management support in their own settings, contributing to more equitable, collaborative and sustainable pain care worldwide.