Conclusions
pain
A novel six-week cognitive behaviorally-based intervention to alter expectations for PT(PEERC) provided no additional benefit when used as a routine adjunct to conventional PT alone for patients with RCRSP. Although planned sample size estimates were not met, post-hoc power analyses suggest that a substantially larger sample size than projected, or substantially larger treatment effects than observed, would be necessary to show benefits of PEERC on our primary outcome (patient reports of having had surgery or being scheduled for surgery). Therefore, it is difficult to advocate for PEERC adding value to PT alone in the management of RCRSP for individuals matching the characteristics of the patients enrolled in this trial (i.e. with high expectations of physical therapy). Future work in patient populations that are screened for high levels of surgical interest, with higher levels of pain associated distress, and/or poor expectations with physical therapy would be necessary to fully evaluate the potential value of PEERC.