A New Pathway for Chronic MSK Recovery: A Guide to Better Long-Term Outcomes

Chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, and contributes to reduced quality of life, long-term functional limitations, rising healthcare utilization, and substantial economic burden.¹ 

Patients with persistent lower back, neck, and shoulder pain risk cycling repeatedly through care without achieving meaningful long-term improvement, leading to decreased quality of life. Traditional rehab models, built primarily around short-term, visit-based episodes of care, often struggle to meet the needs of patients whose recovery requires months of support, education, behavior change, and ongoing guidance.

This disconnect is creating a critical gap in rehabilitation care. Organizations can no longer rely solely on isolated, short-duration interventions if they want to improve long-term outcomes for chronic pain populations.

The good news is that research increasingly supports a biopsychosocial model of chronic pain care,² one that integrates movement-based rehabilitation, pain neuroscience education, behavioral strategies, self-management support, and sustained patient engagement over time.

<sup>1. Pomarensky M, Macedo L, Carlesso LC. Management of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Through a Biopsychosocial Lens. J Athl Train. 2022 Apr 1;57(4):312-318. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0521.20. PMID: 35439311; PMCID: PMC9020600.
2. Eccleston C, Begley E, Birkinshaw H. The Establishment, Maintenance, and Adaptation of High- and Low-Impact Chronic Pain: A Framework for Biopsychosocial Pain Research. Pain. 2023.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10502876/</sup>

Download this white paper to learn:

• Why traditional rehab models are falling short for chronic MSK conditions

• Why effective chronic MSK pain programs require a shift toward a biopsychosocial model

• How Medbridge’s Chronic MSK Pathways provide a practical, scalable model to support patients beyond traditional episodes of care by combining movement, pain neuroscience education, and behavioral support for longer-term engagement.