Embodied Knowledge–the Phenomenon of Subjective Health Complaints reflected upon by Norwegian Psychomotor Physiotherapy specialists

Abstract

Background: Many patients report subjective health complaints (SHCs) during primary health care consultations. Objective: To elucidate Norwegian Psychomotor Physiotherapy (NPMP) specialists’ clinical experiences in treatment of patients suffering from SHCs. Methods: Twelve NPMP specialists were interviewed. The transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using systematic text condensation. Results: “Embodied knowledge” seemed to be an unfamiliar concept to those suffering from SHCs. The NPMP specialists regarded increased body awareness to be a vital element in the process of recovery from SHCs. Differences between NPMP specialists’ professional view and that of some medical doctors were reported. Three categories emerged from the material: 1) “The process of establishing a joint understanding of subjective health complaints”; 2) “The process of increasing the patients’ embodied awareness”; and 3) “The challenge of sharing embodied knowledge in inter-professional communication.” Conclusion: The NPMP specialists emphasized the importance of increasing patients’ consciousness of their embodied knowledge. They searched to adjust their therapeutic approaches, depending on the individual patient’s specific problems and degree of emotional and/or bodily strain. The NPMP specialists experienced the importance of creating a shared understanding of the meaning embedded in SHCs between patients, NPMP specialists, and medical doctors.