Research into CMT
Knee osteoarthritis: To date, there have been three scientific studies published which focus on Cognitive Muscular TherapyTM (CMT) for knee osteoarthritis. The first study describes the process of developing the CMT intervention and was published in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. This paper is free to download here. In a follow-on study, five physiotherapists and five patients were interviewed about their experiences of CMT. This paper is free to download here.
A study has just been published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open which describes the findings from a randomised feasibility study. For this study patients were recruited from the UK NHS who had failed to benefit from exercise-based management for their knee osteoarthritis. Eight months after starting the study, patients in the control group reported worse pain, whereas those in the CMT reported a reduction in pain of approximately 50%. This paper is free to download here. Based on these findings, the NIHR have now funded a large study (of 252 patients) to fully quantify the potential of CMT to be used to treat knee osteoarthritis. This study will complete in 2028.
Low back pain and neck pain: The CMT intervention has been adapted for low back pain, with one small study published in the journal Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. This study explains the development of the CMT intervention for low back pain and provides data showing a 75% reduction in back pain related disability. This paper is free to download here. Based on these findings, the NIHR have now funded a larger feasibility study, and the results should be available later in 2026. With promising results in back pain, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have funded a study to look at CMT for neck pain. This study has completed and the results should be published later in 2026.
Respiratory: The NIHR have also funded a study aimed at creating and pilot testing a CMT intervention to help people with breathing pattern disorder. This is a condition which results in breathlessness because of abnormal control of the breathing muscles. This study is ongoing and will complete towards the end of 2026.