Recently, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) released clinical criteria and a grading system for nociplastic pain affecting the musculoskeletal system. These criteria replaced the 2014 clinical criteria for predominant central sensitization (CS) pain and accounted for clinicians’ need to identify (early) and correctly classify patients having chronic pain according to the pain phenotype. Still, clinicians and researchers can become confused by the multitude of terms and the variety of clinical criteria available. Therefore, this paper aims at (1) providing an overview of what preceded the IASP criteria for nociplastic pain (‘the past’); (2) explaining the new IASP criteria for nociplastic pain in comparison with the 2014 clinical criteria for predominant CS pain (‘the present’); and (3) highlighting key areas for future implementation and research work in this area (‘the future’). It is explained that the 2021 IASP clinical criteria for nociplastic pain are in line with the 2014 clinical criteria for predominant CS pain but are more robust, comprehensive, better developed and hold more potential. Therefore, the 2021 IASP clinical criteria for nociplastic pain are important steps towards precision pain medicine, yet studies examining the clinimetric and psychometric properties of the criteria are urgently needed.

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is a highly recommended intervention towards the advancement of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients’ health profile; though with low participation rates. Although home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) with the use of wearable sensors is proposed as a feasible alternative rehabilitation model, further investigation is needed. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of wearable sensors-assisted HBCR in improving the CVD patients’ cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and health profile. PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO were searched from 2010 to January 2022, using relevant keywords. A total of 14 randomized controlled trials, written in English, comparing wearable sensors-assisted HBCR to center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR) or usual care (UC), were included. Wearable sensors-assisted HBCR significantly improved CRF when compared to CBCR (Hedges’ g = 0.22, 95% CI 0.06, 0.39; I² = 0%; p = 0.01), whilst comparison of HBCR to UC revealed a nonsignificant effect (Hedges’ g = 0.87, 95% CI −0.87, 1.85; I² = 96.41%; p = 0.08). Effects on physical activity, quality of life, depression levels, modification of cardiovascular risk factors/laboratory parameters, and adherence were synthesized narratively. No significant differences were noted. Technology tools are growing fast in the cardiac rehabilitation era and promote exercise-based interventions into a more home-based setting. Wearable-assisted HBCR presents the potential to act as an adjunct or an alternative to CBCR.

Nociplastic pain syndromes include particular fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, headache, complex regional pain syndrome, and idiopathic orofacial pain. Several mechanisms have been proposed to account for nociplastic pain including central sensitisation, alterations of pain modulatory controls, epigenetic changes, and peripheral mechanisms. Importantly, nociplastic pain might also be present in patients with cancer pain, particularly those with pain related to complications of cancer treatment. Increased awareness of nociplastic pain associated with cancer should have important implications for monitoring and managing such patients.

Currently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severely influences physiotherapy education which is based mostly on face-to-face teaching. Thus, educators have been compelled to adapt their pedagogical approaches moving to digital education. In this commentary, we debate on digital education highlighting its effectiveness, the users’ perspectives, and its weakness in the context of physiotherapy teaching aimed at informing post-COVID-19 future directions in this educational field. Existing evidence on digital education produced before COVID-19 supports its implementation into entry-level physiotherapy education. However, some challenges (e.g. social inequality and evaluation of students) threaten its applicability in post-COVID-19 era, calling educators to take appropriate actions.

The recognition of central sensitization (CS) is crucial, as it determines the results of rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to examine associations between CS and catastrophizing, functionality, disability, illness perceptions, kinesiophobia, anxiety, and depression in people with chronic shoulder pain (SP). In this cross-sectional study, 64 patients with unilateral chronic SP completed a few questionnaires including the Central Sensitization Inventory, the Oxford Shoulder Score, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and the “arm endurance” test. On the basis of three constructed linear regression models, it was found that pain catastrophizing and depression (model 1: p < 0.001, R = 0.57, R² = 0.33), functionality (model 2: p < 0.001, R = 0.50, R² = 0.25), and helplessness (model 3: p < 0.001, R = 0.53, R² = 0.28) were significant predictors for CS symptoms in chronic SP. Two additional logistic regression models also showed that depression (model 4: p < 0.001, Nagelkerke R² = 0.43, overall correct prediction 87.5%) and functionality (model 5: p < 0.001, Nagelkerke R² = 0.26, overall correct prediction 84.4%) can significantly predict the classification of chronic SP as centrally sensitized. Patients who were classified as centrally sensitized (n = 10) were found to have significantly worse functionality, psychological factors (anxiety, depression, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing), and pain intensity (p < 0.05). Catastrophizing, depression, and functionality are predictive factors of CS symptoms in patients with chronic shoulder pain. Health care providers should adopt a precision medicine approach during assessment and a holistic rehabilitation of patients with unilateral chronic SP.