Research, scholarship, and continuous clinical improvement are core to the ethos of the Pain Collective. The Pain Collective actively contributes to the advancement of pain science through a combination of ethics-approved academic research, scholarly dissemination, and ongoing clinical governance initiatives.

We collaborate with leading universities, professional societies, and multidisciplinary clinicians to strengthen the evidence base informing contemporary pain management.

Formal human research projects conducted within the Pain Collective network are led by university-affiliated principal investigators and are governed by the relevant institutional Human Research Ethics Committees. Current and recent projects include:

Spinal Pain Anodyne Clinical Outcome Database (SPACE Database)
HREC Reference: R043/2021
Lead Investigator: Professor Romy Parker
University: University of Cape Town

Genetic Association Studies and Individualised Intervention for the Prevention and Treatment of Spinal Disc Degeneration, Disease and Associated Pain
Ethics Reference: BM22/4/7
Lead Investigator: Professor Mongi Benjeddou
University: University of the Western Cape

These projects are conducted in accordance with national and institutional research governance frameworks.

Members of the Pain Collective regularly present clinical insights, observational analyses, and educational work at national and international conferences, contribute to professional guidelines and position papers, and participate in interdisciplinary teaching and workshops. This includes presentations, posters, and collaborative initiatives with recognised professional bodies and academic institutions.

In addition to formal research, the Pain Collective undertakes ongoing clinical audits, outcome monitoring, service evaluation, and qualitative patient feedback initiatives as part of routine clinical governance and continuous practice improvement. These activities are designed to enhance patient care and service delivery and do not constitute human research intended to generate generalisable knowledge.

THE VALUE OF MOVEMENT ADJUSTED THERAPIES (MAT)
AND THE MCKENZIE METHOD (MM) IN THE TREATMENT OF LOWER BACK PAIN
NIKA BRAND

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SENSORY MODULATION DISORDER IN ADULTS AND THE PERCEPTION OF PAIN
LINDA HIEMSTRA

PAIN DON’T GO IT ALONE
LINDA HIEMSTRA

WALKING AS TREATMENT FOR BACK PAIN
DR ELZE-MARIE GREYLING

THE VALUE OF PATIENT PAIN NEUROSCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE TREATMENT OF LOWER BACK PAIN
DR CARYN APRIL

VALUE OF WEB-
BASED INTERVENTIONS IN MANAGEMENT OF LOWER BACK PAIN (LBP)
DR CARYN APRIL

CHANGES TO SPINAL SURGERY INDICATIONS –
SOMETIMES THE FINEST CUT IS NO CUT
DR ADRIAAN LIEBENBERG

DIAGNOSING THE CAUSE OF BACK PAIN –
HOW DO SURGEONS KNOW WHAT AND WHEN TO OPERATE
DR ADRIAAN LIEBENBERG

SPINAL SURGERY INDICATIONS - WHAT HAS CHANGED?
DR ADRIAAN LIEBENBERG