RECOVER Injury Research Centre

Outcomes from consumer and community consultation

Learn more about RECOVER's consumer and community involvement activities. 

  1. Consumer involvement case studies
  2. 2020 Consumer & Community Forum
  3. 2019 Consumer & Community Forum
  4. Consumer chatbot activity
  5. Modification of the Pain ROADMAP app for young people
  6. Engaging Consumers and Community Members across the Research Spectrum: A Stepped Approach to Implementation by the RECOVER Injury Research Centre
  7. Virtual reality enabled intervention for pain management
  1. ‘6-minute Walk Test in chronic pain’ study: consumer review of recruitment materials
  2. Grow Stronger mobile app with a gamification feature
  3. Contributing consumer experiences and ideas for study to test how to choose the right treatment for the right person
  4. PRioRTI: A multi-centre randomised placebo-controlled trial of pregabalin to prevent chronic pain after whiplash injury.
  5. Co-design, development and feasibility of a consumer-driven immersive virtual reality tool for upper limb rehabilitation in the community
  6. Consumer Roundtable 2022: Bringing researchers to the consumer table to explore telehealth

11. PRioRTI: A multi-centre randomised placebo-controlled trial of pregabalin to prevent chronic pain after whiplash injury.

What are the aims of the project?

A focus of research at RECOVER is to provide improved early treatments with the aim of preventing the development of chronic pain after injury. In 2017, we received funding from the Emergency Medicine Fund of Qld to conduct a pilot trial of a short course (5-weeks scaled dose) of pregabalin (Lyrica) provided to patients within 48 hours of injury, in the hospital Emergency Department. Our rationale for choosing to test pregabalin is that it works by preventing the development of central pain sensitisation in the central nervous system, which we hypothesised may prevent chronic pain. Pregabalin is usually prescribed for chronic neuropathic pain and not acute pain.

The consultation activity

In June 2022, we invited consumers to contribute their experience and ideas about a new project in development. Consumers participated in a one-off consultation activity in the research planning phase.

During the session, consumers had the opportunity to discuss the project and provide specific input to the researchers about the study design and methods from the consumer perspective.

Consumers provided information about their experiences with pregabalin medication. They were also asked whether they would have been happy to take pregabalin in the early stages after their injury if there were a good chance it would prevent chronic pain?

Consumers lived experiences were incorporated into the project proposal.

Project leads

Professor Michele Sterling (RECOVER, UQ) is the program leader of the Improving health outcomes after musculoskeletal injury program at RECOVER Injury Research Centre. She is the director of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Recovery Following Road Traffic Injuries.