Why Are Treatment Effects So Small in Musculoskeletal Interventions? Part I: Methodological and Measurement Considerations (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

• Systematic measurement errors can underestimate treatment effects.
• Small sample sizes and inappropriate control groups reduce effect sizes.
• Improved study designs are needed for more realistic effect estimates.

"This article examines the methodological and measurement factors that lead to small treatment effects in musculoskeletal trials. It discusses issues like measurement error, study design, and statistical artefacts that underestimate effects. Practical implications for clinicians: interpreting effect sizes in the context of measurement imprecision. Part of a series aimed at improving evidence-based evaluation of MSK interventions."