Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health
Nature-based health and therapy (NBHT) is a term incorporating a broad suite of practices that focus on engagement with the natural world and nature-rich spaces for potential physical and mental health benefits. As healthcare professions such as physiotherapy and osteopathy move away from biomedical...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1509419/full |
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| author | Richard Doran-Sherlock Payal Sood Nicole Anne Struthers Filip Maric |
| author_facet | Richard Doran-Sherlock Payal Sood Nicole Anne Struthers Filip Maric |
| author_sort | Richard Doran-Sherlock |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nature-based health and therapy (NBHT) is a term incorporating a broad suite of practices that focus on engagement with the natural world and nature-rich spaces for potential physical and mental health benefits. As healthcare professions such as physiotherapy and osteopathy move away from biomedical/reductionist models of care for complex conditions towards approaches which take into account social and environmental determinants of health, NBHT may become part of clinical interventions and public health messaging. However, there are multiple challenges in aspects of NBHT research and application, from methodological issues in the primary research base, to questions of environmental injustice and access inequalities in many areas. In addition, engaging with natural environments which are vulnerable to the entwinned threats of climate change and biodiversity collapse requires consideration of the effects of ecological disturbance and the underlying anthropocentric/utilitarian view of the natural world. In this perspective, we outline a critique of NBHT literature and offer positive suggestions for how better-quality research can be conducted and implemented by focusing on local environmental, social, and political factors. We conclude by outlining a set of critical considerations that healthcare professionals might use to develop and implement NBHT programmes in their specific regional contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d8081be478dd4a3d9966b439bae50976 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-d8081be478dd4a3d9966b439bae509762025-01-22T07:11:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-01-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15094191509419Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal healthRichard Doran-Sherlock0Payal Sood1Nicole Anne Struthers2Filip Maric3Registered Osteopath, Dublin, IrelandSchool of Health and Social Care, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United KingdomHealth and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, ON, CanadaFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Care Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayNature-based health and therapy (NBHT) is a term incorporating a broad suite of practices that focus on engagement with the natural world and nature-rich spaces for potential physical and mental health benefits. As healthcare professions such as physiotherapy and osteopathy move away from biomedical/reductionist models of care for complex conditions towards approaches which take into account social and environmental determinants of health, NBHT may become part of clinical interventions and public health messaging. However, there are multiple challenges in aspects of NBHT research and application, from methodological issues in the primary research base, to questions of environmental injustice and access inequalities in many areas. In addition, engaging with natural environments which are vulnerable to the entwinned threats of climate change and biodiversity collapse requires consideration of the effects of ecological disturbance and the underlying anthropocentric/utilitarian view of the natural world. In this perspective, we outline a critique of NBHT literature and offer positive suggestions for how better-quality research can be conducted and implemented by focusing on local environmental, social, and political factors. We conclude by outlining a set of critical considerations that healthcare professionals might use to develop and implement NBHT programmes in their specific regional contexts.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1509419/fullnature-based therapynature-based interventionsplanetary healthphysical healthmusculoskeletal health |
| spellingShingle | Richard Doran-Sherlock Payal Sood Nicole Anne Struthers Filip Maric Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health Frontiers in Public Health nature-based therapy nature-based interventions planetary health physical health musculoskeletal health |
| title | Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health |
| title_full | Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health |
| title_fullStr | Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health |
| title_short | Challenges in nature-based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health |
| title_sort | challenges in nature based health and therapy research and critical considerations for application in musculoskeletal health |
| topic | nature-based therapy nature-based interventions planetary health physical health musculoskeletal health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1509419/full |
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