• patient interaction
• consultation
• listening

The oath—‘do no harm’—ensures the health and well-being of the patient are protected, respected and hopefully improved. However, it implies that ‘something’ will be done where a definitive answer or diagnosis will be generated and a specific treatment plan generated. While the latter aligns with common practice and meets the expectations of athletes and clinicians alike,1 it presents a temptation to rush into a specific treatment path that is difficult to resist. Even pain science education (‘explain pain’) as a recognised treatment of common musculoskeletal disorders might still underestimate the initial interaction between the practitioner and the patient.2 It seems that listening, or the opportunity to discuss problems, might be as important as specifically targeted education.2

In this editorial, we explore a key component of assessment that might aid practitioners in their clinical care of patients—doing ‘nothing’ (translation—really listening). Specifically, how generative listening might improve the outcome for the individual.