The quantitative data for Hilda indicated improvements in pain and function, yet the account she gave in the interview implied that Hilda perceived no improvement in her condition.

Interviewer: Do you think there is any benefit to you really from doing the exercises?

Hilda: No. Not really. No.

Interviewer: So, during the course of time you were having the (physiotherapy) sessions and doing the exercises, did you notice any benefit from doing the exercises at all or not?

Hilda: I can’t really say. No. No.

Interviewer: Right so you still get the pain do you?

Hilda: Yeah, I still get the pain.

Later in the interview

Interviewer: So, thinking ahead to the future, can you see yourself carrying on with these exercises?

Hilda: Well, I can’t see that it helps much, no.

The quantitative data for Beryl indicated deterioration in pain and function, yet in the interview Beryl reported a reduction in pain, and she was able to give examples of improvements in her mobility.

Interviewer: How about the knee, do you find that exercise helps the knee or not so much?

Beryl: Um ... yes it does help because you are moving all your ... you know your joints and everything, that, um, it does help it, definitely.

Interviewer: And have you actually found any benefit from doing these exercises because the pain reduced, or?

Beryl: It has reduced quite a lot.

Later in the interview

Interviewer Do you take any medication these days, or isn’t the pain that bad?

Beryl: Um ... if it aches then I take paracetamols. I mean, I have found now that I can get in and out of bed better than I could before. I used to roll ... literally roll out of bed. I couldn’t sort of get out just normal, whereas now I can.