Initial Development and Validation of Physical Therapy-Patient Education Questionnaire (PT-PEQ).

BACKGROUND: Patient education can increase patient engagement and positive outcomes with physical therapy treatment. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a physical therapy patient education questionnaire. METHODS: Candidate items were developed and evaluated by an expert panel for content validity. The resulting items were administered to 350 patients in physical therapy treatment, and the reliability and validity of the scale's subscales were evaluated. RESULTS: The final version of the questionnaire consists of 36 items that assess six education domains for patients receiving physical therapy: 1) assessment and information provision (10 items), 2) hygiene and safety (9 items), 3) patient empowerment (8 items), 4) emergency and infection control (3 items), 5) adverse event prevention (4 items), and 6) identity confirmation (2 items). The internal consistency of the subscales ranged from 0.69 to 0.92, and support for the six-domain structure of the items was supported via factor analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire was successfully developed and evidenced good psychometric properties for the assessment of the perceived importance of six physical therapy education domains. Research is needed to evaluate potential gaps between patients' perceived education needs and therapist education activities during physical therapy treatment.

Effects of lymphatic drainage therapy on autonomic nervous system responses in healthy subjects: A single blind randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine effects of lymphatic drainage therapy (LDT) on autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses by comparing including Hoffmann reflex (H reflex), heart rate variability (HRV), salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and muscle tone (via straight leg raise (SLR)) in healthy participants. METHODS: A single blind randomized controlled trial evaluating sixty-six healthy participants including 58 females and 8 males aged between 40 and 65 years. All participants were blinded and randomized to either experimental group (EXP: LDT) or control group (CT: rest). LDT was applied to participants 45 min in experimental group. The LDT is light movement applied by an experienced physical therapist, starting from neck, deep abdomen, and along to the leg. While for the control group, participants received 45 min supine on the treatment table. Tests for evaluating ANS such as Hoffmann reflex (H reflex), heart rate variability (HRV), salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and straight leg raise (SLR) were assessed at pre and post intervention. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that H reflex decreased significantly after applying LDT; within and between groups (p < 0.05). Whereas, it increased significantly in control group. First tension (R1) indicated by participants during SLR significantly improved within both groups. However, there were no significant differences of HRV and sAA in either LDT or control groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that LDT decreased autonomic activity via decreased spinal reflex excitability and tension in healthy participants.

Association between lumbopelvic motion and muscle activation in patients with non-specific low back pain during forward bending task: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) have altered lumbar and pelvic movement patterns. These changes could be associated with altered patterns of muscle activation. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine: (1) differences in the relative contributions and velocity of lumbar and pelvic movements between people with and without NSLBP, (2) the differences in lumbopelvic muscle activation patterns between people with and without NSLBP, and (3) the association between lumbar and pelvic movements and lumbopelvic muscle activation patterns. METHODS: Subjects (8 healthy individuals and 8 patients with NSLBP) performed 2 sets of 3 repetitions of active forward bending, while motion and muscle activity data were collected simultaneously. Data derived were lumbar and pelvic ranges of motion and velocity, and ipsilateral and contralateral lumbopelvic muscle activities (internal oblique/transverse abdominis (IO/TA), lumbar multifidus (LM), erector spinae (ES) and gluteus maximus (GM) muscles). RESULTS: Lumbar and pelvic motions showed trends, but exceeded 95% confidence minimal detectable difference ( MDD 95 ) , for greater pelvic motion ( p = 0 . 06 ) , less lumbar motion ( p = 0 . 23 ) among patients with NSLBP. Significantly less activity was observed in the GM muscles bilaterally ( p < 0 . 05 ) in the NSLBP group. A significant association ( r = - 0 . 8 , p = 0 . 02 ) was found between ipsilateral ES muscle activity and lumbar motion, while moderate, but statistically non-significant associations, were found between GM muscle activity bilaterally and lumbar velocity ( ipsilateral: r = - 0 . 6 , p = 0 . 14 ; contralateral: r = - 0 . 6 , p = 0 . 16 ) in the NSLBP group. CONCLUSION: Findings indicated patients had greater pelvic contribution, but less lumbar contribution which was associated with less activation of the GM bilaterally.

Intertester reliability of a movement impairment-based classification system for individuals with shoulder pain.

BACKGROUND: Other than pathoanatomical diagnosis, physical therapy managements need the diagnosis of movement-related impairments for guiding treatment interventions. The classification system of the Movement System Impairment (MSI) has been adopted to label the musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapy practice. However, reliability study of this classification system in individuals with shoulder pain has not been reported in the literature. OBJECTIVE: This paper investigated the intertester reliability of the diagnosis based on the MSI classification system in individuals with shoulder pain. METHODS: The patients with shoulder pain, between the ages 18-60 years, were recruited if he or she had pain between 30 and 70 on the 100 mm visual analog scale for at least three months. The examiners who were two physical therapists with different clinical experiences received a standardized training program. They independently examined 45 patients in random order. Each patient was examined by both therapists on the same day. The standardized examination scheme based on the MSI approach was used. Patients were identified to subgroup syndromes according to scapular and humeral syndromes and also determining their subcategory syndromes. Six scapular subcategory syndromes included downward rotated, depressed, abducted, wing, internal rotated/anterior tilted, and elevated. Three humeral subcategory syndromes were anterior glide, superior glide, and medial rotated. More than one subgroup and subcategory of syndromes could be identified in each patient. The test results of each session were blinded to another therapist. The percentages of agreement and kappa statistic were determined. RESULTS: The results showed that agreement levels in identifying subgroup syndromes was fair (71.11% agreement, kappa coefficient = 0.34) and classifying subcategories syndromes were poor to substantial (73.33-91.11% agreement, kappa coefficient = 0.20 - 0.66). The overall agreement and kappa value of the MSI classification of subcategory syndromes was poor (kappa coefficient = 0.11; 95% CI 0.05-0.18). The agreement level of subcategories for scapular depression and humeral superior glide syndromes was substantial. The scapular winging, depression, and downward rotation were the three syndromes that were most frequently identified by both the examiners. CONCLUSION: The intertester reliability between therapists with different experience according to the MSI approach for shoulder pain classification was generally acceptable to poor due to the nature of the classification system. The standardized procedure and intensive training can be used for inculcating novice therapists with adequate level of intertester reliability of examination.

Identification of knee osteoarthritis disability phenotypes regarding activity limitation: a cluster analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies have reported the subtypes of individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) attempting to cluster this heterogonous condition. Activity limitations are commonly used to set goals in knee OA management and better identify subgroups based on level of disability in this patient population. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify those activity limitations which could classify the disability phenotypes of knee OA. The phenotypes were also validated by comparing impairments and participation restrictions. METHODS: Participants comprised individuals with symptomatic knee OA. They were interviewed and undertook physical examination according to a standard evaluation forms based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model. Cluster analysis was used to determine those activity limitations which could best classify the phenotypes of knee OA. To validate the clustered variables, comparisons and regression analysis were performed for the impairments consisting of pain intensity, passive range of motion and muscle strength, and the participation restrictions included the difficulty level of acquiring goods and services and community life. RESULTS: In all, 250 participants with symptomatic knee OA were enrolled in the study. Three activity limitations identified from data distribution and literature were used as the cluster variables, included the difficulty level of maintaining a standing position, timed stair climbing and 40-m self-paced walk test. The analysis showed four phenotypes of individuals with knee OA according to the levels of disability from no to severe level of disability. All parameters of impairment and participation restrictions significantly differed among phenotypes. Subgroups with greater disability experienced worse pain intensity, limited range of motion (ROM), muscle power and participation restriction levels. The variance accounted for of the subgroups were also greater than overall participants. CONCLUSION: The results of this study emphasized the heterogeneous natures of knee OA. Three activity limitations identified could classify the individuals with symptomatic knee OA to homogeneous subgroups from no to severe level of disability. The management plan, based on these homogeneous subgroups of knee OA, could be designated by considering the levels of impairments and participation restrictions.

Development of an extensive assessment list for knee osteoarthritis based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: a Delphi study.

The objective of this study was to develop an extensive assessment list for individuals with knee osteoarthritis based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) osteoarthritis comprehensive Core Set. Ten experienced physical therapists including five lecturers and five clinicians were purposively nominated to form an expert panel. Consensus among the experts was obtained through a four-iteration Delphi technique. A list of ICF categories and their third- and fourth-level categories were selected and matched with outcome measures associated with knee osteoarthritis. The expert panel agreed that 26 out of 38 second-level categories of the comprehensive ICF core set for osteoarthritis were relevant to identify problems related to knee osteoarthritis. The information relevant to the specific categories for knee osteoarthritis was obtained from self-reported, subjective observation and physical examination. The extensive assessment list for knee osteoarthritis based on the comprehensive ICF core set for osteoarthritis was assembled. This assessment tool can be used to expansively identify the multidimensional disabilities of impairment, activity limitation and participation restriction in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.