Attitudes and Beliefs of Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Students Towards Working with Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to systematically review physical therapists' and physical therapist students' attitudes towards working with older adults. METHODS: CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, and SocIndex databases were searched in duplicate (from inception to March 2023). Studies that assessed knowledge on aging, intention to work with older adults or attitudes towards older adults for physical therapist students and/or clinicians, and that were written in English, Finnish, Spanish, or Swedish were included. Grey literature, qualitative studies, or articles of people with a specific diagnosis (eg, dementia) were excluded. All articles were reviewed by 2 authors independently and consensus was required for inclusion. Data extraction was completed using a standardized data extraction sheet. RESULTS: Of 2755 articles screened, 34 met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-five studies recruited only physical therapist students, 6 recruited only physical therapist clinicians, and 3 involved mixed samples of both. Ten intervention studies were included, all of which recruited physical therapist students. Overall, physical therapist students were observed to have predominantly positive attitudes towards older adults, while clinicians had neutral to weak positive attitudes towards older adults. Both physical therapist students and clinicians were observed to have low knowledge on aging and low intentions to work with older adults. Results from intervention studies suggest that education combined with clinical experience with older adults improves attitudes towards older adults. CONCLUSIONS: A discrepancy is observed in physical therapists in that although attitudes towards older adults are positive, a lack of knowledge on aging and a disinterest in working with older adults exists. Intervention studies suggest that clinical experience may improve attitudes towards older adults in physical therapist students. IMPACT: Predominantly positive attitudes towards older adults are reported by physical therapist students, while for clinicians mixed results are observed. Education coupled with clinical experiences appear to be effective interventions to improve attitudes towards older adults, but such research has only been explored in student samples.

Patient, surgical and hospital factors predicting actual first-day mobilisation after hip fracture surgery: An observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine patient, surgical and hospital factors associated with Day-1 postoperative mobility after hip fracture surgery in older adults. METHODS: A cohort study using Australia and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry was conducted. Participants were aged older than 50 years and underwent hip fracture surgery between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020 inclusive. The outcome was standing and step transferring out of bed onto a chair and/or walking Day-1 after hip fracture surgery. RESULTS: Mean age was 82 years and 68% were women. Of 12,318 patients with hip fracture, 5981 (49%) actually mobilised Day-1. Odds of actual first-day mobilisation were lower for individuals usually walking with either stick or crutch (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.62-0.82) or two aids or frame (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.52-0.64) or wheelchair/bed bound (OR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.17-0.33); who had impaired cognition preadmission (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.51-0.64); from aged care facilities (OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.52-0.67); had an American Society of Anaesthesiologists grade 2 (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.41-0.97), 3 (OR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.47) or 4 or 5 (OR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.14-0.32); surgery delay >48 h (OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.71-0.91); and restricted/non-weight-bearing status immediately postoperatively (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.42-0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Both non-modifiable and modifiable patient and surgical factors influence first-day mobilisation after hip fracture surgery. Reducing time to surgery might assist future quality improvement efforts to increase Day-1 postoperative mobility.

Prevalence and associated factors of sexual, psychological, and physical violence among Physical Therapists in their clinical role in Spain: A national web-based cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent of career-long and 12-month exposure to sexual, physical and psychological/verbal violence committed by patients or their companions among physical therapists in Spain. Additionally, to identify the factors associated with such exposure. METHODS: This study employed an observational cross-sectional approach. Initially, a questionnaire was developed and validated using a convenience sample. Subsequently, it was distributed via e-mail to all physical therapists registered in Spain in the first quarter of 2022. Individual risk models were created for each type of violence experienced within the past 12 months. RESULTS: The prevalence of violence encountered by physical therapists throughout their careers were 47.9% for sexual violence, 42.7% for psychological/verbal abuse, and 17.6 % for physical abuse. Lower values were observed within the last 12 months (13.4%, 15.8% and 5.2%, respectively). Statistical risk modeling for each type of violence experienced in the past 12 months indicated that the common precipitating factor for all forms of violence was working with patients with cognitive impairment. Working part-time appeared to be a protective factor. Other factors, such as the practitioners' gender, practice setting, or clinic location showed variations among the diverse types of violence. CONCLUSIONS: The exposure to type II workplace violence within the last 12 months among physical therapists in Spain (Europe) is not so high as in some other world regions. Various individual, clinical, and professional/organizational risk factors have been identified in connection with type II workplace violence. Further research is warranted to compare the violence experienced once the COVID pandemic has subsided.

Conservative Treatment of Sever's Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background: Sever's disease, or calcaneal apophysitis, stands as the most prevalent cause of heel pain in children, often linked to sports like soccer, Australian football, and basketball. While various therapies are documented in the scientific literature, the standard choice is conservative treatment. Thus, the objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of diverse conservative methods and techniques in alleviating Sever's disease symptoms. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in October 2023 in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SportDiscus, and PEDro, using terms like Osteochondritis, Osteochondrosis, Apophysitis, Sever's disease, Calcaneus, Adolescent, Child, and Childhood. The PEDro scale gauged methodological quality, and the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool evaluated the risk of bias. Results: Eight randomized controlled studies were included, featuring commonly used treatments such as insoles, therapeutic exercises, Kinesio taping, and foot orthoses. The methodological quality was generally good, with an average PEDro score of 6.75 points. Regarding bias, four articles had low risk, three had high risk, and one had some concern. Conclusions: Conservative treatment emerges as an effective option for alleviating symptoms associated with Sever's disease.

Remote Physiotherapy for Children with ASD during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Thematic Analysis of Physical Therapists' Perspectives.

Background: Physical therapy plays a crucial role in addressing the physical challenges faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, physical therapists (PTs) working in special education centers for ASD children were tasked with deploying remote telehealth interventions (RTIs), an uncommon approach in physical therapy until then. The present article aims to describe and discuss the PTs' perspective of using RTI with children with ASD during the national Israeli COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: Reports from 13 experienced PTs who treated and supported 244 children with ASD using RTIs over six weeks were analyzed. The study employed quantitative research methods, including freely written reports and discussions addressing the question "what were your experiences as a PT treating ASD children remotely during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown?" Results: the reports were categorized into four main themes: (a) the implications of RTIs on the children; (b) the implications of RTIs on the PTs; (c) modifications for applying RTI; and (d) PTs' family rapport as a necessary basis for RTI. Noteworthy findings include the unaffected implementation of RTIs by ASD severity level and the dependence of RTI's success on parental availability and the ability of parents to tailor activities for their child. Conclusions: The findings of the current research suggest that PT services through RTIs are well-suited for individuals with ASD and their families.

Kinesiología como Programa de Investigación. Una Reflexión respecto a Identidad / Physical therapy as a research program. Ideas regarding professional identity

La Kinesiología chilena ha tenido un desarrollo científico sostenido, particularmente durante las últimas décadas. Este desarrollo ha promovido progresivamente el posicionamiento de kinesiólogos y kinesiólogas como profesionales de la salud dentro de la comunidad, los cuales tienen como fundamento el estudio y aplicación de conocimiento relacionado al movimiento humano. Sin embargo, este desarrollo no ha sido azaroso, sino más bien ha respondido a la creciente actividad científica de los integrantes de la comunidad kinesiológica, además de la cada vez más indispensable utilización de información científica para la toma de decisiones clínicas. Por tanto, el presente artículo discute dos formas de analizar el desarrollo de las disciplinas científicas, y plantea que la kinesiología puede considerarse un programa de investigación, definición desde la cual se pueden analizar los desafíos actuales y futuros respecto al dinamismo necesario de la ciencia y el cómo la kinesiología se relaciona con otras disciplinas para potenciar su crecimiento, sin caer en la redundancia y/o repetición disciplinar.

The physical therapy in Chile has had sustained scientific development, particularly during the last decades. This development has progressively promoted the positioning of physical therapists as health professionals within the community, whose foundation is the study and application of knowledge related to human movement. However, this development has not been random, but rather has responded to the growing scientific activity of members of the physical therapy community, in addition to the essential use of scientific information for clinical decision making. Therefore, this article discusses two ways of analyzing the development of scientific disciplines and proposes that physical therapy can be considered a research program, a definition from which current and future challenges can be analyzed regarding the necessary dynamism of science, and how physical therapy relates to other disciplines to enhance their growth, without falling into professional redundancy and/or repetition.

The Development of the Canadian Physiotherapy Assessment of Clinical Performance (ACP) 2.0 - Alignment with the 2017 Competency Profile.

Purpose: Clinical education and assessment of students' performance during clinical placements are key components of Canadian entry-to-practice physiotherapy curriculum and important in developing entry-level physiotherapy practitioners. The Canadian Physiotherapy Assessment of Clinical Performance (ACP) is the measure currently used to assess physiotherapy student performance on clinical placements in most of the entry-to-practice physiotherapy programmes across Canada. The release of the 2017 Competency Profile by the National Physiotherapy Advisory Group resulted in a revision of the existing ACP. The purpose of this study is to report the process used to develop a revised version of the ACP based on the 2017 Competency Profile, henceforth called the ACP 2.0. Method: Using a multistage process, we sought input from Canadian clinical education academics, an expert consultant panel, as well as physiotherapists across Canada using a questionnaire, meetings, and an online survey, respectively. Results: Twelve of 15 clinical education academics responded to a questionnaire. The expert consultant panel (n = 12) met three times. There were 144 physiotherapists who initiated the national, online, survey and met the inclusion criteria; 84 completed the survey. In the ACP 2.0, rating scales and comments boxes were grouped, and additional text was added to 12 items for further clarification. The ACP 2.0 came to have 18 items and 9 comment boxes in addition to summative comments, in contrast to the original ACP's 21 items and 9 comment boxes. Conclusions: In November 2020, Canadian clinical education academics reviewed the proposed draft ACP 2.0 and unanimously accepted it for implementation in Canadian physiotherapy university programmes.

Objectif: l'enseignement clinique et l'évaluation du rendement des étudiants pendant les stages cliniques sont des éléments clés du programme canadien d'entrée en pratique de la physiothérapie et sont importants pour former des praticiens de la physiothérapie prêts à entrer en pratique. L'évaluation du rendement clinique de la physiothérapie au Canada (ÉPC) est la mesure actuellement en usage pour évaluer le rendement des étudiants en physiothérapie lors de leur stage clinique dans la plupart des programmes d'entrée en pratique de la physiothérapie au Canada. La publication du Profil des compétences par le Groupe consultatif national en physiothérapie en 2017 a donné lieu à une révision de l'ÉPC. La présente étude vise à rendre compte du processus utilisé pour mettre au point une version révisée de l'ÉPC d'après le Profil des compétences de 2017, désormais appelée l'ÉPC 2.0. Méthodologie: au moyen d'un processus échelonné, les chercheurs ont demandé l'apport d'universitaires canadiens en enseignement clinique, d'un groupe d'experts consultants et de physiothérapeutes des diverses régions du Canada dans le cadre d'un questionnaire, de réunions et d'un sondage en ligne, respectivement. Résultats: au total, 12 des 15 universitaires en enseignement clinique ont répondu à un questionnaire. Le groupe d'experts consultants (n = 12) s'est réuni trois fois. Enfin, 144 physiothérapeutes qui respectaient les critères d'inclusion ont entrepris le sondage national en ligne, et 84 l'ont terminé. Dans l'ÉPC 2.0, les échelles d'évaluation et les encadrés de commentaires ont été regroupés et du texte a été ajouté à 12 des points afin de les clarifier. L'ÉPC 2.0 comporte finalement 18 points et neuf encadrés de commentaires en plus des commentaires sommatifs, par rapport aux 21 points et aux neuf encadrés de commentaires de l'ÉPC original. Conclusions: en novembre 2020, les universitaires en enseignement clinique canadiens ont révisé le projet d'ÉPC 2.0 et en ont adopté la mise en œuvre à l'unanimité au sein des programmes universitaires de physiothérapie du Canada.

Pelvic Health Content in Canadian Entry-To-Practice Physiotherapy Programs: An Online Survey.

Purpose: Pelvic health physiotherapy is an emerging and sensitive area of practice that offers effective conservative treatment for pelvic health conditions. Canadian entry-to-practice curriculum guidelines accord programs considerable flexibility regarding incorporating pelvic health content, which may lead to differences between programs and diverse levels of competence among new graduates. The purpose of this study was to determine the nature and extent to which pelvic health content is incorporated in entry-to-practice physiotherapy programs in Canada. Method: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional e-survey of representatives from Canadian entry-to-practice physiotherapy programs. Results: Ten out of 15 Canadian programs participated. Programs incorporated pelvic health content throughout the required curriculum (n = 9) and in optional courses (n = 6). All participating programs covered musculoskeletal-related conditions, urinary incontinence, and pelvic pain conditions, and included anatomy and physiology, clinical reasoning, subjective assessment and pelvic floor muscle training topics. Three programs trained students in internal pelvic floor techniques in elective courses. All programs covered cisgender women populations, however, transgender populations were seldom covered. Conclusions: This study provides an understanding of pelvic health curricular content that can serve as a first step towards standardizing and improving entry-level pelvic health training in Canada.

Objectif: la physiothérapie pelvienne est un domaine de pratique émergent et sensible qui propose des traitements conservateurs efficaces pour les affections pelviennes. Les directives canadiennes sur le cursus d'entrée en pratique prévoient une grande souplesse quant à l'intégration de la matière sur la santé pelvienne, qui peut se solder par des différences entre les programmes et les divers niveaux de compétence chez les nouveaux diplômés. La présente étude visait à déterminer la nature et l'importance du contenu en santé pelvienne intégré aux programmes d'entrée en pratique en physiothérapie au Canada. Méthodologie: les chercheurs ont effectué un sondage descriptif transversal en ligne auprès de représentants des programmes d'entrée en pratique en physiothérapie au Canada. Résultats: dix des 15 programmes canadiens ont participé. Ils intégraient le contenu sur la santé pelvienne tout au long du cursus obligatoire (n = 9) et dans des cours à option. Tous les programmes participants traitaient des affections musculosquelettiques, de l'incontinence urinaire et des douleurs pelviennes et incluaient l'anatomie et la physiologie, le raisonnement clinique, l'évaluation subjective et l'entraînement musculaire du plancher pelvien. Trois programmes formaient les étudiants aux techniques internes du plancher pelvien dans le cadre de cours à option. Tous les programmes couvraient les populations de femmes cisgenres, mais les populations transgenres y étaient rarement intégrées. Conclusions: la présente étude permet de comprendre le cursus en santé pelvienne et peut représenter une première étape vers la standardisation et l'amélioration de la formation en santé pelvienne à l'entrée en pratique au Canada.

Treatment of Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea with Manual Therapy and Electrotherapy Techniques: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of electrotherapy and manual therapy for the treatment of women with primary dysmenorrhea. METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, and MEDLINE. The articles must have been published in the last 10 years, had a sample exclusively of women with primary dysmenorrhea, had a randomized controlled trial design, and used interventions that included some form of manual therapy and/or electrotherapy techniques. Two reviewers independently screened articles for eligibility and extracted data. Difference in mean differences and their 95% CIs were calculated as the between-group difference in means divided by the pooled standard deviation. The I2 statistic was used to determine the degree of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Twelve selected studies evaluated interventions, with 5 evaluating electrotherapy techniques and 7 evaluating manual therapy techniques. All studies analyzed identified improvements in pain intensity and meta-analysis confirmed their strong effect. CONCLUSIONS: Manual therapy and electrotherapy are effective for the treatment of women with primary dysmenorrhea. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation combined with thermotherapy and effleurage massage stands out for its effects on the intensity and duration of pain with the application of a few sessions and their long-term effects. IMPACT: Manual therapy techniques and electrotherapy methods reduce the pain intensity of women with primary dysmenorrhea. Quality of life and degree of anxiety improved significantly with manual therapy interventions. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation combined with thermotherapy and effleurage massage are the interventions with which positive effects were achieved with fewer sessions.

Variation in Utilization of Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist Services after Rotator Cuff Repair: A Population-Based Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the utilization of physical therapist and occupational therapist services after rotator cuff repair and examine variation in rehabilitation characteristics by profession. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database. Patients included were 18 to 64 years old and had undergone outpatient rotator cuff repair between 2017 to 2020. Physical therapist and occupational therapist services were identified using evaluation and treatment codes with profession-specific modifiers ("GP" or "GO"). Factors predicting utilization of formal rehabilitation and physical therapist versus occupational therapist services were examined and univariable and multivariable analyses of days to initiate therapy, number of visits, and episode length by profession were completed. RESULTS: Among 53,497 patients with rotator cuff repairs, 81.2% initiated formal rehabilitation (93.8% physical therapist, 5.2% occupational therapist, 1.0% both services). Patients in the Northeast and West (versus the South) were less likely to receive rehabilitation (odds ratio [OR] = 0.67 to 0.70) and less likely to receive occupational therapy (OR = 0.39). Patients living in the Midwest (versus the South) were less likely to receive rehabilitation (OR = 0.79) but more likely to receive occupational therapy (OR = 1.51). Similarly, those living in a rural (versus urban) area were less likely to utilize rehabilitation (OR = 0.89) but more likely to receive occupational therapy (OR = 2.21). Additionally, receiving occupational therapy instead of physical therapist services was associated with decreased therapist visits (-16.89%), days to initiate therapy (-13.43%), and episode length (-13.78%). CONCLUSION: Most patients in our commercially insured cohort utilized rehabilitation services, with a small percentage receiving occupational therapy. We identified profession-specific variation in utilization characteristics that warrants further examination to understand predictors and associated outcomes. IMPACT: Variation in rehabilitation utilization after rotator cuff repair, including profession-specific and regional differences, may indicate opportunities to improve standardization and quality of care.

Risk and protective factors for shoulder complaints in indoor volleyball players: A comprehensive systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to answer the question: "What are the risk and protective factors for shoulder complaints (pain, injury, or problem) in indoor volleyball players?". METHODS: Searches were conducted in electronic databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus, as well as reference lists of the included studies. We included studies evaluating potential intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with shoulder complaints in indoor volleyball players of any country, age, sex, and competitive level. The Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool was used to assess the risk of bias. RESULTS: The risk factors for shoulder complaints in volleyball players were identified through four prospective studies, which exhibited a moderate to low risk of bias. These factors included previous shoulder pain or injury, playing in outside and opposite positions, subacromial bursa thickening, and having an average external rotator (ER) isokinetic eccentric torque lower than the average internal rotator (IR) concentric torque. Protective factors were enhancing shoulder IR and ER isokinetic eccentric strength, being male sex, being older, and maintaining a concentric strength ratio ER/IR within the 0.60-0.75 range. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review highlights risk factors that clinicians and researchers should consider when assessing and tracking indoor volleyball players.

Income-Related Inequality Changes in Osteoarthritis First-Line Interventions: A Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine income-related inequality changes in the outcomes of an osteoarthritis (OA) first-line intervention. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Swedish health care system. PARTICIPANTS: We included 115,403 people (age: 66.2±9.7 years; females 67.8%; N=115,403) with knee (67.8%) or hip OA (32.4%) recorded in the "Swedish Osteoarthritis Registry" (SOAR). INTERVENTIONS: Exercise and education. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Erreygers' concentration index (E) measured income-related inequalities in "Pain intensity," "Self-efficacy," "Use of NSAIDs," and "Desire for surgery" at baseline, 3-month, and 12-month follow-ups and their differences over time. E-values range from -1 to +1 if the health variables are more concentrated among people with lower or higher income. Zero represents perfect equality. We used entropy balancing to address demographic and outcome imbalances and bootstrap replications to estimate confidence intervals for E differences over time. RESULTS: Comparing baseline to 3 months, "pain" concentrated more among individuals with lower income initially (E=-0.027), intensifying at 3 months (difference with baseline: E=-0.011 [95% CI: -0.014; -0.008]). Similarly, the "Desire for surgery" concentrated more among individuals with lower income initially (E=-0.009), intensifying at 3 months (difference with baseline: E=-0.012 [-0.018; -0.005]). Conversely, "Self-efficacy" concentrated more among individuals with higher income initially (E=0.058), intensifying at 3 months (difference with baseline: E=0.008 [0.004; 0.012]). Lastly, the "Use of NSAIDs" concentrated more among individuals with higher income initially (E=0.068) but narrowed at 3 months (difference with baseline: E=-0.029 [-0.038; -0.021]). Comparing baseline with 12 months, "pain" concentrated more among individuals with lower income initially (E=-0.024), intensifying at 12 months (difference with baseline: E=-0.017 [-0.022; -0.012]). Similarly, the "Desire for surgery" concentrated more among individuals with lower income initially (E=-0.016), intensifying at 12 months (difference with baseline: E=-0.012 [-0.022; -0.002]). Conversely, "Self-efficacy" concentrated more among individuals with higher income initially (E=0.059), intensifying at 12 months (difference with baseline: E=0.016 [0.011; 0.021]). The variable 'Use of NSAIDs' was not recorded in the SOAR at 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the increase of income-related inequalities in the SOAR over time.

Evidence-based practice in undergraduate physiotherapy programs in Brazil: A cross-sectional document analysis study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Physiotherapists worldwide are encouraged to integrate evidence-based practice (EBP) to provide safer and effective services. However, for professionals to consolidate this practice, the contact with EBP must begin at the university. In this study, we aimed to map and analyze the distribution of EBP courses and their characteristics in undergraduate physiotherapy programs in Brazil. METHODS: This web-based document analysis study analyzed the current curricula of undergraduate physiotherapy programs in Brazil according to their availability on university sites. The identification of curricular components and analysis of EBP course syllabi used evidence-based descriptive terms. A descriptive analysis was used to verify the frequency and the regional distribution of EBP courses. RESULTS: Of 1033 accredited programs in Brazil, 809 curricula were analyzed. Only 9.4% (76/809) of the analyzed curricula presented EBP courses; the mean duration of courses was 44.3 (SD 13.5) hours. Southeast region had the greatest number of undergraduate programs (46.5%, 376/809), and the north region had a proportionally greater number of EBP courses (24%, 12/50). In addition, 15.6% (10/64) and 8.9% (66/739) of the curricula of public and private institutions, respectively, provided EBP content. Critical appraisal was the most mentioned step among 15 undergraduate programs with complete EBP syllabi. DISCUSSION: Most undergraduate physiotherapy programs in Brazil did not offer an EBP course. Also, an unbalanced emphasis on the critical appraisal step was observed. The lack of EBP content and skills in the curricula of Brazilian undergraduate physiotherapy programs may negatively influence the training, decision-making, and clinical practice of physiotherapists. A re-evaluating of the current undergraduate programs and curricula for EBP-based education is needed.

The Lived Experience of Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructive Surgery: A Social Ecological Analysis.

Purpose: To identify, using a social ecological model, the multi-level facilitators and barriers that shape the lived experience of rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive (ACLR) surgery. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 12 adults who experienced rehabilitation following ACLR surgery. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was completed following Braun and Clarke's framework. Results: The experience of rehabilitation was influenced by intrapersonal, interpersonal, physical, institutional, community, and policy level factors. Conclusions: A patient's ability to successfully complete a rehabilitation program, particularly home exercises, can be situated within a social and ecological context in ways that could improve patient adherence and compliance.

Objectif: déterminer, au moyen d'un modèle socioécologique, les incitations et les obstacles multiniveaux qui orientent l'expérience vécue de la réadaptation après la reconstruction du ligament croisé antérieur (RLCA). Méthodologie: entrevues semi­structurées auprès de 12 adultes qui sont allés en réadaptation après une RLCA. Les chercheurs ont procédé à l'analyse thématique des données qualitatives au moyen du cadre de Braun et Clarke. Résultats: l'expérience de réadaptation était influencée par des facteurs intrapersonnels, interpersonnels, physiques, institutionnels, communautaires et politiques. Conclusions: la capacité d'un patient à exécuter l'intégralité d'un programme de réadaptation, particulièrement des exercices à domicile, peut être située dans un contexte socioécologique, de manière à améliorer l'adhésion et l'assiduité de ce patient.

Early mobilisation in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a subanalysis of the ESICM-initiated UNITE-COVID observational study.

BACKGROUND: Early mobilisation (EM) is an intervention that may improve the outcome of critically ill patients. There is limited data on EM in COVID-19 patients and its use during the first pandemic wave. METHODS: This is a pre-planned subanalysis of the ESICM UNITE-COVID, an international multicenter observational study involving critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU between February 15th and May 15th, 2020. We analysed variables associated with the initiation of EM (within 72 h of ICU admission) and explored the impact of EM on mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, as well as discharge location. Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear mixed-effect models and ANOVAs. RESULTS: Mobilisation data from 4190 patients from 280 ICUs in 45 countries were analysed. 1114 (26.6%) of these patients received mobilisation within 72 h after ICU admission; 3076 (73.4%) did not. In our analysis of factors associated with EM, mechanical ventilation at admission (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.25, 0.35; p = 0.001), higher age (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98, 1.00; p ≤ 0.001), pre-existing asthma (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.73, 0.98; p = 0.028), and pre-existing kidney disease (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71, 0.99; p = 0.036) were negatively associated with the initiation of EM. EM was associated with a higher chance of being discharged home (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08, 1.58; p = 0.007) but was not associated with length of stay in ICU (adj. difference 0.91 days; 95% CI - 0.47, 1.37, p = 0.34) and hospital (adj. difference 1.4 days; 95% CI - 0.62, 2.35, p = 0.24) or mortality (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.7, 1.09, p = 0.24) when adjusted for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that a quarter of COVID-19 patients received EM. There was no association found between EM in COVID-19 patients' ICU and hospital length of stay or mortality. However, EM in COVID-19 patients was associated with increased odds of being discharged home rather than to a care facility. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04836065 (retrospectively registered April 8th 2021).

Efficacy of ultrasound versus short wave diathermy in the treatment of chronic low back pain in patients with lumbar disk herniation: a prospective randomized control study.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar disk herniation (LDH) is a cause of chronic low back pain (CLBP) treated using physical therapy (PT), including exercise and physical modalities such as ultrasound (US) and short wave diathermy (SWD). Despite the use of US and SWD, there is inconclusive evidence on their efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of US and SWD in the treatment of CLBP in patients with LDH. METHODS: A prospective randomized control clinical study. Individuals with radicular CLBP and LDH on magnetic resonance imaging, presenting to the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department were randomized into 3 treatment groups. All participants received 10 sessions of hotpack, transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) and therapeutic exercises. In addition, Group 1 received 10 sessions of therapeutic US (1 MHz, 1.5W/cm2, 10 min), Group 2 SWD (27.12 MHz, wavelength 11.06 m, induction technique, 20 min) to the lower back. Group 3 (control group) received hotpack, TENS and therapeutic exercises alone. Visual analogue scale (VAS) for LBP, Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MODI) and Short Form 36 (SF-36) were evaluated pre and post treatment and at one and three months follow up. RESULTS: In all groups, VAS for LBP and MODI improved with treatment and at the one and three month follow up (p < 0.001). In Groups 1 and 2, MODI scores continued to reduce at 1 and 3 months (p < 0.001 and p = 0.012 respectively). SF-36 physical, social function and pain parameters reduced in all groups (p < 0.05). Role limitation due to physical and emotional problems, emotional well-being, vitality and mental health improved in Groups 1 and 2 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Deep heating agents can be used as part of the physical therapy for CLBP in those with LDH with positive mid-term effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03835182, 02/04/2019.

Percepção de cuidadores sobre a qualidade de serviços de Fisioterapia Neuropediátrica em Centros de reabilitação no estado da Paraíba, Brasil / Caregiver perception of the quality of Neuropediatric Physiotherapy services at rehabilitation Centers in the State of Paraíba, Brazil

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a percepção de curadores sobre a qualidade dos serviços de Fisioterapia neuropediátrica ofertados em Centros Especializados em reabilitação (CER) no Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, quantitativo, de caráter avaliativo, cujo público-alvo foi representado por cuidadores das crianças em reabilitação. O instrumento AQSF-Neuroped foi utilizado para avaliar a qualidade dos serviços de Fisioterapia neuropediátrica em três CER, com base na percepção de 320 cuidadores. Utilizou-se o teste de hipótese para uma proporção a partir de cada item e dimensão do AQSF-Neuroped. Os modelos Weight of Evidence e Análise de Classes Latentes foram usados para avaliar o comportamento de variáveis sobre a percepção de qualidade. Obteve-se um escore médio total de qualidade de 133±14 pontos, implicando uma percepção positiva de qualidade; porém, há aspectos relacionados à estrutura física (dimensão interpessoal) e ao acesso (dimensão organizacional II) que precisam ser aprimorados (p-valores<0,05) para melhor atender às expectativas dos cuidadores. O CER B foi melhor avaliado dentre os demais serviços (IV<0,10). A ACL permitiu identificar, por meio da formação de grupo, características do cuidador que determinaram uma perspectiva positiva ou negativa da qualidade. Assim, disponibilizou-se os resultados para subsidiar as melhores práticas nos serviços.

This study evaluates the perception of caregivers of the quality of neuropediatric physiotherapy services offered at specialized rehabilitation centers (SRC) in Brazil. This is a cross-sectional, quantitative, evaluative study whose target population was caregivers of children in rehabilitation. The AQSF-Neuroped instrument was used to evaluate the quality of three SRC based on the perception of 320 caregivers. The one-proportion hypothesis test was used based on each AQSF-Neuroped item and dimension. The Weight of Evidence and Latent Class Analysis models were used to evaluate the influence of variables on the perception of quality. A mean overall quality score of 133±14 points indicated a positive perception of quality; however, there were aspects related to physical structure (Interpersonal Dimension) and access (Organizational Dimension II) that needed to be improved (p-values<0.05) to better meet the expectations of caregivers. By group formation, the LCA enabled identification of the caregivers' characteristics that determined either a positive or negative perspective of the quality. SRC B was best evaluated among all SRC (IV<0.10). Finally, managers are provided with results to support improvements in services.

In-Clinic versus Hybrid Cancer Rehabilitation Service Delivery during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Outcome Comparison Study.

Diminished health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is common among cancer survivors but often amendable to rehabilitation. However, few access real-world rehabilitation services. Hybrid delivery modes (using a combination of in-clinic and synchronous telehealth visits) became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic and offer a promising solution to improve access beyond the pandemic. However, it is unclear if hybrid delivery has the same impact on patient-reported outcomes and experiences as standard, in-clinic-only delivery. To fill this gap, we performed a retrospective, observational, comparative outcomes study of real-world electronic medical record (EMR) data collected by a national outpatient rehabilitation provider in 2020-2021. Of the cases meeting the inclusion criteria (N = 2611), 60 were seen to via hybrid delivery. The outcomes evaluated pre and post-rehabilitation included PROMIS® global physical health (GPH), global mental health (GMH), physical function (PF), and the ability to participate in social roles and activities (SRA). The patient experience outcomes included the Net Promoter Survey (NPS®) and the Select Medical Patient-Reported Experience Measure (SM-PREM). A linear and logistic regression was used to examine the between-group differences in the PROMIS and SM-PREM scores while controlling for covariates. The hybrid and in-clinic-only cases improved similarly in all PROMIS outcomes (all p < 0.05). The association between the delivery mode and the likelihood of achieving the minimal important change in the PROMIS outcomes was non-significant (all p > 0.05). No between-group differences were observed in the NPS or SM-PREM scores (all p > 0.05). Although more research is needed, this real-world evidence suggests that hybrid rehabilitation care may be equally beneficial for and acceptable to cancer survivors and supports calls to expand access to and reimbursement for telerehabilitation.

A Survey of Canadian Physiotherapists' and Physiotherapy Students' Knowledge and Use of Executive Functioning Assessments in Clinical Practice.

Purpose: This study examined what physiotherapists and physiotherapy students understand and know about executive functioning (EF), what EF outcome measures they use clinically, and whether their primary area of practice influences their assessment practices. Method: An open online survey was distributed to registered members of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, its various divisions, and colleges of physiotherapy within Canada that took approximately 15 minutes to complete and was available for 13 months. Pearson correlation was used to assess the relationship between subjective and objective understanding and knowledge of EF (UKEF) and a one-way multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze differences in survey responses based on respondents' primary area of practice. Results: A total of 335 respondents consented to participate (completion rate = 78.4%). There was a significant moderate positive correlation between subjective and objective UKEF (r = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.54; n = 260; p < 0.001). Significant differences in survey responses were related to physiotherapists' primary areas of practice (i.e., musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiorespiratory, or multi-systems; F12,555.89 = 2.29, p = 0.008; Wilks Λ = 0.880; partial η2 = 0.042). Conclusions: Respondents reported that they had good subjective UKEF, but this was only moderately correlated with objective UKEF.

Objectif : examiner ce que les physiothérapeutes et les étudiants en physiothérapie comprennent et savent sur le fonctionnement exécutif (FE), les mesures de résultats du FE qu'ils utilisent en clinique et si leur secteur primaire de pratique influe sur leurs pratiques d'évaluation. Méthodologie : les membres de l'Association canadienne de physiothérapie, ses diverses divisions et les ordres de physiothérapie du Canada ont reçu un sondage en ligne ouvert qui exigeait une quinzaine de minutes de leur temps et qui était disponible sur une période de 13 mois. Les chercheurs ont utilisé la corrélation de Pearson pour évaluer la relation entre la compréhension et les connaissances subjectives et objectives du FE (CCEF) et une analyse de variance multivariée unidirectionnelle pour analyser les différences entre les réponses au sondage d'après les secteurs primaires de pratique des répondants. Résultats : Au total, 335 répondants ont consenti à participer (taux d'achèvement = 78,4 %). Ils ont constaté une corrélation positive modérée significative entre les CCEF subjectives et objectives (r = 0,43; IC à 95 % : 0,32, 0,54; n = 260; p < 0,001). Des différences significatives dans les réponses au sondage étaient liées aux secteurs primaires de pratique des physiothérapeutes (musculosquelettique, neurologique, cardiorespiratoire ou multisystémique; F12,555,89 = 2,29; p = 0,008; Λ de Wilks = 0,880; η2 partiel = 0,042). Conclusions : les répondants ont déclaré qu'ils avaient de bonnes CCEF, mais leur réponse était seulement corrélée modérément avec les CCEF objectives.

Does the method of telehealth delivery affect the physiotherapy management of adults with bleeding disorders? A comparison of audioconferencing and videoconferencing.

AIM: To determine whether the method of telehealth delivery (audioconferencing or videoconferencing) affects the physiotherapy management of adults with inherited bleeding disorders. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was utilised involving 40 physiotherapy consultations (23 initial consultations and 17 follow-up consultations) of adults (>18) with a diagnosed bleeding disorder. Each consultation involved an initial audioconferencing component followed immediately by a separate videoconferencing component. Following each component, the physiotherapist utilised the clinical information gathered to formulate and record a management plan, and additionally recorded their confidence in this plan. Differences between the management plans and clinician confidence were recorded, including where applicable the visual information prompting a change in management plans. RESULTS: Audioconferencing and videoconferencing management plans differed in 40% of all consultations, including 52.0% of initial consultations and 23.5% of follow-up consultations. Among consultations where management plans differed, this was prompted by visual information related to the anatomic location of symptoms (31.3%), the absence/presence of swelling (31.3%), joint range of movement (25.0%), and general appearance (12.5%). Median self-reported clinician confidence of management plans increased significantly from 70.0% following audioconferencing to 93.0% following videoconferencing. CONCLUSION: When utilizing telehealth, the choice between audioconferencing or videoconferencing may affect physiotherapy management of adults with bleeding disorders, particularly with initial consultations. Videoconferencing potentially leads to more appropriate management plans, clinician confidence and utilization of healthcare resources. Further high-quality studies are required to confirm the findings of this study.