A framework to improve quality of hospital-based physiotherapy: a design-based research study.

BACKGROUND: A quality framework for hospital-based physiotherapy is lacking. This study aims to design a framework, building on the currently available literature, to improve the quality of hospital-based physiotherapy. METHODS: A multidisciplinary panel of six representatives of hospital-based physiotherapy and their key stakeholders (patients, medical specialists, hospital management and professional association) was set up. We used brainwriting to sample ideas and the 'decision-matrix' to select the best ideas. RESULTS: The first round of brainwriting with an online panel of six experienced participants yielded consensus on seven possible methods for quality improvement of hospital-based physiotherapy [1]: continuing education [2] ,feedback on patient reported experience measures and patient reported outcome measures [3] ,a quality portfolio [4] ,peer observation and feedback [5] ,360 degree feedback [6] ,a management information system, and [7] intervision with intercollegiate evaluation. Placing these methods in a decision matrix against four criteria (measurability, acceptability, impact, accessibility) resulted in a slight preference for a management information system, with almost equal preference for five other methods immediately thereafter. The least preference was given to a 360-degree feedback. CONCLUSIONS: In the design of a framework for improving the quality of hospital-based physiotherapy, all seven suggested methods were perceived as relevant but differed in terms of advantages and disadvantages. This suggests that, within the framework, a mixture of these methods may be desirable to even out respective advantages and disadvantages.

Personalised Outcomes Forecasts of Supervised Exercise Therapy in Intermittent Claudication: An Application of Neighbours Based Prediction Methods with Routinely Collected Clinical Data.

OBJECTIVE: Insights regarding individual patient prognosis may improve exercise therapy by informing patient expectations, promoting exercise adherence, and facilitating tailored care. Therefore, the aim was to develop and evaluate personalised outcomes forecasts for functional claudication distance over six months of supervised exercise therapy for patients with intermittent claudication. METHODS: Data of 5 940 patients were eligible for analysis. Neighbours based predictions were generated via an adaptation of predictive mean matching. Data from the nearest 223 matches (a.k.a. neighbours) for an index patient were modelled via Generalised Additive Model for Location Scale and Shape (GAMLSS). The realised outcome measures were then evaluated against the GAMLSS model, and the average bias, coverage, and precision were calculated. Model calibration was analysed via within sample and of sample analyses. RESULTS: Neighbours based predictions demonstrated small average bias (- 0.04 standard deviations; ideal = 0) and accurate average coverage (48.7% of realised data within 50% prediction interval; ideal = 50%). Moreover, neighbours based predictions improved prediction precision by 24%, compared with estimates derived from the whole sample. Both within sample and of sample testing showed predictions to be well calibrated. CONCLUSION: Neighbours based prediction is a method for generating accurate personalised outcomes forecasts for patients with intermittent claudication undertaking supervised exercise therapy. Future work should examine the influence of personalised outcomes forecasts on clinical decisions and patient outcomes.

The SLIM study-Shared medical appointments to change lifestyles of overweight people with haemophilia: A randomized multiple baseline (n-of-1) design.

INTRODUCTION: People with haemophilia suffer from haemophilic joint disease that may result in physical inactivity and overweight. Shared medical appointments (SMAs) might help limit the consequences of haemophilic arthropathy. SMAs are group meetings supervised by one or more healthcare professionals that can be utilized to improve lifestyle. AIM: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of SMAs in people with haemophilia to improve physical activity and eating habits. METHODS: A multiple baseline single-case design was used. Overweight people with haemophilia were eligible to participate. Seven weekly SMAs were conducted using multiple behavioural change techniques to improve physical activity and eating habits. Feasibility of SMAs was evaluated using (a) dropout rate, (b) occurrence of adverse events (AEs), (c) adherence rate and (d) patient satisfaction. During 13 weeks, physical activity was measured daily and eating habits were measured three times per week. The efficacy of SMAs was determined using randomization tests and visual data inspection. RESULTS: Out of the six men participating in the study, one participant dropped out. No study-related AEs occurred. The adherence rate of SMAs was 80%, and participants reported to be 'very satisfied' with the SMAs. Randomization tests and visual analyses demonstrated (statistical) improvements in physical activity (p = .03). No effect was found in self-reported eating habits (p = .55). CONCLUSION: Shared medical appointments are feasible in people with haemophilia and appear to improve physical activity. The effect on improving eating habits could not be established. Scientific replication of our approach is warranted to confirm or refute the merit of SMAs in people with haemophilia.

i-CONTENT tool for assessing therapeutic quality of exercise programs employed in randomised clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: When appraising the quality of randomised clinical trial (RCTs) on the merits of exercise therapy, we typically limit our assessment to the quality of the methods. However, heterogeneity across studies can also be caused by differences in the quality of the exercise interventions (ie, 'the potential effectiveness of a specific intervention given the potential target group of patients')-a challenging concept to assess. We propose an internationally developed, consensus-based tool that aims to assess the quality of exercise therapy programmes studied in RCTs: the international Consensus on Therapeutic Exercise aNd Training (i-CONTENT) tool. METHODS: Forty-nine experts (from 12 different countries) in the field of physical and exercise therapy participated in a four-stage Delphi approach to develop the i-CONTENT tool: (1) item generation (Delphi round 1), (2) item selection (Delphi rounds 2 and 3), (3) item specification (focus group discussion) and (4) tool development and refinement (working group discussion and piloting). RESULTS: Out of the 61 items generated in the first Delphi round, consensus was reached on 17 items, resulting in seven final items that form the i-CONTENT tool: (1) patient selection; (2) qualified supervisor; (3) type and timing of outcome assessment; (4) dosage parameters (frequency, intensity, time); (5) type of exercise; (6) safety of the exercise programme and (7) adherence to the exercise programme. CONCLUSION: The i-CONTENT-tool is a step towards transparent assessment of the quality of exercise therapy programmes studied in RCTs, and ultimately, towards the development of future, higher quality, exercise interventions.

Reference chart for knee flexion following total knee arthroplasty: a novel tool for monitoring postoperative recovery.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians and patients lack an evidence-based framework by which to judge individual-level recovery following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery, thus impeding personalized treatment approaches for this elective surgery. Our study aimed to develop and validate a reference chart for monitoring recovery of knee flexion following TKA surgery. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of data collected in routine rehabilitation practice for patients following TKA surgery. Reference charts were constructed using Generalized Additive Models for Location Scale and Shape. Various models were compared using the Schwarz Bayesian Criterion, Mean Squared Error in 5-fold cross validation, and centile coverage (i.e. the percent of observed data represented below specified centiles). The performance of the reference chart was then validated against a test set of patients with later surgical dates, by examining the centile coverage and average bias (i.e. difference between observed and predicted values) in the test dataset. RESULTS: A total of 1173 observations from 327 patients were used to develop a reference chart for knee flexion over the first 120 days following TKA. The best fitting model utilized a non-linear time trend, with smoothing splines for median and variance parameters. Additionally, optimization of the number of knots in smoothing splines and power transformation of time improved model fit. The reference chart performed adequately in a test set of 171 patients (377 observations), with accurate centile coverage and minimal average bias (< 3 degrees). CONCLUSION: A reference chart developed with clinically collected data offers a new approach to monitoring knee flexion following TKA.

Effectiveness of Supervised Home-Based Exercise Therapy Compared to a Control Intervention on Functions, Activities, and Participation in Older Patients After Hip Fracture: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to investigate whether supervised home-based exercise therapy after hospitalization is more effective on improving functions, activities, and participation in older patients after hip fracture than a control intervention (including usual care). Furthermore, we aimed to account the body of evidence for therapeutic validity. DATA SOURCES: Systematic searches of Medline, Embase, and CINAHL databases up to June 30, 2016. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials studying supervised home-based exercise therapy after hospitalization in older patients (≥65y) after hip fracture. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers assessed methodological quality (Physiotherapy Evidence Database) and therapeutic validity (Consensus on Therapeutic Exercise Training). Data were primary analyzed using a best evidence synthesis on methodological quality and meta-analyses. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 9 articles were included (6 trials; 602 patients). Methodological quality was high in 4 of 6 studies. One study had high therapeutic validity. We found limited evidence in favor of home-based exercise therapy for short- (≤4mo) and long-term (>4mo) performance-based activities of daily living (ADL) and effects at long-term for gait (fast) and endurance. Evidence of no effectiveness was found for short- and long-term effects on gait and self-reported (instrumental) ADL and short-term effects on balance, endurance, and mobility. Conflicting evidence was found for strength, long-term balance, short-term gait (comfortable), long-term self-reported ADL, and long-term mobility. CONCLUSIONS: Research findings show no evidence in favor of home-based exercise therapy after hip fracture for most outcomes of functions, activities, and participation. However, trials in this field have low therapeutic validity (absence of rationale for content and intensity and reporting of adherence), which results in interventions that do not fit patients' limitations and goals.

Functional performance and safety of bone-anchored prostheses in persons with a transfemoral or transtibial amputation: a prospective one-year follow-up cohort study.

OBJECTIVES:: (1) To compare level of function, activity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and satisfaction in persons with a lower extremity amputation before surgery and 6- and 12-months after implantation of an osseointegration implant and (2) to report adverse events. DESIGN:: Prospective cohort study. SETTING:: University medical centre. SUBJECTS:: A total of 40 consecutive persons (median age: 56 years) who received a transfemoral (31) or transtibial (9) osseointegration implant, between April 2014 and March 2016. INTERVENTION:: Osseointegration implant surgery followed by a predefined rehabilitation programme. MAIN MEASURES:: Hip abductor strength, prosthetic use, back pain frequency, postoperative pain, mobility level (Timed-Up and Go (TUG) and wheelchair-boundedness), walking ability (6 minute walking test (6MWT) and walking distance in daily life), HRQoL, satisfaction regarding the prosthesis, and adverse events. RESULTS:: Strength, prosthetic use, walking distance, HRQoL, and satisfaction level increased significantly at 6- and 12-month follow-up compared to baseline ( P ⩽ 0.002). The TUG showed no change at 6-month follow-up ( P = 0.420) but improved significantly at 12-month follow-up compared to baseline ( P = 0.005). Wheelchair-boundedness decreased from 12/40 participants at baseline to 0 at follow-ups. The 6MWT ( P ⩾ 0.038) and back pain ( P ⩾ 0.437) did not change over time. Stump pain was present in 28/39 and 22/40 of the participants at 6-and 12-month follow-up, respectively. The major adverse events were managed successfully and included three dual-cone breakages and four bone fractures. An uneventful course was completed by 19/31 transfemoral and 4/9 transtibial bone-anchored prostheses users. CONCLUSION:: Bone-anchored prostheses lead to improved performance and appear to be safe, so they might be considered for persons with socket-related problems.

Pain and disability after first-time spinal fusion for lumbar degenerative disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Lumbar spinal fusion (LSF) is frequently and increasingly used in lumbar degenerative disorders despite conflicting results and recommendations. A thorough understanding of patient outcomes after LSF is required to inform decisions regarding surgery and to improve post-surgery management. The current study aims to evaluate the course of pain and disability in patients with degenerative disorders of the lumbar spine after first-time LSF. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of pain and disability outcomes in prospective cohort studies up to 31 March 2017 is identified in four electronic databases. Two independent researchers determined study eligibility, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias (modified Quality in Prognostics tool). A random effects model (maximum likelihood) was used to calculate means and 95% confidence intervals. The primary analysis was performed on complete data, and a sensitivity analysis was performed on all data. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies (n = 1777 participants) were included. The mean (95% confidence interval) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) back pain (n = 9 studies) decreased from 64 (57-71) pre-surgery to 20 (16-24) at 24-month follow-up. Leg pain (n = 9 studies) improved from VAS 70 (65-74) pre-surgery to 17 (12-23) at 24-month interval. Disability (n = 12 studies), measured with the Oswestry Disability Index, decreased from 44.8 (40.1-49.4) pre-surgery to 17.3 (11.9-22.8) at 24-month follow-up. The sensitivity analysis yielded similar results. CONCLUSION: There is a substantial improvement in pain and disability after first-time LSF for degenerative disorders. However, long-term outcomes indicate that leg pain might be more reduced and for a longer period of time than axial back pain and disability. Registration PROSPERO CRD42015026922. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Preoperative psychosocial factors predicting patient's functional recovery after total knee or total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of preoperative psychosocial factors on the perceived and observed postoperative patient's functional recovery during the post-hospital phase and up to 12 months after hospital discharge of patients who underwent total knee or total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: A systematic review was performed. MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsychINFO were systematically screened in order to find prospective longitudinal studies. Risk of bias was assessed using a modified version of a 27-item checklist for prognostic studies, as previously used by Veerbeek. A qualitative analysis was performed using the method of Zwikker. RESULTS: A total of 26 studies, with a total of 11,020 patients, were included. In total, 22 studies were judged as having a high risk of bias. Overall, no longitudinal association with perceived or observed functional recovery was found in all of the seven preoperative psychosocial categories: A: mental well-being, B: cognitions, C: beliefs, D: expectations, E: coping, F: social support or G: personality traits in total joint arthroplasty. Mental well-being seems to be the exception in one time period (>6 weeks through ≤3 months) and change score in observed functional recovery, but only in patients awaiting total knee arthroplasty (100% and 75% of the variables were significantly and consistently associated, respectively). CONCLUSION: Overall, the results of this systematic review suggest that there is no longitudinal association between preoperative psychosocial factors and perceived or observed patient's postoperative functional recovery after total joint arthroplasty. The psychological category mental well-being is related to observed postoperative recovery >6 weeks through ≤3 months and to change score after total knee arthroplasty.

Common Manual Therapy Practices in the Netherlands for Infants With Upper Cervical Dysfunction: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe common clinical practices of manual therapists (MTs) in the Netherlands for infants with indications of upper cervical dysfunction (UCD). METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted to gain insight into characteristics, reasons for seeking care, and common clinical practice for infants (<27 weeks) with indications of UCD, referred to MTs. Pre- and posttreatment self-reported questionnaires were used to collect data from parents and MTs. Parents reported on infant characteristics and perceived effect of treatment. Manual therapists reported on diagnostics, therapeutic procedures, and outcomes. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2007, data regarding 307 referred infants (mean age: 11.2 weeks) were collected by parents and 42 MTs. The most frequent reasons for seeking care were positional preference, restlessness, and/or abnormal head position. Manual therapists observed active, spontaneous, and provoked mobility and passive upper cervical mobility. Of the 307 infants, 295 were diagnosed with UCD based on positive outcomes on the flexion-rotation test and/or lateral flexion test. After treatment with mobilization techniques, positive outcomes on the flexion-rotation test decreased from 78.8% to 6.8%. For the lateral flexion test, the positive outcomes decreased from 91.5% to 6.2%. All parents perceived positive treatment effects. No serious adverse events were reported during this study. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to describe common clinical practice for infants referred for manual therapy. Infants with UCD were treated mainly with upper cervical mobilization techniques, and the greatest perceived effect was observed after approximately 2 treatment sessions.

The Influence of Muscle Weakness on the Association Between Obesity and Inpatient Recovery From Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: There is ongoing discussion about whether preoperative obesity is negatively associated with inpatient outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA). The aim was to investigate the interaction between obesity and muscle strength and the association with postoperative inpatient recovery after THA. METHODS: Preoperative obesity (body mass index [BMI] >30 kg/m2) and muscle weakness (hand grip strength <20 kg for woman and <30 kg for men) were measured about 6 weeks before THA. Patients with a BMI <18.5 kg/m2 were excluded. Outcomes were delayed inpatient recovery of activities (>2 days to reach independence of walking) and prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS, >4 days and/or discharge to extended rehabilitation). Univariate and multivariable regression analyses with the independent variables muscle weakness and obesity, and the interaction between obesity and muscle weakness, were performed and corrected for possible confounders. RESULTS: Two hundred and ninety-seven patients were included, 54 (18%) of whom were obese and 21 (7%) who also had muscle weakness. Obesity was not significantly associated with prolonged LOS (odds ratio [OR] 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-2.47) or prolonged recovery of activities (OR 1.77, 95% CI 0.98-3.22), but the combination of obesity and weakness was significantly associated with prolonged LOS (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.09-11.89) and prolonged recovery of activities (OR 6.21, 95% CI 1.64-23.65). CONCLUSION: Obesity is associated with inpatient recovery after THA only in patients with muscle weakness. The results of this study suggest that we should measure muscle strength in addition to BMI (or body composition) to identify patients at risk of prolonged LOS.

Are There Prognostic Factors for One-Year Outcome After Total Knee Arthroplasty? A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative factors predicting outcome for pain, physical function and quality of life after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have not been clearly identified. METHODS: Embase and MEDLINE were searched for relevant studies. A study was considered for inclusion if the study aimed to identify preoperative prognostic factors for pain, physical function, and/or quality of life after a follow-up period of at least 1 year; included at least 200 adults suffering from osteoarthritis and undergoing TKA; and analyzed data using multivariable modeling. The quality of the evidence per prognostic factor was determined using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework for prognosis studies. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were included. There is very low-quality evidence that preoperative more pain, presence of social support, absence of anxiety, and presence of more radiographic damage are prognostic factors for lower pain levels after TKA. There is very low-quality evidence that low preoperative physical function, less comorbidity, absence of anxiety, presence of social support, higher income, normal body mass index, and more radiographic damage are prognostic factors for better physical function. There is very low-quality evidence that female sex and less comorbidity are prognostic factors for better quality of life. CONCLUSION: Only very low-quality evidence was found for a number of prognostic factors of long-term outcome after TKA. More studies that seek to generate understanding of the underlying process for the prognosis of outcome in TKA are needed to understand and test prognostic pathways, and it might be more valuable to look at recovery curves rather than at recovery points. Systematic review registration number: CRD42015026814.

Determining clinical practice of expert physiotherapy for patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion: a cross-sectional survey study.

PURPOSE: To determine the content of current Dutch expert hospital physiotherapy practice for patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion (LSF), to gain insight into expert-based clinical practice. METHODS: At each hospital where LSF is performed, one expert physiotherapist received an e-mailed questionnaire, about pre- and postoperative physiotherapy and discharge after LSF. The level of uniformity in goals and interventions was graded on a scale from no uniformity (50-60 %) to very strong uniformity (91-100 %). RESULTS: LSF was performed at 34 of the 67 contacted hospitals. From those 34 hospitals, 28 (82 %) expert physiotherapists completed the survey. Twenty-one percent of the respondents saw patients preoperatively, generally to provide information. Stated postoperative goals and administered interventions focused mainly on performing transfers safely and keeping the patient informed. Outcome measures were scarcely used. There was no uniformity regarding advice on the activities of daily living. CONCLUSION: Dutch perioperative expert physiotherapy for patients undergoing LSF is variable and lacks structural outcome assessment. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of best-practice physiotherapy are warranted.

Long-term outcomes following lower extremity press-fit bone-anchored prosthesis surgery: a 5-year longitudinal study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Patients with lower extremity amputation frequently suffer from socket-related problems. This seriously limits prosthesis use, level of activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). An additional problem in patients with lower extremity amputation are asymmetries in gait kinematics possibly accounting for back pain. Bone-anchored prostheses (BAPs) are a possible solution for socket-related problems. Knowledge concerning the level of function, activity and HRQoL after surgery is limited. The aims of this ongoing study are to: a) describe changes in the level of function, activity, HRQoL and satisfaction over time compared to baseline before surgery; b) examine potential predictors for changes in kinematics, prosthetic use, walking ability, HRQoL, prosthesis comfort over time and level of stump pain at follow-up; c) examine potential mechanisms for change of back pain over time by identifying determinants, moderators and mediators. METHODS/DESIGN: A prospective 5-year longitudinal study with multiple follow-ups. All adults, between May 2014 and May 2018, with lower extremity amputation receiving a press-fit BAP are enrolled consecutively. Patients with socket-related problems and trauma, tumour resection or stable vascular disease as cause of primary amputation will be included. Exclusion criteria are severe cognitive or psychiatric disorders. Follow-ups are planned at six-months, one-, two- and five-years after BAP surgery. The main study outcomes follow, in part, the ICF classification: a) level of function defined as kinematics in coronal plane, hip abductor strength, prosthetic use, back pain and stump pain; b) level of activity defined as mobility level and walking ability; c) HRQoL; d) satisfaction defined as prosthesis comfort and global perceived effect. Changes over time for the continuous outcomes and the dichotomized outcome (back pain) will be analysed using generalised estimating equations (GEE). Multivariate GEE will be used to identify potential predictors for change of coronal plane kinematics, prosthetic use, walking ability, HRQoL, prosthesis comfort and for the level of post-operative stump pain. Finally, potential mechanisms for change in back pain frequency will be explored using coronal plane kinematics as a potential determinant, stump pain as moderator and hip abductor strength as mediator. DISCUSSION: This study may identify predictors for clinically relevant outcome measures. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NTR5776 . Registered 11 March 2016, retrospectively registered.

Measurement properties of the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index for generalized osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Generalized OA (GOA) is highly prevalent in OA. Individuals with GOA typically suffer from limitations of both upper and lower extremity function, yet we lack a validated instrument to assess their activity limitations. An appropriate instrument might be the HAQ Disability Index (HAQ-DI). Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the measurement properties of the HAQ-DI in GOA. METHODS: Data were used from a randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of two multidisciplinary treatment programmes for patients with GOA. One hundred and thirty-seven of 147 included patients completed a standardized set of questionnaires before and after treatment. Interpretability, validity, reliability and responsiveness of the HAQ-DI were assessed using the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Status Measurement Instruments checklist (COSMIN). RESULTS: Floor and ceiling effects were present. The content validity was questionable since the HAQ-DI encompasses activities that are either not relevant or too easy to perform as judged by patients and experts. Construct validity was good since 90% of the hypotheses were confirmed. Factor analysis confirmed the unidimensionality of the HAQ-DI (root mean square error of approximation = 0.057, χ(2)/df ratio = 1.48). Cronbach's α was 0.90, confirming internal consistency and the ICC was 0.81, reflecting good reliability. The minimal important change was 0.25 and the smallest detectable change was 0.60. We could not establish the responsiveness of the HAQ-DI. CONCLUSION: The HAQ-DI showed good construct validity, internal consistency and reliability, whereas its content validity and responsiveness were limited. We recommend updating the items of the HAQ-DI in future research focusing on functional limitations in GOA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Dutch Trial Register NTR2137, http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=2137.

The clinical burden of generalized osteoarthritis represented by self-reported health-related quality of life and activity limitations: a cross-sectional study.

The involvement of multiple joints is common in osteoarthritis (OA), often referred to as generalized osteoarthritis (GOA). However, since research and practice mainly focus on a specific OA localization, the health status of patients with GOA is largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical burden of GOA in terms of self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and activity limitations. In this cross-sectional study, individuals clinically diagnosed with GOA and referred to multidisciplinary treatment, completed questionnaires on socio-demographics, joint involvement, HRQoL (SF-36) and activity limitations (HAQ-DI). SF-36 physical (PCS) and mental component summary scores (MCS) were calculated using norm-based data. The patient's specific most important activity limitations were linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. A total of 147 patients participated [85 % female; mean (SD) age 60 (8) years]. The majority (93 %) had symptomatic OA in both the upper and lower extremities. Predominant joints with symptomatic OA were the hands (85 %) and knees (82 %). Mean (SD) SF-36 PCS and MCS scores were 37 (7) and 48 (10), respectively, showing a broad impact of GOA on the physical component of health. The mean (SD) HAQ-DI score was 1.27 (0.50) indicating moderate to severe functional limitations. Activities concerning mobility and domestic life were considered most important activity limitations, especially walking. The results show a high clinical burden of GOA in terms of HRQoL and activity limitations. This study points to the need of developing non-pharmacological interventions for patients with GOA that should target on improving the physical component of health and mobility limitations.

Merits of exercise therapy before and after major surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Advances in medical care have led to an increasing elderly population. Elderly individuals should be able to participate in society as long as possible. However, with an increasing age their adaptive capacity gradually decreases, specially before and after major life events (like hospitalization and surgery) making them vulnerable to reduced functioning and societal participation. Therapeutic exercise before and after surgery might augment the postoperative outcomes by improving functional status and reducing the complication and mortality rate. RECENT FINDINGS: There is high quality evidence that preoperative exercise in patients scheduled for cardiovascular surgery is well tolerated and effective. Moreover, there is circumstantial evidence suggesting preoperative exercise for thoracic, abdominal and major joint replacement surgery is effective, provided that this is offered to the high-risk patients. Postoperative exercise should be initiated as soon as possible after surgery according to fast-track or enhanced recovery after surgery principles. SUMMARY: The perioperative exercise training protocol known under the name 'Better in, Better out' could be implemented in clinical care for the vulnerable group of patients scheduled for major elective surgery who are at risk for prolonged hospitalization, complications and/or death. Future research should aim to include this at-risk group, evaluate perioperative high-intensity exercise interventions and conduct adequately powered trials.

Towards a better understanding of our patients. A qualitative study about how patients and their physiotherapists perceive the recovery of shoulder problems.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate how people with shoulder problems and their physiotherapists perceive the recovery of shoulder problems. METHOD: We performed a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with patients and their physiotherapists. Nine pairs of patients and physiotherapists (n = 18) were recruited. The transcribed interviews were analyzed in a consecutive multistep iterative process using a conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Analysis of the interviews resulted in three major themes: 'What do I expect from my recovery?', 'Am I recovering?' and 'When do I consider myself recovered?' The patients and physiotherapists talked similarly about the importance of and interdependency between these themes. Central to these three themes are the analysis of the cause of shoulder problems and the experience of uncertainty. Our analyses suggest that there are conceptual differences in how patients and physiotherapists formulate their expectations about recovery, observe the recovering process, and conceptualize when someone may be considered recovered. Different interpretations by the patients of the information provided by the physical therapists appeared to fuel these differences. CONCLUSION: Our results show that the concept of recovery is defined by patients and physiotherapists in three distinct themes. Within these themes the patients and physiotherapists differ substantially in their conceptualization of the recovery. IMPACT STATEMENT: This insight in the concept of recovery can help patients and physiotherapists better understand each other, enhance the alignment of ideas about the care process, and support making decisions together. Physiotherapists should be aware that patients might interpret their words, explanations, and expectations substantially different.

Evaluating the implementation of personalised outcomes forecasts to optimise supervised exercise therapy in patients with intermittent claudication in the Netherlands: a multimethods study.

BACKGROUND: To support the optimisation of supervised exercise therapy (SET) in patients with intermittent claudication, we developed personalised outcomes forecasts (POFs), which visualise estimated walking distance and quality of life for individual patients. The POFs may enable healthcare professionals, such as physical and exercise therapists, to improve shared decision-making and patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To assess differences in patient outcomes (functional walking distance, maximal walking distance and health-related quality of life) and the level of shared decision-making before and after the implementation of POFs in the conservative treatment of patients with intermittent claudication. METHODS: An interrupted time series design was used to compare preimplementation and postimplementation differences on patient outcomes. Using routinely collected data, differences from baseline to 6 months were compared between patients before and patients after the implementation. To compare levels of shared decision-making, we conducted observations of initial consults within a sample of physical or exercise therapists both before and after the implementation. Audiorecords of observations were scored on shared decision-making using the OPTION-5 instrument. RESULTS: Differences in improvements between patients with whom POFs were discussed (n=317) and patients before the implementation of POFs (n=721) did not reach statistical significance for both functional walking distance (experimental vs. control=+23%, p=0.11) and maximal walking distance (experimental vs. control=+21%, p=0.08). For health-related quality of life, the POFs-informed patients showed a statistically significant greater improvement of 4% (p=0.04). Increased levels of shared decision-making were observed in postimplementation consults (n=20) when compared with preimplementation consults (n=36), as the median OPTION-5 total score showed a statistically significant increase from 45 to 55 points (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Integrating POFs into daily practice of SET for patients with intermittent claudication could assist in improving health-related quality of life and enhancing patient involvement. Using POFs did not result in statistically significant different improvements between groups on walking distances. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NL8838.