Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Can A Web-Based Community Of Practice Be Established And Operated To Lead Falls Prevention Activity In Residential Care?, Jacqueline Francis-Coad, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Caroline Bulsara, Debbie Nobre, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

The aims of this study were to evaluate establishing and operating a web-based community of practice (CoP) to lead falls prevention in a residential aged care (RAC) setting. A mixed methods evaluation was conducted in two phases using a survey and transcripts from interactive electronic sources. Nurses and allied health staff (n = 20) with an interest in falls prevention representing 13 sites of an RAC organization participated. In Phase 1, the CoP was developed, and the establishment of its structure and composition was evaluated using determinants of success reported in the literature. In Phase 2, all participants interacted …

Anatomical Knowledge Retention In Physiotherapy Students: A Preliminary Assessment, M Dayal, J Owens, W Gibson, G Strkalj

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: Anatomical knowledge and understanding are key components of physiotherapy education and practice. Traditionally, anatomy has been taught as a foundation stream within the first year(s) of physiotherapy education. This curricular model is based on the assumption that further learning in subsequent years builds upon the knowledge gained in the early stages of the program. However, the retention rate in all basic sciences has often been called into question. In anatomy, several studies suggest that anatomy knowledge endures considerable attrition, highlighting the need for the evaluation of retention rates. This paper aimed at making a preliminary assessment of the knowledge …

Prevalence, Characteristics And Management Of Headache Experienced By People With Schizophrenia And Schizoaffective Disorder: A Cross Sectional Cohort Study, J Connaughton, B Wand

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: Headache is the most common type of pain reported by people with schizophrenia. This study aimed to establish prevalence, characteristics and management of these headache.

Method: One-hundred participants with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder completed a reliable and valid headache questionnaire. Two clinicians independently classified each headache as migraine (MH), tension-type (TTH), cervicogenic (CGH) or other (OH).

Results: The twelve-month prevalence of headache (57%) was higher than the general population (46%) with no evidence of a relationship between psychiatric clinical characteristics and presence of headache. Prevalence of CGH (5%) and MH (18%) was comparable to the general population. TTH …

Development And Psychometric Properties Of Knee-Specific Body-Perception Questionnaire In People With Knee Osteoarthritis: The Fremantle Knee Awareness Questionnaire, T Nishigami, A Mibu, K Tanaka, Y Yamashita, E Yamada, B Wand, M Catley, T Stanton, G Moseley

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Recent systematic reviews have demonstrated that pain associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex phenomenon that involves various contributors. People with knee OA exhibit symptoms of impaired body-perception, including reduced tactile acuity, impairments in limb laterality recognition, and degraded proprioceptive acuity. The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) was developed to assess body-perception specific to the back in people with chronic low back pain. The aim of this study was to develop and assess the psychometric properties of a knee-specific version of the FreBAQ-J (FreKAQ-J), determine whether people with knee pain experience perceptual impairments and investigate the relationship between …

The Reliability Of Eyetracking To Assess Attentional Bias To Threatening Words In Healthy Individuals, I Skinner, M Hubscher, G Moseley, H Lee, B Wand, A Traeger, S Gustin, J Mcauley

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Eyetracking is commonly used to investigate attentional bias. Although some studies have investigated the internal consistency of eyetracking, data are scarce on the test–retest reliability and agreement of eyetracking to investigate attentional bias. This study reports the test–retest reliability, measurement error, and internal consistency of 12 commonly used outcome measures thought to reflect the different components of attentional bias: overall attention, early attention, and late attention.

Healthy participants completed a preferential-looking eyetracking task that involved the presentation of threatening (sensory words, general threat words, and affective words) and nonthreatening words. We used intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to measure test–retest reliability …

Safety And Feasibility Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs) Combined With Sensorimotor Retraining In Chronic Low Back Pain: A Protocol For A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial, A Ouellette, M Liston, W Chang, D Walton, B Wand, S Schabrun

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly health problem yet current treatments demonstrate at best, small effects. The concurrent application of treatments with synergistic clinical and mechanistic effects may improve outcomes in chronic LBP. This pilot trial aims to (1) determine the feasibility, safety and perceived patient response to a combined transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and sensorimotor retraining intervention in chronic LBP and (2) provide data to support a sample size calculation for a fully powered trial should trends of effectiveness be present.

Methods and analysis A pilot randomised, assessor and participant-blind, sham-controlled trial will …

A Survey Of Clinicians Regarding Respiratory Physiotherapy Intervention For Intubated And Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Community‐Acquired Pneumonia. What Is Current Practice In Australian Icus?, L Van Der Lee, A Hill, S Patman

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Rationale, aims, and objectives: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common cause for intensive care unit (ICU) admission resulting in high morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of evidence regarding respiratory physiotherapy for intubated and mechanically ventilated patients with CAP, and anecdotally clinical practice is variable in this cohort. The aims of this study were to identify the degree of variability in physiotherapy practice for intubated adult patients with CAP and to explore ICU physiotherapist perceptions of current practice for this cohort and factors that influence physiotherapy treatment mode, duration, and frequency.

Method: A survey was developed based on common …

The Development And Impact Of Heterotopic Ossification In Burns: A Review Of Four Decades Of Research, Rachel Kornhaber, Nichola Foster, Dale Edgar, Denis Visentin, Elad Ofir, Josef Haik, Moti Harats

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is the formation of lamellar bone within connective and other tissue where bone should not form and is a rare complication after burn injury. However, it leads to severe pain and distress, marked reduction in joint range of motion (ROM), impaired function and increased hospital length of stay. The pathophysiology, incidence and risk factors of HO remain poorly understood in burns and other traumas and the management, controversial. The aim of this comprehensive review, therefore, was to synthesise the available evidence on the development and treatment of HO after acute burn injury.

Methods: The review was …

Incidence And Prevalence Of Falls In Adults Living With An Intellectual Disability Living In The Community: A Systematic Review, Portia Ho, Shane Patman, Caroline Bulsara, Jenny Downs, Max Bulsara, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Review question/objective: The objective of this review is to synthesize the best available evidence to determine the incidence and prevalence of falls in adults with intellectual disability living in the community.

Water First Aid Is Beneficial In Humans Post-Burn: Evidence From A Bi-National Cohort Study, Fiona M. Wood, Michael Phillips, Tom Jovic, John T. Cassidy, Peter Cameron, Dale Edgar, Steering Committe Of The Burn Registry Of Australia And New Zealand (Branz)

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: Reported first aid application, frequency and practices around the world vary greatly. Based primarily on animal and observational studies, first aid after a burn injury is considered to be integral in reducing scar and infection, and the need for surgery. The current recommendation for optimum first aid after burn is water cooling for 20 minutes within three hours. However, compliance with this guideline is reported as poor to moderate at best and evidence exists to suggest that overcooling can be detrimental. This prospective cohort study of a binational burn patient registry examined data collected between 2009 and 2012. The …

Surviving Critical Illness: What Is Next? An Expert Consensus Statement On Physical Rehabilitation After Hospital Discharge, M Major, R Kwakman, M Kho, B Connolly, D Mcwilliams, L Denehy, S Hanekom, S Patman, R Gosselink, C Jones, F Nollett, D Needham, R Engelbert, M Van Der Schaaf

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: The study objective was to obtain consensus on physical therapy (PT) in the rehabilitation of critical illness survivors after hospital discharge. Research questions were: what are PT goals, what are recommended measurement tools, and what constitutes an optimal PT intervention for survivors of critical illness?

Methods: A Delphi consensus study was conducted. Panelists were included based on relevant fields of expertise, years of clinical experience, and publication record. A literature review determined five themes, forming the basis for Delphi round one, which was aimed at generating ideas. Statements were drafted and ranked on a 5-point Likert scale in two …

Using A Community Of Practice To Evaluate Falls Prevention Activity In A Residential Aged Care Organisation: A Clinical Audit, J Francis-Coad, C Etherton-Beer, C Bulsara, D Nobre, A Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objective This study evaluates whether a community of practice (CoP) could conduct a falls prevention clinical audit and identify gaps in falls prevention practice requiring action.

Methods Cross-sectional falls prevention clinical audits were conducted in 13 residential aged care (RAC) sites of a not-for-profit organisation providing care to a total of 779 residents. The audits were led by an operationalised CoP assisted by site clinical staff. A CoP is a group of people with a shared interest who get together to innovate for change. The CoP was made up of self-nominated staff representing all RAC sites and comprised of staff …

Identifying The Factors That Affect The Job Satisfaction Of Early Career Notre Dame Graduate Physiotherapists, Eleni Bacopanos, Susan Edgar

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: Previous studies have highlighted the short career intentions and high attrition rates of physiotherapists from the profession. The aim of this study was to examine the job satisfaction and attrition rates of early career physiotherapists graduating from one Western Australian university.

Methods: A self-administered online survey was conducted of 157 Notre Dame physiotherapy graduates (2006-2012), incorporating a job satisfaction rating scale.

Results: Results showed that lowered job satisfaction was related to working in the cardiorespiratory area of physiotherapy and working in multiple jobs since graduation. The majority of graduates did not predict a long-term career in …

Top 10 Research Questions To Promote Physical Activity In Bipolar Disorders: A Consensus Statement From The International Organization Of Physical Therapists In Mental Health, D Vancampfort, S Rosenbaum, M Probst, J Connaughton, C Du Plessis, T Yamamoto, B Stubbs

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Research has only recently started to consider the importance and applicability of physical activity (PA) for people with bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of the current study is to highlight 10 pertinent PA research questions in people with BD.

Methods: The International Organization of Physical Therapy in Mental Health executed a consultation with all National organizations (n=13) to identify the most salient questions to guide future research on PA in BD.

Results: We identified the following 10 questions: (1) What are the benefits of PA for people with BD? (2) What are the most prominent safety issues for PA …

Physiotherapy For Pain And Disability In Adults With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Crps) Types I And Ii (Review), K. M. Smart, Benedict Wand, N. E. O'Connell

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful and disabling condition that usually manifests in response to trauma or surgery. When it occurs, it is associated with significant pain and disability. It is thought to arise and persist as a consequence of a maladaptive pro-inflammatory response and disturbances in sympathetically-mediated vasomotor control, together with maladaptive peripheral and central neuronal plasticity. CRPS can be classified into two types: type I (CRPS I) in which a specific nerve lesion has not been identified, and type II (CRPS II) where there is an identifiable nerve lesion. Guidelines recommend the inclusion of a …

Physiotherapy Students' Perceptions And Experiences Of Clinical Prediction Rules, G Knox, S Snodgrass, T Stanton, D Kelly, B Vicenzino, B Wand, D Rivett

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Clinical reasoning can be difficult to teach to pre-professional physiotherapy students due to their lack of clinical experience. It may be that tools such as clinical prediction rules (CPRs) could aid the process, but there has been little investigation into their use in physiotherapy clinical education. This study aimed to determine the perceptions and experiences of physiotherapy students regarding CPRs, and whether they are learning about CPRs on clinical placement.

Design: Cross-sectional survey using a paper-based questionnaire.

Participants: Final year pre-professional physiotherapy students (n=371, response rate 77%) from five universities across five states of Australia.

Results: S …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Factors Influencing The Job Satisfaction And Career Development Of Physiotherapists In Private Practice, J Davies, S Edgar, J Debenham

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate factors contributing to job satisfaction at different career stages, among private practice physiotherapists in Australia.

Design: Qualitative case study design utilising focus groups.

Participants: Sixteen participants allocated to 3 focus groups: new graduates (n = 6), post graduates (n = 5) and practice owners (n = 5).

Main outcome measures: Focus groups were transcribed verbatim and a thematic analysis was undertaken to determine themes and subthemes from each focus group.

Results: The key themes identified within each focus group included the role of peer support and …

Local Anaesthetic Sympathetic Blockade For Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, N O'Connell, B Wand, W Gibson, D Carr, F Birklein, T Stanton

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: This review is an update of a previously published review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2005, Issue 4 (and last updated in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013 issue 8), on local anaesthetic blockade (LASB) of the sympathetic chain to treat people with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Objectives:To assess the efficacy of LASB for the treatment of pain in CRPS and to evaluate the incidence of adverse effects of the procedure.

Search methods: For this update we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2015, Issue 9), MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), LILACS …

Do Physiotherapists Have The Skill To Engage In The "Psychological" In The Bio-Psychosocial Approach?, J Connaughton, W Gibson

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: To describe a cross-sectional exploration of attitudes of physiotherapists in general practice in Western Australia toward psychiatry and mental illness, how often they treat people with mental illness, their perceptions of how well their undergraduate education prepared them to work with these people, and their opinions about what further education would enable them to provide best practice care.

Methods: A questionnaire that included questions about participants’ demographic information, personal experiences with mental illness, the ATP-30, and open-ended questions about their preparedness to work with people with mental illness was distributed through 110 email contacts to physiotherapy departments in Western …

'It Promoted A Positive Culture Around Falls Prevention': Staff Response To A Patient Education Programme—A Qualitative Evaluation, A Hill, N Waldron, J Francis-Coad, T Haines, C Etherton-Beer, L Flicker, K Ingram, S Mcphail

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to understand how staff responded to individualized patient falls prevention education delivered as part of a cluster randomised trial, including how they perceived the education contributed to falls prevention on their wards.

Design: A qualitative explanatory study.

Methods: 5 focus groups were conducted at participatory hospital sites. The purposive sample of clinical staff (including nurses, physiotherapists and quality improvement staff ) worked on aged care rehabilitation wards when a cluster randomised trial evaluating a patient education programme was conducted. During the intervention period, an educator, who was a trained health professional and not …

Demonstration Of The Test-Retest Reliability And Sensitivity Of The Lower Limb Functional Index As A Measure Of Functional Recovery Post Burn Injury: A Cross-Sectional Repeated Measures Study Design, M Ryland, T Grisbrook, F Wood, M B. Phillips, D Edgar

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Lower limb burns can significantly delay recovery of function. Measuring lower limb functional outcomes is challenging in the unique burn patient population and necessitates the use of reliable and valid tools. The aims of this study were to examine the test-retest reliability, sensitivity, and internal consistency of Sections 1 and 3 of the Lower Limb Functional Index-10 (LLFI-10) questionnaire for measuring functional ability in patients with lower limb burns over time.

Methods: Twenty-nine adult patients who had sustained a lower limb burn injury in the previous 12 months completed the test-retest procedure of the study. In addition, the minimal …

Assessing Knowledge, Motivation And Perceptions About Falls Prevention Among Care Staff In A Residential Aged Care Setting, Jo-Aine Hang, Jacqueline Francis-Coad, Bianca Burro, Debbie Nobre, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Falls are a serious problem in residential aged care settings. The aims of the study were to determine the feasibility of surveying care staff regarding falls prevention, and describe care staff levels of knowledge and awareness of residents' risk of falls, knowledge about falls prevention, motivation and confidence to implement falls prevention strategies. A custom designed questionnaire was administered to care staff at one site of a large residential aged care organization in Australia. The survey response was 58.8%. Feedback from staff was used to inform the administration of the survey to the wider organization. Seven (29.2%) care staff reported …

What Are The Top 10 Physical Activity Research Questions In Schizophrenia?, Davy Vancampfort, Simon Rosenbaum, Michel Probst, Joanne Connaughton, Christy Du Plessis, Taisei Yamamoto, Brendon Stubbs

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: Research has only recently started to consider the applicability of physical activity (PA) for people with schizophrenia. Although there is increasing evidence for the benefits of physical activity, this population remains generally physically inactive and sedentary. The aim of the current study is to highlight 10 pertinent physical activity research questions in people with schizophrenia.

Method: The International Organisation of Physical Therapy in Mental Health (IOPTMH) executed a consultation of its National Organisations (n=13) to identify the most salient questions relevant to guide clinical practice on physical activity in people with schizophrenia.

Results: We identified the following …

Disrupted Self-Perception In People With Chronic Low Back Pain. Further Evaluation Of The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire, B Wand, M Catley, M Rabey, P O'Sullivan, E O'Connell, A Smith

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Several lines of evidence suggest that body-perception is altered in people with chronic back pain. Maladaptive perceptual awareness of the back might contribute to the pain experience as well as serve as a target for treatment. The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) is a simple questionnaire recently developed to assess back-specific altered self-perception. The aims of this study were to present the outcomes of a comprehensive evaluation of the questionnaire’s psychometric properties and explore the potential relationships between body-perception, nociceptive sensitivity, distress and beliefs about back pain and the contribution these factors might play in explaining pain and disability. Two-hundred …

A Fine Balance And A Shared Learning Journey: Exploring Healthcare Engagement Through The Experiences Of Youth With Neuromuscular Disorders, V Travlos, C Bulsara, S Patman, J Downs

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Youth with Neuromuscular Disorders (NMD) who are wheelchair users can now survive well into adulthood if their multisystem comorbidities are prudently managed. Uptake of health behaviors may optimize their health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To explore youths’ perceptions of health, health behaviors and healthcare engagement.

METHODS: This qualitative study purposefully recruited 11 youth with NMD from a concurrent, population-based study for variability of age, gender, type of NMD and their ratings of motivation and engagement. Interview data were analyzed and synthesized by thematic content.

RESULTS: Participants perceived healthcare engagement as being given tools (knowledge and responsibility) and using them to maintain …

Minimum Standards Of Clinical Practice For Physiotherapists Working In Critical Care Settings In Australia And New Zealand: A Modified Delphi Technique, Elizabeth Skinner, Peter Thomas, Julia C. Reeve, Shane Patman

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

A Binational Multicenter Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial Of Early Goal-Directed Mobilization In The Icu, C Hodgson, M Bailey, R Bellomo, S Berney, H Buhr, L Denehy, B Gabbe, M Harrold, A Higgins, T Iwashyna, R Papworth, R Parke, S Patman, J Presneill, M Saxena, E Skinner, C Tipping, P Young, S Webb

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: The primary objective was to determine if the early goal-directed mobilization (EGDM) intervention could be delivered to patients receiving mechanical ventilation with increased maximal levels of activity compared to standard care.

Design: A pilot, randomized controlled trial

Setting: Five intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia and New Zealand

Participants: Fifty critically ill adults, mechanically ventilated for greater than 24 hours.

Intervention: Patients were randomly assigned to either EGDM (intervention) or to standard care (control). EGDM comprised functional rehabilitation treatment conducted at the highest level of activity possible for that patient assessed by the ICU mobility scale …

Disturbed Body Perception, Reduced Sleep, And Kinesiophobia In Subjects With Pregnancy-Related Persistent Lumbopelvic Pain And Moderate Levels Of Disability: An Exploratory Study, Darren Beales, Alison Lutz, Judith Thompson, Benedict M. Wand, Peter O'Sullivan

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: For a small but significant group, pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain may become persistent. While multiple factors may contribute to disability in this group, previous studies have not investigated sleep impairments, body perception or mindfulness as potential factors associated with disability post-partum.

Objectives: To compare women experiencing no pain post-pregnancy with those experiencing pregnancy-related persistent lumbopelvic pain (either low- or high-level disability) across multiple biopsychosocial domains.

Design: Cross-sectional

Methods: Participants completed questionnaires for thorough profiling of factors thought to be important in pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain. Specific measures were the Urinary Distress Inventory, Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale, Back Beliefs Questionnaire, Tampa …

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Tens) For Neuropathic Pain In Adults (Protocol), William Gibson, Benedict Wand, Neil E. O'Connell

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows:

To determine the analgesic effectiveness of TENS versus placebo (sham) TENS, TENS versus usual care, TENS versus no treatment and TENS in addition to usual care versus usual care alone in the management of neuropathic pain in adults.

Eccentric Loading Of Triceps Surae Modulates Stretch Shortening Cycle Behaviour - A Possible Therapeutic Mechanism, J Debenham, W Gibson, M Travers, A Campbell, G Allison

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Context: Eccentric exercises are increasingly being used to treat lower limb musculoskeletal conditions such as Achilles tendinopathy. Despite widespread clinical application and documented efficacy, mechanisms underpinning clinical benefit remain unclear. Positive adaptations in motor performance are one potential mechanism.

Objective: To investigate how an eccentric loading intervention influences measures of stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) behaviour during a hopping task.

Design: Within subjects repeated measures observational study.

Setting: University motion analysis laboratory.

Participants: Healthy adults. Interventions: A single intervention of 5 sets of 10 eccentric plantarflexion contractions at 6 RM using a commercial seated calf raise machine.

Main outcome measures: Lower limb …