Physiotherapy theory and practice
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Physiother Theory Pract · Jan 2007
Satisfaction with outpatient physiotherapy: a survey comparing the views of patients with acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions.
Patient satisfaction is a complex construct and is regarded as an important component in the assessment of care quality. Investigations into patient satisfaction with care have steadily increased across a range of specialties over the last three decades, but there has been a paucity of studies into satisfaction with physiotherapy. The limitations of previous instruments used to examine satisfaction with outpatient (OP) physiotherapy suggested the need for a new tool. ⋯ Patient satisfaction surveys conducted as part of a continuous quality improvement programme are particularly important in providing therapists with feedback from patients about their experiences of physiotherapy services. This study has successfully used a new questionnaire to examine patients' satisfaction with outpatient physiotherapy in the United Kingdom. Further studies are now needed to validate the new questionnaire so that it can be incorporated into general physiotherapy practice as part of a regular audit programme.
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Physiother Theory Pract · Dec 2006
ReviewThe effect of additional physiotherapy to hospital inpatients outside of regular business hours: a systematic review.
Provision of out of regular business hours (OBH) physiotherapy to hospital inpatients is widespread in the hospital setting. This systematic review evaluated the effect of additional OBH physiotherapy services on patient length of stay (LOS), pulmonary complications, discharge destination, discharge mobility status, quality of life, cost saving, adverse events, and mortality compared with physiotherapy only within regular business hours. A literature search was completed on databases with citation tracking using key words. ⋯ One study in critical care reported that overnight physiotherapy decreased LOS and reduced pulmonary complications of patients in the ICU. However, the studies in the area of orthopaedics, neurology, postcardiac surgery, and rheumatology, which all considered additional daytime weekend physiotherapy intervention, did not provide strong evidence to indicate effective reduction in patient LOS or improving patient discharge mobility status or discharge destination. Investigation should continue in this area, but future trials should ensure factors such as random allocation, groups equal at baseline, blinded investigators, and proven intervention are included in the study design.
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Physiother Theory Pract · Nov 2006
Editorial'Being powerful beyond measure': lessons from Africa about the global practice of physical therapy in the 21st century.
In part, this is a synopsis of a talk Professor Dean was invited to share with the physical therapy students at the University of Nigeria at Enugu in July 2005. At that time, the students honored her with an Igbo name, 'Chinere' - a true highlight of her career.
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Physiother Theory Pract · Apr 2006
Case ReportsUse of the faces pain scale to evaluate pain of a pediatric patient with pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
The Faces Pain Scale developed by Wong and Baker is a common assessment tool that uses cartoon-like faces to assess self reported pain in children. The purpose of this case report is to explore the appropriateness of the Faces Pain Scale as an outcome measure for a young child with pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The patient was a four-year-old boy who had undergone a synovectomy on his right knee secondary to pauciarticular JRA. ⋯ His subjective pain rating remained constant at "no hurt" throughout three weeks of visits. His functional mobility did not match his subjective rating of pain via the Faces Pain Scale. Further research is needed to determine the relationship of pain, stiffness, and function in children with rheumatic diseases.
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Physiother Theory Pract · Jan 2005
Computed tomographic evaluation of lumbar spinal structures during traction.
In the previous studies, it is reported that traction diminishes the compressive load on intervertebral discs, reduces herniation, stretches lumbar spinal muscle and ligaments, decreases muscle spasm, and widens intervertebral foramina. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of horizontal motorized static traction on spinal anatomic structures (herniated area, spinal canal area, intervertebral disc heights, neural foraminal diameter, and m.psoas diameter) by quantitative measures in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). At the same time the effect of traction in different localizations (median and posterolateral herniation) and at different levels (L4-L5 and L5-S1) was assessed. ⋯ The anterior intervertebral disc height remained unchanged with traction however the posterior intervertebral disc height was significantly expanded. This study is the first to evaluated in detail and quantitatively the effect of motorized horizontal lumbar spinal traction on spinal structures and herniated area. According to detailed measures it was concluded that during traction of individuals with acute LDH there was a reduction of the size of the herniation, increased space within the spinal canal, widening of the neural foramina, and decreased thickness of the psoas muscle.