Invited Commentary on “Orthopedic Surgeons and Physical Therapists Differ in Assessment of Need for Physical Therapy After Traumatic Lower-Extremity Injury”

Abstract

The Lower Extremity Assessment Project (LEAP) was a prospective, 8-center observational outcome study of 601 patients with high-energy, limb-threatening lower-leg (below the femur) injuries that evaluated the outcome of amputation versus reconstruction. It was conducted between 1994 and 1997. The investigation by Archer et al1 is a secondary analysis of the data from the reconstruction subgroup data (395 individuals) to determine whether therapists’ and surgeons’ recommendations for the need for physical therapy at 3, 6, and 12 months after injury differed from each other or by center. They used regression analysis to determine factors that may explain similarities and differences. There were wide variations among trauma centers for recommendation for physical therapy at all time periods for both surgeons and physical …