Physical therapist's beliefs, practice patterns and barriers to the incorporation of mindfulness meditation into management of individuals with chronic dizziness

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to assess physical therapist's beliefs, practice patterns, and barriers of incorporation of mindfulness meditation into the management of individuals with chronic dizziness. MethodsAn electronic survey was sent to physical therapists with experience treating individuals with dizziness and vestibular disorders. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were conducted. ResultsThe majority of respondents agree that anxiety limits functional and participation outcomes with individuals with chronic dizziness and adoption of a mindfulness meditation practice could be helpful to address this. However, a much smaller percentage of respondents reported currently using these techniques a majority of time during their clinical practice. ConclusionBarriers exist that prevent the widespread implementation of meditation and mindfulness in physical therapy practice. Potential limiting factors highlight that further research is needed to explore these barriers and evaluate the outcomes of patients with chronic dizziness when meditation is applied in practice.