Opportunities For Physiotherapists Research Articles

Opportunities for Physiotherapists in Primary Health Care in Nigeria

Summary: This paper examines the concept, strength and weakness of Primary health care system (PHC) program in Nigeria, the opportunity and potential roles for physiotherapists in PHC delivery system as well as the perceived benefits of integrating physiotherapy profession into PHC delivery system in Nigeria.Currently, physiotherapy services are available at the big cities in the urban areas of the country, thus denying the myriads of people that might need the service that could not get to the big cities either due to their health conditions or due to financial incapacitation. Emphasis for the greater involvement of physiotherapists in PHC further arose from the fact PHC system in Nigeria is not yet adequately sensitized to promoting preventative measures needed to combats chronic non communicable diseases, the health care needs of the elderly and those of the people living with disability (PLWD).In conclusion, the paper recommendsa need for an urgent reform of the mode and delivery of PHC in Nigeria with emphasis on integrating physiotherapists and other relevant health care professionals and with enhancement of intersectoral/ interdisciplinary collaborations. This integration will undoubtedly increase health care providers’satisfaction and improve patients’ outcome in both acute and chronic care settingsKeywords: Primary Heath Care, Physiotherapy

Acupuncture in Physiotherapy: A Contemporary Uk Perspective

The current debate in the USA over professional ‘ownership’ of acupuncture, as detailed in the linked paper by Zhou et al 1 and reflected by the recent position paper from the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/ForPhysicians/AbouttheAAMA/AAMAPositionStatement), is in stark contrast to the diverse, multidisciplinary approach that is flourishing in the UK. Dispelling the myths of physiotherapy (physical therapy) led acupuncture is a task that is long overdue. Perhaps the argument “why physiotherapists should not deliver acupuncture” should be reframed “why not physiotherapists (or other healthcare professionals who are not physicians)?”. Chartered physiotherapists are placed at the forefront of modern healthcare, with >55 000 currently practising in the UK.2 As professionally regulated and autonomous healthcare professionals, there is huge opportunity for physiotherapists to deliver acupuncture as part of mainstream healthcare for patient benefit. Western medical acupuncture (WMA) practice by physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals in the UK and internationally has substantially increased in the last decade. The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) was established in 1984 and membership is currently >6500,3 double that of any other UK acupuncture organisation. Physiotherapists also contribute to the membership of the British Medical Acupuncture Society. Collectively, physiotherapists are the largest professional group of acupuncture providers in the UK and are arguably leading the way in bringing acupuncture into mainstream healthcare. Physiotherapists have typically completed 3–4-year professional degrees, including extensive training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, and diagnostics. This provides an excellent foundation for learning acupuncture at an advanced level. Physiotherapy uses a holistic approach to patient care, which complements theories underpinning acupuncture. Most UK physiotherapists choose to study/practise WMA. Some complete masters degrees in acupuncture and a small proportion choose to study dry needling (DN) only. As one example, AACP education/training of physiotherapists in WMA is provided at an advanced (masters degree) level. …

Vigorous exercises in the management of primary dysmenorrhea: a feasibility study

Purpose: To examine the feasibility of using an exercise intervention for reducing menstrual pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) and to obtain preliminary results to estimate the sample size for a future randomized controlled trial (RCT). Methods: A quasi-experimental design was applied. Ten women 18–45 years with PD were included. The participants underwent vigorous aerobic training at the School of Physiotherapy on a treadmill three times a week for up to 4 weeks followed by aerobic training at home for up to 4 weeks. The feasibility measures were adherence to the intervention programme and intervention prescription, retention and safety. The short form McGill pain questionnaire was used to measure pain at first (T1), second (T2) and third (T3) menstrual cycles following trial entry. Results: Overall adherence was 98%, with 100% adherence to clinic-based intervention and intervention prescription and 96% for home exercise programme. Retention rate was 100%. With respect to pain a large effect size was identified at T2 and T3. No adverse events reported. Conclusions: Results demonstrated that the intervention is applicable and feasible. In addition, the preliminary results show evidence of positive changes after the intervention. The intervention programme’s effectiveness will be studied further, in a future RCT.Implications for RehabilitationThere is a lack of available evidence from randomized controlled trials regarding the use of exercise in alleviating the symptoms associated with primary dysmenorrhea (PD).The preliminary results of this study shows that exercises may be effective in reducing the pain associated with PD indicated by a large effect size.The preliminary findings from this study could also contribute significantly to PD management and introduce new practice opportunities for physiotherapists working in women’s health.

Leading physiotherapists promote occupational health as a rewarding practice area

Interestingly, the paper notes that physiotherapists were enlisted as ‘masseuses’ in World War 1 to treat work injuries. The paper continues that in World War 2 physiotherapists were involved in rehabilitation of injured servicemen, and in the 1960s, physiotherapists began working on site in industry with a focus on injury prevention. The description of the process towards recognition of advanced practice and speciality recognition is clear and informative. A range of issues that were addressed along the way were identified and included standards development, subjects relevant to occupational health physiotherapists (OHPs), assessment processes, and whether the educational or experiential pathway was effective and appropriate. This section is a great strength of the paper and would interest other professions like occupational therapy yet to embark on this complex process. The inclusion of a glossary of terms relevant to this practice area will be useful to therapists considering following the ‘Pathways to OHP Title’ described in the paper. A strong commitment to education and professional development is described by the authors in relation to the way the physiotherapy profession has supported the development of practice in this area. The authors were clearly enthusiastic and passionate about the opportunities for physiotherapists in occupational health practice, and wish ‘to spread the word’.

Clinical reasoning and population health: Decision making for an emerging paradigm of health care

Chronic conditions now provide the major disease and disability burden facing humanity. This development has necessitated a reorientation in the practice skills of health care professions away from hospital-based inpatient and outpatient care toward community-based management of patients with chronic conditions. Part of this reorientation toward community-based management of chronic conditions involves practitioners’ understanding and adoption of a concept of population health management based on appropriate theoretical models of health care. Drawing on recent studies of expertise in physiotherapy, this article proposes a clinical reasoning and decision-making framework to meet these challenges. The challenge of population and community-based management of chronic conditions also provides an opportunity for physiotherapists to further clarify a professional epistemology of practice that embraces the kinds of knowledge and clinical reasoning processes used in physiotherapy practice. Three case studies related to the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in different populations are used to exemplify the range of epistemological perspectives that underpin community-based practice. They illustrate the link between conceptualizations of practice problems and knowledge sources that are used as a basis for clinical reasoning and decision making as practitioners are increasingly required to move between the clinic and the community.

Opportunities in acute and chronic respiratory physiotherapy: recent developments in the UK

Opportunities for physiotherapists are greater than ever, both clinically and professionally, due to an increasing wealth of clinical arenas, which need to be developed and modernised, and span the whole spectrum of patient care from acute services to community-based care. There are also vital non-clinical roles, many in addition to full-time posts, to be undertaken. This article will use the national changes in the health-care system in the UK to exemplify some professional and clinical opportunities currently available to physiotherapists in respiratory care, including the role of the consultant physiotherapist.

A strategy for the recruitment of underrepresented disadvantaged black students to the department of physiotherapy, University of Cape Town

The lack of Black physiotherapists affects the profession, the delivery of quality service and the education of students. This project was carried out in order to reach Black scholars to inform them of the career opportunities for physiotherapists and that training opportunities are available for everyone at UCT. Thirty-one schools previously under the DET system were visited annually for 3 years by small groups of third year students in order to increase the pool of Black applicants.Findings of the scholars’ awareness of physiotherapy and the number of subsequent applications are presented.Practical problems in carrying out the visits are discussed, and recommendations made for future projects of this nature.

Physical Therapy and Management Consulting

Summary Relaxation techniques have been taught to ante-natal patients for many years. This paper concerns the application of those techniques as a contribution to the management of executive stress. It describes the development, in New Zealand, of stress management programmes with relaxation techniques and other insights from physiotherapy as major components. The programmes have been successfully offered for a wide range of management participants in differing environments. The experience of the authors with their work over a period of five years suggests that there is a largely undeveloped opportunity for physiotherapists to make a valuable and distinctive contribution in this field of management consulting — provided the necessary changes in attitudes of practitioners can be achieved.