Physical Practice Research Articles

In-queering into LGBTQIA+ movement: Considerations of trauma- and violence-informed physical activity approaches

The LGBTQIA+ community faces complex barriers to participating in physical activity such as institutionalized norms, organizational culture, and personal identity. This research aims to understand the relevance of trauma- and violence-informed physical activity (TVIPA) to address unique barriers for this community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with allied LGBTQIA+ professionals in the physical activity realm. Three key themes were developed: (1) LGBTQIA+ community members face unique barriers to accessing physical activity, (2) Policies and guidelines alone don’t create inclusive spaces, and (3) TVIPA is fundamental to working with the LGBTQIA+ community. The findings elucidate that TVIPA approaches are essential to creating inclusive physical activity practices for LGBTQIA+ communities.

Physical Activity-Related Practices and Psychosocial Factors of Childcare Educators: A Latent Profile Analysis.

Limited research investigates early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators' involvement in promoting physical activity. The aim was to identify distinct profiles based on physical activity-related practices and psychosocial factors in ECEC educators and examine how they relate to the amount of time allocated to children's physical activity. A secondary analysis of educator-reported survey data from the Play Active study was undertaken. Educators (n = 532) reported on four practices and four psychosocial subscales adapted from the Environment and Policy Evaluation and Observation relating to the provision of physical activity in childcare. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct groups of educators based on their practices and psychosocial factors. Logistic regression analysed associations between latent profiles and educator-reported time provided for children's physical activity. Five profiles of educators' physical activity-related practices and psychosocial factors were identified. Profiles with higher practice scores also had higher psychosocial scores. Educators in profiles characterised by higher scores had greater odds of meeting the best practice guidelines for daily time allocated to children for total physical activity and energetic play. This study highlights interventions which address multiple educator behaviour change determinants to improve children's physical activity in childcare.

Impact of the level of physical activities on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, lack of personal accomplishment and burnout among students in the city province of Kinshasa

The impact of the practice of physical activities on burnout and its dimensions remains very little documented among students living in subaerial African countries. The present study was to determine the impact of the level of physical activities on Burnout. In a cross-sectional analytical study, students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Kinshasa were recruited by convenience in the period from February 1 to August 1, 2023. The parameters of interest included intensity, frequency, duration of the practice of physical activities and the dimensions of Burnout. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to research the influence between the intensity, frequency and duration of physical activity practice on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, lack of personal accomplishment and burnout syndrome. The moderate and high level of physical activity practice significantly reduces emotional exhaustion by -14 (30.08 ± 13.04 vs 16.10 ± 10.38; p < 0.001), depersonalization by -7 (12. 45 ± 6.42 vs 5.89 ± 5.99; p < 0.001), burnout of -17 (28.17 ± 10.05 vs 11.00 ± 8.47; p < 0.001) and increases the personal accomplishment of students of the faculty of medicine of +31 (42.00 ± 10.7 vs 11.00 ± 8.47; p < 0.002). The duration of the practice of physical activities of 30 minutes or more positively influences personalization in 28% (p < 0.001), 75% personal accomplishment (p < 0.003) and 63% burnout (p < 0.004). Furthermore, the frequency of 3 or more times per week of practicing physical activities positively improves emotional exhaustion by 56% (p < 0.001), professional accomplishment by 79% (p < 0.002) and 83% by burnout (p < 0.001). Young medical school students with burnout are inactive and sedentary. The latter are associated with a decrease in personal accomplishment and an increase in burnout syndrome. The duration of physical activities of 30 to 45 minutes per day practiced three or more times per week positively improves emotional exhaustion, personalization, and personal accomplishment and burnout syndrome. The dissemination of information programs, particularly to medical students, seems urgent.

Constructing codes of behaviour: the ‘doxic agreement’ as a force for agency in contemporary dance technique training

Utilising Pierre Bourdieu’s (1977) concept of ‘doxa’, this article proposes the notion of a ‘doxic agreement’, exploring its relationship with agency in the context of contemporary dance technique training. The discussion draws on the data gathered from two cycles of action research, which the author conducted in an undergraduate dance training setting in a British university. During this research, a ‘reflexive-dialogical’ (RD) approach to dance technique training was developed; this approach subverts dominant training structures by allowing dialogue and critical reflection to occur alongside physical dance practice. Data analysis reveals that the environment constructed through the application of the RD approach created a doxic agreement, a mutually negotiated structure that determined a code of behaviour in the training setting. Positioning the doxic agreement as a flexible structure that disrupted the recursive reproduction (Giddens1984) of the dominant training structures, the author examines the extent to which the agreement facilitated agency, leading to an expanded understanding of how agency is developed and displayed through the body-minds of undergraduate dance students.

Physical Therapists' Attitudes, Beliefs, and Barriers Regarding Fall Screening and Prevention among Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Falls are commonly associated with knee osteoarthritis and represent a significant financial burden on the healthcare system. Therefore, the discovery of physical therapists' attitudes and practices regarding fall screening and prevention among patients with osteoarthritis should be investigated. Moreover, this study aimed to identify barriers that might limit its implementation among this population. A cross-sectional study design was used to collect the data. The electronic survey targeted licensed physical therapy professionals who currently work in clinical or academic settings in Saudi Arabia. The data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially using chi-square. Two hundred and six licensed physical therapists completed the survey, 119 females (57.8%) and 87 males (42.2%). The results of the structural equation modelling analysis showed that intention to use fall screening and management strategies was positively associated with the history of falls, identifying risk factors of falls, and documentation of risk factors of falls (p ≤ 0.0001). The most reported barriers to implement fall screening and prevention were lack of knowledge (n = 92, 45%), lack of training/skills (n = 84, 41%), and time constraints (n = 57, 45%), followed by patient compliance with 38% of the responses. The findings highlighted the importance of identifying the key opportunities for knowledge translation in clinical practices to enhance the sufficient implementation of fall screening and management in osteoarthritis care.

The carbon footprint of epidural steroid injections: A pilot study.

Epidural steroid injections are common procedures in physical medicine and rehabilitation practice. However, their environmental impact has not been characterized. The primary aim is to estimate and compare the carbon footprint of two standard injection kits used to perform epidural steroid injections at a single academic institution. Secondary objectives were (1) to create a step-by-step guide for estimating the carbon footprint of materials and (2) to survey physicians on practice patterns and identify areas for improvement. Pilot study. Academic medical center. N/A. N/A. Carbon emissions measured in CO2 equivalents (CO2 eq). Using guidance from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the carbon footprint of the two kits was estimated by taking the sum of carbon emissions resulting from the production of the kit materials and the carbon emissions resulting from the waste disposal of the kit materials. The carbon footprint of the transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) kit was estimated at 1.328 kg CO2 eq. The carbon footprint of the interlaminar epidural steroid injection (ILESI) kit was estimated at 2.534 kg CO2 eq. For both kits, the carbon emissions resulting from the production of the kits were greater than the emissions resulting from disposal. The survey of interventionalists performing TFESI revealed all respondents required materials in addition to those provided in the standard epidural kit. Despite this, kit materials were typically wasted in 62% of respondents. Creating a methodology for quantifying carbon emissions is the first step to reducing carbon emissions. Once emissions are measured, the health care industry can determine the most effective strategies for reducing its impact. Our analysis has shown that it is feasible to perform emissions calculations and delineates a clear method with publicly available resources. Solutions to reduce epidural injection carbon footprint waste may include improved kit customization.

Physical Examination Attitudes and Practices Scale: Psychometric Evaluation on Turkish Nurses

Background and Purpose:Physical examination (PE) is an important element used in the diagnostic process. This cross-sectional and methodological study was conducted methodologically to test cross-cultural and linguistic adaptation of the Turkish version of the Physical Examination Attitudes and Practices Scale (PEAPS) and to test the reliability and validity of Turkish nurses.Methods:The study was carried out with a methodological, cross-sectional design, with 372 nurses working in different departments at a state hospital.Results:The content validity index was found to be .87. Item-total score correlation coefficients were above .30; Cronbach’s alpha was found to be .89.Conclusions:The instrument is an acceptable, valid, and reliable tool in Turkish for evaluating the attitudes and practices toward PE. Attitudes toward PE can be examined by health professionals working in different fields and cultures.

Telerehabilitation in Physical Therapist Practice: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American Physical Therapy Association.

A clinical practice guideline on telerehabilitation was developed by an American Physical Therapy Association volunteer guideline development group consisting of international physical therapists and physiotherapists, a physician, and a consumer. The guideline was based on systematic reviews of current scientific literature, clinical information, and accepted approaches to telerehabilitation in physical therapist practice. Seven recommendations address the impact of, preparation for, and implementation of telerehabilitation in physical therapist practice. Research recommendations identify current gaps in knowledge. Overall, with shared decision-making between clinicians and patients to inform patients of service delivery options, direct and indirect costs, barriers, and facilitators of telerehabilitation, the evidence supports the use of telerehabilitation by physical therapists for both examination and intervention. The Spanish and Chinese versions of this clinical practice guideline, as well as the French version of the recommendations, are available as supplementary material (Suppl. Materials).

Physical Restraint Practices at the Emergency Department of a Mental Health Hospital.

Coercive treatments can lead to ethical, legal, and clinical concerns, especially in emergency settings. The indications and characteristics of patients for whom physical restraint is indicated should be well-evaluated in order to prevent unnecessary practices. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the physical restraint practices in psychiatric emergencies and clinical characteristics related to their use. All patients admitted to the emergency unit of a tertiary mental health hospital between June 1 and June 30, 2022, were included in the sample. Data were retrieved from the manual and electronic medical records. Age, gender, clinical settings, diagnosis, substance use, and other factors were categorized and analyzed, comparing physically restrained and not-restrained patients. Totally, 2051 patients were included in the study (1022 female and 1029 male). The mean age of the participants was 39.5 ± 14.8 years (female: 40.3 ± 14.8 male: 38.4 ± 14.7, P = .004). Seventy-two (3.51%) of the admitted patients were exposed to physical restraint and those had significantly lower number of applications in the past year (P = .020). The median restraint duration was 90 (60-150) minutes. Fifty-four (75.00%) of the physically restrained patients were male (P < .001), and they were significantly younger (mean age 34.5 ± 12.1 vs. 39.5 ± 14.9, P = .005). Clinical diagnoses of restrained patients were significantly different, in favor of psychosis. While 42 (58.33%) of the restrained patients were substance-negative, 15 (20.83%) were screened as positive for at least 1 substance (P < .001). Physically restrained patients differ from others with regard to age, gender, and number of previous applications. Fewer hospital applications in the past year were related to higher incidence of physical restraints.

Assessing the Awareness and Practices of Physical Therapists in Managing Modifiable Risk Factors for Stroke in Saudi Arabia

Aims &amp; Objective: The current research on physical therapists' understanding of managing modifiable risk factors for stroke in Saudi Arabia is limited. This study aims to evaluate physical therapists' knowledge in Saudi Arabia on managing modifiable stroke risk factors and their prioritization of stroke prevention. It also seeks to understand the connection between therapists' awareness, experience, perceptions, and information access with their readiness to apply stroke prevention measures. Methodology: A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was administered to registered Physical therapists in the Riyadh region between February and July of 2022. An online questionnaire was developed with 18 questions to evaluate the knowledge and perception of the Physical therapist about the risk factors and management of stroke. Socio-demographic information, participant's knowledge and perception of stroke risk factors, and participant's stroke risk factor sources of information. Results: The results of this survey suggest that while most physical therapists in Saudi Arabia have a good understanding of stroke risk factors, there are still some knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. The fact that a significant percentage of respondents were unsure about the relationship between some risk factors and stroke highlights the need for ongoing education and training for physical therapists in this area. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of education, training, work experience, and sources of knowledge in shaping physical therapists' beliefs and practice behaviors.

Characterizing clinical patterns of physical therapy activities for post-stroke spasticity in stroke rehabilitation: looking into the "Black Box".

Physical therapy is considered to be an adjunctive therapy for the management of post-stroke spasticity. The insight of this study is to observe the current clinical practices of rehabilitation for post-stroke spasticity. For this purpose, an observational cross-sectional study was conducted. Data was collected by a standardized therapy documentation form for spasticity management. Fifty physiotherapists filled out that form. Almost all of them used subjective measures (modified Ashworth scale) for spasticity assessment and functional independence measure for level of independence. Readings were taken in the first, second, and third blocks of six-hour duration. Results showed that 42 (83.5%) physiotherapists measured spasticity at the initial session, while 47(94.6%) reported various multiple rehabilitation treatment preferences for spasticity management. Disparities exist in therapeutic management for post-stroke spasticity throughout rehabilitation which are mainly based on physiotherapists' clinical expertise. However, a better understanding of current trends in physical therapy clinical practices will assist in tailoring strategies to upgrade management for post-stroke spasticity.

The Impact of Quarantine on Physical Activity, Body Weight, and Eating Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia.

Background Since February 2020, the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Saudi Arabia has been rising. The Saudi Arabian government implemented strict lockdown measures in March 2020 in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Globally, changes in socioeconomic levels and health during quarantine have been reported. Additional detrimental effects of the stay-at-home mandate include less physical activity among adult populations, anxiety, stress, and emotional eating. This study aimed to assess the impact of quarantine during the COVID‑19 pandemic on physical activity practice and weight. Methodology This cross-sectional study was conducted using a newly developed validated online questionnaire survey. The data were collected during quarantine in June 2020, including each adult who lived in Saudi Arabia during the quarantine. The data were reviewed and analyzed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results A total of 4,970 eligible participants completed the study survey. About 78.1% of the study participants performed physical activity inside the house during the pandemic. Overall, 30.9% reported increased body weight during the lockdown, and the most reported cause of increased body weight was feeling bored and empty. Regarding factors associated with physical activity and weight changes, 82.2% of participants aged 25-30 years performed physical activity during the pandemic. Increased weight was significantly higher among participants aged more than 30 years. Conclusions This study shows an increased level of physical activity among the study participants during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among younger, female, and unmarried participants. More than half of the participants reported weight change, either weight gain or weight loss. Weight gain was higher in older participants. Regarding eating habits, there was an increased tendency toward eating a healthy diet.

Public Transport in the Disabling City: A Narrative Ethnography of Dilemmas and Strategies of People with Mobility Disabilities

Access to transport is key to people’s movement in cities, their social participation, and personal development. People with mobility disabilities (PMDs) face additional barriers when using public transport. The objective of this study is to identify the dilemmas that PMDs face in their daily mobility practices and their coping strategies, in particular the ways in which these dilemmas and strategies are influenced by both personal and environmental characteristics. We conducted ethnographic research, utilizing narrative interviews, life stories, focus groups, and participant observations. Our aim was to analyse multiple experiences of mobility in situations of disability in Quebec City, Canada. This study engages the following research question: how do PMDs navigate their social environment, considering the impact of personal, social, and physical landscape factors on their mobility strategies? Depending on the accessibility of fixed-route public buses and the availability of public paratransit services, what are the dilemmas that PMDs face and how do they shape their mobility strategies? Using the three-dimensional model of narrative analysis, we present a narrative ethnography of participants’ dilemmas and strategies about their experiences on public transport. Five dilemmas are examined. Through this methodology, we propose to extend the study of “constellations of mobility” by including the notion of strategies as an experiential outcome between personal and physical landscape factors, practices, and meanings of mobility. This offers new research perspectives both in disability and mobility studies and in the understanding of urban accessibility experiences in situations of disability.

Effects of Modified Invasion Games on Motor Competence and Self-Assessed Physical Condition in Elementary School Students in the Physical Education Classroom.

Modified invasion games promote the development of real and perceived motor competence. Children with higher motor competence are more likely to participate in physical activity practice and to remain in it, both in adolescence and adulthood. (1) Background: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of modified invasion games on the real motor competence and self-assessment of the physical condition fifth-grade students from a private school in Viña del Mar, Chile. (2) Methods: 40 girls and boys with an average age of 11.47 years (SD = 0.554) participated in this study during a 12-week intervention. The MOBAK 5-6 battery was used to assess actual motor competence, the SEMOK questionnaire was used to determine perceived motor competence, the International Fitness Scale (IFIS) self-assessment questionnaire was used to assess perceived physical fitness, and the weight/size ratio was used to determine BMI. A Friedman's nonparametric ANOVA analysis was applied to determine the effect of the intervention, in addition to an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to identify the influence of the covariates on motor competence. (3) Results: No statistically significant differences were established between weight, BMI, and waist circumference. There was a statistically significant difference after the intervention in the actual motor competence of object control (p = 0.005) and perceived motor competence of object control (p ≤ 0.001) (4) Conclusions: An intervention based on modified invasion games is effective for the improvement of actual and perceived motor competence of object control. It was not possible to identify a positive effect on the self-assessment of muscle strength after the intervention.

Epistemological beliefs and classroom practices of experienced physics teachers: are they related?

There is a need in teacher education to explore experienced physics teachers' domain-general epistemological beliefs and classroom practices. The study reports 30 experienced physics teachers' epistemological beliefs and classroom practices in Turkish public high school context. The data was collected through interviews and classroom observations. During the analysis, qualitative data was analyzed through constant comparative method. Level and frequency of participants' epistemological beliefs and classroom practices were quantified for descriptive statistics. The results indicated that most teachers held transitional epistemological beliefs, but they taught in traditional ways. Their epistemological beliefs and classroom practices were not in alignment. These results showed that experienced teachers might have sophisticated epistemological beliefs, but they were not able to reflect their beliefs into practice according to their perception of students' expectations. The study provides implications for research for teacher learning and development through large-scale longitudinal studies and to understand the factors of misalignment between their beliefs and practices.

Developmental outcomes in Italian young cancer survivors: The effect of lack of social support in physical activity practice on quality of life and mental health

AbstractLife expectancy among young cancer survivors has increased in the last decades. Unfortunately, young cancer survivors might still experience mental and physical issues due to cancer treatment. Moreover, although physical activity is a valid tool for increasing social support and reducing the risk of obesity, sedentary behaviour is very common among young cancer survivors. Therefore, the current pilot study aims to estimate lack of social support impact on physical activity practice on mental health and quality of life. A sample of 69 Italian young cancer survivors (60% females) were included in the study and physical activity, anxiety, depression and quality of life were assessed by self‐reported questionnaires. The results showed that a lack of social support for exercising was connected to higher depressive symptoms, while no influence was detected on anxiety. Concerning quality of life, the analysis of variance model showed a significant effect of the lack of social support on physical mobility but not on self‐care, usual activities, pain and discomfort and general health. In conclusion, integrating physical activity in young cancer survivors' lifestyle, considering cancer‐related side effects, might enhance their mental health and quality of life by providing social support at the same time. Healthcare professionals should evaluate the feasibility and support adapted physical activity programmes for young cancer survivors, to reduce the risk of depression and obesity, among others.

Symmetries and Representation

AbstractIt is often said in physics that if two models of a theory are related by a symmetry, then the two models provide (or could provide) two different representations of the very same situation, alike the case of two maps of different color for the very same city. It is also said that the situations represented by two models of a theory are indiscernible in some ways when the models in question are related by a symmetry of the theory, just like the situation in the interior of the cabin of a train when the train is at rest in the station is empirically indiscernible from the situation in the interior when the train is moving uniformly (in classical mechanics, these two situations are represented by two models related by a boost). In recent years, philosophers of physics have focused a lot of attention in developing various principles that aim to elucidate these and similar remarks on symmetries, models, physical equivalence, and representation that are widespread in physics practice. The goal of the current article is to provide a critical review of these principles, and suggest a new framework for thinking about these kinds of questions. One important upshot of the paper is that questions of indiscernibility, and questions of the representational capacity of models, must be distinguished from one another.

Using feedback on patient health outcomes to improve orthopaedic physical therapist practice: a quality improvement study

ObjectiveMeasuring health outcomes plays an important role in patient-centred healthcare. When aggregated across patients, outcomes can provide data for quality improvement (QI). However, most physical therapists are not familiar with...

Transforming nursing assessment in acute hospitals: A cluster randomised controlled trial of an evidence-based nursing core assessment (the ENCORE trial)

BackgroundPatient safety is threatened when early signs of clinical deterioration are missed or not acted upon. This research began as a clinical-academic partnership established around a shared concern of nursing physical assessment practices on general wards and delayed recognition of clinical deterioration. The outcome was the development of a complex intervention facilitated at the ward level for proactive nursing surveillance. MethodsThe evidence-based nursing core assessment (ENCORE) trial was a pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial. We hypothesised that ward intervention would reduce the incidence of patient rescue events (medical emergency team activations) and serious adverse events. We randomised 29 general wards in a 1:2 allocation, across 5 Australian hospitals to intervention (n = 10) and usual care wards (n = 19). Skilled facilitation over 12 months enabled practitioner-led, ward-level practice change for proactive nursing surveillance. The primary outcome was the rate of medical emergency team activations and secondary outcomes were unplanned intensive care unit admissions, on-ward resuscitations, and unexpected deaths. Outcomes were prospectively collected for 6 months following the initial 6 months of implementation. Analysis was at the patient level using generalised linear mixed models to account for clustering by ward. ResultsWe analysed 29,385 patient admissions to intervention (n = 11,792) and control (n = 17,593) wards. Adjusted models for overall effects suggested the intervention increased the rate of medical emergency team activations (adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.314; 95 % confidence interval 0.975, 1.773), although the confidence interval was compatible with a marginal decrease to a substantial increase in rate. Confidence intervals for secondary outcomes included a range of plausible effects from benefit to harm. However, considerable heterogeneity was observed in intervention effects by patient comorbidity. Among patients with few comorbid conditions in the intervention arm there was a lower medical emergency team activation rate and decreased odds of unexpected death. Among patients with multimorbidity in the intervention arm there were higher rates of medical emergency team activation and intensive care unit admissions. ConclusionTrial outcomes have refined our assumptions about the impact of the ENCORE intervention. The intervention appears to have protective effects for patients with low complexity where frontline teams can respond locally. It also appears to have redistributed medical emergency team activations and unplanned intensive care unit admissions, mobilising higher rates of rescue for patients with multimorbidity. Trial registration numberACTRN12618001903279 (Date of registration: 22/11/2018; First participant recruited: 01/02/2019).

Evidence-informed and consensus-based statements about SAFEty of Physical Agent Modalities Practice in physiotherapy and rehabilitation medicine (SAFE PAMP): a national Delphi of healthcare scientific societies

ObjectiveA shared consensus on the safety about physical agent modalities (PAMs) practice in physiotherapy and rehabilitation is lacking. We aimed to develop evidence-informed and consensus-based statements about the safety of...