Sports Physiotherapists Research Articles

Cross cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VMIQ-2)

The VMIQ-2 has been proven a valid and useful psychometric tool to measure the ability of vividness of movement imagery in sports. However, no validity study has been reported in Greek. The purpose of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of the VMIQ-2 into Greek in adult athletes derived from various sports activities and different athletic levels. The VMIQ-2-GR (n = 160) was examined for translation, construct and discriminant validity, and also for internal consistency and test–retest reliability. CFA did not show acceptable global fit indices and only the index of (x2/df) showed an acceptable fit. The resulting factors of the EFA highlighted the discrepancy between the Greek version and the original version of the VMIQ-2. The results of the discriminant validity confirmed that the VMIQ-2-GR was well discriminated between subgroups of athletes and, therefore, showed a good discriminant validity. The Cronbach a coefficient was excellent at both measurements (> 0.92 in all cases for all factors). The Spearman rho correlation coefficients were statistically significant (< 0.001) with values > 0.47. The findings of the VMIQ-2–GR suggest that it is a valid and reliable tool and it can be used by sports psychologists, sports physiotherapists, coaches and researchers who aim to apply MI in the Greek athletic population.

Prevention of ACL injuries in professional soccer athletes: a systematic review

Introduction: Soccer is a sport whose ever-present characteristics are high-intensity movements, with accelerations, decelerations, changes in direction, jumps, turns, kicks, sprints, and sudden stops. This sport has many fans, both professionals and amateurs; with this factor of high incidence of practitioners, this sport ends up having a high rate of injuries due to irregular lawns and physical contact between players. Objective: To investigate the differences of preventive programs with regard to their components, the frequency, and duration of training, when training is carried out in relation to the sports season, and its ability to prevent ACL tears in soccer players. Literature Review: The sports physiotherapist has the duty to provide the ARTIGO DE REVISÃO https://doi.org/10.51995/2237-3373.v13i3e110066 2 Santos, Aguiar, &amp; Costa 2023, Vol. 13, n. 3, e110066 professional or amateur athlete with the proper comfort and safety in relation to sports practice, leading to the improvement of the quality of life and the full recovery of the athlete. The physiotherapist is essential from before the injury, thus being able to monitor and evaluate the athlete, thus identifying possible injuries and developing a specific preventive work so that this athlete does not suffer from future injuries. Methods: The systematic review was followed using the PRISMA guidelines, and the search was performed in the PubMED database in English. Mesh and DeCS recommended the search terms, and the descriptors “Anterior Cruciate Ligament”, “Soccer”, “Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries”, ´´Tertiary Prevention`` were used and to combine the search descriptors the “AND” was used. The inclusion criteria in the research were: soccer players who had an ACL injury; articles that addressed evident data on the injury mechanism in the ACL; English language; respecting the time between 2013 and 2023. Exclusion criteria were books, book chapters, abstracts and articles that did not present research on ACL injuries and samples that did not report being from soccer players. Results: n=197 articles were found in the PubMED database. After applying the exclusion criteria, we obtained n= 9 results. The 9 articles that make up this study are in English. Conclusion: The results first showed that prevention programs can be an ally during soccer practice, as the study obtained effective results in reducing ACL injuries.

Performance of multiple neural networks in predicting lower limb joint moments using wearable sensors.

Joint moment measurements represent an objective biomechemical parameter in joint health assessment. Inverse dynamics based on 3D motion capture data is the current 'gold standard' to estimate joint moments. Recently, machine learning combined with data measured by wearable technologies such electromyography (EMG), inertial measurement units (IMU), and electrogoniometers (GON) has been used to enable fast, easy, and low-cost measurements of joint moments. This study investigates the ability of various deep neural networks to predict lower limb joint moments merely from IMU sensors. The performance of five different deep neural networks (InceptionTimePlus, eXplainable convolutional neural network (XCM), XCMplus, Recurrent neural network (RNNplus), and Time Series Transformer (TSTPlus)) were tested to predict hip, knee, ankle, and subtalar moments using acceleration and gyroscope measurements of four IMU sensors at the trunk, thigh, shank, and foot. Multiple locomotion modes were considered including level-ground walking, treadmill walking, stair ascent, stair descent, ramp ascent, and ramp descent. We show that XCM can accurately predict lower limb joint moments using data of only four IMUs with RMSE of 0.046 ± 0.013 Nm/kg compared to 0.064 ± 0.003 Nm/kg on average for the other architectures. We found that hip, knee, and ankle joint moments predictions had a comparable RMSE with an average of 0.069 Nm/kg, while subtalar joint moments had the lowest RMSE of 0.033 Nm/kg. The real-time feedback that can be derived from the proposed method can be highly valuable for sports scientists and physiotherapists to gain insights into biomechanics, technique, and form to develop personalized training and rehabilitation programs.

Qualitative Research in Return to Sport: a Current Review of the Literature.

Return to sport (RTS) is an important metric tied to patient satisfaction after receiving treatment for a sports-related injury. Recently, there has been an explosion of literature on RTS; yet a comprehensive review encompassing multiple injuries does not exist. Furthermore, RTS has historically been defined by quantitative measures that assess strength, function, and pain but little consideration has been given to psychologic factors nor has there been an open-ended forum for athletes to share with health care providers which factors they feel are most influential for RTS. This review also serves to heighten surgeons' awareness of underlying psychologic/psychosocial factors affecting RTS. Qualitative studies which employ open-ended questioning of athletes who have undergone surgical management of superior labral anterior-posterior (SLAP) tears, shoulder instability, ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) rupture, femoral acetabular impingement (FAI), and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear demonstrate that fear of reinjury, lack of social support, and unrealistic expectations are all barriers to RTS. Qualitative studies give health care providers unique insight into the perspectives of their patients so that unmet postoperative needs can be addressed to facilitate RTS. Sports psychologists, coaches, athletic trainers, and physical therapists should create a positive environment to address these needs and provide optimal, holistic care to return athletes to the field safely. Though time consuming, further qualitative research is necessary to understand the unique factors affecting RTS in athletes.

Current Clinical Concepts: Exercise and Load Management of Adductor Strains, Adductor Ruptures, and Long-Standing Adductor-Related Groin Pain.

Adductor-related groin pain is a common problem in sports. Evidence-based management of athletes with adductor strains, adductor ruptures, and long-standing adductor-related groin pain can be approached in a simple yet effective and individualized manner. In most cases, managing adductor-related pain in athletes should be based on specific exercises and loading strategies. In this article, I provide an overview of the different types of adductor injuries, from acute to overuse, including their underlying pathology, functional anatomy, diagnosis, prognosis, mechanisms, and risk factors. This information leads to optimal assessment and management of acute to long-standing adductor-related problems and includes primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies that focus on exercise and load-based strategies. In addition, information on different options and contexts for exercise selection and execution for athletes, athletic trainers, and sports physical therapists in adductor injury rehabilitation is provided.

PREVALÊNCIA DE ENTORSE EM ATLETAS DE FUTEBOL E AÇÃO DA FISIOTERAPIA ESPORTIVA

Injuries to soccer players are becoming more and more frequent due to the demands that are placed on athletes. This study aims to identify the types of injuries, with the main focus and ankle sprain, the treatment of these injurie, the preventive measures that makes the sports physiotherapist a professional essential for the sport. A literature review was carried out on articles that deal with the topic in question. Academic sites were used to obtain important articles, such as Scielo. Regarding injuries can vary according to the positions of the players, their physical training, among others. It is possible to note that the role of the physiotherapist in sport is of utmost importance to the team, to players who are always in situations conducive to accidents, and to clubs that care about the health and well-being of their athletes. For football is the most famous and most passionate sport in the population, especially in Brazilians. The present study is extremely important both for the knowledge of future physiotherapists and for future studies on soccer injuries.

Missing The Forest For The Trees: A Lack Of Upper Extremity Physical Performance Testing In Sports Physical Therapy.

Despite shoulder and elbow injuries being common in athletics, return to sport and reinjury rates are less than ideal. These outcomes may be driven by the absence of evidence-informed testing to determine an athlete's readiness for sport. The purpose of this study was to explore the reported frequency of physical performance testing for return to sport readiness by physical therapists treating athletes with upper extremity injuries and to identify potential barriers that may limit use of these tests. A secondary aim was to compare practice patterns of clinicians with sports physical therapy specialty certification to clinicians without. International, cross-sectional survey using purposive sampling. A survey instrument was created to assess the frequency of use of physical performance tests by physical therapists treating athletes with upper extremity injuries, as well as the barriers limiting the use of these tests. The 19-question online survey was distributed via email and Twitter among sports physical therapists. Independent t-tests and Chi Square analyses were conducted to determine differences in practice patterns between physical therapists with and without specialization and the frequency of potential barriers that may limit the use of these tests. Four hundred ninety-eight participants met study eligibility and completed the survey. Fewer than half of participants reported using any physical performance test in making return to sport decisions for athletes with upper extremity injuries. The greatest barriers to the use of physical performance tests were a lack of equipment followed by lack of understanding of the literature, lack of time, and lack of supporting literature. Sports specialist clinicians were significantly more likely (p<0.001) to use physical performance tests than non-specialist clinicians (71.6% versus 36.3%). In this survey of physical therapists (n=498), the majority admit to not using physical performance tests when making return to sport decisions for athletes with upper extremity injuries regardless of specialization.Physical therapists have an opportunity to improve the utilization physical performance testing in the upper extremity athlete in hopes of reducing injury recurrence and enhance return to sport rates. Level 3b.

Investigating the Nexus of Paralympic Bodies With Medicine

Medical discourse regarding impairment and (dis)ability dominate assumptions of Paralympic sport. This research examined the lived experience of the first author, a sport physiotherapist and veteran of many Paralympic Games, to consider the experience of sport medicine with Para sport athletes. Self-ethnography and a theoretical lens informed by a human rights approach to disability were used. Structural violence was utilized to explore the social structure of medical professions and the impact on Paralympic sport. Data involved a retrospective journal of the first author. Thematic analysis was conducted and these themes are presented; social potential of sport medicine, medical authority, aversive ableism. The research draws attention to structural violence in Paralympic sport and the potential of sport medicine to be an agent of change.

“(…), the more intense the dialogue and exchange between coach and medical staff, the more benefit for athlete support quality!”

Background According to key assumptions to modern systems theory (Luhmann, 1983, 1990) the individual action logic of both sports coaches and sports physiotherapists are likely to differ fundamentally. Although both professions are entrusted with the care of athletes, they each follow different systemic logics in doing so. While coaches are embedded in the elite sport system, sports physiotherapists are assigned to the health care system Steinmann et al., 2019). The professional action of both players follows different systemic expectations in each case. Research Question What are potential conflicts within the cooperation between sports physiotherapists and coaches and what are areas of improvement? Methods The project aims at transferring research into practice and includes two parts: First, the project-team performs guided expert interviews with sports physiotherapists (n = 27) and coaches (n = 20) working in German elite sport in order to gather mutual functional, role and action expectations in real social situations. These expectations are compared and fitted in professional theory. The evaluation is based on qualitative content analysis (Kuckartz &amp; Rädiker, 2020; Mayring, 2015). The second part of the project contains a Delphi-Workshop (Niederberger &amp; Renn, 2018). Contentious results are phrased in a rating form for the participants a) to discuss and b) to derive recommended courses of action and case studies. Results Information gathering, content analysis and results are completed. Furthermore, the Delphi-Workshop took place in September 2022 (n = 8). The assumption has been confirmed that potential for optimization of the cooperation between coaches and sports physiotherapists is above all found in their structurally different action logic. The interview partners agree that there is a lack of financial reward for physiotherapists and therefore question international competitive ability. Conflicts are often found in the process of Return-to-Sport decision making since coaches are members of the elite sports system whereas physiotherapists belong to the health system. Furthermore, different employment models can lead to different engagement, because coaches in elite sports usually have a permanent position whereas physiotherapists usually work as freelancers for a low fee. Conclusion By delivering qualitative-empiric insight into the cooperation between coaches and sports physiotherapists in German elite sports, the project identifies starting points for its further improvement. Results verify the need for further research and relevance for the elite sports system. Recommended plans of action and case studies will be provided to organizations in elite sports and to the project’s cooperation partners.

Personalized Injury Reduction Strategies in Sports Medicine: Lessons Learned from Advances in Breast Cancer Treatment: A Clinical Commentary.

Injury rates across sport have risen over the past twenty years, despite increased efforts in training and injury prevention. The rise in injury rates suggest that current approaches to estimating injury risk and risk management are not effective. One factor limiting progress is the inconsistency in screening, risk assessment, and risk management strategies to guide injury mitigation approaches. How can sports physical therapists identify and apply lessons learned from other healthcare fields to improve athlete injury risk and risk management strategies? Breast cancer mortality has consistently decreased over the last 30 years, largely attributed to advances in personalizing the prevention and treatment strategies which include modifiable and non-modifiable factors when assessing risk, the transition to personalized medicine, and the systematic approach used to investigate individual risk factors. Three critical phases have facilitated the identification and importance of individual risk factors and developing targeted, personalized strategies for breast cancer risk including: 1) Establishing the potential relationship between factors and outcomes; 2) Prospectively investigate the strength and direction of the relationship; 3) Investigating if intervening on identified factors alters prognosis. Applying lessons learned from other healthcare fields could improve shared decision making between the clinician and athlete concerning risk assessment and management. Examples include calculating only non-modifiable risk, creating individualized screening schedules based on risk assessment, or calculating the influence of each intervention on the athlete's injury risk. A systematic approach to identify and intervene on risk is needed to improve athlete outcomes.

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS FOR CAPOEIRA-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract&#x0D; Background: Capoeira has been described as beneficial in several aspects, but one of the possible consequences of its growing popularity is the increased account of musculoskeletal injuries among practitioners. An understanding of Capoeira-related musculoskeletal injuries can help sports physical therapists and other health professionals implement preventive strategies.&#x0D; Background: Capoeira has been described as beneficial in several aspects, but one of the possible consequences of its growing popularity is the increased account of musculoskeletal injuries among practitioners. An understanding of Capoeira-related musculoskeletal injuries can help sports physical therapists and other health professionals implement preventive strategies. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of Capoeira-related musculoskeletal injuries and to identify possible associated factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with 520 capoeira practitioners. Survey Web links were emailed to capoeira practitioners associated with specialized groups in Brazil. The Survey collected demographic information, training characteristics and history of Capoeira-related musculoskeletal injuries in the past 12 months. The prevalence of Capoeira-related musculoskeletal injuries was analyzed by descriptive statistics and associated factors by logistic regression models. Results: Most capoeira practitioners (n=411, 79.0%) were men, with a mean age of 29.6±7.6 years old and who trained 3 times a week, over 90 minutes per day, for an average of 13 years of practice. The variable that showed association with Capoeira-related musculoskeletal injuries was weekly training frequency (OR=2.26 95%CI 1.38–3.69). Conclusions: The prevalence of injury was 42.9% (n= 223), and the knee was the most affected joint. The training frequency above 3 times per week was associated with Capoeira-related musculoskeletal injuries.

Physiological and Neurophysiological Effects of Sports Massage on the Athletes’ Performance: A Review Study

Background and Aims: Massage therapy is widely used by athletes for various reasons such as recovery from fatigue, preventing injury, and relaxation. It is believed that massage improves the performance of the athletes by increasing their blood flow, removing lactic acid, and stimulating the nervous system. This review study aims to investigate the physiological and neurophysiological effects of sports massage on the athletes’ performance, to find out whether the clinical beliefs of sports physiotherapists about the effects of sports massage on sports injuries are supported by scientific evidence or not. Methods: In this review study, a search was conducted in Google Scholar PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases on studies published in English from 1975 to 2020 using the keywords: Sports massage, sports injuries, physiological mechanisms, neurophysiological mechanisms, and performance of athletes. Fifty articles about the effects of sports massage were assessed for eligibility. Finally, 14 clinical trial studies and one case report study were included in the review. Results: Few studies have been conducted on the effect of sports massage on the athletes’ performance. The existing studies are heterogeneous, i.e., they have examined the effect of massage on different factors and reported contradictory results. It seems that the effects of sports massage on the athletes’ performance are more due to its psychological effects rather than its clinical effects. The effects of sports massage on athletes’ performance have not yet been supported by scientific evidence. Conclusion: Many scholars consider that the effects of sports massage are due to increasing blood flow, but there is insufficient scientific evidence. In treatment of tendonitis and muscle strains, there is insufficient evidence that sports massage can reduce pain and accelerate healing. It seems the therapeutic effects of sport massage are more psychological and less physiological.

Discussing the menstrual cycle in the sports medicine clinic: perspectives of orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists, athletes and patients

ABSTRACT Recently, there has been a global increase in female-based sports medicine research related to physiological aspects of the menstrual cycle. However, it is unclear whether health professionals and athletes routinely and openly discuss this sometimes-sensitive topic. This study explored different members of the sports medicine community’s knowledge, perceptions of, and comfort in discussing the endogenous menstrual cycle. Five semi-structured focus group sessions were conducted with 18 participants (2 orthopaedic surgeons, 9 sports physiotherapists, 3 patients, and 4 athletes) in New Zealand. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed an overarching theme which described the menstrual cycle as ‘a pertinent and evolving topic in the sports medicine clinic’. The first theme, ‘A dearth of education and discussion has given rise to a perceived lack of menstrual cycle knowledge’, reflects the participants’ consensus regarding a lack of knowledge of the menstrual cycle. In contrast, ‘Different (mismatched) concerns of health professionals and non-health professionals’ describes the different groups’ differing menstrual cycle-related concerns. The third theme, ‘Health professionals have specific strategies to enable comfortable menstrual cycle conversations’, describes that the broader sports medicine community does not routinely discuss the menstrual cycle in the clinic. In addition, it describes common barriers to in-clinic menstrual cycle discussions, including athlete and health professional age, gender and culture. Finally, the study describes pragmatic approaches health professionals frequently take to tackle these barriers. This study highlights the importance of developing trust, giving context and being aware of athletes’ concerns and sociocultural status when discussing the menstrual cycle in the sports medicine clinic.

Sleep and the Young Athlete.

Sleep plays a vital role in cognitive and physical performance. Teenage athletes (ages 13-19 years) are considered especially at risk for disordered sleep and associated negative cognitive, physical, and psychosomatic effects. However, there is a paucity of evidence-based recommendations to promote sleep quality and quantity in athletes who fall within this age range. We performed a review of the literature to reveal evidence-based findings and recommendations to help sports instructors, athletic trainers, physical therapists, physicians, and other team members caring for young athletes provide guidance on sleep optimization for peak sports performance and injury risk reduction. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched on May 11, 2016, and then again on September 1, 2020, for relevant articles published to date. Narrative review. Level 4. Few studies exist on the effects disordered sleep may have on teenage athletes. By optimizing sleep patterns in young athletes during training and competitions, physical and mental performance, and overall well-being, may be optimized. Adequate sleep has been shown to improve the performance of athletes, although further studies are needed. Twenty-five percent of total sleep time should be deep sleep, with a recommended sleep time of 8 to 9 hours for most young athletes. Screen and television use during athletes' bedtime should be minimized to improve sleep quality and quantity. For young athletes who travel, jet lag can be minimized by allowing 1 day per time zone crossed for adjustment, limiting caffeine intake, planning meals and onboard sleeping to coincide with destination schedules, timing arrivals in the morning whenever possible, and using noise-canceling headphones and eyeshades. B.

Sports Wellness Blueprint: Common Injuries, Prevention, and Rehabilitation Excellence in the World of Sports

Injuries can occur while participating in sports and physical activities. This white paper provides a comprehensive overview of common sports injuries, their prevention, and the role of physical therapy in managing and rehabilitating athletes following injuries. Modern rehabilitation protocols place an emphasis on teamwork and good rehabilitation planning, and the rehabilitation team must be led by a professional sports physiotherapist who understands the protocols and interventions needed at each step. It explores the importance of prehabilitation, early intervention, and personalized recovery strategies in returning athletes to their peak performance.

Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Research Interest Group Spine/Spondylolysis Clinical Practice SurveY

Background:The Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine (PRiSM) society is a multi-disciplinary group of healthcare providers who provide clinical care to young athletes with a variety of conditions, including isthmic spondylolysis. It is thought that significant practice differences exist in the way providers diagnose, image, and treat this condition.Hypothesis/Purpose:The purpose of this study is to survey the members of PRiSM on clinical practice patterns in the diagnosis, imaging, and management of isthmic spondylolysis in young athletes.Methods:An electronic, thirty-three question REDCaps survey was distributed to the PRISM membership via email during the 2021 virtual annual meeting and one reminder was sent after the meeting. Responses were collected during a 6-week period. The survey collected information based upon the following: demographics, diagnosis, imaging, and management.Results:Ninety-eight surveys were completed. Most of the respondents were divided between orthopaedic surgeons, non-operative sports medicine physicians and physical therapists, approximately half of which are fellowship trained. Approximately 42% of respondents make the diagnosis based upon MRI results in addition to history, physical examination, and plain radiographs. Approximately 24% obtain oblique radiographs as part of their assessment. MRI is the most frequently used advanced imaging modality with nearly 90% of respondents using this. The use of rigid bracing varies widely among respondents, with 20.6% bracing regularly, 35.3% sometimes bracing, and 44.1% not using rigid braces at all. The use of non-rigid bracing is similarly varied with 17.6% prescribing this regularly, 44.1% sometimes, and 38.2% not using non-rigid bracing at all. There is variance as well with regards to initiation of physical therapy (PT): prescribing immediately (42.6%) versus prescribing a period to rest prior to PT (57.4%). When young athletes are returned to sport, 52.9% of respondents indicated that they would impose restrictions to activity and 47.1% would not.Conclusion:Although there are similarities in how the diagnosis of isthmic spondylolysis in young athletes is made by PRISM members, there is variability in management, especially the use of bracing, the timing of physical therapy, and return to sport restrictions. MRI is the most common advanced imaging modality being used to help with the diagnosis.

Sports injury prevention programmes from the sports physical therapist's perspective: An international expert Delphi approach

ObjectiveTo provide consensus on how to plan, organize and implement exercise-based injury prevention program (IPP) in sports. DesignDelphi. SettingLimeSurvey platform. ParticipantsExperienced sports physical therapists from the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy member countries. Main outcome measuresFactors related to sports IPP planning, organization and implementation. ResultsWe included 305 participants from 32 countries. IPP planning should be based on an athlete's injury history, on pre-season screening results, and on injury rates (respectively, 98%, 92%, 89% agreement). In total 97% participants agreed that IPP organization should depend on the athlete's age, 93% on the competition level, and 93% on the availability of low-cost materials. It was agreed that IPP should mainly be implemented in warm-up sessions delivered by the head or strength/conditioning coach, with physical training sessions and individual physical therapy sessions (respectively, 94%, 92%, 90% agreement). ConclusionStrong consensus was reached on (1) IPP based on the athlete's injury history, pre-season screening and evidence-based sports-specific injury rates; (2) IPP organization based on the athlete's age, competition level, and the availability of low-cost materials and (3) IPP implementation focussing on warm-up sessions implemented by the strength/conditioning coach, and/or individual prevention sessions by the physical therapist.

Benefits of the SHC System on Publication Management and Promotion of Sports Actor Services

Background: Publication and promotion of the profession as a sports actor has not been seen optimally. One that shows this is that it is difficult to find traces of the legality of the profession, its achievements, and its relationships. Some of these traces are very important to know because they can be a measure of the quality of services so that the public can determine the appropriate sports players to meet the needs of services in the field of sports. For this reason, it is necessary to develop an online system that makes it easier for the public to obtain information related to sports actors. As well as helping sports actors for the publication and promotion of their profession. Objectives: The purpose of the research is to develop a Sport Human Connection (SHC) system that can help sports players for publication and promotion of their profession. Methods: This research method uses research and development methods. The research subjects were sports actors (coaches, athletes, management of sports institutions, masseurs, and physiotherapists) as many as 60 people. The selection of research subjects was done randomly. The data collection technique was carried out by conducting a survey. The research instrument used closed and open questionnaires. The data analysis technique used is descriptive quantitative data analysis and narrative analysis. Results: From the data obtained from the research subjects, it can be said that the SHC system has benefits for the publication and promotion of the profession of sports players with the support of features that display professional legality, achievements, relations, and communication features. Conclusion: Looking at the results of the study, it can be concluded that the SHC system provides the benefits of publication and promotion of the profession of sports players.

Experiences of physiotherapists involved in front-line management of patients with COVID-19 in Nigeria: a qualitative study

ObjectivesEvidence-based guidelines recommend physiotherapy for respiratory treatment and physical rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19. It is unclear to what extent physiotherapy services are used in the front-line management of COVID-19...

Continuing Education Courses for Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapists in the United States Often Lack Supporting Evidence: A Review of Available Intervention Courses.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the extent to which orthopedic and sports-related continuing education course descriptions approved for physical therapists in the United States taught interventions supported by evidence. A review was conducted of courses available on CEU Locker from January through December 2020, estimated to represent most courses nationally available to physical therapists. This review focused specifically on courses teaching interventions for musculoskeletal conditions in adults. Specifically, courses for orthopedic and sports populations were identified. All course information was extracted, including the intervention name, course description, and target audience. Finally, clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and systematic reviews with at least moderate-level evidence published through May 1, 2021, were searched to determine if treatments were recommended or not recommended, or if no evidence existed. The review identified 2406 available courses extracted from the database. After excluding courses that did not meet inclusion criteria, duplicates, and those with incomplete or inadequate information, the final number was 319. Most courses (52.7%, n = 168) taught interventions not supported by a CPG or systematic review. Approximately one-third of courses (34.2%, n = 109) taught interventions that were recommended by a CPG. Many courses were targeted to multiple disciplines (38.9%, n = 124), whereas 89 (27.9%) were specifically for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, or both. The specific target was unclear for 106 (33.2%) courses. Courses usually focused on multiple body regions, and exercise was the most included intervention. Soft-skill courses were the most supported by evidence (82.9%, n = 29), whereas those teaching modalities were the least supported (30.5%, n = 29). Fewer than one-half of courses that focused on management of musculoskeletal disorders taught interventions supported by a CPG or systematic review, and course descriptions often misrepresented the current state of evidence. Courses required for licensure renewal might not be meeting the intended goal of keeping clinicians current with new and emerging research. Relatively few continuing education courses on orthopedic and sports-related physical therapist interventions are based on evidence provided by CPGs or systematic reviews, and some continuing education options required for physical therapists to meet annual licensure renewal requirements might not be keeping therapists current with the latest evidence. This study provides data that can facilitate candid dialog within the profession about potential solutions.