Assessing posture in the individual with fibromyalgia, what's the value?
Objectives:
Purpose was to assess physiotherapists' value of using postural assessment of individuals with fibromyalgia. Secondary analysis on correlation of posture assessment by physiotherapists.
Design:
A non-experimental, retrospective, observational survey analysis of relationship of posture with individuals having fibromyalgia and healthy controls by practising physiotherapists.
Setting:
Weekend spinal manual therapy continuing education courses.
Participants:
A survey was conducted with 173 outpatient practising physiotherapists on the use and importance of posture assessment.
Interventions:
The study looked at validity of a postural exam using a lateral standing postural photographs of five individuals with fibromyalgia and five healthy controls between therapists.
Main outcome measures:
Correlation on ratings of posture.
Results:
The ability to correctly identify patients with fibromyalgia was 58.9% based on postural analysis. No significant correlation between years of practice (r=-.031) or specialization (r=.091) was found in ability to correctly classify individuals. There were no significant correlations between the rating on the importance of posture (r=.056) and correlation of pain and posture (r=.041). Therapists felt that addressing posture was important, mean of 7.8 on 0-10 Likert scale with 10 being very important.
Conclusion:
Practising physiotherapists in this study still highly value the use of postural assessment in their evaluative process for individuals with fibromyalgia. This study concurred with other studies that there currently is little to no agreement between therapists on "good" posture and linking to patients with pain.
Contribution of the Paper
• Many physical therapists continue to value highly the use posture assessment as part of the assessment and treatment process for individuals with persistent pain.
• Poor reliability was found between physiotherapists in using posture to identify patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy individuals.
Purpose was to assess physiotherapists' value of using postural assessment of individuals with fibromyalgia. Secondary analysis on correlation of posture assessment by physiotherapists.
Design:
A non-experimental, retrospective, observational survey analysis of relationship of posture with individuals having fibromyalgia and healthy controls by practising physiotherapists.
Setting:
Weekend spinal manual therapy continuing education courses.
Participants:
A survey was conducted with 173 outpatient practising physiotherapists on the use and importance of posture assessment.
Interventions:
The study looked at validity of a postural exam using a lateral standing postural photographs of five individuals with fibromyalgia and five healthy controls between therapists.
Main outcome measures:
Correlation on ratings of posture.
Results:
The ability to correctly identify patients with fibromyalgia was 58.9% based on postural analysis. No significant correlation between years of practice (r=-.031) or specialization (r=.091) was found in ability to correctly classify individuals. There were no significant correlations between the rating on the importance of posture (r=.056) and correlation of pain and posture (r=.041). Therapists felt that addressing posture was important, mean of 7.8 on 0-10 Likert scale with 10 being very important.
Conclusion:
Practising physiotherapists in this study still highly value the use of postural assessment in their evaluative process for individuals with fibromyalgia. This study concurred with other studies that there currently is little to no agreement between therapists on "good" posture and linking to patients with pain.
Contribution of the Paper
• Many physical therapists continue to value highly the use posture assessment as part of the assessment and treatment process for individuals with persistent pain.
• Poor reliability was found between physiotherapists in using posture to identify patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy individuals.
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 December 2017
- Pain and Rehabilitation is a peer-reviewed, Bi-annual journal of the Physiotherapy Pain Association and special interest group of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. The journal comprises a range of different articles types from orignial articles to systematic reviews and letters around the topic of pain and rehabilitation. The journal is multidisciplinary in its focus and welcomes submissions from all professionals working in this multidisciplinary field. the abstract of all articles will be freely avilable online. Full text articles are available free online to members of the Physiotherapy Pain Association, and access to individual PDF articles can be purchased by non members.
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