Health information and resources in hospital outpatient waiting areas may not meet the needs of older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: A cross-cultural qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Health information and resources are often provided in hospital outpatient waiting areas but may not meet the cultural and health literacy needs of older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. OBJECTIVES: To explore the perspectives and experiences of Cantonese- and Vietnamese-speaking patients and carers in this setting. METHODS: This qualitative interview-based study was conducted from December 2019 to March 2020 at a single outpatient rehabilitation service located at a tertiary public hospital. Four adult consumers (two older adult patients, two caregivers) from CALD backgrounds participated in semi-structured interviews with bilingual researchers. Data were transcribed, translated and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five themes were developed which highlighted that older adults' language profiles shaped their health information needs and ability to access resources in waiting areas. Cultural factors such as filial responsibility may also influence health information preferences. DISCUSSION: Older consumers from CALD backgrounds did not have equitable access to health information and resources in the waiting area compared with English-literate older adults. CONCLUSION: Health information and resources in waiting areas warrant improving to better meet the needs of older patients from CALD backgrounds and their caregivers.

Are physiotherapists expected to be competent in digital health practice? Meta-synthesis of international physiotherapy practice competency standards.

BACKGROUND: Digital health technology is progressively transforming physiotherapy practice. Despite a maturing body of literature relating to physiotherapy digital health capability, research examining digital health physiotherapy competency standards is both lacking and lagging. OBJECTIVE: Examine international professional practice competency standards for physiotherapists to identify themes common to digital health practice competency, published by international peak organizations governing physiotherapy practice. METHODS: Systematic meta-synthesis of international peak organization physiotherapy practice competency standards. The study was undertaken over nine stages. Competency statements related to digital health were extracted, and further coded into resultant themes. RESULTS: Eleven documents were analyzed. Fifty-two statements explicitly referenced digital health competency. Identified themes were as follows: 1) digital health data governance; 2) digital health data translation; and 3) digital health technologies. Where digital health-related competency statements do exist, they are skewed toward health information management activities. CONCLUSIONS: Digital health practice is currently under-represented in competency standards for physiotherapists. Workforce advancement in light of the burgeoning impact of digital health will prompt further updates to professional competency standards set by our peak organizations. This will have a flow on effect, whereby education providers (e.g. universities and other professional development providers) should consider curriculum and training that prepares individuals for digitally enabled practice.

Do health service waiting areas contribute to the health literacy of consumers? A scoping review.

Health service waiting areas commonly provide health information, resources and supports for consumers; however, the effect on health literacy and related outcomes remains unclear. This scoping review of the literature aimed to explore the use of waiting areas as a place to contribute to the health literacy and related outcomes of consumers attending health appointments. Articles were included if they focussed on health literacy or health literacy responsiveness (concept) in outpatient or primary care health service waiting areas (context) for adult consumers (population) and were published after 2010. Ten bibliographic databases, one full-text archive, dissertation repositories and web sources were searched. The search yielded 5095 records. After duplicate removal, 3942 title/abstract records were screened and 360 full-text records assessed. Data were charted into a standardized data extraction tool. A total of 116 unique articles (published empirical and grey literature) were included. Most articles were set in primary and community care (49%) waiting areas. A diverse range of health topics and resource types were available, but results demonstrated they were not always used by consumers. Outcomes measured in intervention studies were health knowledge, intentions and other psychological factors, self-reported and observed behaviours, clinical outcomes and health service utilization. Intervention studies overall demonstrated positive trends in health literacy-related outcomes, although the benefit declined after 3-6 months. Research on using waiting areas for health literacy purposes is increasing globally. Future research investigating the needs of consumers to inform optimal intervention design is needed.

Health service waiting areas are commonly used to provide health resources (such as health information, resources and supports) for consumers. Health resources which are appropriate and accessible for consumers can improve health literacy by increasing health knowledge, supporting good decision-making or changing behaviours which may result in better health. Although it is common to offer health resources in health service waiting areas, the evidence supporting this practice is unclear. This scoping review of the literature focussed on the use of health service waiting areas as a place to contribute to the health literacy of adult consumers attending outpatient or primary care health appointments. A total of 116 unique articles were included which addressed this issue. Majority of articles were set in primary and community care waiting areas (49%). A range of health topics and resource types were available but these were not always used by consumers. Overall, interventions in waiting areas targeting health literacy-related outcomes resulted in positive outcomes, although the benefit declined after 3­6 months. Research on using waiting areas for health-literacy purposes is increasing worldwide. Future research is needed to identify how to optimize the effectiveness of interventions in waiting areas to benefit consumers.

"We are a unique breed": strategies to enhance physical activity participation for preschool-aged children born extremely preterm, a mixed-methods study.

PURPOSE: Preschool-aged children (three to five years old) born preterm participate in less physical activity (PA) than term-born children. Circus activities (a type of recreational PA) are a potential avenue to increase PA rates, but further insight into how to tailor these to address the participation gap is needed. This study investigated barriers and facilitators informing participation in recreational PA for preschool-aged children born extremely preterm and explored strategies to enhance participation in circus activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sequential mixed-methods study utilizing surveys (n = 217), interviews (n = 43), and a focus group (n = 6) with key stakeholder groups (parents, coaches, and clinicians). Qualitative data (Framework Method) and quantitative data (descriptive statistics) were mixed during preliminary and final analyses. RESULTS: Five themes were developed from the mixed data: the crucial role of the coach and the need for specific training, the therapeutic role of PA and promoting outcomes beyond the physical, the impact of communication and class planning, consideration of convenience and cost, and finally, the role of clinicians. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers, facilitators, and strategies were identified which may be used to modify or co-design circus-based PA interventions to enhance participation and improve rates of PA for preschool-aged children born extremely preterm.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONFamilies consider recreational physical activities to be part of the therapeutic agenda for their preschool-aged children born extremely preterm.Key stakeholders feel that recreational physical activity should target outcomes beyond the physical.Coach attributes and capability impact participation of children born preterm and their families, and may be enhanced with specific training.Clinicians should be engaged in design of recreational physical activities for children born preterm.

Seeking Choice to Fulfill Health Literacy Needs: Health Literacy Opportunities for Consumers in Hospital Waiting Areas.

In this research, we explore and theorize on the potential of hospital outpatient rehabilitation waiting areas to respond and contribute to the health literacy needs of consumers. Constructivist grounded theory informed the sampling and analytical procedures. Thirty-three consumers attending outpatient rehabilitation for a range of health conditions were recruited to this multi-site study. Semi-structured interview and participant observation data were collected and analyzed concurrently using the constant comparison method. The substantive theory of "seeking choice to fulfill health literacy needs" and five interdependent categories were developed. Results indicated that consumers sought choice reflective of their needs; however, the waiting area offered limited choice. Consumers shared ideas to address the lack of choice. Results provide insight into the health literacy needs of consumers in hospital outpatient waiting areas and how health services can appropriately respond to these needs. Future research should investigate the effect of health service environments on health outcomes.

Barriers, Enablers, and Consumer Design Ideas for Health Literacy Responsive Hospital Waiting Areas: A Framework Method Analysis.

AIM: The study aim was to (1) investigate the barriers and enablers experienced by consumers to accessing and engaging with health tools in hospital waiting areas and (2) evaluate consumers' ideas for designing a health literacy responsive waiting area. BACKGROUND: Health information, resources, and supports ("health tools") in waiting areas should be responsive to the health literacy needs of consumers. However, consumers' experiences of using health tools and their ideas for improving them are not known. METHODS: Multicenter study was set in hospital waiting areas of outpatient rehabilitation services. Semistructured in-person interviews were conducted with 33 adult consumers attending appointments for various health conditions. Seven stages of the Framework Method were used to analyze data. RESULTS: Six themes were identified which explained barriers and enablers from the perspective of consumers. The barriers were accessibility issues; personal factors-physical condition, emotional state, and preferences; and poorly presented and outdated resources. The enablers were design suits consumer needs and preferences; usable in available time or portable; and compatible environment for engaging and sharing. Consumers shared design ideas which fit within four typologies. CONCLUSIONS: A range of barriers and enablers exist which have an impact on consumers' ability to engage with available health information, resources, and supports in hospital outpatient waiting areas. Practical insights from the perspective of consumers can be applied to future health service design. Consumer's design ideas suggest that partnerships with consumers should be formed to design health literacy responsive waiting areas.

Improving centre-based group exercise participation of older adults using the behaviour change wheel.

An emphasis on active ageing could help to delay the onset of frailty. In Singapore, Senior Activity Centres provide free and guided group exercise sessions for older adults. However, one such centre had very low participation rates among community-dwelling older adults despite running standardised programmes. Based on a needs analysis from a prior project, this paper reports on strategies implemented to improve the daily centre-based group exercise participation rate among community-dwelling older adults. Using the behaviour change wheel model, participant motivation domains were identified as primary gaps, while the psychological capability and physical opportunity were categorised as secondary gaps. A logic model was used to design a project to respond to these identified gaps and guide the evaluation approach. Three strategies were implemented over a 4-week period and reviewed at 6 months: (1) promotion of the exercise classes, (2) delayed rewards for participation and (3) health ambassadors. Evaluation findings highlighted that more resources were needed for the training of community-dwelling older adult healthcare ambassadors in the use of motivational interviewing. The interventions were found to be efficacious in increasing daily group exercise participation rate at the centre, from an average of three to nine participants per day over the 4 weeks. Furthermore, more than 60% of these participants achieved the WHO's weekly minimum exercise recommendation for older adults (150 min moderate-intensity physical activity). To increase the engagement of older adults in physical activity or exercise participation, we recommend the use of behaviour change wheel model and the use of community-based health ambassadors. In conclusion, the project found improved daily centre-based group physical exercise participation rates when all the domains in the behaviour change wheel model were addressed.

Health Literacy in Hospital Outpatient Waiting Areas: An Observational Study of What Is Available to and Accessed by Consumers.

AIM: To investigate: (1) the types of health information, resources, and supports available to consumers in hospital outpatient waiting areas and (2) whether these are accessed by consumers. BACKGROUND: Outpatient waiting areas commonly offer health information, resources, and supports to improve the health literacy of waiting consumers. It is not known what is available to or accessed by consumers in hospital outpatient rehabilitation waiting areas. METHODS: A multicenter, prospective, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted in the waiting areas of two hospital outpatient rehabilitation services. Direct observations (in person and video recordings) of the waiting areas were used to describe what health information, resources, and supports were available and, if present, what was being accessed and for how long by consumers. RESULTS: Fifteen hours of in-person and video-recorded observations were documented on purpose-designed instruments across the two sites during 18 observation sessions over 8 days. A total of 68 different health information and resources were identified. Approximately half were specifically for consumers (Site 1: 57%; Site 2: 53%). Only seven (10%) were accessed by consumers across both sites. Each resource (n = 7) was only accessed once. Health resources were used by consumers for 0.8% (3/360 min) of the observation time at each site. Health and social supports and use of other non health resources were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Available health information, resources, and supports were infrequently and briefly accessed by consumers. Further research is required to explore what consumers want and need to improve the health literacy responsiveness of hospital outpatient waiting areas.

Evidence, education and multi-disciplinary integration are needed to embed exercise into lung cancer clinical care: A qualitative study involving physiotherapists.

AIMS: To explore physiotherapists perceptions regarding barriers and enablers to embedding exercise into routine lung cancer clinical care. DESIGN: Qualitative study (content analysis). Eight physiotherapists working in the area of lung cancer at five hospitals participated. The focus group was conducted, transcribed verbatim and independently crosschecked. Thematic analysis was utilized. RESULTS: The data generated four major themes: evidence justifying exercise; staffing and services; maximising the efficacy of interventions; and hospital culture. Physiotherapists perceived that barriers included lack of evidence, lack of physiotherapy time and funding, inconsistencies in patient access to outpatient exercise programs, lack of clear referral pathways, limited knowledge about exercise by the wider multi-disciplinary team, and poor culture of physical activity in the inpatient setting. Recommendations included developing a stronger evidence-base, establishing set patient pathways into exercise programs, re-allocating physiotherapy services to high-risk patients, and integrating/involving the multi-disciplinary team particularly through education and communication. CONCLUSION: This study has identified barriers to, and potential strategies for, the embedding of exercise into lung cancer clinical practice. Evidence, education and multi-disciplinary integration are viewed by physiotherapists as critical for success. A targeted gradual approach, by applying these strategies at defined stages across the lung cancer pathway, is recommended to facilitate future practice change.

What factors affect implementation of early rehabilitation into intensive care unit practice? A qualitative study with clinicians.

PURPOSE: To identify the barriers and enablers that influence clinicians' implementation of early rehabilitation in critical care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Qualitative study involving 26 multidisciplinary participants who were recruited using purposive sampling. Four focus groups were conducted using semistructured questions to explore attitudes, beliefs, and experiences. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS: Six themes emerged, as follows: (1) the clinicians' expectations and knowledge (including rationale for rehabilitation, perceived benefits, and experience), (2) the evidence for and application of rehabilitation (including beliefs regarding when to intervene), (3) patient factors (including prognosis, sedation, delirium, cooperation, motivation, goals, and family), (4) safety considerations (including physiological stability and presence of devices or lines), (5) environmental influences (staffing, resources, equipment, time, and competing priorities), and (6) culture and teamwork. Key strategies identified to facilitate rehabilitation included addressing educational needs for all multidisciplinary team members, supporting junior nursing staff, and potential expansion of physiotherapy staffing hours to closer align with the 24-hour patient care model. CONCLUSIONS: Key barriers to implementation of early rehabilitation in critical care are diverse and include both clinician- and health care system-related factors. Research targeted at bridging this evidence-practice gap is required to improve provision of rehabilitation.

The conceptualisation of health-related quality of life in decision-making by intensive care physicians: A qualitative inquiry.

OBJECTIVES: To explore how intensive care physicians conceptualise and prioritise patient health-related quality of life in their decision-making. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: General qualitative inquiry using elements of Grounded Theory. Six ICU physicians participated. SETTING: A large, closed, mixed ICU at a university-affiliated hospital, Australia. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: (1) Multi-dimensionality of HRQoL-HRQoL was described as difficult to understand; the patient was viewed as the best informant. Proxy information on HRQoL and health preferences was used to direct clinical care, despite not always being trusted. (2) Prioritisation of HRQoL within decision-making-this varied across the patient's health care trajectory. Premorbid HRQoL was prioritised when making admission decisions and used to predict future HRQoL. (3) Role of physician in decision-making-the physicians described their role as representing society with peers influencing their decision-making. All participants considered their practice to be similar to their peers, referring to their practice as the "middle of the road". This is a novel finding, emphasising other important influences in high-stakes decision-making. CONCLUSION: Critical care physicians conceptualised HRQoL as a multi-dimensional subjective construct. Patient (or proxy) voice was integral in establishing patient HRQoL and future health preferences. HRQoL was important in high stakes decision-making including initiating invasive and burdensome therapies or in redirecting therapeutic goals.

Barriers to Translation of Physical Activity into the Lung Cancer Model of Care. A Qualitative Study of Clinicians' Perspectives.

RATIONALE: Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines recommend physical activity for people with lung cancer, however evidence has not translated into clinical practice and the majority of patients do not meet recommended activity levels. OBJECTIVES: To identify factors (barriers and enablers) that influence clinicians' translation of the physical activity guidelines into practice. METHODS: Qualitative study involving 17 participants (three respiratory physicians, two thoracic surgeons, two oncologists, two nurses, and eight physical therapists) who were recruited using purposive sampling from five hospitals in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Nine semistructured interviews and a focus group were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and independently cross-checked by a second researcher. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Five consistent themes emerged: (1) the clinicians perception of patient-related physical and psychological influences (including symptoms and comorbidities) that impact on patient's ability to perform regular physical activity; (2) the influence of the patient's past physical activity behavior and their perceived relevance and knowledge about physical activity; (3) the clinicians own knowledge and beliefs about physical activity; (4) workplace culture supporting or hindering physical activity; and (5) environmental and structural influences in the healthcare system (included clinicians time, staffing, protocols and services). Clinicians described potential strategies, including: (1) the opportunity for nurse practitioners to act as champions of regular physical activity and triage referrals for physical activity services; (2) opportunistically using the time when patients are in hospital after surgery to discuss physical activity; and (3) for all members of the multidisciplinary team to provide consistent messages to patients about the importance of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Key barriers to implementation of the physical activity guidelines in lung cancer are diverse and include both clinician- and healthcare system-related factors. A combined approach to target a number of these factors should be used to inform research, improve clinical services, and develop policies aiming to increase physical activity and improve survivorship outcomes for patients with lung cancer.

Health Professional Workforce Education in the Asia Pacific.

OBJECTIVE: To design and implement an international and interprofessional Global Learning Partnership Model, which involves shared learning between academics and students from Universitas 21 network with other universities with United Nations Millennium Development Goal needs. DESIGN: Two literature reviews were conducted to inform ethical aspects and curriculum design of the GLP model. Feedback from conference presentations and consultation with experts in education and public health has been incorporated to inform the current iteration of the GLP model. INTERVENTION: The pilot group of 25 students from U21 universities and Kathmandu University, representing six health disciplines will meet in Nepal in April 2016 for a shared learning experience, including a one week university based workshop and three week community based experience. OUTCOME MEASURES: A multi-phase, mixed method design was selected for the evaluation of the GLP model, utilising a combination of focus groups and questionnaires to evaluate the efficacy of the placement through student experience and learning outcomes in cultural competency, UN SDG knowledge, community engagement and health promotion skills. RESULTS: The literature review demonstrated that cultural awareness and cultural knowledge were improved through participation in cultural immersion programs that incorporated preparatory workshops and clinical experiences. Data will be gathered in April 2006 and the results of the evaluation will be published in the future. CONCLUSIONS: The GLP model proposes a project around the fundamental concept of engagement and sharing between students and academics across universities and cultural contexts to build capacity through education, while capitalising on strengths of existing global health placements. Further the inclusion of host-country students and academics in this learning exchange will promote the establishment of an international and interprofessional network for ongoing health promotion. Significance for public healthThe Global Learning Partnership model aims to contribute to the capacity building of a health workforce that is capable of working effectively in cross cultural and interprofessional health care teams. A shared public health focused global placement has the potential to catalyse collaborative relationships between educational institutions in the Asia Pacific region.

The use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to understand the health and functioning experiences of people with chronic conditions from the person perspective: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: This systematic review examines the literature to identify the context and extent of implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model to understand the experience of health and functioning in persons with chronic conditions from the person perspective. METHOD: The literature search was conducted through five electronic databases between 2001 and December 2012. Reference lists of included papers were also searched. Articles in which the ICF was used to understand the health and functioning experience of adults with chronic conditions from the person-perspective were included. Data were extracted and analysed to identify the year of publication, geographical location, health condition, context of ICF use, authors' remarks and identified limitations of the ICF. RESULTS: Thirty-seven qualitative and mixed-methods studies were included representing 18 countries and a range of chronic conditions. The ICF was found to be used to elicit and analyse people's narratives, with the majority of studies reporting that the ICF provides a comprehensive analysis of experiences and needs from the person perspective. Some limitations to its use and the need to classify the "personal factors" component were reported. CONCLUSION: The ICF has been used to provide a comprehensive understanding of health and functioning in persons with chronic conditions from the person perspective, although there are currently relatively few studies which have used the ICF in this context. Limitations regarding its use were reported which should be considered by users of the model and during its revision process. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: The ICF encourages a bio-psycho-social and person-centred approach to healthcare and may provide a useful tool for guiding clinical assessment and encouraging clinicians to consider the multitude of factors which impact health, which may result in more specific and individualised treatment targeted at individual needs. Using a common framework that can be understood across health disciplines may enhance interdisciplinary communication and collaboration, improving health care delivery. The ICF may be used to compare perspectives of individuals and their health professionals and to identify people's needs that are not adequately being addressed, which may have significant implications for improving healthcare provided and overall health outcomes.

The REACH project: implementing interprofessional practice at Australia's first student-led clinic.

BACKGROUND: REACH (Realising Education and Access in Collaborative Health) is an initiative of  students of the University of Melbourne to improve access to primary health care services. It is driven by the voluntary commitment of over 120 students and is built upon the principles of collaboration, interprofessionalism and client-centered care. Summary of work: The feasibility of student-led clinics has been demonstrated with the operation of over 100 such clinics in North America. Senior students from Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nursing and Social Work attended a student-run clinics conference in Jacksonville, Florida, USA in 2010. On return, research was conducted to identify a local underserviced community appropriate for a clinic. On review of the literature, it was determined an interprofessional model of care would best serve this community. The student body engaged a local community health service as a project partner. The model of care at the REACH Clinic was developed by senior students from the schools of Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nursing and Social Work and managed by an interconnected student committee structure. The final consultation model involves a triage process and simultaneous consultation by two disciplines. This model of care was successfully implemented during a 4-week pilot period in October 2011. RESULTS: Several issues were identified during the REACH pilot, with dissonance between the at-times competing principles in health care of interprofessionalism, client-centered care and efficient care. CONCLUSIONS: An interprofessional model of care was developed and successfully implemented in a 4-week pilot student-run clinic within an established community health service. While providing a free health service, this model facilitated interprofessional learning at both a clinical and management level and highlighted logistical and ideological challenges that served as the basis for further refinement of this model of community service .

The use of the international classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) in indigenous healthcare: a systematic literature review.

INTRODUCTION: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2001 to obtain a comprehensive perspective of health and functioning of individuals and groups. Health disparities exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and there is a need to understand the health experiences of Indigenous communities from Indigenous Australian's perspectives in order to develop and implement culturally appropriate and effective intervention strategies to improve Indigenous health. This systematic review examines the literature to identify the extent and context of use of the ICF in Indigenous healthcare, to provide the foundation on which to consider its potential use for understanding the health experiences of Indigenous communities from their perspective. METHODS: The search was conducted between May and June 2012 of five scientific and medical electronic databases: MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete and PsychInfo and six Indigenous-specific databases: AIATSIS, APAIS-health, ATSI-health, health and society, MAIS-ATSIS and RURAL. Reference lists of included papers were also searched. Articles which applied the ICF within an Indigenous context were selected. Quantitative and qualitative data were extracted and analysed by two independent reviewers. Agreement was reached by consensus. RESULTS: Five articles met the inclusion criteria however two of the articles were not exclusively in an Indigenous context. One article applied the ICF in the context of understanding the health experience and priorities of Indigenous people and a second study had a similar focus but used the revised version of the International Classification of Impairments, Disability and Handicap (ICIDH-2), the predecessor to the ICF. Four of the five papers involved Indigenous Australians, and one of the paper's participants were Indigenous (First Nation) Canadians. CONCLUSION: Literature referring to the use of the ICF with Indigenous populations is limited. The ICF has the potential to help understand the health and functioning experience of Indigenous persons from their perspective. Further research is required to determine if the ICF is a culturally appropriate tool and whether it is able to capture the Indigenous health experience or whether modification of the framework is necessary for use with this population.

Feldenkrais Method balance classes are based on principles of motor learning and postural control retraining: a qualitative research study.

BACKGROUND: Feldenkrais Method balance classes have been found to be effective in improving balance in recent studies, but there has been little research into possible mechanisms behind the effectiveness of these classes. Indeed, there has been little research into the content of any balance training classes. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the content of a series of Feldenkrais Method balance classes to gain an understanding of how the results in these studies may have been achieved and the principles through which the method may be effective. DESIGN: Qualitative research approach (content analysis). METHOD: Feldenkrais Method Awareness Through Movement lessons were transcribed and the contents were analysed. An intercoder reliability study was undertaken. RESULTS: The content analysis revealed that the classes used motor skill acquisition elements of internal feedback, repetition and variability of practice using an exploratory learning approach. Postural control skills of intersegmental coordination of ankle/hip/trunk synergies were practised, with control of the centre of mass over the base of support explored in anterior/posterior, medio/lateral, diagonal, rotational and circular directions. Key findings were the extensive involvement of trunk flexibility and control in the balance activities, and also the intensive attention to internal feedback which was linked to body awareness training. CONCLUSION: The Awareness Through Movement lessons contained many elements consistent with current theories of motor skill acquisition and postural control, providing a sound theoretical basis for the effectiveness of the Feldenkrais approach in improving balance. The methodology used in this study may provide a useful model for similar investigations into other balance training approaches.