Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Muscular Dystrophies/physiopathology , Myalgia/therapy , Acupuncture Therapy/methods , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Muscular Dystrophies/therapy , Muscular Dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral/physiopathology , Muscular Dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral/therapy , Physical Therapy Modalities , Trigger PointsSubject(s)
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease/therapy , Occupational Therapy/methods , Physical Therapy Modalities , Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease/diagnosis , Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease/physiopathology , Disability Evaluation , France , Gait Analysis/methods , Humans , Locomotion/physiology , Occupational Therapy/classification , Occupational Therapy/standards , Physical Therapy Modalities/classification , Physical Therapy Modalities/standards , Postural Balance/physiology , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Proprioception/physiology , Range of Motion, Articular/physiology , Walk Test/methodsABSTRACT
OBJETIVE: To know the prevalence of acupuncturists within physical and rehabilitation medicine specialists in Europe and their characteristics, as well as to analyze the pathologies treated and therapeutic techniques used. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study based on a structured and closed questionnaire. The study was carried out from October 2011 to May 2014. RESULTS: A total of 115 specialists from 19 countries completed the questionnaire. The mean characteristics of the physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) specialists who are also acupuncturists in Europe were: women (62.6 %); mean age of 47.91 years old; 4.20 years of physical and rehabilitation medicine school and 2.00 years of acupuncture training; 15.03 years of mean time of clinical practice as physical and rehabilitation medicine specialists and 10.42 years of experience as acupuncturists; 35.65 % had a doctorate (PhD) degree, obtained at a mean age of 33.55 years old; working in a public hospital (80%); treating mainly neurological conditions (48.1% ) and using mainly techniques such as kinesiotherapy (11.81%), orthosis (10.40%) and electrotherapy (9.92%). Acupuncture was applied by 32.2% of the participants mainly in musculoskeletal conditions (27.38%). A mean number of more than 20 patients a day were treated by 47.04% of the specialists, being 41.8% of the patients (adults and children). Significant differences were found between the variables, acupuncture and gender (Pearson's correlation Index = 0.007). However, no differences were observed in relation to acupuncture and age, doctorate degree, years of clinical practice and workplace (all with P values > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the European area, physical and rehabilitation medicine specialists who are also acupuncturists are mainly female, middle-aged, with 15 years of professional experience, PhD holders, working in public hospitals, treating mainly neurological conditions with kinesiotherapy and acupuncture, and treating over 20 patients a day (adults and children) during a 7 h shift. Further epidemiological studies on PRM to provide more information regarding the real situation of this medical specialty and the possibility to open to Chinese traditional medicine techniques such as acupuncture are necessary.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine/methods , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Europe/epidemiology , European Union , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , WorkforceABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To develop clinical practice guidelines about the use of taping in the management of lower limb osteoarthritis. METHOD: We used the methodology advocated by the SOFMER (French Society for Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine), which combines a literature review, collection of data on current practice patterns, and validation of the recommendations by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Our evaluation focused on the effectiveness of taping in relieving symptoms of lower limb osteoarthritis. RESULTS: Ankle taping for osteoarthritis is not recommended, given the absence of published data and very low level of use in France. Few studies are available on knee taping for osteoarthritis. CONCLUSIONS: Published studies exhibit a number of methodological weaknesses. There is no strong evidence that taping is effective in knee osteoarthritis, and this treatment modality is rarely used in France. Therefore, there is no strong basis at present for recommending taping as part of the management of knee osteoarthritis. Well-designed studies of patellar taping to modify the relationships between the patellar and the trochlea are desirable to determine whether this treatment modality benefits patients with knee osteoarthritis, most notably those with involvement of the femoropatellar compartment.
