A description of Physical Therapists Knowledge in Basic Competence Examination of Musculo-skeletal Conditions an Italian National Cross-Sectional Survey

Giovannico, Giuseppe; Brindisino, Fabrizio; Pappaccogli, Marco; Saltalamacchia, A.; Bonetti, Francesca; Tavarnelli, M.; Mezzetti, Maura; Delitto, Anthony

doi:10.32098/mltj.04.2020.17

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The COVID-19 pandemic strongly threatened the sustainability of healthcare systems worldwide due to the complexity of patients’ symptoms [ 34 ] and an incessant demand for care [ 35 ], leading, in some cases, almost to collapse [ 36 ]. This emergency pointed out a long-lasting concern that complex healthcare systems and general practitioners should be relieved from managing certain health conditions, such as MSD, which may find adequate support by healthcare professionals, mainly from physical therapists [ 25 , 37 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct Access to Physical Therapy: Should Italy Move Forward?

Maselli

Piano²,

Cecchetto³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Direct access to physical therapy (DAPT) is the patient’s ability to self-refer to a physical therapist, without previous consultation from any other professional. This model of care has been implemented in many healthcare systems since it has demonstrated better outcomes than traditional models of care. The model of DAPT mainly focuses on the management of musculoskeletal disorders, with a huge epidemiological burden and worldwide healthcare systems workload. Among the healthcare professionals, physical therapists are one of the most accessed for managing pain and disability related to musculoskeletal disorders. Additionally, the most updated guidelines recommend DAPT as a first-line treatment because of its cost-effectiveness, safety, and patients’ satisfaction compared to other interventions. DAPT was also adopted to efficiently face the diffuse crisis of the declining number of general practitioners, reducing their caseload by directly managing patients’ musculoskeletal disorders traditionally seen by general practitioners. World Physiotherapy organization also advocates DAPT as a new approach, with physical therapy in a primary care pathway to better control healthcare expenses. Thus, it is unclear why the Italian institutions have decided to recognize new professions instead of focusing on the growth of physical therapy, a long-established and autonomous health profession. Furthermore, it is unclear why DAPT is still not fully recognized, considering the historical context and its evidence. The future is now: although still preliminary, the evidence supporting DAPT is promising. Hard skills, academic paths, scientific evidence, and the legislature argue that this paradigm shift should occur in Italy.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct Access to Physical Therapy: Should Italy Move Forward?

Maselli

Piano²,

Cecchetto³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Consequently, it would be of crucial importance for PTs to master the main abdominal palpation techniques. Such assessment methods, together with the ability to screen for RFs, should be taught in Physiotherapy degree courses, with specific training being provided (Giovannico et al., 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Red flags useful to screen for gastrointestinal and hepatic diseases in patients with shoulder pain: A scoping review

Pennella

Giagio

Maselli³

et al. 2022

Musculoskeletal Care

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction In most patients, shoulder pain has a neuromusculoskeletal cause. However, it might conceal other types of disorders, hiding a non‐neuromusculoskeletal condition. The main aim of this scoping review is to map and summarise findings to identify red flags for gastrointestinal and hepatic diseases in the assessment of patients with shoulder pain. Methods Five databases were searched up to 31 May 2021. Additional studies have been identified through grey literature, and the reference lists of the included studies have been screened. Any study design and publication type have been considered to be eligible for inclusion. No time, geographical setting and language restrictions have been applied. Results A total of 157 records have been identified, with 40 studies meeting the inclusion criteria (37 case reports, 2 retrospective studies and 1 systematic review with meta‐analysis). The most prevalent red flags associated with shoulder pain were abdominal pain (14 cases) and abdominal discomfort (3 cases), reported by 47% of patients. As for comorbidities, hepato‐gastric, cardiac, visceral and systemic diseases were the most common ones. Conclusion Abdominal pain, right and left hypochondriac pain, and epigastric pain represent the most prevalent symptoms in patients with an abdominal disease that could mimic a shoulder problem. Clinicians should be encouraged to screen for red flags when assessing patients with shoulder pain.

show abstract

“…The physiotherapist has an ethical and moral duty to conduct differential screenings in order to rule out extra-expertise pathologies—both when the patient self-refers for rehabilitation assessment, and when they are referred by other practitioners. Unfortunately, it seems that physiotherapists with bachelor’s degrees might not have the specific tools and advanced training to conduct a proper anamnestic investigation, or to collect and integrate clinical data in order to correctly exclude pathologies that are beyond the scope of their expertise [ 36 ]. However, improving these skills should be crucial, since some clinicians may not be able to identify the symptom patterns underlying patients’—sometimes life-threatening—pathologies, or because a systemic or visceral picture may rise during the time between medical evaluation and physiotherapist consultation [ 37 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tumour Hidden behind Thoracic Spine Pain: A Rare Case of Neuroblastoma in a Young Mother—A Case Report

Passudetti

Leo

Maselli

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common form of paediatric malignancy, responsible for up to 15% of cancer deaths in children, whereas in adults, its onset is a rarer event, despite being characterized by greater lethality. The purpose of this case report was to describe the clinical presentation, physical examination, and clinical decision-making process in a patient with Neuroblastoma mimicking thoracic spine pain of musculoskeletal origin. Methods: a thirty-two-year-old mother complained of thoracic spine pain on her left vertebral side and in her left periscapular muscles; her pain was constant, deep, and worse at night; she also experienced pain during physical exertion of her upper limbs; the patient also reported pain in her left breast. Results: the physiotherapist’s anamnesis and physical examination led him to suspect the need for an extra-expertise pathology and to refer his patient to another medical specialist; the subsequent investigations revealed a poorly differentiated Neuroblastoma ALK + (IIC) in the posterior mediastinum on the left; the patient underwent surgery excision after 4 months. Conclusions: differential screening should be a physiotherapist’s fundamental skill in their patients’ clinical management, especially in direct access cases; the physiotherapist has an ethical and moral duty to conduct differential screening, in order to rule out extra-expertise pathologies—both when patients self-refer for rehabilitation assessment, and when they are referred by other practitioners.

show abstract

A description of Physical Therapists Knowledge in Basic Competence Examination of Musculo-skeletal Conditions an Italian National Cross-Sectional Survey

Cited by 12 publications

References 11 publications

Direct Access to Physical Therapy: Should Italy Move Forward?

Direct Access to Physical Therapy: Should Italy Move Forward?

Red flags useful to screen for gastrointestinal and hepatic diseases in patients with shoulder pain: A scoping review

Tumour Hidden behind Thoracic Spine Pain: A Rare Case of Neuroblastoma in a Young Mother—A Case Report

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About