Survey of non‐physiotherapy department medical staff in China and their understanding of physiotherapy in comprehensive management of haemophilia

Abstract

Introduction Physiotherapy plays a very important role in comprehensive care of patients with haemophilia. Due to limited resources and a lack of understanding among medical personnel, physiotherapy has not become a standard component of comprehensive management of haemophilia in China. Aim To investigate the understanding and practice of physiotherapy in the comprehensive management of haemophilia by non‐physiotherapy department medical staff engaged in haemophilia work in China. Methods A specifically designed questionnaire was used to investigate the medical staff who participated in the 10th World Federation of Hemophilia—Hemophilia Conference China held in Xi'an, China, from 14 October to 16 October 2016. Results Among all respondents, 97.2% believed that haemophilia patients needed physiotherapy. However, only 17.5% of the respondents were found to have a very accurate understanding of the timing of physiotherapeutic interventions for haemophilia patients; 83.9% of the respondents worried that physiotherapy would increase the incidence of new haemorrhagic episodes in haemophilia patients, and 11.1% of the respondents never recommended physiotherapy for haemophilia patients. Factors that independently affected the respondents’ knowledge of the timing of physiotherapy in haemophilia patients were their professional rank and participation in continuing education that included haemophilia physiotherapy. One factor that independently affected respondents’ recommendation of physiotherapy to patients was participation in continuing education that included haemophilia physiotherapy. Conclusion Haemophilia continuing education covering physiotherapy should be strengthened for new non‐physiotherapy medical staff in the haemophilia field.

The effectiveness of manual therapy in addition to passive stretching exercises in the treatment of patients with haemophilic knee arthropathy: A randomized, single‐blind clinical trial

“…Although concerns have been reported about potential risks posed by physiotherapy treatments in terms of causing new bleeding events in patients with haemophilia, 26 our study showed an improvement in the frequency of knee hemarthrosis in those patients who received our manual therapy intervention. This improvement in the frequency of hemarthrosis has been previously observed after applying traction 16 and joint mobilization 14,17 techniques in patients with haemophilic arthropathy.…”

Effects of Physical Therapy on Joint Pain, Joint Range of Motion, Joint Health, Strength, and Mobility in Patients With Hemophilia

“…There has been concern that physiotherapy possibly increased the hemorrhage rate in patients with hemophilia and non-physical therapy department medical staff. 30 In the present meta-analysis, no adverse event was reported for patients in the physical therapy groups during the intervention periods. Furthermore, the included studies in the present meta-analysis report on the safety of performing physical therapy.…”

Publishing in the Haemophilia Journal: Opportunities and challenges for developing countries

“…These contributions have addressed important issues including the modalities and benefits of low‐dose prophylaxis, haemophilia demographics across different parts of the world, associated comorbidities, cultural and social implications, haemophilia patients' quality of life and management of specific complications, such as pseudotumors. This is illustrated by some of the recently published papers in the Haemophilia Journal that have provided original data on the causes of mortality in Brazil, the understanding and practice of physiotherapy in the comprehensive management of haemophilia in China and haemophilia carriers' awareness in Côte d'Ivoire . Likewise, one must take into account that many developing countries very actively contribute to therapeutic developments by enrolling numerous patients into clinical trials designed to validate new treatment options, including gene therapy.…”