Narrowing the physiotherapy knowledge-practice gap: faculty training beyond the health sciences
(2023)”Physiotherapists seek to improve client movement and promote function within an individual’s unique environmental and social realities. Despite this intention, there is a well-noted knowledge-practice gap, that is, therapists generally lack sufficient foundational preparation to effectively navigate societal challenges impacting contemporary healthcare. As one step toward addressing the issue, we propose an educational solution targeting current and future physiotherapy faculty, whose responsibilities for entry-level course development and curriculum design substantially impact student readiness for clinical practice. We propose that physiotherapy faculty trained via postprofessional education in a non-biomedical field (e.g. psychology, education, and philosophy) will be uniquely prepared to provide students with tools for dealing with complex social issues facing their clients; critical analysis skills; statistical and technological training; and a deeper theoretical and philosophical understanding of practice. Taken together, such interdisciplinary tools could help address the knowledge-practice gap for physiotherapists and promote the ongoing evolution of the profession in concert with contemporary healthcare. Physiotherapists who pursue interdisciplinary studies may more deeply understand the challenges faced by clinicians and may be well-positioned to leverage knowledge and methods in another scientific discipline to expand and transform the scope of solutions to these challenges.”
Factors guiding therapist decision making in the rehabilitation of physical function after severely disabling stroke – an ethnographic study
(2022)🔓”Whilst strong evidence supports rehabilitation to improve outcomes post-stroke, there is limited evidence to guide rehabilitation in the most severely disabled group. In an era of evidence-based practice, the aim of the study was to understand what factors guide physiotherapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) to select particular interventions in the rehabilitation of physical function after severely disabling stroke.”
Experiences of Physical Therapists and Professional Leaders With Implementing a Toolkit to Advance Walking Assessment Poststroke: A Realist Evaluation
(2022)🔓”This paper examined the influence of contextual circumstances on use of the toolkit and implementation strategy across acute care and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings.”
HIV advocacy: knowledge translation and implementation at three diverse sites in sub-Saharan Africa
(2022) “To explore how the gap in knowledge translation around HIV and rehabilitation could be addressed using advocacy. This article describes and reflects on lessons learned from incorporating content on HIV and advocacy into the curricula at three diverse physiotherapy (PT) programs in sub-Saharan Africa.”
Limited evidence exists on determinants of physiotherapists’ adherence to high value interventions in nonspecific low back pain management: A scoping review
(2021)”Examining the emerging body of evidence investigating what drives physiotherapist’s clinical decisions in the management of low back pain can guide future research into identifying barriers and facilitators of their adherence to evidence recommended interventions.”