Article

Best practice guidelines for stroke rehabilitation recommend
functional electrical stimulation (FES) to improve gait and upper extremity
function. Whether these guidelines have been implemented in practice is unknown.
The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine the frequency with
which physical therapists use FES to address common therapeutic goals poststroke
and (2) to identify the barriers to and facilitators of FES use. DESIGN: This was
a cross-sectional, survey study. METHODS: A valid and reliable online survey was
sent to Canadian physical therapists. Questions about demographic
characteristics, FES use, knowledge of FES literature, and barriers and
facilitators were posed. Closed-ended questions were analyzed with descriptive
statistics and index scoring to produce summary scores. Pearson or point-biserial
correlation coefficients correlated FES use with demographic variables.
Open-ended questions about barriers and facilitators were analyzed by 3
researchers using a conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Two hundred
ninety-eight physical therapists responded. Use of FES for clients with stroke
was low for all therapeutic goals queried (improve walking, arm function, muscle
strength and endurance, and sensation; prevent shoulder subluxation; and decrease
spasticity). However, 52.6% of the respondents stated that they would like to
increase their use of FES. More than 40% of the respondents were unsure of the
strength of the evidence supporting FES for stroke care. Physical therapists with
postgraduate FES training were more likely to use FES (r=.471, P<.001). A lack of
access to resources, such as time, equipment, and training, was the most
frequently cited barrier to FES use. LIMITATIONS: As an observational study,
cause-and-effect relationships for FES use cannot be identified. CONCLUSIONS:
Functional electrical stimulation is not widely used by physical therapists in
stroke rehabilitation. Improving access to resources-in particular, continuing
education-may facilitate the implementation of FES into clinical practice.
CI - (c) 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Langue : ANGLAIS