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Background: Back pain affects nurses’ physical, social and emotional well-being, as they encounter difficulties in executing their social and occupational duties.Objectives: Our study investigated the impact of a cross-cultural back pain... more
Background: Back pain affects nurses’ physical, social and emotional well-being, as they encounter difficulties in executing their social and occupational duties.Objectives: Our study investigated the impact of a cross-cultural back pain campaign on nurses’ beliefs about back pain; activating the participants to self-manage; coping strategies; sick leave claimed; and frequency of doctor visits.Method: A single sample pre- and post-test design was used. The intervention was a 12-week educational campaign based on evidence-based back pain messages. Primary outcomes were measured by their beliefs about back pain and their activation to self-manage. Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 27.0 software, and significant differences from before and after the campaign were analysed using the Chi-square test at a 0.05 significance level.Results: There were no significant differences in the age, gender and work hours of the nurses who participated before and after the campaign, except for...
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Background: The prevalence of spinal pain is high in children and adolescents attending school. There are no evidence-based guidelines to promote spinal health (spinal pain and spinal well-being) in schoolsPurpose: This study aimed to 1)... more
Background: The prevalence of spinal pain is high in children and adolescents attending school. There are no evidence-based guidelines to promote spinal health (spinal pain and spinal well-being) in schoolsPurpose: This study aimed to 1) determine the usefulness of school-based interventions in promoting spinal health in children and adolescents and 2) synthesize the evidence in a user-friendly infographic.Methods: A search was performed across eight databases from the inception of the databases to August 2019 for full-text English-language articles which assessed the effect of school-based interventions on spinal health. Spinal health outcomes included pain limited to the spinal area including lower back, upper back, neck, and neck-shoulder pain, and impacts of spinal pain (e.g., absenteeism from school). Studies were appraised for methodological quality (PEDro scale and Johanna Briggs Institute checklist). The usefulness of interventions was based on meta-analyses; calculated effect size; the number of spinal health outcomes; and the direction of the (summary) effect of the intervention.Results: Twenty-two studies were included. Four interventions were identified: 1) exercise; 2) education; 3) the combination of exercise and education; and 4) furniture.Conclusion: School-based exercise is most useful to promote spinal health in the short term, followed by a combination of exercise and education, and education-only interventions.
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Articles excluded after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, This additional file supplies the reasons for each article after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. (DOCX 14 kb)
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Articles excluded during initial eligibility assessment, This additional file supplies the reasons for each article being excluded during the initial eligibility assessment. (DOCX 16 kb)
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One knowledge translation method, of putting evidence into practice, is the use of clinical practice guidelines (CPG). The purpose of this brief report is to describe an 8‐step process of “how to” contextualize a training programme to... more
One knowledge translation method, of putting evidence into practice, is the use of clinical practice guidelines (CPG). The purpose of this brief report is to describe an 8‐step process of “how to” contextualize a training programme to increase CPG‐uptake for a targeted audience in a clearly defined setting. This process may assist implementation practitioners to fast‐track the development of contextualized training to improve CPG‐uptake.
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BackgroundLack of time has consistently been reported as a major barrier to effective research evidence uptake into clinical practice. There has been no research to our knowledge that explores time as a barrier within the transtheoretical... more
BackgroundLack of time has consistently been reported as a major barrier to effective research evidence uptake into clinical practice. There has been no research to our knowledge that explores time as a barrier within the transtheoretical model of stages of change (SoC), to better understand the processes of physiotherapists' uptake of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). This article explores the concept of lack of time as a barrier for CPG uptake for physiotherapists at different SoC.MethodsA six‐step process is presented to determine the best‐fit SoC for 31 physiotherapy interviewees. This process used an amalgamation of interview findings and socio‐demographic data, which was layered onto the SoC and previously identified time‐barriers to CPG uptake (few staff, high workload, access to CPGs, evidence‐based practice as priority in clinical practice, ‘time is money’ attitude and knowledge on the use of CPGs).ResultsThe analysis process highlighted the complexities of assigning...
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Background: Lack of time has consistently been reported as a major barrier to effective research evidence-uptake into clinical practice. There has been no research to our knowledge that explores time as a barrier within the... more
Background: Lack of time has consistently been reported as a major barrier to effective research evidence-uptake into clinical practice. There has been no research to our knowledge that explores time as a barrier within the Transtheoretical model of Stages of Change (SoC), to better understand the processes of physiotherapists’ uptake of clinical practice guidelines (CPG). This paper explores the concept of lack of time as a barrier for CPG uptake for physiotherapists at different SoC. Methods: A 6-step process is presented to determine the best-fit SoC for 31 physiotherapy interviewees. This process used an amalgamation of interview findings and socio-demographic data, which was layered onto the SoC and previously identified time-barriers to CPG uptake (few staff; high workload; access to CPGs; evidence-based practice as priority in clinical practice; “time is money” attitude; and knowledge on the use of CPGs). Results: The analysis process highlighted the complexities of assigning individuals to a SoC. A model of time management for better CPG uptake is proposed which is a novel approach to assist evidence implementalists and clinicians alike to determine how to progress through the SoC and barriers to improve CPG uptake. Conclusions: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt at exploring the construct of (lack of) time for CPG-uptake in relation to the physiotherapists’ readiness to behaviour change. This study shows that ‘lack of time’ is a euphemism for quite different barriers, which map to different stages of readiness to embrace current best evidence into physiotherapy practice. By understanding what is meant by ‘lack of time’, it may indicate specific support required by physiotherapists at different stages of changing these behaviours.
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Postural control may be impaired in children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The study assessed the protocol feasibility in terms of (1) recruiting children with FASD in a rural, small town; (2) using the measurement... more
Postural control may be impaired in children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The study assessed the protocol feasibility in terms of (1) recruiting children with FASD in a rural, small town; (2) using the measurement instruments in a real-life setting; (3) the one-leg standing (OLS) task and (4) presenting preliminary results on postural stability of children with and without FASD. Nine-year-old children diagnosed with and without FASD were invited to participate. Twenty-eight children performed OLS. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, measurement instrument use and task instruction. Postural stability outcomes included standing duration, centre of pressure (COP) and body segment acceleration. Participants recruitment was feasible in terms of the (1) ability to sample a reasonable participant number in a rural town setting and the capacity to increase the sample size if more schools are included in the sampling frame and (2) use of assent and consent forms that...
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The prevalence of neck and shoulder pain (NSP) is increas-ing in adolescents and is related to increased time spent on computers.The influence of sitting posture on the development of computer-relatedNSP among adolescents is unclear. This... more
The prevalence of neck and shoulder pain (NSP) is increas-ing in adolescents and is related to increased time spent on computers.The influence of sitting posture on the development of computer-relatedNSP among adolescents is unclear. This study investigated how the sittingposture of the upper quadrant changes over a ten minute period ofcomputer use in once asymptomatic adolescents who later developed NSP.M ethod: Sitting alignment was measured using the Photographic PostureA nalysis Method. The students performed a typing task while two con -secutive photographs were taken ten minutes apart. The students werefollowed for six months and the photographs of those who developed NSPw ere analy z ed.R esults: The results show that there is no significant change in sitting posture over time. Observationally the most common pattern was to move from a more flexed posture to a more upright posture and there were greater posturalchanges in the case group (students with extreme cervical angles) co...
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Functional gait is an integral part of life, allowing individuals to function within their environment and participate in activities of daily living. Gait assessment forms an essential part of a physical examination and can help screen... more
Functional gait is an integral part of life, allowing individuals to function within their environment and participate in activities of daily living. Gait assessment forms an essential part of a physical examination and can help screen for physical impairments. No three-dimensional (3D) gait analysis studies of children have been conducted in South Africa. South African gait analysis laboratory protocols and procedures may differ from laboratories in other countries, therefore a South African data base of normative values is required to make a valid assessment of South African children's gait. The primary aim of this study is to describe joint kinematics and spatiotemporal parameters of gait in South African children to constitute a normative database and secondly to assess if there are age related differences in aforementioned gait parameters. A descriptive study was conducted. Twenty-eight typically developing children were conveniently sampled from the Cape Metropole in the W...
Research Interests: Child Development, Medicine, Spatio Temporal Analysis, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gait, and 14 moreSouth Africa, Humans, Child, Gait Analysis, Kinematics, Female, Male, Normative, Sex Factors, Pilot Projects, Reference Values, Biomechanical Phenomena, Hip Joint, and Paediatrics and reproductive medicine
Research Interests: Anthropometry, Manual Therapy, Adolescent, Medicine, Physical Therapy, and 15 moreComputers, Prospective studies, Humans, Back Pain, Female, Male, Neck Pain, Confidence intervals, Musculoskeletal pain, Incidence, Posture, Clinical Sciences, Pain Measurement, Cohort Studies, and Computing Methodologies
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BACKGROUND: Spinal pain is one of the leading causes of morbidity globally. There is an increase in the number of children and adolescents who experience spinal pain and the lifetime prevalence of adolescent spinal pain varies between... more
BACKGROUND: Spinal pain is one of the leading causes of morbidity globally. There is an increase in the number of children and adolescents who experience spinal pain and the lifetime prevalence of adolescent spinal pain varies between countries. In Africa, one in two adolescents experiences spinal pain and the prevalence is increasing. OBJECTIVE: This study reports on the knowledge and perspectives of school-attending children, adolescents, teachers, and parents/guardians regarding spinal health. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive qualitative case study with an interpretative and phenomenological approach. Data coding, management and analysis was done using ATLAS.ti computer software. RESULTS: Ninety-three participants (66 women and 27 men) were enrolled in the study. The barriers associated with students’ spinal health were multifactorial, including low levels of physical activity, dangerous gameplay, sports risks, poor ergonomics, school bags, insufficient knowledge, and pregnanc...
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Background: Musculoskeletal disorders gain importance in the field of nursing because activities done by nurses routinely contribute to their occurrence because they are repetitive and labour intensive. To provide empirical evidence on... more
Background: Musculoskeletal disorders gain importance in the field of nursing because activities done by nurses routinely contribute to their occurrence because they are repetitive and labour intensive. To provide empirical evidence on ergonomic interventions in the field of nursing, this study assessed the effects of ergonomic interventions in nurses on function, neuro-muscular pain and quality of life. Methods: The standard practices for systematic reviews guidelines were used in defining participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes and study designs. The MEDLINE search strategy combined with the Cochrane Highly Sensitive Search Strategy for identifying RCTs was used to systematically search for articles published in English between 1990 and 2016. Studies where participants were nurses at the time of the intervention, and had symptoms or were exposed to risk factors for WRMDs in their workplace were considered for this review. Analysis of data were done using Review Manager ...
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AimsTo determine the back pain beliefs, coping strategies and factors associated with participant activation for self‐management of back pain amongst nurses working in peri‐urban district healthcare centres.DesignA descriptive... more
AimsTo determine the back pain beliefs, coping strategies and factors associated with participant activation for self‐management of back pain amongst nurses working in peri‐urban district healthcare centres.DesignA descriptive cross‐sectional study design.MethodsData were collected between February and March 2020 using a self‐administered questionnaire. Descriptive data analysis was done in Stata version 20.0. Back pain beliefs, participant activation and coping strategies were presented using relative frequencies and percentages. Odds ratios at 5% significance level were used to test association of factors for participant activation for self‐management of back pain.ResultsMajority of the participants had experienced back pain which lasted 3 days for half of the participants. Further, pain medication was commonly used to cope with back pain. In addition, age, gender and work‐setting were significantly associated with participant activation for self‐management of back pain.Conclusion...
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ObjectivesAdolescents regularly engage in screen‐based activities. Complex factors influence adolescents' growth, and habitual sitting posture. The association between over‐time changes in their sitting posture, and upper quadrant... more
ObjectivesAdolescents regularly engage in screen‐based activities. Complex factors influence adolescents' growth, and habitual sitting posture. The association between over‐time changes in their sitting posture, and upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain (UQMP) is poorly understood. This study tested the association between change over 12 months in seated posture angles (neck flexion [NF]; craniocervical angle [CCA] into flexion and extension; and thoracic flexion [TF]), UQMP, and predictor variables (anxiety and depression; sport activity, music participation; computer use).MethodsA one‐year prospective longitudinal study enrolled 211 asymptomatic 15‐18‐year students. 3D motion analysis captured postural angles while students worked on desktop computers, at baseline and 12 months later. Height, weight, computing time, sport and music participation, and depression and anxiety were measured at both time periods. UQMP in the previous month was captured at 12 months. The association b...
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Background: Non-specific neck pain is a common health problem of global concern for office workers. This systematic review ascertained the latest evidence for the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise versus no therapeutic exercise on... more
Background: Non-specific neck pain is a common health problem of global concern for office workers. This systematic review ascertained the latest evidence for the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise versus no therapeutic exercise on reducing neck pain and improving quality of life (QoL) in office workers with non-specific neck pain.Method: Seven electronic databases using keywords, that is, ‘office workers’, ‘non-specific neck pain’, ‘exercise’ and/or ‘exercise therapy’, ‘QoL’, ‘strengthening’, ‘stretching’, ‘endurance’, ‘physiotherapy’ and/or ‘physical therapy’, were searched from inception until March 2017. Heterogeneous data were reported in narrative format and comparable homogenous data were pooled using Revman.Results: Eight randomised control trials were reviewed and scored on average 6.63/10 on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Five studies performed strengthening exercise, one study had a strengthening and an endurance exercise group, one study performed ...
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Purpose: Children and adolescents with burn injuries are at risk of living with social, educational, physical and psychological impairments. The systematic review aimed to ascertain the effectiveness of resistance strength training on... more
Purpose: Children and adolescents with burn injuries are at risk of living with social, educational, physical and psychological impairments. The systematic review aimed to ascertain the effectiveness of resistance strength training on muscle strength and lean body mass (LBM) in children and adolescents with burn injuries.Method: Five databases were searched. Randomised controlled trials with an intervention defined as a supervised, individualised resistance exercise programme were sought. The outcomes included muscle strength and/or LBM. The PEDro scale was used to describe the methodological quality. Comparable data were combined using RevMan©.Results: Seven papers were included in the review with an average methodological appraisal score of 5.7/11. Comparable data were combined for muscle strength and LBM. The meta-analysis revealed no significant clinical difference between the exercise and standard care groups after 3 months of strength training for both muscle strength (p = 0.4...
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Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) provide conveniently packaged evidence-based recommendations to inform clinical decisions. However, intended end-users often do not know how to source, appraise, interpret or choose among... more
Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) provide conveniently packaged evidence-based recommendations to inform clinical decisions. However, intended end-users often do not know how to source, appraise, interpret or choose among CPGs. Moreover, it can be confusing when recommendations on the same topic differ among CPGs, in wording, intent and underpinning evidence.Objectives: This article reports on the processes of: (1) identifying current CPGs for acute and subacute low back pain (LBP) to fit the needs of South African physiotherapists, (2) collating and summarising CPG recommendations to produce a user-friendly end-user product and (3) testing the utility of the summary CPG document on South African physiotherapy clinicians to efficiently determine acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility to inform clinical decision-making.Method: An adapted approach was followed by systematically searching online CPG repositories and online databases for LBP CPGs; screening and cri...
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Research Interests: Pain, Depression, Manual Therapy, Adolescent, Anxiety, and 22 moreStudents, Computers, South Africa, Prospective studies, Humans, Back Pain, Female, Male, Neck Pain, Musculoskeletal pain, Risk factors, Posture, SHOULDER PAIN, Clinical Sciences, South African, Prevalence, High School Student, Risk Factors, ANXIETY, Observational Study, Pain Measurement, and Prospective Study
Upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain (UQMP) is a common health problem in children and adolescents. The upper quadrant refers to the occiput, cervical and upper thoracic spine including the clavicles and scapulae. The current literature,... more
Upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain (UQMP) is a common health problem in children and adolescents. The upper quadrant refers to the occiput, cervical and upper thoracic spine including the clavicles and scapulae. The current literature, which indicates that sitting, in terms of sedentary activities and sitting spinal posture, is a possible risk factor of UQMP, is controversial. This systematic review is aimed at ascertaining whether there is evidence for sitting as a risk factor for UQMP, and determining the different elements of sitting that are related to UQMP experienced by children and adolescents. Six electronic databases, BioMed Central (2007-2011), CINAHL (2007-2011), Proquest (2007-2011), Pubmed (2007-2011), Science Direct (2007-2011) and SCOPUS (1960-2011) were searched. The eligible papers were appraised using a standardised critical appraisal tool, the Critical Appraisal Tool for Quantitative Studies (Law et al., 1998). Ten papers were eligible for the review. Four papers reported significant positive associations between sitting and UQMP in children and adolescents. Five elements of sitting were identified as relating to UQMP. Those were sitting duration; activities while sitting; activities while sitting and sitting duration; dynamism; and postural angles. There is unequivocal evidence that sitting and UQMP are related in children and adolescents. End of range postural angles should be considered as possible risk factors and these elements of sitting should be explored in future research.
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RATIONALE, AIM AND OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of health care practitioners using objective clinical tools with sound psychometric properties. There is also a need for researchers to improve their reporting of the validity and reliability... more
RATIONALE, AIM AND OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of health care practitioners using objective clinical tools with sound psychometric properties. There is also a need for researchers to improve their reporting of the validity and reliability results of these clinical tools. Therefore, to promote the use of valid and reliable tools or tests for clinical evaluation, this paper reports on the development of a critical appraisal tool to assess the psychometric properties of objective clinical tools. A five-step process was followed to develop the new critical appraisal tool: (1) preliminary conceptual decisions; (2) defining key concepts; (3) item generation; (4) assessment of face validity; and (5) formulation of the final tool. The new critical appraisal tool consists of 13 items, of which five items relate to both validity and reliability studies, four items to validity studies only and four items to reliability studies. The 13 items could be scored as 'yes', 'no' or 'not applicable'. This critical appraisal tool will aid both the health care practitioner to critically appraise the relevant literature and researchers to improve the quality of reporting of the validity and reliability of objective clinical tools.