Evidence Based Practice?
Online Physiotherapy
You wouldn’t distribute a vaccine without it being researched, deemed safe and clinically effective would you? Physiotherapy interventions are similar. Why poke someone with a stick or shine lasers at them or crack their backs without solid supporting evidence first?
This is the basis of evidence based practice (EBP). A term which was first coined as Evidence based Medicine in 1991. Later in 2005 a group of excited pioneers changed this term to evidence based practice and defined it below
‘EBP requires that decisions about health care are based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence. These decisions should be made by those receiving care, informed by the tacit and explicit knowledge of those providing care, within the context of available resources.’
Sicily statement on EBP 2005
It was later then remodelled, re-tweeked and re-defined but meant pretty much the same thing. Exciting times.
From a very simple physiotherapy perspective, we understand this to mean that when a physiotherapist makes a treatment decision with their patient, they base it on their clinical expertise, the preferences of the patient, and the best available evidence.
So how we assess the patient should be evidence based. Questionnaires and special tests we use will be validated to ensure its measuring what it claims to be measuring. They also should be reliable so they are consistent and easily reproduced.
Advice the physio provides the patient should be based on our best understanding of the research. For example, it is known that pain neuroscience education is a highly effective (evidence based) tool for managing chronic lower back pain. Utilising these strategies to their potential should be an integral part of our EBP management.
Exercise based therapy is the absolute mutts nuts from an EBP perspective and stands head and shoulders above all other passive methods of physiotherapy treatment. Passive interventions include massage, manipulations, adjustments, taping, electrotherapy etc.
Thankfully, for online physiotherapists such as our team at PhysioHub, we are able to incorporate the 2 best EBP physiotherapy interventions:
1. Exercise based therapy
2. Sound patient advice.
If you would like to speak to an online physiotherapist or to see how a remote physiotherapy session could be of benefit to you, please feel free to contact us.
Exploring the evidence for Exercise to treat lower back pain. Online Physiotherapy team Physiohub’s video explainer.
Exploring the Evidence for online physiotherapy and chronic knee pain. Online Physiotherapy team Physiohub’s video explainer
Exploring the evidence for exercise and chronic neck pain
Physiohub is an online physiotherapy company. We offer a 100% virtual service providing remote physiotherapy assessments, online physiotherapy treatment and rehabilitation sessions and online DSE assessments. To learn more about the services we provide, see our services page below.