The role of the physiotherapist in concussion

South African Journal of Physiotherapy

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The role of the physiotherapist in concussion
 
Creator Robertson, Megyn K. McLoughlin, James
 
Subject — concussion; physiotherapy; vestibular; oculomotor; cervicogenic; autonomic; mental health; intradisciplinary
Description In the last decade, concussion research has exploded in multiple fields of scientific research. This has helped to clarify what causes, influences, and perpetuates human concussion, and displays the integral role physiotherapists play in concussion management. In this article we discuss the latest research relevant to the key role of physiotherapy in concussion management. A narrative review of the literature on concussion was conducted. The current review analyses how concussion has influenced physiotherapy in several categories: assessment, treatment, management, research rigour and building the profile of the profession. Scientific concussion research has largely converged in support of the role of physiotherapists utilising specific components including: (1) autonomic, (2) cervicogenic, (3) vestibulo-ocular and (4) psychological approaches to management. Latest research supports the critical role of physiotherapy in concussion care in the assessment, management, and prevention of concussion with scope for further interdisciplinary collaborations.Clinical implications: Concussion is complex. A basic mental health, Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) and four key components relating to concussion management (autonomic, cervicogenic, vestibular oculomotor, and psychological approaches to management) should be included in the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum. This will aid clinical physiotherapists to support their patients. A call to advance more intradisciplinary physiotherapy teamwork should be encouraged as valuable knowledge sharing is potentially lost within the framework of ‘specialisation’. If needed, the skills of a greater interdisciplinary team are imperative to facilitate patient management and recovery from this multi-faceted injury.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2024-04-30
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajp.v80i1.2013
 
Source South African Journal of Physiotherapy; Vol 80, No 1 (2024); 8 pages 2410-8219 0379-6175
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2013/3573 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2013/3574 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2013/3575 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2013/3576
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2024 Megyn K. Robertson, James McLoughlin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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