Ability of Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Students to Evaluate and Classify Lumbar Movement Control Using...

The aims of our study were to (1) describe the tests that physiotherapists use to assess lumbopelvic movement control and (2) compare physiotherapists' and physiotherapy students' ability to evaluate lumbar movement dysfunction in patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 93 qualified physiotherapists and 96 students participated in our study. The physiotherapists reported whether they were familiar with lumbopelvic movement control tests and indicated which tests they used to assess lumbopelvic movement control (Part 1). Both the physiotherapists and the students evaluated and classified lumbopelvic movement control while observing videos of patients with NSLBP (Part 2). The responses from physiotherapists and students were described and compared between the two groups using the Fisher exact test (p ≤ 0.05). Odds ratios were calculated in terms of years of experience and level of education. A total of 80 physiotherapists (86%) were familiar with lumbopelvic movement control tests, but only a few were using those tests as part of the assessment of patients; 12 (13%) used waiter's bow; 16 (17%) used rocking forward; 17 (18%) used rocking backward; 32 (34%) used sitting knee extension; 34 (37%) used prone knee flexion; and 70 (75%) used posterior pelvic tilt. The physiotherapy students and qualified physiotherapists generally agreed on the ratings of most of the videos (e.g., as correct or incorrect). A difference was found in only 3 of 24 videos for both the qualified physiotherapists and the physiotherapy students (p = 0.001, p = 0.007, and p = 0.033, respectively), which indicates that qualified physiotherapists and students agreed and classified 21 videos the same. No differences were found in the ability of physiotherapists (regardless of experience) or students to classify patients as presenting with either a flexion or an extension pattern. The majority of physiotherapists were familiar with lumbopelvic movement control tests, but only a few used them. Both the physiotherapists and the students were able to classify patients with NSLBP presenting with either a flexion or an extension pattern.