Physiotherapy post Vertebral Fragility Fracture: A Scoping Review

The incidence of vertebral fragility fractures (VFF) is rising, placing a major burden on individuals and health systems. No comprehensive picture of the research regarding physiotherapy exists for this patient cohort.

This scoping review aims to summarise the research regarding Physiotherapy post VFF, the type of physiotherapy interventions employed and outcome measures utilised.

Scoping review, adhering to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Databases searched were PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase from 2005 to November 2021. Grey literature searching was conducted using ProQuest and Open Grey. A narrative summary of data was compiled to describe the current evidence regarding physiotherapy post VFF.

Articles were included if they related to Physiotherapy interventions delivered to patients with VFF in any setting.

A narrative synthesis was conducted.

Thirteen studies were included with five randomised control trials, three pilot RCTs, two qualitative studies, one cross-sectional survey of clinicians, one cohort study and one prospective comparative study. Interventions most commonly reported were exercise, education or manual therapy. A large diversity of outcome measures was utilised most commonly in the spinal deformity, physical performance and balance, pain and quality of life domains.

Findings of this scoping review indicate the limited evidence to guide physiotherapists in the management of patients with VFF. The most commonly explored physiotherapy interventions were exercise, manual therapy and education. A diversity of outcome measures is utilised. Research is urgently needed, including high quality clinical trials with representative populations and studies exploring physiotherapy practice and the experience of patients with VFF. CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER.