Requirements and Value Elicitation for a High-Fidelity Pelvic Floor Simulator for Physiotherapists: Mixed Methods...

Area of Science:

• Pelvic floor physical therapy
• Medical simulation technology
• Anatomical modeling

Background:

• Physiotherapists report insufficient training for pelvic examinations, impacting confidence in managing pelvic floor disorders (PFDs).
• Existing pelvic simulators lack the ability to demonstrate pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function or dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine physiotherapists' requirements for a high-fidelity PFM simulator.
• To identify key use cases for PFM simulators in physiotherapy training.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach using a web-based survey.
• Quantitative data analyzed with descriptive statistics and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests.
• Qualitative data analyzed using thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• 66 physiotherapists participated; primary use cases identified were training (84.9%) and patient education (72.7%).
• Pelvic organ prolapse and PFM tone/function were key desired demonstrations.
• Key features included positional tracking, force sensing, and a preference for generic simulators.

Conclusions:

• PFM simulators offer significant value for physiotherapy training and patient education.
• Recommendations include realistic materials, PFM dynamics, modularity, varied feedback, affordability, and curriculum integration.