To Örebro University

oru.seÖrebro University Publications
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Physical therapy treatment after cardiac surgery: a national survey of practice in Greece
Department of Physiotherapy, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden .
Örebro University, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden. Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8363-1662
2013 (English)In: Journal of Clinical & Experimental Cardiology, ISSN 2155-9880, no S7, p. 004-Article in journal (Other academic) Published
Abstract [en]

Physical therapy is offered to patients undergoing cardiac surgery in many countries. There is limited published data on what physical therapy treatments are provided and what exercises are recommended to patients after cardiac surgery in Europe. The aim of this survey was to establish the current practice of physical therapy for cardiac surgery patients in Greece. A prospective survey was carried out among a total population sample of physical therapists at all public and private cardiothoracic centers in Greece. A postal questionnaire was used to determine the actual physical therapy management of cardiac surgery patients. In total, 45 physical therapists (response rate 78%) from public and private hospitals completed the survey. The mean work experience as physical therapist at a department of cardiothoracic surgery was 10 ± 6 years. Preoperative information was given, according to half of the physical therapists. During the first postoperative days the patients usually received 1 to 6 treatment sessions a day by the physical therapist. Usual physical therapy treatments during the first postoperative days were breathing exercises, coughing techniques, chest wall vibrations, and mobilization. Coughing support was provided to the patients, according to 91% of the physical therapists. Manual coughing support from the physical therapist was the most common technique. In total, 93% of the physical therapists instructed the patients to perform breathing exercises on a regular basis postoperatively. Deep breathing exercises and incentive spirometry were the two most frequently used techniques. Recommendations to continue the breathing exercises for a period of between 3 days and 8 months were given postoperatively. This survey provides an initial insight into physical therapy practice for cardiac surgery patients in Greece. Further comparison between countries is warranted to improve the management of the cardiac surgery patient.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Omics International , 2013. no S7, p. 004-
National Category
Physiotherapy
Research subject
Surgery esp. Thoracic and Cardivascular Surgery
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-34381DOI: 10.4172/2155-9880.S7-004OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-34381DiVA, id: diva2:706355
Available from: 2014-03-20 Created: 2014-03-20 Last updated: 2025-02-11Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full text

Authority records

Westerdahl, Elisabeth

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Westerdahl, Elisabeth
By organisation
School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden
Physiotherapy

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
urn-nbn
Total: 715 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf