Exercise therapy (Krankengymnastik/ Heilgymnastik) in physical medicine

Research area: Rehabilitation and occupational therapy

Project leader: Marisa Warmuth
Project team: Ines Schumacher, Marisa Warmuth
Duration: October 2011 - December 2011
Publication: Decision Support Document Nr. 51: https://eprints.aihta.at/951

Suggested by: HVB
Language: German

Background:
Exercise therapy (Krankengymnastik/ Heilgymnastik) is a domain of physical medicine and sometimes is still referred to as the out-dated term “Mechanotherapy”. It is most often used for the treatment of diseases and conditions that primarily affect the musculoskeletal system, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, neurological diseases, etc.. Exercise therapy (Krankengymnastik/ Heilgymnastik) may be conducted as single therapy or in groups of patients. Its intended purpose is to practice patterns of movement.

Aim of project:
The projects aims at assessing the evidence concerning the efficacy and its measurement as well as the indications of exercise therapy (Krankengymnastik/ Heilgymnastik).

Methods:

• Systematic literature search in various databases (Pubmed, The Cochrane Library, Medline via Ovid, NHS-EED-DARE-HTA, PEDRO) and on web sites
• Unsystematic hand search

PICO Question:

Population	Men and women aged ?18 yrs  Indications: - Musculoskeletal diseases; Arthrosis/ Osteoarthritis - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - Neurological diseases (stroke, multiple sclerosis/ MS, Parkison) - Paraplegia - Amputation (peripheral arterial disease/ PAD, peripheral vascular disease/ PVD; diabetes mellitus/ DM; trauma)
Intervention	Exercise therapy/ kinesitherapy/ physiotherapy (German: Bewegungstherapie/ Krankengymnastik/Heilgymnastik/ Kinesiotherapie)
Control	No treatment (besides routine care)
Outcome
Efficacy	- Health-related quality of life (generic, disease-specific)  - Function  - Recovery/ rehabilitation  - Walking ability  - Strength  - Tonicity
Safety	Adverse events, side effects
Study design	Meta-analyses, Systematic Reviews