Practical Evidence-Based Physiotherapy

Evidence-based practice has become a central part of modern physiotherapy, but the questions of what evidence-based practice means in the day-to-day clinical setting and what constitutes evidence are too often left open to interpretation.

The authors of Practical Evidence-Based Physiotherapy interrogate the terminology and concepts of evidence-based practice drawing on their extensive experience and their international perspectives. They discuss government and professional requirements for evidence-based medicine and clinical reasoning, and offer their readers a guide to finding evidence, its critical appraisal and evaluation, and its implementation in clinical practice.

Features:

Written specifically for physiotherapists
Step-by-step guide to practice of evidence-based physiotherapy
Written at different levels depending on reader's expertise:- highlighted critical points and text box summaries for readers new to these concepts
- detailed explanations in text for intermediate readers
- footnotes for advanced readers

Detailed presentation of strategies for searching for evidence, including using the www, search engines and physiotherapy specific databases
Extensive consideration of clinical practice guidelinesFor those wanting to understand both the concepts and how to implement them, this book will be an invaluable and practical guide.

Reviews

'For clinicians who are currently swamped in the looming tide of research and evidence, it offers a life raft of clarity, Donovan K, Physical Therapy Reviews 10, 192.

Features

Written specifically for physiotherapists
Step-by-step guide to practice of evidence-based physiotherapy
Written at different levels depending on reader's expertise:
highlighted critical points and text box summaries for readers new to these concepts
detailed explanations in text for intermediate readers
footnotes for advanced readers
Detailed presentation of strategies for searching for evidence, including using the www, search engines and physiotherapy specific databases
Extensive consideration of clinical practice guidelines

Chapter 1. Evidence-Based Physiotherapy: What, Why and How?
What is evidence-based physiotherapy?
Why is evidence-based physiotherapy important?
History of evidence-based health care
How will this book help you to adopt evidence-based physiotherapy?
Chapter 2. What Do I Need To Know?
Relevant clinical questions
Refining your questions
Chapter 3. What Constitutes Evidence?
What constitutes evidence about effects of interventions?
What constitutes evidence about experiences and processes?
What constitutes evidence about prognosis?
What constitutes evidence about the accuracy of diagnostic and screening tests?
Chapter 4. Finding The Evidence
Search strategies
Finding evidence of effects of interventions
Finding evidence of prognosis and diagnostic tests
Finding evidence of effects of experiences and attitudes
Finding evidence of advances in clinical practice (browsing)
Chapter 5. Can I Trust This Evidence?
A process for assessing validity of evidence
Assessing validity of evidence about effects of intervention
Assessing validity of evidence about attitudes and experiences
Critical appraisal of evidence about prognosis
Critical appraisal of evidence about diagnostic tests
Chapter 6. What Does This Evidence Mean For My Practice?
What does this randomized trial mean for my practice?
What does this systematic review of effects of intervention mean for my practice?
Is the evidence relevant to me and my patients?
What does the evidence say?
What does this study of attitudes and experiences mean for my practice?
What does this study of prognosis mean for my practice?
What does this study of the accuracy of a diagnostic test mean for my practice?
Chapter 7. Clinical Guidelines As A Resource For Evidence-Based Physiotherapy
What Are Clinical Guidelines?
History Of Clinical Guidelines And Why They Are Important
Where Can I Find Clinical Guidelines?
How do I know if I can trust the recommendations in a clinical guideline?
Legal implications of clinical guidelines
Reflections on the future of guideline development
Chapter 8. Making It Happen