Masters Thesis

Treatment exercises for cervical injuries: a study of exercise programs used by physical therapists in the state of California

A study was made of prescription records for physical therapy treatment of soft tissue injuries during a two-year period at Fresno Community Hospital Physical Therapy Department. The study revealed that 30 of 330 prescriptions requested active range of motion exercises in conjunction with heat and massage. There were no orders for head posture positioning or conscious relaxation exercises. Since comparatively few prescriptions included exercise as a part of treatment, the question arises as to the reasons for the omission. This might be due to several factors: (1) Lack of research study to prove the benefits of exercise and posture in relieving tension in treatment of cervical strains and sprains in physical therapy; (2) refer--ring physicians and therapists may not be aware that exercise-should be included when prescribing physical therapy treatment programs for cervical strain or sprain; and (3) there is a school of thought which feels normal activity produces sufficient exercise. Many physicians referring patients for physical therapy rely on the therapist to use his judgment as to which treatment regime will best suit the patient's needs. The therapist should make use of all studies at hand to aid in his selection of modalities. One way the therapist can accomplish this is by becoming aware of opinions of other professionals in his field. This study was undertaken to answer the following question: Which exercise regimes do practicing physical therapists feel are the most beneficial in the treatment of patients with cervical strain or sprain, and what modalities do therapists consider important in the treatment program?

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