Abstract for presentation at 6th World Congress on Brain Injury

Website of Physiotherapy Exercises for People with Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Dr Anne Moseley, Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Northern Clinical School (Medicine), University of Sydney, Australia
  • Dr Colleen Canning, School of Physiotherapy, University of Sydney, Australia
  • Dr Louise Ada, University of Sydney, Australia
  • Ms Taryn Jones, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia
  • Mr Timothy Fairbairn, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Westmead Hospital, Australia
  • Ms Anita Mudge, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Australia
  • Mr Owen Katalinic, Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Northern Clinical School (Medicine), University of Sydney, Australia
  • Dr Lisa Harvey, Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Northern Clinical School (Medicine), University of Sydney, Australia

    • Objective:
    The aim of this project is to create a website for physiotherapists of exercises appropriate for people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The specific objectives of the website are to collate the exercise ideas of experienced physiotherapists into one readily accessible site, and to provide a means by which physiotherapists can readily compile exercise booklets for their clients.
    Method:
    An existing website of exercises for people with spinal cord injuries has been modified and expanded to include exercises appropriate for people with TBI. A committee of experienced clinicians and academics working in the area of neurology have identified 200 exercises appropriate for people with TBI. Each exercise is illustrated with a sketch, photograph and in some cases a video clip. Explanatory text accompanies each exercise. The existing search engine has been modified so that users can find exercises appropriate to the needs of their clients. The success of the website is evaluated using an on-line questionnaire and site tracking. In addition, data about the number and type of exercises that physiotherapists select for their clients’ exercise booklets is monitored.
    Results:
    The website enables physiotherapists to readily find exercises and generate professional-looking exercise booklets for their clients. Site tracking of the existing spinal cord injury website shows a rapidly increasing number of users, with visitors from 103 countries and more than 15000 page views from Australia alone over a 3 month period. The website also has an online questionnaire for feedback, indicating a very high level of satisfaction with the website. Similar site tracking will be used to monitor usage of the TBI exercises once the TBI site is completed.
    Conclusions:
    This website will be a valuable resource for physiotherapists working in the area of TBI. In addition to providing exercise suggestions, it can be used to produce exercise booklets for both hospital and home-based programs.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd