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E. Lee1, H.C. Labao1
1INTI International University, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Nilai, Malaysia
Background: Acute Soft Tissue Injuries (ASTI) commonly occur in sports and other occupations and are often associated with poor sports performance and productivity. Interventions such as PRICE and POLICE protocols are essential to minimize chronic complications that may arise. However, limited studies are focused on physiotherapist’s awareness about the use of such protocols. Hence, this study aims to determine the level of understanding, use, and reasons for applying PRICE and POLICE protocols among Malaysian Physiotherapists.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the choices, the reasons and the level of understanding between PRICE and POLICE protocols among Malaysian physiotherapists in treating Acute Soft Tissue Injuries (ASTI).
Methods: A cross-sectional study using both paper-based and electronic survey format was conducted using a validated questionnaire with questions related to the level of understanding, use, and reasons in applying PRICE and POLICE protocols among Malaysian Physiotherapists. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution expressed in percentage.
Results: Respondents have a good level of understanding of both PRICE (64.44%) and POLICE (64.69%) protocols. There is a high frequency of use on PRICE (55.04%) as compared to POLICE protocol (35.59%) for various ASTI conditions. The main reasons for choosing PRICE is the clinical experience (31.44%) while POLICE protocol is research evidence (31.20%). University lectures are the main exposure for PRICE protocol (75.31%) while a third of the respondents came to know about POLICE protocol (33.95%) only through this survey.
Conclusion(s): Malaysian Physiotherapists have a generally good understanding of both protocols with more than half of the subjects use PRICE protocol more often in the management of ASTI. Clinical experience is the primary reason for choosing PRICE while research evidence is the main reason for choosing POLICE protocol. Physiotherapy education should emphasize the need to include POLICE protocol for ASTI management. Comparisons on the effects of both protocols on certain clinical outcomes warrant further investigation.
Implications: PRICE and POLICE Protocols are essential in physiotherapy practices. This paper provides the differences in current trend and culture among Malaysian physiotherapists for each protocol based on numerical data collected. When the related studies such as protocols in treating ASTI had been done, it is beneficial to the current practices in Malaysia physiotherapy as the major protocol have been introduced through the survey. In the future, experimental or comparison studies about both protocols are easier to be conducted in Malaysia as this can be one of the references.
Funding, acknowledgements: N/A
Keywords: PRICE, POLICE, Acute Soft Tissue Injuries
Topic: Musculoskeletal
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: INTI International University
Committee: MR Thirumalaya Balaraman, MS Yughdtheswari A/P Muniandy, MR Rajkumar Krishnan Vasanthi
Ethics number: No ethics review number required
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
