Trauma Focused Physiotherapy (FS-16)

¹The Center for Victims of Torture, Clinical, Minneapolis, United States, ²School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff, United Kingdom, ³Qatar University, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Doha, Qatar

Learning objective 1: Identify relevant assessment practices and treatment models used in trauma focused physiotherapy

Learning objective 2: Explore approaches in reducing health inequity in traumatized individuals and increasing access to trauma-focused physiotherapy services

Learning objective 3: Explore approaches to building an academic pathway toward greater capacity for trauma-focused physiotherapy

Description: Relevance to physiotherapy globally: Because of the growing global refugee crisis and prevalence of trauma in the general population, all practicing physiotherapists need an understanding of evidence based trauma focused practice in order to appropriately treat individuals that have been exposed to trauma. This symposium will interest clinicians who work with individuals are impacted by psychological trauma as we present evidence to support clinical practice. Trauma focused approaches in physiotherapy will be presented with clear applications to practice.
Target audience: This session is intended for physiotherapists, researches and students involved in general rehabilitation as well as those professionals involved in the rehabilitation of traumatized individuals.
Summary of the session (focus and structure): This session is aimed at physiotherapists who want to learn best practice in physiotherapy approaches for traumatized individuals.The educational objectives are focused on improving assessment, clinical reasoning and treatment skills of graduate physiotherapists with a view to optimizing the implementation of trauma focused physiotherapy approaches. This will include frequently used models and techniques, and examples of applications in practice. In addition, approaches in reducing health inequity in traumatized individuals and increasing access to trauma-focused physiotherapy services will be discussed. Furthermore, there will be detailed discussion on ways in which current physiotherapy education programs address the topic of trauma in physiotherapy and what is needed in order to prepare new physiotherapists to manage the needs of trauma survivors.

References: 

1. Perrin, M., et al., Determinants of the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, in the general population. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2014. 49(3): p. 447-457.
2. Fondacaro, K. and E. Mazulla, The Chronic Traumatic Stress Framework: A conceptual model to guide empirical investigation and mental health treatment for refugees and survivors of torture. Torture Journal. 28(1).
3. Bunn, M., et al., Group treatment for survivors of torture and severe violence: A literature review. Torture Journal, 2015. 26(1): p. 23-23.
4. BBC. BBC News. More than 70 million displaced worldwide, says UNHCR. 2019; Available from: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-48682783.
5. Agency TUR. Jordan. 2019; Available from: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/69826.pdf.
6. Sigvardsdotter, E., et al., Prevalence of torture and other war-related traumatic events in forced migrants: a systematic review. Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture, 2016. 26(2): p. 41-73.
7. Eldredge, L.K.B., et al., Planning health promotion programs: an intervention mapping approach. 2016: John Wiley & Sons.
8. (WCPT), W.C.o.P.T. 2017[cited 2020; Available from: https://www.wcpt.org/policy/ps-torture
9. McGowan, E., et al., Core competencies for physiotherapists working with refugees: a scoping review. 2020. 108: p. 10-21.
10. Gueron, L.J.P., et al., Group physiotherapy with survivors of torture in urban and camp settings in Jordan and Kenya. 2021. 30(3): p. 27-42.

Funding acknowledgements: None