The Beliefs and Attitudes of Cypriot Physical Therapists Regarding the Use of Deep Friction Massage

<i>Background</i>: Deep friction massage (DFM) is a widely used technique by physical therapists worldwide for chronic pain management. According to Dr. James Cyriax, compliance with the proposed guidelines is vital to obtain the desired therapeutic results. <i>Objectives</i>...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexios Pitsillides, Dimitrios Stasinopoulos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-08-01
Series:Medicina
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/55/8/472
Description
Summary:<i>Background</i>: Deep friction massage (DFM) is a widely used technique by physical therapists worldwide for chronic pain management. According to Dr. James Cyriax, compliance with the proposed guidelines is vital to obtain the desired therapeutic results. <i>Objectives</i>: This study explored the beliefs and attitudes of Cypriot physical therapists to DFM and their compliance with the suggested guidelines to identify any empirical-based application patterns and compare them to the suggestions of Cyriax. In addition, the prevalence of DFM use in clinical practice in Cyprus was investigated. <i>Methods</i>: Questionnaires, consisting of 18 multiple choice questions and a table of six sub-questions, were distributed to 90 local physical therapists. <i>Results</i>: A total of 70% of respondents declared that they perform DFM in their daily practice. The respondents answered 11 out of the 19 technical questions in compliance with the guidelines. <i>Conclusion</i>: The study revealed the DFM application pattern of Cypriot physical therapists. The compliance percentage of this pattern to Cyriax guidelines was 58% in general and 62.5% for patients with chronic conditions.
ISSN:1010-660X