Observational studyThe Journal of manual & manipulative therapy2022
Physical Therapists Are Routinely Performing the Requisite Skills to Directly Refer for Musculoskeletal Imaging: An Observational Study.
Observational study in The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Diagnostic imaging interpretation by physical therapists: a clinical performance evaluation.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Diagnostic and Procedural Imaging Curricula in Musculoskeletal Physical Therapist Residency and Fellowship Education.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026Article
- Perspectives of Physical Therapists in Saudi Arabia on radiological interpretation: attitudes, engagement, and educational needs.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Ordering of diagnostic imaging by physical therapists: a multi-center analysis of successful implementation.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2025Observational
- Advancing first-contact, primary care physiotherapist practice: the value of integrating point-of-care diagnostic tools.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2025Article
- Not "that kind" of doctor: an exploratory study on Doctor of Physical Therapy-patient introductions in the United States.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2024Article
- Identifying physical therapists' attitudes, beliefs, and barriers toward diagnostic imaging referral: a mixed-methods study.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2024Article
- Physical therapist awareness of diagnostic imaging referral jurisdictional scope of practice: an observational study.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2024Observational
- Diagnostic Imaging for Distal Extremity Injuries in Direct Access Physical Therapy: An Observational Study.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo explore if physical therapists are practicing skills necessary to refer patients for musculoskeletal imaging.
methodsAn expert panel established a list of nine requisite skills to refer for musculoskeletal imaging. A blinded expert panel validated the list using a 5-point Likert scale. The skills list was examined via an electronic survey distributed to United States physical therapists.
results4,796 respondents were included. Each of the nine skills were routinely performed by a majority of the respondents (range: 54.52-94.72%). Respondents routinely performed 6.95 (± 0.06) skills, with 67.41% routinely performing seven or more skills. Doctors of physical therapy routinely performed more imaging skills (7.15 ± 0.06) compared to their masters- (6.44 ± 0.19) and bachelors-trained (5.95 ± 0.21) counterparts (p < 0.001). Residency/fellowship-trained physical therapists were more likely to routinely perform more imaging skills (7.60 ± 0.11 vs. 6.79 ± 0.07, p < 0.001). Imaging skill performance was greater among board-certified physical therapists (7.39 ± 0.09 vs. 6.71 ± 0.08, p < 0.001) and APTA members (7.06 ± 0.07 vs. 6.65 ± 0.12, p < 0.001).
conclusionPhysical therapists are routinely practicing the requisite imaging skills to directly refer to a radiologist for musculoskeletal imaging.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.