ArticleBMJ open2023
UK physiotherapists delivering physical activity advice: what are the challenges and possible solutions? A qualitative study.
Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- "Guidelines… yeah, they just haven't felt relevant to me." A qualitative exploration of chiropractors' perspectives on physical activity promotion.Journal of back and musculoskeletal rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Physical activity in professional training of physiotherapists.Annals of medicine · 2025Article
- Physical activity promotion practice within primary care: a cross-sectional survey of primary care health professionals in England.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Physical Activity Levels and Recreational Participation Among Physiotherapists: A Cross-Sectional Correlational Study.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Article
- Exercise professionals in extended scope of practice roles: a qualitative exploration of a new model of rehabilitation.BMJ public health · 2025Article
- UK midwives delivering physical activity advice; what are the challenges and possible solutions?Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Article
- UK Nurses Delivering Physical Activity Advice: What Are the Challenges and Possible Solutions? A Qualitative Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesDespite the known health benefits of physical activity (PA), PA levels are in decline. Healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, have been identified as ideal conduits to promote PA, yet their knowledge and awareness of PA guidelines are poor. The aims of this study were to explore current knowledge of PA guidelines among UK physiotherapists and identify barriers and possible solutions to delivering PA advice.
designA qualitative approach using semistructured interviews that took place between March and May 2021. Data were analysed with a thematic approach using Braun and Clarke's six steps.
settingVarious inpatient and outpatient clinical settings across six UK regions.
participantsEighteen UK-based physiotherapists managing National Health Service patients were recruited through volunteer sampling in March 2021.
resultsFive themes and 16 subthemes (shown in parenthesis) were identified as barriers and solutions to delivering PA advice: physiotherapist intrinsic barriers (knowledge, fear/confidence); a lack of emphasis and priority given to PA (time constraints, minimal educational and staff training); patient barriers (compliance, expectations and fear of doing PA); increasing awareness of the PA guidelines (staff training, signposting awareness, use of social media and television campaigns); and optimising delivery (use of visual resources, good communication and approaches involving being individualised and gradual for patients with chronic conditions).
conclusionsIn this study, physiotherapist participants seemed to have limited awareness of the PA guidelines despite recent updates and were faced with similar barriers to those previously reported in the literature. The solutions suggested could guide strategies to support physiotherapists being able to deliver PA advice. Further research is needed to evaluate the efficiency of any implemented solutions supporting the delivery of PA advice.
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