Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40205420›Full record

Observational studyBMC pediatrics2025

Focus on physiotherapy and manual therapy for infants in Norway, a cross-sectional study on referral practice, and planned interventions.

Hege Handeland, Kari Anne Indredavik Evensen, Hilde Stendal Robinson

Registry-linked trialAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03626389 (Clinical Course and Prognostic Factors of Patients Receiving Physiotherapy Services in Primary Health Care in Norway), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

NCT03626389 completednot on this map

Clinical Course and Prognostic Factors of Patients Receiving Physiotherapy Services in Primary Health Care in Norway (FYSIOPRIM)

TypeobservationalSponsorUniversity of OsloRan2016 to 2021Enrolled4,985ConditionsMusculoskeletal Diseases or Conditions, Neurologic Disorder, Widespread Chronic Pain, Psychosomatic DisorderArmsPhysiotherapy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Hege HandelandInstitute of Health and Function, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.
Kari Anne Indredavik EvensenDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Hilde Stendal RobinsonDepartment of Health Sciences, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, P.O.Box 1089, Blindern, Oslo, 0317, Norway. h.s.robinson@medisin.uio.no.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0275-2965

Funding

The Norwegian Fund for Post-Graduate Training in Physiotherapy FYSIOPRIM
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Norwegian health care system has a mandatory program for close and systematically follow-up on all children, starting in early infancy through the Child Health Care Centers in the municipalities. Additionally, some infants are referred to physiotherapists and manual therapists for several reasons. Little is known about who is referring them and the cause for the referral. In Norway, physiotherapists working with infants can be employed in the communities or work in outpatient clinics, both are within the primary health care system. The main purpose of the present study was to explore the referral practice of infants to physiotherapy and compare those treated by physiotherapists and manual therapists in primary health care in Norway. Furthermore, to describe the planned interventions.

methodsCross-sectional study including 444 infants (age under 12 months) referred to physiotherapists or manual therapists working in primary health care in Norway.

resultsMedian age (range) of the infants was 14 (1, 52) weeks and 344 were born at due date. Most infants examined by a physiotherapist were referred from other health personnel and more of the referrals to manual therapists were from parents due to their concern. Age at examination was between week 1-12 for 42% of the participants. Infants referred for motor development problems were equally distributed between the physiotherapists and manual therapists. All premature infants were referred to the physiotherapists. Concerning the interventions, both physiotherapists and manual therapists planned to use advice, handling, and stimulation. More of the physiotherapists reported to focus on advice related to motor development and the use of prone play.

conclusionThe infants in Norway are referred to physiotherapists and/or manual therapists for numerous reasons, and the distribution of diagnoses between the therapists seem reasonable. Infants are mostly referred by other health personnel but also because of parents' own concern. Based on recommendations, some infants with asymmetries should be examined earlier.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03626389. Registered on August 13th, 2018 (retrospectively registered).

Indexed as

Developmental DisabilitiesMusculoskeletal ManipulationsPhysical Therapy ModalitiesReferral and ConsultationCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleNorwayPhysical TherapistsPrimary Health CareAsymmetriesManual therapyMotor developmentNewborn babiesPhysiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID40205420
PMCPMC11984023

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Registered trials

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