Authors (including presenting author) :
Lau ACH, Wong EYW, Cheung EYY, Law SHY, Cheung KTK, Chau RMW
Affiliation :
Physiotherapy Department, Kowloon Hospital
Introduction :
Compromised mobility and sensation can increase the risk of pressure injury(PI) development in patients with spinal cord injury(SCI). With the core services in mobility training and pressure-relieving techniques, physiotherapists are obliged to serve these vulnerable patients, which aims at prophylactic alleviation of PI development. The novel tailor-made programme encompasses different mobility skills training. The learning is further enriched by real-time visual feedback to make pressure ‘visible and do-able’ to patients, resolving the potential discrepancy of motor learning in patients with sensory deficits.
Objectives :
To evaluate the effectiveness of the novel tailor-made PI prevention programme for SCI patients in Kowloon Hospital(KH)
Methodology :
SCI patients in KH in-patient rehabilitation were recruited into this programme. Different pressure-relieving maneuvers training and PI knowledge education are conducted to patients as integral parts of patients’ empowerment. Adequate pressure-relieving skills practice under physiotherapist’s concurrent verbal and tactile feedbacks, supplementing with real-time pressure-mapping visual feedback, can assist patients to receive and integrate multiple learning feedbacks.
Result & Outcome :
Seven SCI patients were recruited to this pilot study. Post-programme questionnaire was conducted to evaluate patient’s skill-acquiring process, learning experience and user’s acceptance. All patients demonstrated satisfactory pressure-relieving skills upon training completion. They agreed that the skill-acquiring rate was higher in the novel programme. They also reflected that with the use of visual feedback, the learning process was easier and better in conceptualizing the pressure-relieving skills. Moreover, interactive and real-time visual feedback learning approach was appreciated by all patients and sequential patients’ buy-in and anticipated subsequent compliance. The overall learning experience was expressed as positive and fruitful. Human learning and memorization can be augmented when visual inputs are consolidated through sufficient cognitive process of understanding [1]. Therefore, the beneficial effects of instant visual feedbacks are fully manifested under the accurate interpretation, specific recommendation and elaboration in generic comprehensible information by physiotherapists. Quick, focused and precise feedbacks can allow SCI patients to maximally assimilate the immediate visual inputs and reinforce the learning memory. The pressure management programme can also optimise the knowledge transfer from physiotherapists through instant and ample responses to patients. Patients’ engagement is boosted through interactive learning process and further reinforce their knowledge and techniques. Reference: [1] Wolfe JM, Horowitz TS, Michod KO. Is visual attention required for robust picture memory? Vision Res. 2007 Mar;47(7):955-64.
