Current Practice of Physiotherapists in the Management of Children With Cerebral Palsy in Benin Country: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.
Emmanuel Segnon Sogbossi, Murielle Gbaglo, Wilfried Dahoueto and 2 others
PMID 41367238WHAT IT FOUND
Physiotherapists in Benin mostly use passive, impairment-focused techniques like Bobath, stretching, and handling, not active, evidence-based therapies.
Standardized tools like the GMFCS are rarely used because of time and knowledge gaps. Only 1.9% use outcome measures all the time.
Key findings
01The most frequently used interventions are classical, passive techniques such as weight-bearing exercises, manual guidance, and the Bobath approach, with over 80% of therapists reporting their use.
02Standardized outcome measures are rarely used consistently, with only 1.9% of therapists reporting they use them all the time.
03The primary barriers to using standardized outcome measures are lack of time and lack of knowledge, reported by 22 and 15 out of 33 respondents respectively.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The survey was only available online, which may have biased participation towards therapists who are more comfortable with digital media. Because it was a self-report survey, participants may have reported what they thought was socially desirable rather than their true practice. The questionnaire did not include detailed definitions for complex interventions like goal-directed therapy or the family-centred approach, which may have led to inconsistent interpretation by respondents. Only 33 of the 52 therapists answered the questions about barriers to using standardized outcome measures.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest, and the study received no funding from public, commercial, or not-for-profit agencies.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high reported usage of modern therapies like goal-directed therapy or CIMT means they are being delivered correctly. The survey did not define these terms, and the authors note that therapists may have confused them with simpler techniques or forced-use therapy that lacks structured task-specific practice.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →