Exploring the Use of Educational Material About Shoulder Dysfunction: A Quality Improvement Project in People With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Katherine Burke, Amy Swartz Ellrodt, Jason Levine and 4 others
PMID 29303793WHAT IT FOUND
Fourteen of 15 post-survey responders with ALS who received a shoulder-health brochure reported starting to use its strategies; 87% found it helpful.
The study did not test whether shoulder pain or function improved.
Key findings
01Fourteen of 15 participants reported they had begun using some of the brochure's strategies for shoulder pain or prevention.
02Before receiving the brochure, 75% of participants noticed shoulder weakness and 63% could not lift at least one arm above shoulder height without assistance.
03Eighty-seven percent of responders said the brochure was easy to understand and helpful, and all responders said the photos and diagrams were easy to interpret.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only 16 people completed the preintervention survey and 15 completed the postintervention survey, and the study had no power analysis. The brochure and surveys were only available in English, and non-English speakers were excluded. Ten eligible patients died before contact and one participant died before the postintervention survey, so the sample may not represent all people with ALS. The main results were self-reported Likert answers, not measured shoulder pain, range of motion, strength, or function. Participants were not asked to perform the exercises, and the study did not assess whether doing them improved shoulder outcomes. The study was conducted at one ALS multidisciplinary clinic and was not designed to prove effectiveness.
Declared interests
The article lists NIH extramural research support. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the high percentages of agreement as proof that the brochure prevents shoulder pain or improves shoulder function. The study measured participants' reported understanding and reported use after receiving it, and it did not test shoulder outcomes.