Perspectives on adherence to prescribed home exercises after polytrauma: A qualitative study.
Keamogetswe Monaiwa, Mariatha Yazbek, Nontembiso Magida
PMID 40612926WHAT IT FOUND
Polytrauma patients reported more barriers than facilitators to home exercises.
Physical pain, stiffness, and weakness hindered performance, while memory issues and fatigue reduced recall. Environmental constraints like weather, lack of space, and work schedules further limited adherence.
Key findings
01Physical factors such as musculoskeletal pain, limited range of motion, and muscle weakness were primary barriers to adhering to prescribed home exercise programmes.
02Psycho-cognitive barriers included difficulty remembering exercises, fatigue, low motivation, and stress, which led participants to skip or abandon parts of their home exercise programmes.
03Environmental and social factors, including extreme weather, lack of home space, work constraints, and complex family support dynamics, significantly impacted adherence.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study had a small sample size of 13 participants, limiting the transferability of findings. Participants were recruited from a single private hospital in South Africa, which may not represent public sector or other socio-economic contexts. Data was collected via telephone interviews, which may have missed non-verbal cues and was subject to connectivity issues. The study excluded patients with traumatic brain injury or altered speech, potentially omitting perspectives relevant to cognitive or communication-related barriers.
Declared interests
The authors declared no funding from any public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these barriers as universal to all polytrauma patients or as proof that specific interventions will improve adherence. This study describes the subjective experiences of a small group of 13 people and does not test any strategies for overcoming these barriers.