Physiotherapeutic evaluation of patients with post COVID-19 condition: current use of measuring instruments by physiotherapists working in Austria and South Tyrol.
Claudia Spiegl, Natalia Schiefermeier-Mach, Erika Schifferegger and 2 others
PMID 36104802WHAT IT FOUND
Most physiotherapists agree assessments are useful, but fewer than one in five uses them.
The main barriers are not time or lack of instruments, but insufficient experience and knowledge of which tools to choose. Standardized measures remain largely unimplemented in outpatient care.
Key findings
0187.8% of respondents viewed using assessments positively, yet only 16.7% actually used them for post-COVID patients.
02The primary reasons for not using assessments were a lack of sufficient experience (41.8%) and not knowing suitable instruments (36.6%).
03Among those who did use assessments, the six-minute walk test was the most frequently cited tool for physical function, followed by strength tests.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The exact number of eligible physiotherapists is unknown, so a response rate cannot be calculated. The sample size (180) is small relative to the professional population, limiting generalizability. The survey was online-only, potentially excluding therapists with lower technical affinity. Self-selection bias is likely, as therapists with a specific interest in post-COVID may have been more motivated to respond. The study did not verify if respondents were currently treating post-COVID patients, only that they were eligible to do so.
Declared interests
The study was conducted by the Department of Physiotherapy at the Health University of Applied Sciences Tyrol. No specific funding sources or commercial conflicts of interest are detailed in the text provided.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the low usage rate as evidence that assessments are too time-consuming or resource-heavy for outpatient practice. The data shows that time was a minor barrier (9.8%), whereas lack of knowledge and experience were the dominant factors. This is a training and confidence issue, not a logistical one.