Move it or lose it? A survey of the aims of treatment when using passive movements in intensive care.

Objectives: To identify the aims of treatment when physiotherapists use passive movements (PMs) for ventilated and sedated patients on intensive care in the UK.

Method: Postal questionnaires distributed to senior physiotherapists working within all National Health Service (NHS) trusts with open level 3 ICU beds. Open questionnaire items surveyed the aims of using PMs in different clinical areas (neurology, cardiology, orthopaedics/trauma, general surgery, medicine, other).