International collaboration to improve physiotherapists' training, Viet Nam.

Problem: Like most low- and middle-income countries, Viet Nam has a scarcity of rehabilitation professionals and lacks training programmes that meet international standards.

Approach: In 2018, four Vietnamese medical universities, the Université Catholique de Louvain, the Université Libre de Bruxelles, the Humanity & Inclusion charity and World Physiotherapy agreed to collaborate on strengthening pre-service education for physiotherapists in the country.

Local Setting: Viet Nam has a favourable environment for nurturing rehabilitation services and education: development funds have been available; government investment is increasing; and rehabilitation education has existed for many decades.

Therapeutic effects of connective tissue manipulation on wound healing and bacterial colonization count among patients with diabetic foot ulcer.

This study investigated the therapeutic effects of connective tissue manipulation (CTM) in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). A total of 20 participants (10 in CTM group and 10 in conventional treatment group (CG)) with DFU underwent the conventional DFU treatment. In addition, the CTM group received CTM twice per week for 6 weeks.

Connective tissue manipulation: a review of theory and clinical evidence.

Connective tissue manipulation or connective tissue massage (bindegewebsmassage) is a manual reflex therapy in that it is applied with the therapist's hands which are in contact with the patient's skin. The assessment of the patient and the clinical decision-making that directs treatment is based on a theoretical model that assumes a reflex effect on the autonomic nervous system which is induced by manipulating the fascial layers within and beneath the skin to stimulate cutaneo-visceral reflexes. This paper reviews the literature and current research findings to establish the theoretical framework for CTM and the evidence for its clinical effects.

An exploratory thermographic investigation of the effects of connective tissue massage on autonomic function.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure effects of connective tissue massage (CTM) on the autonomic nervous system using thermography and physiological measurements.

Methods: A repeated-measures design was used. The setting was a university laboratory.