The effectiveness of graded motor imagery for reducing phantom limb pain in amputees: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate whether graded motor imagery (GMI) is effective for reducing phantom limb pain (PLP) in people who have undergone limb amputations.

Design: A single-blinded randomised, controlled trial.

Setting: Physiotherapy out-patient departments in three secondary level hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa.

The prevalence of pulmonary complications after thoracic and abdominal surgery and associated risk factors in patients admitted at a government hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe-a retrospective study.

Background: The burden of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa has presented unusual and challenging acute surgical problems across all specialties. Thoraco-abdominal surgery cuts through muscle and thereby disrupts the normal anatomy and activity of the respiratory muscles leading to reduced lung volumes and putting the patients at greater risk of developing post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs). PPCs remain an important cause of post-operative morbidity, mortality, and impacts on the long-term outcomes of patients post hospital discharge.

Implementation of the physical function ICU test tool in a resource constrained intensive care unit to promote early mobilisation of critically ill patients- a feasibility study.

Background: The shift of focus in outcome measures from mortality to assessment of functional status in intensive care unit (ICU) patients has resulted in the emergence of mobilisation of critically ill patients as a standard physiotherapy practice in most medium and high income countries. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of an early mobilisation program and to report on the changes in patient clinical outcomes following the intervention in a low income country.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out at one public hospital.

Pulmonary impairment after tuberculosis in a South African population.

Background: In South Africa, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a problem of epidemic proportions. Despite evidence demonstrating persistent lung impairment after PTB cure, few population-based South African studies have investigated this finding. Pulmonary rehabilitation post-cure is not routinely received.

Longitudinal assessment of health related quality of life of HIV infected patients treated for tuberculosis and HIV in a high burden setting.

Introduction: Assessment of patients receiving treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) using a Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) instrument is important to get the subjective view of the patients' wellbeing.

Methods: We used the Functional Assessment of HIV Infection (FAHI) HRQoL instrument to collect perceived wellness information at baseline, month 3, 6 and 12 from patients enrolled in a pharmacokinetic study between March 2007 and April 2008. Composite domain scores at each time point and their relationship with the rate of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events were compared between treatment arms.

Profile of patients and physiotherapy patterns in intensive care units in public hospitals in Zimbabwe: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Background: Physiotherapy is integral to patient management in the Intensive Care Unit. The precise role that physiotherapists play in the critical care differs significantly worldwide. The aim of the study was to describe the profile of patients and the current patterns of physiotherapy services delivered for patients admitted in the five public hospital intensive care units in Zimbabwe.

Effectiveness of a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme in pulmonary function and health related quality of life for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: a pilot study.

Background: Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) often develop impairment in pulmonary function due to anatomical changes secondary to the illness. Physiotherapy in the form of pulmonary rehabilitation has been advocated.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether adherence to a six-week home-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme (PRP) improved the baseline measurements of lung function, exercise tolerance and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients receiving out-patient treatment for PTB.

Reaching consensus on the physiotherapeutic management of patients following upper abdominal surgery: a pragmatic approach to interpret equivocal evidence.

Background: Postoperative pulmonary complications remain the most significant cause of morbidity following open upper abdominal surgery despite advances in perioperative care. However, due to the poor quality primary research uncertainty surrounding the value of prophylactic physiotherapy intervention in the management of patients following abdominal surgery persists. The Delphi process has been proposed as a pragmatic methodology to guide clinical practice when evidence is equivocal.