Identifying factors that predict attrition among first year physiotherapy students: a retrospective analysis.

Background: A number of first year students leave physiotherapy programmes every year. A high attrition rate has implications for the student and the academic institution.

Objectives: To report the rate of attrition among first year physiotherapy students, and to identify contributing factor.

Evaluation of an evidence based quality improvement innovation for patients with musculoskeletal low back pain in an accident and emergency setting.

We conducted a five stage pilot study which initially consisted of a review of 75 case notes of people attending an emergency department (ED) in an inner London Teaching Hospital with musculoskeletal (MSK) low back pain (LBP). This review highlighted inconsistencies in how they were assessed and managed across and within different staff groups. We found patient documentation was often incomplete and that a biomedical model approach to the management of these patients was common.

Randomised double-blind trial of combination antibiotic therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective. A combination of intravenous clindamycin and oral tetracycline has been used for many years as a treatment for active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), despite the absence of good evidence for its efficacy. A single-blind pilot study of this therapy suggested that a double-blind placebo-controlled trial was warranted.

Effects of eccentric strength training on biceps femoris muscle architecture and knee joint range of movement.

The aim was to determine whether eccentric strengthening changed the muscle architecture of human biceps femoris and consequently, knee range of motion. Twenty-two subjects were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group completed an eccentric strengthening programme for 8 weeks.