Purpose: The Bobath concept is the predominant stroke physiotherapy approach in the UK but there is little literature about its operationalization. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of perceived adherence to the Bobath concept on interventions used by physiotherapists to treat postural control problems after stroke. The physiotherapists' experience, clinical grade and the type of patients treated were also compared.
Methods: The design was a cross sectional survey involving 11 NHS Trusts. The participants were 35 stroke physiotherapists who recorded the treatment of 132 patients in 644 sessions using the Stroke Physiotherapy Intervention Recording Tool. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests and Chi-squares were used in the analysis to describe the physiotherapists and patients, and compare the effects of perceived adherence to the Bobath concept on intervention choice, clinical grade, experience and the type of patient treated.
Results: Most physiotherapists perceived their practice to be eclectic but the interventions used followed a traditional Bobath model. Perceived adherence to the Bobath concept had little effect on the choice of intervention. The only significant difference was that 'preparation for treatment' techniques were used more frequently by 'strongly Bobath' physiotherapists then 'eclectic' physiotherapists. There were no other significant differences, nor were there any differences in the physiotherapists' clinical grade, post-graduate training or the type of patient treated except that 'eclectic' physiotherapists' patients were older. Most of the 'strongly Bobath' physiotherapists were experienced and most of the 'eclectic' physiotherapists were novices (p<0.023).
Conclusions: Although most physiotherapists perceived themselves to be eclectic, their actual practice followed a traditional Bobath model; recent developments of the Bobath concept were not incorporated into clinical practice. The reasons for the mismatch between physiotherapists' perception and their actual practice are discussed.