Physiotherapy for Clients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)- Independent Learning Material for Physiotherapy Students
Partanen, Erica (2022)
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202203133411
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202203133411
Tiivistelmä
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a neuroinflammatory syndrome which main symptom is severe pain that is not in proportion to the time and degree to the existing trauma. Pain is regional and typically starts after a trauma or a surgery in an extremity. Other symptoms are swelling, vascular and trophic changes, and functional impairment of the affected limb. The syndrome has a remarkably negative effect on clients quality of life, unless treated properly.
Objective of the thesis was to find the latest evidence about physiotherapy for clients with CRPS. Based on the collected literature, an independent learning material package was created for physiotherapy students in Satakunta University of Applied Sciences. The research method of the thesis is action research, where the evidence was collected through a comprehensive literature search which was complemented with a manual hand search. The research question was: “what are the effective physiotherapy methods for treating clients with CRPS”. Comprehensive literature search was conducted in September 2021. Original studies published in English, no older than 5 years, were included in the review. The product was created and piloted in January 2022 and the thesis was completed in February 2022 and presented in March 2022.
The best results in care of a client with CRPS seem to be reached with a multidisciplinary approach combining physiotherapy, and psychological- and pharmacological treatment modalities. Graded motor imagery and mirror therapy are the physiotherapy modalities that seem to give the best therapeutic effect for clients with CRPS. Having TENS as part of the physiotherapy session might increase ROM and decrease pain and oedema more than a physiotherapy session without TENS as part of the session.
Most studies researching the effectiveness of physiotherapy for clients with CRPS focus on clients with CRPS type I in the upper extremity. No studies researching the effectiveness of physiotherapy for clients with CRPS Type II or CRPS in the lower extremity were found as a result of this thesis process.
Objective of the thesis was to find the latest evidence about physiotherapy for clients with CRPS. Based on the collected literature, an independent learning material package was created for physiotherapy students in Satakunta University of Applied Sciences. The research method of the thesis is action research, where the evidence was collected through a comprehensive literature search which was complemented with a manual hand search. The research question was: “what are the effective physiotherapy methods for treating clients with CRPS”. Comprehensive literature search was conducted in September 2021. Original studies published in English, no older than 5 years, were included in the review. The product was created and piloted in January 2022 and the thesis was completed in February 2022 and presented in March 2022.
The best results in care of a client with CRPS seem to be reached with a multidisciplinary approach combining physiotherapy, and psychological- and pharmacological treatment modalities. Graded motor imagery and mirror therapy are the physiotherapy modalities that seem to give the best therapeutic effect for clients with CRPS. Having TENS as part of the physiotherapy session might increase ROM and decrease pain and oedema more than a physiotherapy session without TENS as part of the session.
Most studies researching the effectiveness of physiotherapy for clients with CRPS focus on clients with CRPS type I in the upper extremity. No studies researching the effectiveness of physiotherapy for clients with CRPS Type II or CRPS in the lower extremity were found as a result of this thesis process.