Introduction: The need for physiotherapy intervention in the treatment of mandibular condyle
fractures has been highlighted. No unifying criteria are currently available regarding a postsurgical
functional exercise program for patients who sustained mandibular condyle fractures.
Aim: The research study conducted aimed to perform a needs analysis amongst maxillo-facial
surgeons and physiotherapists in South Africa, regarding the perceived need for a postoperative
physiotherapy intervention program for patients who sustained mandibular condyle
fractures. The study also aimed to develop a post-operative functional exercise program for
patients who sustained mandibular condyle fractures.
Methodology: The first part of the research comprised of a needs analysis questionnaire, sent
out to qualified experts: one physiotherapist and one maxillo-facial surgeon from each of the
training institutions in South Africa. The data obtained from the needs analysis questionnaire
was used to compile an online questionnaire with statements regarding the type and dosage of
a suitable physiotherapeutic treatment protocol. The Delphi method was used, and this
questionnaire was sent out to a further 20 experts (national and international) in the fields of
physiotherapy, maxillo-facial surgery and dental surgery. A convenience sampling method
was used to select appropriately trained participants for the needs analysis and Delphi
questionnaire.
Results: A definite need for physiotherapy intervention for mandibular condyle fracture
patients was proposed by the needs analysis participants (100%). A total of 85.7 % (needs
analysis) and 100 % (Delphi questionnaire) of respondents indicated that all mandibular
condyle fracture patients should receive in-hospital physiotherapy intervention. By utilising
the Delphi method, a suitable physiotherapy intervention program for mandibular condyle
fracture patients was developed. Inter-reviewer consensus was reached regarding what each
exercise entails, as well as what in-hospital physiotherapy visits should be comprised of.
Stability was reached regarding the commencement and dosage of the various jaw exercises.
Conclusion: Experts in the field proposed that physiotherapists should provide post-operative
rehabilitative therapy to patients who have sustained mandibular condyle fractures. The
proposed post-surgical intervention program provided in this study can serve as a baseline for
implementation in further research studies. The advantages of referring mandibular condyle
fracture patients to physiotherapy were also presented.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-09162013-130200 |
| Date | 16 September 2013 |
| Creators | van der Merwe, Anke |
| Contributors | Ms C Brandt, Mrs RY Barnes |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-09162013-130200/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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