ELDERLY SATISFACTION IN PHYSIOTHERAPY MANAGEMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS

ELDERLY SATISFACTION IN PHYSIOTHERAPY MANAGEMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS

ABSTRACT

AIM: the aim of this cross sectional survey is to measure the level of satisfaction in the management of musculoskeletal conditions and to know if really physiotherapy managements helps patients with musculoskeletal conditions in Enugu state Nigeria or not and hence tends to answer the following research question” What is the impact of physiotherapy in management of musculoskeletal conditions from patients perspective? What is the level of satisfaction of elderly patients in physiotherapy management of musculoskeletal conditions?”The method used was a cross sectional survey with the use of patient’s satisfaction questionnaire, A 26 item instrument designed to measure the domains of patient’s satisfaction which was designed by American physical therapy association was used. The subjects that took part in the survey were a total of 91 clients 60 female and 40 males. The result showed that 9.8 total mean values of the elderly people suffering from musculoskeletal conditions are not satisfied with the physical therapy administered via a physiotherapist.

1   INTRODUCTION

The term musculoskeletal system originated from two words which are “Muscular and Skeletal” system. Muscular system are the body organ that comprises of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles and its primary function it’s to enable body movement and to maintain body posture while the Skeletal is the combination of fused and unfused bones and been backed up by ligaments, tendors, muscles and cartilage which serves as a support and also as a body protector, it protects the vital organs in the body such as the brain, lungs and the heart.

Musculoskeletal disorder(MSD) are work or sport related injuries that affects the bones, muscles within their related tendons, joints structure such as ligaments and menisci. This injuries and disorder may cause impairment such as pains, inflammation, restricted movement, joints instability or weakness (Beath .et al 2000).

The researcher been a Geronom/Gerontologist is interested in the total wellbeing of the elderly and more especially to prolong independence among the elderly people in Nige-ria and the society as a whole. Elderly independence has been the heart beat of Nigerian Government and other Government leaders all over the world, elderly people needs to be independent in other to save the cost of taking care of them in care home and institu-tion. One of the common problems that is challenging the independence of the elderly people in Nigeria has been the problem of Musculoskeletal disorders which affects their wellbeing and thereby result in making them handicap.

ELDERLY SATISFACTION IN PHYSIOTHERAPY MANAGEMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS