Developing a revised definition of the Bobath concept

Current practice of outpatient rehabilitation services in patients with mobility-impaired paralysis due to stroke or spinal cord injury: a qualitative interview study in Germany

PURPOSE

When mobility deficits persist after stroke or spinal cord injury (SCI), outpatient neurorehabilitation services are required. This study aimed to explore the current practice of German outpatient neurorehabilitation services and identify factors associated to this practice.

METHODS

This was a qualitative observational study in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals from outpatient neurorehabilitation services and mobility-impaired patients. A qualitative content analysis with a data-driven coding process was used.

RESULTS

Three general practitioners, five physical, five occupational, and one speech therapist, one neuropsychologist, two outpatient nurses, one rehabilitation technician, one social worker, two patient advocates (long-term survivors, each stroke and SCI), and 20 patients (10 after stroke, 10 after SCI, all first-ever affected since approximately one year) participated. The reported experiences ranged from high satisfaction to perceived deficits in participation-oriented, evidence-based, and coordinated care. Identified associated factors were: (a) availability of specialised therapists and professional education, (b) outpatient service catalogue, (c) cost coverage, (d) setting rehabilitation goals, and (e) physician as care coordinator.

CONCLUSION

Areas of improvement identified focused on: setting rehabilitation goals towards participation, training therapists on evidence-based treatments and shared decision-making, updating the outpatient service catalogue, and implementing coordination actions. Implementation of these recommendations should be evaluated.

The Bobath concept (NDT) in adult neurorehabilitation: a scoping review of conceptual literature

PURPOSE

This scoping review aims to describe how Bobath concept is conceptualized, operationalized, and studied in adult neurorehabilitation.

METHODS

The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were adopted. Non-scientific and research articles were searched in electronic databases PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), with the keywords "Bobath" or "Neurodevelopmental Treatment", published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, between 2013 and 2023.

RESULTS

Of the 78 publications identified, 31 articles addressed the conceptual underpinnings of Bobath concept (seven theoretical papers, seven Delphi/surveys/mixed methods studies, four qualitative studies, one scoping review, 10 letters to the editor, and two editorials), comprising five themes: (a) theoretical principles; (b) clinical principles; (c) clinical reasoning; (d) conceptualizing movement; and, current (e) evidence debate. The revised definition and the Model of Bobath Clinical Practice provide a clarification of the unique aspects of Bobath concept. A new clinical skill was identified beyond facilitation - visuospatial kinesthetic perception - as well as how Bobath experts conceptualize movement, which are all integral to clinical reasoning.

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides an updated Bobath clinical framework that gathers the theoretical foundations and clinical practice principles that require careful consideration in the design of future intervention studies.Implications for rehabilitationThis scoping review consolidates the clinical and theoretical principles of contemporary Bobath practice, providing a clear framework for clinicians.The Model of Bobath Clinical Practice (MBCP) framework enables detailed documentation of movement analysis and movement diagnosis, guiding clinical reasoning and interventions.This review identifies fundamental principles and practices to inform future Bobath intervention studies, ensuring their clinical relevance.A framework with specific recommendations has been developed to guide Bobath intervention studies, enhancing the integration of clinical practice, education, and research.

Physiotherapy Intervention on Premature Infants-A Pilot Study

Background and Objectives: Considering the fact that prematurity echoes in terms of motor development even up to the age of adolescence, through the presence of deficiencies, the importance of starting kinetotherapeutic treatment as soon as possible is highlighted, even in the absence of brain damage or obvious motor delays. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to analyze the factors that influence the level of motor development of premature babies up to 9 months and identify the motor development curve of premature babies according to the three stages of motor development: the position of symmetrical support on the elbows at 3 months, sitting with support at 6 months, and verticalization at 9 months. Materials and Methods: This prospective pilot study was conducted within a rehabilitation facility located in Targu Mureș, Romania, spanning a duration of 2 years from June 2021 to 2023. Results: The study involved a population of 78 children, all premature infants, selected from the patient pool of the rehabilitation facility, specifically chosen based on adherence to the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria outlined in the study protocol. Two physiotherapists specialized in child recovery were involved in the study, and one performed the assessments and the other applied the Bobath therapy. Conclusions: Early physiotherapy interventions can have a positive influence in terms of reducing differences in motor development between preterm and full-term infants. This study identified several factors that influence the motor development of premature infants. Among these, the most prominent biological factors were gestational age and birth weight.

A stroke rehabilitation training program for community-based primary health care, South Africa

Background

With an increasing burden of stroke and a lack of access to rehabilitation services in rural South African settings, stroke survivors rely on untrained family caregivers for support and care. Community health workers (CHWs) support these families but have no stroke-specific training.

Objectives

To describe the development of a contextually appropriate stroke training program for CHWs in the Cape Winelands District, South Africa.

Method

Twenty-six health professionals and CHWs from the local primary healthcare services participated in action research over a 15-month period from September 2014 to December 2015. The groups participated in two parallel cooperative inquiry (CI) groups. The inquiry followed the cyclical steps of planning, action, observation and reflection. In this article, the planning step and how the CI groups used the first three steps of the analyse, design, develop, implement, evaluate (ADDIE) instructional design model are described.

Results

The CHWs' scope of practice, learning needs, competencies and characteristics, as well as the needs of the caregivers and stroke survivors, were identified in the analysis step. The program design consisted of 16 sessions to be delivered over 20 h. Program resources were developed with appropriate technology, language and instructional methodology.

Conclusion

The program aims to equip CHWs to support family caregivers and stroke survivors in their homes as part of their generalist scope of practice. The implementation and initial evaluation will be described in a future article.

Contribution

The study developed a unique training program for CHWs to support caregivers and stroke survivors in a resource-constrained, rural, middle-income country setting.

A Robot-Assisted Therapy to Increase Muscle Strength in Hemiplegic Gait Rehabilitation

This study examines the feasibility of using a robot-assisted therapy methodology based on the Bobath concept to perform exercises applied in conventional therapy for gait rehabilitation in stroke patients. The aim of the therapy is to improve postural control and movement through exercises based on repetitive active-assisted joint mobilization, which is expected to produce strength changes in the lower limbs. As therapy progresses, robotic assistance is gradually reduced and the patient's burden increases with the goal of achieving a certain degree of independence. The relationship between force and range of motion led to the analysis of both parameters of interest. The study included 23 volunteers who performed 24 sessions, 2 sessions per week for 12 weeks, each lasting about 1 h. The results showed a significant increase in hip abduction and knee flexion strength on both sides, although there was a general trend of increased strength in all joints. However, the range of motion at the hip and ankle joints was reduced. The usefulness of this platform for transferring exercises from conventional to robot-assisted therapies was demonstrated, as well as the benefits that can be obtained in muscle strength training. However, it is suggested to complement the applied therapy with exercises for the maintenance and improvement of the range of motion.

Essence of the Bobath concept in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. A qualitative study of the experience of Spanish therapists

Objective: The aim was to explore the experiences of a group of Spanish physical therapists who apply the Bobath concept in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy, specifically to identify the components they experience as core and essential to the Bobath concept.Design: A qualitative phenomenological study.Methods: This study used purposive sampling. Non-structured interviews were carried out with 10 Spanish Bobath-trained physical therapists who treat children with cerebral palsy. Thematic analysis was applied.Results: Five themes regarding the essence of the Bobath concept emerged: 1) "normal movement" as a guide; 2) a "global" concept; 3) observation; 4) the centrality of tone; and 5) working with families. Within these themes, additional principles were reflected cross-sectionally, such as therapy being a continuous process of assessment and treatment, the application of principles of motor learning, and the importance of carryover of treatment into function.Conclusions: The results demonstrated themes traditionally identified as core to the Bobath concept, including working with families, which is also considered integral to the approach. The study participants used outdated terminology at times when discussing tone and movement. However, they reported that they no longer adhere to the theoretical perspective of pathological reflexes and reflex/tone inhibition. This study provides insight into how treatment of children with cerebral palsy based on the Bobath concept is experienced by a group of Spanish physiotherapists, who identified five main themes that they perceive as essential. The results provide grounds for further research into the application of the Bobath concept in children.

Arm-Hand Boost Therapy During Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: It was the aim to assess feasibility, safety, and potential efficacy of a new intensive, focused arm-hand BOOST program and to investigate whether there is a difference between early vs. late delivery of the program in the sub-acute phase post stroke. Methods: In this pilot RCT, patients with stroke were randomized to the immediate group (IG): 4 weeks (4 w) BOOST +4 w CONTROL or the delayed group (DG): 4 w CONTROL +4 w BOOST, on top of their usual inpatient care program. The focused arm-hand BOOST program (1 h/day, 5x/week, 4 weeks) consisted of group exercises with focus on scapula-setting, core-stability, manipulation and complex ADL tasks. Additionally, 1 h per week the Armeo®Power (Hocoma AG, Switzerland) was used. The CONTROL intervention comprised a dose-matched program (24 one-hour sessions in 4 w) of lower limb strengthening exercises and general reconditioning. At baseline, after 4 and 8 weeks of training, the Fugl-Meyer assessment upper extremity (FMA-UE), action research arm test (ARAT), and stroke upper limb capacity scale (SULCS) were administered. Results: Eighteen participants (IG: n = 10, DG: n = 8) were included, with a median (IQR) time post stroke of 8.6 weeks (5-12). No adverse events were experienced. After 4 weeks of training, significant between-group differences were found for FMA-UE (p = 0.003) and SULCS (p = 0.033) and a trend for ARAT (p = 0.075) with median (IQR) change scores for the IG of 9 (7-16), 2 (1-3), and 12.5 (1-18), respectively, and for the DG of 0.5 (-3 to 3), 1 (0-1), and 1.5 (-1 to 9), respectively. In the IG, 80% of patients improved beyond the minimal clinical important difference of FMA-UE after 4 weeks, compared to none of the DG patients. Between 4 and 8 weeks of training, patients in the DG tend to show larger improvements when compared to the IG, however, between-group comparisons did not reach significance. Conclusions: Results of this pilot RCT showed that an intensive, specific arm-hand BOOST program, on top of usual care, is feasible and safe in the sub-acute phase post stroke and suggests positive, clinical meaningful effects on upper limb function, especially when delivered in the early sub-acute phase post stroke. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04584177.

Bobath therapy is inferior to task-specific training and not superior to other interventions in improving lower limb activities after stroke: a systematic review

QUESTION

In adults with stroke, does Bobath therapy improve lower limb activity performance, strength or co-ordination when compared with no intervention or another intervention?

DESIGN

Systematic review of randomised trials with meta-analyses.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults after stroke.

INTERVENTION

Bobath therapy compared with another intervention or no intervention.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Lower limb activity performance (eg, sit to stand, walking, balance), lower limb strength and lower limb co-ordination. Trial quality was assessed using the PEDro scale.

RESULTS

Twenty-two trials were included in the review and 17 in the meta-analyses. The methodological quality of the trials varied, with PEDro scale scores ranging from 2 to 8 out of 10. No trials compared Bobath therapy to no intervention. Meta-analyses estimated the effect of Bobath therapy on lower limb activities compared with other interventions, including: task-specific training (nine trials), combined interventions (four trials), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (one trial) and strength training (two trials). The pooled data indicated that task-specific training has a moderately greater benefit on lower limb activities than Bobath therapy (SMD 0.48), although the true magnitude of the benefit may be substantially larger or smaller than this estimate (95% CI 0.01 to 0.95). Bobath therapy did not clearly improve lower limb activities more than a combined intervention (SMD -0.06, 95% CI -0.73 to 0.61) or strength training (SMD 0.35, 95% CI -0.37 to 1.08). In one study, Bobath therapy was more effective than proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation for improving standing balance (SMD -1.40, 95% CI -1.92 to -0.88), but these interventions did not differ on any other outcomes. Bobath therapy did not improve strength or co-ordination more than other interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Bobath therapy was inferior to task-specific training and not superior to other interventions, with the exception of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Prioritising Bobath therapy over other interventions is not supported by current evidence.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42019112451.

Developing a revised definition of the Bobath concept: Phase three

OBJECTIVE

To develop a revised definition of the Bobath concept that incorporates the perspectives of members of the International Bobath Instructors Training Association (IBITA).

METHODS

A three-phase consensus building design utilizing (i) focus groups; (ii) survey methods; and, (iii) real-time Delphi. This paper presents the findings from the real-time Delphi, an iterative process to collect and synthesize expert opinions anonymously, provide controlled feedback, with the overall goal of achieving consensus.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-one IBITA members participated in the real-time Delphi. Over three Delphi Rounds, consensus was reached on six overarching conceptual statements and 11 statements representing unique aspects of Bobath clinical practice. One statement that aimed to describe the Bobath clinical term of "placing" was eliminated in Round One due to participant reservations that a text description was insufficient for this term. Seven statements underwent minor wording revisions in Round Two and Three to improve sentence clarity.

CONCLUSION

Using the real-time Delphi, we were successful in gaining consensus in an expert group on a series of statements on which a revised definition of the Bobath concept could be based.