The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) has released six recommendations – as part of the evidence-based healthcare campaign Choosing Wisely – to help improve Australian’s healthcare outcomes.
The APA list of recommendations is:
- Don’t request imaging for patients with non-specific low back pain and no indicators of a serious cause for low back pain
- Don’t request imaging of the cervical spine in trauma patients, unless indicated by a validated decision rule
- Don’t request imaging for acute ankle trauma unless indicated by the Ottawa Ankle Rules (localised bone tenderness or inability to weight-bear as defined in the Rules)
- Don’t routinely use incentive spirometry after upper abdominal and cardiac surgery
- Avoid using electrotherapy modalities in the management of patients with low back pain
- Don’t provide ongoing manual therapy for patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder