Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy in Trauma: An Evidence-based Approach

Trauma is a serious public health problem worldwide and is the leading cause of death among adults and children. Physiotherapists play a key role in the interdisciplinary team caring for patients with physical injury after a traumatic event. The aim of Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy in Trauma: An Evidence-based Approach is to encourage quality evidence-based physiotherapy management of adult and paediatric survivors of trauma in an acute care setting on a global level.

The first edition of the book was written by South African physiotherapy academics and clinical physiotherapists with expertise in trauma care. This new edition involves the South African writers from the first edition as well as a team of international experts in trauma care across health care disciplines (including surgeons, nurses, occupational therapists, dieticians, pain experts, and social workers). The information shared in the first edition has therefore been updated with more clinical expertise and the latest available evidence. The new content in this latest edition aims to make physiotherapists more aware of the importance of considering how pain influences patients’ participation in therapy sessions, and of a team approach to patient care (e.g. managing pain and planning of care) to ensure the best possible outcomes for adult and paediatric patients with traumatic injury, at hospital discharge.

Readership: Physiotherapists who work in the acute care setting and manage adult and paediatric patients with traumatic injuries; Physiotherapy students studying towards Master of Science qualification (the topic is covered in the final two years of u/g cardiopulmonary physiotherapy courses); Researchers with an interest in rehabilitation of patients with traumatic injury in the acute care setting or after discharge from acute care setting. Undergraduate physiotherapy students for subjects related to cardiopulmonary physiotherapy treatment techniques, physiotherapy in critical care, traumatology and orthopaedics, graduate nurses, doctors and allied health practitioners may gain a better understanding of the role of a physiotherapist, as a member of the interdisciplinary team in the acute care setting, in the management of patients with traumatic injuries.