Study on interest degree for vestibular rehabilitation among Japanese physical therapists

Abstract

In the United States of America, physiotherapists are involved in vestibular rehabilitation. With the aim of clarifying the degree of interest in Japanese physiotherapists regarding vestibular rehabilitation, this study used a questionnaire to survey physiotherapists who had previously been exposed to equilibrium research at workshops and physiotherapists who had not been exposed as a control group. Approximately 80% of those in the control group were interested in vestibular rehabilitation. However, most physiotherapists had very few opportunities to receive education regarding the pathophysiology of the vestibular system and related diseases in a clinical setting. Physiotherapists who participated in workshops received this education from senior physiotherapists as their instructors. The small number of physiotherapists who were given such opportunities was engaged in vestibular system rehabilitation based on requests from otolaryngologists for a small number of cases. A question regarding vestibular rehabilitation was on the national examination for physiotherapists in 2015. However, there are few opportunities for education regarding vestibular system before and after graduation.