Document Type

Thesis - NSU Access Only

Title

Effect of Experience on Physical Therapists' Ability to Identify a Lumbar Spinous Process

Authors

Suzanne S. Lowe, Nova Southeastern University

Degree Name

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1998

Publisher

Nova Southeastern University

NSUWorks Citation

Suzanne S. Lowe. 1998. Effect of Experience on Physical Therapists' Ability to Identify a Lumbar Spinous Process. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department. (132)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_pt_stuetd/132.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if experience affects physical therapists' ability to identify a lumbar spinous process by palpation. Previous studies indicate poor reliability in identification of lumbar spinous processes, citing examiner experience as one potential limitation.

Method: One arbitrary lumbar spinous process of a single prone subject was marked with a skin pen and a lead marker. An x-ray confirmed that the L3 spinous process was marked. Seven novice and six experienced physical therapists, blind to the x-ray findings, palpated the marked spinal level and were asked to identify the spinous process.

Results: Four of thirteen physical therapists correctly identified the L3 spinous process. Three were novice physical therapists. Fisher's exact test found insignificant p=0.599, with a low power of 0.17. Small sample size was a limitation.

Conclusion: This study is an agreement with other studies showing poor agreement between physical therapists in spinous process identification. No conclusion can be drawn regarding the effect of experience, although power analysis indicated that a larger sample might find significance in the direction of the novice therapist. Future studies with larger sample size are encouraged to determine if experience, positioning or palpation approach affect accuracy.

Disciplines

Physical Therapy