A descriptive analysis of physical therapists' knowledge of pediatric sports injury diagnosis and management

This descriptive study examined knowledge of physical therapists in diagnosing and managing pediatric sports injury. Questionnaires were mailed to 100 physical therapists in the United States and Canada to assess their knowledge of selected pediatric sports injuries and their level of comfort in making sound functional diagnoses and providing appropriate rehabilitative care. Questionnaires were tested for validity and reliability by the researcher prior to data collection. Twenty respondents returned (a response rate of 20%) completed questionnaires for statistical analysis. Data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Results indicated that the majority of therapists (85%) had limited knowledge on proper strength training techniques and general pediatric knowledge. Comfort levels for functional diagnoses and management of certain common pediatric injuries varied. The majority of therapists were comfortable diagnosing Osgood-Schlatter and Little League elbow, and uncomfortable diagnosing Sever's Disease and Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome. Results of this study suggest therapists have limited knowledge about pediatric sports injury and are uncomfortable diagnosing and managing these patients.