Patients’ experiences of involvement, motivation and coping with physiotherapists during subacute stroke rehabilitation – a qualitative study

 

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Patients’ experiences of involvement, motivation and coping with physiotherapists during subacute stroke rehabilitation – a qualitative study

Liss Marita Solbakken, Marita Nordhaug & Kristin Halvorsen To cite this article: Liss Marita Solbakken, Marita Nordhaug & Kristin Halvorsen (2022): Patients’ experiences of involvement, motivation and coping with physiotherapists during subacute stroke rehabilitation – a qualitative study, European Journal of Physiotherapy, DOI: 10.1080/21679169.2022.2032825 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/21679169.2022.2032825 © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Published online: 23 Feb 2022. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 57 View related articles View Crossmark data ORIGINAL ARTICLE Patients’ experiences of involvement, motivation and coping with physiotherapists during subacute stroke rehabilitation – a qualitative study Liss Marita Solbakken , Marita Nordhaug and Kristin Halvorsen Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway 

 

ABSTRACT 

Purpose: 

Physiotherapy is an important, integral part of rehabilitation after stroke. The study aim was to explore and describe patients’ experiences of involvement, motivation, and coping in interaction with physiotherapists during subacute stroke rehabilitation. Methods: The data derive from qualitative semi-structured interviews of six patients following subacute stroke rehabilitation. The interviews were analysed using systematic text condensation. 

 

Results: 

 

Two categories were identified: (1) ‘The physiotherapist’s contribution’, including the themes of motivation through goal attainment, transferring knowledge, and building self-efficacy through a good relationship; (2) ‘The patient’s internal process’, including the themes of attitude and determination, comparison, the importance of feeling well and fending off passivity. 

 

Conclusion: 

This study shows that increased knowledge and a good relationship with the physiotherapist were important for the participants’ involvement, motivation, and coping. Experiencing ownership of the rehabilitation process made the patients accountable, affected their activity level positively, and helped them cope with their challenges.