South African Journal of Physiotherapy最新文献

{"title":"Effectiveness of mindful breathing exercises on symptom reduction and quality of life in individuals with major depressive disorder: A systematic review.","authors":"Saad Bin Muaythir, Nombeko Mshunqane, Enos Ramano, Bashir Bello, Nontembiso Magida","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i1.2352","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i1.2352","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global cause of disability, with many patients experiencing suboptimal response to conventional treatments. Mindful breathing exercises, a simple and scalable technique, have emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for alleviating depressive symptoms and improving quality of life.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate the effectiveness of mindful breathing exercises on symptom reduction and quality of life in individuals diagnosed with MDD.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A systematic search of Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (PubMed), PEDro, Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, Web of Science and BioMed Central databases was conducted from inception to September 2025. Our review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eligible criteria were intervention studies examining the effects of mindful breathing on depressive symptoms and quality of life in individuals diagnosed with MDD. Two reviewers independently screened the studies, extracted the data and assessed the methodological quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A narrative synthesis was conducted because of heterogeneity in outcome measures and intervention protocols.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two studies involving 179 participants met the inclusion criteria. One study combined cognitive behavioural therapy with breathing exercises, demonstrating improvements in sleep quality, psychiatric symptoms and heart rate variability. Another study demonstrated a significant reduction in anxiety.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Mindful breathing exercises are beneficial in alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as enhancing physiological indicators in people with MDD.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Our review highlights breathing techniques as an affordable, non-pharmaceutical option to conventional treatment; however, more research with rigorous outcomes is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 1","pages":"2352"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13243827/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148212303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preventative strategies for non-contact lower limb injuries among male football players: A scoping review.","authors":"Siyabonga H Kunene, Molebogeng B Mmitsi","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i1.2281","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i1.2281","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Football is a complex team sport with high physical, tactical and technical demands, exposing players to a high risk of both contact and non-contact injuries.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To map the range of preventative strategies used to reduce non-contact lower limb injuries among male footballers.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Our study was conducted as a scoping review. The review was guided in five stages: (1) defining the research question; (2) identifying relevant studies; (3) selecting the topic; (4) charting and collecting data; and (5) summarising and reporting the results. The research was guided by the population, concept, context framework, focusing on professional and amateur male soccer players across various age groups. It examined a range of preventative strategies targeting non-contact lower limb injuries, recognising their critical role in reducing player exclusion because of injury. The literature search was conducted across eight electronic databases: PUBMED, CINAHL, PEDro, EBSCOhost, Cochrane Library, SPORTDiscus, Scopus and ScienceDirect.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-five (out of 617) studies met the inclusion criteria, and their outcomes have been presented. Outcomes revealed various injury inhibition programmes implemented for non-contact lower limb injuries among male footballers, which were: Nordic hamstring exercises, Copenhagen adduction exercise, muscle strengthening, stretching exercises, ankle taping, FIFA 11, FIFA 11+ warm-up programme, preseason preparation, running mechanics, high chronic training loads, bounding exercises and a multicomponent exercise programme.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study identified a range of preventative strategies commonly employed to reduce the risk of non-contact lower limb injuries among male football players.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Considering the varying dynamics across teams and competitive levels, these strategies can serve as a valuable framework for developing injury prevention programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 1","pages":"2281"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13243745/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148212689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shoulder pain in amateur fast bowlers: A case example illustrating opportunities to embed prevention in undergraduate physiotherapy education.","authors":"Muhammad A Dawood, Benita Olivier, Maria E Cochrane","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2304","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2304","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Health professions education is undergoing a paradigm shift from a predominantly curative focus towards prevention and health promotion, in line with global health priorities such as Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3). Physiotherapy curricula, however, often still devote limited attention to preventative competencies.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The objectives of this study are to identify risk factors for shoulder pain in amateur fast bowlers and illustrate how such evidence can inform the integration of preventative competencies into undergraduate physiotherapy curricula.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A prospective, longitudinal cohort study was conducted during the 2018-2019 amateur cricket season. Thirty-nine male fast bowlers completed baseline musculoskeletal screening and weekly online questionnaires documenting injury incidence. Physical assessments included shoulder range of motion, scapular control, muscle strength, endurance and stability tests. Data were analysed using <i>t</i>-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-square and/or Fisher's exact tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine participants (23%) sustained shoulder pain during the season. Risk factors associated with injury included scapular dyskinesia, decreased internal rotation, increased external rotation, glenohumeral internal rotation deficit, poor endurance and reduced isometric muscle strength. These factors demonstrated moderate-to-large effect sizes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The identification of modifiable risk factors for shoulder pain demonstrates the value of embedding screening skills into undergraduate physiotherapy curricula. Teaching students to assess and address risk factors fosters a preventative orientation that extends beyond sports injuries to broader health contexts.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Incorporating risk factor screening into training equips physiotherapy graduates with practical skills for early detection and prevention, thereby reducing the burden of preventable conditions and aligning education with the objectives of SDG3.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149676/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teaching the ICF or using the ICF to teach? Lessons from first-time clinical practice.","authors":"Ilse du Plessis, Lunelle Pienaar, Heather Talberg","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2311","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2311","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Clinical education is central to physiotherapy training, yet many students enter their first placements with limited experience in holistic clinical reasoning. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a biopsychosocial framework for understanding functioning, yet its use in early clinical education remains underexplored.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate second-year physiotherapy students' self-reported understanding and application of the ICF following first time clinical exposure within a redesigned clinical course.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. All second-year physiotherapy students completing their first clinical placements in 2023 and 2024 at a South African university were invited to complete a self-developed survey. The survey assessed perceived understanding and application of ICF components using Likert-scale and categorical items. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 138 eligible students, 106 responded (76.9%). Students reported improved perceived understanding of the ICF, with retrospective ratings increasing from a mean of 6 before placement to 9 after placement. Confidence in applying the ICF was high (mean = 8).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Early clinical exposure structured around the ICF may support the development of holistic reasoning and encourage students to move beyond impairment-focused thinking.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Embedding the ICF into early placements may strengthen patient-centred clinical reasoning.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2311"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can you escape rehab? Theoretical and design foundations of an online escape room for speech-language pathology students.","authors":"Nancy Barber","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2285","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2285","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Speech-language pathology (SLP) students in South Africa often face persistent challenges in transferring theoretical learning to authentic clinical contexts. This theory-practice divide is compounded by limited placement opportunities, multilingual classrooms, and broader structural inequities, all of which contribute to a significant theory-practice divide. Addressing these contextual realities requires innovative pedagogical approaches that extend beyond traditional teaching methods.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This article presents the conceptual and theoretical foundations of a low-cost, online escape room aimed at enhancing clinical reasoning skills in third-year SLP students, grounded in the contextual realities of South African higher education.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The design was informed by social constructivism, self-determination theory, and simulation-based learning. Implemented via the Genial.ly platform, the escape room integrated authentic case-based tasks, facilitator-mediated feedback, progress-dependent sequencing, and multimedia layering. These features created an interactive, psychologically safe space where students could apply theoretical knowledge to contextually relevant clinical challenges.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The design foregrounds social learning, motivation, and contextual responsiveness - core dimensions of capability building in resource-limited systems. It demonstrates how theoretically informed, technology-enhanced learning can promote autonomy, competence, and relatedness, supporting the development of confident and reflective practitioners in multilingual and under-resourced environments.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This article proposes a scalable and contextually responsive model for developing clinical reasoning in the Global South healthcare education contexts. By foregrounding theoretical grounding and contextual adaptability, it contributes to the broader conversation on how technology-enhanced learning can support capability development in resource-limited settings.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>The online escape room illustrates the potential of low-fidelity, technology-enhanced simulations to improve clinical reasoning, learner engagement, and confidence in diverse, resource-constrained training contexts, providing an equitable, scalable means to bridge theory and practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2285"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149924/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Policy in undergraduate physiotherapy clinical education: Lessons from the implementation of the framework and strategy for disability and rehabilitation.","authors":"Naeema A R Hussein El Kout, Sonti I Pilusa, Natalie Benjamin-Damons","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2317","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2317","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physiotherapy clinical education in South Africa faces persistent challenges related to equity, relevance and sustainability, compounded by resource constraints and workforce pressures. Policy, as a tool for shaping undergraduate clinical training, remains underutilised despite its potential to drive transformative educational practices.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study explores how policy can inform and strengthen undergraduate physiotherapy clinical education, drawing on findings from a doctoral evaluation of the Framework and Strategy for Disability and Rehabilitation (FSDR) in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>An explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, guided by implementation science frameworks, to evaluate barriers, enablers and outcomes of FSDR implementation. Data were analysed to identify implications for clinical education, including curriculum design, clinical placements and supervisory practices.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Key barriers identified included limited funding, insufficient resources, weak intersectoral collaboration and workforce shortages. Enablers included active disability advocacy, alignment with international rights-based frameworks and community-based rehabilitation initiatives. Applying these findings to clinical education highlighted strategies for optimising clinical placement resources, building supervisor capacity, integrating disability-inclusive and community-based approaches and developing robust monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure training is relevant and socially accountable.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Policy-driven transformation of physiotherapy clinical education is essential to equip graduates with the competencies required to meet societal and health system needs.</p><p><strong>Clinical implication: </strong>Embedding policy into clinical training fosters socially accountable graduates who can advance disability rights, contribute to equitable rehabilitation services and translate national health priorities into practical clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2317"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149772/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing preclinical simulation to build capacity in physiotherapy education and practice.","authors":"Ronel Roos, Sandy Lord, Monique Keller, Nabeela Sujee, Natalie Benjamin-Damons, Vaneshveri Naidoo","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2308","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2308","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2308"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149620/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Co-creating learning: A qualitative exploration of physiotherapy clinical education.","authors":"Alison Lupton-Smith, Anna M Schmutz","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2299","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2299","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A large part of physiotherapy clinical training is situated in the workplace. Learning in an authentic environment is supported by facilitators.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study focussed on the perceptions and understanding of physiotherapy students and facilitators while learning on the clinical platform.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A qualitative methodology within an interpretivist paradigm was followed using convenience sampling.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Physiotherapy students (<i>n</i> = 45) in their fourth and final year of study and clinical facilitators of this student group (<i>n</i> = 13) were invited to participate in a focus group discussion (FGD) for the students (<i>n</i> = 7) and semi-structured interviews for the facilitators (<i>n</i> = 7). An inductive data analysis approach was followed. Three themes were generated: <i>Learning as a Shared, Active Process</i>; <i>Relationships, Role Modelling and Power Dynamics in Clinical Learning</i>; and <i>the Clinical Environment as Both Constraint and Catalyst</i>.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Across themes, learning was shaped by how students and facilitators understood and enacted their roles, the degree to which student agency was recognised and supported, and how relational safety and environmental constraints mediated engagement. Implicit and sometimes misaligned expectations between students and facilitators influenced whether learning opportunities were taken up or constrained. Clinical learning emerged as a co-constructed, relational process rather than a unidirectional transfer of knowledge.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Supporting meaningful learning in the clinical environment requires greater attention to implicit expectations, relational dynamics and the conditions under which student agency can be enacted.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2299"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149561/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-perceived competence and readiness of undergraduate physiotherapy students in treating patients with spinal cord injury.","authors":"Mokgadi K Mashola, Tamsyn Bauermeister, Clare N Urio, Alexandra Michael, Rabelani Masindi, Kgaogelo M Mpe, Lorraine Dippenaar, Karien Mostert","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2316","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2316","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physiotherapy management is a necessary core aspect in spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation, and undergraduate preparation for adequate application is imperative.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine physiotherapy students' self-perceived competence and readiness in treating patients with SCI.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study included 48 fourth-year students enrolled in a Bachelor of Physiotherapy degree in South Africa. Students completed a Qualtrics^XM online survey consisting of 32 questions self-compiled from the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool and the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire to determine self-perceived competence and readiness to treat SCI patients. Descriptive (frequencies and means) and inferential data (independent <i>t</i>-test and Fisher's exact test) were analysed using SPSS v26 at a 0.05 level of significance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Students reported 70% self-perceived competence and 73% readiness to treat SCI patients. Theoretical knowledge was perceived as adequate (<i>p</i> < 0.01), and students who completed their SCI clinical block perceived themselves as more competent in treating patients with SCI (<i>p</i> < 0.01). They were able to clinically reason and adequately differentiate between diagnoses (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and safely perform treatment techniques (<i>p</i> < 0.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Students who completed their SCI clinical block had higher self-perception of competence to differentially diagnose SCI and to treat SCI patients safely, compared to those who had not.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Hands-on experience of SCI patient care is encouraged before SCI clinical block rotation. In cases where there are limited clinical placements, universities are recommended to augment written case scenarios with finite supervised patient exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2316"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149488/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical reasoning in intensive care: Insights from novice and expert physiotherapists.","authors":"Hudaa Kariem, Liezel Ennion, Farhana Karachi, Shamila Gamiet, Danelle Hess","doi":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2300","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajp.v82i2.2300","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Clinical reasoning in the intensive care unit (ICU), a complex, high-acuity and stressful environment, may require a different set of critical thinking and decision-making approaches to undergraduate physiotherapy student training in this setting that needs to be explored.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To explore clinical reasoning processes of undergraduate physiotherapy students (novices) and clinicians (experts) in ICU settings in the Western Cape.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A qualitative exploratory study using semi-structured interviews with purposively sampled participants: seven final-year physiotherapy novices and four physiotherapy clinicians with over 5 years of ICU experience. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both novice and expert physiotherapists described using information gathering, assessment planning, and hypothesis formulation from medical folder reviews and objective assessments to guide critical thinking and decision-making in ICU care. Experienced clinicians relied on the International Classification of Function framework and extensive ICU exposure to strengthen their reasoning. Novice physiotherapists reported that theory and its application supported their clinical reasoning, but their effectiveness was limited by the complex, high-pressure ICU environment, emotional burden of critically ill and end-of-life care, and feelings of overwhelm, fear, stress, anxiety and limited experience.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study highlights shared foundations but clear differences in the depth of clinical reasoning between novice and expert physiotherapists, with clinicians' greater experience and situational familiarity enabling more advanced reasoning in ICU care.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Structured ICU exposure, emotional support and guided reasoning frameworks are needed to help novice physiotherapists apply theory effectively in high-pressure ICU settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":44180,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Physiotherapy","volume":"82 2","pages":"2300"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149566/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}