Group physical therapy in the recovery and rehabilitation of RSI/WMSD patients

INTRODUCTION: The group activities are often used to complement therapeutic procedures in the laborer’s health area, especially for RSI/WMSD patients. This study’s aim is to evaluate the possible benefits of associating the conventional kinesiotherapeutic treatment with group dynamics and check if the group physical therapeutic treatment potentializes the effects of kinesiotherapy in RSI/WMSD patients. METHOD: Twenty four RSI/WMSD patients took part in the study. They were randomly distributed for both kinds of interventions: the individual and the group treatments. The kinesiotherapy protocol was the same for both interventions and it lasted ten sessions. The patients submitted to group intervention took part in group dynamics with previously established themes to instigate the debate on aspects considered important during treatment. The interventions’ analysis was performed by the evaluation of pain conditions (VAS, McGill Pain Questionnaire, NMQ), of functionality (DASH Questionnaire), and of the upper limb joint movements. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview was performed to qualitatively evaluate the impact of these interventions in these patients’ clinical condition and quality of life. RESULTS: In the quantitative evaluation of the pain condition it was evidenced that the group intervention was not effective for pain control, especially in the decrease in the intensity of pain. The DASH questionnaire’s analysis revealed that the individual and the group treatments were not effective in the functionality of daily life and labor activities. The increase in the movement amplitude in every upper limb joint in both interventions was not considered significant. Nonetheless, the qualitative analysis pointed out that those patients who took part in the group intervention reported the perception of improvement in the pain condition and in functionality in their lives; a reflection born within the group dynamics brought a new perception on health and illness. CONCLUSION: The group intervention did not potentialize the effects of kinesiotherapy in controlling pain, in improving functionality, and in increasing movement amplitudes in the upper limb joints, but the conventional kinesiotherapeutic treatment associated to group dynamics allowed a more global approach of the RSI/WMSD patient’s illness, recovering, and rehabilitation process and modified the strategies for dealing with these individuals’ pain processes and daily conflicts.