Klaipėdos universitetas

This article presents the results of a study on the levels of knowledge, skill, management and attitudes of physiotherapists working in Lithuania, regarding the application of electrical stimulation (ES) in clinical practice. The study was conducted as part of the Erasmus+ European Union-funded vocational training project ‘The Importance of Clinical Electrical Stimulation in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation’ (CK4Stim). A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with 31 physiotherapists, who completed a questionnaire developed by the project partners to assess their levels of knowledge, skill, management and attitude towards ES. The surveys were conducted using the Google Forms platform. Statistical data analysis of the study was performed using the SPSS 21.0 program. Although the results varied depending on the question, most participants indicated that their level of knowledge regarding the application of ES for various conditions was average. Less than 50% of the participants rated their skill and management level of ES as average. The types of current chosen by participants for the treatment of different conditions varied greatly, and in many cases, the selected sequences of ES currents were inappropriate. In conclusion: the participants generally considered their knowledge and attitude levels to be average, but their skill and management levels were below average. We found that the level of knowledge, skill, management and attitude of physiotherapists working in Lithuania is below average, so it is necessary to change these aspects in the clinical, evidence-based practice of physiotherapists.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects progress. Children with ASD often experience motor skill impairments. The ‘Animal Fun’ programme aims to develop motor, cognitive and social skills in children aged three to six. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the ‘Animal Fun’ programme on physical and functional changes in a seven-year-old child with autism spectrum disorder. During the study, there were three assessments. Test I was conducted before the intervention, test II was performed after five weeks, and test III was carried out after ten weeks of ‘Animal Fun’ intervention. The study assessed static and dynamic balance, the strength of the grip, core and lower limb muscles, and psychomotor reaction speed. It was found that the ‘Animal Fun’ programme improved results in static and dynamic balance, and abdominal and lower limb muscle strength.