Patients’ and physiotherapists’ experiences with robotic technologies for lower extremity rehabilitation following spinal cord injury: a reflexive thematic analysis

Abstract

PURPOSE: among patients undergoing rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SC), and to explore physiotherapists' perspectives on integrating robotic technologies at two inpatient SCI rehabilitation centres. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative study rooted in critical realism was conducted using 12 individual semi-structured interviews with patients with SCI who participated in a pilot randomised controlled trial investigating the potential effectiveness of a robotic-assisted intervention, and three focus group interviews with physiotherapists experienced in the clinical use of robotic technologies. RESULTS: Thematic analysis identified four themes: the potential of robotic technology (e.g. hope and enhanced training opportunities); limitations of robotic technology (e.g. complexity and technical issues); the unique craft of physiotherapy (e.g. therapeutic relationship and clinical reasoning); and perspectives on successful integration (e.g. organisational and ethical concerns). Both patients and physiotherapists contributed to the first three themes, whereas only physiotherapists contributed to the fourth. CONCLUSIONS: September 2022.