Aim: The aim of this study was to describe children’s and parents’ experiences of the significance of standing in a standing device. Methods: Individual interviews were performed with six children/teenagers (aged 7–19 years) and 14 parents. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. Findings: The analysis resulted in the major theme, the duality of uprightness and the related themes: (1) the instrumental dimension of standing; (2) the social dimension of standing; and (3) the ambivalent dimension of standing. Each of the themes comprised several subthemes. Conclusions: There is an inherent duality related to the use of a standing device. Standing in a standing device was seen as a treatment of body structures and functions, as well as a possible source of pain. Standing was considered to influence freedom in activities and participation both positively and negatively. The parents experienced that standing influenced other peoples’ views of their child, while the children experienced standing as a way to extend the body and as something that gave them benefits in some activities. Physiotherapists working with children should take into account both the social and physical dimensions of using a standing device and consider both the child’s and the parents’ views.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of standing devices as experienced by users. Method: This is the second part of a comprehensive survey in five counties in Sweden where all the subjects with standing devices were invited to participate. The impact of standing devices on functional independence, quality of life and wellbeing was assessed using a questionnaire, Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS). Results: The psychosocial impact of the standing devices was perceived as positive. The highest PIADS scores in relation to age were found in the oldest group, aged 65 years and older. The ability to walk and independence in ambulation resulted in higher scores than the use of a wheelchair and/or dependence on others. Those who stood often awarded higher scores in the PIADS questionnaire compared to those who used the device less frequently. When standing was integrated in various activities, its psychosocial impact received high scores. Conclusion: The psychosocial impact of standing devices was generally experienced positively. The main results indicated that standing in a standing device had a value and we as professionals should ask the users about the intended purpose of their standing in order to prescribe the optimal device.Implications for Rehabilitation •Standing in standing devices has positive psychosocial impact for the user.•As professionals we should broaden our view of the use of standing devices, i.e. to see the standing device as an aid that not only treats the body’s structures or improves the user’s abilities in activities, but also provides a psychosocial impact on the user’s daily life, and to find meaningful goals for the user from a psychosocial perspective

Purpose: The aim of the study was to illuminate the meaning that standing holds for persons who require standing devices. Method: The phenomenological/hermeneutical analysis of the interviews was carried out using a life world-approach. Fifteen users of standing devices lacking the ability to stand independently participated in the interviews.Result: Each person’s lived experiences of standing in their devices indicated that the upright body position opens up an opportunity for connection to the outside world. An upright body position (i) alters the person’s sense of self, (ii) augments the person’s availability to the outside world, (iii) strengthens social interplay, and (iv) changes a person’s motivation and their expectations over time. Conclusion: Standing may be something that unites the body and self. Understanding the meaning of the altered body position that the use of standing devices opens up is vital for physiotherapists and occupational therapists prescribing these devices. Furthermore, it is important to take account of the subjective body, as well as the biological one, to enhance the adoption of different body positions and the person’s experiences.

Purpose: To identify the characteristics of people who use standing devices and to explore their degree of device use, experiences with and reasons for standing, and perceived impact of the use of standing devices on well-being and quality of life (QOL). Method: Anyone with a current prescription at the time for the study in any of five counties in Sweden (n 1/4 545), according to a national register of prescribed devices, was invited to participate in a descriptive survey; the questionnaire was mailed to respondents for self-rating. Results: People between 2 and 86 years old were represented among respondents. Standing time decreased with increased age. Respondents who were totally dependent for mobilization or who had received their standing device more than 5 years earlier used their device most frequently. The most common reasons given for standing were to improve circulation and wellbeing and to reduce stiffness. Conclusion: It is important to pay attention to the experiences of standing for this vulnerable group of people, as the use of a standing device has a positive impact on well-being and QOL.

Although palpation is frequently used in physiotherapy examinations, a limited amount of research has been done to clarify this concept. The aim of this study was to describe physiotherapists’ experiences of shoulder palpation with the intention of obtaining detailed descriptions of the concept of palpation. Three focus group interviews were conducted, including a total of seven physiotherapists who had experience of patients with shoulder disability built up over a long period. A qualitative content analysis of the interviews was carried out. The findings showed how palpation can be perceived as a skill that could be described from two different perspectives: Manual and technical palpation and Palpation being dependent on the relationship between the physiotherapist and the patient. Palpation requires time, and the knowledge and experience of palpating built up over time. We also found how the two “perspectives” of palpation were inseparable from each other. The ability to perform manual and technical palpation and the relationship between the physiotherapist and the patient can be considered an interactive learning situation where the physiotherapist and the patient develop mutual knowledge of the body.

We investigated the experience of ten patients who received video-based physiotherapy at home for two months after a shoulder joint replacement. Videoconferencing took place via the patient's home broadband connection at a bandwidth of 256–768 kbit/s. Qualitative interviews were carried out, transcribed and analysed. Through qualitative content analysis six categories were identified: (1) a different reinforced communication; (2) pain-free exercising as an effective routine; (3) from a dependent patient to a strengthened person at home; (4) closeness at a distance; (5) facilitated daily living; and (6) continuous physiotherapy chain. The access to bodily knowledge, continuity, collaboration and being at home were all aspects that contributed to the patients' recovery. The patients described experiences of safety, and strengthening during their daily exercise routine at home. The frequent interplay with the patient during telerehabilitation made it possible for the physiotherapist to make an individual judgement about each patient; this could be one reason for the positive findings. Home video-based physiotherapy may be useful in other kinds of physiotherapy