Table 1 Characteristics of included studies
Author, year | Country | Study setting | Sample size | Age, mean (SD) | Diagnosis | Duration of symptoms | Study treatment | Outcome | Follow-up time points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gagnon, 2021 [14] | Canada | Centre Hospitalier de l’Université Laval ED | Int: n = 40 (M:18) Con: n = 38 (M:26) | Int: 36.6 (17.3) Con: 44.1 (17.3) | Minor musculoskeletal disorder (i.e. categorised as triage score 3, 4 or 5 according to the Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale | Ranged from 0 to greater than 12 weeks | Primary care physiotherapy vs. usual care (at discretion of ED physician) | Pain intensity (0–10) Disability (0–10) Inpatient admission Re-presentation rate Medication prescription Adverse events | Post-intervention (at ED), 1-month and 3-month |
Lau, 2008 [17] | Hong Kong | ED of local hospital | Int: n = 55 (M:21) Con: n = 55 (M:22) | Int: 52 (18) Con: 49 (15) | Acute low back pain (with or without referred leg pain) | Within 24 h of ED admission | Primary care physiotherapy vs. usual care | Pain intensity (0–10) Disability (0–24) | Admission to ED, Discharge from ED, admission to physiotherapy outpatient clinic, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month |
Richardson, 2005 [38] | United Kingdom | ED of district hospital | Int: n = 382 (M:232) Con: n = 384 (M:232) | Int: 38.7 (16.1) Con: 40 (16.4) | musculoskeletal disorders categorised as triage score 3, 4 or 5 according to United Kingdom emergency triage system | Ranged from 0 to greater than 48 h | Primary care physiotherapy vs. usual care (i.e. routine ED care) | Time to return to activities Patient satisfaction | 3-month and 6-month |
Jesudason, 2011 [35] | Australia | Royal Adelaide hospital | Int: n = 93 (M:34) Con: n = 93 (M:29) | Int: 72 (19.0) Con: 68.1 (15.5) | Patients deemed to require physiotherapy by ED physician or nurse: musculoskeletal disorder (n = 117), other conditions (n = 71) | Not reported | Secondary referral to physiotherapy vs. usual care | Inpatient admission Re-presentation rate Patient satisfaction Adverse events | 1-month |
United Kingdom | ED of University Hospitals Bristol | Int 1: n = 84 (M:50) Int 2: n = 83 (M:39) Con: n = 93 (M:57) | NR | Peripheral soft tissue injury (with no associated bone fracture, ongoing prior injury or systemic disease/disorder). | Less than 72Â h | Primary care physiotherapy or Nurse practitioner vs. usual care | Treatment time Disability Medication prescription | 2-weeks and 8-weeks |