Application of Photogrammetry for Manual Skills Training in Undergrad Physiotherapy Students

Education research shows that healthcare professional training can be made more efficient and effective with the integration of simulation technology. Despite the relevance of this technology in the training of medical students, evidence on its effectiveness in physiotherapy manual skills training is limited.

To compare the effectiveness of real-object three dimensional (3D) produced by Photogrammetry versus two dimensional (2D) images for the introduction of manual therapy skills to undergraduate physiotherapy students, with a blended learning activity.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Individuals
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Simulating video; Behavioral: Conventional video

Detailed Description

Using a randomised controlled trial design, first-year students enrolled in a 4-year bachelor with honours physiotherapy degree, participated in a 2-hour blended learning session. Three manual assessment techniques were presented - cervical compression, distraction and flexion-rotation tests. The techniques were demonstrated through two sets of learning materials with either real-object rotatable 3D images using Close-range Photogrammetry (experimental group) or traditional 2D computer images (control group). Students were examined after the training using an objective structured clinical evaluation (OSCE) procedure. The OSCE required the participants to demonstrate the three techniques learnt with the assessment criteria as therapist's position and skills, patient's position and overall management of the physical examination. The score of the standardized 9 item-practical performance test, with a maximum score of 54, was used as the primary outcome measure for analyses.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Singapore
  • Singapore, Singapore
    • Singapore Institute of Technology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Physiotherapy students with no experience in spinal assessment

Exclusion Criteria:

People with unfavourable experience or responses to 360-degree video or VR/AR videos

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental group; the real-object rotatable 3D images were used in demonstrating these three techniques. The photogrammetry technique was used to produce the 3D images.	Behavioral: Simulating video; A 360-degree simulating video showing physiotherapy assessment in lumbar area
Active Comparator: Control group; The control group received similar materials, but the only difference was that all the images were two-dimensional.	Behavioral: Conventional video; A conventional video showing physiotherapy assessment in lumbar area

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Structured objective clinical evaluation	Skills in assessment is assessed by a SOCE. The component evaluated skills in palpation, including: positioning of patient, direction of palpation contact, localization of specific structure, mobilization of segment during palpation, and precision of palpation. A nurmeric grading system (3 excellent, 0 incorrect) is used to assess each item.	Immediate

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Singapore Institute of Technology
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Chi Ngai Lo, Master, Singapore Institute of Technology

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Blackstock FC, Jull GA. High-fidelity patient simulation in physiotherapy education. Aust J Physiother. 2007;53(1):3-5. doi: 10.1016/s0004-9514(07)70056-9. No abstract available.
• Mori B, Carnahan H, Herold J. Use of Simulation Learning Experiences in Physical Therapy Entry-to-Practice Curricula: A Systematic Review. Physiother Can. 2015 Spring;67(2):194-202. doi: 10.3138/ptc.2014-40E.
• Watson K, Wright A, Morris N, McMeeken J, Rivett D, Blackstock F, Jones A, Haines T, O'Connor V, Watson G, Peterson R, Jull G. Can simulation replace part of clinical time? Two parallel randomised controlled trials. Med Educ. 2012 Jul;46(7):657-67. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2012.04295.x. Epub 2012 May 30.
• Lo CN, Abdelkader T, Choi YM, Goff AJ, Suresh K, Carpio GAC, Soon B. Teaching Physiotherapy Students Physical Examination Skills by Using Photogrammetry: A Randomized Control Trial of 3- Versus 2-Dimensional Images. Simul Healthc. 2022 Feb 1;17(1):e98-e104. doi: 10.1097/SIH.0000000000000576.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 30, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): December 30, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 5, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 7, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): December 11, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 13, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 10, 2020
• Last Verified: April 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Simulation; Physiotherapy training; 360-degree video
• Other Study ID Numbers: HSS000001

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No