title: Development of clinical guidelines for the prescription of orthoses in patients with neurological disorders in The Netherlands.
abstract: The objective of this study was to develop guidelines for the prescription of ankle-foot, knee, wrist-hand and elbow orthoses for patients with neurological disorders. The study is part of a more comprehensive study focusing on the development of clinical guidelines for the prescription of these orthoses in a wider patient population. Evidence from literature (reviews, randomized controlled trials with good quality), information from literature with a lower degree of evidence and information from structured interviews with experts in the field of orthotics, form the basis of statements presented in a Delphi procedure. The Delphi technique was used to gain consensus on statements published on the Internet. A group of experts in the field of orthotics and neurological disorders was asked to give their opinion on 41 statements. Statements with a general agreement of at least 75% were accepted. Statements with less general agreement were rewritten and the experts could react in a second and possibly in a third round. Afterwards, an opinion-based workshop was organized in which participants could react on preliminary guidelines and on Delphi-statements with between 65% and 75% agreement. Consensus on 32 statements was gained during the three rounds and the opinion-based workshop. These statements form the basis of the consensus based clinical guidelines for the prescription of orthoses in patients with neurological disorders.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rehabilitation, and Northern Centre for Healthcare Research, University Medical Centre Groningen, The Netherlands. j.m.hijmans@rev.umcg.nl
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hijmans
authors.forename: J H B
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Geertzen
mesh_terms: D032921:Consensus; D003697:Delphi Technique; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009426:Netherlands; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D055656:Prescriptions