Lessons to be learned: a retrospective analysis of physiotherapy injury claims.
METHODS
Retrospective, descriptive analysis.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence and nature of insurance claims for injuries attributed to physiotherapy care.


BACKGROUND
In New Zealand, a national insurance scheme, the Accident Compensation Corporation, provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury coverage. The patterns of injury sustained during physiotherapy care have not previously been described.


METHODS
De-identified data for all injuries registered with the Accident Compensation Corporation from 2005 to 2010 and attributed to physiotherapy were accessed. Prevalence patterns (percentages) of new-claim data were determined for physiotherapy intervention category, injury site, nature of injury, age, and sex. A subcategory, exercise-related injuries, was analyzed according to injury site and whether the injury was related (primary) or unrelated (secondary) to the intended therapeutic goal.


RESULTS
There were 279 claims related to physiotherapy care filed with the Accident Compensation Corporation during the studied reporting period. Injury was attributed predominantly to exercise (n = 88, 31.5% of cases) and manual therapy (n = 74, 26.5% of cases). The prevalence of events categorized as exercise related was greatest in those who were 55 to 59 years of age (n = 14, 16.3%) and greater in females (n = 47, 54.7%). Of the exercise-related injuries, 39.8% were in the lower-limb region and 35.2% were categorized as sprains/strains.


CONCLUSIONS
Injuries attributed to exercise exceeded those linked to other therapies provided by physiotherapists, yet exercise therapy rarely features as a cause of adverse events reported to the physiotherapy profession. The proportion of exercise-related injury events underlines the need for ensuring safe and careful consideration of exercise prescription.


METHODS
Harm, level 4.
School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. gill.johnson@otago.ac.nz
Gillian M
GM
Johnson
Margot A
MA
Skinner
Rachel E
RE
Stephen
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000639:trends; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology