Maria Soledad Sandoval Zuniga
Universidad del Alba, Chillan, Chile
Abstract Title:
Criteria for periodization’s application in athletes’ and non-athletes’ rehabilitation according to physiotherapists’ practice and knowledge
Biography:
Maria Soledad Sandoval Zuniga has completed her PhD in Applied Linguistics at the age of 35 years from Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Since that time, she has been making contributions to University Education with research. She has worked in the Health Sciences careers, especially Speech Therapy and Physiotherapy at Universidad del Alba since 2010. She has published approximately 25 papers in indexed journals about Education, Linguistics, and Health Sciences. She has participated in congresses, such as the 2nd International Conference on Otorhinolaryngology in Paris, 33º and 34º Congresso Brasileiro Fonoaudiologia in Brazil, among others.
Research Interests:
Periodization is a strategic approach in physiotherapy rehabilitation that involves organizing and planning the rehabilitation process into well-defined stages, with the aim of optimizing patient recovery and improving treatment outcomes. The objective of this study is to establish criteria for the application of periodization in the rehabilitation of athletes and non-athletes. Using a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design with an exploratory, descriptive scope, 30 kinesiologists were surveyed about their knowledge, training, and application of periodization in the rehabilitation of athletes and non-athletes in Ñuble Region, Chile. In terms of knowledge, most participants were familiar with general concepts of periodization; however, this was not the case for more specific concepts, such as stress associated with the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) and the different phases of periodization in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. On the other hand, the surveyed physiotherapists indicated that they rarely periodize rehabilitation for their patients, and half of the sample indicated that they had not received periodization training. The results also reveal a lack of awareness of the applicability of periodization in rehabilitation. This finding highlights a gap in academic training that could directly impact the quality and uniformity of the application of periodization in professional practice. It is concluded that the inclusion of periodization as an integral part of academic training for physiotherapists could improve the preparation and more organized formulation of a treatment plan aimed at restoring patient functionality. Although a significant percentage claimed to possess solid knowledge, the data revealed that the questions related to the periodization application in musculoskeletal rehabilitation showed less consistency.
