Physical therapy for patients with low back pain in Germany: a survey of current practice

Background Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders worldwide. The National Disease Management Guideline (NVL) “Non-specific LBP” is a practical decision-making aid for both physicians and non-medical professionals in Germany to improve quality of health care. Although LBP is the most frequent diagnosis resulting in physical therapy treatment, information on the current management of patients with LBP and guideline adherence is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current physical therapy management of patients with LBP in Germany, and to explore guideline adherence to the NVL “Non-specific LBP” recommendations. Methods An online survey among physical therapists working in Germany was conducted based on the recommendations given in the NVL “Non-specific LBP”. Participants were recruited using a snowball sampling approach and invited to complete the questionnaire. Guideline adherence was evaluated by comparing the survey findings with the recommendations of the NVL. Results In total, 1361 physical therapists (41 years of age (SD 11); 839 female, 514 male; 16 years of clinical experience (SD 10)) completed the survey. Fifty percent (n = 675) of our respondents adhered to the recommendations of the NVL on the therapeutic diagnostic process, and 72% (n = 973) to the recommendations concerning treatment. The guideline adherence across the entire management process (i.e., both diagnosis and treatment) of LBP was 38% (n = 513). German physical therapists predominantly provide active interventions, e.g., exercise therapy, but also use interventions with low or conflicting evidence, respectively. Massage and Kinesio Taping were frequently used despite being not recommended. Less than one third of study participants (n = 400, 29%) answered to know the NVL or had dealt with its recommendations. Conclusions In the management of LBP, overall guideline adherence among German physical therapists was 38% with higher adherence in the treatment section than in the physical therapeutic diagnostic process. Widespread employment of implementation strategies and removal of existing barriers against the application of evidence-based guidelines could facilitate the transfer of scientific evidence into clinical practice and contribute to optimize the quality of health care. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00012607). Registered 04 October 2017.

Alignment of Physical Activity in Older Couples Affected by Osteoarthritis: Investigation by Accelerometry and Questionnaire

This study examined whether an alignment of physical activity (PA) between osteoarthritis patients and their spouses, which was previously proven by accelerometry, might also be revealed by self-report. The PA of 28 cohabitating couples (58–83 years) was assessed by means of synchronous accelerometry (ActiGraph wGTX3-BT) and compared to their according self-reports in the German Physical Activity, Exercise, and Sport Questionnaire (BSA-F). Both methods were used to quantify the average weekly light PA, moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and total PA. Accelerometry revealed no differences in weekly light PA and total PA (p ≥ 0.187) between patients and spouses, whereas the patients’ spouses accumulated significantly more MVPA (p = 0.015). In contrast, the self-report did not reveal any differences between the two groups in terms of PA (p ≥ 0.572). Subsequent correlation analyses indicated that accelerometry data for mild PA and total PA were significantly correlated in couples (r ≥ 0.385, p ≤ 0.024), but MVPA was not (r = 0.257, p = 0.097). The self-reported PA data, on the other hand, did not indicate any significant correlation (r ≤ 0.046, p ≥ 0.409). The presented results give a first indication that an alignment of PA between osteoarthritis patients and their spouses is most likely to be detected by accelerometry, but not by self-report.

An Homage to Otto Stern

This chapter outlines an International Symposium held at Frankfurt on 1–5 September 2019. It marked the centennial of quantitative experiments with molecular beams, pioneered by Otto Stern. The European Physical Society declared Stern’s original laboratory a Historic Site, the fifth in Germany. As a graduate student in 1955, I learned about Otto Stern (1888–1969) and the impact of his molecular beams on quantum physics. I was intrigued and undertook crossed-beam experiments at Berkeley. In 1960 Otto came to a seminar that I gave. Later I met him, and heard some of his stories. The rest of the chapter describes his Nobel Prize and other Fests. In 1958 his long-term colleague, Immanuel Estermann, organized a celebration and Festschrift for Otto’s 70th birthday. In 1988, as a guest editor, I organized a Festschift for the centennial of Otto’s birth. That year, the German Physical Society established the Stern-Gerlach Prize as its highest award for experimental physics. Bretislav Friedrich and I wrote three papers about Stern. Since 2000, Horst Schmidt-Böcking at Frankfurt and colleagues have produced historical articles, along with a book about Otto, edited and bound all of his research papers into books, and diligently pursued letters to and from Otto, collecting them into large volumes.

Multi-level validation of the German physical activity barriers self-efficacy scale in a sample of female sixth-graders

The authors have withdrawn this preprint due to a need to make corrections.

Paschal Grousset et les éducations physiques françaises et étrangères dans le contexte géopolitique européen et impérialiste (1880–1914)

Between 1880 and 1914, the initiatives of French actors in Physical Education and sport increased in France in order to recover geopolitical stability. Paschal Grousset was one of the most active French people to register his proposals in a national and an international debate. Being inspired by foreign systems of Physical Education, in France he aimed to protect physical exercise and participation in Physical Education as a celebration of French national identity. This placed him in opposition to his contemporaries, some of whom promoted Scandinavian, English or Germanic exemplars. He rejected British proposals and criticized openly the German model of Physical Education, Paschal Grousset highlights through his speeches and his practices the obstinacy of a man aware of the weight of international rivalries in the reconstruction of France at the end of the 19th century. Considered today as the inventor of the “republican sport”, he imposed on French territory the educational model of the “hereditary rival” through the demonstration of the role played by physical exercise in the British economic and colonial expansion. At the same time, and without giving up gymnastics, he denounced the model of the “hereditary enemy” by caricaturing German Physical Education and the German education system. However, in both cases, Grousset’s intention was always to retain from foreign exempla only what was in compliance with the values of the French Republic, both in the facts and in the principles.

“I didn’t really think about it ” (M. Planck and the Quantum Revolution)

Introduction. In the philosophy of science great attention is traditionally paid to theoretical knowledge. However, scientific theories are considered, as a rule, as something already formed, whereas the analysis of the birth and formation of the theory plays a much smaller role. Among the various issues that arise at the intersection of philosophy and history of science the great attention of researchers is attracted by the question about the nature of scientific revolutions. In this work, the question is studied by examing the Planck’s discovery– whether a conservative in science to make a scientific revolution?Methodology and sources. Methodologically, the work is based on historical and scientific analysis of primary sources and research literature. Results and discussion. The paper according the results of the study of primary sources shows that the only desire Planck in his study of blackbody radiation and the only justification for his “Akt der Verzweilung” (Act of delays) was to obtain a “correct” mathematical formula “at any price”. As for the scientific revolution on 14 December 1900 – date of Planck’s speech at a meeting of the German physical society report on “the Theory of the distribution of the radiation energy of the normal spectrum” – that is the result of later historical reconstruction. Moreover, this “revolution” in 1900, and in subsequent years remained unnoticed by anyone, including Planck himself. Thus, the result of the study is a new look at the specifics of the contribution of the scientist standing on conservative scientific positions in the scientific revolution.Conclusion. Under certain circumstances, the main of which are the character of the task and readiness of the researcher, at least in part to “sacrifice principles” (or to simulate a departure from tradition) for the sake of formal success, the conservator may contribute to the further development of events that will eventually lead to the scientific revolution.

Tramas narrativas de la enseñanza de la matemática y mejoramiento de la raza en la sociedad colombiana -Narrative plots of the teaching of mathematics and breeding of race in Colombian society

Se busca en este artículo mostrar las razones que han llevado a considerar la escuela como institución privilegiada para el proceso civilizatorio. En particular comprender las razones que han llevado a sostener que los saberes matemáticos son piezas claves para la formación del sujeto civilizado. Para dar cuenta de esta tesis se eligió de la enseñanza de las matemáticas en Colombia el periodo comprendido entre 1873 a 1960, el cual he denominado periodo de las "matemáticas eugenésicas" o "periodo del mejoramiento de la raza". En este periodo encontramos un discurso orientado a la eliminación de aquellos rasgos de nuestra sociedad considerados como salvajes y bárbaros. Asimismo, se acompañó este discurso con la idea de construcción de una nueva república a partir de dispositivos educativos de carácter científico. La figura más destacada en este período fueron el físico y matemático alemán Julius Sieber. Narrative plots of teaching mathematics to improve the breed in Colombian societyThis article seeks to show the reasons which have led to consider the school as a privileged institution for the civilizing process. In particular understand the reasons which have led to argue that mathematical knowledge are key to the formation of the civilized individual parts. To account for this thesis was chosen in the history of Colombia the period 1873-1960, which have called period of "eugenic math" or "period of improving the race." In this period we are oriented to eliminate those features of our society seen as savage and barbaric speech. Also, this speech was accompanied with the idea of building a new republic from scientific educational devices. The most prominent figure in this period were the german physical and mathematical Julius Sieber.Tramas narrativas da matemática de ensino e aperfeiçoamento da raça na sociedade colombianaEste artigo procura mostrar as razões que levaram a considerar a escola como uma instituição privilegiada para o processo civilizatório. Em particular compreender as razões que levaram a argumentar que o conhecimento matemático são fundamentais para a formação das peças individuais civilizados. Para dar conta desta tese foi escolhido o ensino de matemática na Colômbia no período 1873-1960, que têm chamado período de "math eugênica" ou "período de melhoria da raça". Neste período encontramos um programa que visa eliminar essas características da nossa sociedade consideradas selvagens e bárbaros discurso. Além disso, este discurso foi acompanhado com a idéia de construir uma nova república dos aparelhos científicos educacionais. A figura principal neste período foram o físico e matemático alemão Julius Sieber.