Essay on the Significance of Evidence-Based Practice for Sports Therapy
Introduction
Evidence based practice (EBP) is a concept which exists in many industries and disciplines, although this assignment specifically covers its use in Sports Therapy. To commence this assignment, clarifying a more general definition of EBP seems apt, prior to venturing into the specifics about how it is relevant to Sports Therapy and all the practices that exist in this. HHS (2014) defines EBP concisely as applying the best available research results to inform making decisions in health care. This definition also acknowledges the extent to which theory and other variables are applicable to EBP, such as taking into account patient preferences over their treatment (providing that they have the necessary cognitive capacity to be trusted to make such decisions).
The function of this essay is to widely state the barriers which may be resultant from EBP in Sports Therapy and also clarify the significance of it towards Sports Therapy and to what extent it is relevant to practice. It will consult a large body of literature, with a sustained critical appraisal of each piece of literature and reference evident to ensure that the essay attains some credibility in the points that it makes. Furthermore, the essay will also come to an ultimate conclusion on what actually constitutes exemplary EBP in Sports Therapy, the steps which are taken to achieve it, the different forms of research (such as Qualitative and Quantitative) which need to be instituted in order to undertake it and also looking at the Hierarchy of Research Evidence, something which is central to EBP, whilst simultaneously discerning what the significance of EBP is to Sports Therapy and the challenges which surround its implementation (such as lack of knowledge and expertise and client mistrust).
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What are the steps of Evidence Based Practice?
EBP is a complex phenomenon, with several perspectives existing on how best to implement it. There are numerous perspectives which exist on its optimal method of integration, but prior to entering into a discussion on what constitutes the best manner of implementing EBP, it seems advisable to communicate a more in-depth definition of it than was expressed in the introduction, assisted by diagrams and other such entities. Although EBP is assumed to have a series of variables and underlying items which constitute it, it mainly only exists of three things, which are noted in the diagram below:
Rubin and Parrish (2007) note that EBP is composed of the three variables of clinical expertise, patient values (or preferences) and best research evidence, all of which can have some bearing on how sports therapists use it in their work and also on the effectiveness of it. The clinical expertise of staff may be central to its success, as is the best research evidence used (although it is debatable as to what constitutes ‘best research evidence’) and the patient’s values or preferences may also have some effect on the efficacy of EBP. Manske and Lehecka (2012) note that the attitude of patients can actually be a barrier towards EBP being successful: for example, if EBP is perceived to be a new and unconventional approach which deviates from the norm (although it is informed by several decades of empirical research and practice), then patients may become reluctant and sceptical towards its advantages and actually be quite disparaging towards it and be non-compliant with the therapy which the sports therapist is providing. It seems similar to the analogy of a teacher in a classroom: arguably, if the pupils are unresponsive then this may limit the ability of them to learn, in a similar manner to if the patient is unresponsive to EBP, this could deprive them of the abundant benefits it can provide.
Supplementing this point, there seems to be a sequential process which therapists must progress through in order to achieve successful implementation of EBP. Strauss et al. (2005) outline the following model which illustrates the processes which one must go through in order for EBP to be successful:
This demonstrates the cyclical nature of EBP and that it is certain that a therapist (or health professional) will iterate through these stages in order to continuously refine and improve their practice, something which needs to be present in order for EBP to be successful: continual renewal and enhancement of one’s practice.
Rubin (2012) con
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