Screening of health risk factors prior to exercise or a fitness evaluation of adults with traumatic brain injury: a consensus by rehabilitation professionals

Abstract

A modified Delphi technique was used to obtain group consensus among 31 rehabilitation professionals (RPs) from nine rehabilitation centres throughout the province of Québec (Canada) to ascertain their expert opinion on the health risk factors (HRF) to be verified prior to beginning an exercise programme or evaluation for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). From the initial survey 87 items were generated, which were later regrouped into 27 HRFs. The relative importance of each HRF in regard to being screened before exercise in a population with TBI was then assessed by each RP using a five-point ordinal scale (1 = not important to 5 = extremely important). HRFs that were considered extremely important by at least 50% of HPs include: angina pectoris, aortic stenosis, exertional syncope, musculoskeletal sequelae which are exacerbated by exercise, outward aggressivity, pulmonary embolism, uncontrolled epilepsy (seizures), and ventricular arrhythmias. Professionals involved in exercising patients with TBI may find these factors useful to the efficient conduct of their rehabilitation programme.