CURRENT PHYSIOTHERAPY MANAGEMENT OFINFANTS WITH TORTICOLLIS AMONG PHYSIOTHERAPY PRACTITIONERS IN SRI LANKA.

Torticollis is the third most frequently occurring musculoskeletal condition caused by unilateral shortening of the sternocledomastoid muscle. The aim of this study is to identify different physiotherapy assessment tools used in Sri Lanka for torticollis, to identify barriers / issues for management and determination of current physiotherapy management for Congenital Muscular Torticollis (CMT). The descriptive cross sectional study was conducted with 227 registered physiotherapy practitioners who are handling torticollis patients. The self-administered questionnaire was used to gain information of assessment tools, treatment techniques and issues faced when managing patients with CMT. The most respondents used visual estimate as the assessment tool for the torticollis patients (98.2%). All the respondents reported that they were using combination of multiple treatment techniques when treating infants with torticollis as handling techniques (98.2%), neck passive range of motion exercises (97.8%), positioning (97.3%), sternoclidomastoid muscle massage (96.9%), manual stretching (95.6%), and environmental adaptation (93.4%). Poor home management was found as the major issue faced by the physiotherapist when treating CMT (81.9%). The majority of physiotherapists used visual estimate as the assessment tool to assess CMT patients. It is recommended to practice to use of multiple treatment interventions. The Lack in proper cervical ROM assessment was identified and international protocols can be used to increase measurement accuracy. Poor home management, observed as the main issue faced by physiotherapists and may be corrected by the use of appropriate handouts for parents.