Evaluation of Skills, Interface Pressure Consistency and Confidence in Multilayer Compression Bandage Training for Physiotherapy Students: Quasi-experimental Study
Evaluation of Skills, Interface Pressure Consistency and Confidence in Multilayer Compression Bandage Training for Physiotherapy Students: Quasi-experimental Study
The goal of this quasiexperimental study is to evaluate the effects of structured training on inelastic compression bandaging proficiency in fourth-year physiotherapy students. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Can supervised training significantly improve primary outcomes such as technical bandaging skills (measured by a standardized rubric)? Does structured education enhance secondary outcomes, including interface pressure accuracy, application time, and student self-confidence? Researchers will compare a Supervised Education Group receiving real-time biofeedback to a Control Group receiving an instructional brochure to see if expert-led training is more effective than passive learning in bridging the gap between perceived and actual clinical competence.
Participants will:
Perform a baseline bandaging application (T0) assessed via a two-station Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE).
Be assigned to either the supervised training session (with Kikuhime pressure sensors for feedback) or the brochure-based self-study group.
Complete a post-intervention assessment (T1) to measure improvements in technical skill, pressure precision, and self-confidence levels.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of structured training on inelastic compression bandaging skills, interface pressure accuracy, and self-confidence among physiotherapy students.
Methods: This study was conducted with 41 physiotherapy students (Education Group: n=21; Control Group: n=20). The Education Group received supervised training with objective pressure feedback while the Control Group received an instructional brochure. Clinical bandaging skills were evaluated using a two-station Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE), consisting of standardized rubric and time, and interface pressure monitoring. Students were assessed at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1) for bandaging skills (via rubric), interface pressure (Kikuhime), application time (seconds), and self-confidence (VAS).
Results: At baseline, only 9.5% of the Education Group and 0% of the Control Group achieved the target pressure. Post-intervention, these rates increased to 33.3% and 35.0%, respectively. The Education Group demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in Rubric scores (p=0.030, rrb =0.390) and self-confidence levels (p=0.005, rrb =0.512) compared to the Control Group. Intra-group analysis revealed that application times increased significantly in both the Education (p<0.001, rrb =0.983) and Control groups (p<0.001, rrb =1.000). While absolute real pressure error improved significantly within the Education Group (p=0.024, rrb=0.581), no significant inter-group difference was found for pressure-related variables (p>0.05). Notably, in the Education Group, self-confidence showed a strong positive correlation with Rubric scores (rho= 0.619, p=0.003) and a significant negative moderate correlation with absolute real pressure error (rho: -0.408, p=0.037). In contrast, no significant correlation was found between confidence and technical performance in the Control Group, suggesting a tendency toward overconfidence.
Conclusion: Supervised training with objective feedback is superior to passive learning for mastering the complex psychomotor skill of multilayer inelastic bandaging. While theoretical instruction may artificially inflate self-confidence, it fails to bridge the experience paradox which perceived competence masks technical insufficiency. Integrating real-time biofeedback into physiotherapy curricula is essential to ensure sensory calibration, technical proficiency, and patient safety, transitioning students from conceptual understanding to objective clinical mastery.
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