Experiences of functional recovery after polytrauma in a private Johannesburg healthcare setting: Patients’ perspectives

Background: The prevalence of polytrauma is increasing globally and in South Africa, contributing to the reported rates of disability. Early physiotherapy intervention in the acute care setting reduces the risk of complications and facilitates functional recovery of patients who sustained polytrauma injuries. There is minimal evidence exploring patients' perceptions of their recovery of physical function following polytrauma injury in an acute setting and after hospital discharge. Objectives: To explore patients' perceptions of their recovery of physical function after polytrauma. Method: A qualitative single-case study was carried out at a private trauma facility in Johannesburg, drawing on eight semi-structured interviews gathered through purposive sampling. The interview transcripts were examined using an inductive analytical approach, with MAXQDA assisting in generating the codes and themes. Results: Six central themes emerged, capturing patients' views on the factors that hindered or supported their recovery of physical function following polytrauma. These broad themes included satisfaction with the care received, experiences with rehabilitation after discharge, mental health and resilience, degree of disability, pain and physical functioning, and the influence of support systems. Conclusion: Multiple factors shape how patients perceive their physical recovery after experiencing polytrauma. Notably, the quality of interpersonal interactions played a prominent role in shaping their views of the care they received. Clinical implications: Our study may inform practice in the clinical setting in the management of patients recovering from polytrauma injuries to address barriers and promote facilitators identified.