Mendes Gabriel, Silva Samuel, Pinto Rafael Zambelli, Aquino Cecília Ferreira, Grade Isadora, Sanchis Gerônimo José Bouzas, Ituassú Natália Torres, de Mello Marco Túlio, Silva Andressa
School of Physical Education, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
School of Physical Education, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2025 Sep;43:82-88. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2025.04.022. Epub 2025 Apr 19.
Previous expert consensus states that sports professionals should assess athletes' sleep and Brazilian physical therapists (PTs) are now allowed to provide sleep care. However, basic knowledge and adequate beliefs about sleep-related concepts are required from Brazilian sports PTs. The aim of this study was to 1) describe the knowledge and beliefs of Brazilian sports PTs about sleep; 2) investigate how they assess sleep; and 3) investigate factors that may be associated with sleep knowledge, beliefs, and assessment.
Cross-sectional survey.
We recruited PTs who were active members of the Brazilian Board of Sports Physical Therapy Specialists. We collected data on their professional trajectories, knowledge and beliefs about sleep-related concepts, and how they assess sleep in athletes. We performed descriptive analyses and ran logistic regression models.
120 sports PTs were included. Most were male (68.0 %) and had an average of 13.7 ± 6.8 years of experience as a PT. Most reported knowing about sleep hygiene (78.3 %), jet lag (85.0 %), and chronotype (51.7 %). Nearly half had inadequate sleep beliefs (43.3 %), and reported never having received education about sleep (42.5 %). Most reported using non-validated tools to assess athletes' sleep (59.2 %), and only 23.3 % reported assessing sleep throughout the entire sports season. Having a graduate-level degree was associated with knowing about sleep hygiene (OR: 3.0; 95 % CI: 1.1, 8.4) and chronotype (OR: 2.6; 95 % CI: 1.1, 5.7).
Our findings can guide future implementation strategies to improve professional education. We recommend the incorporation of sleep-related concepts into physical therapy training to improve care for athletes.
先前的专家共识指出，体育专业人员应评估运动员的睡眠情况，并且巴西的物理治疗师（PT）现在被允许提供睡眠护理。然而，巴西的体育PT需要具备与睡眠相关概念的基本知识和足够的信念。本研究的目的是：1）描述巴西体育PT对睡眠的知识和信念；2）调查他们如何评估睡眠；3）调查可能与睡眠知识、信念和评估相关的因素。
横断面调查。
我们招募了巴西体育物理治疗专家委员会的活跃成员PT。我们收集了他们的职业轨迹、与睡眠相关概念的知识和信念，以及他们如何评估运动员睡眠的数据。我们进行了描述性分析并运行了逻辑回归模型。
纳入了120名体育PT。大多数为男性（68.0%），平均有13.7±6.8年的PT工作经验。大多数人报告了解睡眠卫生（78.3%）、时差（85.0%）和生物钟类型（51.7%）。近一半的人睡眠信念不足（43.3%），并报告从未接受过睡眠方面的教育（42.5%）。大多数人报告使用未经验证的工具来评估运动员的睡眠（59.2%），只有23.3%的人报告在整个运动赛季中评估睡眠。拥有研究生学位与了解睡眠卫生（OR：3.0；95%CI：1.1，8.4）和生物钟类型（OR：2.6；95%CI：1.1，5.7）相关。
我们的研究结果可以指导未来改善专业教育的实施策略。我们建议将与睡眠相关的概念纳入物理治疗培训，以改善对运动员的护理。
