Publication:

Survey on the role of physiotherapy in alcohol addiction recovery programme: a practitioner’s perspective

Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic condition characterized by a compulsive pattern of alcohol consumption that adversely affects physical, psychological, and social well-being. Physiotherapy has increasingly been recognized as a supportive intervention that may facilitate physical rehabilitation and improve mental health during recovery. Although conventional treatment primarily involves medical, psychological, and behavioural therapies, the contribution of physiotherapy to alcohol addiction recovery remains underexplored.

Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among physiotherapists practising in and around Pune, Maharashtra, India. The study consisted of two phases: questionnaire development and questionnaire validation. A total of 273 physiotherapists participated. Content validity of the questionnaire was assessed using a five-point Likert scale, and the content validity index (CVI) was calculated.

Results The questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory content validity, with an average scale-level content validity index (S-CVI/Ave) of 0.85 and a universal agreement index (S-CVI/UA) of 0.10. Most respondents (95.1%) agreed that physiotherapy plays a significant role in alcohol addiction recovery programmes by improving physical health, emotional well-being, treatment adherence, and overall recovery outcomes.

Conclusions The findings suggest that physiotherapy is perceived as an important supportive component of alcohol addiction recovery programmes. Greater integration of physiotherapy into multidisciplinary addiction rehabilitation may enhance patient outcomes and quality of life.