Application of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in Goal Planning for Low Back Pain Rehabilitation

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ICF
The WHO (World Health Organization) developed the ICF in order to provide a uniform and standardized language which can be used to describe health related functions and domains at an international level (Stucki and Rauch 2010). The ICF addresses the problems which were faced earlier by the health care professionals regarding the lack of integrity between the human functions and disabilities making it difficult to build up a complete rehabilitation programme and research (Stucki and Rauch 2010).
The International classification of impairment, disability and handicap (ICIDH) the model used prior to the ICF, was majorly criticised for the definitions of impairment, disability and handicap used in that model and the fact that it focused more on the consequences of the disorder or the disease and the disability than the fact that even environment has a role to play in the level of disability of a person (Davis and Madden 2006). On the contrary, the ICF is a biopsychosocial model which describes the human within the physical, social and psychological environment (Mittrach et al 2008)

The structure of ICF
ICF is majorly divided into two parts; first part consists of the functioning and disability and includes the components Body functions and structure, activities and participation. Second part consists of the contextual factors namely environmental and personal factors (Mittrach et al 2008). The first component Body functions and structures refers to the anatomical and physiological functions like pain and tendon, second component refers to the activity and participation referring to the up taking of any task like mobility, communication, third component refers to the environmental factors and it relates to the influence of the...

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...itations. However, a proper process to educate the health care professionals regarding its usage is needed. It helps to document the patients’ baseline health status and correlating it with goals gave a systematic idea of the rehabilitation process.

Taking Leena’s case has been useful to write this essay, it gave a practical outlook of how ICF, goal-planning and rehabilitation can be amalgamated together and bring out a standard format, taking into consideration, not just the physical and functional status but the whole individual with his contextual and environmental factors. As a physiotherapist, working in the rehabilitation team using the ICF will give me an opportunity to work holistically and view my patient with his/her complete health status. Acknowledging it and implementing a comprehensive rehabilitation protocol will help me to pave a successful outcome.

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