Abstract

Objective: To examine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of early mobilization of patients with acute stroke among physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: This cross-sectional observational study included 374 physiotherapists from whom data were gathered using a self-administered Google survey disseminated via social media. The questionnaire consisted of 15 multiple-choice questions categorized into demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practice sections. The knowledge section (14 questions) assessed awareness about early mobilization (EM) with a score ranging from 0 to 14. Attitudes were evaluated with 10 items on a 0-20 scale, and practices were assessed using 5 questions on EM implementation.
Results: Participants demonstrated strong awareness (90.4%) and support for EM in acute stroke care. Most respondents identified the ideal timing for EM as 24-48 hours post-stroke. Attitudes towards EM were generally positive, with 70.4% encouraging its use and recognizing its benefits for patients and caregivers. Knowledge correlated significantly with experience (p

Key words: Stroke, early mobilization, rehabilitation, physiotherapists.