Physiotherapists identify barriers and facilitators for microlearning in clinical practice

A qualitative descriptive study found that physiotherapists view microlearning as a practical educational approach for clinical practice, but its use depends on factors including time, workload, content quality, clinical specificity, workflow integration and organizational support. The findings are reported in the abstract of an article published in BMC Medical Education on 28 September 2026.

Physiotherapists were invited to share their experiences and perspectives on microlearning through open-ended survey questions. Researchers analyzed the responses using reflexive thematic analysis with an inductive approach to identify patterns of meaning. The study examined perceived barriers and facilitators, as well as participants’ views about knowledge retention and clinical decision-making; it did not measure objective learning outcomes or establish the effects of microlearning on clinical performance.

Reported barriers included time constraints, workload pressures, concerns about content quality and limited clinical specificity. Participants identified integration into clinical workflows, ease of access and organizational support as facilitators. Case-based learning, visual content and interactive elements were described as important features for enhancing knowledge retention. The abstract reports that physiotherapists perceived microlearning as a form of just-in-time cognitive support that could support rapid recall of clinical information and decision-making at the point of care.

Engagement with credible and contextually relevant content was associated with increased confidence and perceived improvements in patient safety. These are perceptions reported by participants rather than demonstrated improvements in safety or patient outcomes. The authors state that longitudinal and mixed-methods studies should examine microlearning’s integration into physiotherapy education and its impact on knowledge retention, clinical decision-making and practice. Because the supplied evidence is limited to the article abstract, details about participant numbers, recruitment, setting and the full survey instrument are not available here.

Subject of Research: Physiotherapists’ perceived barriers, facilitators and clinical implications of microlearning

Article Title: Microlearning in physiotherapy practice: a qualitative study on barriers, facilitators, and implications for knowledge retention and clinical decision-making

Article References: Shalabi, K., Alsharif, Z., Almubarak, K., Almalki, R., Almathami, S., Alhakami, B., Almurdi, M., & Albasha, N. (2026). Microlearning in physiotherapy practice: a qualitative study on barriers, facilitators, and implications for knowledge retention and clinical decision-making. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10488-0

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10488-0

Keywords: microlearning, physiotherapy, continuing professional development, qualitative study, knowledge retention, clinical decision-making, patient safety, thematic analysis, practice, qualitative, barriers, facilitators