Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Novel Approach Toward Concussion Testing, Jorge K. Mercado, Ari Schacter, Danielle Euzent

Student Theses

A concussion is a violent jarring or shaking of the head caused by whiplash or direct impact that results in a disturbance of brain function. Concussions can be mild and brief, as a person may be dazed momentarily or can be more serious, resulting in a loss of consciousness. Underreporting of concussions is prevalent because they are a symptom-based diagnosis, lacking a clinical test. In this study, we investigated the use of VNG testing as a clinical diagnosis of concussions. Looking at the VNG test battery, the previous research cohort found that saccades, gaze, and positional testing are the most …

Pht 820 Radiology And Imaging, Jean-Philippe Berteau

Open Educational Resources

Introduction to radiology and imaging of selected orthopedic, rheumatologic diseases and their clinical consequences. This course will equip the student with the tools to recognize the need for diagnostic assessment and be prepared to integrate the radiologist's findings into the evaluation process.

Interprofessional Collaboration In Healthcare: Case Studies Lab, Amanda L. Rotondo

Open Educational Resources

This document includes 4 case studies that can be utilized for interprofessional collaboration in healthcare disciplines including Physical Therapy Programs, Physical Therapist Assistant Programs, Nursing Programs, Occupational Therapy Programs, and Speech Therapy Programs.

Feeding Into Complicit Bias Or Promoting Agents For Change: A Reflection On Pedagogy-Where’S The Justice?, Michele Mills, May Tom

Publications and Research

In the authors' careers, as an invisible method for survival and climbing the ladder, they learned of the importance of adopting and understanding White American culture to work successfully in the United States healthcare system. In this reflection, they discuss the necessity of teaching cultural diversity and cultural competence in occupational therapy assistant and physical therapist assistant programs.

Use, Perceptions, And Awareness Of Libguides Among Undergraduate And Graduate Health Professions Students, John Carey, Ajatshatru Pathak, Sarah C. Johnson

Publications and Research

Objective–This study investigated usage, perceptions, and awareness of library research guides created using Springshare’s LibGuides among undergraduate and graduate health professions students.

Methods–The researchers recruited 100 health professions students in April 2017 from Hunter College, a senior college within the City University of New York system. Participants were asked to complete a paper survey to ascertain their use, perceptions, and awareness of Springhare’s LibGuides.

Results–Nearly two-thirds of study participants were not aware of library-created LibGuides and 68% had never used this tool. Compared to undergraduates, graduate students were more likely to be aware of LibGuides. The use of LibGuides was …

A Diagnostic Condition And Its Implications [Physical Therapist Assistant Program], May Tom

Open Educational Resources

SCT 101: Introduction to Physical Therapy

Assignment Description: This assignment was designed during Learning Matters 2018-2019 Digital Communication sub-seminar. The assignment was originally a written paper based on the clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of a diagnostic condition. As the profession of physical therapy is inherently a teaching profession, an oral and digital component was incorporated to facilitate the student’s ability and confidence in oral communication and use of media. The presentation of a diagnostic condition and implication in the performance of activities for an individual can be variable depending on the individual’s physical status, medical/health history, and psychosocial status. To …

Investigating The Effects Of Trans-Spinal Direct Current Stimulation On The Expression Of Nkcc1 In Mice, Pasindu Weliwaththage

Student Theses

Trans-spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) is a non-invasive powerful tool demonstrated to positively affect behavior and motor function. tsDCS is a neuromodulatory technique capable of altering spinal and cortical excitability and even regain motor function after complete motor paralysis (Cortes et at, 2017). tsDCS causes immediate and long-term effects in spinal excitability (Ahmed, 2011, 2013; Ahmed and Wieraszko, 2012; Cogiamanian et al., 2011, 2012). Studies have been conducted on both healthy and injured subjects. The ultimate goal is to ameliorate the devastating effects of Spinal Cord Injury. Though researchers have been successful in improving motor function, the molecular basis of …

Changes In Reach To Eat Movement Control After Intensive Training For Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy, Yaching Hung, Aryeh D. Spingarn

Publications and Research

Ya Ching Hung EdD. and Aryeh Spingarn EP-C, CSCS, EIM-Level 2 Queens College, City University of New York Department of Family, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, Changes in Reach to Eat Movement Control After Intensive Training for Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy. Purpose: The current study compares the effects of an intervention on children with Congenital Hemiplegia during a simple eating task using kinematic analyses. Previous studies looked at simple bimanual tasks such as opening a drawer; no studies examined the effects of intensive training on unimanual reach, grasp, and eat movement control. Methods: 20 children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy …

An Exploratory Study Of Mobile Messaging Preferences By Age: Middle-Aged And Older Adults Compared To Younger Adults, Alexis Kuerbis, Katherine Van Stolk-Cooke, Frederick Muench

Publications and Research

Introduction: Mobile technologies, such as short message service or text messaging, can be an important way to reach individuals with medical and behavioral health problems who are homebound or geographically isolated. Optimally tailoring messages in short message service interventions according to preferences can enhance engagement and positive health outcomes; however, little is known about the messaging preferences of middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: Utilizing secondary data, global messaging preferences were examined to inform the development of short message service interventions for adults of all ages. Two hundred and seventy-seven adults were recruited through an online labor market. They completed an …

Disability, Mobility & Society [Physical Therapist Assistant Program], Clarence Chan, Debra Engel, May Tom

Open Educational Resources

Disability, Mobility, & Society is a newly developed assignment for a required level II physical therapy course (SCT 221). It is aimed to familiarize students with the psychosocial and socioeconomic challenges faced by people with physical disability/dysfunction and their immediate community. Students work in teams to develop multimedia pre-recorded video presentations based on actual clinical case studies. Each team will identify and discuss issues related to the specific pathology and impairment, and consider the medical/social/behavioral/financial implications for the individual and the society. The team must present a course of physical therapy intervention that illustrates clinical competence and professional standard of …

The Effect Of A Single Bout Of Physical Exertion On Expressive Language And Word Finding In Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis, Marissa A. Barrera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

To date, little research has been conducted on the relationship between fatigue and expressive language among Multiple Sclerosis patients (MS). This study was a response to this knowledge gap. A nonrandom, matched- subject, mixed-factor design model was used with a purposive sample of 17 individuals with MS (five had primary-progressive (PP) MS, and 12 had relapsing-remitting (RR) MS). The research design was subjected to pretesting to ensure validity. Participants were assessed on a range of language tasks after undergoing one bout of cardiovascular exercise (NuStep T5 Recumbent Cross Trainer) and asked to provide a subjective fatigue score. The expressive language …

Temporary Nerve Block At Selected Digits Revealed Hand Motor Deficits In Grasping Tasks, Aude Cateron, Kerry Mcpartlan, Christina Gioeli, Emily Reid, Matt Turturro, Barry Hahn, Cynthia Benson, Wei Zhang

Publications and Research

Peripheral sensory feedback plays a crucial role in ensuring correct motor execution throughout hand grasp control. Previous studies utilized local anesthesia to deprive somatosensory feedback in the digits or hand, observations included sensorimotor deficits at both corticospinal and peripheral levels. However, the questions of how the disturbed and intact sensory input integrate and interact with each other to assist the motor program execution, and whether the motor coordination based on motor output variability between affected and non-affected elements (e.g., digits) becomes interfered by the local sensory deficiency, have not been answered. The current study aims to investigate the effect of …

Reliability Of Clinical Evaluators Of Spasticity In Patients With Stroke, Tiffany Alvino, Shiney David, Chelsea Gendvil

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Spasticity is characterized by hyperexcitable stretch reflexes with amplitude increases in response to velocity dependent passive movement and resistance. Spasticity is the result of abnormal function of segmental and suprasegmental neuronal circuits. The objective of this study was to determine any positive correlation between three clinical evaluators of spasticity (i.e., the pendulum test, the patellar tendon tap test (PTT), and the Modified Ashworth scale) in their reliability to assess spasticity in people post-stroke. It was hypothesized that the use of force movement sensors along with surface electromyography increases the reliability of the standardized clinical tests. The results show that all …

Paired Associative Transspinal And Transcortical Stimulation Produces Bidirectional Plasticity Of Human Cortical And Spinal Motor Pathways, Luke Dixon, Mohamed Ibrahim, Danielle Santora

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Anatomical, physiological, and functional connectivity exists between primary motor cortex (M1) and spinal cord neurons. Paired associative stimulation (PAS) produces enduring changes in M1 based on the Hebbian principle of associative plasticity. The present study aims to discover immediate neurophysiological changes on human corticomotor pathways by pairing noninvasive transspinal and transcortical stimulation via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We delivered paired transspinal and transcortical stimulation for 40-min at precise interstimulus intervals with TMS being delivered after (transspinal-transcortical PAS) or before (transcortical-transspinal PAS) transspinal stimulation. Transspinal-transcortical PAS markedly decreased intracortical inhibition, increased intracortical facilitation and M1 excitability with concomitant decreases of motor …

Physiopathology And Intervention In Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review, Justin Gelesky, Dylann C. Germann, Amanda Percaccio, Rachelle Schick

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the United States, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic illness in the adult population affecting an estimated 27 million individuals with a yearly health care cost of over $150 billion (CDC, 2014; Lawrence et al., 2008). The pathological osteoarthritic process results in the progressive degradation of articular cartilage due to chemical and biological imbalances within a joint (Weiland et al., 2005). These imbalances are not well understood and neither are the biomechanical joint changes that occur as a result. Due to these limitations, treating and monitoring this condition is a challenge to clinicians and the processes are currently …

The Efficacy Of Motor Imagery Training On Range Of Motion, Pain And Function Of Patients After Total Knee Replacement, Noorelhoda Mahmoud, Marc A. Razzano Jr., Karen Tischler

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The present study examined the potential of motor imagery training and investigated the role of motor imagery instructions (audio) to improve knee range of motion after a total knee replacement. The participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental motor imagery group (n=4) or a control group (n=6). Both groups performed specific exercises to improve their knee range of motion and strengthen their muscles. Participants in the Motor Imagery group performed a motor imagery training exercise for a knee flexion stretch on the stairs prior to performing the actual exercise. The motor imagery group demonstrated a significantly greater increase in …

Multi-Digit Coordination In Absence Of Cutaneous Sensory Feedback During Grasping Tasks, Christina Gioeli, Kerry Mcpartlan, Emily Reid, Matthew Turturro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Motor learning and adaptation to object properties and task requirements requires integration of cutaneous sensory feedback with motor commands. Joint mechanics constantly change, with individual joints or muscles compensation so performance output is the same per task. Effects of mixed cutaneous sensory feedback on multi-digit coordination is not well understood. Investigators sought to determine the influence absent cutaneous sensory feedback has on motor learning and adaptation, and how the CNS coordinates multi-digit mechanical output to adapt to manual tasks, with partially intact digital sensory feedback. 19 participants were randomly assigned for three-digit anesthesia administration (TIM- thumb, index, middle; TRL- thumb, …

Toward A Deeper Understanding Of Disability: Physical Therapy Educators’ Reflections, Clarence Chan, Debra Engel, Jacqueline Ross

Publications and Research

This article describes the unique journey both of a blind student in our Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program and of the faculty who taught him as they all navigated through uncharted territories. Despite the fact that the physical therapy profession trains practitioners to help clients with disabilities to maximize their physical function and teaches them how to adapt to the challenges of daily activity, we initially assumed that a blind student would not be able to complete the program or be able to become a self-sufficient practitioner. We were very wrong. This article describes our learning process over the course …

Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Relationship Between Gait And Attention With Possible Implications For Early Identification And Intervention, Yocheved Bensinger-Brody

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The aim of this research was to evaluate how increased levels of challenge to attentional capacity would affect the motor planning and coordination in the gait of children at risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) across developmental ages. The study incorporated a dual task paradigm requiring both motor and attention performance, with the primary hypothesis that children who are at risk of DCD across different ages (3- to 8 yrs.-of-age) would demonstrate an alteration in their motor strategies if they were simultaneously engaging in an attention task. A secondary hypothesis of this study was that there is an underlying deficit …

Interactions Between Descending And Somatosensory Inputs In Humans, Lisa Krivis, Ann Mackey, Maureen Mcdonough, Denise Uttaro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this study, we assessed the corticospinal integration in healthy people while seated. Corticospinal integration was assessed by establishing the latency and amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) evoked following transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the primary motor cortex area representing the leg muscles, and the latency and amplitude of spinally-mediated reflex responses. Further, the modulation pattern of the spinally-mediated reflex responses were determined following subthreshold and suprathreshold TMS. All compound muscle action potentials, descending motor or spinally-mediated reflexes were recorded from the leg muscles through surface electromyography. Both subthreshold and suprathreshold TMS induced a similar modulation pattern on the …

The Effects Of Maximal Strength Training On Gait And Balance In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: A Pretest Posttest Pilot Study, Janet Klein, David Park, Charles Wright, Michael Zervas

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Physical Therapy strength training programs utilizing mild to moderate intensity are commonly prescribed to address many of the deficits found in multiple sclerosis, but studies examining the effectiveness of higher intensity strength training in gait and balance have not been performed. Maximal strength training (MST), which involves lifting nearly maximal weights (85-95% of an individual’s one repetition maximum [1RM]) with low repetitions, has been shown to improve functional abilities in both healthy and non-MS impaired populations. The higher intensity training used in MST may result in greater activation of the CNS, providing a greater stimulus to improvement than …

Retrospective Chart Review Of Patients Following Unilateral Total Knee Replacement To Assess Achievement Of Functional Milestones Based On Type Of Anesthetic Used Intra-Operatively, William S. Benish, Lolline Chong, Elana Kram, Danielle Krieger

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

PURPOSE: Given the large number of Total Knee Replacements (TKR) performed annually in the US and the prediction that those numbers will increase, providing optimal analgesia during TKR is an important strategy for reducing cost and improving patient outcomes. Currently, no standard analgesia protocol for TKR exists and facilities in the US and world-wide use varied methods of analgesia. The purpose of the present study is to determine which analgesic technique; femoral nerve block (FNB), saphenous nerve block (SNB) or periarticular injection (PAI), within the context of a multi-modal pain management regimen, results in optimal TKR patient outcomes and achievement …

The Influence Of Forward Head Posture On Suprahyoid Activity During Oropharyngeal Swallowing: A Surface Electromyographic Analysis, Brianne Carroll, Sierra Hunt, Katherine Sheeleigh, Mark Wnukowski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

STUDY DESIGN: Within subjects repeated measures design.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to explore the effect that Forward Head Posture has on the mylohyoid muscle during swallowing in a healthy population.

BACKGROUND: Forward Head Posture (FHP) is the most common deviation from ideal head posture, and has become more prominent due to the rise of smart phones and the prevalence of computers in the household and workplace. FHP is associated with a variety of detrimental effects on the musculoskeletal system that arise from the abnormal positioning of the cranial and cervical bones and joints. In particular, the muscles …

Dancer Performance On The Lower Quarter Y Balance Test: A Longitudinal Study, Megan Dehey, Kelly Kaems, Molly Saunders, Gabrielle Schneider

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Purpose: There is a need in the current literature for further information regarding dancer performance on the Y Balance Test (YBT). This study tracked the test scores of a group of dancers to assess change over time and relationship of balance scores to injury risk. It is hoped that clinicians may be able to use the information found in this study to more accurately screen dancers for asymmetries, deficits, and changes over time using the YBT. Such screenings would allow for more effective care and better assessment of readiness to return to dance. Method: A group of 12 dancers between …

An Electromyographic Comparison Of The Functional Performance Of The Gluteus Maximus Muscle In Prolonged Sitting Versus Standing Populations, Kerry Campagnola, Giusi Gerbino, Erica Johnson, Adrienne O’Keefe

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

PURPOSE: A common clinical concern of Physical Therapists is the inexplicably weak gluteus maximus (GM) muscle; we hypothesized that this may be linked to the popular habit of prolonged sitting. The purpose of this study was to determine if surface electromyography (sEMG) output and timing of the GM and hamstrings muscles differed between people who sit for prolonged periods of time and people who stand for prolonged periods of time. METHODS: The design of our study was a single session case-control study. Subjects were 22 healthy adults (23-36 years old) who either sat or stood for 8-10 hours a day …

Assessment Of Physical Performance In Adolescents Of Varying Body Weight, Nicholas Dalonzo, Nicole Liquori, Nicole Savarese

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Fifty-one healthy adolescents of both gender without any neuromuscular, musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary disorders and between the ages of 12 and 17 with a mean age of 14.09 years (SD: 1.45 years) were recruited to participate in the 6-minute walk test. Several measurements such as height, weight and leg length were taken before testing, along with heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation (SPO2) before, after and 10 minutes post 6-minute walk test. Walk distance was also quantified and used as an outcome measure. The adolescents were divided into two groups prior to statistical testing. The first group was classified as …

Implications Of Muscle Activation Patterns On Balance In The Elderly, Arielle Bailey, Goldie Baum, Hadassa Radzik, Aruna Woods

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

More than one third of adults ages 65 years old and older fall each year in the United States. This can result in trauma, hospital admissions, and potential death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of waist-pull perturbation training on balance in the elderly. There were two experimental groups, elderly non-fallers (n=9) and elderly fallers (n=5) between ages 65-86, and a control group comprised of young, healthy subjects (n=10) ages 21-31. All subjects underwent baseline and post-training measurements using EMG recordings of the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis and semimembranosus. Training was performing using repeated waist-pull …

Effect Of Absent Tactile Sensation On Multi-Digit Coordination Underlying Hand Control, Michael P. Alcorn, Bruce Faulkner, Matthew Macina, Brian Sherman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

We investigated the effect of anesthesia, causing absent tactile sensation feedback, on multi-digit coordination underlying hand control. The purpose of the study is to expand our understanding on the essential role of tactile sensation feedback in the sensorimotor integration process by examining the motor coordination patterns during multi-digit forces production tasks. We hypothesized that absent tactile sensation feedback would interrupt the force sharing pattern at local and non-local digits. Twelve participants were utilized for data collection and statistical analysis (25.6 ± 4.1 years old, 6 males and 6 females), right-handed (according to their preferred hand use for writing and eating) …

Investigating The Effects Of Combining Treadmill Training With Trans-Spinal Direct Current Stimulation On Motor Skill Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury, Jennifer Blake, Rebecca Bullen, Jeremy Pahl, Samantha Scicchigno

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study assessed the effect of treadmill training with or without trans-spinal direct current stimulation on motor recovery following a T13/L1 spinal cord hemi section in CD-1 mice. Mice all received the same spinal cord injury, which resulted in left hind limb paralysis, and were assigned to one of three groups. Control animals received no treatment. Treadmill only mice were treated with 5 sessions of treadmill training. Treadmill + stimulation animals were treated with concurrent treadmill training and trans-spinal direct current stimulation. Progress was assessed by analyzing each subject’s steps on a horizontal ladder test, which the animals performed both …

Use Of The Bioness L300® Functional Electrical Stimulator In Acute Stroke Rehabilitation, Christine Flanigan, Colleen M. Martinez, Beth N. Terranova, Nicholas Wildi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Purpose. Over 150,000 people in the U.S. every year experience foot drop following a stroke, slowing their ambulation and increasing their falls risk. We explore whether the use of functional electrical stimulation (FES) to the common fibular nerve during acute rehabilitation can maximize ambulation gains. Methods. Five in-patients admitted at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital experiencing foot drop participated. While receiving conventional physical therapy, four subjects wore the Bioness L300® device, and one subject used an elastic figure-8 wrapped elastic bandage. Gait parameters were evaluated at initial evaluation, an intermittent evaluation, and discharge. Results. During their stay, subjects significantly improved in gait …