Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

A Closer Look At Development Of Self-Awareness And Compensatory Strategy Use In Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury, Melissa A. Byrne

Masters Theses

My study investigates the development of self-awareness and use of compensatory strategies in eight adults with traumatic brain injuries using the Awareness Questionnaire (AQ) and three additional questions of descriptive nature. This study also examines whether or not the severity of brain injury (mild, moderate, severe) impacts the development of self-awareness. In addition, the spouses' perceptions of client awareness are compared to the relatives' to determine existence of potential variance.

Results indicate that while there is no significant difference in self-awareness_ between the mild and moderate groups, the severe group significantly varies from both the mild and moderate groups. Also, …

The Effectiveness Of Personal Data Assistants In Improving Daily Function Of Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Connie Lee Budiwarman

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the effectiveness of using Personal Data Assistants to help with memory and/or organizational difficulties with adult patients who had survived mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Utilizing an AB single subject design method with a training period, one subject ultimately completed the study. The study demonstrated mixed results. Through the use of daily record sheets, the subject reported improvement in three areas of daily function but reported negative improvement in three areas of daily function. This study suggests, but does not completely support, the potential use of Personal Data Assistants with patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Visual-Motor Integration Skills Impact On Handwriting, Amber M. Kapnick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a visual-motor integration intervention improved handwriting legibility and visual-motor integration in first grade students as measured by the Minnesota Handwriting Test (MHT) and the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI). Intervention was based on sensory-motor learning theories. Sixty-six children from four first grade classrooms in a suburban elementary school were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control condition. The intervention group received eight weeks of visual-motor integration training twice a week for 30 minute sessions. The control group received regular academic instruction. All children were tested on the Minnesota Handwriting …

The Understanding And Utilization Of Occupational Therapy Services By Medical Doctors In Acute Hospital Settings, Naina Jamani

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine what medical doctors working in the Canadian healthcare system know about occupational therapy, and if this understanding of occupational therapy is deemed valuable by the rate of referrals generated by these practitioners. This study will examine the relationship between physician's knowledge level and referrals to occupational therapy. The study instrument was a survey that consisted of eight questions, seven multiple choice and one open-ended response. The study took approximately five minutes to complete. A total of forty surveys were distributed at three different acute hospital settings. A total of fourteen or thirty-five …

Orthopedic Treatment Outcomes And Physical Therapists' Orthopedic Clinical Specialist Status, Karin Granberg

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background and Purpose. Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) certification has been available since 1989, however, no prospective studies exist demonstrating better patient outcomes with OCS certification. The purpose of this study was to prospectively explore if there are differences in effectiveness as measured by health, work status and patient satisfaction; efficiency, as measured by visits, treatment duration, number of treatment codes and cost; value (unit of functional improvement per dollar charged), and utilization (unit of functional improvement per visit) depending on OCS status of PTs working in orthopedic outpatient settings.

Subjects. Six PTs with OCS certification and 11 PTs without …

The Effectiveness Of A Physical Therapy Intervention For Children With Hypotonia And Flatfeet, Charmayne G. Ross

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of physical therapy using Cascade orthotics and an exercise program for children with hypotonia and flatfeet. Subjects: Thirty-seven children, aged 18 months to 5 years, who demonstrated developmental delays and hypotonia with flatfoot dysfunction, participated in this study. Methods: Three groups (control, orthotic, and orthotic-exercise) were studied. The orthotic- exercise group practiced bilateral heel lifts besides wearing the orthoses. An arch index was used to assess the width of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) pre/post interventions. Gait parameters (velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence) were assessed four times in …

Diabetes: The Interrelationship Between Vascular, Nervous Systems And Avandia, Salameh Bweir

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Diabetes Mellitus has been linked to vascular and neurological impairments. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between vascular endothelial dysfunction, autonomic and somatic nervous systems impairment in diabetic patients. These studies also evaluated the effects of rosiglitazone (Avandia) on the vascular, autonomic, and somatic nervous systems.

Fourteen diabetic subjects and fourteen control subjects (age matched) participated in three series of experiments. Using Whitney volume plesythmography to assess post occlusion blood flow in the subject’s forearm did assessment of vascular endothelial function. Evaluating skin blood flow, orthostatic tolerance, heart rate, and thermal responses under thermal and postural …

Client And Therapist Guidelines For Comprehensive Outpatient Upper Extremity Burn Injury Home Program And Protocol, Crystal A. Gasper, Anne Maattala

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Post-Stroke Depression On Quality Of Life And Functional Return, Alysia Heitkamp

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Traumatic Brain Injury: Cognitive Rehabilitation And Supported Employment, Randon Mckibbin

Occupational Therapy Capstones

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain, which results in dysfunction in an individual’s physical, cognitive, and pychosocial functioning. Currently, information on the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for clients post- TBI is limited. Research has been conducted to develop overall recommendations for clinical practice with this population. It is of interest to the occupational therapy community and the clients that they serve to have a description of effective occupationbased activities, based on current literature, that also consider the functional gains made by clients overtime. This protocol considers the functional gains of the TBI client with a …

Effective Splinting And Wearing Schedules For The Pediatric Population, Kristin Reichmann

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

An Occupational Therapy-Based Curriculum For At-Risk Adolescents Transitioning From Mental Health Treatment Facilities Into The Public School System, Jill Eide, Jessica Welk

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Exercise And Depression, Amy Gustafson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy Intervention For Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Lisa J. Neppl

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Comprehensive Core Strengthening Program For Firefighters, Christy Siplon

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Community-Based Copd Wellness Program, Erika Stutts

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Examination Of Balance And Weightbearing In Post Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Utilizing The Weight Bearing And Step Up/Over Tests On The Neurocom Balance Master, Kim Broadway, Carrie Grise, Nicky Yamamoto, Franz Yuen

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Currently in the United States, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) has become one of the most commonly performed surgeries of the lower extremity. Although sports activities commonly cause injury to the ACL, non-athletic individuals are affected as well. With the increasing prevalence of the ACLR procedure, a need appears for researching the effects an ACLR has on balance and weight bearing.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects an ACLR has on balance and weight bearing using the NeuroCom® Balance Master (NBM), version 8.02, Weight Bearing Squat (WBS) and Step Up/Over (SUO) tests with individuals who were …

An Electromyographic Study Of Lower Trapezius Muscle Activity During The Traditional Muscle Testing Position And A Modified Position, Keri M. Doyle, Molly E. Mcdonald, Heather M. Partlow, Eric R. Paur

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Many people use repeated overhead movements in their occupations or recreational activities. Literature has shown that this repeated overhead activity greatly contributes to the incidence of shoulder pathologies such as impingement syndrome. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the lower trapezius was more successfully recruited in the traditional muscle testing position of 145° of shoulder abduction or a modified position consisting of shoulder external rotation while in 80° of shoulder abduction and 90° of elbow flexion.

Forty-one subjects between the ages of 21 and 45 voluntarily participated in this study. One subject was excluded due to exceeding …

A Survey Of Educators' Needs When Accommodating Students With Physical Disabilities In Regular Education Classrooms, Heather Fisher, Lynn Mckay, Barbara Roise, Katrina Sem

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Students with physical disabilities have been included in regular education classrooms, under IDEA, since the 1970's. Research has shown that many teachers do not feel adequately prepared for adapting their classrooms for a student with physical disabilities. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived needs of regular educators in North Dakota and determine what ways physical therapists can offer assistance to educators when accommodating for a student with physical disabilities.

Subjects and Methods. Six hundred and fifty questionnaires were sent out to randomly selected, North Dakota teachers via the mail (325) and email (325). …

The Effect Of Ionized Bracelets On Pain And Function In Individuals With Arthritis, Jamie Gullickson, Josh Hamilton, Amy Hebl, Rachel Hoffman

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Arthritis is a prevalent condition found throughout the entire population. Manifestations of this disease can lead to increased pain in multiple joints leading to decreased functional mobility and limitations in activities of daily living. Ionized bracelets have become an increasingly popular non-traditional, conservative treatment for decreasing pain and improving well-being in persons with multiple diagnoses and body system involvement. Very little research has been conducted on the effects of ionized bracelets; therefore, additional research needs to be conducted to validate these theories.

The purpose of our study is to determine the effect of ionized bracelets on pain and function in …

The Relationship Between Work Related Injury And Participation In Exercise And Recreational Activities, Stephen Kaiser, Chris Kuhn, Jay Steckler

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background/Purpose: The cost of health care is on the rise for both employers and employees. Research has shown that exercise in any capacity will improve overall health and fitness levels. Limited research has shown that proper exercise can lead to a decrease in musculoskeletal injuries. With the number of musculoskeletal injuries occurring in the workplace at high levels, establishing a connection between injury reduction and exercise is imperative. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between participation in exercise and recreational activities and injury in the workplace.

Methods: A random stratified sample of 396 …

The Effects Of The Handwriting Without Tears Program On The Handwriting Of Students In Inclusion Classrooms, Lisa Owens

Theses and Dissertations

Many handwriting programs are currently used in schools, but little research has been conducted on their effectiveness. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent comparison group pretest posttest design examined effects of the Handwriting Without Tears program with special and general education students enrolled in inclusion classrooms. Two experimental classes received instruction with the HWT method while two comparison classes received instruction using traditional methods. Handwriting performance was measured using the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment. One-way analysis of covariance tested the differences between rates of handwriting improvement for experimental and comparison groups while controlling for pretest scores. Students in the experimental classes showed no statistically …

Positioning And Ergonomics For Pregnant Women While Performing Daily Tasks, Kim Anderson, Brandi Johnson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Educating Clients, Families, And Health Care Professionals About Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (Cimt), Laura Beach, Margo Iverson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Function And Body Image Levels In Individuals With Transfemoral Amputations Using The C-Leg®, Erica L. Swanson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: It was purposed that individuals using the Otto Bock C-Leg®, a microprocessor controlled prosthetic knee joint, may experience an enhanced level of functional independence. Secondly, it was hypothesized that with increased functional abilities and independence from using the C-Leg® comes a positive body image.

Methods: Following IRB approval, a purposive sampling method was used to recruit 8 adult volunteers from a regional rehabilitation hospital. Inclusion criteria for participants in this study included individuals who had a transfemoral amputation, were currently using the C-Leg®, were over the age of 18 years, and without cognitive limitations. Subjects were asked to complete …

Occupational Therapy Practice Strategies To Reduce Recidivism Rates In The Chronically Mentally Ill, Sonya Erickson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Torque Production Using A Stationary Hand-Held Dynamometer On Different Points Of The Forearm When Manual Muscle Testing Elbow Flexors, Justin Allred, Ross Homstad, Eugene Monette

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Muscle testing using a stationary dynamometer has given therapists a more objective method of assessing a patient's strength. However, few studies have been performed as to the effects that dynamometer placement has on force production.

The purpose of this randomized, repeated measure study was to determine whether there was a significant difference in reliability between torque measurements with dynamometer placement at two well-defined points on the forearm. The differences in torque values from the two points of application (distal wrist crease and the midpoint of the forearm) were also compared to assess for differences between these values.

Thirty-two healthy subjects …

Socialization And Community Reintegration In The Prison Population, Wendy Kappenman, Melissa Violette

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

An Occupational Therapy Home Maintenance Program For College Students With Depression, Laura F. Morton

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy Educational Manual For Teaching Sexuality To Client's [I.E. Clients] With Spinal Cord Injury, Amy Steen, Beth Mcguire

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.