Physical Therapy Commons^™

Blood Flow Restriction Therapy: A Review Of Physiology, Clinical Application, And Guidelines For Implementation, Nathan Schuliger

Senior Honors Theses

Blood flow restriction (BFR) therapy is an emerging clinical modality utilizing the metabolic stress of a hypoxic state to induce hypertrophic and strength adaptations in a manner allowing for reduced external loading. BFR has a variety of applications in rehabilitation settings, showing great potential for patients seeking the benefits of high intensity training without the associated degrees of mechanical stress. This literature review details the proposed mechanisms of BFR, along with various clinical applications of BFR including active and aerobic BFR. Concerns and contraindications for BFR usage are discussed regarding certain clinical populations, with risk stratification recommendations provided. Current BFR …

Effects Of Creative Movement & Play Based Interventions On Motor Skills Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Results From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sharanya Chandu

Honors Scholar Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of creative movement, general movement, and seated play interventions on bilateral coordination, balance, and upper limb coordination motor skills of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Methods: This data was collected as a part of a multisite intervention study, Play and Move study, by the University of Connecticut and University of Delaware. Participants were contacted through the SPARK database, UConn Kids, fliers sent to local autism services, schools, community centers and by posting information online or to listservs. Forty-five children agreed to participate in this study and were randomly assigned …

Pne - Lots Of Talk, Superficial Results, Aidan Keller, Michael Ray, Taylor Baugher

ASPIRE 2023

A narrative review (NR) of meta-analyses (MA) and systematic reviews (SR) that assess the effectiveness or efficacy of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on various outcome measures in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Systematic searches were conducted on 4 databases. Study selection included MAs and SRs that assessed the effectiveness or efficacy of PNE on CP populations. Quantitative eligibility criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), adults (18+ years of age), English or Spanish speaking individuals, and reporting of chronic pain (persistent or recurrent pain lasting ≥ 3 months). Qualitative eligibility criteria included individuals reporting chronic pain and experienced a PNE …

Depression, Anxiety, And Physical Activity In Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis, Rachel E. Bollaert, C. Danielle Jones, Petra Silic, Robert W. Motl

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

This study examined levels of depression and anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores), and self-reported (Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire), and accelerometer-measured physical activity in older adults with multiple sclerosis (n = 40) compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 40). We observed differences in depression, anxiety, and physical activity between groups and further observed that minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity partially accounted for group differences in depression scores. We provide preliminary support for research examining approaches for increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity and possibly reducing depression symptoms in older adults with …

Who Was Wearing A Mask In 2021? Update On Gender-, Age-, And Location-Related Differences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael H. Haischer, Rachel Beilfuss, Meggie Rose Hart, Lauren Opielinski, Emma Schmit, David Wrucke, Helena Zhao, Toni D. Uhrich, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Previous observational work from 2020 demonstrated gender-, age-, and location-related differences in mask-wearing behavior, despite the efficacy and public health messaging that emphasized face coverings in combatting the spread of COVID-19. In 2021, COVID-19 vaccinations and a corresponding change in public health policy became new considerations in deciding personal protective behaviors. To provide an update on mask wearers and resistors approximately one year after our initial study, we observed shoppers (n = 6,118) entering retail stores using the same experimental methodology. Approximately 26% of individuals wore a mask. Mask wearing has decreased across demographic groups compared to 2020. Aligning …

Neuromotor Changes In Participants With A Concussion History Can Be Detected With A Custom Smartphone App, Christopher K. Rhea, Masahiro Yamada, Nikita A. Kuznetsov, Jason T. Jakiela, Chanel T. Lojacono, Scott E. Ross, F. J. Haran, Jason M. Bailie, W. Geoffrey Wright

Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Papers

Neuromotor dysfunction after a concussion is common, but balance tests used to assess neuromotor dysfunction are typically subjective. Current objective balance tests are either cost- or space-prohibitive, or utilize a static balance protocol, which may mask neuromotor dysfunction due to the simplicity of the task. To address this gap, our team developed an Android-based smartphone app (portable and cost-effective) that uses the sensors in the device (objective) to record movement profiles during a stepping-in-place task (dynamic movement). The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which our custom smartphone app and protocol could discriminate neuromotor behavior between …

Pne – Lots Of Talk, Superficial Results, Aidan Keller, Michael Ray, Taylor Baugher

Honors Projects

Objective: A narrative review (NR) of meta-analyses (MA) and systematic reviews (SR) that assess the effectiveness or efficacy of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on various outcome measures in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Methods: This was a mixed methodology review involving systematic searches across 4 databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, CENTRAL (Cochrane), and Google Scholar). Inclusion criteria stipulated MAs and SRs that assessed the effectiveness or efficacy of PNE on CP population. Quantitative eligibility criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), adults (18+ years of age), English or Spanish speaking individuals, and reporting of chronic pain (persistent or recurrent pain lasting ≥ …

Muscle-Specific Contributions To Lower Extremity Net Joint Moments While Squatting With Different External Loads, Kristof Kipp, Hoon Kim, William I. Wolf

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine muscle-specific contributions to lower extremity net joint moments (NJMs) during squats with different external loads. Nine healthy subjects performed sets of the back squat exercise with 0, 25, 50, and 75% of body mass as an added external load. Motion capture and force plate data were used to calculate NJMs and to estimate individual muscle forces via static optimization. Individual muscle forces were multiplied by their respective moment arms to calculate the resulting muscle-specific joint moment. Statistical parametric mapping (α = 0.05) was used to determine load-dependent changes in the time series …

Disability And Healthcare Access In Morocco: Social And Cultural Influences, Christa Shipman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I stepped into the SIT Multiculturalism and Human Rights program as a pre-physical therapy student with experience working and volunteering in the disability rights arena. Striking personal encounters with Moroccans combined with these past experiences drew me to investigate how social and cultural factors influence access to healthcare for people with disabilities. I hypothesized that access to medical care is limited by social or cultural mindsets, perceptions, or beliefs for those in my target population. This subject is relevant to Morocco as a developing country and as a society with, in some cases, fixed social dynamics, while in other areas …

The Reliability Of Tensiomyography For Assessment Of Muscle Function: A Systematic Review, Stephon Moise, Daniel Hampton

UCF DPT Research Capstone

Tensiomyography (TMG) is a non-invasive tool used to assess skeletal muscle tissue, including Displacement (Dm), Contraction Time (Tc), Sustain Time (Ts), Relaxation Time (Tr), and Delay Time (Td). This tool can be used clinically to determine muscular response to exercise.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of TMG measurements.

METHODS: Studies were identified from multiple databases and evaluated for inclusion. All studies underwent a quality assessment using the Modified Downs and Black checklist for assessing quality studies, and results were extracted from qualified articles.

RESULTS: 635 studies were identified with 16 studies retained following full …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Mcmurry’S Test In The Diagnosis Of Meniscal Tears, Jessica Smyth, Hartwell Rainey

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Visual Referencing On Backward And Forward Treadmill Walking In Vr Environments, Rahul Soangra, Sivakumar Rajagopal

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Backward walking is used increasingly as a rehabilitation exercise for stroke and diabetic peripheral neuropathy patients to improve strength and balance. However, it is unclear how visual referencing affects backward and forward walking. In this study, we evaluated spatiotemporal gait characteristics changes due to visual referencing while backward/forward walking. Sixteen healthy young participants were recruited in this study. All participants walked for 2 min with and without visual referencing in the virtual reality environment. While walking backward participants faced the virtual reality screen similar to forward walking, but their treadmill belt direction of movement was reversed. All participants walked at …

Comparison Of Pre- And Post-Operative Shoulder Muscle Emg Profiles In Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Patients, Emily Lau, Sreten Franovic, Noah Kuhlmann, Eric C. Makhni Md, Stephanie Muh Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Deltoid muscle function is central in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) function; however, there is limited information available regarding changes in deltoid activity before and after surgery. Few tests exist to evaluate specific muscle metrics pre and post operatively. Surface Electromyographic (EMG) is non-invasive and allows for observation of motions with multifaceted analysis of movement with minimal patient demand. Understanding the changes in shoulder muscle activation, namely in the deltoid, in patients pre and post-RTSA can further advance understanding of the procedure and rehabilitation efforts.

Methods: Nine individuals were recruited for this study: all patients underwent RTSA by a …

Integrative Neuromuscular Training In Young Athletes, Injury Prevention, And Performance Optimization: A Systematic Review, Borja Sañudo, Juan Sánchez-Hernández, Mario Bernardo-Filho, Ellie Abdi, Redha Taiar, Javier Núñez

Publications

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current evidence by assessing the effectiveness of integrative neuromuscular training programs in injury prevention and sports performance in young athletes. Different data sources were analyzed up to January 2018. Eligible studies contained information on population (young athletes), intervention (neuromuscular training), comparator (control group or another exercise intervention), outcomes (injury prevention or sport performance), and study design (randomized trials or prospective studies). The trials were restricted based on the language (English) and for publication date (after 1 January 2007). Fourteen randomized controlled trials were included: Seven included dynamic stability-related outcomes. Three …

A Low-Cost Soft Robotic Hand Exoskeleton For Use In Therapy Of Limited Hand–Motor Function, Grant Rudd, Liam Daly, Vukica Jovanovic, Filip Cukov

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

We present the design and validation of a low-cost, customizable and 3D-printed anthropomorphic soft robotic hand exoskeleton for rehabilitation of hand injuries using remotely administered physical therapy regimens. The design builds upon previous work done on cable actuated exoskeleton designs by implementing the same kinematic functionality, but with the focus shifted to ease of assembly and cost effectiveness as to allow patients and physicians to manufacture and assemble the hardware necessary to implement treatment. The exoskeleton was constructed solely from 3D-printed and widely available of-the-shelf components. Control of the actuators was realized using an Arduino microcontroller, with a custom-designed shield …

Kinesiophobia And Its Impairment Of Successful Return To Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury And Reconstruction, Gabrielle Boulding

Featured Student Work

The rehabilitation of an athlete after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury includes both physical and psychological barriers. One such psychological barrier is kinesiophobia, more commonly referred to as the fear of reinjury. All individuals experience some level of kinesiophobia, or fear of reinjury, related to the return to sport after ACL injury and reconstruction. Kinesiophobia can have a negative impact on an athlete’s short-term rehabilitation and long-term goals of return to sport. In many cases the fear of reinjury has been found to be one of the key reasons that an athlete does not return to sport or to …

Supplemental Training And Injury Prevention In The Sport Of Ultra-Running, Jessica M. Heidebrink

Senior Honors Theses

By definition, ultra-marathon running is a sport that covers any distance above the 26.2-mile marathon distance in a single race. The mountains of Virginia host many ultra-marathon races that attract endurance runners from all over the nation to participate. Training is an essential component of running an ultra. Although there is not one specific way to train for an ultra, there is research that correlates the success of the top ultra-runners and their training preferences regarding supplemental training and injury prevention. To gain a more complete understanding of how to prepare for a successful ultra-marathon, an online survey was created …

Efficacy Of Electromyography And The Dead Bug Exercise, Taylor M. Scavo, Rachel C. Cooklin, Erika N. Faria, Madeline L. Johnson, Eric Sternlicht

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The Dead Bug exercise is performed in physical therapy clinics to restore lumbar spine stability and core strength in patients with lower back pain (LBP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using electromyography (EMG) feedback to enhance proper mechanics during the Dead Bug exercise. Sixteen healthy, college age students volunteered as subjects for the study. Subjects performed the Dead Bug (Fig. 1a.) with and without visual EMG cues and were given instructions on how to execute the exercise. Data was recorded using a BTS FREEEMG Analyzer and signal processed and data analyzed using the BTS …

Muscle Function And Fatigability Of Trunk Flexors In Males And Females, Rita Deering, Jonathon Senefeld, Tatyana Pashibin, Donald A. Neumann, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Optimal function of the abdominal muscles is necessary for several life functions including lifting and carrying tasks. Sex differences in strength and fatigability are established for many limb muscles and back extensor muscles, but it is unknown if sex differences exist for the abdominal muscles despite their functional importance.

Methods

Eighteen females (24.3 ± 4.8 years) and 15 males (24.1 ± 6.6 years) performed (1) isometric trunk flexion maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) in a range of trunk positions to establish a torque-angle curve and (2) submaximal (50% MVC), intermittent isometric contraction (6 s on, 4 s off) until task …

Adaptations Of Lumbar Biomechanics After Four Weeks Of Running Training With Minimalist Footwear And Technique Guidance: Implications For Running-Related Lower Back Pain, Szu-Ping Lee, Joshua P. Bailey, Jo Armour Smith, Stephanie Barton, David Brown, Talia Joyce

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Objectives

To investigate the changes in lumbar kinematic and paraspinal muscle activation before, during, and after a 4-week minimalist running training.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

University research laboratory.

Participants

Seventeen habitually shod recreational runners who run 10–50 km per week.

Main outcome measures

During stance phases of running, sagittal lumbar kinematics was recorded using an electrogoniometer, and activities of the lumbar paraspinal muscles were assessed by electromyography. Runners were asked to run at a prescribed speed (3.1 m/s) and a self-selected speed.

Results

For the 3.1 m/s running speed, significant differences were found in the calculated mean lumbar posture …

Influence Of Posture-Cuing Shirt On Tennis Serve Kinematics In Division Iii Tennis Players, Joseph Zappala, Caroline Orrego, Emily Boe, Heather Fechner, Derek Salminen, Daniel Cipriani

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: Injuries to the shoulder complex are common in overhead athletes, often related to kinematics of the shoulder complex. This study evaluated the influence of a posture-cuing shirt on internal rotation velocity of the shoulder during a tennis swing and to determine this influence on shoulder external rotation position. Methods: Nine healthy competitive college tennis players from a Division III college participated in this study. High speed motion capture allowed for 3-D analysis of shoulder kinematics during a tennis serve. Two conditions were evaluated while the athletes performed a high velocity tennis serve: standard tennis shirt and a …

A Comparison Of The Scapular Flip Test Between Women With Breast Cancer And Healthy Controls, Mary Insana Fisher, Lucinda Pfalzer, Ellen W. Levy, Shana Harrington, Lynn H. Gerber, Nicole L. Stout

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Presentation at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy Congress, held May 1-4, 2015, in Singapore.

Background: The Scapular Flip test was designed to screen for spinal accessory nerve palsy. The spinal accessory nerve can be damaged in breast cancer surgery and treatment, resulting in scapular dyskinesis and upper limb (UL) impairment in women with breast cancer (BC). This test could be useful to screen for UL impairment in BC.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe shoulder impairments as defined by a positive Flip Test in a group of women with BC at baseline, 1-3 months, and 12+ …

Innovative Evaluation Of Dexterity In Pediatrics, Susan V. Duff, Dorit H. Aaron, Gloria R. Gogola, Francisco J. Valero-Cuevas

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Hand dexterity is multifaceted and essential to the performance of daily tasks. Timed performance and precision demands are the most common features of quantitative dexterity testing. Measurement concepts such as rate of completion, in-hand manipulation and dynamic force control of instabilities are being integrated into assessment tools for the pediatric population.

Purpose

To review measurement concepts inherent in pediatric dexterity testing and introduce concepts that are infrequently measured or novel as exemplified with two assessment tools.

Methods

Measurement concepts included in common assessment tools are introduced first. We then describe seldom measured and novel concepts embedded in two instruments; …

Classifying Lower Extremity Muscle Fatigue During Walking Using Machine Learning And Inertial Sensors, Jian Zhang, Thurmon Lockhart, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Fatigue in lower extremity musculature is associated with decline in postural stability, motor performance and alters normal walking patterns in human subjects. Automated recognition of lower extremity muscle fatigue condition may be advantageous in early detection of fall and injury risks. Supervised machine learning methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM) have been previously used for classifying healthy and pathological gait patterns and also for separating old and young gait patterns. In this study we explore the classification potential of SVM in recognition of gait patterns utilizing an inertial measurement unit associated with lower extremity muscular fatigue. Both kinematic and …

Mechanisms Of Fatigue Differ After Low- And High-Force Fatiguing Contractions In Men And Women, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie A. Schlinder-Delap, Erin E. Griffith, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

The magnitude of failure in voluntary drive after fatiguing contractions of different intensities in men and women is not known. The purpose of this study was to compare the time to task failure and voluntary activation of men and women for a sustained isometric contraction performed at a low and high intensity with the elbow flexor muscles. Nine men and nine women sustained an isometric contraction at 20% and 80% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force until task failure during separate sessions. The men had a shorter time to failure than women for the 20% but not the 80% MVC …

Functional Rehabilitation: Managing Low Back Pain Through Activities-Of-Daily-Living Education, Timothy E. Speicher, R. Daniel Martin, Robert M. Desimone

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

After trauma to the low back, a decrease in intervertebral joint stiffness can occur, which can lead to inability of the motor-control system to compensate for the tasks imposed on the tissues, resulting in spinal instability. Intervertebral joint stiffness can be thought of as a tightening of a corset around a spine segment, facilitated through coactivation of small and large spinal muscles. The motor-control system might be able to adapt initially with cocontractions of the intrinsic muscles, but an unbalanced demand between the small and large muscles can lead to muscle fatigue and poor task performance. The inability of the …

Sight-Reading Versus Repertoire Performance On The Piano: A Case Study Using High-Speed Motion Analysis, Brenda Wristen, Sharon Evans, Nikolaos Stergiou

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

This study was intended to examine whether differences exist in the motions employed by pianists when they are sightreading versus performing repertoire and to determine whether these differences can be c[uantified using high-speed motion capture technology. A secondary question of interest was whether or not an improvement in the efficiency of motion could be observed between two sight-reading trials of the same musical excerpt. This case study employed one subject and a six-camera digital infrared camera system to capture the motion of the pianist playing two trials of a repertoire piece and two trials of a sight-reading excerpt. Angular displacements …

Time To Task Failure Differs With Load Type When Old Adults Perform A Submaximal Fatiguing Contraction, Sandra K. Hunter, Ludovic Rochette, Ashley Critchlow, Roger M. Enoka

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Young adults exhibit a longer time to task failure when performing a submaximal isometric contraction by pushing against a force transducer (force task) than when supporting an equivalent inertial load (position task). The purpose of this study was to compare the time to failure for old adults when they performed a force task and a position task with the elbow flexor muscles. Eighteen old adults (72 ± 4 years) performed the force and position tasks at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force until task failure. The time to task failure was briefer for the position task (10.6 ± 6.1 min) …

Ankle Injuries And Ankle Strength, Flexibility, And Proprioception In College Basketball Players, Kristen A. Payne, Kris E. Berg, Richard W. Latin

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Injuries to the ankle joint are among the most common of all sport-related injuries. Figures range from 10% to 30% of all injuries and from 5% to 20% of all time-loss injuries.1-9 Athletes participating in sports such as football, soccer, basketball, and volleyball are especially at risk for this type of injury, largely because of the running and jumping involved. In 1977, Garrick3 reported that during any single year of a 6-year period at the University of Washington, at least 16% of all time-loss injuries for all sports involved ankle sprains.