Physical Therapy Commons^™

The Effect Of A Standardized Training Program To Enhance The Therapeutic Alliance In Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Mixed Methods Analytical Approach, Marino Bucci, Dominick Haynes, Megan Cundiff

UCF DPT Research Capstone

Background: Chronic low back pain (cLBP) affects up to 84% of adults. Evidence suggests a strong therapeutic alliance (TA) enhances care in a variety of ways. While themes associated with strong alliances have been identified, few studies have provided instructions on utilizing this information to craft a strong TA in physical therapy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to look at the effectiveness and feasibility of a training protocol to enhance the TA in patients with cLBP.

Methods: A total of 19 practicing physical therapists and 16 physical therapy students completed a TA training course with a pre and …

Emg Amplitude During Fatiguing Low-Load Versus High-Load Biceps Curls, Jeremy S. Wydra, Jacob C. Gilbert, Allison P. Mann

UCF DPT Research Capstone

The role of load in strength training is being debated in the literature, with studies reporting similar changes in skeletal muscle size following fatiguing low-load and high-load training. Electromyographic (EMG) signal recording can be utilized to compare muscle activity between fatiguing low-load and high-load training, but little is known about the behavior of the biceps brachii muscle during shortening (concentric) and lengthening (eccentric) muscle actions. We sought to compare changes in EMG amplitude throughout fatiguing low-load versus high-load resistance training during both concentric and eccentric muscle actions.

METHODS: Nine men and eight women, all resistance trained, participated in this study. …

The General Population's Perception Of Factors Associated With Positive Or Negative Perceptions Of Physical Therapy Care In Those With Low Back Pain, Jada M. Strowbridge

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Low back pain (LBP) has a global impact on health and is a substantial contributor to long term disability. The economic burden of LBP is immense and it is advancing annually. Costs attributing to LBP in the United States is about $84.1 to $624.8 billion. Physical therapy is commonly recommended for those with LBP since it is linked to improved clinical outcomes. However, patient perceptions can influence how this treatment approach is perceived. It is unclear if these perceptions can influence outcomes for patients suffering from LBP. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors associated with …

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 …

Is There A Correlation Between Rate Of Electromyography Rise In The Flexor Carpi Radialis Muscle And Comfortable Gait Speed?, Emily Montecalvo, Vanessa Novoa, Shikha Ravikumar

UCF DPT Research Capstone

Falls are a leading cause of injury-related deaths in older adults. Although gait speed (a strong predictor of falls) correlates with handgrip strength, its correlation with muscle power (amount of force produced over time) is unknown. Since peak quadriceps rate of force development (RFD) occurs at a submaximal force during ambulation, RFD could be a determinant of gait speed13. Quadriceps RFD is a measure of lower extremity power13, just as handgrip RFD is a measure of upper extremity power. Assuming that RFD is uniform throughout the body, handgrip RFD may also be correlated with gait speed. One method of studying …

The Impact Of Skeletal Muscle Disuse On Distinct Echo Intensity Bands: A Retrospective Analysis, Zachary Logeson, Gerard-Kyle Abad, Johnathon Methven, Molly Gradl

UCF DPT Research Capstone

Echo intensity (EI) is a novel tool for assessing muscle quality. EI has traditionally been reported as the mean of the pixel histogram, with 0 and 255 arbitrary units (A.U.) representing exceptional and poor muscle quality, respectively. Analyzing specific EI bands, rather than the mean, may provide novel insight into changes in muscle quality.

PURPOSE: As our previous work showed deterioration of muscle quality after knee immobilization, we sought to retrospectively explore whether the increase in EI following disuse was limited to specific bands of the EI histogram.

METHODS: Thirteen females (age = 21 yrs) underwent two weeks of knee …

The Influence Of Mental Imagery On Myofascial Restrictions, Juan Rodriguez, Brandon Launstein, Ramon Ramos

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Mental imagery (MI) has been shown to influence flexibility when used with stretching. Currently, little evidence supports the efficacy of MI as an independent tool to increase flexibility. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to assess if a guided MI protocol could influence subject range of motion (ROM) measures. Thirty individuals with no history of lower limb injuries underwent initial measures, random group assignment, and post- intervention measures.The imagery group followed a guided visualization of a hamstring stretch, and the control group remained still for the same amount of time. No significant group by time differences were found between …

The Effects Of An 8-Week Judo Program On The Psychosocial Factors Of Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Auckland J. Burrell Jr

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of an 8-week judo program on self-competency, physical activity (PA) motivation, and enjoyment of PA in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). METHODS: The sample included 20 children (ages 8 – 17) with a primary diagnosis of ASD. The participants completed an 8-week judo program that occurred once a week for 45 minutes. Participants were instructed to complete a series of questionnaires that measured athletic self-competency, PA motivation, and PA enjoyment at baseline and at the end of the 8-week judo program. Paired t-tests were conducted to examine differences …

Perceptions Of Adherence To Clinical Practice Guidelines For Low Back Pain Treatment Of Physical Therapy Students And Recent Graduates, Emiangeliz Gonzalez Luna

Digital Repository: Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence

This study aims to analyze possible factors that can affect perceptions towards adherence of clinical practice guidelines for low back pain treatment of current and past physical therapy students. An original survey was created to measure demographics, current knowledge of guidelines, influential resources, and perceptions about adherence to these guidelines.

Therapy Options For Winged Scapula Patients: A Literature Review, Samantha L. Normand

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Winged scapula is a condition characterized by lateral or medial protrusion of the scapula caused by nerve damage leading to muscular paralysis. The purpose of this systematic review of literature is to evaluate the current research literature related to the effectiveness of therapy options for winged scapula. Eleven peer reviewed English language research articles published from 1998 to present were included for evaluation. Study results revealed positive therapeutic outcomes for physical therapy and scapular bracing. Results also showed positive outcomes for the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture for the treatment of nerve related conditions similar to winged …

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training In Management Of Postpartum Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions: A Literature Review, Rebecca S. Tanner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Women can face a wide range of pelvic floor dysfunctions following pregnancy, ranging from urinary incontinence to pelvic pain. Unfortunately, these problems are not routinely checked for in postpartum check-ups and women do not always bring it to the physician’s attention. Strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles may be able to help women prevent these disorders and improve these women’s lifestyles.

The purpose of this thesis was to review and analyze different trials to determine if different pelvic floor dysfunctions (urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic girdle pain) can be treated using pelvic floor muscle training in the postpartum. After …