Physiotherapy Commons^™

Virtual Reality As A Training Tool To Treat Physical Inactivity In Children, Adam W. Kiefer, David Pincus, Michael J. Richardson, Gregory D. Myer

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Lack of adequate physical activity in children is an epidemic that can result in obesity and other poor health outcomes across the lifespan. Physical activity interventions focused on motor skill competence continue to be developed, but some interventions, such as neuromuscular training (NMT), may be limited in how early they can be implemented due to dependence on the child’s level of cognitive and perceptual-motor development. Early implementation of motor-rich activities that support motor skill development in children is critical for the development of healthy levels of physical activity that carry through into adulthood. Virtual reality (VR) training may be beneficial …

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 …

Occupational Therapy And Physiotherapy Education And Workforce In Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa Countries, Augustine O. Agho, Emmanuel John

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries are faced with the challenge of educating a critical mass of occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs) to meet the growing demand for health and rehabilitation services. The World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) and World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) have argued for the need of graduate-level training for OTs and PTs for decades. However, very few studies have been conducted to determine the availability of OT and PT training programs and practitioners in SSA countries.

Methods: Initial data were collected and compiled from an extensive literature search conducted using MEDLINE and …

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; …

Clinical Assessment Of The Infant And Child Following Perinatal Brachial Plexus Injury, Susan V. Duff, Carol Dematteo

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

After perinatal brachial plexus injury (PBPI), clinicians play an important role in injury classification as well as the assessment of recovery and secondary conditions. Early assessment guides the initial plan of care and influences follow-up and long-term outcome.

Purpose

To review methods used to assess, classify and monitor the extent and influence of PBPI with an emphasis on guidelines for clinicians.

Methods

We use The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model to provide a guide to assessment after PBPI for rehabilitation clinicians.

Discussion

With information gained from targeted assessments, clinicians can design interventions to increase the …

Choice Of Human–Computer Interaction Mode In Stroke Rehabilitation, Hossein Mousavi Hondori, Maryam Khademi, Lucy Dodakian, Alison Mackenzie, Cristina V. Lopes, Steven C. Cramer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background and Objective. Advances in technology are providing new forms of human–computer interaction. The current study examined one form of human–computer interaction, augmented reality (AR), whereby subjects train in the real-world workspace with virtual objects projected by the computer. Motor performances were compared with those obtained while subjects used a traditional human–computer interaction, that is, a personal computer (PC) with a mouse. Methods. Patients used goal-directed arm movements to play AR and PC versions of the Fruit Ninja video game. The 2 versions required the same arm movements to control the game but had different cognitive demands. With …

Interrater Reliability Of The Wolf Motor Function Test–Functional Ability Scale: Why It Matters, Susan V. Duff, Jiaxue He, Monica A. Nelsen, Christianne J. Lane, Veronica T. Rowe, Steve L. Wolf, Alexander W. Dromerick, Carolee J. Winstein

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background. One important objective for clinical trialists in rehabilitation is determining efficacy of interventions to enhance motor behavior. In part, limitation in the precision of measurement presents a challenge. The few valid, low-cost observational tools available to assess motor behavior cannot escape the variability inherent in test administration and scoring. This is especially true when there are multiple evaluators and raters, as in the case of multisite randomized controlled trials (RCTs). One way to enhance reliability and reduce variability is to implement rigorous quality control (QC) procedures. Objective. This article describes a systematic QC process used to refine …

Applying Principles Of Motor Learning And Control To Upper Extremity Rehabilitation, Lisa M. Muratori, Eric M. Lamberg, Lori Quinn, Susan V. Duff

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief review of the principles of motor control and learning. Different models of motor control from historical to contemporary are presented with emphasis on the Systems model. Concepts of motor learning including skill acquisition, measurement of learning, and methods to promote skill acquisition by examining the many facets of practice scheduling and use of feedback are provided. A fictional client case is introduced and threaded throughout the article to facilitate understanding of these concepts and how they can be applied to clinical practice.

The Impact Of Left Hemisphere Stroke On Force Control With Familiar And Novel Objects: Neuroanatomic Substrates And Relationship To Apraxia, Amanda M. Dawson, Laura J. Buxbaum, Susan V. Duff

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Fingertip force scaling for lifting objects frequently occurs in anticipation of finger contact. An ongoing question concerns the types of memories that are used to inform predictive control. Object-specific information such as weight may be stored and retrieved when previously encountered objects are lifted again. Alternatively, visual size and shape cues may provide estimates of object density each time objects are encountered. We reasoned that differences in performance with familiar versus novel objects would provide support for the former possibility. Anticipatory force production with both familiar and novel objects was assessed in six left hemisphere stroke patients, two of whom …

Does Motor Lateralization Have Implications For Stroke Rehabilitation?, Robert L. Sainburg, Susan V. Duff

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Recent findings on motor lateralization have revealed consistent differences in the control strategies of the dominant and nondominant hemisphere/limb systems that could have implications for hemiplegic stroke patients. Studies in stroke patients have demonstrated deficiencies in the ipsilesional arm that reflect these distinctions; patients with right-hemisphere damage tend to show deficits in positional accuracy, and patients with left-hemisphere damage show deficits in trajectory control. Such deficits have been shown to impede functional performance; yet patients with severe dominant-side hemiplegia must often use the nondominant arm as the primary manipulator for activities of daily living. Nevertheless, the nondominant arm may not …