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The Road To Recovery For Bunion Surgery: Data Analytic Plots To Target Patient Progress, Ashlee Macdonald, Jeff Houck, Judith Baumhauer

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Introduction/Purpose: Patient reported outcomes (PROs) can provide information on individual patient’s progress throughout a treatment course and additionally, with common surgeries, powerful numbers can be generated to provide data analytic curves to provide a recovery road map for patients and surgeons. Those who deviate negatively from the predicted path may have a complication and early intervention can be initiated. Those who deviate positively have the potential to need less physical therapy, early return to sports or work. Hallux valgus (HV) is a common condition of the foot with 4.4 million patients seeking care yearly and surgery is equally common. The …

Changes In Postural Sway Behavior Across The Life Span, Maria M B N R Santos

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The present study aimed to investigate human balance control by assessing postural sway on three groups representing three stages of life (6-12, 19-40 and 65-74 years old). There were 14 individuals in each group and they were tested during upright bipedal stance with either eyes open or closed. Focus was given to multiple sway indices representing multi-dimensional features of postural sway in quiet stance and included: the center of pressure area, amplitude, root mean square (RMS), velocity, jerkiness, and sample entropy. Results confirmed that children and seniors swayed more (p<.004), faster (p<.001) and their body sway was shakier (p<.001) than young adults. Seniors also presented faster (p<.006) and shakier (p<.001) sway than children and a more unpredictable pattern of body sway in time (p<.002) than children and young adults. In addition, children presented a more random anterior-posterior sway (p<.034) and a more regular medio-lateral sway (p<.043) than young adults, and a higher synchronization between anterior-posterior and medio-lateral body sway (p<.012) than young adults and seniors. We also observed that postural control of children and young adults becomes relatively more challenged in experimental situations when eyes were closed for most postural indices. In conclusion, this study suggests that multi-dimension posturography is sensitive to detect subtle age-related changes in the postural behavior and each stage of life may have their own signature patterns of postural behavior. Therefore, we expect that quantifications of this nature may be used to assess not only postural instability and fall risk but also to aid the testing of the efficacy of balance interventional protocols.

Examination Of The Rehabilitation Protocol Of Traumatic Transfemoral Amputees And How To Prevent Bone Mineral Density Loss, Emily R. Jenkinson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this literature review was to identify any adaptations that could be made to the rehabilitation process for Traumatic Transfemoral Amputees. Traumatic Transfemoral Amputation is particularly debilitating with the amputees encountering many obstacles throughout the rehabilitation process. These obstacles can prevent the return to pre-morbid functioning. With an ever-increasing number of amputees within the United States, it is imperative the rehabilitation process be addressed. This literature review addresses possible adjustments in the initial stages of rehabilitation examining the post-operative, pre-prosthetic, and prosthetic rehabilitation stage to enhance the physical functioning for the amputee. This comprehensive literature review encompassing 63 …

Age-Related Differences In The Lumbopelvic Kinematics During The Trunk Motions In The Anatomical Planes, Milad Vazirian

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Management and control of the low back pain as an important health problem in the industrial societies necessitates to investigate how the risk of this disease is affected by aging. Since the abnormalities of the lumbopelvic kinematics are related to the existence or risk of low back injuries, the objective of this dissertation was set to find the age-related differences in lumbopelvic kinematics when performing basic trunk motions reaching to range of motion in different anatomical planes.

A cross-sectional study was designed where sixty asymptomatic individuals between 20–70 years old with no confounding health condition, no current or previous highly …

A Theory Of Veteran Identity, Travis L. Martin

Theses and Dissertations--English

More than 2.6 million troops have deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, surveys reveal that more than half feel “disconnected” from their civilian counterparts, and this feeling persists despite ongoing efforts, in the academy and elsewhere, to help returning veterans overcome physical and mental wounds, seek an education, and find meaningful ways to contribute to society after taking off the uniform. This dissertation argues that Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans struggle with reassimilation because they lack healthy, complete models of veteran identity to draw upon in their postwar lives, a problem they’re working through collectively …

Longitudinal Adaptations In Muscle Strength, Functional Performance, Gait Biomechanics, And Patient-Reported Function After Unilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty, Paul W. Kline

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Objective: The aims of this research were to identify gaps in the literature related to impairments after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) (Aim 1) and define recovery between 3 and 6 months after TKA across four domains: 1) hip and knee muscle performance, 2) functional performance, 3) patient-reported function, and 4) biomechanics of walking and stair descent (Aim 2). Additionally, this project sought to explore the relationships between each domain (Aim 3) and establish predictive models to allow clinicians to use clinical measures to predict future gait biomechanics in patients after TKA (Aim 4). Ultimately, the results of this research would …

Effect Of A 12-Week Home-Based Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Treatment On Clinical Outcomes Following Articular Cartilage Knee Surgery, Caitlin E. Whale Conley

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Articular cartilage defects in the knee are common, and can result in pain, decreased function and decreased quality of life. Untreated defects are considered to be a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis, a progressive degenerative joint disease with minimal treatment options. To address these issues, various surgical procedures are available to treat articular cartilage defects in the knee. While these procedures overall have positive results, after surgery patients experience large and persistent deficits in quadriceps strength. A contributing factor to this post-surgical weakness is believed to be the extended post-operative non-weight bearing period, with full weight bearing not initiated until …

A Grounded Theory Study Of Maternal Engagement Of Low Income, Young Rural Mothers In Home-Based, Early Intervention Services, Elaine K. Fehringer

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Home-based, early intervention programs as a preferred delivery model are widely endorsed, heavily funded and highly utilized as prevention and remediation initiatives for families with young children (Eckenrode, et al., 2010; Karoly, Killion, & Cannon, 2005). Of concern, is that while an estimated 40 billion dollars are spent annually between federally funded programs and private foundations, a significant number of families disengage from services before the end of a child’s eligibility period (Stevens, Ammerman, Putnam, Gannon, & van Ginkel, 2005). Several meta-analyses indicate only modest effectiveness of home-based services (Tandon, et al., 2008). It is estimated that well over 500,000 …

The Relationship Between Selective Attention And Global Coherence In Narrative Discourse Following Right Hemisphere Stroke, Katherine Mccomas Maddy

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability and nearly half of older stroke survivors experience moderate to severe disability. A common impairment following stroke is impaired discourse production. Functional outcome studies have proposed that the recovery of discourse abilities is critical to achieving a good quality of life. Communication impairments often persist into the chronic stages of recovery and can cause individuals to withdraw from social situations. Discourse production deficits may not be apparent in basic communication interactions, but become more obvious during complex conversations following non-aphasic brain injury (NABI) or right hemisphere stroke (RHD). The purpose of …

Identified Stressors And Coping Mechanisms Of Occupational Therapy Students, Amy Fitzsimmons, Ashley Zimmer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: The purpose of this research study was to gather data on stressors experienced by occupational therapy students during their program and how they cope with their identified stressors. The rationale for this study was the lack of and inconsistent research regarding occupational therapy students, how they experience perceived psychological stress during their program, and how they cope with their identified stressors.

Methodology: The researchers utilized a quantitative exploratory survey design to discover perceived psychological stress and coping methods in Master’s of Occupational Therapy (MOT) students. Prior to recruitment, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was received. Respondents were recruited through …

Leisure Occupations For Adults With Physical Disabilities: A Guide For Occupational Therapy Practice, Kelsey Glatt, Tracy Perish

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Limited research is available addressing active leisure participation and how leisure participation affects quality of life (QOL) of individuals following physical disability. Research shows a correlation between adaptive leisure participation and higher rated life satisfaction, community integration, perceived competence, and reduced negative mood states (Chun et. al., 2008; Lundberg et al., 2011a). There are currently no occupational therapy assessments for clients with physical disabilities having a goal of participation in active leisure occupations.

Purpose: To provide information and resources to occupational therapists and clients with paraplegia or lower tetraplegia spinal cord injury (SCI) in order to enhance participation in …

Lived Experience Of Individuals Who Had A Disruption In Ability To Drive, Shelby Hoskinson, Graydon Larsen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Driving is both a highly valued occupation within the United States and an occupation that is frequently addressed by occupational therapists. According to the CDC (2017) there are more than 40 million older drivers ages 65 years or older within the United States. There is extensive research pertaining to the value of the occupation of driving as well as evaluation and treatment approaches for the occupation of driving following an injury or illness. While driving is sometimes the best option after an injury or illness, there are situations when returning to driving is not realistic or safe for the …

Addressing Sleep Deficiencies In Older Adult Residents Of Long-Term Care Facilities: Presenting A Flowchart For An Interdisciplinary Approach, Peter Owens, Tavin Deru

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There is a growing population of older adults, or those people over 65 years old in long term care (LTC) facilities who report sleep deficiencies at a heightened rate, leading to decrease function, cognition, and social participation while increasing mortality, morbidity and the risk of falling (Booth & McMilliam, 2009; Cipolli, Mazzetti, & Plazzi, 2013; Crowley, 2011; Dzierewski et al., 2014; Helbig et al., 2013; Kuck, Pantke, & Flick, 2015). Occupational therapists (OTs) offer non-pharmacological sleep interventions in the long-term care facilities but are not present at many relevant sleeping times. This scholarly project is a flow chart aid to …

A Health Care Provider Training Guide To Enhance Cultural Competency In Long-Term Care, Julia Mcbrien, Ashley Prososki

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The population of adults over the age of 65 in the United States is steadily increasing and becoming more diverse. Older adults are the greatest consumer of health care services, and they have unique health care needs. One notable health care need pertains to cultural beliefs and wants. When health care providers address the diverse needs of older adults, health outcomes improve for the client and communication across the interprofessional team improves. Therefore, the students of this scholarly project created a series of three, 50-minute long training sessions focused on training health care providers how to be culturally competent in …

Serve Volume: How Important Is It?, Natalie L. Myers, W. Ben Kibler, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Developing Clinical Faculty Understanding Of Interprofessional Education: An Inter-Institutional, Interprofessional Approach, Debra A. Bierwas, Oaklee Rogers, Brenda Taubman, Lorie Kroneberger, Holly Carroll, Patrick Enking

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: The call for increasing interprofessional education requires institutional support for educators in the clinical environment. Innovative ideas, such as partnering with multiple universities and programs to facilitate an interprofessional workshop, have the opportunity to reach a broader group of clinical educators. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitude of healthcare professionals towards interprofessional learning, familiarity with concepts of interprofessional teaching, and interprofessional practice, and to examine the influence of an interprofessional faculty development workshop on participant familiarity with concepts of interprofessional teaching and learning. Methods: The occupational therapy, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs from two …

Safety And Improvement Of Movement Function After Stroke With Atomoxetine: A Pilot Randomized Trial, Andrea Ward, Cheryl Carrico, Elizabeth Powell, Philip M. Westgate, Laurie Nichols, Anne Fleischer, Lumy Sawaki

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

BACKGROUND:

Intensive, task-oriented motor training has been associated with neuroplastic reorganization and improved upper extremity movement function after stroke. However, to optimize such training for people with moderate-to-severe movement impairment, pharmacological modulation of neuroplasticity may be needed as an adjuvant intervention.

OBJECTIVE:

Evaluate safety, as well as improvement in movement function, associated with motor training paired with a drug to upregulate neuroplasticity after stroke.

METHODS:

In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 12 subjects with chronic stroke received either atomoxetine or placebo paired with motor training. Safety was assessed using vital signs. Upper extremity movement function was assessed using Fugl-Meyer Assessment, …

Effect Of A Sliding Scale Vitamin D Supplementation Protocol On 25(Oh)D Status In Elite Athletes With Spinal Cord Injury, Lauren Stark, Kelly Pritchett, Robert Pritchett, Elizabeth Broad

All Master's Theses

Recent studies suggest that a substantial proportion of elite athletes with SCI (spinal cord injury) have insufficient 25(OH)D status which may be associated with decreased muscle strength. This study: 1) examined the effects of a 16-week sliding scale Vitamin D supplementation protocol on 25(OH)D concentration and 2) determined whether subsequent 25(OH)D status impacts muscle performance in elite athletes with SCI. Thirty-four members of the US Olympic Committee Paralympic program, and the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association from outdoor sports participated. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations, lifestyle and dietary factors were assessed during the Winter and Spring. Participants were assigned a 16-week sliding scale …

Wise And Well: A Pilot Study On The Effects Of Providing A Wellness Group Protocol To Enhance Occupational Fit Among Rural Community Dwelling Elderly Women, Brianna Berendt, Carly Hills

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: There is a need for rural services for community-dwelling women due to a lack of resources, transportation, and social opportunities (Bacsu et a!., 2016; Averill, 201 2). Likewise, Shimada et a!. (2014) emphasized the impact and causes of social isolation on elderly individuals and how important it is for elderly individuals to establish a support system when facing challenges throughout later life. A third problem was described by Choi et a!. (2013) in that elderly individuals may experience a loss of independence and functional decline can result from being physically inactive. This indicates that there are increased health risks …

Sexuality And Spinal Cord Injury: A Manual For Occupational Therapists In The Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting, Courtney Jacobson, Esada Mujcic

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The topic of sexuality has not been addressed in its entirety within the profession of occupational therapy and has been identified by patients as a need in order to receive comprehensive and holistic care (New, Seddon, Redpath, Currie, and Warren, 2016). More specifically, with 12,500 new cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) that occur each year, in addition to the significant impact on body functions that result from SCI, the topic of sexuality needs particular attention with this population (National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 2015). The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a manual supported by literature …

The Experience Of Occupational Therapy Practitioners And Students With Disabilities: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study, Samantha Guenther, Anna Huss

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose

This mixed-methods pilot study was conducted to provide insight into the experiences of occupational therapy practitioners and students with disabilities. The focus of this study was to analyze the effect of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) on access to reasonable accommodations. The researchers predicted that, although occupational therapy is a profession focused on advocacy for people with disabilities, reasonable accommodations are applied inconsistently for practitioners with disabilities within the OT field.

Methodology

A Qualtrics survey was sent out to occupational therapists with disabilities in order to collect demographic data and select participants for …

Perceptions Of Wellness Among Community Dwelling Older Adults, Sara Johnson, April Schmiesing

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Most older adults prefer to age in place where they are more likely to experience greater health benefits and cost savings as opposed to living in skilled care facilities. Literature supports the role of occupational therapy in community-based wellness programming that helps older adults age in place; however, there is a need to conduct needs assessments to inform wellness program topics and activities. This study explores health and wellness needs of older adults living in a low-income, senior housing complex in order to inform current health and wellness programming provided at this site.

Researchers used a non-experimental, cross-sectional survey study …

The Effectiveness Of Occupational Therapy Interventions For Students With Mental Illness Transitioning To Higher Education: A Systematic Review, Brittany Davis, Leah Sherman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Objective: To examine the available evidence for interventions within the scope of occupational therapy for students with mental illness during the transition process to postsecondary education. Method: This systematic review yielded seven articles including two systematic reviews, three one group pretest/posttest design, one naturalistic pre/posttest design, and one scoping review related to the transition process to post secondary education.

Results: Occupation-based interventions emphasized the occupation of education instead of focusing on co-occurring occupations a student may frequently participate in when enrolled in postsecondary education. Programs emphasized environmental approaches including using the students' past experiences, building self-advocacy skills, accessing supportive education …

Female Veterans And Homelessness: A Resource Guide For Occupational Therapists, Jamie Schacht, Alison Tonsager

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Female veterans are the fastest growing subpopulation among the homeless population in the United States (U.S.) (Boothe, 2017). Female veterans report lack of access to gender-specific programs and therapy groups within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to meet specific needs post-deployment (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2015b). Difficulty with reintegration post-deployment has been linked with homelessness among female veterans. There is evidence to support female veterans' over-representation in the homeless population is due to a higher prevalence of risk factors for homelessness as compared to male veterans and females within the general population (Byrne, Montgomery, & Dichter, …

Road To Recovery: An Online Guide To Prepare Parents Of Children Who Have Sustained A Major Burn Injury For Successful Home And Community Transition, Michelle Jones, Chad Oppegaard

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Children are the most vulnerable population and represent the highest rate of nonfatal burns resulting in prolonged hospitalization, disfigurement, and disability. These injuries can be a severely stressful experience for children and their families. As a result, it is important for the patient and family members to not focus only on immediate treatment, but recognize the importance of long-term care following discharge in order to effectively reintegrate the child back into the home and community.

A literature review was conducted to investigate the key components of burn care throughout the duration of recovery. Research identified that many parents feel helpless, …

Intensive Outpatient Program For Substance Abuse: Occupational Therapy Guideline To Recovery, Jessica Dietz, Elynn Schriber

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an evidence-based 12-session group protocol for occupational therapists (OTs) to use in an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for substance abuse. The target population for this scholarly project was young adults aged 18-25 who have illicit drug use issues. Guided by concepts of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), the protocol targeted common occupational performance and deficit issues encountered by individuals with substance use. The authors first observed one, 3-hour IOP session at Central Wyoming Counseling Center (CWCC) and participated in one, two-hour meeting with the director of substance abuse programing at …

Occupational Therapy Resource Guide For The Utilization Of Three-Dimensional Printing, Andrew Ostrander, Jacy Whaley

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Many practitioners in the field of occupational therapy are unaware of the benefits and importance of implementing a three-dimensional (3D) printer in practice indicating that there is a need for occupational therapy involving the fitting, environmental modifications, and training on how to properly use a 3D printed prosthetic within the upper extremity. 3D printing is when a digital design is converted into a designed material that has a functional purpose and different materials can be used including metal, plastics, and composite materials (Thomas & Claypole, 2016). 3D printing has many unique and effective uses like creating adaptive devices, feeding devices, …

Using Evidence To Address Psychosocial Impairments Post-Stroke: A Guide For Occupational Therapy, Michael Thurn, Emilee Rath

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: Following a stroke, individuals experience a wide variety of physical and psychosocial impairments. While physical impairments are commonly given attention by medical practitioners, psychosocial impairments are often overlooked or undiagnosed. (Hildebrand, 2015). Unfortunately, the same is true in occupational therapy, where physical and psychosocial issues have not been receiving the same amount of attention, physical issues being addressed far more than psychosocial issues (Gillen, 2014). The purpose of this scholarly project is to provide occupational therapists a guide to use of current evidence-based assessments and interventions to address psychosocial impairments following stroke. The guide focuses on evidence-based assessments, and …

Postsecondary Transition Services For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Occupational Therapy Approach, Luke Van Havermaet, Lynn Bielski

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder comprise a rapidly growing population with approximately 1168 children being diagnosed annually (CDC, 2016). Individuals with ASD often have difficulties with social interaction, sensory processing, emotional regulation and adapting to environmental changes (Rogers, 2010). Individuals who are diagnosed early in life are provided a wide variety of services to minimize these symptoms to maximize independence later in life, and in an academic setting. As individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder come to the end of their K-12 education journey, the transition planning completed throughout the student's final year of high school are not carried out …

Successful Transition To Home Following A Spinal Cord Injury: A Resource Guide For Home Modifications, Alison Ikeogu, Kelsey Kanwischer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose

Home modification is a unique area of practice that aims to increase independence of desired tasks by decreasing the physical limitations in and around the home (Aplin, Jonge, & Gustafsson, 2014). The process of modifying the home can be difficult, decreasing emotional well-being and satisfaction (Aplin, Jonge, & Gustafsson, 2014). Studies have identified the need for home modification services for individuals post Spinal Cord Injury. Silver, Ljungberg, Libin, & Groah (2012) found that injured persons were reintegrated into the community with limited knowledge regarding housing and accessibility options. The purpose of the product was to provide a tool for …