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The Effect Of Early Contextual Learning On Student Physical Therapists’ Self-Perceived Level Of Clinical Preparedness, Kevin E. Brueilly, T. Kirk Nelson, Tamara Gravano, Penny G. Kroll

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Context: Students in health care often describe their feelings of self-inadequacy in clinical skills and report these feelings abate with experience.

Objective: To determine whether early contextual learning experiences can improve entry-level student physical therapists’ self-perceived level of clinical preparedness.

Design: A pair-wise comparison of pre vs. post intervention. Survey of students self-perceived level of clinical preparedness before and after a series of three planned small group contextual learning experiences involving the assessment of actual hospital patients.

Setting: Academic institution and associated medical center

Participants: Thirty-nine first-year student cohort in the 10th month of a 36-month entry-level Doctor of Physical …

Observation Of Amounts Of Movement Practice Provided During Stroke Rehabilitation, Catherine E. Lang, Jillian R. Macdonald, Darcy S. Reisman, Lara Boyd, Teresa Jacobson Kimberley, Sheila M. Schindler-Ivens, T. George Hornby, Sandy A. Ross, Patricia L. Scheets

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To investigate how much movement practice occurred during stroke rehabilitation, and what factors might influence doses of practice provided.

Design

Observational survey of stroke therapy sessions.

Setting

Seven inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation sites.

Participants

We observed a convenience sample of 312 physical and occupational therapy sessions for people with stroke.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

We recorded numbers of repetitions in specific movement categories and data on potential modifying factors (patient age, side affected, time since stroke, FIM item scores, years of therapist experience). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize amounts of practice. Correlation and regression analyses were …

Shoulder Rehabilitation For The Injured Overhead-Throwing Athlete, Joshua M. Raskoff

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Baseball incorporates the violent motion of throwing as a main act of physical exertion. The shoulder joint is vulnerable to injury during this movement. The overall purpose of this study was to produce a rehabilitation program for injured overhead-throwing athletes and have it evaluated by healthcare professionals. A paper and pen style questionnaire was sent through the mail to a network of professionals in California. Eighteen of the 20 questionnaires were returned. The quantitative feedback of the Likert scale questions indicated that the program was effective and usable while the qualitative feedback indicated the opposite. The additional comments allowed experts …

Women Bound To Be Active: One Year Follow-Up To An Innovative Pilot Intervention To Increase Physical Activity And Self-Worth In Women, Jennifer L. Huberty, Jamie Vener, Laura Schulte, Sara M. Roberts, Beth Stevens, Lynda Ransdell

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention (a women’s book club; Women Bound to be Active) in promoting long-term physical activity (PA). Thirty-five women (26-70 years; mean age 50.6 years) completed the 8-month intervention and participated in the one-year follow-up. At follow-up, PA returned to baseline levels; however, self-worth and body mass index significantly improved. Women were more knowledgeable about PA at follow-up; however, they failed to maintain PA after the intervention. Components of the intervention were effective in improving self-worth and lowering BMI at one-year follow-up. To enhance long-term PA adherence continued …

Sleep-Disordered Breathing Affects Auditory Processing In 5–7 Year-Old Children: Evidence From Brain Recordings, Alexandra P.F. Key, Dennis L. Molfese, Louise O’Brien, David Gozal

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Poor sleep in children is associated with lower neurocognitive functioning and increased maladaptive behaviors. The current study examined the impact of snoring (the most common manifestation of sleep-disordered breathing) on cognitive and brain functioning in a sample of 35 asymptomatic children ages 5–7 years identified in the community as having habitual snoring (SDB). All participants completed polysomnographic, neurocognitive (NEPSY) and psychophysiological (ERPs to speech sounds) assessments. The results indicated that sub-clinical levels of SDB may not necessarily lead to reduced performance on standardized behavioral measures of attention and memory. However, brain indices of speech perception and discrimination (N1/P2) are sensitive …

Utilization Of Dantrolene In Stiff-Person Syndrome: A Case Report, John M. Vasudevan, Md, S. Kamal Fetouh, Md,, Nethra S. Ankam, Md, Adam L. Schreiber, Do, Ma

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Papers

Setting: University hospital-based acute rehabilitation.

Patient: 75-year-old woman with Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS) with a recent fall and Colles fracture.

Case Description: Four months prior to admission, the patient was diagnosed with SPS, negative for anti-GAD antibodies. Diagnosis was based on a 3-year history of progressive rigidity leading to frequent falls and fractures. Anxiety and fear of falling limited her mobility, and she sustained a sacral pressure ulcer during acute hospitalization. On admission, history was remarkable for unsteady gait and muscle cramps exacerbated when startled or excited. Examination was remarkable for rigidity in her axial and limb muscles. She presented …

The Effects Of Shoe Traction And Obstacle Height On Lower Extremity Coordination Dynamics During Walking., Leslie Decker, Jeremy J. Houser, John M. Noble, Gregory M. Karst, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles: Physical Therapy

This study aims to investigate the effects of shoe traction and obstacle height on lower extremity relative phase dynamics (analysis of intralimb coordination) during walking to better understand the mechanisms employed to avoid slippage following obstacle clearance. Ten participants walked at a self-selected pace during eight conditions: four obstacle heights (0%, 10%, 20%, and 40% of limb length) while wearing two pairs of shoes (low and high traction). A coordination analysis was used and phasing relationships between lower extremity segments were examined. The results demonstrated that significant behavioral changes were elicited under varied obstacle heights and frictional conditions. Both decreasing …

Adding Gabapentin To A Multimodal Regimen Does Not Reduce Acute Pain, Opioid Consumption Or Chronic Pain After Total Hip Arthroplasty, H. Clarke, S. Pereira, D. Kennedy

PT Faculty Publications

Background: Gabapentin (GPN) is effective in reducing post-operative pain and opioid consumption, but its effects with regional anesthesia for total hip arthroplasty (THA) are not known. We designed this study to determine whether (1) gabapentin administration reduces pain and opioid use after THA using a multimodal analgesic regimen including spinal anesthesia; (2) pre-operative administration of gabapentin is more effective than post-operative administration. Methods: After REB approval and informed consent, 126 patients were enrolled in a double-blinded, randomized-controlled study. Patients received acetaminophen 1 g per os (p.o.), celecoxib 400 mg p.o. and dexamethasone 8 mg intravenously, 1-2 h pre-operatively. Patients were …

Transverse Myelitis In Pregnancy: A Case Report, Brian P. Mcdonald, Do, Nethra S. Ankam, Md

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Papers

Objective: Describe the clinical course and treatment of a patient with paraplegia secondary to transverse myelitis during her pregnancy.

Setting: Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, University Hospital.

Participant: 36 year old Caucasian woman at 18 weeks gestation.

Interventions: Provided education and training on basic childcare tasks at a wheelchair level, and on how to obtain wheelchair accessible baby furniture. Provided availability of a peer who sustained a spinal cord injury prior to pregnancy. Maintained a close working relationship with maternal fetal health department regarding management of nausea and pain management, and educated team members about the possibility of autonomic …

The Effects Of Interx Therapy And Tens On Pain Relief In Patients Suffering From Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, John Robert Erwin

Student Theses and Dissertations

One common injury throughout athletics involving running, is medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). In athletic training, electrical stimulation is used for control of pain associated with orthopedic injury. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of InterX electrotherapy and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation's (TENS) ability to aid in the relief of pain from MTSS during running. Fourteen athletes with a current history of MTSS participated. A 2 minute warm up to reach an RPE score of 12 occurred first. Upon completion, the electrical stimulation was applied while the subject exercised at an RPE of 12 for 10 …

Development And Evaluation Of Health And Wellness Exhibits At The Jefferson Occupational Therapy Education Center In Second Life, Susan Toth-Cohen, Therese Gallagher

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Virtual worlds such as Second Life are increasingly used for consumer health and higher education. The present paper will describe the development and evaluation of public exhibits on health and wellness at the Jefferson occupational therapy education center in Second Life.

Performance Of A Hip Protector Depends On Its Position During A Fall, Woochol J. Choi, Joaquin A. Hoffer, Stephen N. Robinovitch

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"Hip protectors are designed to attenuate and redistribute the force applied to the hip region during a fall, and thereby reduce risk for hip fracture [1]. However, little information exists on the effectiveness of hip protectors in achieving these goals, and how this is altered by displacement of the hip protector relative to the greater trochanter (GT). In the current study, we tested these issues."

Analysis Of Factors Related To Drop-Off Detection With The Long Cane, Dae Shik Kim

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the three key factors related to drop-off detection with the long cane: (1) cane-technique-related factors, (2) user characteristics, and (3) ergonomic factors. A mixed-measures design with block randomization was used for the study, in which 32 visually impaired adults with no other disabilities attempted to detect the drop-offs using either the two-point touch technique or the constant contact technique.

Participants detected drop-offs at a significantly higher percentage when they used the constant contact technique (78.3%) than when they used the two-point touch technique (62.1%), p < .001. The 50% absolute drop-off detection threshold of the constant contact technique (1.65") was also significantly smaller than that of the two-point touch technique (2.91"), p < .001. Constant contact technique's advantage in overall drop-off detection rate over the two-point touch technique was significantly larger for the less experienced cane users (difference of 26.2%) than for more experienced cane users (difference of 12.9%), p = .001. Constant contact technique's …

Integrating Shoulder And Core Exercises When Rehabilitating Athletes Performing Overhead Activities, Jason Brumitt, R. Barry Dale

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Athletes performing overhead activities are at risk of sustaining both overuse and traumatic shoulder injuries. Research studies utilizing electromyography have identified therapeutic exercises that are effective in the muscular activation of the rotator cuff and the scapular stabilizers. Sports medicine professionals routinely prescribe these traditional therapeutic exercises when rehabilitating athletes. Failing to identify and address contributing musculoskeletal dysfunctions may delay an athlete’s successful return to sport. Integrating shoulder and core exercises can address potential musculoskeletal dysfunctions while serving as a transitional program between the initial therapeutic exercises and the terminal return to sport rehabilitation program.

Trunk Rotation Movement In Tennis Backhand, Hsin-Chen Fanchiang

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the effects of gender, strike technique, power level, and trial factors on tennis athletes performing backhand strokes with the incoming ball launched by a serving-stand. Five male and five female college tennis athletes volunteered as subjects. Each subject had 25 data points including joint centers of right and left sides for the 5th metatarsal, lateral malleolus, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists and MP joints, chin, forehead, seven points on the racket (handle, head, neck, upper right and left rims, and lower right and left rims), and the ball were recorded by two video cameras (60Hz). Each of …

Teaching Professionalism: A Survey Of Physical Therapy Educators, D. Scott Davis

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

This study examined the opinions of physical therapy faculty relative to teaching and fostering professionalism in entry-level physical therapy education. A paper-and-pencil survey was mailed to a random sample of 318 physical therapy educators across the United States. Of the 318 surveys mailed, 166 participants (response rate, 52%) completed and returned the survey. Descriptive analysis revealed that 98% of the physical therapy educators view professionalism as an important component of a physical therapy curriculum. Eighty-nine percent of the respondents expressed concern about the professional behaviors of one or more of their entry-level students; however, based on the frequency of negative …

Andrews Students Change The World For Honduran Girl, Andre Weston

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Sex Differences And Mechanisms Of Task-Specific Muscle Fatigue, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Women can be less fatigable than men due to sex-related differences within the neuromuscular system that impact physiological adjustments during a fatiguing task. The involved mechanism(s) for the sex difference, however, is task specific. This review explores the novel hypothesis that variation of the task will alter the magnitude of the sex-difference in muscle fatigue and the contribution of involved mechanisms.

Elastic, Viscous, And Mass Load Effects On Poststroke Muscle Recruitment And Co-Contraction During Reaching: A Pilot Study, Tina M. Stoeckmann, Katherine J. Sullivan, Robert A. Scheidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Resistive exercise after stroke can improve strength (force-generating capacity) without increasing spasticity (velocity-dependent hypertonicity). However, the effect of resistive load type on muscle activation and co-contraction after stroke is not clear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of load type (elastic, viscous, or mass) on muscle activation and co-contraction during resisted forward reaching in the paretic and nonparetic arms after stroke.

Design: This investigation was a single-session, mixed repeated-measures pilot study.

Methods: Twenty participants (10 with hemiplegia and 10 without neurologic involvement) reached forward with each arm against equivalent elastic, viscous, and mass loads. …

Temporal Characteristics Of Lower Extremity Moment Generation In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Andrea L. Downing, Kathleen J. Ganley, Deanne R. Fay

PT Faculty Publications

Lower extremity weakness has been documented in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, the temporal characteristics of moment generation have not been characterized, and they may be important to function. This study tested ankle, knee, and hip flexion and extension moment generation capabilities in children with CP and in able-bodied children. Maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC), the maximum rates of moment development and relaxation, and the time to produce and reduce the moments were quantified. Relationships between the temporal measures, Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66), and MVICs were also examined. Children with CP had significantly reduced MVICs, maximum development, and …

This Little Light Of Mine, Ashleigh Jardine

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Life Satisfaction Among People With Progressive Disabilities, Roy K. Chen, Nancy M. Crewe

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

This study investigated the life satisfaction among 218 individuals with progressive disabilities, who were recruited through the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Participants completed questionnaires containing several scales measuring predictor and outcome variables. Regression analyses were performed to analyze the quantitative data. The results indicated that 49% of the variance in life satisfaction among individuals with neuromuscular and neurological diseases was explained in the regression model. The best predictors of life satisfaction were the level of acceptance of disability, hope, spiritual well-being; age, sex, marital status, and employment status. This study suggests the importance of understanding …

A Study Of The Effect Of Splinting On Pain During Tip Pinch For Osteoarthritis Of The First Carpometacarpal Joint, Leana Tank

Masters Theses

The following research project focused on the effect of a prefabricated neoprene first carpometacarpal splint on osteoarthritis pain with tip-pinch, strength measurements of tip-pinch and functional performance. The following questions were explored throughout this study:

1. There will be a significant decrease in mean pain levels when the subject’s hand is splinted as compared to mean pain levels when the hand is not splinted.

2. There will be a significant decrease in mean pain levels for the second session as compared to the first.

3. There will be a significant increase in mean tip pinch strength measurements when the subject’s …

Ideal Thin And The Female Athlete Triad, Jaclyn Grabowski

Whittier Scholars Program

This project addresses the problematic ideology of thinness and athleticism that is pushed on female athletes. The author acknowledges that this issue is based on sociological and anthropological views that have a pervasive effect on the way women of all sizes and all sports view their worth both inside and outside the athletic world.

Characteristics And Outcomes Of Individuals Self-Selecting Yoga Versus Physical Therapy For The Treatment Of Chronic Low Back Pain, Dian Dowling Evans

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a significant public health problem that is difficult and costly to treat. Determining whether a patient with cLBP will benefit from a particular treatment approach is challenging, since little is understood about the patient characteristics that predict improved treatment outcomes. Understanding these characteristics could reduce treatment failures and costs of care.

This study was designed to explore the demographic, clinical and treatment- related characteristics of individuals self-selecting yoga versus physical therapy (PT) for treatment of cLBP. A growing body of research demonstrates that yoga reduces pain and improves function in persons with cLBP. However, …

The Effects Of A Four Week Single-Leg Balance Training Program On Balance Error Scoring System Scores Of The Trained And Untrained Leg, Roger J. Davies

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 4-week single-leg stance balance training program on balance error scoring system scores of the trained and untrained leg and to determine any differences between genders for balance performance and cross education. Participants (N = 35) between the ages of 18 - 31 from Utah State University were tested three times over a 4-week period and those in the training group trained for a total of 22 minutes over that same time. Results showed balance improved for the trained leg and the untrained leg as well (p = …

Maturation Of Sensory Gating Performance In Children With And Without Sensory Processing Disorders, Patricia L. Davies, Wen-Pin Chang, William J. Gavin

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Recent interest in sensory gating in children with and without neuropsychological disorders has resulted in a number of studies and the results regarding the developmental trajectory of sensory gating are inconsistent. We investigated the maturational course of sensory gating in samples of typically developing children and children with sensory processing deficits (SPD) and compared their performance to adults. Besides gating ratios, we also examined the brain responses to conditioning and test click stimuli in the sensory gating paradigm separately to clarify if the changes in click amplitudes could explain the maturational change in the T/C ratio in children. Eighteen adults …

A Mounted Strengthening And Stretching Program To Prevent Musculoskeletal Injury In Equestrians, Abigail Guy

Senior Honors Projects

Equestrian sports use muscles uncommon to most normal daily activities. In beginning or returning riders this can lead to muscle strain and pain, and if not addressed, even to serious injury. This program is designed to stretch and strengthen the main muscle groups used in horseback riding: quadriceps, hamstrings, abdominals and obliques, and the lower back. The program is designed to be carried out during fifteen minutes of an hour-long riding lesson to prevent undue discomfort or injury. The counsel of a professional horseback riding instructor and a physical therapist was integrated with exercises from physical therapy resources. Proven stretching …

Making The Connection: Creating Leaders In Research, Education, And Practice Through Doctoral Study In Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Carlin Lorena Daley, Courtney E. Daniels, Camille Marie Dieterle, Lisa D. Hickey, Karen Mccarthy, Elizabeth Pyatak, Tina C. Yang

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Current students and recent graduates of USC's OTD and PhD programs share innovative projects that address the Centennial Vision priority areas of practice. They share practical and creative strategies for bridging the gaps between research, education, and practice, and developing and implementing changes in a variety of practice settings.

Frequency And Spatial Characteristics Of Highfrequency Neuromagnetic Signals In Childhood Epilepsy, Jing Xiang, Yang Liu, Yingying Wang, Elijah G. Kirtman, Cincinnati Children’S Hospital Medical Center Kotecha, Yangmei Chen, Xiaolin Huo, Hisako Fujiwara, Nat Hemasilpin, Ki Lee, Francesco T. Mangano, James Leach, Blaise Jones, Ton Degrauw, Douglas Rose

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Purpose. Invasive intracranial recordings have suggested that high-frequency oscillation is involved in epileptogenesis and is highly localized to epileptogenic zones. The aim of the present study is to characterize the frequency and spatial patterns of high-frequency brain signals in childhood epilepsy using a non-invasive technology. Methods. Thirty children with clinically diagnosed epilepsy were studied using a whole head magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. MEG data were digitized at 4 000 Hz. The frequency and spatial characteristics of high-frequency neuromagnetic signals were analyzed using continuous wavelet transform and beamformer. Threedimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained for each patient to localize magnetic sources. …