Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Using Over-The-Counter Ear Filters As A Treatment To Improve Dizziness And Balance In Patients Diagnosed With A Traumatic Brain, Brandy Sue Whitney

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and purpose: People diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) usually have physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep deficits. Sensory overload is a common symptom of TBI. One treatment prescribed for sensory overload is over the counter ear filters. Ear filters have shown to decrease sensory input. Could the ear filters have an effect on balance and dizziness without much cost to the patient or the clinic?

Subjects: Patients diagnosed with a mild or moderate brain injury, ages of 18-65 years old. They needed to be medically stable, potential to walk, and have complaints of dizziness and/or balance problems.

Methods: …

Upper Extremity Vertical Ground Reaction Forces During The Back Handspring Skill In Gymnastics: A Comparison Of Various Braced Vs. Unbraced Techniques, Salina Halliday

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

High, overuse injury rates to the wrist have been associated with the common mechanism of repetitive hyperextension in weight bearing among gymnasts of all ages. Many gymnasts use wrist supports as prevention; however, literature regarding their ability to reduce injury is not well described. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Tiger Paw wrist guards and circumferential wrist taping techniques on the kinetics of the wrist during the performance of a back handspring. Vertical Ground Reaction Forces (VGRF) sustained at the hand, time to peak VGRF, and total time of hand contact on the force plate …

Interactive Video Gaming: Do We Feel Like We Are Exercising?, Antonio Santo, Shaelee Allen, Janet Dufek, Paul Hafen, Michael Jarrett, Krystina Moschella, Robert Rietjens, James Navalta, Richard Tandy, Jacob E. Barkley

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and hedonics (liking or enjoyment) changed during 30 contiguous minutes of playing select, interactive video games on the Nintendo Wii system. A secondary purpose was to determine if RPE and liking differed among games.These data suggest that individuals do perceive difference in the amount of work they are performing during extended play of the same game or among sedentary and physically interactive games. Additionally, liking was similar during extended game play and among games suggesting that the physical interaction with the game may be …

Examining Lower Extremity Range Of Motion And Movement Variability Chages Due To Focus Of Attention During Landing, Andrew Nordin, Janet Dufek

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

Attentional focus (AF) has been explored among a variety of motor skills providing evidence that external AF promotes automaticity and enhanced performance [6]. External focus of attention is distinguished from internal focus such that external focus is directed toward movement effect rather than body movements [6]. Movement variability provides a means of assessing functional characteristics of the neuromotor system, where normal functioning is suggested to occur within optimal limits, while excessively high or low movement variability is indicative of system dysfunction [2,4,5]. Additionally, the ability of the motor system to vary, or broadly distribute, internal loads is thought to reduce …

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.

Moving To The Beat: Musical Rhythm As A Cipher For Priming, Synchronizing, And Entrainment In The Premotor Cortex, Mikey Padilla '13

Honor Scholar Theses

Music is both a universal and persistent cultural phenomenon. One of the defining features of music is rhythm. The ability of rhythm to affect and be affected by movement has been deeply characterized in neuroscience research and literature. There is a great deal of research implicating the involvement of the dorsal premotor cortex in rhythm perception and production through the auditory–motor pathway (Repp, 2005; Zatorre, Chen, and Penhune, 2007; Repp and Su, 2013). “Chunking” (Sakai, Hikosaka, and Nakamura, 2004) and template-matching (Warren, Wise, and Warren, 2005) are two significant mechanisms in the auditory–motor pathway. In this thesis, two interrelated theories …

Concordance Of Meg And Fmri Patterns In Adolescents During Verb Generation, Yingying Wang, Scott K. Holland, Jennifer Vannest

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

In this study we focused on direct comparison between the spatial distributions of activation detected by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and localization of sources detected by magnetoencephalography (MEG) during identical language tasks. We examined the spatial concordance between MEG and fMRI results in 16 adolescents performing a three-phase verb generation task that involves repeating the auditorily presented concrete noun and generating verbs either overtly or covertly in response to the auditorily presented noun. MEG analysis was completed using a synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM) technique, while the fMRI data were analyzed using the general linear model approach with random-effects. To …

Intensive Goal-Directed Treatments In Enriched Environments Augments Patient Outcomes Post-Stroke, Blake A. Kandah, Michael A. Klonowski, Ryan M. Pelo, Nicole M. Williams, Raquel V. Santiago, Christopher K. Thompson, Kristan A. Leech, Carey L. Holleran, Abigail L. Leddy, T. George Hornby

GW Research Days 2013

Objective: Previous research indicates that patients post-stroke, average 400-800 steps within physical therapy sessions and demonstrate heart rate values of 24-35% of HR Max. This dosage and intensity is inadequate to promote neuroplastic changes and maximize recovery. The goal of this study was to quantify and examine the amount of high-intensity stepping practice that was delivered within an Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation (AIR) setting for individuals with sub-acute stroke.

Methods: 14 patients with a diagnosis of sub-acute stroke were admitted to AIR. Standardized outcomes included the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the …

Benefits Of A Group Exercise Program On A Student With Congenital Hydrocephalus And Multiple Co-Diagnoses, Stephanie Walters

PTHMS Undergraduate Publications

Congenital Hydrocephalus (CH) is a condition at birth where excess cerebral spinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain due to inadequate drainage, resulting in an increase in intracranial pressure and damage to the surrounding nervous tissue. Although hydrocephalus is successfully treated at birth, a resulting diagnosis of a memory-related learning disorder is common. However, having multiple independent subsequent diagnoses is unique. This report mainly describes a 13 year-old boy who was diagnosed and treated for congenital hydrocephalus at birth and then was subsequently diagnosed with multiple co-morbidities, such as partial agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, Cerebral Palsy with …

Promoting Health Literacy Through Leading Edge Occupational Therapy Education, Susan Toth-Cohen, Phd, Otr/L, Annalisa Synnestvedt, Ba, Ots, Alyssa Frey Peachey, Ots

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

Synopsis:

Health literacy has become a vital focus of U.S. healthcare. By incorporating health literacy knowledge, attitudes, and skills into entry-­‐level education, occupational therapy professionals can enact a leading role in health and human services teams to address our national healthcare goals.

Poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, April 2013.

Explorers, Detectives, Matchmakers, And Lion Tamers Understanding Jigsaw Puzzlers’ Techniques And Motivations, Angela Garcia

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

Why do people enjoy jigsaw puzzles, which—challenging and time-consuming as they are—might be considered more like work than play? The author investigates the motivations, preferences, and satisfactions of individuals working on jigsaw puzzles, and she explores how these elements of play relate to the procedures and strategies puzzlers use to assemble their jigsaws. She identifies four general approaches to completing these puzzles: the Explorer, Detective, Matchmaker, and Lion Tamer. She then describes how those who use these approaches differ in their openness to serendipity and flexibility, their attraction to the aesthetics of the puzzle picture, the degree of difficulty they …

Between Wind And Water: Experiences Of Mothers Of Adolescents With Autism During The Post-High School Transition, Devon R. Casey

Honors Theses and Capstones

Research Question: How do mothers of adolescents with autism experience and prepare for their child's post- high school transition?

What Are The Relations Among Stress Perception, Health Perception And Activity Participation In School-Aged Children?, Allison Caplin

Honors Theses and Capstones

This correlational study examined possible relations among children’s activity patterns, perceived stress, and perceived health. A variety of self-report questionnaires were administered to a sample of 33 school age children. The Pediatric Activity Sort (PACS) was used to measure activity participation, a health questionnaire was used to assess health, and the Childhood Stress Questionnaire (CSQ) was used to measure perceived stress. Correlations showed no significant relationships between stress level and the amount of reported activity participation. The absence of significant relationships may be due to testing a sample of middle to upper class, Caucasian children, as there was a skewed …

A Content Analysis Of Music Therapy Theses And Dissertations From 2000 To 2012 From Amta Approved Graduate Programs, Liisa G. Flores

Masters Theses

The purpose of this content analysis was to categorize, code, and analyze trends related to graduate music therapy theses/dissertations completed from the year 2000 to 2012. Information was gathered related to what American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) approved schools have graduate programs and how many students have graduated from these institutions. Research questions addressed in this study were to determine (1) who were the thesis/dissertation advisors for students, (2) what was the type of goal for the research, (3) what types of studies were completed, and (4) what populations were studied.

Results included 35 schools offering graduate music therapy degrees. …

Effects Of Hemodialysis Therapy On Sit-To-Walk Characteristics In End Stage Renal Disease Patients, Rahul Soangra, Thurmon Lockhart, John Lach, Emaad M. Abdel-Rahman

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Patients with end stage renal diseases (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD) have high morbidity and mortality due to multiple causes; one of which is dramatically higher fall rates than the general population. In spite of the multiple efforts aiming to decrease the high mortality and improve quality of life in ESRD patients, limited success has been achieved. If adequate interventions for fall prevention are to be achieved, the functional and mobility mechanisms consistent with falls in this population must be understood. Human movements such as sit-to-walk (STW) tasks are clinically significant, and analysis of these movements provides a meaningful evaluation of …

"Coming Out": The Occupational Impact For Gay Men, Karen Mccarthy

Collected Faculty Scholarship

No abstract available

Computer-Based Cognitive Retraining For Individuals With Chronic Acquired Brain Injury: A Pilot Study, Stephanie Camille Gella, Joshua Victor Ramos, Julie Anne Robertson, Lucia Diana Ulloa

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-based cognitive retraining program, the Parrot Software, on improving cognitive deficits in memory and attention in individuals with a chronic acquired brain injury (ABI).

Research Design: This study utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design.

Participants: Eleven adults over 18 years of age who sustained a chronic ABI two or more years prior to participation in the study and demonstrated deficits in memory and attention were included. Only individuals with ABI due to traumatic brain injury, hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident, or ischemic cerebrovascular accident were included.

Method …

Changes In The Dynamics Of Postural And Locomotor Control As A Result Of Varying Task Demands, Kathleen Sherry Thomas

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine changes in postural and locomotor control under varying task demands. Three experiments were designed to address the impact that fast walking had on standing posture over time, slow walking had on gait dynamics over time, and the extent to which gait speed interacts with the ability to walk randomly.

For experiment I, the aim was to identify the time course in which postural adaptation occurred while walking at faster than preferred speeds. Postural motion was assessed at specific intervals over a 35-min walking trial. Findings revealed that walking at a faster speed …

Relationships Amongst Osteoarthritis Biomarkers, Dynamic Knee Joint Load, And Exercise: Results From A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study, Michael A. Hunt, Courtney L. Pollock, Virginia Byers Kraus, Tore Saxne, Sue Peters, Janet L. Huebner, Eric C. Sayre, Jolanda Cibere

Physical Therapy Publications

Background

Little is known about the relationships of circulating levels of biomarkers of cartilage degradation with biomechanical outcomes relevant to knee osteoarthritis (OA) or biomarker changes following non-pharmacological interventions. The objectives of this exploratory, pilot study were to: 1) examine relationships between biomarkers of articular cartilage degradation and synthesis with measures of knee joint load during walking, and 2) examine changes in these biomarkers following 10 weeks of strengthening exercises.

Methods

Seventeen (8 male, 9 female; 66.1 +/- 11.3 years of age) individuals with radiographically-confirmed medial tibiofemoral OA participated. All participants underwent a baseline testing session where serum and urine …

Two-Legged Hopping In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Matthew F. Moran, John T. Foley, Mary E. Parker, Michael J. Weiss

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Sensory processing deficits are common within autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Deficits have a heterogeneous dispersion across the spectrum and multimodal processing tasks are thought to magnify integration difficulties. Two-legged hopping in place in sync with an auditory cue (2.3, 3.0 Hz) was studied in a group of six individuals with expressive language impaired ASD (ELI-ASD) and an age-matched control group. Vertical ground reaction force data were collected and discrete Fourier transforms were utilized to determine dominant hopping cadence. Effective leg stiffness was computed through a mass-spring model representation. The ELI-ASD group were unsuccessful in matching their hopping cadence (2.21 ± …

Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Care: Demand Forecasting, Staffing, And Treatment Planning, Mitchell R. Kieffer

Theses and Dissertations

Improvised Explosive Device attacks have skyrocketed since the start of the War on Terror. Many troops wounded by these tactics receive long-lasting unseen wounds including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). TBI sufferers are treated along with other casualties. This has created an increasing, and varying, demand for ongoing post operative recovery care for troops returning from deployments. Diagnosis and treatment for TBI wounded troops is costly. This thesis is motivated by the recognition that budgets are constrained yet quality of care should not be compromised. Additive Holtz-Winters smoothing is used to forecast overall patient care demand, a regression based on queueing …

The Walking Index For Spinal Cord Injury (Wisci/Wisci Ii): Nature, Metric Properties, Use And Misuse., J. F. Ditunno, Jr, P. L. Ditunno, G. Scivoletto, M. Patrick, M. Dijkers, H. Barbeau, A. S. Burns, R. J. Marino, M. Schmidt-Read

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Papers

STUDY DESIGN: Literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To critically review all publications/internet sites that have described/used the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI II), as a measure of impairment of walking function after spinal cord injury (SCI), in order to identify its psychometric properties, clarify its nature, specify misuse and incorporate the findings in an updated guide.

METHOD: A systematic literature search was done of Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and electronic sites using key words: WISCI or WISCI II, SCI, paraplegia/ tetraplegia/ quadriplegia and ambulation/gait/walking. Among 1235 citations retrieved, 154 relevant articles/sites were identified, …

Planning And Adjustments For The Control Of Reach Extent In A Virtual Environment, Jill Campbell Stewart Pt,Phd, James Gordon, Carolee J. Winstein

Faculty Publications

Background Skilled performance of reach actions includes both anticipatory planning and compensatory adjustments made while moving. The execution of reach actions in a virtual environment (VE) demonstrates similar characteristics to reaches performed in the real-world, however, it is unclear whether the VE itself significantly impacts movement planning or compensatory adjustments. The purpose of this study was to directly compare the use of planning and adjustments to control extent for unconstrained reach actions performed in an immersive VE to those performed in an analogous real-world environment (RWE). Methods Five non-disabled adults (29 ± 5 years) reached with the dominant, right arm …

Chhs March 2013 E-Newsletter, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean, Vashon S. Wells, Editor, Wku College Of Health & Human Services

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Agent-Based Modeling Of Physical Activity Behavior And Environmental Correlations: An Introduction And Illustration, Yong Gao

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: To introduce Agent-Based Model (ABM) to physical activity (PA) research and, using data from a study of neighborhood walkability and walking behavior, to illustrate parameters for an ABM of walking behavior. Method: The concept, brief history, mechanism, major components, key steps, advantages, and limitations of ABM were first introduced. For illustration, 10 participants (age in years: mean = 68, SD = 8) were recruited from a walkable and a nonwalkable neighborhood. They wore AMP 331 triaxial accelerometers and GeoLogger GPA tracking devices for 21 days. Data were analyzed using conventional statistics and highresolution geographic image analysis, which …

Women Bound To Be Active: Differences In Long-Term Physical Activity Between Completers And Noncompleters Of A Book Club Intervention, Jennifer L. Huberty, Diane Ehlers, Jason Coleman, Yong Gao, Steriani Elavsky

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Ideal approaches to increasing long-term physical activity (PA) adherence in women remain unclear. This study used a longitudinal mixed-methods approach to 1) determine the effectiveness of an 8-month book club intervention for increasing PA participation and self-worth, and reducing barriers at 1-year followup; and 2) identify reasons why completers and noncompleters did or did not maintain PA. Methods: One year after the cessation of Women Bound to be Active (WBA), completers (participated in posttesting; n = 30) and noncompleters (did not participate in posttesting; n = 22) responded to questionnaires and interviews assessing their body mass index …

Missions At Maxwell, Ashleigh Jardine

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Serving God In The Midst Of Multiple Sclerosis: A Holistic And Spiritual Model For Physical Sustainment, Timothy Harville

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Multiple Sclerosis is a devastating disease that affects not only the one who suffers with MS, but also their family and relationships leaving the patient feeling depressed and without hope. If the disease is disclosed, many churches and the International Mission Board will reject the person's application because of the potential cost and medical care needed. This author was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis in 2008. This writer has experienced the obstacles described above. This model will serve as a motivational tool to help all of us who suffer with MS to use the disability for …

Effect Of Passive Vibration On Skin Blood Flow In Good Glycemic Control And Poor Glycemic Control Type 2 Diabetics, Kanikkai Steni Balan Sackiriyas

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Microcirculation regulated by the sympathetic system and vascular endothelium plays a significant role in the homeostasis of temperature and wound healing. Damage to the autonomic nervous system and endothelial system resulting from aging and diabetes decreases the potential of wound healing. Insulin resistance and impaired wound healing associated with type 2 diabetes can lead to diabetic foot ulceration (DFU). Factors such as the increased insulin resistance, impaired wound healing and DFU can increase the risk of amputation in type 2 diabetics (T2D). In research, passive vibration (PV) was effective in increasing skin blood flow (SBF) in healthy individuals as well …

Frett: Fall Risk Evaluation Tool For Traumatic Brain Injury A Master’S Thesis Project, Heidi Ann Mertle, Kiley Elizabeth Richter, Louis A. Scirica

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The goal of this thesis project was to develop an evidence-based multi-factorial assessment that appropriately measures fall risk in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The thesis team created an assessment they named FRETT (Fall Risk Evaluation Tool for Traumatic Brain Injury) that evaluates significant risk factors for falling in the TBI population through a variety of assessment tools. Methods included both portions of currently published assessments and original assessments developed by the thesis team. A manual was also developed with detailed instructions on how to perform and score FRETT. The target population for this project included the occupational therapists, …