Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Determinants Of Balance Confidence In Community-Dwelling Elderly People, Janine Hatch, Kathleen M. Gill-Body, Leslie G. Portney

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Background and Purpose. The fear of falling can have detrimental effects on physical function in the elderly population, but the relationship between a persons' confidence in the ability to maintain balance and actual balance ability and functional mobility is not known. The extent to which balance confidence can be explained by balance performance, functional mobility, and sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health-related factors was the focus of this study.

Subjects. The subjects were 50 community-dwelling elderly people, aged 65 to 95 years (X̄=81.7, SD=6.7).

Methods. Balance was measured using the Berg Balance Scale. Functional mobility was measured using the Timed Up & …

Information Interface - Volume 31, Issue 2 - August/September 2003, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Information Interface (1976 - 2009)

News and information about Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library of interest to users. Includes articles on computer network improvements, PDA resources, the annual book sale, and database search tips.

Effectiveness Of Visual Perceptual Learning On Inter-Therapist Reliability Of Lumbar Spine Mobilization, Chad E. Cook

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Manual therapy is a widely used treatment technique among physical therapists and is effective in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. The theory behind the selection of the appropriate grade of mobilization dictates that proper assessment of the stiffness or resistance of a joint must occur in order to assign the therapeutic intensity. Educational models to teach this theory have shown variable success. In numerous studies, the reliability of clinicians' assessment of stiffness and movement assessment is poor. This present study involved a pre-perceptual educational model designed for 22 practicing physical therapists that performed Grade I, II, III and IV mobilizations …

Physiotherapy In Australia - Where To Now?, Janet C. Struber

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The physiotherapy profession in Australia appears to have been caught unawares by the rapidly changing demography of health services and now seems to lack a clear identity and vision. Despite being a highly competitive profession to enter, attrition rates are high. This paper reflects on the history of physiotherapy in Australia and the dichotomy of paradigms it now faces, and suggests a possible option for the future, given that existing physiotherapy roles appear difficult to sustain in our current health care climate.

Bridging Oceans: An Occupational Therapist's Journey Toward Client-Centeredness, Anna Liedberg Miron

Masters Theses

This study blends an autobiographical approach with a person's own narrative about her recovery experience to create an analytic framework for exploring how narratives of clients and practitioners can be used to inform occupational therapy practice. Beth and I shared 12 hours of audio-taped conversations about her recovery/rehabilitation experience one year after she had experienced a stroke. Beth was intimately involved in the process of editing her story during the research process. Narrative analysis that takes into account the flow of time was used in addition to identification of key stories that Beth felt were important in her recovery-process. Congruence …

Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy For The Treatment Of Fixed Sagittal Imbalance, Keith H. Bridwell, Stephen J. Lewis, Lawrence G. Lenke, Christy Baldus, Kathy Blanke

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Methodological Issues In Evaluating Workplace Interventions To Reduce Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Through Mechanical Exposure Reduction, Donald C. Cole, Richard P. Wells, Mardy B. Frazer, Mickey S. Kerr, W Patrick Neumann, Andrew C. Laing, Ergonomic Intervention Evaluation Research Group

Faculty Publications and Scholarship

Researchers of work-related musculoskeletal disorders are increasingly asked about the evidentiary base for mechanical exposure reductions. Mixed messages can arise from the different disciplinary cultures of evidence, and these mixed messages make different sets of findings incommensurate. Interventions also operate at different levels within workplaces and result in different intensities of mechanical exposure reduction. Heterogeneity in reporting intervention processes and in measuring relevant outcomes makes the synthesis of research reports difficult. As a means of synthesizing the current understanding of measures, this paper describes a set of intervention and observation nodes for which relevant workplace indicators prior to, during, and …

The New View: Clinical Recommendations For Occupational Therapy Treatment For Clients With Lateral Epicondylitis, Kendra Larsen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

An Advanced Inquiry Of Occupational Therapy Treatment In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Focusing On The Sensory Systems Of The Infant, Summer J. Van Rooyen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Promoting Flexibility In The Intermediate Care Workforce, Susan Nancarrow

Susan Nancarrow

This paper discusses the pressures on intermediate care services to provide a flexible approach to staffing, including a constantly changing policy context, winter pressures, and different service remits. It suggests three ways that managers can address the issue of flexibility; the adoption of flexible team structures, flexible worker roles and flexible employment structures.

Accountability And Accreditation In The Australian Allied Health Context, Susan Nancarrow, Julie Clark

Susan Nancarrow

This paper examines the professional accreditation systems developed by five allied health associations in Australia. Professional accreditation is potentially a powerful tool because it can describe both the attributes of a health service provider and aspects of the quality of their care. This information is of value to patients, regulatory bodies and funding organizations to guide their health service decision making. However, the lack of consistency in the approaches used by the allied health disciplines means that the term 'accreditation' has a different value for each profession. Additionally, patient and purchaser preferences have received little consideration in the development of …

Employment And Career Development Opportunities Of Foot Care Assistants In The Nhs, Susan Nancarrow

Susan Nancarrow

Aim: To describe employment patterns of foot care assistants (FCAs) and podiatrists working in the NHS. Background: Support workers represent the fastest growing component of the health care workforce in the UK at present. FCAs are one constituent of this workforce, yet little is known about their numbers, employment patterns, clinical roles, career development opportunities, pay scales or training. Similarly, the patterns of the podiatry workforce, in terms of specialisms and professional structures have not been described elsewhere. Method: A questionnaire survey sent to all NHS podiatry heads of service (243) across the UK. Results: One hundred and fifty-nine (65%) …

Associations Of Knee Angles, Moments And Function Among Subjects That Are Healthy And Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficient (Acld) During Straight Ahead And Crossover Cutting Activities, Jeff Houck, H. John Yack

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

The objective of this study was to compare knee angles and moments of healthy subjects (n/20) and subjects that were anterior cruciate ligament deficient (ACLD) (n/16) during stepping and crossover cutting activities. Subjects that were ACLD were separated into high (n/7) and low (n/9) functioning groups based on knee functioning ratings. Knee angles and moments were estimated using three dimensional motion tracking and force plate data. The results suggest that knee angle and moment data were associated with level of functioning of ACLD subjects. Primarily knee frontal and transverse plane moments distinguished the stepping and crossover cut activities. Only some …

Ventilator Associated Pneumonia In Critically Ill Patients: Prevention And Treatment, Argyris Michalopoulos, Stefanos Geroulanos

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Study Of Partners Of People With Parkinson's Disease Who Demonstrate Communication Changes, Elsie Janet Doherty

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Parkinson's disease is a common progressive neurological illness for which there is no known cure. While the cardinal signs are tremor, bradykinesia or slowness of movement, muscle rigidity and postural instability (Jahanshahi & Marsden, 1998, p.3) the patient may face an extended number of years experiencing all, or any combination of, the many other manifestations of the disease process. These manifestations include changes to various aspects of communication including loss of voice volume, diminished body language and loss of facial expression. All of these affect both verbal and non verbal communication. Given the progressive nature of Parkinson's disease the patient …