Musculoskeletal System Commons^™

The Role Of Hamstring Contraction During Running: An Analysis, Theodore Hu

Senior Honors Theses

The hamstring muscle group, spanning the posterior aspect of the proximal lower limb, generates large amounts of contractile force during running. Researchers have examined this power generation within different phases of the stride cycle. Forces generated by the hamstrings hold implications for both running efficiency and the role of strengthening for injury prevention. The goal of this review is to examine the hamstring’s unique physiology as a bi-articular muscle, its role in running stride, various training philosophies, and the specific impact on running economy contributing to overall running performance. The summation of research presented shows that the hamstring muscle group …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Mcmurry’S Test In The Diagnosis Of Meniscal Tears, Jessica Smyth, Hartwell Rainey

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

No abstract provided.

Training For A Marathon – Responding To A Pandemic, Mary I. Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Lessons Amidst A Pandemic, Mary I. Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Reaching The Peak, Mary I. Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Quantitative Comparison Of Arm Activity Between Women With Breast Cancer And Healthy, Mary Insana Fisher, Claire Davies, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose: Survivors of breast cancer (BC) on the non-dominant side have more persistent deficits than those with cancer on the dominant limb. What is not known is whether those with BC use their involved upper limbs more, less, or at the same level as women without BC. Accelerometer use offers a quantifiable method to measure activity levels of upper limbs. The purpose of this study was to quantify the activity levels of the non-dominant involved limb among survivors of BC and compare these values to their dominant limb, as well as the non-dominant limb of a control group.

Methods: Participants …

Validity Of The Body Scan Scanner® And Structure Sensor To Measure Limb Volume In Healthy Adults, Mary Insana Fisher, Michaela Claire Viola, Noah James Brueckner, Madison Elizabeth Wolfe, Rachel Lynn Kremer

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose/Hypothesis: Secondary lymphedema is a chronic condition that can develop in approximately 30 percent of women treated for breast cancer. It is important to measure limb volume changes for early detection of lymphedema, when it is possible to reverse the swelling (stage 1). Common clinical measures carry concerns of infection control (water displacement), are time consuming (truncated cone calculation using circumferential measures), or expensive (perometry). Use of a portable 3D scanner addresses these concerns, but the validity is unknown. The purpose of this phase I study is to investigate the validity of the Body Scan Scanner to measure limb volume …

Comparison Of Upper Extremity Function In Women With And Women Without A History Of Breast Cancer, Mary Insana Fisher, Gilson Capilouto, Terry Malone, Heather Bush, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Design: This was an observational cross-sectional study.

Methods: Women who were diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mean post–surgical treatment time of 51 months (range = 12–336 months) were compared with women who did not have breast cancer (CTRL group). Self-reported upper extremity function using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and shoulder range of motion, strength, and muscular endurance were measured. Participants were divided into 3 groups: breast cancer involving the nondominant limb (BC-ND), breast cancer involving the dominant limb (BC-DOM), and CTRL.

Results: A total of 59 women in the CTRL group, 23 …

Cancer Rehabilitation Publications (2008–2018) With A Focus On Physical Function: A Scoping Review, Shana Harrington, Nicole L. Stout, Elizabeth Hile, Mary Insana Fisher, Melissa Eden, Victoria Marchese, Lucinda Pfalzer

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer rehabilitation research has accelerated over the last decade. However, closer examination of the published literature reveals that the majority of this work has focused on psychological interventions and cognitive and behavioral therapies. Recent initiatives have aggregated expert consensus around research priorities, highlighting a dearth in research regarding measurement of and interventions for physical function. Increasingly loud calls for the need to address the myriad of physical functional impairments that develop in people living with and beyond cancer have been published in the literature. A detailed survey of the landscape of published research has not been reported to our …

You Say “Goodbye,” And I Say, “Hello, Hello, Hello.”, Mary I. Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Validity And Reliability Of Three-Dimensional Imaging To Measure Limb Volume: A Systematic Review, Rachel Kremer, Madison Elizabeth Wolfe, Noah James Brueckner, Michaela Claire Viola, Mary Insana Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Introduction: Approximately 30% of women treated for breast cancer will develop lymphedema, yet early identification can prevent this occurrence. It is important to accurately and efficiently measure limb volume to identify pre-clinical lymphedema. Three-dimensional (3 D) imaging is emerging as a potential method to meet the need for accuracy and efficiency. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the psychometrics of 3 D imaging to measure limb volume.

Methods: A systematic search of 4 databases was conducted for articles using 3 D imaging to measure limb volume. Articles were included that compared 3 D imaging to water displacement using …

Oral Contraceptives As Possible Acl Injury Prevention Method, Haley Schweizer

Capstone Showcase

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are an upsetting setback for many athletes that require a long and costly recovery process. The injury rates are four times greater in women than men. Preventative measures that help to prevent ACL injuries are limited to stretching and strengthening. Therefore, this review aims to investigate if oral contraceptive [I] usage provides a possible new avenue for prevention of ACL injury [O] in young female athletes (ages 18-30) [P] compared to those that do not take oral contraceptives [C].

Methods: A literature review was performed though PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS Database, and ClinicalKey …

Creating An Interprofessional Collaborative Research Opportunity For Physical And Occupational Therapy Students, Anne Fleischer, Mary Insana Fisher, Shirley P. O'Brien

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) professional associations assert the importance that entry-level therapists learn and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for interprofessional collaborative practice; however, the majority of PT and OT programs do not have the other discipline at their university. A challenge exists for the creation of a transparent active learning opportunity promoting interprofessional student engagement when the two professions do not reside in the same university. This case study provides a model for how to feasibly create an interprofessional experience for students in universities that do not include a complementary or collaborative allied health professional …

The Effects Of Therapeutic Riding On Social Skills And Sensory Functioning In Children With Autism, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, Christy Lee, Jordan Bevins, Cristin Carter, Stephanie Dailey, Kelsey Haynes, Allison Richard, Sarah Soboslay

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose and Significance: Therapeutic riding (TR) is equine-assisted riding lessons that are adapted for people with a wide variety of impairments and is often used as an adjunct to traditional therapies. Previous research has shown that TR helped to improve sensory functioning, cognition and social skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but sessions have typically been for 10-12 weeks. The purpose of this study was to investigate if social skills and sensory functioning improved after only 8 weeks of TR.

Subjects: Children were recruited from a local TR center. Participants included seven children (5M, 2F) with a diagnosis …

Integrating Alexander Technique Into Treatment Of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis To Improve Patient Quality Of Life, Ana Nishioka

Scripps Senior Theses

The following thesis posits training in the Alexander Technique as a possible solution to address the comorbidities of poor body image and reduced feelings of efficacy in patients treated for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Both literature and personal accounts of AIS highlight that current conservative methods of treating AIS offered by the Western medical sphere, including observation, bracing, and physical therapy, do not adequately address, and may actually exacerbate, negative mental health symptoms. Patients are often represented as their external orthopedic diagnosis and receive limited emotional guidance in exploring their internal feelings about their body and its capabilities. Alexander Technique …

Oncology Section Edge Task Force On Cancer: Measures Of Cancer-Related Fatigue—A Systematic Review, Mary Insana Fisher, Claire Davies, Hannah Lacy, Deborah Doherty

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common side effects of cancer and cancer treatment. Being able to accurately screen for and assess CRF will improve access to and prescriptions for interventions. Valid and reliable measures to screen for and assess CRF need to be identified.

Purpose: To identify and recommend reliable, valid, and clinically useful tools to screen for and assess CRF among those treated for cancer.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to assess the published psychometric properties and clinical feasibility of each method identified. Task force members independently reviewed each measure using …

A Comparison Of Hamstring Injury Recovery Rates In Male And Female Athletes, Amanda Hall

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Excerpt from Introduction

Hamstring injuries are among the most common muscular injuries sustained by athletes across multiple levels of various sports (Askling et al). Most hamstring injuries occur during similar movements and under similar conditions, where the muscle is required to be explosive. Thus, athletes that participate in sports where “sprinting, kicking, or high-speed skilled movements” are required, experience an increased likelihood of suffering a hamstring injury (Erickson and Sherry). After injury, athletes are then subjected to different methods of rehabilitation to heal and strengthen the afflicted area. However, some athletes take longer than others to return and impatience may …

Effects Of Lower Extremity Aerobic Exercise And Conditioned Pain Modulation On Evoked Shoulder Pain, Logan Lumpkins, Craig Wassinger

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that aerobic exercise and conditioned pain modulation may be advocated in treating patients with musculoskeletal pain. The effects of lower extremity aerobic exercise and conditioned pain modulation on evoked shoulder pain are not known.

Purpose: To determine the acute effects of lower extremity aerobic exercise and conditioned pain modulation on outcomes of evoked shoulder pain from pain pressure threshold measurements.

Study Design: Repeated measures.

Methods: Thirty (30) healthy volunteers were tested over the course of two sessions. Session 1 consisted of collecting pain pressure threshold measurements over the infraspinatus before and immediately following a conditioned pain …

Perceived Stress Levels May Impact Upper Extremity Function Among Women Treated For Breast Cancer, Mary Insana Fisher, Anne Fleischer, Lynn Hendricks, Megan Mcclure, Kim Parent, Renee Roberts

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose/Hypothesis: Women treated for breast cancer report ongoing upper extremity disability with functional limitations; however, objective measures do not appear to explain the extent of perceived dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived stress level, fear of physical activity, self-reported upper extremity function, and objective measures of upper extremity function including range of motion (ROM), strength, and muscular endurance, among women treated for breast cancer.

Number of Subjects: 25

Materials/Methods: Women diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer in the past 12-60 months were evaluated using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), …

Biomechanical Testing Of An Exercise For Strengthening The Proximal Femur., Alyssa Osbourne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Based on the principles of cutting edge bone remodeling research, a unique therapeutic exercise device was designed specifically to improve bone quality at the most critical location of the proximal femur prone to fracture: the superior-lateral femoral neck where the fracture first initiates during a fall. The exercise/device is intended to work by inducing enough strain in the bone to stimulate the body’s natural bone remodeling mechanisms to increase bone density in the proximal femur and consequently prevent a fracture from arising if a fall to the side does occur.

In order to test the proposed exercise, experiments simulating the …

Perceptions Of Ncaa Division I Baseball Pitchers On Treatment Modalities For Pitching Arm Health, Thomas Williams

Graduate Theses

Throwing athletes of all sports have similarities, even if the sport itself is very different. Throwing an object creates a great amount of stress on the body, particularly at the shoulder and the elbow. A baseball pitcher should train and compete in all three planes of movement-sagittal, frontal and transverse. Training for throwing athletes has two main goals: to increase throwing power and to reduce throwing injuries. Analyzing training habits of a throwing athlete includes an understanding of the modalities they perform in order to prevent potential injuries from occurring. Baseball pitchers are extremely susceptible to throwing injuries, and must …

Toward A Research Agenda For Oncology Physical Therapy, Lucinda Pfalzer, Nicole L. Stout, Shana Harrington, Mary Insana Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Research Round-up: Cancer survivors frequently experience cancer treatment–related functional impairments and disability. While a growing body of evidence supports the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions for these individuals, there are significant gaps in the existing literature and no interdisciplinary agreement on the priorities for cancer rehabilitation research. In 2016, the Oncology Section revised its strategic plan and set an objective to create an oncology rehabilitation research agenda for the physical therapy (PT) profession. To achieve this goal, the scope of the agenda, a development and review process, and dissemination plan need to be developed.

Effect Of Exercise Position On Percent Changes In Serratus Anterior Muscle Thickness, Joseph M. Day

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objective: A reliable method for measuring SA thickness with ultrasound imaging has been reported, yet the ability to detect differences in levels of contractility has yet to be established. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in the percent change in thickness of the SA during four different exercise positions performed by healthy individuals.

Design: Observational study

Setting: Laboratory

Participants: Twenty-eight healthy participants, mean age 26 (SD 4, 57% female, 100% right handed)

Methods: Volunteers were positioned in a standardized sitting posture and anatomical landmarks were marked for ultrasound probe positioning. Two resting and two …

Oncology Edge Task Force On Prostate Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review Of Outcome Measures For Functional Mobility, Claire Davies, Genevieve Colon, Hannah Geyer, Lucinda Pfalzer, Mary Insana Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: The medical treatment of prostate cancer results in multiple impairments in body structure and declines functional abilities, resulting in activity limitations and participation restrictions. Measurement of functional mobility is an essential outcome measure in survivorship care.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review is to make recommendations of the best measurement tools to assess functional mobility in men treated for prostate cancer based on psychometric properties and clinical utility.

Methods: Multiple electronic databases were searched from February to March 2014. Studies of tools used to assess functional mobility were included if they met the following criteria: reported psychometric properties, …

Task-Oriented Ankle And Foot Training For Improving Gait, Balance, And Strength In Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study, Cizelle Rodriques, Kurt Jackson, Joaquin Alberto Barrios, Lloyd L. Laubach, Kimberly Edginton Bigelow

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the effects and feasibility of a task-oriented ankle and foot exercise program on gait, balance, and strength in 6 adults with mild to moderate disability from multiple sclerosis (MS). The subjects participated in an 8-wk task-specific home-based ankle and foot exercise program. Outcome measures included stance phase ankle joint torque and power, limits of stability, isometric and isokinetic ankle strength, gait speed, and the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12). Five subjects completed the 8- wk intervention. Following training, there were significant increases in ankle power during early (38.1%) and late …

Using Platelet-Rich Plasma To Reverse The Effects Of Tendinopathy And Prevent Tendon Re-Rupture After Surgery In Athletes: The Search For A Standardized Protocol, Shiv Patel

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

30-50% of all lesions amateur and professional sports players will experience during activity are related to the tendon. Moreover, the incidence of tendinopathy, a precursor to tendon rupture, is much higher in both of these groups due to excessive loading of tendons during physical activity, insufficient rest afterwards and certain antibiotic use. The tendon anatomically has both a low blood supply and a low cell turnover rate, which contribute to the relative ease by which an athlete can develop tendinopathy. Chronic tendinopathy has very few high-success treatments but in recent years, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a treatment in which platelets are …

Breast Cancer Rehabilitation: Clinical Examination And Outcomes Assessment, Nicole L. Stout, Shana Harrington, Lucinda Pfalzer, Mary Insana Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States. The treatment for breast cancer occurs along a protracted time period and includes many different disease treatment modalities. These treatments carry with them a large number of adverse effects that negatively impact function in both the short term and long term. It is necessary for rehabilitation providers to interface with patients being treated for breast cancer throughout the continuum of care so that interval assessments can be conducted to identify emerging impairments and alleviate disability. To achieve this, the rehabilitation provider must have an understanding of …

Home Exercise Adherence In An Underserved Ecuadorian Community, Joseph M. Day, Jean Irion, Meridith Anile, Jared Henson, Ben Roussel, Christina Shepherd, Huybrechts Bindele

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose: Physical therapy service learning projects and volunteer experiences in foreign countries are becoming more commonplace. Patients in underserved regions are not likely to receive therapy services regularly; therefore, adherence to a home exercise program (HEP) is critical. The primary purpose of this study was to observe home exercise adherence rates between the 1st and 2nd visits in an underserved population. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine specific factors that affect HEP adherence in this population.

Methods: Consecutive patients seen in Santo Domingo, Ecuador were considered for participation in this observational study. All patients were recruited from …

A Comparison Of The Upper Limb Lift Test Between Women With Breast Cancer And Healthy Control Subjects, Mary Insana Fisher, Lucinda Pfalzer, Ellen W. Levy, Shana Harrington, Lynn H. Gerber, Nicole L. Stout

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Presentation at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy Congress, held May 1-4, 2015, in Singapore.

Background: Objective measures of upper limb (UL) function specific to breast cancer survivors (BC) are limited. Motion, strength, and muscular endurance are measurable components of UL function. A clinical test that quantifies these components is needed.

Purpose: This study compares the Upper Limb Lift Test (ULLT) between women with BC and healthy control subjects (HC) at baseline, 1-3 months, and 12+ months post-operatively enrolled in a prospective surveillance trial with early intervention. A secondary purpose was to validate the ULLT by comparing findings to self-reported …

The Association Between Critical Thinking And Scholastic Aptitude On First-Time Pass Rate Of The National Physical Therapy Examination, Daniel W. Suckow, C. Jayne Brahler, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, Philip A. Anloague

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objectives: 1) To investigate the relationships among critical thinking (CT) abilities, overall academic performance in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program as measured by cumulative grade point average (GPA), and National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) licensure scores, and 2) To determine if NPTE scores were significantly different between groups of students who were classified as having low, moderate or high CT abilities.

Background: It is well-established that physical therapy practice requires good clinical reasoning skills. Passage of the NPTE is required for licensure. Research to date has been mixed as to whether CT abilities or GPA can predict success …