Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Effects Of Seat And Axle Position On Pain, Pathology, And Independence In Pediatric Manual Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury, Hannah Frank

Theses and Dissertations

Manual wheelchair (MWC) users with spinal cord injury (SCI) rely heavily on their upperextremities to complete daily occupations. Due to repetitive shoulder use during wheelchair mobility and propulsion, MWC users are at greater risk of shoulder pain and shoulder pathology, and thus decreased independence, and lower quality of life. The relative fit of the wheelchair and its parameters are critical and can further impact the user’s propulsion biomechanics. Parameters such as seat angle and axle position may put the user in detrimental shoulder positions for longer periods of time, impacting health outcomes even more. Although the effects of wheelchair setup …

Central Sensitization, Muscle Function, And Knee Kinematics In Females With Patellofemoral Pain, Kemery Jean Sigmund

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Females with patellofemoral pain (PFP) are at higher risk, have higher rates, and experience worse long-term outcomes than males. Structural and functional changes have been observed in pain networks and neuromuscular systems in individuals with PFP. Central sensitization describes dysfunctional pain modulation which could lead to altered neuromuscular control. Evidence examining relationships between central sensitization and muscle function in PFP is lacking.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine whether females with PFP exhibit signs of central sensitization compared to pain-free females. Then, after grouping each individual based on her quantitative sensory test results into a centrally …