Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Patient Experiences Of Recovery After Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation: A Qualitative Study, Jenny L. Toonstra, Dana Howell, Robert A. English, Carl G. Mattacola

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Context: The recovery process after autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) can be challenging for patients and clinicians alike due to significant functional limitations and a lengthy healing time. Understanding patients' experiences during the recovery process may assist clinicians in providing more individualized care.

Objective: To explore and describe patients' experiences during the recovery process after ACI.

Design: Qualitative study.

Setting: Orthopaedic clinic.

Patients or Other Participants: Participants from a single orthopaedic practice who had undergone ACI within the previous 12 months were purposefully selected.

Data Collection and Analysis: Volunteers participated in 1-on-1 semistructured interviews to describe their recovery experiences after ACI. …

In The Information Age, Do Dementia Caregivers Get The Information They Need? Semi-Structured Interviews To Determine Informal Caregivers’ Education Needs, Barriers, And Preferences, Kendra Peterson, Howard Hahn, Amber J. Lee, Catherine A. Madison, Alireza Atri

Dartmouth Scholarship

Most patients with dementia or cognitive impairment receive care from family members, often untrained for this challenging role. Caregivers may not access publicly available caregiving information, and caregiver education programs are not widely implemented clinically. Prior large surveys yielded broad quantitative understanding of caregiver information needs, but do not illuminate the in-depth, rich, and nuanced caregiver perspectives that can be gleaned using qualitative methodology. We aimed to understand perspectives about information sources, barriers and preferences, through semi-structured interviews with 27 caregivers. Content analysis identified important themes

Living With Traumatic Brain Injury In A Rural Setting: Supports And Barriers Across The Continuum Of Care, Anne L. Harrison, Elizabeth G. Hunter, Heather Thomas, Paige Bordy, Erin Stokes, Patrick H. Kitzman

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent in Kentucky and comes with a high cost in care and quality of life for individuals and caregivers affected. Many people living with the condition of TBI have unmet needs. Research among people living with TBI in rural areas is limited. The purposes of this study were to (1) increase understanding of the lived experience of people with TBI and caregivers in rural regions of Kentucky across the continuum of their care and (2) provide their perspectives on barriers and facilitators of optimal function and well-being.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive interview study was …

Implementation Of The Affordable Care Act In Physical Therapy, Greg Austin

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Introduction: With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, many medical specialties prepared to see reimbursement rates altered. Not impervious to this trend was the field of physical therapy (PT). This change in reimbursement structure could impact the effectiveness of PT treatment. Under this model, a patient may not be able to receive the appropriate number of visits to a physical therapist, resulting in a loss of utilization in the injured area and, possibly, a loss of independence. Methods: A literature review was performed to determine reimbursement rate impact on PT. A seven-item open-ended survey regarding various …

Adherence Of Individuals In Upper Extremity Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Study, Enrique V. Smith-Forbes, Dana M. Howell, Jason Willoughby, Hilary Armstrong, Donald G. Pitts, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To describe the rehabilitation experiences, expectations, and treatment adherence of patients receiving upper extremity (UE) rehabilitation who demonstrated discrepancy between functional gains and overall improvement.

DESIGN: Qualitative (phenomenologic) interviews and analysis.

SETTING: Outpatient UE rehabilitation.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients with acute UE injuries (N=10).

INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Concerns related to UE rehabilitation patients demonstrating discrepancy between outcome measures.

RESULTS: Five key themes emerged from the interviews of patients demonstrating discrepancy in their self-reported patient outcomes: (1) desire to return to normal, (2) initial anticipation of brief recovery, (3) trust of therapist, (4) cannot stop living, and (5) feelings …

1st Place Research Paper: The Effectiveness Of Yoga Therapy On An Adult, Post-Stroke Population: A Systematic Review, Baylor E. Hogan

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

Objectives: The objectives of this paper are to (1) give a brief overview of stroke pathophysiology (2) outline yoga as a therapeutic strategy (3) present the current research on yoga rehabilitation for stroke (4) discuss the efficacy of yoga for chronic stroke.

Methods: Relevant terms were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Academic OneFile, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar electronic databases. Studies were excluded if they contained pediatric stroke, non-stroke neurological diseases, or subjects with comorbidities. Statistically significant data was extracted for the primary measures of nine trials.

Results: Four studies measured statistically significant outcomes (p<0.05). These included improvements in balance, independence, endurance, trait anxiety, fear of falling, self-efficacy, pain, strength, range of motion (ROM), activity, participation, and quality of life (QoL). Discussion: Lack of statistical significance in post-stroke depression (PSD) measures may be due to inadequate intervention length or a psychosocial cause of depression. Improvements in balance, flexibility, and strength from yoga participation permitted progress in disability and functionality. Finally, overall health-related quality of life (HRQL) is affected by the severity of mental disorders and physical disability. Yoga can have a positive effect in both domains and therefore, may improve HRQL.

Conclusion: …

The Psychological And Physical Rehabilitation Of Amputees, Victoria Ramos

Senior Honors Theses

Since physical therapy requires constant interaction with other people, it is a career that requires not only medical knowledge, but knowledge of the human psychology as well. A physical therapist may be well versed in recovery techniques, but how will he or she get the patient motivated if the patient is not motivated to begin with? Every person is different. Rehabilitation of amputees is a delicate process that requires significant work over an extended time period. Many factors are involved during the preoperative phase, as well as the postoperative phase. However, by being aware of the patient’s mental status and …

Spine Biomechanics Associated With The Shortened, Modern One-Plane Golf Swing, R. Barry Dale, Jason Brumitt

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

The purpose of this study was to compare kinetic, kinematic, and performance variables associated with full and shortened modern backswings in a skilled group of modern swing (one-plane) golfers. Shortening the modern golf backswing is proposed to reduce vertebral spine stress, but supporting evidence is lacking and performance implications are unknown. Thirteen male golfers performed ten swings of each swing type using their own 7-iron club. Biomechanical-dependent variables included the X-Factor kinematic data and spine kinetics. Performance-related dependent variables included club head velocity (CHV), shot distance, and accuracy (distance from the target line). Data were analysed with repeated measures …

Management Of Charcot–Marie–Tooth Disease: Improving Long-Term Care With A Multidisciplinary Approach, Donald Mccorquodale, Evan M. Pucillo, Nicholas E. Johnson

Physical Therapy Collection

Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease is the most common inherited neuropathy and one of the most common inherited diseases in humans. The diagnosis of CMT is traditionally made by the neurologic specialist, yet the optimal management of CMT patients includes genetic counselors, physical and occupational therapists, physiatrists, orthotists, mental health providers, and community resources. Rapidly developing genetic discoveries and novel gene discovery techniques continue to add a growing number of genetic subtypes of CMT. The first large clinical natural history and therapeutic trials have added to our knowledge of each CMT subtype and revealed how CMT impacts patient quality of life. In …

The Painful Long Head Of The Biceps Brachii: Nonoperative Treatment Approaches, Kevin E. Wilk, Todd R. Hooks

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Pain associated with the long head of the biceps (LHB) brachii seems to be increasingly recognized in the past 4 to 5 years. The LHB has long been considered a troublesome pain generator in the shoulder. Abnormality involving the LHB brachii has long been an area of debate, with Codman in 1934 even questioning the specificity of the diagnosis of biceps tendinitis. Biceps tendon abnormality is often associated with rotator cuff impingement. Shoulder pain originating from the biceps tendon can be debilitating, causing a severe decrease in shoulder function. As a result of the frequent clinical presentation of biceps pain, …

Surviving Critical Illness: What Is Next? An Expert Consensus Statement On Physical Rehabilitation After Hospital Discharge, M Major, R Kwakman, M Kho, B Connolly, D Mcwilliams, L Denehy, S Hanekom, S Patman, R Gosselink, C Jones, F Nollett, D Needham, R Engelbert, M Van Der Schaaf

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: The study objective was to obtain consensus on physical therapy (PT) in the rehabilitation of critical illness survivors after hospital discharge. Research questions were: what are PT goals, what are recommended measurement tools, and what constitutes an optimal PT intervention for survivors of critical illness?

Methods: A Delphi consensus study was conducted. Panelists were included based on relevant fields of expertise, years of clinical experience, and publication record. A literature review determined five themes, forming the basis for Delphi round one, which was aimed at generating ideas. Statements were drafted and ranked on a 5-point Likert scale in two …

Specificity Of The Minimal Clinically Important Difference Of The Quick Disabilities Of The Arm Shoulder And Hand (Qdash) For Distal Upper Extremity Conditions, Enrique V. Smith-Forbes, Dana M. Howell, Jason Willoughby, Donald G. Pitts, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Retrospective cohort design. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QDASH) has been established using a pool of multiple conditions, and only exclusively for the shoulder. Understanding diagnoses-specific threshold change values can enhance the clinical decision-making process. Before and after QDASH scores for 406 participants with conditions of surgical distal radius fracture, non-surgical lateral epicondylitis, and surgical carpal tunnel release were obtained. The external anchor administered at each fourth visit was a 15-point global rating of change scale. The test-retest reliability of the QDASH was moderate for all diagnoses: intraclass correlation …