Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Amantadine Minimally Improves Arousal In Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Michelle Eventov

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A critical appraisal and clinical application of Giacino JT, Whyte J, Bagiella E, et al. Placebo-Controlled Trial of Amantadine for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. New England Journal of Medicine. 2012;366(9):819-826. doi: 10.1056/nejmoa1102609.

The Meaning And Motivation Of Children Participating In Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Pilot Study, Beth Laskowski, Melissa Y. Winkle, Whitney Lucas Molitor

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Background: Despite claims that animal-assisted therapy is beneficial, there is limited empirical evidence supporting this. Current literature supports the physical, emotional, and psychological benefits an animal can provide, but few studies have explored the outcomes of incorporating an animal into skilled treatment facilitated by a healthcare professional. This study seeks to explore the effects of animal-assisted therapy in outpatient pediatric occupational therapy practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore the meaningfulness and motivation animal-assisted therapy interventions provide for pediatric clients when compared with traditional occupational therapy treatment.

Methods: Researchers utilized a within-participants repeated-measures design for this study. …

Investigating Whether Consuming Meals In A Dining Room Impacts Patients’ Mood, Level Of Interaction, And Subsequent Nutrient Intake In A Stroke Rehabilitation Ward., Sali Abouhajar, Grace Bennett, Linda Dooley Ms., Tracy Waldron Ms., Katie Walsh Ms., Sile Murphy Ms., Aoibheann Mcmorrow Dr., Joseph Harbison Prof., Suzanne L Doyle

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Background/objectives
Malnutrition is evident in hospitals and stroke patients are at increased risk. Protected mealtimes may help increase nutrient intake especially when patients interact and enjoy the dining room atmosphere. The aim of this research is to investigate if eating in a communal dining room increases nutritional intake compared to eating at the bedside and to investigate whether patient interaction and mood affects patient nutrient intake.

Population/methods:
A randomised cross-sectional study of 20 patients, assessing a comparison of patient’s mealtime consumption at lunchtime in the dining room and at the beside. Patients’ meals were weighed before and after consumption as …

Repeated Transspinal Stimulation Decreases Soleus H-Reflex Excitability And Restores Spinal Inhibition In Human Spinal Cord Injury, Maria Knikou, Lynda M. Murray

Publications and Research

Transcutaneous spinal cord or transspinal stimulation over the thoracolumbar enlargement, the spinal location of motoneurons innervating leg muscles, modulates neural circuits engaged in the control of movement. The extent to which daily sessions (e.g. repeated) of transspinal stimulation affects soleus H-reflex excitability in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) remains largely unknown. In this study, we established the effects of repeated cathodal transspinal stimulation on soleus H-reflex excitability and spinal inhibition in individuals with and without chronic SCI. Ten SCI and 10 healthy control subjects received monophasic transspinal stimuli of 1-ms duration at 0.2 Hz at subthreshold and suprathreshold …

The Perceived Tightness Scale Does Not Provide Reliable Estimates Of Blood Flow Restriction Pressure., Zachary W Bell, Scott J. Dankel, Robert W Spitz, Raksha N Chatakondi, Takashi Abe, Jeremy P Loenneke

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

CONTEXT: The perceived tightness scale is suggested to be an effective method for setting subocclusive pressures with practical blood flow restriction. However, the reliability of this scale is unknown and is important as the reliability will ultimately dictate the usefulness of this method.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability of the perceived tightness scale and investigate if the reliability differs by sex.

DESIGN: Within-participant, repeated-measures.

SETTING: University laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four participants (12 men and 12 women) were tested over 3 days.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) and the pressure at which the participants rated a 7 out of 10 …

Identifying The Prevalence Of Sensory Processing Dysfunction In A Post-Concussion Population And It's Relationship With Quality Of Life And Functional Indicators, Stephen Van Lew

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Approximately 10-20% of individuals who sustain a concussion will experience post-concussion syndrome, defined as symptomology beyond the traditional 7-10-day concussion recovery period. A particular area of symptomology, sensory processing deficits was explored in this study to ascertain the prevalence of these deficits along with possible associations with QOL and everyday functional outcomes. Methods: This study was a prospective, cross-sectional, quantitative study using a consecutive and convenience sampling model. The research participants were recruited from an outpatient occupational therapy program at an academic medical center. Normative data from two different sensory processing outcome tools were used in the analysis. …

Sex Differences In Fatigability And Recovery Relative To The Intensity–Duration Relationship, Paul Ansdell, Paul Ansdell, Callum G. Brownstein, Jakob Škarabot, Kristy M. Hicks, Glyn Howatson, Kevin Thomas, Sandra K. Hunter, Stuart Goodall

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Females are less fatigable than males during isometric exercise at intensities relative to maximal voluntary contraction (MVC); however, whether a sex difference in fatigability exists when exercise is prescribed relative to a critical intensity is unknown. This study established the intensity–duration relationship, and compared fatigability and recovery between sexes following intermittent isometric contractions normalised to critical intensity. Twenty participants (10 females) completed four intermittent isometric knee extension trials to task failure to determine critical intensity and the curvature constant (W′), followed by fatiguing tasks at +10% and −10% relative to critical intensity. Neuromuscular assessments were completed at baseline …

Energy Cost Of Land And Shallow Water Walking In Females Who Are Overweight And Obese, Jacquelyn N. Zera, Elizabeth F. Nagle, Bethany B. Gibbs, John P. Abt, John M. Jakicic

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Nineteen overweight or obese females completed three 10-minute experimental trials including a self-selected pace shallow water walking trial, a matched heart rate response land walking trial, and a self-selected pace land walking trial. Energy expenditure (kcal·min^-1)was computed from expired gases assessed via indirect calorimetry. Results showed energy expenditure was lower (p= 0.046) during shallow water walking (6.46 ± 1.38 kcal·min^-1) compared to matched heart rate response land walking trial (7.26 ± 1.29 kcal·min^-1), with no significant difference in between shallow water and self-selected pace land walking (6.92 ± 1.61 kcal·min^-1). …

Emg Analysis Of The Neuromuscular Activity During Sit-To-Stand From Different Height Chairs In Water, Antonio Cuesta-Vargas

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this study was to use surface electromyography to measure the muscular activity during the sit-to-stand task in water and compare it at three different chair heights. Ten healthy young adults [5 males and 5 females (mean ± SD): age, 22.0 ± 3.1 yr; height, 172.8 ± 9.0 cm; body mass, 63.9 ± 17.2 kg] were recruited for study. We used a telemetry EMG system on the following muscles on the right side of the body: quadriceps (vastus medialis and rectus femoris), long head of the biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis, soleus, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae). …

Strengthening Safety Culture By Leveraging The Daily Management System, Suneela Nayak, Mark Parker, Erin Graydon Baker, Amy Sparks, Ruth Hanselman, Stephen Tyzik, Sydney Green

Operations Transformation

STRENGTHENING SAFETY CULTURE BY LEVERAGING THE DAILY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

There is abundant evidence that links a strong culture of safety with improved patient and staff experience. However, there has been no clear avenue identified as to how to achieve this metric.

A team in a large academic tertiary teaching hospital set about leveraging their daily managing system (DMS) to attain improvement in their institution’s safety. The goals of this quality improvement project were to use DMS to identify and report safety concerns and increase frontline team knowledge and comfort with reporting safety concerns during Gemba walks.

A root cause analysis …

Effect Of Aquatic Exercise On Fatigue, Fitness, Arm Edema, Levels Of Distress, And Quality Of Life Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Ellen Broach, Phillip Norrell

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a recreational therapy aquatic intervention on physical and psychosocial performance of breast cancer survivors. Eligible participants were assigned to either a water exercise group or a control group who received standard care treatment for breast cancer. The intervention group attended aquatic exercise sessions three times per week for eight weeks in a heated outdoor pool. Sessions lasted 50 minutes in duration. The aquatic exercise group significantly improved their endurance, body mass, level of distress, and total score for fatigue. No significant differences occurred in the control group. Social validity …

Biomechanics And Postural Control Characteristics In Low Back Pain Subgroups During Dynamic Task, Amjad Shallan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Dynamic balance impairments are commonly observed in people with low back pain (LBP). People with LBP have reduced lumbopelvic stability and may exhibit spinal biomechanical and postural control changes during dynamic balance. A limited number of studies are available about the spinal kinematic and postural control changes during dynamic balance in people with nonspecific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) subgroups. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation was to compare spinal kinematics and postural control between NSCLBP subgroups and healthy individuals during dynamic balance using a modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT). Eighteen NSCLBP subjects [9 active extension pattern (AEP), 9 …

A Low-Cost Soft Robotic Hand Exoskeleton For Use In Therapy Of Limited Hand–Motor Function, Grant Rudd, Liam Daly, Vukica Jovanovic, Filip Cukov

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

We present the design and validation of a low-cost, customizable and 3D-printed anthropomorphic soft robotic hand exoskeleton for rehabilitation of hand injuries using remotely administered physical therapy regimens. The design builds upon previous work done on cable actuated exoskeleton designs by implementing the same kinematic functionality, but with the focus shifted to ease of assembly and cost effectiveness as to allow patients and physicians to manufacture and assemble the hardware necessary to implement treatment. The exoskeleton was constructed solely from 3D-printed and widely available of-the-shelf components. Control of the actuators was realized using an Arduino microcontroller, with a custom-designed shield …

An Interdisciplinary Framework For Impacting Older Adults Health And Physical Activity, Christopher J. Dondzila, Elaine Vandoren

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

The exploration of feasible and cost-effective strategies is warranted to mitigate rising healthcare costs and lessen the impact of chronic diseases, functional decline, and disability in older adults. The overwhelming sedentariness of older adults is accompanied by a lack of expertise by healthcare professionals in exercise programming that acknowledge factors influencing physical activity (PA) patterns. We present a framework for a nursing/exercise science interdisciplinary effort to increase PA and improve health in older adults via the delivery of individually tailored exercise programming for an 8-week intervention. Results from this study will be integral in translating effective interdisciplinary efforts across diverse …

First Responders' Narratives Of Drowning: Perceptions Of Family And Community Impacts And Policy Implications, John Wells Phd, Michael Bergin Phd, John Connolly B.Ed., Ma In Ed., Suzanne Denieffe Phd

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This is an exploratory study of the impacts of drowning death on local communities and families in the Republic of Ireland as perceived by first responders. The impact of a death may be particularly stressful. The identified population of interest were members of the Garda and first responders from Community Rescue Boats Ireland. The principal data collection method was one-to-one narrative interviews followed by a focus group. Questioning involved asking interviewees to talk about specific events rather than providing general opinions. Community identity was a source of impact, an urban or rural setting was a significant factor, social media was …

Effects Of Obesity And Fall Risk On Gait And Posture Of Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Thurmon E. Lockhart, Christopher W. Frames, Rahul Soangra, Abraham Lieberman

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Epidemiological studies link increased fall risk to obesity in older adults, but the mechanism through which obesity increases falls and fall risks is unknown. This study investigates if obesity (Body Mass Index: BMI>30 kg/m2) influenced gait and standing postural characteristics of community dwelling older adults leading to increased risk of falls. One hundred healthy older adults (age 74.0±7.6 years, range of 56-90 years) living independently in a community participated in this study. Participants’ history of falls over the previous two years was recorded, with emphasis on frequency and characteristics of falls. Participants with at least two falls in the …

Wavelet-Based Analysis Of Physical Activity And Sleep Movement Data From Wearable Sensors Among Obese Adults, Rahul Soangra, Vennila Krishnan

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Decreased physical activity in obese individuals is associated with a prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Physicians usually recommend that obese individuals change their lifestyle, specifically changes in diet, exercise, and other physical activities for obesity management. Therefore, understanding physical activity and sleep behavior is an essential aspect of obesity management. With innovations in mobile and electronic health care technologies, wearable inertial sensors have been used extensively over the past decade for monitoring human activities. Despite significant progress with the wearable inertial sensing technology, there is a knowledge gap among researchers regarding how to analyze longitudinal multi-day inertial sensor data …

Identifying Opportunities For The Role Of Occupational Therapy In A Correctional Setting, Maxwell Sand

Student Capstone Papers

This study provides insight into the experiences of 7 individuals who had previous first-hand experience working in a correctional setting. Workplace culture related to health and wellness are discussed where participants disclose negative effects the environment posed to their well-being which in turn impacted their job satisfaction. Correctional settings prove not only to be restrictive to inmates, but also to staff members as they limit access to meaningful occupations, roles, and routines. Job demands linked to poor work policies and interaction with inmates are also found to take a toll physically, mentally, and emotionally which further exacerbates symptoms of stress, …

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care, Tina Rosselli

Student Capstone Papers

Background: With an increase in adult chronic conditions (Holstein, 2018), as well as a growing number of older adults aging in place (Dickson & Toto, 2018), primary care will continue to see the greatest number of patients as it is the first point of contact for a person to enter the health-care system. Most primary care clinics are reimbursed based on quality outcome measures, which means insurance payers are looking at the value of care instead of the quantity of services (Halle et al., 2018). There is value in as well as an absence of assessment of occupational participation …

Assessing Workplace Wellness For The Occupation Of Hairdressing, Alex Kim

Student Capstone Papers

There is presently a lack of occupational therapy interventions that holistically treat work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) commonly found in the hairdressing population. Current studies found in the literature solely focus on the hairdressers’ symptoms, which leads to a more limited understanding of their situation. Furthermore, this focus on symptoms could lead to the possibility of overlooking confounding variables that could play a role in impacting these workers. This capstone project aims to examine the hairdressing occupation as a whole, assessing the health-related needs of hairdressers and create a holistic program that would address current needs and future preventative treatments for …

Embedding Interprofessional Activities With Physical Therapy And Athletic Training Students In Shared Professional Course, Katie Sniffen, Anthony P. Breitbach, Erick Briggs, Leslie Hinyard

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

Introduction and Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) is outlined in many health professions education standards creating an increased demand for its inclusion in already crowded curricula with limited faculty and financial resources. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) developed “Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice” that outline a framework for meaningful IPE experiences. Case-based learning activities have been used to foster improvements in interprofessional role clarity, communication, and rapport among student groups. The authors describe one trial of incorporating interprofessional and team work activities in a shared professional course and report on student learning outcomes in the context of IPEC competencies.

Course …

Increasing Social Participation In Senior Center Through Program Development, Diana Dinh

Student Capstone Papers

With the rise of an aging population, it is important to identify effective practices that fosters social participation in community-dwelling older adults. This aim of this project was to evaluate the need for adapting or enhancing current social programming in order to provide more opportunities for engagement at the San Marcos Senior Activity Center. 22 seniors and staff members, including volunteers, were interviewed on a continuous basis and responses were recorded on audiotapes. Current classes and social behavior at the senior center were also observed using field notes. All audiotapes and observation field notes were then transcribed verbatim and analyzed …

Recent Trends, Current Research In Cyberpsychology: A Literature Review, Amarjit Kumar Singh, Pawan Kumar Singh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Cyberpsychology refers to the study of the mind and behavior in the context of interactions with technology. It is an emerging branch, which has focused on the psychological aspects connected to the increasing presence and usages of technology in modern lives. This paper traces recent advancement and trends of Cyberpsychology is an emerging domain of knowledge and goes on the give a literature review of the same. An analysis of the recent research and literature covering 300 most relevant research papers from the period of 2012 to 15, August 2019 was conducted to determine and shape the research pattern based …

Rehabilitation Modifications For A Patient With Parkinson’S Disease Following A Suspected Case Of Gilbert’S Syndrome: A Case Study, Jason Bandong, Hy Ia, Naureen Imam, Kayla Wilcox, Travis Dennis

San Marcos, Summer 2019

The purpose of this case study was to assess the effects of core stabilization exercises, balance training, agility ladder step drills, fine motor, and dual-task training in the treatment of a high-functioning, 55-year-old, male patient with a history of Parkinson’s Disease and suspected Gilbert’s Syndrome.

This treatment program delivered for 1 hour once per week over 4 weeks led to mild improvements in activity limitations with the most notable being able to button a shirt with decreased time and assistance. The patient also exhibited mild improvement in body structure/function impairments with decreased loss of balance as evident during tandem walking …

Factors Related To Intra-Tendinous Morphology Of Achilles Tendon In Runners, Kai-Yu Ho, Ari Baquet, Yu-Jen Chang, Lung-Chan Chien, Michelle Harty, Gregory Bashford, Kornelia Kulig

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

The purpose of this study was to determine and explore factors (age, sex, anthropometry, running and injury/pain history, tendon gross morphology, neovascularization, ankle range of motion, and ankle plantarflexor muscle endurance) related to intra-tendinous morphological alterations of the Achilles tendon in runners. An intra-tendinous morphological change was defined as collagen fiber disorganization detected by a low peak spatial frequency radius (PSFR) obtained from spatial frequency analysis (SFA) techniques in sonography. Ninety-one runners (53 males and 38 females; 37.9 ± 11.6 years) with 8.8 ± 7.3 years of running experience participated. Height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences were recorded. Participants …

First-Time Experience In Owning A Dog Guide By Older Adults With Vision Loss, Kitsum Li, Jeffrey Kou, Yvonne Lam, Patricia Lyons, Susan Nguyen

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Dog guides were found to be effective in helping adults with vision loss navigate in the community and improve overall well-being. In spite of the vast amount of literature on pet therapy and dog companionship, limited study exists on older adult with vision loss experience of owning a dog guide. The purpose of this study is to explore the facilitators and barriers of first time owning and using a dog guide as experienced by older adults with vision loss.

Methods: Data were gathered among seven participants using open-ended semi-structured telephone interviews. Participants were asked to describe their experiences related …

Humeral Retroversion, Range Of Motion, And Strength Adaptations In Tennis Players, Daniel Hannah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study aimed to develop an understanding of humeral retroversion (HRV) asymmetries in tennis players and its impact on physical and performance characteristics of the shoulder.Participants: Healthy tennis players were categorized into 3 groups: younger juniors (n=11, age=14.5±0.5 years), older juniors (n=12, age=17.1±0.9 years), and collegiate (n=16, age=19.6±1.2 years). Methods: HRV, internal rotation (IR), and external rotation (ER), total arc of motion (TAM), HRV-corrected IR (HRVcIR), and HRV-corrected ER (HRVcER) were measured and calculated bilaterally using a digital inclinometer and ultrasonography. Bilateral differences (Δ) were calculated (dominant minus nondominant) for HRV and ROM variables. Isometric ER:IR strength ratios …

Maternal Cognitions And The Origins Of Early Sensorimotor Based Play In Infants Born Preterm, Sandra L. Willett

Theses & Dissertations

Maternal cognitions are beliefs, perceptions, and expectations that guide parenting practices. For at-risk infants born prematurely, these maternal constructs may influence the caregiving environment and opportunities for motor experience. The impact of maternal cognitions on motor development in infants born preterm is not well-documented. This three-part dissertation systematically explores: 1) the nature and extent of existing evidence supporting the link between maternal cognitions and motor development of infants born preterm, 2) if maternal perception of infant vulnerability as measured by an adapted Vulnerable Baby Scale (VBS) can be validly and reliably quantified in mothers of infants born preterm and near …

Inspiration For The Future: The Role Of Inspiratory Muscle Training In Cystic Fibrosis., Ren-Jay Shei, Robert L Dekerlegand, Kelly A Mackintosh, John D Lowman, Melitta A Mcnarry

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited, multi-system, life-limiting disease characterized by a progressive decline in lung function, which accounts for the majority of CF-related morbidity and mortality. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been proposed as a rehabilitative strategy to treat respiratory impairments associated with CF. However, despite evidence of therapeutic benefits in healthy and other clinical populations, the routine application of IMT in CF can neither be supported nor refuted due to the paucity of methodologically rigorous research. Specifically, the interpretation of available studies regarding the efficacy of IMT in CF is hampered by methodological threats to internal and external …

Planning And Implementation Of Physical Therapy Services In An Athletic Training Pro-Bono Clinic: An Administrative Case Report, Tessa Wells, Scott Unruh

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

Background & Purpose

Athletic Training and Physical Therapy students have overlapping, yet unique aspects of clinical competencies and scopes of practice, offering rich potential for interprofessional partnership. University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Doctor or Physical Therapy Education expanded its program to the University of Nebraska-Kearney (UNK) campus, which boasts a Division II athletic training (AT) program. To create meaningful IPE experiences for both programs (1,2), campus leaders from the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions and UNK sought to create an interprofessional clinic by adding PT care to an existing AT-led pro-bono clinic serving the University intramural recreation community. …