Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Effects Of An Early Motion Protocol For Rehabilitation Following A Massive Rotator Cuff Tear Repair: A Case Report, Kody Strum

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Rotator cuff tears are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries to occur in the United States. Following a surgical repair, there are two main rehabilitation protocols: early motion and delayed motion. Despite the large number of patients in need of rehab following a rotator cuff tear surgical repair, there is not yet a definitive answer in the literature as far as the best protocol to use.

Case Description: The patient was a 68-year-old male who injured himself while slipping and attempting to catch himself with his right arm. He presented to physical therapy following a surgical …

Case Study: Acute And Subacute Physical Therapy Management Of Patient With Multiple Orthopedic Injuries And A Mild Brain Injury Resulting From Motorcycle Collision, Leah Jensen

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. This case report describes the 3.5-week inpatient physical therapy management of an 18-year-old female involved in a motorcycle accident resulting in multiple orthopedic injuries, a mild brain injury, and multiple skin abrasions. She was non-weight bearing (NWB) with her bilateral upper extremities, toe-touch weight bearing (TTWB) on her right lower extremity, and weight bearing as tolerated (WBAT) on her left lower extremity throughout the course of her treatment. The purpose of this case report is to describe the various physical therapy (PT) interventions utilized for this patient and the patient's status after completion of them.

Case Description. …

Using The Landing Error Scoring System (Less) To Predict The Risk Of Lower Extremity Injuries In Athletes, Marit Mikkelsen, Anthony Peterson, Travis Rinkenberger

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction: Athletes that participate in any sport are at an increased risk of injury, especially lower extremity injury. In particular, many athletes experience anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during competition and practice sessions. The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) is a tool used to identify athletes with a higher potential risk for ACL injury.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare vertical jump landing mechanics between genders and among various sports.

Methods: Forty-one participants (21 females, 20 males) were recruited from a NCAA Division I university. Participants were from the following sports: football, volleyball, women’s soccer, and men’s …

Physical Therapy Rehabiliation For Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Case Report, Rebecca Lynch

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Lumbar radiculopathy is one of the most common orthopedic conditions. This occurs when there is damage to a nerve root in the area that it exits the spinal cord. This can be caused from a disc herniation bone spurs, trauma, or a mechanical stretching event. There is not consistent evidence in current literature regarding rehabilitation interventions for this condition.

Case Description. This case report describes a 62-year-old female presenting to physical therapy with lumbar radiculopathy symptoms. She had multiple comorbidities as well as a scheduled total knee replacement surgery. Physical therapy interventions for this patient included manual …

Accessibility And Perceived Value Of Pre-Admission Clinical Contact Hours: Physical Therapy Clinician Perspectives, Riley Wilson

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Purpose: This study analyzes the accessibility and perceived value of contact hours prior to a student's acceptance to a professional physical therapy (PT) program from clinicians' perspective. There is limited research regarding the effectiveness of pre-admission clinical contact hours in PT. The results may help the conversation on whether contact hours should be a requirement prior to acceptance into a program, and the impact the requirement may have on practicing clinicians.

Methods: This study utilized an electronic survey sent to the chairpersons or Directors of Clinical Education of 1-2 accredited programs in each state (n=48) that has a PT program, …

Acute Rehabilitation Management Of A Patient With Bilateral Transtibial Amputation: Case Study, Ashlee Wiebe

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: This case report describes the 14-day acute rehabilitation physical therapy management of a 43-year-old male who underwent bilateral transtibial amputations. The purpose of this report is to describe the interventions utilized and the change in the patient's status following their application and also to add to the limited amount of research in this area.

Case Description: The patient had a very complicated medical history. His primary goal was to return home with his wife and children. The treatment of this patient involved transfer training, wheelchair mobility, seated balance activities, strengthening exercises, stretching, endurance activities, and extensive patient …

Emg Analysis Of Latissimus Dorsi, Middle Trapezius, And Erector Spinae Muscle Activity During Spinal Rotation: A Pilot Study, Alyssa Wagner, Brandon Forister, Zachary Huot

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Purpose/Hypothesis: Rotation of the spine is a common movement used to complete daily activities and participate in sports. As a contributing factor to back injuries, the performance of spinal rotation is an important consideration for the rehabilitation of current and prevention of future back injuries. Muscles involved in spinal rotation have been researched, though limited findings exist for one of the largest back muscles, the Latissimus Dorsi (LD). The LD muscle contributes to many movements of the trunk and limbs given its multiple attachment sites including the pelvis, ribs, scapula, and humerus. Influence of the LD on spinal rotation has …

Collaboration Of Music And Physical Therapy: A Case Study For Treatment Of Balance And Coordination Impairments Following Radiation Necrosis, Micah Hale, Paige Slemmons

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Medulloblastomas are a form of cancer most commonly found in children. They are normally treated through surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Radiation necrosis is a possible side effect of radiation therapy which can have devastating effects on a patient's function. Research on the effects of physical therapy interventions in treating the functional impairments which can result from medulloblastomas and radiation necrosis is limited. The purpose of this case study is to examine the effects of collaborative treatment between two student physical therapists and a student music therapist on a· patient with functional limitations due to a medulloblastoma …

Physical Therapy Treatment For A Patient With A Hip Fracture And Cognitive Impairments: A Case Report, Tracie Boehmlehner

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: As the population shifts to include higher numbers of people in the elderly population, diseases and pathologies associated with geriatric populations will also increase. Two of these conditions are cognitive impairment and hip fractures. Hip fractures can be costly and life altering injuries. Treating patients with both of these conditions can pose a unique challenge to healthcare workers.

Case Description: The patient in this case study is a 78 year-old female who suffered a hip fracture secondary to a fall with a hip herniarthroplasty completed. She had many co-morbidities that are typical of an aging person such …

Encouraging Students To Draw On Work Experiences When Articulating Achievements And Capabilities To Enhance Employability, Denise A. Jackson, Susan Edgar

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Employability drives higher education policy yet despite the investment in developing ‘rounded’ graduates, students experience difficulties in articulating their achievements and capabilities during graduate recruitment. The purpose of this research was to trial and evaluate a career development intervention aimed at drawing on work experiences when applying for graduate roles. Students (N = 136) from two contrasting disciplines, Business and Physiotherapy, and two institutions participated in a two-staged intervention. A focus group was also conducted with career advisors (N = 9) to examine student engagement with career development learning. Findings indicated that students were confident in their ability …

Managing Achilles Pain (The Map Study) - A Process Evaluation Of Data Collection Methods, Adrian Mallows, Chris Littlewood, Jo Jackson, James Debenham

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Process evaluations explore the way in which a study was conducted. The Managing Achilles Pain study (MAP study) had the primary aim of assessing the feasibility of the protocol for a future large longitudinal cohort study that would investigate the association and predictive relationship of self-efficacy, working alliance and expectations with outcome in the management of Achilles tendinopathy.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the processes conducted in the MAP study by exploring the acceptability of the study procedures from the participants' and physiotherapists' perspectives.

Design: A qualitative evaluation using semi-structured telephone interviews.

Method: All physiotherapists and participants who …

Perceived Body Distortion Rather Than Actual Body Distortion Is Associated With Chronic Low Back Pain In Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Preliminary Investigation, Hirofumi Yamashita, Tomohiko Nishigami, Akira Mibu, Katsuyoshi Tanaka, Masahiro Manfuku, Hikaru Fukuhara, Koichi Yoshino, Yoichi Seto, Benedict Wand

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether distorted body perception is a feature of the low back pain experience in people with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and whether any distortions noted are confounded by the presence of motor and postural impairments commonly seen in CP.

Methods: Forty‐five individuals participated in this study: fifteen adults with CP with LBP (CP_Pain group), fifteen adults with CP without LBP (CP_noPain group), and fifteen age‐matched adults with LBP but no CP (Pain group). Body perception was evaluated using the Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) and by assessing two‐point discrimination (TPD) thresholds …

Changing The Narrative In Diagnosis And Management Of Pain In The Sacroiliac Joint Area, Thorvaldur S. Palsson, William Gibson, Ben Darlow, Samantha Bunzli, Gregory Lehman, Martin Rabey, Niamh Moloney, Henrik B. Vaegter, Matthew K. Bagg, Mervyn Travers

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is often considered to be involved when people present for care with low back pain where the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is located. However, determining why the pain has arisen can be challenging, especially in the absence of a specific cause such as pregnancy, disease, or trauma, where the SIJ may be identified as a source of symptoms with the help of manual clinical tests. Nonspecific SIJ-related pain is commonly suggested to be causally associated with movement problems in the sacroiliac joint(s); a diagnosis traditionally derived from manual assessment of movements of the SIJ complex. Management choices …

Harnessing Nature For Occupational Therapy: Interventions And Health Promotion, Gina Ferra Kaplanis

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Literature is beginning to emerge which states that participation in natural environments can be restorative, provide much needed physical activity and assist with health promotion and prevention of illness. Theories such as Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995) and Biophilia Hypothesis (Wilson, 1993) support the benefits for participation in natural outdoor environments. Health benefits of participation in nature including accessing Vitamin D, improving balance, attention restoration, reduced myopia, stress reduction are widely present in literature. Despite the health benefits of participation in nature, occupational therapists rarely complete interventions in the natural environment. Principles of adult learning and occupational adaptation were used …

Impact Of Shoulder Pathology On Individuals With Distal Radius Fracture: A Mixed Methods Study, Sarah Beth Doerrer

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed methods study was to expand the understanding of the impact of shoulder pathology on individuals with distal radius fracture (DRF). This included describing the population that had shoulder pathology, comparing participants who had shoulder pathology with participants who did not, and exploring their experiences. The occupational adaptation model guided this study. Recruitment for this study included 45 patients post DRF. Each participant completed a short questionnaire after informed consent was obtained which asked demographic information such as age, gender, race, date of injury, and if the dominant hand was fractured. Over 9 weeks, …

Development Of A Caregiver Education Support Tool For Family Caregivers Of Older Adults With Dementia, Sarah Guariglia

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

For every person diagnosed with dementia, four family members are affected and burdened with providing care. Providing familial care is associated with greater psychological, social, and emotional burden on the caregiver. Caregivers are not provided with adequate education to support successful caregiving and aging in place. This capstone project developed and piloted a caregiver education support tool to simplify the process of finding caregiver education. Five caregivers participated in interviews to guide the development of the support tool, next completed the Likert questionnaire, and tested the caregiver education support tool. Four themes were identified: (1) burden, (2) loss, (3) unmet …

Occupational Therapy Practitioner Knowledge And Use Of Medicaid Home And Community Based Service Waivers, Alyssa Zaffos

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Medicaid Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) waivers have allowed adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to remain in the community rather than transition to institutionalization. HCBS waivers vary drastically from state to state limiting consistency in services offered to adults with IDD within the community. Majority of HCBS waivers offered to adults with IDD do not fund occupational therapy as a habilitative service due to a variety of reasons. Many adults with IDD are negatively impacted by not receiving necessary services. After preliminary research, it was noted that there is limited information regarding occupational therapy practitioner knowledge of …

From Perceiving To Achieving: Experiences Of An Adolescent With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Summer Day Program, Spencer Thomas Hammond

Online Theses and Dissertations

Literature describing the experiences of adolescents and their families with summer day-programs is scarce. This study sought to reveal such experiences from one individual participating in a summer program, HorseAbility, in which individuals with disabilities interact with each other through planned and self-directed activities, therapeutic riding, and activities associated with taking care of horses. Interviews were conducted with an adolescent diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, his parent, a staff member of the summer day program, and the therapeutic riding instructor. Observation data and personal journaling was also used for data collection mechanisms. Data sources were triangulated to provide a rich …

Occupational Therapists' Perceptions And Clinical Reasoning Of Splints Used In Adults With Neurological Conditions, Yichen Jiang

Online Theses and Dissertations

Using splints for upper extremity functional improvement in neurologically impaired patients is a common practice among occupational therapists despite inadequate evidence to support this intervention. This mixed-method study aims to address the gap in research regarding occupational therapists’ perceptions of current neurological splinting trends, perceived effectiveness of splinting, their rationale for splinting, and confidence in splinting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four occupational therapists across the United States. A 37-item online survey was then developed and administered to 129 occupational therapists who practice with neurologically impaired populations. Three themes were developed from the qualitative data: clinical reasoning guides decision-making and …

Understanding The Impact Of Hobby Participation On Quality Of Life During Cancer Treatment, Bethany Lynn Keuter

Online Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Over the past two decades there has been significant research on the benefits of leisure participation in increasing quality of life (QoL). Additionally, there is a substantial foundation of research exploring the role of leisure engagement in life-threatening illness and cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the role of regular hobby participation on QoL with regards to finding purpose and meaning making, increased coping skills, and social support through hobby participation during breast cancer treatment.

Method: Qualitative descriptive study using snowball sampling for participant recruitment. Data collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis completed through process of …

Artful Bionics: Pushing The Limits Of Visual Expression In Prosthetic Design, Anna Kester

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Traditional prosthetic design revolves around functionality, aiming to hide and downplay an individual's limb difference as much as possible. This may not only negatively affect the user's desire to wear their prosthetic but may also negatively affect their self-confidence and sense of identity. Expression is a primary way to communicate identity, yet some traditional prosthetics may deny expression, leaving users without an immediate means to express themselves apart from the stigmatizing label of 'disability'. This study examines the ability of art when combined with bionic prosthetic technology to change the perception of disability, empower self confidence in prosthetics users, and …

Characteristics, Services, And Outcomes Of Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers Who Are Deaf-Blind, Jennifer L. Cmar, Michele C. Mcdonnall

JADARA

Limited research has been conducted regarding the characteristics, services, and outcomes of consumers served by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies in the United States who are deaf-blind. This article provides descriptive information about this population based on Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911) data from fiscal years 2013, 2014, and 2015. The article also includes a discussion of inconsistencies in use of disability category codes to classify VR consumers who are deaf-blind, emphasizing the need for agencies to utilize a consistent classification system that reflects the diverse characteristics of this population.

Background Checks For Physical Therapists, Ashley M. Casto

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Parental Alcohol Abuse: The Effect On Emerging Adult Romantic Relationships, Hillary Nicole Schraufnagel

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this research was to explore the effect of parental alcohol abuse on emerging adult romantic relationships. Parent-child relationships play an important role and can impact emerging adults’ ability to function in their own relationships. Additionally, the role that alcohol plays in the childhood home has direct implications for child development. Data was collected using an initial survey and follow up extensive one-on-one interviews. Fifteen emerging adults (ages 18-29) were interviewed on their relationship with their parents, the role that alcohol played in their childhood home, as well as their relationship with their current romantic partner. The interviews …

Facilitating Early Engagement In Occupational Therapy In The Intensive Care Unit, Sarah Wright

MOT Student Capstones

Early rehabilitation for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been the topic of many current research studies. The efficacy of providing occupational therapy (OT) as part of the early rehabilitation/early engagement program has also been assessed, however many OT practitioners are not being utilized or viewed as an integral member of the interdisciplinary team. The purpose of this capstone project was to identify the main barriers that OTs face in the treatment of ICU patients through pre-survey; research current literature to identify solutions to the identified barriers; compile the research into a comprehensive document to present and disseminate …

Should Athletes Receive Sleep Hygiene Education? A Systematic Literature Review, Ines L. Contreras

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous studies show the need to find a solution to improve the athlete's recovery and help overcome their sleep disorders. Sleep hygiene is a list of habits and recommendation that enhance sleep quality. Sleep hygiene education has been used in some research to fill the need of the athletes. Still, a lack of information exists on the development of sleep hygiene programs and related impacts. This thesis aims to perform a systematic review of the literature of scholarly journals articles from 2007 to 2018, focusing on the relationship between sleep hygiene education and athletes sleep quality and quantity. The investigation …

Vwa: Hearing The Courageous Voices Of Extraordinary Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence In Haiti, An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, Michaelle Darley Pierre

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a huge epidemic in Haiti. It is estimated that 273,200 women suffer from instances of IPV yearly in Haiti. This is in line with the finding that 9.4% of the population of 14-49 year old Haitian women are affected by IPV (Gage, Honoré, & Deleon, 2016; Hindin, Kishor, & Ansara, 2008). It is critical to incorporate the voices of courageous women who have lived through partner violence into our understanding of this phenomenon. This qualitative study aimed to hear the VWA (Voice in Creole) of women in Haiti based on their lived experiences of IPV …

Marriage And Family Therapists’ Clinical Impressions Of Romantic Relationship Dissolution Heartbreak: A Modified Delphi Study, Isibel C. Moreno

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2018) defines heartbreak as “crushing grief, anguish or distress.” Heartbreak can lead to biological, psychological and social responses and consequences. Heartbreak from the dissolution of a romantic relationship is a form of disenfranchised grief, which is defined as the griever’s belief that society does not recognize their source of grief as legitimate (Doka, 1989). The literature shows that talking about grief helps those who experience it (Fisher & Archer, 2008). Hence, the present study sought to provide a consensus of the best practices that marriage and family therapists have utilized to help broken-hearted clients. I employed a …

An Autoethnography Of A Bilingual Therapist Working With Haitian Clients: Reconnecting To Home, Marie Philomise Joseph

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

This evocative autoethnographic study is a very personalized account of my life as a Haitian American and a bilingual family therapist working with Haitian refugee earthquake survivors. The study focused on the lived experiences and challenges encountered as a family therapist trained in systemic techniques, linguistic terminology, and the Westernized psychotherapy approach to engaging Creole-speaking clients in therapy. Other challenges that existed were uncovered during the integration of the use of Haitian Creole language and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) tenets as the preferred model. It explored this therapist’s narrative in the process of providing psychotherapy to these clients, emerged a …

Barriers To Change For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Lauren E. Brown

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of counseling training on speech language pathologists’ (SLPs) perceived competency to address Attitude Barriers within the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment process as presented by Beukelman and Mirenda (2005). Counseling techniques, such as the use of the Readiness to Change© tool, are within the scope of practice for SLPs. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on how to apply these tools and techniques with individuals who use AAC .

A training seminar was conducted to educate participants in the use of the Readiness to Change© tool. Data was …