Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of A 7-Week Fall Prevention Program For Community Dwelling Older Adults, Karlee Mccloud, Kayla Sendelbach

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background: Every year millions of adults over the age of 65 experience a fall. Falls cost healthcare and individuals financial distress, decrease self-confidence, and can cause injuries. Balance and strength deficits contribute to increasing an individual's fall risk. Studies have shown the efficiency of community-based exercise and education programs on reducing the risk of falling. The Stepping On Program utilizes a group setting to educate on falls and risks, strength and balance exercises, home safety, vision, coping after a fall, and community mobility. Stepping On is an evidence-based fall prevention program that has been proven to reduce falls by 31 …

The Effect Of Barefoot Running On Navicular And Pelvic Drop: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sarah Bunde, Christopher James, Kathryn West

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Gaining knowledge of the change in navicular drop of the foot and pelvic movement in response to barefoot running training may allow sports medicine professionals, coaches, athletes, and others in the healthcare field to decrease the amount of injuries that may be caused by these motions. The effects of rearfoot strike pattern (RFSP) versus a forefoot strike pattern (FFSP) in determining the impact on navicular drop and pelvic movement is lacking in literature. Due to the increased correlation of hip movement and lower extremity injuries, the purpose of this study was to determine if barefoot running with …

Emg Analysis Of Latissimus Dorsi, Middle Trapezius, And Erector Spinae Muscle Activity During Return To Neutral Phase Of Spinal Rotation, Stephen Erlandson, Nathan Hasunuma, Landon Uetz

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Purpose/Hypothesis: Rotation of the spine is a common movement used to perform activities of daily living and sports performance, and contributes to a large percentage of low back injuries. Performance of spinal rotation for the rehabilitation and prevention of future back injuries should be considered, as low back pain is the second most common reason for a physician visit. Muscles that are involved in rotation of the spine have been studied, but the Latissimus Dorsi (LD) has limited research on the influence of spinal rotation. The LD muscle is one of the largest back muscles and influences many movements of …

A Case Report: Factors Influencing The Care Of A Critically Ill Patient In The Icu Following Medical Management Of A Benign Parasagittal Meningioma, Lucas Keller

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Primary brain tumors will affect 23,890 adults in the US in 2020. Many of these patients will require an intensive care unit (ICU) if resection is the chosen course of treatment. Early mobility has been shown to reduce negative effect of ICU stays in patient ability and long-term outcomes.

Case Description. This report describes the 4-week inpatient physical therapy management of a 69-year-old female who is 6 months post left cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and presented to the ICU with shortness of breath, severe continuous frontal headaches, and a reduction of regained strength from her CVA in …

Effects Of Pole Walking On Adults With Parkinson's Disease Following 6 Weeks Of Training, Kathleen Dennison, Taylor Jamison

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction: Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects motor planning and motor function. Symptoms associated with this disease include bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, and postural instability. These symptoms are often accompanied by gait disturbances including decreased step length, arm swing, and gait velocity, as well as diminished trunk rotation and postural instability all which make functional mobility increasingly difficult. Conventional walking has been shown to be an effective physical activity to maintain mobility and improve function and overall fitness. Specifically, walking speed has been identified as a crucial predictor for fall risk which is why clinicians have …

Electromyographic (Emg) Activity Of The Hip Abductors During Various Hip Exercises, Heather Harrower, Natalie Murphy, Trista Saulter, Katelyn Voll

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: The purpose of the study was to record, compare, and analyze muscle recruitment patterns during different hip abduction exercises. This was done by examining the patterns for gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and tensor fascia latae when performing the following exercises: Standing hip abduction with a blue resistance band around bilateral ankles, sidelying hip abduction utilizing constant effort to move a small, medium, or large ball up and down the wall, and basic sidelying hip abduction with no ball. All exercises were done with participants' dominant lower extremity.

Case Description: Fifteen, healthy, University of North Dakota Physical Therapy …

The Epidemiology Of Pediatric Sports And Recreational Injuries Reporting To The Emergency Department In Grand Forks, Nd, Erin Larson, Kameron Mcnary

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction: Sports and recreation injuries are common despite efforts to make sports and recreational activities safe through rules of play and the use of safety equipment. Analyzing the injuries that result and the associated mediating factors can help to assess whether more effective preventive measures can be instituted.

Methodology: Medical records from an upper Midwest regional medical center were examined for sports and recreational injuries in youth (0-19 years of age) who reported to the emergency room during the years mid 2010 to mid 2015. Data from 2011 to 2014 was evaluated to have a complete number of years for …

Physical Therapy Rehabilitation In A Patient With Guillain-Barre Syndrome With Acute Respiratory Failure: A Case Report, Daniel P. Torok

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a lower motor neuron autoimmune disorder that primarily affects the myelin sheaths of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). GBS results in generalized weakness and sensory deficits of the extremities and trunk; in severe cases it may impact cranial nerves, respiratory musculature, and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The purpose of this case study is to describe the physical therapy interventions used for a patient diagnosed with GBS and the results from those interventions.

Case Description. This case study describes the 9-week acute care Physical Therapy management of a 51-year-old transgender female diagnosed with …

Association Of Generalized Joint Hypermobility And Occurrence Of Musculoskeletal Injury In Physical Therapy And Occupational Therapy Students, Allie Erdmann, Amber Klein

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background: Prior research has shown that physical and occupational therapy students have a higher prevalence of hypermobility than that which is seen within the general population. Throughout the literature, the rates of injury are greater in those with hypermobile joints. It has also been found that females have higher rates of hypermobility than males. Given this information, a secondary question arose regarding whether or not hypermobility and injury (initial or recurrence) are directly related to one another.

Purpose: The intent of conducting this study was to evaluate physical therapy and occupational therapy students for hypermobility while concurrently assessing for their …

Electromyographic Activity Of Hamstrings And Quadriceps Muscle During Jumping And Landing: Pilot Study, Shawn Danielson, Logan Flegel, Nathan Mertens

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this pilot study was to see if there was a difference in the amount of electromyographic (EMG) activity in the quadriceps (vastus medialis and vastus lateralis) compared to the amount of EMG activity in the hamstrings (biceps femoris and semitendinosus) muscles in active male and female subjects during vertical jumping and landing. In addition, we looked at the amount of knee flexion that occurred shortly after landing from a vertical jump.

Methods. EMG activity was recorded using a Noraxont TeleMyo DTS telemetry unit with a sampling rate of 1 kHz. EMG data was recorded …

Potential Benefits Of Physical Therapy For Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Rebecca Soito

Senior Honors Projects

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS is associated with progressive motor deficits and paralysis of the muscles that control limb movement, swallowing, and breathing. As ALS progresses, the muscles responsible for fine and gross motor functions are affected and motor skills decline. Typical life expectancy of people with ALS is 2-5 years after symptom onset. The most common cause of death for individuals with ALS is respiratory failure. There is no current curative treatment for ALS but symptoms can be managed through multidisciplinary care. The …

Mental Health Assessments In Icu And Acute Care, Carolynn M. Keane, Megan Altom, Taylor Harrell, Erica Smith, Danielle Woodward

Master of Occupational Therapy Student Critically Appraised Topics

The purpose of our critically appraised topic is to provide a brief summary of assessments that may be relevant to the burn unit or ICU setting, including their validity, reliability, specificity, sensitivity, and limitations. We had a total of eight articles with the following study designs: Systematic Review (2 articles), Longitudinal Study (1 article), Comparative Analysis (1 article), Correlational Analysis (2 articles) and Methodological (2 articles). These articles looked at the reliability, validity, specificity, and sensitivity of the following assessments: Abbreviated Burn Specific Anxiety Scale (A-BSPAS), Beck Depression Inventory-II, Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experience (B-COPE), Concise Mental Health Checklist …

Holistic Lifestyle Counseling By Physical Therapists: Current Practice And Barriers To Improvement, Savannah Grogan

Honors College Theses

Context: Unhealthy lifestyle habits are a significant risk factor for chronic disease and death in the United States of America. The healthcare system is largely focused on symptom-management and disease treatment with seemingly little regard for prevention, but physical therapists are particularly well-placed to improve patients’ health through lifestyle counseling and modification. Objectives: To assess the current state of holistic health promotion among physical therapists and to identify barriers to improving these practices. Design: An electronic survey was completed by physical therapists in and around the state of Kentucky. Descriptive statistics were used to assess participant demographics and the state …

Exploring The World Of On Time Pediatric Power Mobility, Lauren Hanna

OTD Capstone Projects

Children with delayed or impaired self-initiated mobility are deprived of critical developmental learning experiences. All children deserve access to ON TIME mobility. The Explorer Mini is the first power mobility device in the world to provide ON TIME mobility to children 12-36 months.

Challenges Associated With Occupational Therapy In Nebraska, Delaney Simmonds

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

As part of a fast-growing field, occupational therapists (OTs) in Nebraska face many challenges. This project utilizes interviews with local OTs, analysis of scholarly articles, and online databases in order to understand the challenges faced by OTs and how they may be improved upon at both an individual and a state level. The three most common settings for occupational therapists to be placed for fieldwork assignments and for work post-graduation are hospitals, schools, and skilled nursing facilities (AOTA State Affairs Group 2017). Interviews were carried out with occupational therapists working in these three settings in order to examine the similarities …

Perceptions Of Risk For Stress Fractures: A Qualitative Study Of Female Runners With And Without Stress Fracture Histories., Therese E Johnston, Jeremy Close, Phil Jamora, Susan F Wainwright

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: To gain insight into perceived factors related to bone health and stress fracture (SF) prevention for female runners and to understand their experiences within the medical community.

DESIGN: Cohort qualitative study.

SETTING: University health system.

PARTICIPANTS: Forty female runners, 20 who had SF histories and 20 age-and-running-distance matched women without SF.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women participated in audiotaped qualitative semi-structured interviews. For women with a SF history, questions sought their perspectives on factors that they felt contributed to SF, experiences with the medical community, and changes made post SF. For women without a SF history, questions sought perspectives on …

Factors Associated With Quality Of Life And Dialysis Compliance, Viviana Garcia Guerra

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study explored the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and dialysis compliance with family support, spirituality, age, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) among people with end stage renal disease (ESRD). Utilizing the Biopsychosocial Spiritual Framework, this study pursued to inform mental health professionals working with people undergoing dialysis about the factors that influence QoL and dialysis compliance. This descriptive quantitative dissertation study included 79 participants who self-identified as persons receiving either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Participants were members from closed social online forums and the National Kidney Foundation.

The current study found that family support and SES predicted …

Improving The Classroom Experience By Providing Teachers With A Mindfulness Intervention, Andrea P. Almaguer-Botero

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to improve the classroom environment for teachers by providing them with a mindfulness-based intervention. This experimental study evaluated the outcomes of an eight-week stress and mindfulness prevention intervention (SPAM) created specifically for teachers. The current study measured the following variables: mindfulness, stress, self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and well-being. This study used a four-way ANOVA (2 X 3 X 2 X 5) with two between subjects’ factors, groups and levels, and two within subjects/repeated measures factors, pre-test-posttest and scales. There were 14 teacher participants in the experimental group and 19 teacher participants in the control group. …

The Β3-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist Mirabegron Improves Glucose Homeostasis In Obese Humans, Brian S. Finlin, Hasiyet Memetimin, Beibei Zhu, Amy L. Confides, Hemendra J. Vekaria, Riham H. El Khouli, Zachary R. Johnson, Philip M. Westgate, Jianzhong Chen, Andrew J. Morris, Patrick G. Sullivan, Esther E. Dupont-Versteegden, Philip A. Kern

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND. Beige adipose tissue is associated with improved glucose homeostasis in mice. Adipose tissue contains β3-adrenergic receptors (β3-ARs), and this study was intended to determine whether the treatment of obese, insulin-resistant humans with the β3-AR agonist mirabegron, which stimulates beige adipose formation in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SC WAT), would induce other beneficial changes in fat and muscle and improve metabolic homeostasis.

METHODS. Before and after β3-AR agonist treatment, oral glucose tolerance tests and euglycemic clamps were performed, and histochemical analysis and gene expression profiling were performed on fat and muscle biopsies. PET-CT scans quantified brown adipose tissue volume and …

Individual Difference As A Factor In Ethical Decision-Making, Dan W. Reagan Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the dominance of modernistic ethics in counseling there has been a growing development of postmodern thought. There has been a growing understanding the limitations of ethical codes and purely rational thinking in ethical decision-making. Part of this new paradigm is an appreciation for the role of affect and context in the decision-making process. A post-modern approach to counseling ethics seems to be increasingly accepted among persons working in the social service field but little research has been attempted to evaluate the implications of such a change in training and practice. This study attempted to explore possible relationships between individual …

Evaluation Of User Interface In Drive Focus® Application, Bailey Kiser, Paul S. Peritos, Noreen Hasan, Anjelica J. Collins

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Technology is used in healthcare settings to aid clinicians in accessing client information, researching data, and enhancing communication with the client and other healthcare team members. In order for an app to best support client engagement, the app needs to have a well-developed user interface design There are four main aspects of user interface design, context, fidelity, accessibility, and consistency. The Drive Focus® application (app) is designed to identify how an individual recognizes, prioritizes, and reacts to information during real-world driving simulations. The Drive Focus® app has efficacy and feasibility, however, the user interface design has never been assessed. Therefore, …

Are All Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living Equal? A Pilot Study On The Performances Of Adults With Acquired Brain Injury, Crystal Lee, Samantha Schauer, Amy Tam, Yareli Vargas

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Aim: To determine if a relationship exists among performances of different instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in adults with acquired brain injury (ABI).

Methods: A two-group correlational design was used to examine the relationship among performances in cooking, medication management, and financial management in nine adults with ABI who returned to driving and nine adults with ABI who did not return to driving. The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT) measured initiation, organization, sequencing, judgment and safety, and completion.

Translated Evidence-Based Mental Health Toolkit For Skilled Nursing Facilities, Natalie Crisostomo Barrales, Jan Martha Conducto, Cecelia Ly-Peh

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

More than 500,000 adults with a serious mental illness (SMI) receive long term care (LTC) in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) (Grabowski, Aschbrenner, Feng, & Mor, 2009). Residents who live in SNFs may experience limited access to meaningful occupations. The SNFs’ institutionalized structure may perpetuate a lack of autonomy and stigma for residents with a SMI (Sullivan & Williams, 2017). Occupational therapy (OT) services provided in a SNF are often limited to therapeutic exercises, therapeutic activities, and activities of daily living skills (Rafeedie, Metzler, & Lamb, 2018). OT practitioners are not utilizing mental health interventions. Although SNFs are not traditionally …

Physiological Responses & Coping Strategies Of Sensory Defensive Adults, Benjamin Cohen, Alexandria Donaldson, Jenny Park-Chan, Jessica Valenzuela

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to learn how adults cope with their sensory defensiveness (SD) and how physiological responses differ between adults who self-report as high SD versus low SD. Methods: In this continuation study participants (age 18-64; n=23) were categorized as low SD (control group; n=9) or high SD (experimental group; n=14) via their Adolescent Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) scores and Sensory Response Questionnaire (SRQ) scores (Brown, & Dunn, 2002 & Wilbarger, 2009). The last nine participants also completed the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ). All participants partook in the sensory challenge protocol which examined their electrodermal activity …

Impacts Of Assistive Technology Applications In Higher Education For Students With And Without Disabilities, Christine Jacob, Michelle Morello, Cayla Chapman, Grace Erhardt, Erin Camarena, Sara Delucchi, Bethany Young

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Current trends in higher education include an increased enrollment of students who have a disability and a rising trend of technology use within the classroom. Assistive technology (AT) has been shown to enhance academic success and influence learning strategies. Furthermore, the combination of AT and individualized support has the potential to promote and enhance engagement in meaningful occupations, such as participation in school, for individuals with and without disabilities. However, the procurement of AT alone can often have less impact than AT combined with individualized support. Occupational therapists (OT) can play a significant role in HE providing training and individualized …

Creating Focused Occupational Therapy Interventions For Clients With Heart Failure In Skilled Nursing Facilities, In Hwa Chae, Camille Marcia Schilling, Elena Ruth Vaccaro

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

The ultimate goal of the SNF is to help clients stabilize their medical conditions and attain their therapy goals so that they can return home (Orr, Boxer, Dolansky, Allen, & Forman, 2016). However, approximately 27% of heart failure (HF) clients are readmitted to the hospital after being discharged from the SNF (Allen et al., 2011). High readmission rates may be due to the cognitive (Dickson, Tkacs, and Riegel, 2007), psychosocial (Halliday, 2010), and lifestyle barriers (Maeda, Shen, Schwarz, Farrell, & Mallon, 2013) HF clients face. However, interventions in the SNF tend to emphasize activities of daily living (ADLs) and therapeutic …

Relative Contribution Of Arms And Legs Through Repetitive Assisted Sit-To-Stand Motion In Individuals With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury, Abd Aziz Musfirah

Student Works (2020-2029)

Sit-To-Stand (SitTS) exercise is one of important prerequisites to achieve some functional independence goals in everyday life especially for individuals undergoing rehabilitation In general, the execution of SitTS in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients involves motor function in both upper and lower extremities. The use of arm support in particular is a very significant element while executing SitTS movement for SCI population. In addition, application of functional electrical stimulation (FES) onto the quadriceps muscles is one of the prescribed management for incomplete SCI to improve muscle action for simple lower limb movements. However, the relative contribution of upper and lower …

Physical Inactivity: A Behavioral Disorder In The Physical Therapist’S Scope Of Practice, Matthieu P. Boisgontier, Maura D. Iversen

SHU Faculty Publications

In health, the gold standard is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.This state is weakened by physical inactivity, which involves a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, depression, and obesity. Moreover, 6% to 10% of all deaths from non-communicable diseases worldwide can be attributed to physical inactivity. These adverse effects of physical activity provide evidence that physically active individuals are closer to the gold standard of health than inactive individuals. Therefore, physical activity – not inactivity – should be the standard reference behavior. In this framework, physical inactivity is a clinically significant disturbance in an …

Pattern Of Recovery And Outcomes Of Patient Reported Physical Function And Pain Interference After Ankle Fusion: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Jessica M. Kohring, Jeff Houck, Irvin Oh, Adolf S. Flemister, John P. Keptz, Judith F. Baumhauer

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Background: Research on outcomes after ankle fusion focuses on basic activities of daily living, fusion rates, and gait parameters. Little has been reported on the patient’s perspective after surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the change in patient reported physical function and pain interference after ankle fusion surgery to guide patient expectations and improve provider communication.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected patient reported outcome measurement information system (PROMIS) data in 88 ankle arthrodesis procedures performed from May 2015 to March 2018. The PROMIS Physical function (PF) and pain interference (PI) measures were collected …

Attrition In A Holistic Job Skills Training Program: A Qualitative Study, Jeaniece Silas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Today thousands of individuals and families are unemployed or underemployed and are seeking ways to combat poverty and become employed. One way that individuals seek to gain employment is by attending job skills training and adult education programs. However, there are barriers that hinder those individuals from successfully completing the programs. The purpose of this study is to explore the experience of applicants of a nonprofit job skills training program called FaithWorks and explore the reasons why applicants were not able to continue and, or complete the program. This study was conducted, through qualitative interviewing of four participants (N=4) utilizing …