Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Promotion Of Fine Motor Skills Through Video Supports, Kaitlin Hasher

MOT Student Capstones

Pediatric occupational therapists working with students in a school-based setting are consistently facing challenges with time management due to their high caseload numbers and limited documentation time in school-based settings. Along with time constraint issues, schoolbased occupational therapists find it difficult to communicate with caregivers on the skills being practiced in the school setting due to limited face-to-face time with caregivers. Children continue to require therapeutic services in school-based settings, however as occupational therapists continue to take on more responsibilities in this setting it becomes more challenging to find time to provide effective and efficient means to educate and reinforce …

Promoting Awareness And Healing In Persons In Mental Health And Addiction Recovery In Middle Tennessee, Savannah Rain Flint

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with Healing Arts Project, Inc., also known as HAPI. HAPI exists to fill a gap in recovery and rehabilitation services by providing free art supplies and art classes at partnered facilities, by providing art exhibition and publication opportunities for HAPI program participants, and by participating in outreach events throughout the year. These opportunities help spread awareness and inclusivity of mental health and addiction recovery within the community and helps artists to externalize their personal struggles, thoughts, and feelings through various creative outlets.

My project focus was to increase community awareness of HAPI …

Adult Persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome: Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Current State Of Practice, Megan Eisses, Megan Hicks, Megan Mitchell, Sabrina Vanderklipp

Masters Theses

BACKGROUND: Persistent post-concussion syndrome (PPCS) is a complex diagnosis involving symptoms that affect nearly all domains of occupational therapy (OT) for adults. Currently, there is a lack of clarity in PPCS symptoms and diagnosis criteria, as well as little research reflecting the best practice patterns of OT practitioners treating adults with PPCS. This study’s primary purpose was to conduct a survey to understand OT practitioners’ current state of practice for adult patients with PPCS, as well as their current knowledge of PPCS.

METHOD: This research project involves a cross-sectional design, mixed methods, 23-question survey that was distributed to OT practitioners …

The Importance Of Cognitive Screening To Promote Clinical Decision-Making Skills, Bonnie L. Rogulj

Physical Therapy Collection

Description:

Research has revealed decreased cognitive function to be associated with mobility deficits and increased fall risk. The role of the physical therapist as the "Movement Specialist" of the patient-centered team should include screening for cognitive dysfunction in an effort to promote clinical decision-making and early intervention.

The presentation will discuss cognitive changes associated with aging to improve understanding of normal aging, mild and major neurocognitive disorder. The presentation will identify tools commonly used for cognitive screening and assist participants in the selection process. Participants will analyze sample screening findings necessary for clinical decision-making skills. The presentation will recognize the …

Creating Home Modification Solutions For Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury, Ryan Heuer

OTD Capstone Projects

Tucker's House provides home accessibility assessments and modifications to children with disabilities and their caregivers. As a small non-profit Tucker's House is not able to tailor its process to specific conditions and diagnoses. The present project focused on creating and enhancing the evidence-based resources that Tucker's House can provide to individuals with spinal cord injury and spina bifida. These resources are designed to help this population safely participate in the home environment and improve their occupational performance and wellness.

Addressing Adherence And Barriers To Long-Tenn Elimination Diet Therapy Through Occupational Therapy In Order To Improve Quality Of Life In Adults With Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Alexis White

MOT Student Capstones

The six-food elimination diet {SFED) is an effective treatment approach for eosinophilic esophagitis {EoE), but it can be challenging and affect patients' quality of life. The aim of this study assesses patients' potential factors influencing adherence to long-term elimination diets. This project employed participant questionnaires to measure attitudes and practice regarding living with EoE; and an education presentation ppt with a pre- and post-survey for key stakeholders synthesizing research findings while aligning patient-provider interaction to promote improved diet adherence. Using data electronic surveys, analysis was conducted using electronic statistical software to determine patient barriers; and to determine accuracy and impact …

Understanding Benefits Of A Community Garden On Those Impacted By Food Insecurity, Taylor Boone

MOT Student Capstones

Occupational therapy professionals can support individual and community interventions for improved health and wellness. Occupational therapists have the unique ability to assess the multi-faceted contexts that impact an individual's and/or community's ability to participate in daily occupations and their level of occupational performance. Addressing nutrition can improve the individual's overall health and wellness and subsequently improve occupational performance, and ability to participate in daily occupations. Many community-based programs act as resources, or access, to improved nutritional intake for community members working towards food security. Occupational therapy has a role in these community-based programs to facilitate improved nutritional intake through functional …

Validating Occupational Therapy's Role To Facilitate Aging In Place: The Need To Raise Clinical Awareness, Laura B. Ferguson

MOT Student Capstones

The concept of staying in one's home as they age, known as aging in place (AIP), presents an emerging area of practice in which occupational therapy (OT) professionals can utilize their skills within the clinic and community to fill a niche that has been underserved. However, lack of awareness of occupational therapy, as well as the complex nature of aging in place, may weaken the understanding of the important role that OT holds to facilitate aging in place. A systematic review of evidence-based literature was conducted to establish a platform to validate occupational therapy's complex role to facilitate aging in …

Gender-Specific Differences Of Normative Values Of Pelvic Floor Muscle Function In Healthy Adults Population: An Observational Analytical Study, Iman Akef Khowailed, Heather Disney, Haneul Lee

Physical Therapy Collection

The quantitative evaluation of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function is of great value for the diagnosis and treatment of female pelvic floor dysfunction (FPFD; Gachon et al. 2019). The demographics and the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction are well understood but there are no data on the normative values of PFM function and the preventive measures needed to serve this population (Jundt, Peschers, and Kentenich 2015).

A total of 200 healthy adults, including 71 males and 129 females participated in this observational analytical study. Subjects were included in the study if they were healthy females or males aged 20–45.

Bladder …

An Occupational Therapy Approach To Developing Empowerment: Supporting The Recovery Of Women Affected By Substance Abuse In A Residential Treatment Facility, Margaret Schneider-Adams, Molly Schneider-Adams

OTD Capstone Projects

An Occupational Therapy Approach to Developing Empowerment: Supporting the Recovery of Women Affected by Substance Abuse in a Residential Treatment Facility Capstone project poster and presentation in fulfillment of Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program at Belmont University.

Environmental Interventions And Modifications For Individuals With Down Syndrome: Creating An Assessment Tool And Social Story For Increased Participation, Erica Williams

OTD Capstone Projects

This poster is part of the doctoral capstone project completed with Tucker's House, an agency whose mission is to create safer and more accessible homes and environments for children and young adults with disabilities. This project focused on creating an assessment tool for individuals with Down Syndrome to be used during the home assessment process. A social story was also created to explain the home assessment process in an age appropriate manner to children.

Culminating Capstone Project: Development Of An Experiential Learning Framework For Graduate Occupational Therapy Students, Daniel S. Pereira

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The following capstone project was completed within an educational setting, consisting of education and program development focus areas. The objective was to construct a framework outlining standards and protocols required to implement an experiential learning program. The experiential learning framework would be adaptable to ensure efficacy among various intervention courses. Entry-level doctor of occupational therapy students at Nova Southeastern University were surveyed and identified a desire for experiential learning. Experiential learning for occupational therapy students improved evaluation skills, critical thinking, and inductive and deductive reasoning (Coker, 2009; Doucet & Seale, 2012). Furthermore, experiential learning for occupational therapy students improved student …

Creating Bridges Of Interprofessional Education: Opportunities For Collaborating Across Multiple Disciplines And Campuses, Norman Cadiz Belleza, Jim Mathews, Leiselle Pilgrim, Kaitlyn Cremer, Maureen Johnson, Elisabeth Mcgee, Evan Pucillo, Kathy Wheat, Vibhor Agrawal

Education Collection

Introduction and Purpose: The purpose of this special interest report is to discuss strategies used by to integrate simulation activities across multiple campuses and programs to foster inter- and intra-professional education. Inter-professional (IP) simulations were done between multiple campuses of a large scale, multi-state, health science university. These simulations utilized Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), and Master of Science Speech/Language Pathology (MS-SLP) students and faculty. IP simulations involved DPT students and faculty from the health sciences university in one state and physical therapist assistant (PTA) students and faculty from a different university in that same …

Drug Addiction & Mental Health, Tyler Burkholder

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Drugs have a serious effect on our mental health, and mental health has a major effect on drug abuse and addiction. There is a reason so many drug users usually need to keep going back to rehab. It is because drugs affect mental health to a point where you aren’t the same person during and even after drug addiction. Poor mental health also can be a major cause influencing people to start doing drugs. People with depression, anxiety disorders, mood disorders are more prone to drug use. That is why we need to make it a public policy to screen …

Effect Of Arm Eccentric Exercise On Muscle Damage Of The Knee Flexors After High-Intensity Eccentric Exercise, Xin Ye, William M. Miller, Sunggun Jeon, Jun Seob Song, Tyler J. West

Faculty and Student Publications

Repeated bout effect (RBE) describes a phenomenon that an initial unaccustomed eccentric exercise (ECC) bout can confer a protective effect against muscle damage from the subsequent same exercise. This protection has been observed in the same muscle, as well as the contralateral homologous (CL-RBE) muscle. But it is unknown whether the RBE is evident for non-local unrelated heterogonous muscles. The purpose of this study was to examine whether an initial elbow flexion (EF) muscle-damaging ECC could confer RBE against muscle damage from the subsequent ECC performed in the remote lower limb knee flexor (KF) muscle group. Twenty-seven young individuals were …

Exploring Animal Assisted Therapy As A Therapeutic Tool For Use In Occupational Therapy, Malia Proveaux

MOT Student Capstones

Occupational therapy (OT) is an evidence-based and effective therapeutic approach; however, patient compliance and participation are the most significant factors determining outcome measures. Animal Assisted Therapy (AA T) is a therapeutic approach used for various disorders and medical diagnoses and has been showing strong growth in recent years. Animal-assisted therapy is the interaction of a patient and a trained animal to aid the patients' progress toward their functional goals and is a valuable complement to OT. The purpose of this study is to examine the evidence-based research supporting the inclusion of AAT during skilled OT interventions to improve clinical impact. …

Establishing Ot Programming Within A Local Correctional Facility, Kayla Kennedy

OTD Capstone Projects

This OTD capstone project was completed in collaboration with Davidson County Sheriff's Office in Nashville, TN. The criminal justice system is an emerging practice area for occupational therapy with limited established OT programs in jails and prisons. Individuals who are incarcerated have limited social interaction promoting positive behaviors, limited access to quality rehabilitative services, are separated from family/friends, may be placed in isolation and overall experience occupational deprivation. This capstone project aimed to establish OT programming in a local correctional facility using the Recovery Model and MOHO to address needs of residents of the Behavioral Care Center in a long-term …

Strategies For Promoting Engagement In Youth Advocacy Program, Dana Murray

OTD Capstone Projects

The focus of this capstone project was to increase participation in and awareness of Thiiirdspace, a youth program through Family Voices of Tennessee. This was primarily done through the use of Instagram and the creation of a marketing procedure.

The Effect Of An Instructional Video On Parental Test-Retest Reliability When Scoring The Asq-3, Erin Simunds Pt, Morgan Henry, Allison Jensen, Mallory Phillips, Justin Wilson

DPT Capstone Posters

Introduction

• Less than one-fifth of children with developmental delay receive early intervention before age 3.
• At well-child visits, parents may voice concerns they have about their child; however, physicians may not consider their input in overall decision making.
• Parents can complete formal screening tools across different settings, suggesting their ability to complete assessments in the home.
• Verbal parental input can be supplemented by viewing an instructional video on typical development and completing standardized screening tools.

Objective

• The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of an instructional video explaining test administration of the ASQ-3 on parental test-retest reliability. …

Equine-Assisted Activities: Increasing Participation And Quality Of Life For Individuals With Disabilities, Melissa Mabry

OTD Capstone Projects

The author partnered with a nonprofit organization, Saddle Up!, to incorporate an occupational therapy perspective in its work with children with disabilities and equine-assisted activities as part of the OTD capstone project.

Reimagining Room In The Inn’S Housing Readiness Program: Providing Teaching Strategies To Reach All Participants, Kara Reed

OTD Capstone Projects

The intent of this project was to provide housing readiness skills to obtain and maintain permanent housing for individuals transitioning off of Nashville's streets. This housing readiness project focused on improving Room In The Inn's current "Housing Power Week" program through updating content, expanding educational tools, and providing teaching strategies/ training to staff. The project expanded three primary modules including "Life Skills: Kitchen Readiness," "Grocery Preparation," and "Basic Budgeting." Each of these primary modules has between one and three subsections to further explore skills required for success in the home.

Developing Power Skills And Effective Partnerships With Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Madison Mclean

OTD Capstone Projects

This project partnered with Friends Life Community of Nashville, TN, in effort to advocate for, increase meaningful participation in, and promote independence in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the implementation of several training tools. Staff and families at Friends Life expressed a need for more classes in a virtual capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to tools to guide Friends Life staff from an occupational therapy perspective. An occupational therapy-based training module was introduced to promote inclusion and teach activity analysis, goal-setting, and how to adapt tasks and the environment to maximize engagement and independence in …

Reducing Fall Among Acute Rehabilitation Patients Through Implementation Of A Video Monitoring System, Priscila Alfonso

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Falls are a significant healthcare issue that leads to substantial patient suffering and exorbitant health care expense. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) identify falls as preventable and not eligible for reimbursement.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: for acute rehabilitation inpatients (P), will the continuous use of video monitoring (VM) (I) compared to using bed alarms (C), decrease the fall rate by 10% (O) within six weeks of implementation (T)?

Evidence: The practice recommendation for using a VM system as a primary intervention or part of a multifactorial comprehensive fall prevention strategy …

Reducing Stroke Readmission Through The Implementation Of Telehealth, Leilani Hermosura

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Readmission occurs frequently among patients with stroke and because of this, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have imposed programs to reduce 30-day readmissions among hospitals. The health care system must respond with transition of care, especially during the period of recent stroke to improve patient outcomes.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was among patients with a recent diagnosis of stroke (P), what is the effect of a telehealth appointment with a nurse practitioner (NP) for post discharge follow-up (I), compared to a standard face-to-face clinic appointment (C), on 30-day readmissions rates (O), …

Brachial Plexus Injury In 16 Year Old Football/Soccer Player, Becca Goldman

Graduate Research Showcase

Background: This subject of this case is a 16-year-old football offensive tackle/defensive end and soccer player. The subject is undersized for his position, weighing in at about 190 pounds. The injury occurred during the football season but was not reported to the athletic trainer until after the football season was over. The actual moment the injury occurred is unknown. During a weight training day after the end of the season the subject complained to the athletic trainer that he was unable to bench press because of pain in his right shoulder. Upon further examination, the athletic trainer discovered significant atrophy …

Systematic Review Shows No Strong Evidence Regarding The Use Of Elastic Taping For Pain Improvement In Patients With Primary Knee Osteoarthritis, Stephan Heddon, Nicole Saulnier, Jorge Mercado, Michelle Shalmiyev, Jean-Philippe Berteau

Publications and Research

Background:

A recent trend in the field of primary knee osteoarthritis suggests that elastic tape (e.g., K-tape) relieves pressure on the joint by increasing tension on fascia. Elastic tape (ET) is expected to decrease pain and help patients to recover faster.

Objective:

This systematic review aims to analyze the efficacy of this method on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis by using The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score.

Data sources:

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standard for reporting systematic reviews of qualitative and quantitative evidence, we used 3 electronic databases, …

Comparison Of 360° Turn Cycles Among Individuals After Stroke And Healthy Older Adults, Rahul Soangra, Vennila Krishnan, Joby John, Ehsan Rashedi, Alison Mckenzie

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Stroke survivors are at high risk of falling during turning. The kinematics of performing a 360° turn have not been fully analyzed among individuals after stroke. Quantitative differences in the parameters of turning between healthy older adults and those after stroke could provide detailed information on turning ability among these groups. The purpose of the current study was to characterize differences between healthy older adults and adults after stroke in 360° turn kinematics. Fourteen individuals with chronic stroke (mean age: 69 ± 8.4 years) and 14 healthy older adults (mean age: 74 ± 8.7 years) performed three trials of 360° …

The Reliability Of Tensiomyography For Assessment Of Muscle Function: A Systematic Review, Stephon Moise, Daniel Hampton

UCF DPT Research Capstone

Tensiomyography (TMG) is a non-invasive tool used to assess skeletal muscle tissue, including Displacement (Dm), Contraction Time (Tc), Sustain Time (Ts), Relaxation Time (Tr), and Delay Time (Td). This tool can be used clinically to determine muscular response to exercise.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of TMG measurements.

METHODS: Studies were identified from multiple databases and evaluated for inclusion. All studies underwent a quality assessment using the Modified Downs and Black checklist for assessing quality studies, and results were extracted from qualified articles.

RESULTS: 635 studies were identified with 16 studies retained following full …

Is There A Correlation Between Rate Of Electromyography Rise In The Flexor Carpi Radialis Muscle And Comfortable Gait Speed?, Emily Montecalvo, Vanessa Novoa, Shikha Ravikumar

UCF DPT Research Capstone

Falls are a leading cause of injury-related deaths in older adults. Although gait speed (a strong predictor of falls) correlates with handgrip strength, its correlation with muscle power (amount of force produced over time) is unknown. Since peak quadriceps rate of force development (RFD) occurs at a submaximal force during ambulation, RFD could be a determinant of gait speed13. Quadriceps RFD is a measure of lower extremity power13, just as handgrip RFD is a measure of upper extremity power. Assuming that RFD is uniform throughout the body, handgrip RFD may also be correlated with gait speed. One method of studying …

The Impact Of Skeletal Muscle Disuse On Distinct Echo Intensity Bands: A Retrospective Analysis, Zachary Logeson, Gerard-Kyle Abad, Johnathon Methven, Molly Gradl

UCF DPT Research Capstone

Echo intensity (EI) is a novel tool for assessing muscle quality. EI has traditionally been reported as the mean of the pixel histogram, with 0 and 255 arbitrary units (A.U.) representing exceptional and poor muscle quality, respectively. Analyzing specific EI bands, rather than the mean, may provide novel insight into changes in muscle quality.

PURPOSE: As our previous work showed deterioration of muscle quality after knee immobilization, we sought to retrospectively explore whether the increase in EI following disuse was limited to specific bands of the EI histogram.

METHODS: Thirteen females (age = 21 yrs) underwent two weeks of knee …