Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Outpatient Physical Therapists’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Regarding Eating Disorder Screening, Esther Thomas, Morgan Russo, Kara Martin, Kristen Karnish, Audrey Campbell

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

Background & Purpose: Approximately 9% of Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime1 and these disorders can impact the recovery of patients receiving physical therapy services. Physical therapists (PT) should be aware if a patient has a history of, or current history of an eating disorder or nutritional deficiency as these can negatively impact a patient’s participation and optimal functioning. Minimal research has been performed related to physical therapy and eating disorders. Determining outpatient physical therapists’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards eating disorders and if they are screening for eating disorders is the first step in furthering research …

"My Back Is Fit For Movement": A Qualitative Study Alongside A Randomized Controlled Trial For Chronic Low Back Pain, Rodrigo Rn Rizzo, Benedict Wand, Hayley B. Leake, Edel O'Hagan, Matthew K. Bagg, Samantha Bunzli, Adrian C. Traeger, Sylvia M. Gustin, G. Lorimer Moseley, Saurab Sharma, Aidan Cashin, James Mcauley

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

A new wave of treatments has emerged to target nervous system alterations and maladaptive conceptualizations about pain for chronic low back pain. The acceptability of these treatments is still uncertain. We conducted a qualitative study alongside a randomized controlled trial to identify perceptions of facilitators or barriers to participation in a non-pharmacological intervention that resulted in clinically meaningful reductions across 12 months for disability compared to a sham intervention. We conducted semi-structured interviews with participants from the trial's active arm after they completed the 12-week program. We included a purposeful sample (baseline and clinical characteristics) (n = 20). We used …

Medical Professionals’ Perspective On Safety And Efficacy Of Early Mobilization In Acute Heart Failure Patients, Kevin Triangto, Febrian M. Santausa, Basuni Radi, Bambang Budi Siswanto

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

Acute heart failure (HF) patients most of the time presents with hemodynamic instability, which often leads to prolonged bedrest. Newer studies had shown that early mobilization for HF patients would lead to better outcomes. However, the early mobilization practice has not always been done due to several barriers in the medical professionals’ perspective, especially regarding safety and efficacy. Prior studies had shown that medical professionals’ views would greatly affect patients’ perspectives, especially in HF rehabilitation. This study is aimed to describe medical professionals’ views on the safety of early mobilization for HF. It was then revealed that General Practitioners’ (GP) …

Three-Dimensional Printing In Occupational Therapy: An Instructional Video Series, Toye Adefioye, Steven M. Gerardi, Christopher Ebner

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The three-dimensional printing instructional video series was created for occupational therapy practitioners on how to use 3D printers to print assistive devices.

Occupational Therapy Certified Hand Therapists' Perceptions Of Remaining Rooted In Occupation In The Hand Clinic: A Phenomenological Study, Andrea E. Berke-Mclaughlin

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Occupational Therapy Certified Hand Therapists (OT CHTs) working in the outpatient hand clinic tend to use the dominant biomechanical approach in the rehabilitation of their upper extremity (UE) clients. Due to the existence of a multitude of barriers and challenges for implementing an occupation-based approach, OT CHTs may not treat their UE clients holistically, placing less focus on treating the occupational performance deficits caused by the UE impairment. Purpose: The purpose of this Capstone is to explore the essence of OT CHTs’ current lived experiences in the use of occupation-based approach in the outpatient hand therapy clinic. Theoretical Framework. …

How Do Informal Caregivers Of A Person With Dementia Experience Stress And Which Supports Help Mitigate The Effect Of These Stressors?, Kwandra Andrews Brinson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD) are one of the most rapidly growing epidemics that the world is facing. Caring for a person with ADRD is challenging and often causes informal caregivers stress, loneliness, and social isolation.

Purpose: The aim of this qualitative instrumental case study was to obtain a better understanding of how informal caregivers of persons with ADRD experience stress and which supports helped mitigate the effect of these stressors in their role as a caregiver.

Theoretical Framework: The Model of Human Occupation focuses on therapy helping persons to engage in occupational behaviors that maintain, restore, reorganize, …

The Impact Of Brief Mindfulness Training On Occupational Therapy (Ot) Students' Perceived Level Of Stress, Emily K. Masters

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Mental health issues and burnout are becoming more common among students in healthcare programs (Dyrbye et al., 2014). As demands placed on healthcare professions continue to increase, there has been an increased interest in researching the practice of mindfulness to promote self-care (Irving et al., 2009). Mindfulness has been defined as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003, p. 145). Mindfulness has been shown to decrease stress and anxiety among pre-healthcare college students (Burgstahler & Stenson, 2020). Little research has investigated …

Biofeedback And Anxiety Reduction: An Occupational Therapy Intervention For Persons With Long Covid, Colette Freda

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: People who acquire Covid 19 may have symptoms lasting over three months, called Long Covid. It is estimated that one in five people in the United States has Long Covid. Unpleasant symptoms of Long Covid are many including anxiety. People with Long Covid have a difficult time engaging in everyday activities and have a poor quality of life. Occupational therapy practitioners using heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback may help decrease anxiety in the Long Covid population. There is limited research on occupational therapy and HRV biofeedback.

Purpose: The problem the study addressed was to investigate the use of HRV …

The Perception Of Stroke On Iadl, Paula O. Buari

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Residents in a skilled nursing home receiving rehabilitative services following a stroke may value instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) tasks more than ADL tasks. This research investigates the impact of IADL tasks on quality of life (QoL). Purpose: The research questions were: How do individuals post-stroke and receiving occupational therapy services in a skilled nursing facility perceive their participation, or lack of participation, in IADL, and how does this impact their perceived QoL? Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework that guided this project was the Model of Human Occupation. Methods. A phenomenological research-based qualitative approach designed to understand …

Don’T Forget The Importance Of Leisure Occupations For The Community Dwelling Elder, Susan Witt

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Leisure exploration is important to the community dwelling elder (CDE) as research indicates that social and leisure activities correlate with well-being in this population (Adams et al., 2011). This research project aimed to gain insight on the CDE’s perspective on leisure as they age in place and the role occupational therapists play in leisure promotion for this population. This mixed method study included quantitative data from the Activity Card Sort (ACS) assessment which provided data on how leisure and activities of daily living have changed with aging. Qualitative data was gained through semi-structured interview and explored the perspectives of the …

Community-Dwelling Older Adults’ Perceived Self-Efficacy And Readiness For Discharge After Receiving Occupational Therapy Services At A Skilled Nursing Facility (Snf)., Shih-Ni N. Lai

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Abstract

Background: Older adults who plan to go home from a SNF after having injuries have increased concerns about their transition and feel they have limited knowledge and information on community resources. There is research on the critical roles of occupational therapy in preparing community-dwelling older adults to transition home from SNF. However, limited research on community-dwelling older adults' perception of their self-efficacy and discharge preparedness after receiving occupational therapy services at SNF.

Purpose: This project examines the perceptions of community-dwelling older adults’ preparedness and self-efficacy after receiving occupational therapy services in a SNF to increase their quality of life …

Enhancing Support Staff Self-Efficacy In Supporting Neurodiverse Students’ Classroom Engagement, Jennifer Molina

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Executive Summary

Background: Neurodiverse students often face many challenges within their classroom environment due to a mismatch of the environmental demands and the student’s unique processing. This mismatch is often not understood by school support staff which can lead to adverse student outcomes in academic achievement and graduation rates. Support staff are often undertrained and unsupported in meeting the complex needs of neurodiverse students and OTs are often underutilized in this deficit.

Purpose: The purpose of this capstone project was to measure the knowledge and self-efficacy gained by an evidence-based training module for school support staff that promoted increased classroom …

Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Perceptions Of Workplace Stressors In One Nursing Home Post Pandemic, Owen T. Tabelisma

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Executive Summary

Background:

Multiple stress-related issues brought on by the pandemic affected healthcare staff, including occupational therapists. Nursing home settings were particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to understand how occupational therapy practitioners in nursing home settings managed stress during the pandemic and how they perceived stress after it passed.

Purpose:

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate occupational therapy practitioners ’perceptions of workplace stressors in one nursing home during the pandemic and to understand how these stressors may have changed post-pandemic.

Theoretical Framework:

The Occupational Adaptation (OA) model was the theoretical framework that served …

Client Perceptions On The Value Of Pre-Surgical Education Regarding The Recovery Process After Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty, Alice J. Mullholand

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Executive Summary

Background: The delivery of client education is an intervention that has a substantial influence on healthcare outcomes. However, the significance of preoperative education for outpatient hand treatments remains inadequately supported by research. Occupational therapists possess the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively address the issue of health literacy and make valuable contributions toward the promotion of health equity. The existing research fails to provide adequate evidence to support the claim that preoperative education is important for outpatient hand procedures. It is important to promote the adoption of best practices and enhance clients' health literacy regarding hand surgery to …

Experiences Of Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury And Return To Work: A Scoping Review, Soofia Naqvi

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Participation in productive work after a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) can often be a challenging experience. This experience is unique to each individual and is often impacted by personal and environmental factors as well as government policies. Previous studies have aimed to identify the factors associated with promoting successful return to work after SCI, but often the perceptions of those who experience SCI are excluded from these studies. This study aims to gain insights regarding the experiences of persons with SCI and participation in productive employment. Purpose: To analyze existing literature about the perceptions of persons with (SCI) …

Is Learning Being Supported When Information Is Provided To Informal Carers During Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation? A Qualitative Study, Elizabeth A. Lynch, Jessica Nolan, Lemma N. Bulto, John Mitchell, Annette Mcgrath, Simon Lane, Gill Harvey, Dominique A. Cadilhac, Rachel Harling, Erin Godecke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: To explore how health professionals provide information to informal carers during inpatient stroke rehabilitation and whether these practices align with adult learning principles. Methods: Informal carers and survivors of stroke who had completed inpatient rehabilitation, and health professionals working in inpatient stroke rehabilitation were interviewed. Directed qualitative content analysis was conducted using an adult learning model, to determine how closely reported practices aligned to adult learning principles. Results: 14 carers, 6 survivors of stroke and 17 health professionals participated. Carers (79% female, 57% spouse/partner) reported having incomplete knowledge during rehabilitation, lacking information about mechanisms of stroke recovery, rehabilitation processes, …

Implementing A Walking Program For Sedentary Patients In A Weight Management Clinic, Bailey Tetrault

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practice Innovation Projects

Background: Promoting physical activity in weight management patients promotes better patient outcomes.
Methods: Weight management clinic patients were enrolled in the 6-week Walk with Ease (WWE) program. At the first session, each participant’s walking distance was measured over a 20-minute timeframe using pedometers. WWE group met 3 times weekly for six weeks for walking activities and with education on movement, mobility, and strength. At each session, the walking distance of participants was measured over 20 minutes. Race, gender and age descriptive were also collected.
Results: Statistical tests included the Friedman Test, ANOVA, and linear regression were calculated at the 5% …

The Effects Of Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Sarah Johnson

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Objective:

To determine the overall effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) in improving range of motion (ROM), pain, strength, and patient-reported function in the lower extremity to provide recommendations for use. We also examined the influence of IASTM on unhealthy and healthy participants, body parts treated, and products used.

Data Sources:

We searched the Academic Search Premier, Alt Healthwatch, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE with full text, NLM PubMed, Physical Education Index, SPORTDiscus with full text, and the Web of Science databases for articles using the Boolean String advantEDGE OR astym OR graston OR iastm OR “instrument assist* soft …

The Taiwan Version Of The Milestones 2.0 Project For Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation Residents, Kai-Hua Chen, Shin-Liang Pan, Wen-Hsuan Hou, Nai-Hsin Meng, Jan-Wei Chiu, Huan-Jui Yeh, Hung-Chou Chen, Yu-Chi Huang, Ming-Miau Tsai, Yen-Nung Lin, Hung Yu Cheng, Tsan-Hon Liou, Chung Chao Liang, Simon Tang, Wai-Keung Lee, Chung-Lan Kao, Jiunn-Horng Kang, Yu-Tai Chang, Co Yih Siow, Jin-Shin Lai

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background: Milestones provide a framework for evaluating the trajectory of residency performance, which is one of the important works promoted by the Joint Commission of Taiwan for improving the quality of residency training. The current report aims to (1) introduce the translation and modification of the Taiwan version of the Milestones 2.0 Project for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residents (Taiwan PMR Milestones 2.0 Project), (2) document the preliminary data in the first year and (3) highlight the ongoing and future plan. Methods: In January 2022, the Taiwan Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation organised a Milestones working group consisting of …

Intra-Articular Injection Therapy In Knee Osteoarthropathy: A Narrative Review, Alan Chang, Yi-Hsiang Chiu, Chueh-Hung Wu, Tyng-Guey Wang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Knee osteoarthropathy is a common degenerative joint disorder that can cause pain and functional impairment in affected individuals. Various intra-articular injection therapies have been explored as potential treatments for knee osteoarthropathy, including corticosteroid, hyaluronic acid, dextrose and platelet-rich plasma. Intra-articular corticosteroid injection is commonly used for short-term pain relief. Patients with higher baseline pain level and milder changes of degeneration on imaging may benefit more from corticosteroid injection. However, excessive use may lead to detrimental effects on joint tissues. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections have demonstrated positive effects in improving pain and function, as well as delaying the need for total …

Referred Pain: A Case Report On Shoulder Pain Caused By A Mediastinal Tumor, Cheng-I Chen, Yao-Jen Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Shoulder pain has many etiologies, with the most common causes being the shoulder joint itself and the surrounding soft tissues, such as tendons, bursae, or ligaments. However, rare pathologies can occur. This report presents a case of chronic right shoulder pain eventually diagnosed as a rare case of extra-skeletal osteosarcoma. The referred right shoulder pain was likely caused by tumor invasion of the pericardium, whose sensory innervation is provided by the phrenic nerve. The purpose of this case report is to highlight the fact that, although rare, neoplasm can be a cause of shoulder pain. Rather than just relieving symptoms, …

Ultrasonography Can Be Early Diagnostic Modality For Pediatric Calcaneus Fractures: A Case Report, Ying-Chu Chen, Szu-En Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Although calcaneus fractures may be the most common pediatric tarsal bone fracture, most occult calcaneus fractures are not visible on plain radiography, resulting in delayed diagnosis. However, ultrasonography can aid early diagnosis of this fracture with an unspecified mechanism of injury and unremarkable radiographic findings. In a pediatric patient with progressive ankle swelling and pain, initial plain radiography was unremarkable, and antibiotics were administered for suspected infective arthritis. After limping developed, ultrasonography showed symmetric growth plates of bilateral distal tibia, fibula, and tarsal bone; a step-off calcaneus cortex with periosteal reaction; increased power Doppler flow; and probe tenderness, indicating a …

Entrapment Of The Deep Branch Of The Radial Nerve By An Intramuscular Lipoma: A Case Report, Yann-Rong Chen, Ying-Chen Kuo, Yu-Hsien Lin, Yu-Ting Lin

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Lipomas are benign tumors that are common in subcutaneous tissue and are usually asymptomatic. However, intramuscular lipomas, which are less common, can cause nerve compression in rare cases. Herein, we report the case of a 61-year-old man with an intramuscular lipoma on his right forearm. The lipoma entrapped the deep branch of the radial nerve and caused wrist drop and finger drop. A nerve conduction examination and electromyography were conducted to quantify the degree of and localize the nerve injury. Sonography provided the initial diagnosis of a lipoma, which was verified with magnetic resonance imaging. The lipoma was resected, and …

Comparison Of Postural Control, Balance And Fall In Copd Patients With Breathing Pattern Disorder, Irfan Ahmad

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objective Up to 50% of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience breathing pattern disorders (BPD). The diaphragmatic dysfunction associated with COPD has been associated with balance impairment, and improved diaphragmatic breathing has been preliminarily associated with improved static balance and marching in place. This study aimed to compare clinical gait and balance measures and the risk of falling between patients with COPD-induced BPD and older adult controls and correlate the severity of BPD to gait and balance measures. Methods Gait and balance of fifty-six patients with COPD and 56 older adult controls were measured using the timed up …

Moving Forward Together: Reflections Of A National Survey Of Ot/Ota Students’ Perceptions Of Culturally Aware Educational Content Delivery, Adair M. Sanchez, Iris W. Burns, Tina M. Deangelis, Maclain Capron, Abigail Mills, Taylor Kligerman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In June of 2020 in response to the murder of George Floyd and the additional atrocities against historically marginalized people and communities across the United States, the Commission on Education (COE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) sought to act within its scope. A retrospective survey (N= 1,692) was developed, deployed, and analyzed in accordance with the COE’s standard operating procedures relating specifically to monitoring trends that impact the education of occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students. This survey aimed to capture perspectives from OT/OTA students regarding the delivery of culturally aware educational content in curricula …

A Simulation Of Auditory Hallucinations Improved Empathy Among Occupational Therapy Students, Molly Whitlow, Anna E. Carl, Andrea Thinnes

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Clinical empathy has been identified as an essential skill for healthcare workers to provide quality healthcare. One teaching strategy for improving clinical empathy towards people with psychiatric disabilities is the Hearing Voices Simulation. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to evaluate change in clinical empathy among occupational therapy students after participating in the Hearing Voices Simulation. Participants (N=71) completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy- Health Professions Student Version (JSE-HPS) prior to and following the simulation. A paired samples t-test compared whether the change in scale scores was equal to zero. Subsequently, focus groups were used to collect …

Evaluating Communication And Collaboration Among Healthcare Students, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres, Daniel Provencher, Kristy Luciano, Sarah Zera, Susanne Higgins, Dana Lingle, Patricia A. Higgins, Charlotte Bolch

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if the Interprofessional Collaborator Assessment Rubric (ICAR): Communication and Collaboration Dimensions would demonstrate good inter-rater reliability and be a useful and efficient tool to evaluate professional communication and collaboration between occupational therapy (OT) and physician assistant (PA) students. An additional aim of this study was to assess students’ thoughts, perceptions, and perceived value regarding these types of interprofessional opportunities. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used. An interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) examined the inter-rater reliability of the instrument for both faculty raters (n = 7) and standardized patient (SP) raters …

Exploring The Experience Of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students On The Use Of Anatomage® Table To Learn Anatomy – A Survey, Karthik Mani, Amber B. Armstead, Lima Ghulmi, Flor Nunez, Amy Boyd

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Technology has transformed health science education delivery over the past decade. Students in all health science disciplines must learn and master anatomy to be successful in their education and career. Several virtual resources are available to learn anatomy. The University of Texas Medical Branch introduced Anatomage Table to its entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students in 2021 to supplement anatomy learning. As students’ usage of educational technology depends on perceived usefulness, user-friendliness, and positive user experience, this study explored the experiences and perceptions of the students regarding the use of Anatomage Tables to learn anatomy. Students in the class of …

Outcomes From An Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Practice-Scholar Apprenticeship Program, Heather J. Williamson, Cynthia Ivy, Robert E. Wickham, Oaklee Rogers, Patricia Crist

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The introduction of the occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) program to the field of occupational therapy (OT) education was intended to advance the field by developing future leaders, increasing advanced practice, and promoting scholarship in practice. Limited information to date is available regarding outcomes of the OTD program related to the future research potential of graduates. One such approach to promoting the scholarship of practice among OTD graduates is the use of the practice-scholar model. The practice-scholar model is designed to build research skills among OTD students to encourage their ongoing commitment to evidence-based practice through implementing their own research in …

The Great Escape: A Novel Approach To Collaborative Learning (Pilot), K. Megan Carpenter, Anthony D. Cunningham, Laura Smith, Kelly Krigbaum

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Healthcare continues toward team-based approaches in which multiple disciplines collaborate to ensure holistic patient care. National standards for intraprofessional collaboration guide curriculum design for entry-level occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs to ensure students acquire specific skills and knowledge needed for current OT practices. Effective intraprofessional collaboration includes effective communication, respect, trust, and understanding of role delineation, which students prefer to learn in experiential, face-to-face formats. The purpose of this study was to examine OT and OTA students’ perspectives of participating in an educational escape room (EER) as a novel experience for intraprofessional education. Investigators created an …