Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Promoting Writing Development In Preschoolers, Claudia M. Ortiz

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Providing extended opportunities for early writing and early literacy for preschool children into the lessons will enhance their writing skills. Purpose: The purpose of this capstone was to examine the effectiveness of providing a structured early writing plan to the preschool children to promote writing development and early literacy skills.

Theoretical Framework. The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) guided this study. Methods. This quasi-experimental research measured the emerging writing and early literacy levels of a selected group of 12 preschool students. The Learning Without Tears (LWT) Pre-k Assessments, the Readiness & Writing, and the Language & Literacy were used …

Cortical Activation During Shoulder And Finger Movements In Healthy Adults: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (Fnirs) Study., Chieh-Ling Yang, Shannon B Lim, Sue Peters, Janice J Eng

Physical Therapy Publications

Characterization of cortical activation patterns during movement of the upper extremity in healthy adults is helpful in understanding recovery mechanisms following neurological disorders. This study explores cortical activation patterns associated with movements of the shoulder and fingers in healthy adults using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twelve healthy right-handed participants were recruited. Two motor tasks (shoulder abduction and finger extension) with two different trial lengths (10 s and 20 s) were performed in a sitting position at a rate of 0.5 Hz. The hemodynamic response, as indicated by oxy-hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxy-hemoglobin (HbR), over both hemispheres was acquired using a 54-channel …

The Occupational Therapy Examination And Practice Preparation (Otepp) Program: Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of An Educational Program For Internationally-Educated Occupational Therapists, Colleen E. Mcgrath

Occupational Therapy Publications

This paper provides a chronological overview of the development, implementation, and evaluation of an educational initiative aimed at ensuring internationally-educated occupational therapists are prepared to enter practice in their new country, Canada. The three major phases of the program’s 12-year evolution are described, to distill the key lessons learned at each phase. Data related to the demographics of participants, program content, results of the national examination, registration, and employment outcomes are included. An enhanced understanding of the transition experience of internationally educated occupational therapists provides a strong foundation from which to support internationally-educated colleagues and strengthen the occupational therapy profession.

Centering The Complexity Of Long-Term Unemployment: Lessons Learned From A Critical Occupational Science Inquiry, Rebecca Aldrich, Debbie Rudman, Na Eon(Esther) Park, Suzanne Huot

Occupational Therapy Publications

Inquiries that rely on temporal framings to demarcate long-term unemployment risk generating partial understandings and grounding unrealistic policy solutions. In contrast, this four-phase two-context study aimed to generate complex understandings of post-recession long-term unemployment in North America. Grounded in a critical occupational perspective, this collaborative ethnographic study also drew on street-level bureaucracy and governmentality perspectives to understand how social policies and discursive constructions shaped people’s everyday ‘doing’ within the arena of long-term unemployment. Across three phases, study methods included interviews with 15 organizational stakeholders who oversaw employment support services; interviews, participant observations, and focus groups with 18 people who provided …

Occupational Therapists As Street-Level Bureaucrats: Leveraging The Political Nature Of Everyday Practice., Rebecca M Aldrich, Debbie Rudman

Occupational Therapy Publications

BACKGROUND.: As front-line service providers who often work in systems regulated by governmental bodies, occupational therapists can be conceptualized as "street-level bureaucrats" ( Lipsky, 1980/2010 ) who effect and are affected by policy.

PURPOSE.: Drawing on understandings from a study of long-term unemployment, this article proposes that occupational therapists, as street-level bureaucrats, respond to inter-related policies and systems in ways that can perpetuate, resist, or transform opportunities for doing and being.

KEY ISSUES.: By highlighting practitioners' everyday negotiation of governmental, organizational, and professional power relations, the notion of street-level bureaucracy illuminates the political nature of practice as well as the …

Supports For Migrant Farmworkers: Tensions In (In)Access And (In)Action, Susana Caxaj, Amy Cohen, Sarah Marsden

Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Publications

Purpose: This study examined the role of support actors in promoting or hindering access to migrant agricultural workers' (MAWs) needs, and, to determine the factors that influence adequate support for this population.
Methodology: Employing a Situational Analysis methodology, we carried out focus groups and interviews with 35 support actors complimented by a community scan (n=28) with public-facing support persons and a community consultation with migrant agricultural workers (MAWs).
Findings: Two major themes were revealed: (In)access and (In)action, and; Blurred Lines in Service Provision. The first illustrated how support actors could both reinforce or challenge barriers for this population through tensions …

A Case Of Thoracic Spondylosis Deformans And Multilevel Instrumented Spinal Fusion In An 84-Year-Old Male., Amy H Amabile, J Raymond Shea, Vishal Desai, Lisa T Hoglund, Jamie N Elcock, Anthony Lombardo, Matthew C Schiffino

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

Spondylosis deformans is a type of spinal claw osteophytosis which can be found on the anterolateral vertebral bodies of any region, and which consists of protrusions of intervertebral disc tissue covered by a bony shell. We report here a case of thoracic spondylosis deformans and multilevel instrumented fusion found during routine dissection of a cadaver. Theories of the etiology of this condition are reviewed in general, and with respect to this specific case and the potential interaction of the presenting comorbidities. The clinical implications of these osteophytes, including musculoskeletal and visceral sequelae, are also discussed.

Functional Electrical Stimulation Plus Visual Feedback Balance Training For Standing Balance Performance Among Individuals With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Series, David J Houston, Jae W Lee, Janelle Unger, Kei Masani, Kristin E Musselman

Physical Therapy Publications

Individuals with an incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) are highly susceptible to falls during walking or standing. Our objective was to evaluate a therapeutic tool for standing balance that combined functional electrical stimulation, applied bilaterally to the plantarflexors and dorsiflexors, with visual feedback balance training (FES+VFBT). Five adults with iSCI completed 12 FES+VFBT sessions over 4 weeks. During the training sessions, participants completed each of the four balance exercises twice. Visual feedback of the center-of-pressure (COP) location was provided as participants completed the balance exercises and received FES to assist with performance of the exercises. A closed-loop FES system was …

Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Balance And Walking Improvements In An Adolescent With Cerebral Palsy (Gmfcs Ii) And Autism After Motor-Assisted Elliptical Training, Guilherme Manna Cesar, Thad W. Buster, Judith M. Burnfield

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Purpose: To quantify the impact of motor-assisted elliptical (ICARE) training on cardiorespiratory fitness, balance and walking function of an adolescent with walking limitations due to cerebral palsy.

Materials and methods: A thirteen-year-old boy with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System II) and autism participated. Peak oxygen consumption (peak VO₂, primary outcome measure), oxygen cost of walking, Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), modified Timed Up and Go (mTUG), 2-Minute Walk Test (2MWT), and gait characteristics (speed, cadence, step length, single support time) were assessed prior to and after completion of 24 sessions of moderate- to vigorous- intensity ICARE …

Effects Of Ankle Angular Position And Standing Surface On Postural Control Of Upright Stance, Fawaz A. Alwadani, Huaqing Liang, Alexander S. Aruin

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of ankle angular position and standing surface type on static upright balance. Ten young adults stood on a force platform or on a firm wedge that induced 15° of either dorsiflexion or plantarflexion. In addition, a piece of foam was placed on top of the force platform and on the wedge. The center of pressure distance and velocity in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions were calculated. Significantly larger magnitudes in most of the investigated variables were seen while standing with ankles in the dorsiflexion when compared with standing with the …

Improvement In Overground Walking After Treadmill-Based Gait Training In A Child With Agenesis Of The Corpus Callosum, Gena Henderson, Matthew Beerse, Huaqing Liang, Diego Ferreira, Jianhua Wu

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Background: Agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) is a rare congenital brain defect that produces a wide variety of cognitive and motor impairments. Literature regarding the response of pediatric populations with ACC to physical rehabilitation is scarce. Treadmill-based gait training (TT) has been shown to improve walking ability in some pediatric populations but has not been investigated in children with ACC.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a novel treadmill intervention paradigm on the gait parameters of a child with ACC.

Design: A single-participant design with 2 phases was used.

Methods: The settings were …

Validity Of The Paper Pull Test For Strength In Patients With Hallux Valgus, Marcey Keefer Hutchison, Jeff Houck, Jaymee Kau, Kristen E. Omohundro, Alex Hughes, Kara Oshiro, Taylor Eckel

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Introduction/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore validity of the paper pull test (PPT) to assess hallux flexion strength and function in persons with hallux valgus (HV). The following hypotheses were tested: 1) The PPT is valid for inferring 1st MTP flexion strength and heel rise (HR) performance (e.g. heel height). 2) A specified threshold of force during the PPT can be identified that discriminates patients with HV. 3) Muscle activity (abductor hallucis [AH], flexor hallucis brevis [FHB]), in patients with HV will be distinct from controls across three tasks: 1) PPT, 2) lowering phase of a HR, …

Change The Environment; Change The Child, Theresa M. Sabo

MOT Student Capstones

Children that have been exposed in utero to illicit drug use by their mothers is a growing problem in society. These children enter the early childhood education system with biological changes to their brains that affect their ability to learn and engage effectively with others. They present with a wide variety of behaviors that they may or may not be able to control. Often these children are labeled as just not trying. An evidenced-based PowerPoint presentation named Change the Environment; Change the Child was developed to provide early childhood educators a better understanding of this population's needs and of interventions …

Promoting Physical Activity In Group Home Settings: Staff Perspectives Through A Swot Analysis, Bik C. Chow, Peggy Hiu Nam Choi, Wendy Yajun Huang, Chien-Yu Pan

Faculty of Design & Environment (THEi)

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate perceptions of staff about the promotion of physical activity (PA) in selected group residences of Hong Kong (HK), some of which had experienced a multi-component PA program. Method: Focus group interviews with nineteen staff members from four group homes (two of which received the program) were conducted. Findings: A SWOT analysis provided important insights into residential staff views about key influences on the quality of PA programs for residents with intellectual disabilities (ID). Positive (strengths and opportunities) and negative (weaknesses and threats) influences were identified. They were associated with characteristics of …

Occupational Therapy Perspectives On Creating A Sensory Friendly Event, Shana Mickel

MOT Student Capstones

Access to sensory friendly events is important for social development and participation for children and adults with sensory processing needs. The number of these events in local communities are limited. The disconnect between the number of accessible events and companies willing to host such events is exacerbated by limited resources and education available for non-medical companies. This project sought to determine the needs of a local hockey arena and manager and create a guideline that would assist in not only hosting an event but also educating staff to feel more empowered to be part of the planning and implementation aspect. …

An Educational Workshop Discussing Implementation Of Yoga Techniques In Occupational Therapy In An Acute Care Setting, Tatsiana Karcheuskaya

MOT Student Capstones

My project focused on benefits of incorporation of yoga elements to occupational therapy interventions in an acute care setting. My goal was to improve functional outcomes and perceptions of well-being for clients in an acute care. The objectives were to locate and analyze available evidence supporting incorporation of yoga breathing techniques and mindfulness to occupational therapy in acute care; educate occupational therapy practitioners working in an acute care on possibilities of utilizing yoga techniques during therapeutic interventions; to determine if provided information improved knowledge of the participants regarding the subject and if they felt comfortable utilizing suggested techniques with the …

Resilient Aging: Maximizing Functional Abilities Of Aging Adults, Casey M. Perkins

MOT Student Capstones

The Resilient Aging program aims to educate fitness trainers and other movement professionals who work with community-dwelling older adults in order to help them provide the best exercise programs for overall wellness. Training from the program includes education regarding a variety of restorative movements, stretching, positional transitions. proprioceptive training, balance, and strengthening exercise in multiple planes with a variety of loads to maximize the functional abilities, and resilience of the elderly participants, with outcomes aimed at improving the movement professionals" understanding of these topics. The program promotes the client participation in occupations by providing education to movement professionals regarding not …

Clinical Measurements Of The Posterior Shoulder Endurance Test (Pset), Neil A. Evans

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Of the intrinsic factors responsible for non-traumatic shoulder pain, muscular endurance is often not measured by rehabilitation professionals due to the lack of available shoulder endurance measures. Measurement properties of the PSET have not been adequately assessed in previous studies. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop the clinical measurement properties of the Posterior Shoulder Endurance Test (PSET) so that it might be used as a clinical measure of shoulder muscular endurance.

Electromyography (EMG) offers the ability to identify which muscles in the posterior shoulder girdle are fatiguing during the PSET. Surface EMG of upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius …

Psychosocial Predictors Of Chronic Pain And Pain-Related Disability 12 Months After Lower Extremity Fracture, Joshua Judson Van Wyngaarden

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Over 700,000 lower extremity fractures occur each year with a large portion of these patients developing adverse long-term pain and disability outcomes. Current literature indicates that 39% to 62.7% of all patients report continued pain long after traumatic lower extremity fracture. Concurrent physical limitations and reduced quality of life are common, with nearly one-third of all patients reporting pain-related disability seven years after limb threatening trauma, and approximately 50% of these patients having limitations in functional mobility and activities of daily living at long-term follow-up. These poor long-term injury-related pain and disability outcomes are alarming and require further action to …

A Computational Biomechanical Model-Based Optimization Of Fulcrum Support In Orthosis Enabled Closed Reduction Of Developmental Dysplasia Of The Hip, Christopher Rose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Hip abduction orthosis devices (HAOD) are used to reduce the hip joint of infants affected by developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). HAOD have been successful for mild cases of DDH and ineffective for severe cases. Efforts in understanding the biomechanics of lower limbs have been made to improve the success rate of current treatment methods, especially for Grade IV dislocations (G4). The aim of this dissertation is twofold: first, it proposes the use of a varying fulcrum point (FP) located below the leg to improve DDH treatment; and secondly, it defines the optimal FP (OP) location for a broad …

Outcomes Of Formalized Physical Therapy Vs. Self-Directed Home Exercise, Thomas Lee, Daniel Bowles

Phase 1

Introduction: After a formal microdiscectomy or 1-2 level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) there exists a lack of consensus on effectiveness of postoperative formal physical therapy (PT) rehabilitation efficacy. We seek to determine whether home PT is equivalent to standard PT using patient reported outcomes measures (PROMs) after the aforementioned operations.

Methods: This study is a prospective single center cohort study. The inclusion criteria is patients undergoing a microdiscectomy or ACDF operation excluding patients under 18, infection, trauma, tumor, or revision. Outcomes are measured using PROMs specific for each operation.

Results: Preliminary data suggests that post-operative …

Fieldwork Educator Preparedness: A Study Examining The Effect Of An Online Learning Module On The Perceived Preparedness Levels Of Fieldwork Educators, Breanna Chycinski

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project was to compare how the implementation of a learning module, titled The Fieldwork Educator Competency Module altered the perceived level of preparedness of occupational therapy (OT) practitioners related to their role as a fieldwork educator (FWEd) for Level II OT students. A quantitative, pre-experimental, one group pretest-posttest research design was used. All components of the research took place in an online, virtual setting. Participants were OT practitioners who were eligible to be a Level II FWEd. Results indicate a positive change for at least one participant for each question of the survey. The largest …

The Impact Of Mobile Media On The Fine Motor Development Of Students Entering Into The Educational System, Bernadette H. Needham

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

The prevalence of mobile technology has greatly increased in our society over the last ten years. As COVID-19 continues to impact our society, the long-term impact of mobile media continues to be a concern with the movement to remote learning. The purpose of this research is to examine the parent’s perspective of increased mobile media usage at a young age on the development of fine motor skills needed for participation in kindergarten. The literature that was reviewed indicates that currently no definitive understanding of the impact of increased mobile media is known. The research was guided through decision making based …

Occupational Therapy Support In The Kindergarten Classroom Through Rti Tier I Interventions: Kindergarten Teachers’ Perceptions Of Need, Robyn R. Scarlett

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Known for the protection it affords children with disabilities, the federal statute, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 2004, also provides Local Education Agencies (LEA) funding to support general education students that may be at risk of or are demonstrating difficulty within their educational programming. Response to Intervention (RtI) is one such framework commonly used in school districts around the country to provide multi-tiered support to at-need general education students to facilitate their successful participation in their academic programming. The purpose of this study was to learn what occupational-therapy performance skills kindergarten teachers saw as areas of concern in children …

The Impact Of Parent Education With Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Kirsta Von Hellens

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Communication is an essential part of who we are, as we participate in our occupational roles, even for those who utilize augmentative and alternative communication. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of a parental training program, as parents utilized a communication device, in order to increase the number of opportunities for their child to engage with and participate with at home and in the community. This project utilized the Human Activity Assistive Technology and the Person, Environment, Occupation, and Performance model. A descriptive mixed methods case study with a sequential exploratory design was used in this …

Occupational Engagement In Adults Under Age 65 Living In Skilled Nursing Facilities (Oea-Snf), Rebecca A. King

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Adults under age 65 living in skilled nursing facilities is a growing population and lack of occupational engagement in skilled nursing facilities is well documented. There is also a documented lack of training programs for skilled nursing facility staff to appropriately care for this population’s occupational needs. Occupational Therapists are uniquely qualified to educate and train skilled nursing facility staff in the occupational engagement needs of this group. Purpose: There is a lack of documented research regarding adults under age 65 living in skilled nursing facility and training programs for staff that care for this group. To …

Determining The Effect Of Target Education On Students’ Cultural Responsiveness And Performance During Standard Patient Interactions, Rebecca Mojica

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

There is limited available data about the level of cultural responsiveness skills in occupational therapy students. The purpose of this capstone project was to ascertain the impact of target specific training in cultural diversity on students’ perception of cultural responsiveness, and on their performance during simulated patient interactions. The overreaching framework for this capstone project was the conceptual model for culturally responsive care. This capstone project followed a one group pretest and post-test quasi-experimental design. Participants consisted of second-year students enrolled in an entry level master occupational therapy program at a large urban public university. The pre and post-test self-assessment …

The Impact Of Cooking Groups On One Individual's Transition To Independent Living, Alison Garcia

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

The goal of occupational therapy in inpatient psychiatric settings is to develop independent living skills and restore normative life roles vital for leading a fulfilling life in the least restrictive environment. In one psychiatric hospital, cooking groups are an essential intervention and environment in which to develop these skills and roles. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to describe OT cooking group programing in one inpatient psychiatric setting, understand one client’s experience with cooking groups and illustrate how her participation in these groups led to a successful transition to independent living. This study was guided by the transformative …

Physical Therapy For Gait, Balance, And Cognition In Individuals With Cognitive Impairment: A Retrospective Analysis, Jason Longhurst, Jason Phan, Elbert Chen, Steven Jackson, Merrill R. Landers

Integrated Health Sciences Faculty Research

© 2020 Jason Longhurst et al. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine if a pragmatic physical therapy (PT) program was associated with improved cognition, gait, and balance in individuals with cognitive impairment. This study investigated these associations for individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in order to better characterize outcomes to PT for each diagnostic group. Methods. Data before and after one month of physical therapy were extracted from patient records (67 with AD, 34 with VaD, 35 with DLB, and 37 with MCI). The …

Vascular Dysfunction And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Examining The Role Of Oxidative Stress And Sympathetic Activity, Jennifer Weggen, Aaron Autler, Gina Tuzzolo, Austin C. Hogwood, Ashley M. Darling, Kevin P. Decker, Ryan S. Garten

Graduate Research Posters

Purpose: The physiological manifestations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with an increase in risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) independent of negative lifestyle factors. The goal of the study was to better elucidate the mechanisms behind the increased CVD risk by examining peripheral vascular function, a precursor to CVD. Moreover, this study sought to determine the role of oxidative stress and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in PTSD-induced vascular dysfunction.

Methods: Sixteen individuals with PTSD (10 women, 6 men; age 24 ± 4 years), and twenty-four healthy controls (CTRL; 15 women, 9 men, 24 ± 4 years), participated …