Other Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

‘You Have To Respect The Water’: Participant Experiences Of Appreciating And Managing The Risks Associated With Open Water Swimming – A Rapid Ethnographic Study, Mark A. Christie, David Elliott

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Open water swimming (OWS) has rapidly grown in popularity, driven by the purported health benefits of cold-water immersion. A paucity of research remains specifically considering the notable risks inherent in OWS participation, and a lack of qualitative research on freshwater swimming experiences, and safety-related issues therein. This rapid ethnographic study, based at a dedicated OWS lake in the UK, conducted semi-structured interviews with OWS participants (n=17; female=11, male=6). Two core themes emerged: environmental issues impacting OWS experiences and behaviours; and knowledge and education of OWS which highlighted safe/unsafe practices, levels of education for managing risks, personal preparedness, swimming solo/with others, …

Barriers: Location, Functionality, And Method Of Access In Childhood Pool/Spa Submersion Incidents, United States, 2000-2017, Alison Miller, Kristina R. Anderson, William D. Ramos

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is a leading cause of fatality among children in the United States, and residential pools/spas currently account for as much as 80% of these submersion incidents. This study reviewed narrative case reports obtained from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to understand barrier location, type, and functionality as methods of pool/spa access for childhood submersion incidents. Retroactive analysis of 1,523 fatal and non-fatal submersion incidents among children aged 13 years old and younger was conducted using the CPSC in depth investigation dataset from 2000-2017. Narrative descriptions were coded according to the attributes of barrier location, functionality, and …

Evaluating Drowning Prevention Campaigns - The Challenge Of Getting The Right Information To The Right People At The Right Time: A Response To Calverley, Petrass, And Blitvich, Gemma Crawford, Meg Abercromby, Malena Della Bona, Justine E. Leavy Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Evidence-informed decision making requires timely and readily available research and evaluation for policy and practice. In the context of drowning prevention, evaluation of interventions in the grey and peer reviewed literature is relatively scarce. Lack of evidence and associated barriers to access limits the scope of knowledge translation efforts and the application of research outcomes to initiatives designed to prevent drowning. The paper, Alcohol Focused Drowning Prevention Campaigns: What Do We Know and What Should We Do Now? highlights a lack of specific evaluation for alcohol-focused drowning prevention campaigns. We offer insights as evaluators of a youth water safety program …

Piriformis Syndrome With A Variant Presentation, Roberto Chuapoco, Ryan E. Linford

Annual Research Symposium

Piriformis syndrome has long been a diagnostic quandary due to its tendency to present as other nerve-related conditions. Piriformis syndrome is commonly caused by entrapment of the sciatic nerve as it travels through the greater sciatic foramen due to hypertrophy of the piriformis muscle. However, its constellation of symptoms, including radiating pain down the thigh, can easily be mistaken for lumbosacral radiculopathy. This case report aims to address the misdiagnosis of piriformis syndrome which has prolonged pain for many patients and increased the cost of medical care. It demonstrates a 76-year-old female with a confounding presentation of piriformis syndrome: buttock …

Correlation Enhanced Distribution Adaptation For Prediction Of Fall Risk, Ziqi Guo, Teresa Wu, Thurmon Lockhart, Rahul Soangra, Hyunsoo Yoon

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

With technological advancements in diagnostic imaging, smart sensing, and wearables, a multitude of heterogeneous sources or modalities are available to proactively monitor the health of the elderly. Due to the increasing risks of falls among older adults, an early diagnosis tool is crucial to prevent future falls. However, during the early stage of diagnosis, there is often limited or no labeled data (expert-confirmed diagnostic information) available in the target domain (new cohort) to determine the proper treatment for older adults. Instead, there are multiple related but non-identical domain data with labels from the existing cohort or different institutions. Integrating different …

Running Biomechanics Differ During And After Pregnancy Compared To Females Who Have Never Been Pregnant, Jennifer J. Bagwell, Elizabeth Avila, Nicholas Reynolds, Jo Armour Smith, Kevin Valenzuela, Dimitrios Katsavelis

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Perinatal running participation has increased recently; however, pregnancy related symptoms can limit activity. Perinatal running biomechanics could inform interventions to help perinatal individuals maintain an active lifestyle.

Research question

Are perinatal running biomaechanics and muscle activation different compared to nulligravida females?

Methods

Sixteen pregnant participants completed self-selected velocity running during second trimester (2 T), third trimester (3 T), and postpartum (PP) and 16 matched controls completed these procedures once in this case control study. Kinematic, kinetic, and electromyography (EMG) data were collected using a motion capture system, force plates, and EMG electrodes. Peak trunk, pelvis, hip, knee, and ankle …

Combining Static And Dynamic Myofascial Dry Cupping Therapy To Improve Local And Regional Symptoms In Individuals With Low Back Pain: A Case Series, Brent Harper, Alana Dudek, Julianne Williamson, Alex Siyufy, Jo Armour Smith

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Chronic low back pain is a common musculoskeletal healthcare presentation with an expense of over $100 billion annually. The clinical effect of myofascial cupping on pain and function is not clear, especially when different cupping techniques are combined. The purpose of this case series was to explore changes in pain and function following local static and distal dynamic myofascial dry cupping treatments in patients with chronic low back pain.

Case Descriptions

Three adults from the general population received three ten-minute treatment sessions, 48 hours between each session, of static dry cupping to the low back followed by dynamic myofascial …

Digital Phobia: An Inquiry For Mapping The Unseen Dimension Of New Digital Anxiety, The ‘Digiphobia’, Amarjit Kumar Singh ,Library Assistant, Md. Arshad Ali , Professional Assistant, Dr. Pankaj Mathur, Deputy Librarian,

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Background: As technology continues to advance, individuals' interactions with digital platforms have become integral to daily life. Amidst this technological evolution, a novel concern emerges—Digital Phobia, hereafter referred to as “Digiphobia.” This phenomenon, although not previously explored in scholarly literature, necessitates an in-depth investigation due to its potential impact on individuals' well-being. Our research employs a two-step methodology to investigate its existence, implications, and manifestations.

Introduction: This research paper introduces and proposes the term "Digiphobia" as a comprehensive conceptualization of anxiety arising from interactions with digital spaces, applications, and environments. The proliferation of digital technologies has led to the emergence …

Ot Cht Treatment And Intervention For Adult Clients After A Nerve Transfer Surgery: A Pilot Survey, Katheryn Fister

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: This study used a pilot survey to collect data regarding how current occupational therapists who are also certified hand therapists are working with adult clients after a nerve trans- fer surgery. The pilot survey was conducted virtually via email and created using Qualtrics software.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to create a survey tool and obtain data to describe current occupational therapy practice trends, outcomes, and education for clients after a nerve transfer surgery. The research sought to determine what interventions are commonly incorporated, what are common outcomes, what education is being provided, what is included …

Occupational Therapy Using Pipj Block Orthosis For Conservative Treatment Of Trigger Finger: A Retrospective Study, Jee Yoon (Kelly) Chong

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Trigger finger (TF) is a common hand condition with a prevalence rate of 2.6% in the general population (Merry et al., 2020). With clinical symptoms of pain, swelling, and clicking or locking of a digit, TF can cause functional limitations in using the involved hand during daily activities, affecting quality of life and activity participation.

Purpose: The primary objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of occupational therapy with the use of PIPJ block orthosis in reducing pain and triggering symptoms and improving function for individuals with trigger fingers in the setting of outpatient OT therapy clinics. …

“Your Legs Don’T Look All That Good” An Analysis Of Impoliteness And Politeness In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injuries In The Workplace, Grace Kozal

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Background: Social communication disorders are a common outcome from traumatic brain injury (TBI). This social communication disorder can be seen through impolite speech acts during conversation. While politeness is a social norm for workplace discourse, instances of impoliteness may have poor consequences. This research explores the use of impoliteness in persons with TBI within computer generated work-based conditions.

Methods: Language samples from the Voicemail Elicitation Task (VET) and Feedback/Advice Spoken Task (FAST) were transcribed word-for-word. Transcripts from all 62 participants were coded for impoliteness using a developed Impoliteness Codebook and were analyzed to identify significant differences in the number of …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

From Heel To Toe: Investigating Plantar Fasciitis Causes, Diagnosis, And Treatment Strategies, Breanna Littlejohn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This presentation informs plantar fasciitis patients. The cause of plantar fasciitis is multifactorial but most cases result from overuse stress. The cause of plantar fasciitis is multifactorial but most cases result from overuse stress. The classic presentation is of sharp localized pain at the heel. In some cases, a heel spur may be found. This presentation explains how exercise can improve plantar fasciitis. Reviewing risk factors will help you identify and manage plantar fasciitis when undergoing treatment. Understanding plantar fasciitis is crucial as it is a common and painful condition affecting the bottom of the foot. This inflammation of the …

The Health Literacy Practices Of Rehabilitation Providers Of Perioperative Orthopedic Education, Allen Keener

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Health literacy is the ability to utilize information to make decisions about one’s health or the health of others. It is estimated that a large percentage of the population has inadequate health literacy, yet healthcare professionals, including rehabilitation providers often do not have procedures in place for assessing and addressing the health literacy of their patients. Related to orthopedic patients, a large portion of the interventions are educational in nature. Therefore, it is important that the health literacy of orthopedic patients be considered when addressing their needs perioperatively. There is little currently published related to health literacy among rehabilitation providers …

Physical And Psychosocial Factors Related To Firefighter Musculoskeletal Disorders, Jennifer Ellen Tinsley Kubala

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Career firefighters must perform physically and psychologically challenging duties in unpredictable and dangerous conditions. Previous investigations have found that firefighters suffer nearly 4 times the recorded musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and workplace injuries compared to private and public sector workers, and take approximately 1.5 days longer to return to normal work. Thus, the burden of firefighter MSD experiences has been a growing area of exploration. The few investigations that have concurrently examined physical and psychosocial consequences experienced by firefighters have found a positive relationship between increased occupational stress reports and MSD experiences. However, these investigations, as well as those that individually …

Exploration Of Burn Survivors’ Experiences With Nutrition During The Rehabilitation Phase Of Burn Injury Recovery: A Qualitative Study, Alyaa M. Zagzoog

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Approximately 500,000 people in the United States are affected by a burn injury and seek care every year. With medical innovation, however, the burn injury survival rate has increased to 97% in the United States. Burn survivors undergo two phases of recovery: acute and rehabilitation.With advances in burn treatment and care, the focus has shifted from the expectation of survival to improving outcomes. Nutritional care, including assessment and education, plays a major role in burn survivors’ wellness, facilitating wound healing and promoting recovery, but nutritional guidelines and polices appear limited during the rehabilitation phase,with literature suggesting nutritional assessment has historically …

Serious Game-Based Training For Improved Utilization Of A Novel Temporalis Emg Interface For Controlling Powered Wheelchairs, Calvin Macdonald

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a terminal neurodegenerative disease that leads to a lack of independent mobility. One solution uses a unilateral surface EMG (sEMG) interface on the temporalis muscle to provide autonomous control of a powered wheelchair. Limbitless Journey, an EMG-controlled serious game, intends to provide users with a virtual environment to train in before use in a real-world scenario. A recent study analyzed the effect of video game training on the use of sEMG systems on the forearm, showing significant improvement in the usage of the interface but no difference between Free Play and structured play. The study …

How Hormonal Contraceptives Influence Injury In Female Athletes: A Systematic Review, Ashley V. Malvita

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Research indicates that female athletes have a higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Hormone fluctuations throughout the different periods of the menstruation cycle impacts the risk of injuries for women. Contraceptive use, most used in the form of an oral contraceptive pill, directly effects hormones and menstrual cycle related symptoms, with evidence of ameliorating some symptoms. Oral contraceptive use is suggested to influence musculoskeletal injuries in female athletes. However, there is little research and data that explores the direct relationship between oral contraceptive use and the injury rates of female athletes. Within this systematic review, five articles investigating this relationship fulfilled …

Humor Matters: An Adapted Multiple Case Study Exploring Music Therapists’ Perspectives Of Humor With Older Adults, Caleb M. Posey

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Humor is a ubiquitous human experience and a skill retained in older adulthood. It is also an integral but elusive therapeutic tool with numerous benefits and risks to well-being. Therapeutic humor – the application of humor to client well-being – is an emerging area of study. However, scant music therapy literature on humor is available. The purpose of this qualitative thesis was to explore the use and function of humor in music therapy with older adults from the perspectives of experienced music therapists. There were three research questions: (1) how do music therapists describe their use of humor with older …

A Comparison Of Concurrent Training And Moderate Intensity Continuous Training In Patients With Coronary Artery Disease, Amanda Alfaro-Chaverri, John Quindry, Charles Dumke, Brian Loyd

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) is the most studied method in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Traditionally, resistance training has been utilized as a secondary role in CR. Recent interest in the topic suggests that MICT and resistance training should be applied collectively, an approach termed concurrent training (CT). The collective understanding of the potential of CT in CR patients is currently lacking.

Purpose: The aim of this professional paper is to analyze scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of CT versus MICT. The analysis will focus on five primary measurements: exercise capacity, cardiovascular …

Life After Discharge: Predicting Longitudinal Trajectories Of Community Integration And Global Functioning In Black Individual With Traumatic Brain Injury, Chimdindu Ohayagha

Theses and Dissertations

The onset of traumatic brain injury (TBI) begins a chronic health pathway that contributes to various impairments and comorbidities across the lifespan. Common consequences of TBI include mental health issues, cognitive impairments, and reduced functional independence, all of which impact how an individual integrates into their community. Community integration is a primary goal for rehabilitation after TBI. Studies show that racially/ethnically minoritized individuals have a higher incidence of TBI, higher rates of mortality, and report poorer functional and community integration outcomes. Limited studies have explored longitudinal outcomes of community integration in a Black-only sample of individuals with TBI. Additionally, no …

Prosthetic Attention In Upper Limb Loss: User Experiences, Clinical Perceptions, And Developing Candidate Items, Tanu Bhargava

Theses and Dissertations

The human hand is a powerful tool essential for performing a range of tasks from simple to complex, and it plays a crucial role in social interactions and environmental engagement. Upper limb (UL) loss disrupts these functions and significantly impacts daily life. Prosthetic devices can partially restore these abilities and improve quality of life, but they lack the intuitive control and sensory feedback of natural hands. Consequently, operating a UL prosthesis requires substantial attentional demands, a factor that potentially contributes to high rates of device dissatisfaction and disuse. For UL prosthesis users, managing attentional resources is critical to efficiently controlling …

Air-Jet Bioprinting Of Stem Cell-Encapsulated Alginate Micro-Droplets For Organoid Biomanufacturing, Mirabella B. Stump

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biomanufactured 3D-organoids show promise for modeling and treating various conditions, particularly insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type-1 diabetes). Pancreatic islet organoids serve as sustainable sources of insulin-producing β-cells, potentially restoring insulin regulation in patients and providing a long-term solution for diabetes. Hydrogel droplet printing is an emerging technique in regenerative medicine due to its advantageous tunability and biocompatibility; however, challenges of consistency, quality control, and scalability persist. To address these issues, we developed a novel air-jetting based droplet bioprinting system for the generation of monodispersed alginate micro-droplets. The objective of this project was to incorporate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into …

Health Club: The Pursuit For A Diverse Healthcare Team, Michelle Ariana Morales, Angela Labrie Blackwell, Erik Perez

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Currently, the ethnic and racial demographics of occupational therapy students do not reflect the US’ diverse populations due to a general lack of awareness about occupational therapy (OT) amongst diverse high school students (HSS). Many factors serve as common barriers amongst diverse, minority communities, limiting students’ exposure to and knowledge about health professions, such as OT. To address these barriers, Health Club is a six-week, high school afterschool program designed to raise awareness about healthcare professions where ethnically and racially diverse populations are commonly underrepresented. Health Club uses lessons consisting of fundamental healthcare knowledge to provide HSS with opportunities to …

Development, Validation, And Testing Of A Novel Ergonomic Backpack, Lyndsey Kate Bouve

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Backpacks (BP) are one of the most common means for carrying loads but the loading mechanics that result from carrying heavy loads can have implications across the body. It has been suggested that loads in a BP should not excess 10-15% of the user’s body weight (BW) but that is not always feasible. The loads in a BP are transferred to the body via the shoulder strap which induce a shear and compressive force which act externally on the spine and transfer loads through it to the lumbar. Additionally, the weight of the bag induces an external moment that further …

Art Of Aging – A Portraiture Study, Alaina Mann

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The process of aging can be viewed through different lenses within our society. In the past, scientists and medical professionals performed various studies to better understand and analyze different facets of aging, medicine, and health in general. Historically the arts have reflected multiple aspects of medicine and treatments while more recently, the arts have been used in a research capacity to provide different ways to represent illness, suffering, and care. This study used art-based research methods and portraiture to gather qualitative observations on the older populations within our community. Data collected included drawings, a field journal, and interviews. This study …

Providing Optimal Resident Sleep Hygiene In Assisted Living Communities; Opportunities For Design And Operation Teams To Collaborate And Share Their Unique Knowledge, Beverly B. J. Miller

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

Research is emerging relating sleep hygiene to disease pathogenesis including Parkinson's, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and increased cardiovascular risk. The application of circadian science as it relates to human wellness has intensified as a result. The quality of sleep significantly impacts the wellness of residents living in long term care, however sleep hygiene research is lacking in assisted living (AL) communities.

The thesis question inquires; How can operation and design teams collaborate to optimize sleep health for residents in assisted living communities? The research methodology utilized a two-phase process. Phase I identified three AL communities as test sites, providing case studies …

Investigating Agreement And Reliability Of Mobile Health App For Continuous Walking On A Figure-Eight Path With Periodic Vision Interruptions, Brent A. Harper, Michael Shiraishi, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Smartphone applications already provide accessible and cost-effective objective metrics in healthcare. The purpose of this study was to assess the agreement and reliability of an app to a manual stopwatch during a figure-of-eight walking course both with and without visual perturbation. A laboratory-based observation study with twelve healthy adults completed the course under two different visual conditions, one without visual obstruction and the other with visual disruption induced by wearing stroboscopic glasses. Results indicate that each measurement metric is similar but should not be used interchangeably. Bland-Altman plots suggest reliability under each condition. The ICC of each device during both …

Design Guidelines For Homeless Shelter And Resource Center Site Plans, Samuel Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Homelessness is one of the most pressing humanitarian issues facing the country today. Lack of affordable housing, among many other complicating factors, have led to many cities scrambling to find both short-, middle-, and long-term solutions to the issue. The Covid-19 pandemic added a disruption in services, critical record-keeping, and data-gathering, which has further confounded experts looking for an effective path forward. As it stands, there is a significant gap in academic research addressing best practices for shelter site design, particularly as it relates to landscape. The role of landscape and greenspace within and around a shelter is not well …

Using Noninvasive Calibrated Cuff Plethysmography To Observe The Effects Of Cold-Water Immersion On Arterial Compliance, Rita M. Grigorian

Biomedical Engineering: Graduate Reports and Projects

As the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases continues to exponentially grow in populations across the globe, the necessity of determining underlying factors, effective methods of diagnoses, and universally available preventive measures also grows. Early detection of endothelial dysfunction, a proven precursor of cardiovascular diseases, can be extremely impactful in encouraging preventative measures and early intervention before medical conditions become chronic. In recent years, ice plunging, a form of cryotherapy involving full body immersion in cold water, has gained popularity within circles of fitness and health practitioners, gaining the interest of people of all backgrounds. Certain parallels observed between the human physiological …