Physical Therapy Commons^™

Esophageal Candidiasis In A Baseball Athlete, A Fitzgerald, N Carvino

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: Candidiasis is a yeast-based fungal infection often found in immunocompromised individuals, that can produce white patches, redness or soreness in the mouth, xerostomia, loss of taste, pain with eating and swallowing, and angular cheilitis. The patient in this case is a 21-yearold male baseball player who presented to the athletic trainer (AT) with flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, body aches, shortness of breath, and chills. The AT referred the patient to the team physician, who prescribed Zithromax five days after the onset of symptoms for bronchitis. There was no improvement after two days, so a Medrol pack was …

External Pressures On Injured Athletes’ And Their Effects On Mental Health And Return To Play, A Graham, J Johnson

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Student athletes face many challenges in and out of their sport. Along with practicing and playing to their best ability, they have to worry about keeping up with schooling. Once a player is hurt and out of play, they add the pressure of getting back into play on their plate. Along with their own internal pressure, athletes may experience pressure from outside sources. These sources could include friends, family, coaches, and parental guardians. External pressures could play a role in how an athlete returns to play. This research can help us understand whether the external pressures end up causing …

Influence Of Thermal Protective Gear On Rural Volunteer Firefighter Postural Stability, E Shagen, J Patrick

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Firefighting is a physically demanding job. The ability to maintain and appropriately adjust postural stability is vital for the safety of firefighters, as they navigate through unpredictable terrain in various rescue situations while wearing restrictive equipment. The weight and design of thermal protective gear (TPG) may alter weight distribution causing changes to the center of gravity or restrict movement. The need for firefighters to maintain postural stability is essential for preventing falls on- duty. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of TPG on rural volunteer firefighter (VFF) postural stability. Methods: Nine healthy males (mean±SD: age= …

Injury Prevention Programs: Factors That Effect If A Coach Uses Injury Prevention Programs, A Deguzman, Jc Martinez

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: The purpose of this study was to determine how coaches view injury prevention programs (IPP) and how this affects their decision to implement an IPP with their team. The more information gained on a coach’s influence to implement an injury prevention program for their team, the more athletic trainers can understand and educate on the importance of injury prevention programs. Methods: Design: Cross-sectional Setting: Web-based survey Target Population: Youth Sport Coaches Dependent Variable: Coaches beliefs on IPPs Independent Variable: Willingness to implement an IPP. Youth sport coaches were surveyed on their attitudes and beliefs about injury prevention programs. All …

Interdisciplinary Approach To Management Of An L4/L5 Disc Herniation In A Collegiate Football Player: A Type 3 Case Study, Cc Janush, A Meriwether, M Tillman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: The rate for low back injuries in collegiate football players has been reported as 2.70 per 10,000 athlete exposures with lumbar disc herniations (LDH) accounting for roughly 8% of these injuries. In athletic populations, the decision of surgical versus conservative management for LDH can present a unique challenge to the clinician and patient given an patient’s concern for return to play with minimal time loss. This type 3 CASE study will discuss the non-operative management of an L4/L5 disc herniation in a collegiate football player and highlight the interdisciplinary team approach that allowed the athlete to play an entire …

Measuring Psychological Readiness With The Shoulder Instability-Return To Sport After Injury Scale In Athletes With Traumatic Shoulder Dislocations: A Critically Appraised Topic, Ha Arnett, K Moore, Zk Winkelmann, H Miller

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Focused Clinical Question: How can using the Shoulder Return to Sport after Injury (SI-RSI) scale to measure mental readiness in athletes after a shoulder injury improve return-to-play protocol? Data Sources: In September 2023, a computerized search of PubMed for evidence was completed. The search terms were fear of reinjury or psychological readiness, kinesiophobia, confidence, and return to play or return to sport, or RTP. The search was limited to studies published between 2018 and 2023. Study Selection: The inclusion criteria consisted of studies that used the SI-RSI to measure fear during return to play and shoulder injuries that required surgery. …

Mole Or Melanoma: Knowing Your Abcde’S May Save Your Life!, Jh Knaul

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, or about 9500/day. Research indicates that nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), affects more than 3 million Americans a year. More than 1 million Americans are living with Melanoma, nearly 200,000 cases of melanoma were diagnosed in 2022 with about 98,000 being invasive and 100,000 being non-invasive (in situ). The average age of diagnosis is 65. Melanoma rates in the US have been rising rapidly …

Myositis Ossificans In A Female Sprinter With The Sickle Cell Trait, Rl Quintana, M Menjivar

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: Sickle cell trait (SCT) is associated with an increase in muscle breakdown after strenuous exercise due to improper blood flow to active muscles. Evidence suggests that individuals with SCT can increase muscle breakdown during exercise by as much as 54%. This case outlines a 21-year-old African collegiate sprinter with SCT who reported feeling a “pop” in her right hamstring that caused her to stop running mid-race. She reported that no pain was associated with the “pop” but was scared by the sensation. Evaluations of strength and range of motion were all unremarkable and there were no palpable deformities. She …

Non-Operative Management Of Distal And Proximal Interphalangeal Fractures Without Excessive Sport Removal, Og Newhouse, J Johnson

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: Intra-articular fracturs of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints occur primarily from impacted shear force. With continued participation, fractures have a high possibility of nonunion or malunion. While accounting for patients’ requests may not always be possible, extreme modification of activity may permit their requests. Patient: The patient is a college-aged female volleyball athlete who plays in the front row. The initial report showed a fracture of the right fifth phalange from incomplete range of motion (ROM), swelling, and bruising after an impacted shear force was placed on her finger from a block. She was referred …

Orientation Using Standardized Patients Increases Athletic Training Student Communication Effectiveness When Transitioning To Clinical Education Experiences, Jl Frye, Ma Belbey, Kj Armstrong

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Transitioning from didactic to clinical education is overwhelming for novice athletic training students. The change in the learning environment often causes anxiousness as students get acquainted with the clinical site, preceptor expectations, and demonstrating clinical skills during patient care. Learning to communicate provides additional challenges as students must convey information to their patients, practice active listening, relay patient information to their preceptor, and possibly navigate conflict management. Simulation-based orientations have been effective in other healthcare professions to ease this transition; however, it has not been examined in professional athletic training students. Methods: The study used a convenience sample of …

Platelet-Rich-Plasma Injections Vs. Corticosteroid Injections In The Reduction Of Pain For Patients With Frozen Shoulder: A Critically Appraised Topic, Al Pendleton, Mr Dombrowski, Rj Bonser, Jg Coots

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Focused Clinical Question: Is a platelet-rich plasma or a corticosteroid injection better for relieving pain for patients with frozen shoulder pathologies? Data Sources: To identify relevant research papers, Boolean searches were conducted on Google Scholar, CINAHL Ultimate, MEDLINE Ultimate, and SPORTDiscus databases from September 14th through September 25th, 2023. Key terms used were corticosteroid (CS) injection, platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) injection, frozen shoulder, and adhesive capsulitis. Study Selection: The inclusion criteria were: articles published from 2018-2023, Randomized Control Trials comparing PRP and CS injections, and studies that used visual analog scale (VAS). Additionally, each article selected summarized outcome measures in a table. …

Presentation Of Bilateral Acetabular Labral Tears In A Collegiate Women’S Lacrosse Player: A Level 3 Clinical Case Study, W Giannelli, K Herraiz, A Mercer

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: The hip and groin injury rate in female collegiate lacrosse players has been reported to be 35.06 per 100,000 athlete exposures yet the frequency of acetabular labral tears (ATL) remains unclear. Sports which involve repeated bouts of running in combination with frequent twisting and pivoting motions, have been suggested to have a higher prevalence rate of ALT. This level 3 case study will discuss the unique presentation of bilateral ALTs in a female collegiate lacrosse player. Patient: Patient is a 19-year-old Division I collegiate women’s lacrosse player who first presented with pain in her left hip while at home …

Reliability And Validity Of The Iphone To Measure Hip Internal And External Rotation, Jl Blatz, Nm Cattano

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Clinicians use a traditional goniometer or a quick visual estimate to measure range of motion (ROM) in patients, these methods can be time consuming or inaccurate. The purpose of this study is to assess the reliability and validity of the iPhone Measure app to measure hip internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER). Methods: 20 participants were recruited; they were physically active and aged 18-28 years old. Hip IR and ER was measured prone with the subject on a table. The measures were taken three times and bilaterally for each, then recorded. The ROM was measured by 2 student …

Single Limb Postural Control Throughout A Collegiate Football Season, L Custer, S Tomasi, J Lima, A Rieland

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: It is estimated that college football players sustain an average of 3 subconcussive blows to the head per game. Limited research has demonstrated that collegiate football players present with decreased static postural control, as measured using the Balance Error Scoring System, at the end of season compared to baseline. Interestingly, neurocognitive test scores in collegiate football players were not found to differ preseason, midseason and postseason. Authors hypothesized that using neurocognitive tests may not have been sensitive enough to detect the effects of the subconcussive impacts. Force plate data provides valid information of postural control. The purpose of this …

Specific Barriers To Athletic Trainers’ Familiarity With And Attitudes Toward Concussion Biomarkers: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Te Mccormick, Jm Allen, Kgs Swindell, Tr Campbell

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: The diagnosis of concussions is largely reliant on subjective information in conjunction with objective measures that might not be the most valid and/or reliable. There is now new research being performed evaluating the use of biological indicators, or biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of concussion. However, the amount of knowledge about biomarkers among athletic trainers is unknown. Additionally, the barriers preventing ATs from using such biomarkers has yet to be studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine athletic trainers’ familiarity with and their attitude towards concussion biomarkers, while evaluating specific barriers preventing their use in …

The Analysis Of Ground Kinematics In Tie-Down Ropers, M Watts, A Chelette, J Sandford, K Mata

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Tie-down roping, an event in rodeo, occurs when the athlete ropes a calf while on horseback, quickly dismounts from the horse and ties three legs of the calf together. Injuries to the knee and lower body have occurred with athletes in the tie-down roping event. Previous research with college rodeo athletes has shown the knee to be the most frequently injured area of the body. The athlete’s lower body movements during the dismount from the horse may increase the risk of injury to the knee. However, these movements have not been previously studied in the tie-down roping event. The …

The Food Environment Of Female Athletes Attending Historically Black Colleges And Universities: A Qualitative Study On The Dimensions Of Food Access And Nutrition, Na Uriegas, Zk Winkelmann, Dm Emerson

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Student-athletes are a subset of college students who face additional stressors related to the demands of their sport and academic workload. The food choices of student-athletes may be influenced by the unique food environment they are in. Further challenges may present for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) student-athletes as their institutions tend to be in low food access areas. We aimed to assess food security and explore the lived experiences of HBCU female student-athletes surrounding their food environment and ability to access food based on the five dimensions of food access: availability, accessibility, affordability, accommodation, and acceptability. Methods: …

Use Of An External Dynamic Arm Stabilizer In A Collegiate Baseball Player With Valgus Extension Overload: A Case Report., Jp Goza, Ap Jacobsen

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Background: A 21-year-old, male, collegiate baseball player reported to the athletic training staff complaining of pain along the posteromedial aspect of the right elbow. The patient reported a previous history of a grade I ulnar collateral ligament sprain that had been rehabilitated until he was able to return to full pain free activities. The patient could not recall a specific mechanism of injury. Physical examination revealed a loss of terminal elbow extension, and pain along the posteromedial aspect of the elbow. The patient reported no neurological symptoms during or after throwing. Valgus Stress, Milking, and Posterolateral Rotary Drawer tests were …

Weighted Ball Programs And Medial Elbow Injury In Youth Baseball Pitchers, M Sobolewski, K Pritchard

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Introduction: Weighted ball programs have been proven to increase pitching velocity, however a combination of poor musculature and body mechanics with increased elbow valgus can heighten the incidence of medial elbow overuse injuries in the youth population. Clinical Question: Can youth baseball pitchers who use weighted ball programs increase their pitching velocity without causing an increased risk of medial elbow injury? Methods: The literature was explored to discover studies that investigated medial elbow injuries using weighted ball programs in youth baseball pitchers. Articles included weighted ball programs as an intervention, kinetics/injury mechanics, youth elbow injuries, and prevention of overuse injuries. …

African American Patients Have A Higher Probability Of Cognitive Impairment After Incident Stroke: An Analysis Of National Electronic Health Record Data, Alicia Zha, Chenguang Zhang, Gen Zhu, Xinran Huang, Sahar Anjum, Yashar Talebi, Sean Savitz, Hulin Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) and stroke are diseases with significant disparities in race and geography. Post stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) can be as high as 15-70 % but few studies have utilized large administrative or electronic health records (EHR) to evaluate trends in PSCI. We utilized an EHR database to evaluate for disparities in PSCI in a large sample of patients after first recorded stroke to evaluate for disparities in race.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort analysis of Cerner Health Facts® EHR database, which is comprised of EHR data from hundreds of hospitals/clinics in the US from 2009-2018. We …

The Value Of Using Validated Competency-Based Assessments Across The Career Span Of An Athletic Trainer, Matthew Drescher, Lindsey Eberman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

No abstract provided.

Perceptions And Use Of The Athletic Training Milestones In Education: A Report From The Aate Research Network, Cailee E. Welch Bacon, Barton E. Anderson, Julie M. Cavallario, Bonnie L. Van Lunen, Lindsey E. Eberman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

The Athletic Training Milestones (AT Milestones) were developed as an evaluation tool to capture the breadth and depth of athletic training knowledge, skills, and behavior. However, it is unclear whether athletic training programs are implementing this tool or how they are implementing it to gauge the clinical progression of students or residents in athletic training. We aimed to explore the perceptions and use of the AT Milestones among educators in athletic training programs. We used a cross-sectional, web- based survey with open-ended questions to collect data from athletic training programs on if and how they implement the AT Milestones at …

Standardized Patient Evaluation Tool: A Valid Measure Of The Core Competencies, Lindsey E. Eberman, Jessica Edler Nye

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

No abstract provided.

The Development, Implementation, And Value Of The Athletic Training Milestones For Assessing Progressive Clinical Behaviors, Hollie Walusz, Eric Sauers, Mark Laursen, Forrest Pecha

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

No abstract provided.

Measurement Of And Contributors To Developmental Coordination Impairment, Jeffrey D. Konrad

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Movement drives childhood development. As motor skills improve across development, a child becomes capable of greater interactions with their physical and social environment. Children with motor impairments miss out on these interaction opportunities and their development across a variety of domains can suffer. There is accumulating evidence that poor motor competence relates to an array of developmental outcomes such as educational achievement, reading skills, social development, and emotional regulation. Two developmentally important motor impairments are poor motor competence and hyperactivity which are associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Critical to …

Alteration In Resting-State Brain Activity In Stroke Survivors After Repetitive Finger Stimulation, Dorothy He, William A Sikora, Shirley A James, Jordan N Williamson, Louis V Lepak, Carolyn F Cheema, Evgeny Sidorov, Sheng Li, Yuan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of repetitive finger stimulation on brain activation in eight stroke and seven control subjects, measured by quantitative electroencephalogram.

Methods: We applied 5 mins of 2-Hz repetitive bilateral index finger transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and compared differences pre- and post-transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation using quantitative electroencephalogram metrics delta/alpha ratio and delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio.

Results: Between-group differences before and after stimulation were significantly different in the delta/alpha ratio ( z = -2.88, P = 0.0040) and the delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio variables ( z = -3.90 with P < 0.0001). Significant decrease in the delta/alpha ratio and delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio variables after the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was detected only in the stroke group (delta/alpha ratio diff = 3.87, P = 0.0211) (delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio diff = 1.19, P = 0.0074).

Conclusions: The decrease in quantitative electroencephalogram metrics in the stroke …

Augmenting Hand And Arm Function For Persons With Hemiparesis, Brooke Stein, Susan Duff, Alison Mckenzie, Bailey Advincula, Isaac An, Annie Jeon, Casey Mcwilliam, Will Potter, Virginia Ruano, Paulina Vokulich, Audrey Howell, Rahul Soangra

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background. Hand and arm dysfunction due to neural disorders significantly influences quality of life. Activity-based training has been found to improve function. These improvements could be augmented with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) due to the modulatory effect it has on spinal and supraspinal networks. Objective. The primary aim is to determine if a 4-week training program will improve hand and arm function. The secondary aim is to determine if the addition of tSCS to a second 4-week training session will further improve function. Design. This is a pre-posttest, controlled trial for persons 10-75 years of age, >6 months post …

Exploring The Prospects Of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (Tes) As A Therapeutic Intervention For Post-Stroke Motor Recovery: A Narrative Review, Hao Meng, Michael Houston, Yingchun Zhang, Sheng Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Stroke survivors often have motor impairments and related functional deficits. Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES) is a rapidly evolving field that offers a wide range of capabilities for modulating brain function, and it is safe and inexpensive. It has the potential for widespread use for post-stroke motor recovery. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS), and Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS) are three recognized tES techniques that have gained substantial attention in recent years but have different mechanisms of action. tDCS has been widely used in stroke motor rehabilitation, while applications of tACS and tRNS are very …

Pilot Study For Use Of An Arthrometer To Assess Joint Laxity In People With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Dawn T. Gulick, Valerie Iovine, Kerstin Palombaro

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Joint hypermobility is a condition in which synovial joints move beyond normal limits. Approximately 10-25% of children and 5-25% of adults experience hypermobility syndrome. One such hypermobility syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Typically, a score of 4-5 out of 9 on the Beighton scale is indicative of hypermobility in adults. Whereas 6 out of 9 is the criteria for children. No significant correlations were found between the systemic features of EDS and the Beighton score. The purpose of this pilot study was to see if an arthrometer could be used …

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 …