Physical Therapy Commons^™

The Intervertebral Disc And Low Back Pain, Bruce H. Wessman

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Low back pain has an enormous socioeconomic impact in this country. Even with advancement in diagnostic technology, the incidence and severity of low back pain continues to increase. The intervertebral disc plays an important causative role in the production of low back pain. The intervertebral disc may cause direct discogenic pain by mechanical and/or chemical irritation of the nociceptor receptors found within the outer one-third of the annulus fibrosis, or cause back pain by an indirect method. The incidence of low back pain is first reported around the age of 25 and is most prevalent from ages 35-60. It is …

An Overview Of Transfemoral Socket Designs, Bradley C. Wehe

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

In the field of amputee rehabilitation, there are many variables that determine if the outcome is one of success. A large part of the process evolves from the type of prosthesis that is recommended for the amputee. With the advent of new technology, we are faced with the problem of deciding on the proper components that will make up the prosthesis. The complexity of artificial limbs has increased over the past years as the concept of suction componentry has evolved.

We are now faced with multiple types and styles of transfemoral socket designs and suspensions. A literature review was performed …

Wound Care For Facial Burns, Barbara E. Wilson

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

More severely burned patients are surviving thermal burn injuries due to advances in medicine. A burn on any area of the body requires appropriate wound management. However, facial burns present with unique problems as the face is constantly exposed to society and the environment.

The purpose of this paper is to provide physical therapists with facial burn wound care and rehabilitation. Knowledgeable physical therapists are needed as members of rehabilitation teams to return facially burned patients to optimal functional and cosmetic levels.

Burn wounds are closely monitored, cleaned, and debrided to minimize infection. Skin care and patient education begins once …

Comparison Of Strength Testing Of The Tensor Fasciae Latae Muscle Using The Kendall And Mccreary Method Vs. The Daniels And Worthingham Method, Jodi R.W. Boettner

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Manual muscle testing is an integral part of the physical therapy evaluation. There are two methods of testing muscle strength, these being the Kendall and McCreary (KM) method and the Daniels and Worthingham (DW) method. The purpose of this study was to compare the force produced in each of these methods when testing the tensor fasciae latae muscle. Thirty healthy subjects ranging in age from 23 to 40 years participated in this study. The Dynatron II Dynamometer was used to measure force in pounds for each method. Each subject performed one trial and one test for each method for a …

Job Sharing In Physical Therapy, Terri L. Brenner

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

The profession of physical therapy continues to experience staff shortages in several areas. As these shortages continue, employees and employers will seek to identify alternative work schedules to attempt to meet this demand. Job sharing is one type of alternative where two people share the duties and responsibilities of one full-time position.

The purpose of this study was to 1) determine the prevalence of job sharing in physical therapy departments in acute care hospitals and rehab facilities, 2) review the types of schedules utilized by job sharing partners, 3) identify the job title of the shared position, and 4) discuss …

Quality Assurance In The Physical Therapy Department: Current Practices In North Dakota Acute Care Hospitals, Wade D. Burgess

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

This independent study report presents a literature review on the development and transformation of the field of quality assurance. Topic areas covered in the review include the role and contributions played by key individuals, government, the Joint Commission, total quality management/continuous quality improvement (TOM/Cal) theory and methods, and the American Physical Therapy Association.

The study also reports the results of a survey performed to ascertain what physical therapy departments in North Dakota hospitals are currently doing in regard to fulfilling quality assurance requirements. A relative lack of emphasis on the monitoring and assessment of treatment goals and patient outcomes, therapist …

Clinical Ladders In Physical Therapy, Stonewall E. Gessner

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

The clinical laddering system as it pertains to physical therapy is described. The history, purpose, benefits, and development of clinical ladders is presented. The benefits include improved recruitment and retention of professional physical therapy staff.

A clinical ladder in a physical therapy department may be very beneficial, but the decision to develop it should be considered carefully. Developing a clinical ladder system is a time consuming and costly undertaking and other alternatives should be considered first.

A Comprehensive Aquatics Program For Spinal Cord Injuries, Michelle T. Fugere

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Water provides a new challenge in the rehabilitation of those with spinal cord injuries. An aquatics program specific to the individual can give invaluable physical, psychological, and therapeutic effects. The inherent properties of water, such as its buoyancy, turbulence, and resistance, give the spinal cord injured person a new freedom of movement and an ideal environment for increasing confidence and learning skills which can be carried over to daily activities.

Spinal cord injury aquatics programs in the past have proved successful in several aspects. Goals which are attainable through an aquatics program include increasing respiratory function, range of motion, and …

Functional Outcome In Stroke Rehabilitation, Meridee S. Green

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Stroke is the number one source of adult disability in the United States, with approximately 400,000 new stroke survivors each year. The cost of care and the loss of earnings as a result of stroke is considerable. Stroke rehabilitation is a health service provided to try to decrease the disability and the socioeconomic costs. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a literature search to provide a review of stroke epidemiology, outline four functional outcome measures used in stroke assessment (Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Motor Assessment Scale, Barthel Index, and the Functional Independence Measure), identify predictive factors in functional outcomes of …

Vertebral Subluxation Complex, Debbie L. Horn

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

At one time or another most adults have back pain. Despite the fact that back pain is as prevalent as the common cold, it has been as puzzling as the Bermuda Triangle. The primary problem is that in many patients it is not possible to identify the cause of symptoms, particularly if the symptoms are relatively minor. A review of literature reveals a wide variety of single causative lesions which would adequately encompass the various symptoms encountered. However, they are complex conditions which are highly oversimplified. This problem was recognized by Renaissance International who presented the concept of the Vertebral …

Passive Range Of Motion For The Rigid Knee, Margaret B. Ingold

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether daily passive range of motion treatment will knee range of motion in the rigid patient. with moderate to severe rigidity due to prevent loss of Eleven subjects Alzheimer's or dementia were selected. Medical records were reviewed and knee ROM measurements from 3 consecutive years were recorded and analyzed. Federal regulations pertaining to treatment are discussed. The numbers of people affected and the costs of caring for them are described. The urgent need for clinical research to identify the most appropriate treatment is addressed. A literature review of studies relating to rigidity …

Literature Review And Critique Of Shoulder Training Programs For Increasing Throwing Velocity Of The Baseball Pitcher, Ronald K. Mimaki

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

The purpose of this independent study is a literature review of the principles of training and a critique of the shoulder strength training programs for increasing the throwing velocity of the baseball pitcher. In addition, a sport specific movement analysis, based on biomechanics, physiology and kinesiology of the baseball overhand pitch will be examined. The critique will be based on the principles of training reviewed earlier and a sport specific movement analysis. Finally, a proposal of a potential training program and possible topics for research will be discussed.

Physical Therapy, University Of North Dakota

UND Departmental Histories

This departmental history was written on the occasion of the UND Centennial in 1983.