Physical Therapy Commons^™

Experiential Learning Enhances Physical Therapist Student Confidence In Management Of Neurologically-Involved Adults And Children, Kristen Barta, Megan Flores, Anna Edwards

Physical Therapy Collection

Purpose/ Hypothesis: As physical therapy (PT) students advance through an entry-level professional program, clinical decision making skills improve, though self-confidence in treating individuals with neurological impairments does not. One technique to improve PT student self-confidence with this population is the addition of experiential learning opportunities, which uses direct student interaction with community volunteers to simulate clinical application of didactic material. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of experiential learning using community participants who were neurologically-involved, on PT students’ perceived self-confidence. It was hypothesized that PT students would report greater levels of self-confidence in their neurological …

Effects Of Manual Therapy And Dry Needling Techniques For Managing Hypertonicity In The Male Pelvic Floor: A Case Report, Amy Jane Porter, Suzanne Trotter, Kristen Barta

Physical Therapy Collection

Background: Dry needling is beneficial for decreasing hypertonicity and improving musculoskeletal dysfunction within various tissues of the body. There is limited research using dry needling for pelvic floor hypertonicity. The purpose of this case report is to describe the effectiveness of a multi-modal intervention utilizing dry needling for a 27-year-old male with a hypertonic pelvic floor.

Study Design: Case study with review of literature.

Case Description: This patient was a 27-year-old Caucasian male with a diagnosis of chronic prostatitis/epididymitis. His primary complaint was pain with prolonged sitting in the right testicle. Treatment consisted of dry needling trigger points, myofascial release, …

Effect Of Life Review On Quality Of Life For Older Adults Living In Nursing Homes, Rene' Wren

Occupational Therapy Collection

Aim: To examine the effects of life review on daily activities, social participation, outlook on life, and perceptions of living in a nursing home measured by life satisfaction and quality of life in older adults.

Method: The study design was a two-phase quasi-experimental pre-post-tests including development and testing of a life review protocol. Nine residents, age ≥65, participated in a life review group once weekly for 6 weeks. Outcomes were analyzed using the Life Satisfaction Index-Z (LSI-Z) and pre-post surveys.

Results: LSI-Z scores improved post-intervention and survey outcomes indicated participation in activities of daily living (ADLs), socialization, …

Rehabilitation After Glenohumeral Microfracture And Type Ii Slap Repair Surgery: A Case Report, Judson Williams, Eric Chaconas

Physical Therapy Collection

Background and Purpose: There are few rehabilitation protocols for patients who have undergone glenohumeral microfracture procedure. The purpose of this paper is to present a patient case after both glenohumeral microfracture and Type II SLAP repair procedures and present a rehabilitation protocol.

Methods: The patient in this case is a 41-year-old male who had a sudden onset of pain, mechanical catching, and audible popping in his right shoulder, particularly with athletic activities. This patient was seen for 27 treatments and progressed per the presented protocol.

Findings: The overall improvement when combining the sections of the Quick- DASH was 72.96%, the …

Same-Day Physical Therapy Consults In An Outpatient Neuromuscular Disease Physician Clinic, Evan M. Pucillo, Nancy Christensen-Mayer, Shelly D. Poole, Denise M. Whitten, Danielle Freeman, Blake R. Bohe, Brandon R. Swensen, A Gordon Smith, Nicholas E. Johnson

Physical Therapy Collection

Background: Team-based care has been shown to offer more comprehensive benefits to patients when compared to standard physician-based care alone in clinics for chronic conditions. However, apart from grant-funded multidisciplinary clinics, there are no reports on the usage of same-day physical therapy (PT) consults within a daily outpatient neuromuscular disease (NMD) physician clinic.

Objective: To determine the impact of same-day PT consults at the University of Utah’s outpatient Clinical Neurosciences Center.

Design: A qualitative assessment and survey of patient satisfaction.

Methods: An eight question Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant patient satisfaction survey using a 5-point Likert scale was …

Mobilization With Movement Symptom Modification Procedure For A 38 Year-Old Male With Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome, Scott Gray, Eric Chaconas, David Kempfert

Physical Therapy Collection

No abstract provided.

Disease Burden And Functional Outcomes In Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy: A Cross-Sectional Study, Nicholas E. Johnson, Russell Butterfield, Kiera Berggren, Man Hung, Wei Chen, Deanna Dibella, Melissa Dixon, Heather Hayes, Evan M. Pucillo, Jerry Bounsanga, Chad Heatwole, Craig Campbell

Physical Therapy Collection

OBJECTIVE: Herein, we describe the disease burden and age-related changes of congenital-onset myotonic dystrophy (CDM) in childhood.

METHODS: Children with CDM and age-matched controls aged 0 to 13 years were enrolled. Participants were divided into cohorts based on the following age groups: 0-2, 3-6, and 7-13 years. Each cohort received age-appropriate evaluations including functional testing, oral facial strength testing, neuropsychological testing, quality-of-life measurements, and ECG. Independent-samples t test or Wilcoxon 2-sample test was used to compare the differences between children with CDM and controls. Probability values less than 0.05 are reported as significant.

RESULTS: Forty-one participants with CDM and 29 …

Assessing Student Self-Perception Of Confidence In The Evaluation And Treatment Of The Neurologically Involved Across The Lifespan, Kristen Barta, Megan Flores

Physical Therapy Collection

PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to investigate student confidence in the evaluation and treatment of a person with a neurological condition through the use of Patient Oriented Integrated Neurological Treatment (POINT) labs. We hypothesized that POINT labs would significantly improve students' confidence in evaluation and treatment this population.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: As part of their curriculum, physical therapy students at the University of St. Augustine are required to participate in POINT labs during their Neuromuscular III and Pediatric PT classes. The POINT labs are divided into an adult and pediatric section, in which the students evaluate …

Osteoporosis Knowledge In Licensed Physical Therapists And First-Year Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students: A Gap In Physical Therapy Education?, Suzanne Trotter, Jean-Michel Brismee, Phil Sizer, Brad Allen

Physical Therapy Collection

Background: A lack of osteoporosis knowledge has been found in a variety of healthcare providers. No previous studies have evaluated osteoporosis knowledge between physical therapists and first-year doctor of physical therapy students.

Purpose- To assess the knowledge of participants attending the course “Innovative Strategies for Preserving Bone Health: A Closer Look at Osteoporosis Management Across the Lifespan”.

Methods: Twenty-one participants participated in a 12.5 hour continuing education course. Eleven licensed physical therapists with an average of 19 years clinical experience and 10 first year Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Outcomes were evaluated using statistical analysis from data collected: demographic questionnaire, …

The Effectiveness Of Electromyographic Biofeedback, Mirror Therapy, And Tactile Stimulation In Decreasing Chronic Residual Limb Pain And Phantom Limb Pain For A Patient With A Shoulder Disarticulation: A Case Report, Stephanie Thomas, Kayla Smith

Physical Therapy Collection

PURPOSE: Approximately 1.3 million people in the United States live with limb loss, and most experience some form of residual limb pain or phantom limb pain (PLP). The purpose of this case report was to determine the effectiveness of mirror therapy, biofeedback, and tactile stimulation in decreasing chronic residual limb pain and PLP in a patient with an upper limb traumatic amputation.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 48-year-old male employed as a mechanical construction worker was working on a conveyer belt when the belt caught his arm resulting in a traumatic shoulder disarticulation. According to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, …

The Management Of Chronic Myofascial Thoracolumbar Pain With Dry Needling, Spinal Manipulation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Exercise: A Case Report, Adam Javate, Kayla Smith, Matthew Anderson

Physical Therapy Collection

Background & Purpose: Chronic pain suffers have been shown to be comorbid with psychosocial impairments such as anxiety, depression and pain catastrophizing. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a popular non-pharmacological treatment that has shown efficacious outcomes in reducing pain and disability levels in chronic pain suffers.

Myofascial pain syndrome is a pain condition within the soft tissue that is perpetrated by myofascial trigger points (MTrP). MTrPs are associated with greater disability, poorer sleep quality and altered muscle activation patterns. MTrPs are also correlated with the development of central sensitization and chronic pain syndromes. Dry needling (DN) and Spinal Manipulative …

Management Of Charcot–Marie–Tooth Disease: Improving Long-Term Care With A Multidisciplinary Approach, Donald Mccorquodale, Evan M. Pucillo, Nicholas E. Johnson

Physical Therapy Collection

Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease is the most common inherited neuropathy and one of the most common inherited diseases in humans. The diagnosis of CMT is traditionally made by the neurologic specialist, yet the optimal management of CMT patients includes genetic counselors, physical and occupational therapists, physiatrists, orthotists, mental health providers, and community resources. Rapidly developing genetic discoveries and novel gene discovery techniques continue to add a growing number of genetic subtypes of CMT. The first large clinical natural history and therapeutic trials have added to our knowledge of each CMT subtype and revealed how CMT impacts patient quality of life. In …

Perspectives On Teaching The International Classification Of Functioning, Disability, And Health Model To Physical Therapy Students, Cherie Peters-Brinkerhof

Physical Therapy Collection

BACKGROUND: During a re-accreditation visit, deficiencies were discovered in the clinical education curriculum regarding patient-centered care in a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. To understand the problem and address those deficiencies, the clinical internship experience was examined using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model as a conceptual framework for clinical reasoning.

OBJECTIVE: This qualitative case study aimed to study (1) perceptions of physical therapy (PT) students regarding their knowledge and learning experiences during clinical affiliations and what knowledge they acquired of the ICF as applied to patient-centered care during their internship, and (2) the perceptions of …

Shoulder External Rotator Eccentric Training For Subacromial Pain Syndrome, Eric Chaconas

Physical Therapy Collection

Background and Purpose: Rotator cuff weakness has been associated with subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of eccentric training, isolated to the shoulder external rotators, on strength, strength ratios, range of motion, upper quarter balance, pain, perceived function and global change.

Methods: Forty-Four participants, 19 females (mean age 46), with greater than 3 months of shoulder pain were randomized into two groups. The experimental group performed an external rotator eccentric training exercise (ETER) for three sets of 15 and a scapular retraction exercise, with a resistance band, for 2 sets of 10, …

A Study Examining Practice Style Traits Of Physical Therapists: Do They Explain Practice Behaviors And Knowledge Translation?, Kristen M. Johnson

Student Dissertations

Background: The advancement of evidence-based practice (EBP) has generated a flurry of outcome measures (OMs) and continuing education courses to assist in the creation and tailoring of this knowledge to the clinical environment. Despite the development of these resources, little is known about the attributes and behaviors of the physical therapist for knowledge translation (KT) into clinical practice.

Purpose: To determine the practice style traits of physical therapists who attended an evidence-based continuing education course on Oms and to determine their perceived barriers, facilitators, attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and prerequisites for KT.

Methods: Seventy-nine physical therapists completed two standardized, validated surveys …

Power Development For Golf, Scot D. Morrison, Eric Chaconas

Physical Therapy Collection

Golf is a popular sport attracting participation from all age groups. The strength and conditioning professional will often encounter golfers who are looking to improve their game through rotational power development. By gaining a sound understanding of the development of rotational power in the golfer, the exercise professional will be better able to address this need. The purpose of this article is to discuss power development principles, address golf-specific power development, and give some specific exercise options that can be implemented.

Muscle Activity During The Star Excursion Balance Test In Healthy Adults, Kunal Bhanot, Navpreet Kaur, Lori Thein Brody, Jennifer Bridges, David C. Berry, Joshua J. Ode

Physical Therapy Collection

Purpose: To determine electromyographic (EMG) activity of the hip and the trunk muscles during the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) performance in 8 reach directions.

Comparação Das Habilidades Motoras Em Crianças Com Síndrome De Down E Crianças Sem Distúrbios De Desenvolvimento [Comparison Of Motor Skills In Children With Down Syndrome And Children Without Developmental Disorders], Laura De Moura Rodrigues, Edla Da Silva, Juliana Saccol Martins, Patricia Pereira

Other Topics

The aim of this study was to assess gross motor abilities, classifying them in stages, of children with Down syndrome and children without developmental disorders, and to compare them with each other. Twelve children with Down syndrome, from two special schools and twelve children without development disorders, from a regular school of Caxias do Sul city, in Brazil, were evaluated.

Six gross motor abilities were assessed: balance in one foot, walking on straight line, running, jumping on one foot, throwing and catching, through the tables of Gallahue and Ozmun (2001).

The children with Down syndrome could not keep up with …