Physical Therapy Commons^™

Case Study: Effects Of Virtual Reality On Motor Control With A Child Diagnosed With Spastic Ataxic Cerebral Palsy, Alyssa Madison, Princess Roblete, Maureen Rinehimer

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

Background: Cerebral palsy is a neuromuscular disorder that affects a person’s motor control and balance. These individuals have difficulty co-contracting musculature resulting in decreased trunk control, hyper- or hypotonia, lack of body coordination, and sudden contractions when attempting to move. A recent technology that is beginning to be explored within the therapy world is the use of virtual reality (VR) to treat those with cerebral palsy.

Objective: The objective is to evaluate the effect of virtual reality technology with children who have cerebral palsy by focusing on motor control such as: functional reach, functional movements to promote independence, sitting balance, …

Clinical Effectiveness Of An Aquatic Exercise Program On Strength, Balance, Quality Of Life And Emotional Well-Being In Those With Visual Impairments: A Protocol Study, Laura Murphy, Nicole Joers, Alyssa Buonavolonta

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

As of 2019, at least 2.2 billion people worldwide are living with some degree of visual impairment according to the World Health Organization. Generic physical therapy has been shown to benefit those with visual impairments. In a 2014 systematic review, researchers analyzed multiple studies that focused on the visually impaired population and their progress on strengthening after participating in exercise programs. They found that the generalized PT helped to improve the performance on tests of physical function in those with visual impairments. There has been minimal research on aquatic therapy and those with visual impairments, yet there have been other …

Effectiveness Of Internet Based Treatment Methods For Symptom Management Of Vestibular Disorders: A Systematic Review, Nina Acosta, Rowan Pepe, Samantha Pavolko, Morgan Carline, Devin Conlon

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

Introduction: The objective of this systematic review is to investigate the effectiveness of internet-based and blended therapy for patients with peripheral, central, or mixed vestibular dysfunction based on current research.

Methods: Medline, CINAHL Complete, PubMed, and The Cochrane Library were searched from September 2022 to January 2023 using the search terms “vestibular,” “internet,” “computer,” “management,” “online,” “self-efficacy,” “vestibular disorder,” “rehabilitation,” “treatment,” “dizziness,” and “phys* ther*.”Studies were included if they used internet-based interventions for patients with diagnosed vestibular dysfunction caused by pure vestibular pathology. Three independent reviewers performed the selection process based on title, abstract, and full-text reading. In total, 8 …

Effectiveness Of Sensory Integration On School-Age Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Maryssa Hodder, Lauren Cunfer, Saige Miller

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common mental disorder that poses significant effects on an individual’s ability to effectively carry out daily functions; characteristics include hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive behaviors (Dogru; Kadam). ADHD is problematic for school-aged children; children with ADHD lack the ability to integrate sensory information. The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy in managing ADHD symptoms in school aged children.

Methods: A search of literature was conducted during September of 2022 and January of 2023. Databases used to complete the search included EBSCO Host, Academic Search Ultimate, …

Outpatient Physical Therapists’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Regarding Eating Disorder Screening, Esther Thomas, Morgan Russo, Kara Martin, Kristen Karnish, Audrey Campbell

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

Background & Purpose: Approximately 9% of Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime1 and these disorders can impact the recovery of patients receiving physical therapy services. Physical therapists (PT) should be aware if a patient has a history of, or current history of an eating disorder or nutritional deficiency as these can negatively impact a patient’s participation and optimal functioning. Minimal research has been performed related to physical therapy and eating disorders. Determining outpatient physical therapists’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards eating disorders and if they are screening for eating disorders is the first step in furthering research …

Analysis Of Continuous Gait Data Requires Temporal Alignment Of Gait Phases, Elham Alijanpour, Kathryn Riis, Daniel M. Russell

College of Health Sciences Posters

A statistical method for comparing time-continuous curves, such as the kinematics of gait cycles, is statistical parametric mapping analysis (SPM) (Pataky, 2010). According to a recent study, SPM results were sensitive to how each stride's beginning was defined (Honert & Pataky, 2021). Nonetheless, for meaningful comparisons between gait cycles, temporal alignment of phases within a stride may be required (Helwig et al., 2011). With both temporally aligned and unaligned gait data, the goal was to evaluate SPM results for different walking speeds using various gait cycle definitions. Participants in this study were 10 young, healthy adults. To figure out the …

Aging And Exercising Gracefully, Karena P. Nguyen

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Exercise and physical therapy are concerns among patients experiencing menopause and patients who near the age of menopause. Newtown Primary Care serves a population, whose census indicates an aging population. An interdisciplinary pamphlet on weight-bearing exercises and community resources for the peri- and postmenopausal population was developed with input from physical therapists and doctors.