Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Chronic Low Back Pain And Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Case Study, Jake Fixell

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Low back pain is a condition that affects 70% of the adult population between 18 and 65, as well as the young and elderly. Many people that have low back pain often have recurrent pain episodes. This negatively affects functional activities of daily living and living with chronic pain can take a psychological toll on the individual. The anatomy of the low back and the surrounding musculature play a pivotal role in standing and sitting tasks. The role of the physical therapist in treating an individual with low back pain is to identify the nature of …

Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Left Medial Plantar Myofascial Pain, Kayana Trottier

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: This article describes a 6-week outpatient physical therapy management of a 62 year old female who had a posterior tibial tendon Repair with flexor digitorum longus transfer surgery in 2013 on the left foot following foot pain that worsened over the years. The patient presented with decreased left ankle range of motion, strength, activity tolerance, endurance, marked swelling and sharp pain on the medial and plantar surface of left foot. The purpose of this article is to describe the interventions used for this patient and the results from the physical therapy interventions provided.

Description. The …

Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis., Lydia Jacobson

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Multiple sclerosis is a progressive that affects the central nervous system. This case study discusses the clinical decision making and the effectiveness of treatment of physical therapy for a patient with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Case Description. This case study describes an 8-week outpatient physical therapy episode of care for a 52-year-old patient with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. The patient presented to physical therapy secondary to balance deficits and muscles spasms in her thoracic spine. Physical therapy interventions included resistive, balance, endurance, and gait exercises.

Outcomes. Following 8 weeks of physical therapy the patient's balance, …

Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Left Hip Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Case Study, Mark Geerdes

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is a motion related clinical disorder of the hip in which there is premature contact between the acetabulum and the proximal femur. This case study evaluates the effectiveness of physical therapy as a first line treatment for FAI and discusses the patient outcomes based on the chosen interventions. The results can be used to better understand the most appropriate interventions for conservative FAI treatment.

Case Description: The patient was a 15-year-old male student athlete who presented to physical therapy with left anterior and lateral hip pain.

Interventions: The rehabilitation program …

Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Postoperative Massive Rotator Cuff Repair, Subacromial Decompression, Distal Acromial Excision And Biciptal Tenodesis, Megan Siebert

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. This case report describes the outpatient physical therapy treatment of a 49-year-old male patient with a left, post-operative, massive, rotator cuff repair involving the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis, subacromial decompression, distal acromial excision and bicipital tenodesis of the long head of the biceps. The purpose of this article is to showcase the importance of physical therapy in post-operative treatment of this patient and other patients with similar diagnosis. The criteria for patient selection included a post-surgical diagnosis with high potential for progression.

Description. The treatment of this patient involved manual therapy including soft tissue mobilization, …

Physical Therapy Management In A Patient With A Left Scapular Fracture, Left Three-Through-Eight Rib Fracture And Left Sternoclavicular Ligament Sprain, Morgan Bicker

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. The case study describes the outpatient physical therapy management used for a patient with a left scapular fracture, left three-through-eight rib fracture, and left sternoclavicular ligament sprain following a motorcycle accident.

Case Description. A 43-yearold man with decreased left shoulder range of motion, decreased left shoulder strength, increased left upper extremity pain, and impaired functional mobility. He received ten sessions over a 13- week period. Intervention. Interventions that were documented into the patient’s plan of care included: evaluation, ASTYM, electrical stimulation, home exercise program, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, therapeutic activity, therapeutic exercise, and ultrasound. There were …

Outpatient Management Of Low Back And Neck Pain With Radicular Symptoms, Riley Ryan

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Neck and back pain are very prevalent in the world today. This pain can range mild to debilitating. The purpose of this case study is to examine the use of physical therapy for patients with neck and back pain.

Case Description. A 49 year old female with neck and back pain with radiculopathy. The patient presented with decreased cervical range of motion, kyphotic posture with rounded shoulders and forward head and was seen for a total of six weeks. (20 visits).

Intervention. The treatment of the patient involved education on posture/body mechanics/exercises, manual therapy techniques, modalities …

Analyzing The Accelerated Physical Rehabilitation Of A Patient Status Post Periacetabular Osteotomy And Femoral Derotation Osteotomy, Zachary Burtsfield

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this case is to analyze the accelerated treatment of a periacetabular osteotomy in a patient who requires up to six surgical corrections to his femoracetabular joint compared to a standard treatment protocol.

Case Description: The patient was a 20 year old martial artist presenting with bilateral hip dysplasia seeking physical therapy following a periacetabular osteotomy with a femoral derotation osteotomy.

Intervention. Therapeutic exercise and neuromuscular reeducation techniques were included in treatment to improve range of motion, strength, balance, and gait.

Outcomes: The patient was able to increase range of motion and strength …

Weakness Secondary To Pneumonia/Sepsis In An Elderly Individual: A Case Study, Winter Monette

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Maintaining functional activity is the most important aspect for geriatric patients wishing to preserve their independence. Muscle strength decreases rapidly within the sixth and seventh decade. This is when some older individuals have difficulty with activities such as walking, balance and transfers. Additional issues such as disease, injury or inactivity can increase the speed of this decline. Although functional change is usually observed with aging, hospitalization can cause further complications to function even if the patient’s admitted condition has been resolved. The purpose of this case report is to look at the role of physical therapy in …

Comparative Gait Analysis Of Transtibial Amputees Versus, Charlotte Vitale

Senior Honors Projects

While individuals with lower limb prosthetics make up a very small percentage of the population, their musculoskeletal deformities impair their abilities to produce “normal” biomechanical actions. The deviations in their walking patterns can further inhibit their efficacy in other activities of basic living. Understanding the distinct kinematic comparisons during gait between lower limb amputees and able-bodied individuals is critical for those planning to enter such a field of study working with this specific population. As an aspiring specialized Physical Therapist, it is very likely that I will be assisting clients to regain a healthy walking pattern after a traumatic accident, …

Improving Cognitive Function In Persons With Dementia Through Music Therapy, Jillian Natividad

Nursing | Senior Theses

People diagnosed with dementia experience cognitive alterations that cause overwhelming challenges and lead to distinctive life changes. Declining cognitive function noticeably experienced in dementia not only inflicts difficulty with achieving independent living but increases feelings of agitation and disturbs quality of life. Advanced medical care is widely available for managing mental conditions but may not always be effective in treating cognitive changes like memory loss and confusion. Because the stages of dementia vary from person to person, medical interventions are often patient centered to effectively focus on an individual’s specific needs. With non-pharmacological methods, flexibility in adjusting to an individual’s …

Development Of A Wearable Finger Exoskeleton For Rehabilitation, Carlos Hernandez-Santos, Yasser A. Davizón, Alejandro Said, Rogelio Soto, L. C. Felix-Harran, Adriana Vargas-Martinez

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This research work shows a new architecture of a novel wearable finger exoskeleton for rehabilitation; the proposed design consists of a one degree of freedom mechanism that generates the flexion and extension movement for the proximal, medial and distal phalange of the fingers to assist patients during the rehabilitation process, after neurological trauma, such as a stroke. The anatomy and anthropometric measures for the hand were used to define the design of the mechanism. In the analytic part, the representative equations for the forward and inverse kinematic analysis of the fingers are obtained, also a dynamic analysis is presented. The …

Complementary And Integrative Approaches For Occupational Therapy Practitioners: An Educational Experience, Wanda Kay Lauer

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background and purpose: The use of complementary health approaches and integrative health (CHAIH) practices are on the rise in the United States. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) supports their use as occupations, activities, or interventions to support occupations yet many occupational therapists do not feel comfortable discussing or implementing complementary approaches in their therapy practice. The purpose of this project was to develop a two-day continuing education course to provide occupational therapy practitioners with information to increase their competency and confidence in utilizing complementary and integrative approaches in practice.

Methods: A literature review was completed to determine if there …

Development Of A Novel Cognitive-Motor Dual Task Assessment Battery In Neurodegenerative Disease, Jason Longhurst

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Automaticity --- the ability to perform a task with directing attentional resources to its completion --- is commonly reduced among individuals with neurodegenerative diseases. These automaticity deficits result in impaired functional and daily activities and are sensitive to subtle, subclinical impairments. However, current measurement of automaticity by dual task paradigms is methodologically limited. In order to gain insight into the current state of the literature regarding cognitive-motor interference in symptomatic and prodromal neurodegenerative disease, the author of this dissertation conducted a scoping review (Chapter 1). To address the methodological limitations of current measurement of automaticity, a new measurement tool was …

Examining The Experiences Of Lgbtq Dpt Students: A Critical Ethnography, Catherine Turner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of LGBTQ Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students at a large public university in the south-western United States, as it relates to the culture and climate of the program and campus. The LGBTQ community faces its own unique health disparities. Research in medicine suggests improving the diversity of the healthcare profession is a vital component in improving access to care, and this requires the creation of inclusive and supportive educational environments for LGBTQ identifying healthcare students. However, minimal research exists examining the experiences of LGBTQ physical therapy students.

The study …

An Examination Of Articulatory Precision In Children And Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Elizabeth R. Josephson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The speech of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been perceptually judged as less clear and articulate than the speech of their typically developing (TD) peers. Some evidence suggests that reduced articulatory precision may contribute to negative listener impressions of individuals with ASD. Using an objective, holistic measure of articulatory precision, findings from a corpus of 900 semi-structured speech samples indicate that individuals with ASD produced speech with reduced articulatory precision compared to TD peers. In both TD populations and populations with ASD, children were less precise than adults. While more research is required to substantiate these preliminary findings, …

Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Nicu And Post-Nicu Settings, Katlyn M. Schochenmaier

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this capstone experience was to gain advanced clinical experience and explore occupational therapy’s role in the NICU and post-NICU settings. Further focus of this capstone was on the feeding concerns and sensory development of infants following a NICU stay. This capstone project was completed at a Level IV NICU and an outpatient speech and occupational therapy clinic in a midwestern city. Theoretical models of Ayres’ Sensory Integration, Neonatal Integrative Developmental Care Model, and Biopsychosocial Model of Pediatric Feeding were used to develop and implement this capstone experience. A two-day continuing education course was completed prior to the …

Advocating For The Field Of Occupational Therapy In A Childcare Setting, Nicole K. Leinhart

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Significant physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development occurs during the first five years of life; many children spend time in the childcare setting during this crucial time of development. Appropriately meeting the needs of children is important for healthy growth and development throughout an individual’s life. Working in collaboration with the childcare staff, occupational therapists are beneficial when working with the pediatric population. With their extensive knowledge, expertise, and training in human development, as well as the physiological, psychological, social, and emotional needs of individuals throughout the lifespan, occupational therapists improve the children’s engagement and success within a childcare setting. …

Supporting The Holistic Treatment Of Adults With Upper Extremity Injuries: Bridging The Gap Between The Clinic And Classroom, Stephanie W. Mcclung

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Research continues to support the need for holistic and occupation-based treatment of patients with upper extremity (UE) injuries, therefore, occupational therapy students (OTS) would benefit from continued education supporting holistic hand therapy. Thus, the purpose of this capstone experience was to offer a capstone student with an opportunity to provide holistic hand therapy, explore and address barriers to delivering holistic therapy services, and following reflection, use the knowledge and skills gained through this experience to create supplemental educational materials to further peer education in holistic hand therapy. While providing direct patient care, the capstone student developed a better understanding of …

Empowering Occupational Therapy Practitioners Through Virtual Education On Seating And Wheeled Mobility, Jane A. Loscheider

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background and Purpose: Seating and wheeled mobility is a complex practice area with serious secondary complications if the client does not have an optimally configured seating and mobility device. Occupational therapists receive basic education on seating and wheeled mobility, but additional education is needed for best practice. The purpose of this project was to provide education for the occupational therapy practitioner and identify if a virtual seating and mobility course could improve their comfort level working with their clients who rely on a wheelchair for occupational engagement. Methods: A literature review and needs assessment submitted by 100 occupational therapy clinicians …