Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Critical Appraisal Of “Immediate Changes In Spinal Heights And Pain After Aquatic Vertical Traction In Patients With Persistent Low Back Symptoms: A Crossover Clinical Trial” By Simmerman Et Al -- An Opinion Piece, David C. Berry, Nicole Miela

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically review the article, Immediate changes in spinal height and pain after aquatic vertical traction in patients with persistent low back symptoms: a crossover clinical trial. PM R.2011 May;3(5):447-57. [PMID: 21570033] doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2011.01.010. Methods: Study, key evidence including study design, sample population, procedure, outcome measures, and results were summarized. Critical appraisal of the study's internal, external, and statistical validity followed. Results: In a crossover study of 61 total subjects, mean age 59.6 years, fifteen minutes of supine land-based flexion and weighted aquatic vertical traction were applied in both groups preceded by …

Redux: Empirical Validation Of Medical Equipment Replacement Schedules In Life Care Plans, Irmo Marini, Chia Vang, Danielle Leigh Antol, Elaine M. Mora, Paola Quijano, Rigel Macarena Pinon, Sergio Cuevas

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

The present study sought to update and validate the replacement schedules of various durable medical equipment (DME) and assistive technology (AT) commonly cited in life care plans. For life care plans used in litigation, the 1993 Daubert decision, which placed more onus on testifying experts to rely upon empirically-supported and generally accepted literature in their field, increased the need for evidence-based research. In this study, 127 sales representatives and equipment repairers across the United States were contacted to participate in a survey to explore whether replacement values found in similar research conducted in 2005, had significantly changed. Frequency data were …

Valuation Of Scholarly Activities For Physical Therapy Faculty, Tony Rost, Mitchell Thompson, Harlan Sayles, Gilbert M. Willett, Betsy J. Becker

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

Purpose/Hypothesis: Physical therapy (PT) faculty are required to participate in scholarly endeavors. Scholarly productivity is frequently evaluated based on quantity of production.^1-3 This approach fails to account for quality (e.g. authorship order, presentation audience, or funding). Study aims: 1) compare PT program scholarly productivity valuations between programs of varying Carnegie Classification, 2) establish a scholarly activity measure which accounts for quality, and 3) provide an applied example of the new measure. Number of Subjects: PT Program Directors from CAPTE institutions (n=226) were surveyed using Dillman’s protocol.⁴

Materials/Methods: Respondents were asked to value (0 – 20) 30 …

Effects Of Upper Extremity Positions And Movements And Breathing Patterns On Chest Wall Kinematics And Sensation Of Dyspnea In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Chathipat Kruapanich

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The objectives of this study were to 1) study the influences of the upper extremity (UE) positions and 2) the combination of UE movements coordinated with breathing patterns on chest wall movements and sensation of dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furthermore, the results were also compared to those of the healthy subjects. We invited forty-two subjects, 21 patients with mild to moderate COPD whose aged, gender, and physical activity were matched to healthy subjects, to participate in this study. In the first part of this study, all participants’ chest wall movements and dyspnea were evaluated while …

Cross-Cultural Adaptation And Psychometric Properties Of The Thai Version Of The University Of Washington - Pain Related Self-Efficacy Scale 6 (Uw-Prse6), Angkana Khampanthip

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objective: To cross-culturally adapt the University of Washington Pain related Self-Efficacy Scale (UW-PRSE6) into Thai and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: The original UW- PRSE6 was cross-culturally adapted using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy translation methodology. 241 individuals with chronic low back pain completed the Thai version of UW-PRSE6 (T-UW-PRSE6), Thai Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (T-FABQ), and Thai Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 (T-SF-36). 241 participants completed the T-UW-PRSE6 and again after 7-days interval. 152 participants rated their overall condition as having little to no change at the second assessment. Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated …

Factors Of Age, Anthropometric Characteristics And Lower Extremity Strength On Multi-Directional Reach Test In Typical Children Aged 7 - 12 Years, Benjaporn Hirunyaphinun

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of age, anthropometric characteristics and lower extremity strength with the Multi-Directional React Test (MDRT). Sixty children with typical development, aged 7 to 12 years old, were categorized into each age group. Pearson correlation coefficient and Spearman rank correlation coefficient were conducted to examine the relationship between interesting variables (age, anthropometric characteristics and lower extremity strength) and the reach distances in forward, backward, leftward and rightward directions. The results of this study showed that multi-directional reach distances increased with age for all directions. Fair to moderate relationship (r = 0.28 – …

Responsiveness Of The Thai Version Of The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 (Promis-29) In Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain, Kornkanok Khutok

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 (PROMIS-29) questionnaire assesses 7 health related quality of life domains. However, research to evaluate the responsiveness and minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) of the PROMIS-29 scores in patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP) is limited. Purpose: To evaluate responsiveness and estimate the MCIDs for PROMIS-29 scales in patients with cLBP. Method: One hundred and eighty-three participants with cLBP took part in the study. They completed the PROMIS-29 scales at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks of the study. Responsiveness of the PROMIS-29 scale scores was evaluated by examining the mean change scores, …

Effects Of Achilles Tendon Stretching In Individuals With Plantar Fasciitis, Phoomchai Engkananuwat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background and rationale: Since the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon are anatomically connected, it is therefore plausible that stretching of both structures simultaneously will result in a better outcome. Methods: Fifty participants aged 40-60 years with a history of plantar heel pain greater than one month were recruited. They were randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 was instructed to stretch the Achilles tendon while Group 2 simultaneous stretched the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia. The stretching interventions were performed for four weeks and the outcome measures were recorded at baseline, at the end of the 4th week, and …

Cross-Cultural Adaptation And Psychometric Properties Of The Thai Version Of The University Of Washington - Concerns About Pain Scale 6 (Uw-Cap6), Sukhonwaroch Youprasart

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: Pain catastrophizing has been shown to be an important psychosocial factor that predicts disability and other important pain-related outcomes in individuals with chronic pain. The University of Washington - Concerns about Pain scale (UW-CAP6) is the brief version of a new item bank that assesses pain-related catastrophizing. Objective: To cross-culturally adapt the UW-CAP6 items into Thai and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: The original UW-CAP6 instructions and items were cross-culturally adapted into Thai using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy translation methodology. Chronic low back pain individuals completed the Thai version of UW-CAP6 (T-UW-CAP6), Thai Fear Avoidance …

Processing Youth Adventure Wellness Experiences: Poetic Representations Of Youth’S Peace Bus Experiences, Ty Th Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This narrative inquiry explored how youth are processing their Peace Bus program experiences two and a half years after program completion. The purpose was to gain an understanding of (1) what program components the participants reflect on, (2) how they conceptualize their program experiences, and (3) what factors contribute to their reflection processes. This research sought to address the gap in literature where little is understood about the ongoing experiences of program participants of adventure wellness programs and the processes that lead to positive changes. As the researcher, I conducted a qualitative study using narrative inquiry and poetic representation methods. …

Physical Therapist Views And Experiences With Patient Use Of Marijuana, Arturo De La O Basurto Jr.

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Conditions seen within physical therapy settings overlap with reasons that patients seek marijuana. For this reason, information about these professionals’ outlooks on patients’ marijuana use in prime. Purpose: Gain current views and experiences of physical therapists (PTs)/physical therapist assistants (PTAs) on their patients’ use of marijuana in the physical therapy field. Methods: PTs/PTAs were invited to complete an anonymous survey asking relative PT/PTA views, experiences, and understanding of patients’ marijuana use. Results: PTs/PTAs who have had experience (did not have experience) with patients who use marijuana received information about marijuana from news media - 61% (60%), patients …

The Effects Of Argentine Tango On Balance And Quality Of Life In Subjects With Traumatic Brain Injury, Pamela Marie Peterson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study investigated the effect of a six-week tango-based intervention on the balance and quality of life on subjects with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Twenty-two men and women were assigned into three groups TBI group (TBI: n=2; 44.5±2.1 years), Treatment control (TC: n=8; 30.9±12.3 years), Control (CG: n=12; 32.8±9.6 years). The TC group showed an improvement in stress levels compared to the CG p

From Perceiving To Achieving: Experiences Of An Adolescent With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Summer Day Program, Spencer Thomas Hammond

Online Theses and Dissertations

Literature describing the experiences of adolescents and their families with summer day-programs is scarce. This study sought to reveal such experiences from one individual participating in a summer program, HorseAbility, in which individuals with disabilities interact with each other through planned and self-directed activities, therapeutic riding, and activities associated with taking care of horses. Interviews were conducted with an adolescent diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, his parent, a staff member of the summer day program, and the therapeutic riding instructor. Observation data and personal journaling was also used for data collection mechanisms. Data sources were triangulated to provide a rich …

Occupational Therapists' Perceptions And Clinical Reasoning Of Splints Used In Adults With Neurological Conditions, Yichen Jiang

Online Theses and Dissertations

Using splints for upper extremity functional improvement in neurologically impaired patients is a common practice among occupational therapists despite inadequate evidence to support this intervention. This mixed-method study aims to address the gap in research regarding occupational therapists’ perceptions of current neurological splinting trends, perceived effectiveness of splinting, their rationale for splinting, and confidence in splinting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four occupational therapists across the United States. A 37-item online survey was then developed and administered to 129 occupational therapists who practice with neurologically impaired populations. Three themes were developed from the qualitative data: clinical reasoning guides decision-making and …

Understanding The Impact Of Hobby Participation On Quality Of Life During Cancer Treatment, Bethany Lynn Keuter

Online Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Over the past two decades there has been significant research on the benefits of leisure participation in increasing quality of life (QoL). Additionally, there is a substantial foundation of research exploring the role of leisure engagement in life-threatening illness and cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the role of regular hobby participation on QoL with regards to finding purpose and meaning making, increased coping skills, and social support through hobby participation during breast cancer treatment.

Method: Qualitative descriptive study using snowball sampling for participant recruitment. Data collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis completed through process of …

Inside Outsourcing: Experiences Of Outsourced Physical Therapy Services In Dutch Hospitals, Rudi A. Steenbruggen Pt, Mba, Hannah Boven Msc

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Over the past years, it has become more common in Dutch hospitals to outsource allied healthcare services to the private sector. This development has affected hospital-based physical therapy significantly. And as a result, there is an increasing need for guidance in this new situation. In response to this, the Dutch Association of Physical Therapy in Hospitals (NVZF) conducted a comprehensive study into the process of outsourcing with the objective to inform and advise physical therapy services in hospitals about outsourcing developments. Eight Dutch hospitals where physical therapy services had been outsourced or where this option was explored, were interviewed. The …

Data Patterns Discovery Using Unsupervised Learning, Rachel A. Lewis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Self-care activities classification poses significant challenges in identifying children’s unique functional abilities and needs within the exceptional children healthcare system. The accuracy of diagnosing a child's self-care problem, such as toileting or dressing, is highly influenced by an occupational therapists’ experience and time constraints. Thus, there is a need for objective means to detect and predict in advance the self-care problems of children with physical and motor disabilities. We use clustering to discover interesting information from self-care problems, perform automatic classification of binary data, and discover outliers. The advantages are twofold: the advancement of knowledge on identifying self-care problems in …

The Tailoring Of National Guidelines For Upper Extremity Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: A Concept In Use., Salem F. Alatawi

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: In Saudi Arabia, national evidence-based clinical guidelines (NCG) were created based for healthcare interventions. However, clinicians appear to be slow to incorporate the evidence into practice. As a result, there exists a time-gap between the gathering and presentation of evidence for best practice and the use of that evidence by clinicians. It becomes, therefore, imperative to investigate the gap between the research evidence and clinical practice. The knowledge to action (KTA) framework is available to facilitate the implementation of research evidence. This framework incorporates the theory of tailoring, a concept that is intended to create a fit between …

An Investigation Of Entry Level Doctor Of Physical Therapy Student Perspectives Of Peer Evaluation, Dawn James, Natalie Weeks-O'Neal, Jennyfer Oh, Teressa Brown

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To describe the perceptions of peer evaluation as an instructional method when used by entry-level doctor of physical therapy (DPT) students as preparation for practical examinations within a clinically oriented course.

Methods/Description: Forty first year, entry-level doctor of physical therapy students participated in structured peer-skills checks prior to practical exams as part a clinically based course. Each student was required to observe and provide critical feedback for at least four other students as they performed simulated patient care activities. Peer-evaluators rated the students on their level of competency with the skills using a Visual Analog Scale and …

Reviewing The Diagnostic Classifications Used For Low Back Pain In Physiotherapy-Related Research., Steve Milanese, David Worth

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: The evidence-to-practice gap, where clinical practice does not reflect the findings from research evidence, has been identified as a concern in allied health disciplines such as physiotherapy. Failure to provide care according to current (research) evidence raises the potential that patients are receiving care that is either not needed, is ineffective, less effective than current research indicates, or potentially harmful. For research evidence to be translatable to clinical practice, the research should be seen to be applicable, i.e. the clinician should be able to recognise that the research study sample reflects their patient population. Method: This study presents …