Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Specialized Medical Home For Patients With Spinal Cord Injury, Mendel Kupfer Md, Marci Ruediger Pt, Ms, Norah V. Dixon Ma

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of The Affordable Care Act In Physical Therapy, Greg Austin

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Introduction: With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, many medical specialties prepared to see reimbursement rates altered. Not impervious to this trend was the field of physical therapy (PT). This change in reimbursement structure could impact the effectiveness of PT treatment. Under this model, a patient may not be able to receive the appropriate number of visits to a physical therapist, resulting in a loss of utilization in the injured area and, possibly, a loss of independence. Methods: A literature review was performed to determine reimbursement rate impact on PT. A seven-item open-ended survey regarding various …

Dance-Based Exercise Therapy For People With Arthritis: An Update And Commentary, Ray Marks

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Case Study Of Persons With Cancer Participating In A Community-Based Exercise Program: An Exploration Of Meaning And Change, Barbara K. Haas, Melinda Hermanns, Christina Melin-Johansson

The Qualitative Report

Increasingly, research supports the importance of incorporating exercise into the cancer care paradigm. While quantitative studies have substantiated the significant effects of exercise on physical functioning, the individual’s perspective of participating in an exercise program has rarely been considered. The purpose of this study was to explain the impact of a community based exercise program on the lives of persons with cancer and their caregivers. Based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, a single explanatory case study with multiple embedded units of analyses was conducted. Interviews were conducted with 10 individuals representing participants with cancer, their caregivers, and health care providers. …

Lumbar Lateral Shift In A Patient With Interspinous Device Implantation: A Case Report, Seth Peterson, Cheri Hodges

PT Faculty Publications

Background:Lumbar lateral shift (LLS) is a common clinical observation but has rarely been described in a patient with a history of lumbar surgery. The purpose of the current case report was to describe the use of the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) in the multi-modal treatment of a patient with an LLS and a history of multiple surgical procedures in the lumbar spine, including interspinous process device (IPD) implantation. Case description:A 72-year-old female with chronic low back pain (LBP) and a surgical history in the lumbar spine was referred to physical therapy for radiating leg pain and …

What And How Do Students Learn In An Interprofessional Student-Run Clinic? An Educational Framework For Team-Based Care, Désirée A. Lie, Christopher Forest, Anne Walsh, Yvonne Banzali, Kevin Lohenry

Physician Assistant Studies Faculty Articles and Research

Background: The student-run clinic (SRC) has the potential to address interprofessional learning among health professions students.

Purpose: To derive a framework for understanding student learning during team-based care provided in an interprofessional SRC serving underserved patients.

Methods: The authors recruited students for a focus group study by purposive sampling and snowballing. They constructed two sets of semi-structured questions for uniprofessional and multiprofessional groups. Sessions were audiotaped, and transcripts were independently coded and adjudicated. Major themes about learning content and processes were extracted. Grounded theory was followed after data synthesis and interpretation to establish a framework for interprofessional …

Spatiotemporal Gait Pattern In Children With And Without Down Syndrome While Walking From Level Surface To Stairs, Huaqing Liang, Xiang Ke, Jianhua Wu

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Children with Down syndrome (DS) display a delayed motor development, and show clumsy and less coordinated gait pattern. Compared to typically developing children (TD), children with DS walk with a notably slower speed, a shorter stride length, a limited range of motion in ankle joint with increased plantar flexion, and reduced dorsal flexion throughout the gait cycle. When negotiating an obstacle, children with DS show shorter stride length and greater step length variability, and stop in front of the obstacle before stepping over it.

Effect Of Whole Body Vibration On Center Of Mass Movement In Children And Young Adults, Huaqing Liang, Jianhua Wu

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Whole body vibration (WBV) has acute effects on postural control strategy. The degree of impact depends on the amplitude, frequency, and duration of WBV, and the difficult level of balance task as well as the reliability of sensory information to the individual [1, 2, 3]. Healthy young adults can return to the baseline level of postural sway for a simple balance task within 20 minutes after repeated exposure to WBV [4]. Little is known about the acute and residual effects of WBV on the center-of-mass (COM) movement after a single bout of WBV. This study aimed to understand the COM …

Adherence Of Individuals In Upper Extremity Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Study, Enrique V. Smith-Forbes, Dana M. Howell, Jason Willoughby, Hilary Armstrong, Donald G. Pitts, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To describe the rehabilitation experiences, expectations, and treatment adherence of patients receiving upper extremity (UE) rehabilitation who demonstrated discrepancy between functional gains and overall improvement.

DESIGN: Qualitative (phenomenologic) interviews and analysis.

SETTING: Outpatient UE rehabilitation.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients with acute UE injuries (N=10).

INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Concerns related to UE rehabilitation patients demonstrating discrepancy between outcome measures.

RESULTS: Five key themes emerged from the interviews of patients demonstrating discrepancy in their self-reported patient outcomes: (1) desire to return to normal, (2) initial anticipation of brief recovery, (3) trust of therapist, (4) cannot stop living, and (5) feelings …

The Juvenile Addiction Risk Rating For Use In Vocational Rehabilitation, Paul Tyler Hickerson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of substance use among adolescents warrants considerable concern since it often has detrimental effects on an individual’s physical and mental health, and correlates with worsened Social, physical, and employment outcomes. Research shows that adolescents with disabilities are especially susceptible to the development of substance use disorders. To address this concern and to ensure accurate rehabilitation service planning, effective screening for substance use risk is necessary. Unfortunately, the most common screening instruments for adolescent substance use rely on information obtained solely from self-report. This type of data, although useful, is also susceptible to inaccuracies due to such factors as …

The Influence Of Strength-Training Exercises On The Functional Fitness In Older Adults, Susie Engle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of strength-training exercises on the functional fitness in older adults. The original convenience sample consisted of 658 participants who attended group strength-training classes offered through the Cooperative Extension Service. The Senior Fitness Test was used to assess baseline fitness levels at the beginning and end of the 12-week strength-training program. Data was collected from 2008 to 2015. Of the 658 participants, 110 were aged 60 to 94 and presented posttest scores occurring approximately 12 weeks after pretest dates. Of the 110 subjects, 99 were female and 11 were male. The …

Use Of Distance Delivery Interventions (Web-Based, Mhealth, Telehealth) For Hard-To-Reach, Vulnerable Midlife And Older Individuals, Patricia A. Hageman

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

As older adults may lack access to professional services and/or have limited transportation to seek care, the increasing availability of technologies for self-monitoring, safety, and/or preventive or therapeutic management may show promise for reaching vulnerable older adults. This presentation will describe several types of distance delivery platforms, such as web-based, mHealth, and/or telehealth, which may have applications to older adults in arenas of education, clinical practice or research. This session will highlight the benefits and limitations of these technologies, and will summarize current research about the effectiveness of using these technologies with midlife and older individuals.

Objectives:

1. Identify benefits and …

Lived Experience Of Adolescents With Chronic Pain: A Phenomenological Study, Ryan Christopher Suder

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of adolescents who live with chronic pain. All 10 participants were between the ages of 13 and 17 and have lived with chronic pain for at least 6 months. Data sources for the study were two interviews for each participant, participant drawn depictions of their chronic pain, and researcher journaling. The person-environment-occupation model was used to frame the research design. The study found four main themes among the data: pain identity, invisible disease, occupational loss, and uphill climb to regain life. Each theme described the essence of the …

Creating Environments Through The Art Of Occupational Therapy, Lydia Royeen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Dr. Lori Reynolds has an interest in therapeutic gardens and the creation of living spaces that promote well-being for older adults. Dr. Reynolds educates various stakeholders on the benefits of occupational therapy, including landscape architects and senior living administrators. Her advocacy to expand occupational therapy beyond its mainstream roles is infectious. She speaks passionately about her work in helping to create therapeutic gardens and how her role as an occupational therapist offers great perspective in this process. She appreciates the environmental impact on an individual’s health and well-being and practices from a person-environment-occupation theory.

She Said, She Said: A Conversation About Growing Education Research In Occupational Therapy, Barbara Hooper, Sylvia Rodger

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Achieving Teaching, Scholarship, And Service Through Community Engagement, Carole K. Ivey, Jodi L. Teitelman, Kelli W. Gary, Dianne F. Simons, Jayne T. Shepherd, Albert E. Copolillo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy faculty currently face enormous challenges in meeting teaching load expectations, while also under pressure to participate in scholarly projects and to make administrative and service contributions. Community engagement projects may provide opportunities for faculty to effectively and efficiently meet the goals in each of these areas while imparting benefits to students and community partners as well. Faculty at the Department of Occupational Therapy (OT) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) embraced this idea as consistent with the university’s mission and strategic plan, and recognized its benefits in assisting faculty to meet workload demands. Four community partnerships reflecting the range …

Eportfolio: The Scholarly Capstone For The Practice Doctoral Degree In Occupational Therapy, Jim Hinojosa, Tsu-Hsin Howe

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

A critical decision doctoral faculty must make is deciding what is the most appropriate capstone or terminal requirement for the practice doctorate degree that is consistent with the program’s curriculum. EPortfolios are a viable option for documenting doctoral students’ advanced knowledge and competence. After creating a professional development plan, the students record individual experiences and reflections framed by a self-selected metaphor, provide objective documentation of achievements, and verify advanced competence in a specific area in their ePortfolios. As the students construct their ePortfolios, they must engage in self-directed learning that is grounded in evidence-based and reflective practice, with a focus …

Peer Observation And Evaluation Tool (Poet): A Formative Peer Review Supporting Scholarly Teaching, Jeffrey L. Crabtree, Patricia J. Scott, Fengyi Kuo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The Peer Observation and Evaluation Tool (POET) is a valid and reliable measure developed for formative peer evaluation of pharmacy faculty. The authors replicated a study conducted on the POET in pharmacy in order to report the instrument’s validity and reliability in occupational therapy and to explore its potential as a formative teaching evaluation for occupational therapy educators. To verify item importance, seven participants from the faculty in an occupational therapy department rated each item. To establish inter-rater reliability, the participants evaluated one videotaped 55 min lecture. The POET was reliable with ICC at 0.93. There were high levels of …

Student Perceptions Of Scholarly Writing, Shirley Peganoff O'Brien, Dory Marken, Kelsey Bennett Petrey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Learning the process of scholarly writing, including the significance of peer review, is an essential element in the preparation of students for professional practice. This descriptive research study, using Scholarship of Teaching and Learning methodology, explores one approach to teaching scholarly writing in an occupational science/occupational therapy curriculum. The writing assignment was designed to offer multiple points for feedback and revision and instructional features to reinforce learning. A survey of students [n = 169] participating in this scholarly writing project was conducted yearly to gather their perceptions of learning. The results revealed four key elements: instructional strategies are needed …

Development Of A Clinical Performance Assessment Tool For An Occupational Therapy Teaching Clinic, Whitney Henderson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Health professional education is experiencing increased accountability from higher education and professional accrediting bodies to produce professionals who are prepared to meet the demands of the complex, fast-paced, ever changing health-care environment. Using competency-based assessment methods to evaluate a student’s performance can assist to decrease the gap between education and practice and ease the critical transition from the classroom to the clinic. A variety of assessment methods that use a Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) framework to assess student performance and competency can be found throughout the health professions literature. Because of the lack of literature about the assessment of student …