Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Assistive Technology Provision By Occupational Therapists : A Process And Tools For Managing Clients With Spinal Cord Injury, Ikechukwu Anthony Igbo

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Occupational therapy focuses on complex dynamic relationships between people, occupations and environments. For clients with spinal cord injuries (SCI), a way of improving the connection between these three aspects is by providing assistive technology (AT). A fundamental issue identified by consumers regarding AT provision was abandonment, which is caused by a mismatch between aspects of the person, the assistive product, and characteristics of the environment. One solution is engaging collaboratively with clients and recognizing individual needs, thereby allowing therapists to meet clients’ occupational expectations and provide clients with increased functional independence. During this capstone project, barriers to AT provision were …

Role Of Community Participation In Improving Quality Of Life In Clients With Dementia And Their Caregivers, Mridula Dhamija

Online Theses and Dissertations

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on quality of life for clients with dementia and their caregivers by participating in a community program, the Memory Café.

Method: In this qualitative, cross case study, the Marwit Meser Caregiver Grief Inventory (MM-CGI) was given to caregiver. Data collection was done by interviewing the participants; there was a main question with follow- up questions as needed. All the interviews were audiotaped and transcribed followed by primary and secondary coding. Shortlisting of categories resulted in emergence of themes which were common across cases and unique to each case.

Results: …

A Qualitative Pilot Study Of Aging Women’S Physical Activity Experiences In One University Fitness And Wellness Center, Alexis Hobbs

Online Theses and Dissertations

Physical inactivity is one of the driving risk factors for developing health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (World Health Organization, 2003). The prevalence of these diseases increases with the aging process, which renders participation in physical activity crucial among the aging population. There is strong evidence that physical activity reduces the risk of these health disparities and disabilities (Young & Dinan, 2005), however despite these well-documented benefits, aging women still remain sedentary. This study examined the phenomenon of women 55 years of age or older and their lived experiences of participating in physical activity within a university …

The Deaf Experience In A Hearing Medical World, Sarah Kaylynn Lykins

Online Theses and Dissertations

Background: The purpose of this narrative study was to understand personal experiences of a Deaf individual when communicating with healthcare professionals, to describe personal feelings regarding challenges and successes experienced during healthcare interactions, and express the need for culturally competent healthcare providers with increasingly diverse populations.

Method: The participant interviewed is a member of the Deaf community, uses American Sign Language (ASL), and had multiple decades of major medical treatments. The study was conducted using a semi-structured method with a certified interpreter (CI) present to interpret and was audio and video recorded to account for all aspects of the signed …

Experiences Of Non-Traditional Female College Students With Bipolar Disorder, Taylor Lynn Massie

Online Theses and Dissertations

Background: Although research has been done on many aspects of bipolar disorder, research has not examined the individual living experiences of college students with bipolar disorder. Research looks at the

Methods: In-depth interviews were used to learn the details of the experience of attending college with bipolar disorder. Three volunteers came forward to be interviewed. They had a bipolar disorder diagnosis, and are current students at a southern university. Questions focused on the lived experience of being a student with bipolar disorder, and probing questions were used to learn more about each participant’s particular experience. The first two interviews had …

Lived Experience Of Collegiate Athletes With Season Ending Injuries, Leah Thomas Thomas

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the lived experience of collegiate athletes and their experience with a season ending injury. The individuals will have had an injury that has kept them from participating in their sport for the remainder of the season. Evidence shown gives the factors that impact recovery, supports for recovery, the model for response to sport injury, and coping mechanisms of the athletes impacted. However, there is a lack of research on the actual lived experience of the injury for collegiate athletes. Knowing this information could help change the way that we look at their …

The Lived Experience Of Informal Caregivers Of Chronic Stroke Patients, Ann Snider Wigginton

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to contribute to the literature surrounding stroke-survivor caregivers and to understand the caregivers’ perspective on leisure participation and quality of life. Four caregivers of clients with chronic stroke were recruited for the study via convenience sampling. Participants were audio-recorded during a semi-structured interview lasting 60-80 minutes. The interview guide was consistent across participants and included open-ended questions about the caregiver’s leisure participation and quality of life. Recorded data was transcribed and in-vivo coding was completed. Eight categories were developed from the identified codes and narrowed into primary meaning units: role shift, loss of …

The Experience Of Adults With Chronic Stroke Who Have Participated In Occupation-Based Or Modified Constraint Induced Interventions As A Part Of A Research Study, Ariel Wilson

Online Theses and Dissertations

There is a lack of qualitative research about the client perspective of specific chronic stroke interventions for motor recovery. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of adults with chronic stroke who have participated in occupation-based (OBP) or modified constraint-induced (MCIT) interventions as a part of a research study. Four participants were recruited through convenience sampling and interviewed about their participation in research. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed until themes emerged. Results showed participants engaged in the research interventions because of a desire to achieve a lost sense of ‘normalcy’ and perceptions of their …

Factors Influencing The Use Of Evidence-Based Practice Among Physiotherapists And Occupational Therapists In Their Clinical Work, Sofi Fristedt, Kristina Areskoug Josefsson, Ann-Sofi Kammerlind

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a process through which research is applied in daily clinical practice. Occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs) are expected to work in line with EBP in order to optimise health care resources. This expectation is too seldom fulfilled. Consequently, research findings may not be implemented in clinical practice in a timely manner, or at all. To remedy this situation, additional knowledge is needed regarding what factors influence the process of EBP among practitioners. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors that influence the use of EBP and the experienced effects of the …

Therapy Options For Winged Scapula Patients: A Literature Review, Samantha L. Normand

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Winged scapula is a condition characterized by lateral or medial protrusion of the scapula caused by nerve damage leading to muscular paralysis. The purpose of this systematic review of literature is to evaluate the current research literature related to the effectiveness of therapy options for winged scapula. Eleven peer reviewed English language research articles published from 1998 to present were included for evaluation. Study results revealed positive therapeutic outcomes for physical therapy and scapular bracing. Results also showed positive outcomes for the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture for the treatment of nerve related conditions similar to winged …

Occupational Therapy Ph.D. Overview, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Physical Therapy Tdpd Curriculum, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Physical Therapy Overview, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training In Management Of Postpartum Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions: A Literature Review, Rebecca S. Tanner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Women can face a wide range of pelvic floor dysfunctions following pregnancy, ranging from urinary incontinence to pelvic pain. Unfortunately, these problems are not routinely checked for in postpartum check-ups and women do not always bring it to the physician’s attention. Strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles may be able to help women prevent these disorders and improve these women’s lifestyles.

The purpose of this thesis was to review and analyze different trials to determine if different pelvic floor dysfunctions (urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic girdle pain) can be treated using pelvic floor muscle training in the postpartum. After …

The Effects Of Resistance Training Frequency On Muscle Hypertrophy And Strength In Healthy Trained Individuals: Literature Review, Alexander C. Boivin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of increased resistance training frequency on strength and hypertrophy in trained individuals. Six Studies were deemed eligible based on the inclusion exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria for this review were healthy trained individuals. “Trained” refers to over one year of resistance training experience. Exclusion Criteria were study’s that examined either untrained or obese individuals as participants. The evidence indicates a dose-response trend in frequency. Resistance training each muscle group twice a week may be superior compared to once per week. Further more, resistance training each muscle group three times a …

Sport Commitment And Purchase Intentions Of Intercollegiate Boxing Coaches And Participants, Lamar Reams

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The current study analyzed the sport commitment and purchase intentions of club level intercollegiate boxers and coaches. Participants at United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association ( USIBA) member institutions ( N = 155) completed an online survey answering questions regarding their sport commitment and future equipment purchase intentions. Multivariate analysis discovered significant sport commitment differences among boxers and coaches, Wilk's Lambda =.838, F ( 7, 125) = 3.46, p

An Initiative To Build Research Capacity Within A Physiotherapy Department: Hits And Misses Over A 20-Year Period, Kathy Stiller, Naomi Haensel

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Building research capacity within a busy clinical allied health department is important but can be limited by time, resources and expertise. In 1995, a role was created in our Physiotherapy Department whereby an individual with an interest and expertise in clinical research was identified and a proportion of their workload (12 hours/week) designated to fulfil a research co-ordination role. The aim of this role was to foster research and build research capacity within the Physiotherapy Department. This paper reports the achievements associated with this initiative to highlight its successes, difficulties and failures. Method: A retrospective descriptive review of research …

Examining The Relationship Between Throwing Injuries Sustained In Adolescent Baseball Players And Use Of An Injury Prevention Smartphone Application "Throw Like A Pro", David S. Grove

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Objective: To describe the use rate of the injury prevention smartphone app “Throw Like a Pro” (TLP), and determine the relationship between use of the app and throwing injuries in adolescent baseball players.

Design and Setting: The smartphone application TLP was distributed to adolescent baseball players. Instruction was given on correct use of the application. Stretches, exercises, and application features were demonstrated to subjects. Data on use and injuries was compiled through self-reported surveys.

Subjects: A convenience sample of adolescent baseball players (n=20) aged 13-18 from the Babe Ruth Little League organization in Missoula, Montana were selected.

Measurements: A modified …

Altered Cerebellar Circuitry Following Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury In Adult Rats, Nishant P. Visavadiya, Joe E. Springer

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Faculty Publications

Cerebellar function is critical for coordinating movement and motor learning. However, events occurring in the cerebellum following spinal cord injury (SCI) have not been investigated in detail. We provide evidence of SCI-induced cerebellar synaptic changes involving a loss of granule cell parallel fiber input to distal regions of the Purkinje cell dendritic tree. This is accompanied by an apparent increase in synaptic contacts to Purkinje cell proximal dendrites, presumably from climbing fibers originating in the inferior olive. We also observed an early stage injury-induced decrease in the levels of cerebellin-1, a synaptic organizing molecule that is critical for establishing and …

An Investigation Of Screening For Medical Referral By Physical Therapists, Heather E. Mount, Cecilia Graham, Diane Clark, David Morris, Kathleen Foley

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Screening for medical referral is essential to physical therapist practice; however, no studies have examined medical screening across physical therapy practice settings. The purpose of this study was to determine if physical therapists in a variety of practice settings, given brief clinical vignettes, would screen for medical referral in a similar manner. The Delphi Technique was implemented to establish content validity, although only 2 vignettes reached 100% consensus by the expert panel. After reviewing the vignettes, physical therapist subjects determined if they would provide intervention, provide intervention and refer, or refer before intervention. To determine which variables were associated with …