Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Effects Of Plyometric Training On Spinal And Supraspinal Motor Control, Jeffrey R. Doeringer

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of plyometric training on spinal and supraspinal motor control in healthy active females. Methods: A 2 (Group) x 2 (Session) x 2 (Stance) mixed model design was used for homosynaptic depression (HD) and recurrent inhibition (RI) data. A 2 (Group) x 2 (Session) mixed model design was used for H:M ratios and V-waves (V:M ratios) data. Thirty-one participants were recruited to participate in the study. Participants participated in either the training or control group for 6-weeks. All participants were measured pre- and post-intervention on H:M ratios, HD, RI, …

In-Shoe Plantar Pressure System To Investigate Ground Reaction Force Using Android Platform, Ahmed A. Mostfa

Theses and Dissertations

Human footwear is not yet designed to optimally relieve pressure on the heel of the foot. Proper foot pressure assessment requires personal training and measurements by specialized machinery. This research aims to investigate and hypothesize about Preferred Transition Speed (PTS) and to classify the gait phase of explicit variances in walking patterns between different subjects. An in-shoe wearable pressure system using Android application was developed to investigate walking patterns and collect data on Activities of Daily Living (ADL). In-shoe circuitry used Flexi-Force A201 sensors placed at three major areas: heel contact, 1st metatarsal, and 5th metatarsal with a PIC16F688 microcontroller …

Improvements In Cultural Competence Through Classroom And Local Cross-Cultural Service-Learning Activities, Jason M. Denton, Shandra Esparza, David S. Fike, Jaime González, Melinda Lundquist Denton

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Introduction: Improving cultural competence has been proposed as a way to decrease health disparities and is a priority of physical therapist (PT) education programs. Multiple published works describe curricular design for PT education programs to promote cultural competence, but limited data support the effectiveness of classroom or local cross-cultural activities.

Subjects: Fifty-two first-year PT students participated in the study.

Methods: All participants completed an Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Student Version (IAPCC-SV ©) pretest for a baseline measure of cultural competence and an IAPCC-SV© posttest 1 after a classroom educational module including readings, limited lecture, …

Positive Psychology And Hope As Means To Recovery From Mental Illness, Jinhee Park, Roy K. Chen

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

The field of psychiatric rehabilitation has seen a paradigm shift in its perceptions of symptom reduction, recovery, and restoration of personal-growth and -development. Recovery is subjective in nature, as no two individuals achieve identical rehabilitation outcomes; the process is dynamic and influenced by an array of personal and environmental factors, all of which can facilitate a deeply personal, unique progression that changes one's attitudes, values, feelings, goals, skills, and roles. The concept of positive psychology is relevant to the perception from mental illness. Positive psychology seeks to understand what makes life worth living and encourages the use of mental strengths …

Factors Influencing The Decisions Of Women Small Business Owners On Hiring People With Disabilities, Roy K. Chen, Stephen A. Zanskas, Hung-Jen Kuo, Noel A. Ysasi

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

Despite the passage of disability rights legislation in the United States, individuals with disabilities continue to experience high unemployment and underemployment rates than their counterparts without disabilities. The purpose of the study was to examine the attitudes of women small business owners towards hiring individuals with disabilities, and to determine what factors influence their hiring decisions. A total of 80 women small business owners in a southwestern U.S. state took part in the study. The Employer Attitudes Questionnaire (EAQ) and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale Short Form-C (M-C Form C) were used to assess participants’ attitudes. The results of a …

Physiatrists' Professional Opinions Of Secondary Complications After Sci, Noel A. Ysasi, Irmo Marini, Bradley Mcdaniels, Roy K. Chen, Lisa R. Dunkley, Shelby Kerwin

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

The professional opinions of physiatrists were collected to ascertain the likelihood of occurrence, frequency of hospitalization, and treatment required as a direct result of 13 secondary complications (SCs) of two otherwise healthy males in their mid-20s, one with a C5-C6 tetraplegia and the other with T6 paraplegia spinal cord injury. Physiatrists responded to our online survey and overall, a general consensus was found among practitioners. Descriptive statistics was implemented with details outlining the frequency, mean, standard deviations, and the probability (51% or greater) versus possibility (50% or less) of SC occurrence is provided. Implications for life care planners and recommendations …

A Comprehensive Literature Review Of Secondary Complications Of Spinal Cord Injury, Noel A. Ysasi, Shelby Kerwin, Irmo Marini, Bradley Mcdaniels, Danielle Leigh Antol

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

Spinal cord injury (SCI) and secondary complications (SCs) that occur as a direct result of the injury can be a contributing factor for increased hospitalization and need for specialized healthcare. For instance, level of injury, time since injury, gender, age, and personal health care have shown to increase and/or decrease the incidence rate of specific SCs. The authors conducted a comprehensive literature review for 12 SCs to examine the relative prevalence of each for people with SCI. The data utilized was to determine the probability (>50%) versus the possibility (

A Comparison Of Physiatrist Life Care Planners Versus Non-Life Care Planner Physiatrists' Professional Opinions Regarding Secondary Complications Of Spinal Cord Injuries, Noel A. Ysasi, Irmo Marini, Danielle Leigh Antol, Kristin Maxwell, Shelby Kerwin

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

The specialization of life care planning continues to evolve through empirical research and periodic standards of practice symposiums. Within this evolution, the need exists towards advancing the profession through the creation of a universal and standardized approach among all who operate within the field of life care planning regarding when/when not to include secondary complication costs into a life care plan. Opposing life care planners (LCPs) are sometimes millions of dollars apart in projected costs, often generally attributed to the inclusion of such costs which may be possible (51%) from a life care planning certainty threshold. The current study surveyed …

The Use Of Feedback In Group Counseling In A State Vocational Rehabilitation Setting, Saara Grizzell, Julie Smart, Michael J. Lambert, Jamison Fargo

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

This study examined the impact of providing progress feedback to individuals with disabilities receiving services at a state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency. Thirty individuals were randomly assigned to receive either group therapy (treatment-as-usual, TAU) or group therapy plus feedback (treatment, Fb) during a 10-week counseling program at one of five agency offices. Each week, participants attended a 90-minute session and completed a measure of mental health (Outcome Questionnaire-45). Longitudinal multilevel models were used to evaluate the hypothesis that participation in the Fb group would lead to improved mental health. The effect of the intervention was conditional on receipt of public …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding On Balance And Self-Efficacy In Children With Developmental Disabilities, Lauren M. Hurley, Alexandra Smola

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The prevalence of developmental disabilities in children in the United States is a serious problem. Since children with developmental disabilities often show decreased self-efficacy and balance, researchers have studied the effects of interventions in this population. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a 10-week THR session on balance and task-specific self-efficacy in children with physical disabilities ages 6 to 18 years old. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and The Physical Stress Theory will guide the quasi-experimental study. A pre-test post-test design will be implemented over a 12 week span at 3 different riding centers in the …

Impact Of Home- And Hospital-Based Exercise In Cardiac Rehabilitation On Hopelessness In Patients With Coronary Heart Disease, Susan L. Dunn, L. Maureen Dunn, Nicole P. Rieth, Grace B. Olamijulo, Lien L. Swieringa, Theresa P. Holden, Jacob A. Clark, Holli A. Devon, Nathan L. Tintle

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Hopelessness is associated with increased adverse events and decreased survival in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of regular home- and hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) exercise on hopelessness levels in patients with CHD, hypothesizing that increased exercise in either setting would lead to decreased state hopelessness.

Enhancing Entry-Level Physiotherapy Student Learning In Interpreting Radiology – An Action Research Project, Courtney R. Clark, Andrea Bialocerkowski

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: In Australia, the ability to interpret orthopaedic x-rays is an entry-level skill for physiotherapists. Yet there is a paucity of evidence in the literature which details effective learning and teaching methods to optimise confidence and competence in x-ray interpretation. The aims of this study were to describe the content contained in an orthopaedic radiology module within an Australian 2-year graduate entry Master of Physiotherapy degree; approaches to learning and teaching used in this module; student satisfaction associated with this module over a 2-year period. Method: The University’s framework for quality assurance, which is based on the Plan-Implement-Review-Improve underpinned this …

Outcome Measures For Mild Balance And Cognitive Decline In A Pre-Old Adult: A Case Report, Melissa Chan, Shari Rone-Adams

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background and Purpose. Early detection and treatment of age-related decline, particularly balance and cognition, are increasingly being emphasized in current research. However, the majority of research on older adults focuses on participants who are 65 years and older. For individuals who are 60-64 years old, this is an age range where they may or may not be considered an older adult. This poses a problem applying the results of these studies to pre-old adults to accurately diagnose, measure and classify risk in the areas of cognition and balance. Case Description. The patient is a 61-year-old woman with a clinical diagnosis …

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 …

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 …

Non-Medical Use Of Cognitive Enhancing Prescription Medications Among Occupational Therapy And Speech Language Pathology Health Care Students: A Pilot Study, Randy P. Mccombie, Hannah Slanina

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This research was designed to serve as a pilot study to generate baseline data on non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) for cognitive/academic enhancement purposes among students representing two healthcare professions, Occupational Therapy (OT) and Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and to assess students’ opinions regarding whether use of these medications constitutes academic “cheating.” Introduction: NMUPD, such as Adderall ® or Ritalin ®, to reduce fatigue, improve memory, and increase concentration to ultimately improve grades has increased among college students in recent years, with estimated use put as high as 35% on some campuses. These drugs appear to be readily …

Caregivers Of Stroke Survivors: Exploring The Role Of Spousal Caregivers Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres, Karley Kammer, Matthew K. Kilian, Kim Veverka

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the occupational needs of caregivers of stroke survivors and to identify potential implications for occupational therapy’s role with this population. Methods: Focus groups and a semi-structured interview were used to gather an in-depth perspective on caregivers’ needs and level of participation in valued activities. Interactions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis included open coding, formulation of categorical patterns, and thematic analysis. Rigor was enhanced through peer review, multiple coders, member checking, and triangulation. Results: Four primary themes emerged: (1) the essential need for additional services and support; (2) the amount …

Lessons Learned From A Major Near Miss: A Case Report Including Recommendations To Improve Future Patient Safety In Rehabilitation, Chelsea R. Van Zytveld, Jennifer W. Rodriguez, Tamara S. Struessel

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Most medical errors can be traced to system failure, but often individual providers are blamed. Few articles in the allied health literature address the topic of error or the analysis of error using a system approach. Purpose: This case report analysis illustrates how both individual and system factors contribute to error in rehabilitation settings and how identification of these factors allows development of methods to improve future patient safety. Case Description: A young male was admitted to a rehabilitation hospital with residual impairments following recent surgical resection of a benign meningioma. He was treated daily by a physical …

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 …

Through My Eyes: The Effect On Family Life Of Having Siblings With Autism Spectrum Disorder As Experienced By A Typically Developing Adolescent, Samantha L. Brand

Honors Theses and Capstones

As the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to increase, research efforts have begun to focus on the effects a person with ASD has on family life. The dominant voice in the extant literature is that of parents and caregivers, but only a small body of research explores the experiences of siblings. Using a phenomenological approach, a qualitative study was conducted to understand how a typically developing (TD) adolescent experiences the effects of having siblings with ASD on family routines and activities. Findings indicate that the family’s performance context—including routines, relationships, and activities—acts as the mediator of the bidirectional …