Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Fenzian Unit: Applications To Physical Therapy And Beyond, Jeshua Paul Spadino Mr.

Senior Honors Theses

The field of physical therapy includes many different treatment options in the form of exercises and modalities. The development of a low electrical stimulation signal through the Fenzian unit has provided a new outlook on healing. This device gives information to and receives information from the central nervous system (CNS) through electro-biofeedback and is separated into its own category of modalities. The device can be used to treat a wide range of ailments, all with no adverse effects. This makes it a promising tool in the medical field. It is currently being validated as an authentic medical device through clinical …

The Effects Of Obesity On Human Ambulation: A Lower Joint Analysis, Laura Gilbert

Senior Honors Theses

The effects of obesity on the body are complex and numerous especially when combining the effects on an already multi-faceted and multi-systems action such as human ambulation. This study summarizes a wide range of research performed, which investigated the effects of obesity on human ambulation. The effects are broken down into categories including osteoarthritis, replacement surgery, center of mass, stepping cycle, muscular activation, and specifics of the hip, knee and ankle joints as well as foot changes. The overwhelming majority of studies have found obesity to negatively impact ambulation by shifting center of mass (COM), increasing metabolic cost, decreasing cadence …

Scoping Review - Physical Accessibility & Post-Secondary Education, Lea E. Klinger

Occupational Therapy Publications

No abstract provided.

Movement-Based Embodied Contemplative Practices: Definitions And Paradigms, Laura Schmalzl, Mardi A. Crane-Godreau, Peter Payne

Dartmouth Scholarship

Over the past decades, cognitive neuroscience has witnessed a shift from predominantly disembodied and computational views of the mind, to more embodied and situated views of the mind. These postulate that mental functions cannot be fully understood without reference to the physical body and the environment in which they are experienced. Within the field of contemplative science, the directing of attention to bodily sensations has so far mainly been studied in the context of seated meditation and mindfulness practices. However, the cultivation of interoceptive, proprioceptive and kinesthetic awareness is also said to lie at the core of many movement-based contemplative …

The Effects Of A Foot-Toe Orthosis On Dynamic Balance And Hallux Valgus Angle, Adam Richard Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Decreased balance has been identified as a risk factor for lower extremity injury in several populations. Previous literature has investigated the effects of using orthotics, textured insoles and textured surfaces on balance. However, no research exists on the effects of a foot-toe orthosis on dynamic balance. Objective: To determine the effects of a foot-toe orthosis on dynamic balance and hallux valgus angle. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Setting: Athletic Training research laboratory. Participants: Sixty-three healthy and recreationally active collegiate students. (age: 21.59±1.49yrs, height 172.48±8.99cm, mass 73.86kg±15.64kg) Interventions: Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups that received either …

Improving Gait And Function In Children With Cerebral Palsy; A Comparison Of Supported Speed Treadmill Training To Therapeutic Exercise, Brianna Palmer

Critically Appraised Topics (CAT)

An appraisal was made of an article by Schindl et al, regarding the efficacy of supported speed treadmill training (SSTTEP) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The selected paper included children with GMFCS Level II-IV spastic CP, and compared SSTTEP intervention to therapeutic exercise.

Both intervention groups significantly improved gait speed, cadence, and Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) global scores, however only the SSTTEP group maintained those gains four weeks after the study ended. The SSTTEP group also yielded decreased stride length.

The study is optimistic for both SSTTEP and therapeutic exercise interventions for improving gait in children with …

Development Of The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-Sea), Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Jacqueline P. Kelleher

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-SEA) allows teachers to examine the sensory aspects of classroom tasks and environments. The purpose is to assist in determining ways to modify tasks and environments to improve engagement and reduce problem behaviors in elementary school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Technology-Supported Art As A "Way To Participation", Molly Bathje

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Brianna Vitale provided the painting featured on the cover of the Spring 2014 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy. Brianna completed the painting, titled “Flamingo,” using a mouth joystick (joust) to draw the image on her computer and an assistive device to translate her computer artwork into the watercolor painting. At 12 years old, Brianna has been living for the past 9 years with tetraplegia, the result of a spinal cord injury (SCI). Through technology and with the support of family, friends, and health care professionals, Brianna energetically engages in a variety of creative, social, and philanthropic activities.

Student Advocacy And Research Regarding Employability With Women In An Addiction Recovery Center, Christine Privott

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This article presents a course project that allowed senior undergraduate occupational science students the opportunity to experience advocacy and leadership roles as they prepared to transition to entry-level occupational therapy programs. The students coordinated an on-site employment fair for women residents of one Alcoholics Anonymous-based substance abuse recovery center in Kentucky. This ultimately led to a preliminary qualitative program evaluation study of the participants’ perceptions of employability after participating in the fair. Following a semi-structured interview protocol, nine participants were interviewed by student investigators immediately following the fair. The resulting data were compared within and across transcripts, and coded for …

Establishing Normative Values For The Barnett Balance Assessment Tool: A Preliminary Study, Monica L. Cercone, Katherine M. Grulke-Kidd, Alora S. Haskin, Kyle M. Medearis, Clarissa J. Wegner, Ellen Herlache-Pretzer

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this study was to establish normative data for the Barnett Balance Assessment (BBA) for individuals ages 18-70+ years. The BBA is a newly developed assessment tool that may address limitations present in other assessments currently used to detect balance deficits. The BBA was administered to 141 participants who had no history of medical issues that could impact balance. A review of the normative data collected indicated little variation in total assessment scores in the age categories of 18-29, 30-39, and 40-49, due to the presence of a ceiling effect. Variations existed in scores among participants in the …

Visual-Motor Skills Performance On The Beery-Vmi: A Study Of Canadian Kindergarten Children, Melissa Coallier, Natasha Rouleau, Florence Bara, Marie-France Morin

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The Beery VMI is one of the standardized assessment tools most widely used by occupational therapists to assess visual-motor integration. Currently, no specific norms exist for Canadian children. This study was developed to assess whether kindergarten children in Canada compared similarly to the norms established in the U.S. sample of the Beery VMI in order to validate its use with Canadian children. Possible gender differences were also examined. The Beery VMI was administered to 151 kindergarten children, aged 5 to 6 years, at the end of the school year. The data collection took place in seven schools, where the participants …

Promoting Client Goal Ownership In A Clinical Setting, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Effective goal setting involves collaboration between the client and therapist and is an important component of occupational therapy practice. However, encouraging involvement and collaboration does not necessarily guarantee that client goals are incorporated into the treatment plan. The purpose of this innovative treatment program was to determine if providing a client with a venue for goal identification, documentation, and maintenance might impact participation and satisfaction in a day rehabilitation setting. Responses to a study satisfaction survey (Ss) were taken at baseline and immediately postintervention from the experimental (N = 11) and control (N = 10) groups and attendance rates were …

Effects Of Cognitive Status On Life Participation Of Cancer Survivors, Mary F. Baxter, Theresa Smith, Jennifer Wahowski

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purposes of this study were to identify the cognitive status of cancer survivors, determine the effect of cognitive status on function and participation in daily activities, and explore how cancer survivors perceive changes in their cognition. The study used a quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional design. The participants included 35 cancer survivors from two different sites. Instruments included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Reintegration to Normal Index-Postal Version (RNLI-P) in the measurement of cognitive impairment and functional performance respectively. Data were also collected with a supplemental questionnaire to explore participants’ perspectives on their cognitive difficulties and current function. The …

Technological Guidelines: The Relationship Between Our Expanding Knowledge And Our Philosophical Assumptions, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Walking Performance Over The First 2 Minutes And The Full 6 Minutes Of The Six-Minute Walk Test, R. W. Bohannon, D. Bubela, S. Magasi, H. Mccreath, Y. C. Wang, D. Reuben, W. Z. Rymer, R. Gershon

Physical Therapy

No abstract provided.

Fostering Active Learning Among Student Occupational Therapists Using Lonergan’S Generalized Empirical Method., Robert Faraci

Praxis Presentations

No abstract provided.

Use Of Excimer Laser For Morphea, Samah Hassan Hajjar, Sarah Beggs, Alison Ehrlich

GW Research Days 2014

Background and Objectives:

Morphea, also known as localized scleroderma, is a sclerotic inflammatory disorder that primarily affects the skin but has the potential to involve fascia, muscle and bones. With no cure for this disfiguring disease, therapeutic modalities including topical regiments, immunosuppressive agents, antimalarial medications, and phototherapy are used to manage the symptoms and progression. While many treatments options are available, they vary in efficacy.

Methods:

We present a case of a 28-year-old woman with active sclerotic plaques distributed along her neck, left flank. She had previously failed therapy with topical steroids and methotrexate, and was started on hydroxychloroquine 400 …

Gender Differences Between Overall Resistance Work And Overall Energy Costs, Stephanie Lomasney, Amanda Lessard, Abby Steitz, Meg Bosse

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

No abstract provided.

Conservative Treatment Of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficiency, Brandan Holmquist

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The purpose of this literature review is to present a simple protocol for the treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament deficiency for one plane athletes like some track athletes and baseball and softball designated players whom defer surgical intervention until after the season is completed.

Conservative Treatment For Meniscus Rehabilitation, Nicole Spencer, Julie Willis

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The purpose of this review is to produce a nonsurgical treatment plan for meniscus injuries using therapeutic exercise, to eventually prepare the athlete for return to play after the sustained injury. Using therapeutic exercises, a rehabilitation program can be created for athletes who do not wish to pursue surgery. The treatment plan was designed for a soccer player who had a partially torn meniscus.