Physical Therapy Commons^™

Investigation Of The Cardiovascular Endurance Of Dance Majors, Arnold Huang, Ali Ross, Kelsey Taelour, Geneva Winters

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: College dancers have demonstrated low levels of cardiovascular endurance compared to other athletes, which could be one of the factors that leads to more fatigue and injuries during performance. The effects of an education session on cardiovascular endurance and on college dancers’ attitudes towards cardiovascular exercise outside of dance class have not been previously studied. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use the accelerated three-minute step test to compare lower level and upper level college dancers’ cardiovascular endurance before and 2 months after an education session emphasizing fitness and exercise. Additionally, assessed were the dancers’ attitudes towards …

Successful Patient Participation In Acute Hospital Physical Therapy, Jesse Kim, Joseph Fertitta, Patrick Williams

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose/Hypothesis: Research has demonstrated that physical therapy plays a crucial role in patient recovery in the acute hospital setting. Despite known benefits, scheduled sessions do not always occur and are called nontreatment (NT) events. Reported NT ranges from 15% to 26% of scheduled sessions. Previous studies have found an association between NT and patient diagnosis as well as between NT and day of the week on which treatment was scheduled. Identifying additional factors that affect NT is important if therapists and administrators are to make improvements. The purpose of this study is to determine if an association exists between physical …

The Influence Of Socioeconomic Factors On Fear Of Falling And Mobility Outcomes After Lower Limb Loss: A Preliminary Study, Tyler Chin, Heather Fox, Juan Gutierrez Jr.

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: Current research has revealed that as much as 52.4% of individuals with lower limb loss report falling at least once in the past year. Previous research has also indicated that rehabilitation, including physical therapy (PT), generally improves patient outcomes after definitive amputation. Socioeconomic status has been shown to be an important factor in accessing healthcare but has yet to be investigated in this population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of socioeconomic status and access to PT, and how limb loss affects mobility and fear of falling perception. We hypothesized: [1] individuals with …

The Effect Of Standardized Photodocumentation On Coding Of Pressure Injuries, Brandon Bales, Alex Preciado, Angela Sandoval

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: Pressure injuries (PI) are prevalent and costly for hospitals. Hospitals implement different practices to accurately document PIs ranging from pen and paper to photodocumentation in electronic medical records (EMRs). In some instances, PIs that have been documented are not coded for billing and reporting. The purpose of this study is to determine if different documentation practices affect the number of coded PIs. Methods: Counts of coded PIs were collected from 2011- 2017 from two hospitals: a 500-bed acute care hospital (ACH) and a 42-bed acute rehabilitation hospital (ARH). A series of PI documentation practices were implemented over …

Individuals With Recurrent Low Back Pain Exhibit Significant Changes Of Paraspinal Muscle Performance After Lumbar Multifidus Intramuscular Fine Wire Electrode Insertion, Anthony Duong, Vincent Dinglasan, Russell Totten

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. BACKGROUND: Recurrent low back pain (RLBP) is associated with paraspinal muscle dysfunction. Intramuscular electromyography (EMG) is a common tool for studying activation of the deep lumbar paraspinal muscles such as multifidi muscles, but it is currently currently unclear how muscle performance and activation are affected by the pain and micro-injury associated with intramuscular fine-wire electrode (IFWE) insertion and how it interacts with the presence of RLBP. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine how IFWE insertion into the lumbar multifidus affects paraspinal muscle strength and endurance in subjects with and without RLBP. METHODS: …

Neuromuscular Adaptations Following Slope Walking In Individuals Post-Stroke, Eric Akoopie, Brooke Conway Kleven, Trisha Koch

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: The excitability of the H-reflex pathway in the non-impaired nervous system can be augmented by altering the different parameters of a walking task, specifically slope. We sought to examine the adaptations in soleus H-reflex excitability and foot force control following an acute bout of upslope or downslope treadmill walking in people post-stroke compared to those who are non- impaired. Methods: We recruited 12 individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis and 9 age-similar non- neurologically impaired individuals. Each subject was tested over 2 sessions separated by at least 7 days. For each session, subjects walked at a self-selected walking speed on …

The Moderation Effect Of Bdnf Genotype And Self-Reported Habitual Physical Activity Levels On Age Of Onset, Disease Progression, And Postural Instability In Parkinson's, Kyle Johnson, Danielle Salgo, Jessica Zorn

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels have been reported to play an important role in driving neuroprotection in people with neurologic disorders, and levels of BDNF are known to increase in response to physical activity. Moreover, the level of BDNF produced is also affected by BDNF genotype. It is not known, however, whether one’s BDNF genotype interacts with physical activity throughout life to affect a neuroprotective response in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if BDNF genotype interacts with lifetime self-reported physical activity levels to affect disease severity and progression …

Effects Of Two High-Frequency Physical Therapy Programs On Balance, Gait, Fatigue, And Quality Of Life In People With Multiple Sclerosis, Min Liu

Theses & Dissertations

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease involving the inflammation and demyelination in both brain and spinal cord. MS typically affects people in early adulthood in the range of 20-40 years old, and most patients with MS experience symptoms on a daily basis, such as walking difficulties, balance impairment, and fatigue, which can be disabling and impact the Quality of Life (QOL).

The main purpose of this investigation is to determine if our novel, adaptive, high-frequency physical therapy protocol, compared with the conventional therapeutic exercise protocol, has the potential to improve participants’ dynamic balance, gait, fatigue, and overall QOL based …

Ua61/16 White Coat Ceremony Program, Wku Physical Therapy

WKU Administration Documents

White coat ceremony program for WKU Physical Therapy class of 2018.

Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus Reduces Cortical Thickness And Decreases Oxidative Metabolism In Sensorimotor Regions After Stroke., Jennifer K Ferris, Sue Peters, Katlyn E Brown, Katherine Tourigny, Lara A Boyd

Physical Therapy Publications

Individuals with type-2 diabetes mellitus experience poor motor outcomes after ischemic stroke. Recent research suggests that type-2 diabetes adversely impacts neuronal integrity and function, yet little work has considered how these neuronal changes affect sensorimotor outcomes after stroke. Here, we considered how type-2 diabetes impacted the structural and metabolic function of the sensorimotor cortex after stroke using volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We hypothesized that the combination of chronic stroke and type-2 diabetes would negatively impact the integrity of sensorimotor cortex as compared to individuals with chronic stroke alone. Compared to stroke alone, individuals with …

Trunk Motion Visual Feedback During Walking Improves Dynamic Balance In Older Adults: Assessor Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial., Eric Anson, Lei Ma, Tippawan Meetam, Elizabeth Thompson, Roshita Rathore, Victoria Dean, John Jeka

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality and augmented feedback have become more prevalent as training methods to improve balance. Few reports exist on the benefits of providing trunk motion visual feedback (VFB) during treadmill walking, and most of those reports only describe within session changes.

RESEARCH QUESTION: To determine whether trunk motion VFB treadmill walking would improve over-ground balance for older adults with self-reported balance problems.

METHODS: 40 adults (75.8 years (SD 6.5)) with self-reported balance difficulties or a history of falling were randomized to a control or experimental group. Everyone walked on a treadmill at a comfortable speed 3×/week for 4 weeks …

Supplemental Training And Injury Prevention In The Sport Of Ultra-Running, Jessica M. Heidebrink

Senior Honors Theses

By definition, ultra-marathon running is a sport that covers any distance above the 26.2-mile marathon distance in a single race. The mountains of Virginia host many ultra-marathon races that attract endurance runners from all over the nation to participate. Training is an essential component of running an ultra. Although there is not one specific way to train for an ultra, there is research that correlates the success of the top ultra-runners and their training preferences regarding supplemental training and injury prevention. To gain a more complete understanding of how to prepare for a successful ultra-marathon, an online survey was created …

Physical Therapy Review Of Best Practices Based On Psychology, Bethany Painter

Honors Projects

Physical therapy is a field that is growing and changing constantly. For so long, it was assumed that physical healing should be the sole focus of physical therapy. While this is an important aspect of the rehabilitation process, there is so much more to it than that. The psychological trauma a person may experience following an injury can be just as challenging, if not more challenging to overcome than the physical repercussions of the injury. For this reason, it is important to take psychological healing into consideration, as well as physical healing when creating best practices for physical therapists. The …

Normative Percent Differences Between Inter-Day And Inter-Limb Upper Extremity Volume In Healthy Adult Females, Lauren Canady, Emily Henry, Mollie Mccormick, Gabrielle Whisler

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

Current diagnostic thresholds vary, but a 5% volume difference between limbs is generally accepted to diagnose lymphedema. Newer research among women with breast cancer-related lymphedema established a 3% threshold for diagnosis of preclinical lymphedema. Understanding normal limb volume fluctuations and side to side differences is important to determine whether this 3% cut point for diagnosis of subclinical lymphedema should be made compared to same or contralateral limbs.

The Effects Of An 8 Vs. 16 Week Yoga Practice On Balance, Strength, Flexibility, And Mindfulness In Children Ages 4-10 Years: A Pilot Study, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Samantha Brown, Katherine Chu, Kelly Clancy, Jordan Mcmillan, Lesley Park, Kari Shank, Safiyeh Shalash

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

Yoga has been shown to have positive benefits in: Improving cardiovascular, neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and pulmonary function in ages 0-21 years and improving mindfulness to manage pain and anxiety in adults. There is limited evidence regarding the use of yoga to improve balance, strength, flexibility, and mindfulness in children ages 4-10 years.

Using The Classification And Regression Tree Analysis In Determining The Relationship Between Functional Movement Assessment, Clinical Measures, And Injury In Nba Players, Philip A. Anloague, Matt Gundlach, Andrew Hackney, Jacob Hoying, Meg Saunders

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

Musculoskeletal pathology has been linked to games missed in the NBA due to player injury. Sports medicine professionals utilize functional assessments and clinical measures in order to minimize injury risk and maximize performance. The investigation of interactions among non-linear factors may help further the understanding of the interdependence of various measures and missed games due to injury.

The Influence Of Carbon Composite And Plastic Ankle Foot Orthoses On Balance And Gait In Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study, Hana Goubeaux, Carmen Macy, Tabatha Trauner, Kurt Jackson

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause lower extremity weakness which may impair balance and gait. Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are frequently prescribed to reduce the effects of these impairments. Despite numerous recent advances in the design and materials used for AFOs, there is a lack of evidence to guide clinicians in effective AFO prescription. The purpose of this research was to compare the effects of an anterior shell carbon AFO with a traditional plastic AFO on measures of balance and gait performance.

Test-Retest Reliability Of The Repetitive Step Test In Community Dwelling Older Adults, Harold L. Merriman, Kurt Jackson, Blake Erwin, Adam Hutchison, Mike Loew, Patricia Schutter, Emily Snyder

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

Each year one in every three adults over the age of 65 experience a fall resulting in serious injury and in some instances death. In this population, falling injuries are the leading cause of death and are associated with the greatest number of nonfatal injuries and trauma hospital admissions. Since balance and muscle performance decreases as one ages, it is vitally important to assess these factors as part of a comprehensive strategy to monitor and predict fall risk. Previous data analysis of the Repetitive Step Test (RST) has shown that there is a significant performance difference between non-fallers and recurrent …

Ischemic Conditioning Increases Strength And Volitional Activation Of Paretic Muscle In Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study, Allison S. Hyngstrom, Spencer A. Murphy, Jennifer Nguyen, Brian D. Schmit, Francesco Negro, David D. Gutterman, Matthew J. Durand

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Ischemic conditioning (IC) on the arm or leg has emerged as an intervention to improve strength and performance in healthy populations, but the effects on neurological populations are unknown. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of a single session of IC on knee extensor strength and muscle activation in chronic stroke survivors. Maximal knee extensor torque measurements and surface EMG were quantified in 10 chronic stroke survivors (>1 yr poststroke) with hemiparesis before and after a single session of IC or sham on the paretic leg. IC consisted of 5 min of compression with a …

Predicting And Preventing Common Volleyball Injuries With Functional Tests, Madison Marshall

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a compilation of screening tests best suited for predicting and preventing volleyball’s most common injuries. Research displays a gap in knowledge pertaining to volleyball-specific injury prevention tests. A literary analysis was completed for information regarding; correct volleyball techniques, incorrect techniques that are commonly observed, common injuries resulting from faulty technique, and tests best designed to prevent these injuries. It was found that knees and ankles were the two joints most often injured. These injuries mainly occurred during the landing phase of the jumping-landing sequence. Therefore, ankle and knee injury rates were higher …