Physical Therapy Commons^™

Low Back Pain And Mechanical Diagnosis Treatment: A Case Report, Alicia Bullinger

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Acute low back pain is one of the most common and expensive reasons for adults to see a family physician and is commonly treated by physical therapists. Although most patients recover quickly with minimal treatment, patient education and exercises directed by a physical therapist may decrease recurrent pain and need for health care services. The purpose of this case study is to determine if the McKenzie Method is effective treatment for acute low back pain in the medical workforce using evidence based practice.

Case Description: Patient was a 37-year-old Caucasian female who worked as a registered nurse …

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction: A Case Report, Joseph R. Perry

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD) is plausible and can be treated through skilled physical therapy. The purpose of this case study is to educate and inform on the treatment for sacroiliac joint dysfunction. The patient was an 81 year old female, who was direct access and presented to physical therapy with complaints of left buttock and hamstring pain that was exacerbated with prolonged sitting. Upon physical examination it was determined the patient presented with SIJD which demonstrated a left on left sacral rotation, left ups lip, and bilateral anterior rotation of either pelvis intermittently. Official diagnosis was sprain of the sacroiliac …

The Effectiveness Of "Stepping On" In Reducing Fall Risk In The Elderly Using The 30-Second Chair Stand Test, Brianna Albrecht

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background: One-third of all adults over the age of 65 years of age falls each year. Falls cost patients financially, physically, and emotionally. Balance and strength deficits contribute to increasing an individual's fall risk. Studies have shown the efficiency of community-based exercise and education programs on reducing the risk of falling.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether participants in Stepping On experienced an improvement in balance and confidence following completion of the program. The study also evaluated the correlation between self-perceived risk of falling on the CDC Fall Risk Survey and their actual risk …

Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Study Of An Atypical Rehabilitation Progression Due To Unmodifiable Circumstances, Brianna Gustafson

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are very prevalent throughout the US. They are often caused by a head injury leading to alterations in brain functioning and often result in lifelong disabilities. Current literature is limited on the aspects of rehabilitation following a TBI because of the many factors that differ within each case. This study will explore an atypical pathway for rehabilitation following a TBI.

Case Description The patient was a 32-year-old male who sustained a TBI following a motor vehicle accident (MVA). The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Rancho Los Amigo Scale (RLAS) were assessed initially and …

Conservative Treatment Of 'Flail Chest' Following Non-Union Fractures Of The Thoracic Rib Cage With Secondary Shoulder Pathology: A Case Report, Chase Kerber

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose - Fractures of the thoracic ribs are common injuries with a high incidence of secondary co-morbidities which may require a slower rehabilitation progression and result in a delayed return to full function. Patients with these diagnoses often seek physical therapy intervention in order to regain their prior level of function.

Case Description - A 51 year-old male sustained multiple rib fractures, pneumothorax, and a left shoulder injury as a result of falling backwards off a 6 foot platform. He presented to physical therapy for evaluation and treatment with the goal of returning to his occupation as a …

Barefoot Versus Shod Training: Effects On Navicular Drop And Foot Pressure Analysis, Evan Condry, Daniel Himmerick, Tiffany Vanhaaften

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Running is a popular form of exercise around the world. The running population generally runs in a rear-foot strike pattern (RFSP), yet there is questioning on the possible benefits of running in a forefoot strike pattern (FFSP). The main goal of FFSP is the possible reduction of running related injuries by reducing the stress on the medial longitudinal arch. The purpose of this research study is to determine if a barefoot running retraining program will have an effect on navicular drop height, plantar pressure area, and peak plantar pressure of the medial aspect of the foot.

Material/Methods …

Are Preseason Functional And Biomechanical Measures Associated With Lower Quadrant Injury Risk In Division Iii Athletes?, Natalie Ellis, Jordan Petersen, Jordon Reyes, Victor Wilson, Cj Zita

Student-Faculty Research - College of Physical Therapy

A recent trend in sports medicine research is to determine risk of injury during sport based on preseason functional performance test (FPT) measures.

Equivocal findings associated with prior studies may leave PTs with uncertainty as to which FPT, or combination of FPTs, can best identify athletes who have a greater risk for injury.

Previous studies have utilized "low-tech" FPT measures: standing long jump (SLJ), single-leg hop (SLH), lower extremity functional test (LEFT), and the Y-balance test (YBT) (1,3,4).

These "low-tech" options may not be able to identify potential deficits that could be collected with "high-tech" measures (e.g., DVJ measures collected …

Morphological Changes In Achilles Tendon Thickness Following An 8-Week Heavy Load Eccentric Exercise Program, W. Howe, B. Telfer, J. Leung, M. Suzuki, C. Young, Tyler Cuddeford

Student-Faculty Research - College of Physical Therapy

• Achilles Tendinopathy (AT) is an overuse injury characterized by pain, focal tenderness, and intratendinous imaging changes.

• Current protocols for treating mid-portion AT are not effective, likely due to not providing sufficient load to the tendon.

• Alfredson’s eccentric protocol, which utilizes high repetition with low load, reduces pain with mid-portion AT in 60.3% of individuals (Van der Plas, 2011)

• Research indicates that heavier loading of the Achilles tendon yields superior results to high repetition with low load (Stevens, 2014)

• Tendons have demonstrated plasticity in their ability to adapt to heavy resistance training. Combined with knowledge that …

Efficacy Of Kinesio Taping As An Adjunct Intervention To Traditional Physical Therapy In The Treatment Of Nonspecific Acute Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial, Hossameldien Elkholy

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Efficacy of Kinesio Taping as an Adjunct Intervention to Traditional Physical Therapy in the Treatment of Nonspecific Acute Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Background: Acute low back pain (LBP) is a significant health problem worldwide and is one of the leading causes of disability. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Kinesio Taping (KT) on disability, fear-avoidance beliefs, and pain intensity in patients with acute, nonspecific LBP. Research Design and Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled study of consecutive patients referred to physical therapy with a primary complaint of LBP. Seventy-eight patients …

Are We Armed With The Right Data? Pooled Individual Data Review Of Biomarkers In People With Severe Upper Limb Impairment After Stroke, Kathryn S. Hayward, Julia Schmidt, Keith R. Lohse, Sue Peters, Julia Bernhardt, Natasha A. Lannin, Lara A. Boyd

Physical Therapy Publications

To build an understanding of the neurobiology underpinning arm recovery in people with severe arm impairment due to stroke, we conducted a pooled individual data systematic review to: 1) characterize brain biomarkers; 2) determine relationship(s) between biomarkers and motor outcome; and 3) establish relationship(s) between biomarkers and motor recovery. Three electronic databases were searched up to October 2, 2015. Eligible studies included adults with severe arm impairment after stroke. Descriptive statistics were calculated to characterize brain biomarkers, and pooling of individual patient data was performed using mixed-effects linear regression to examine relationships between brain biomarkers and motor outcome and recovery. …

Interhemispheric Pathways Are Important For Motor Outcome In Individuals With Chronic And Severe Upper Limb Impairment Post Stroke, Kathryn S. Hayward, Jason L. Neva, Cameron S. Mang, Sue Peters, Katie P. Wadden, Jennifer K. Ferris, Lara A. Boyd

Physical Therapy Publications

Background: Severity of arm impairment alone does not explain motor outcomes in people with severe impairment post stroke.

Objective: Define the contribution of brain biomarkers to upper limb motor outcomes in people with severe arm impairment post stroke.

Methods: Paretic arm impairment (Fugl-Meyer upper limb, FM-UL) and function (Wolf Motor Function Test rate, WMFT-rate) were measured in 15 individuals with severe (FM-UL ≤ 30/66) and 14 with mild-moderate (FM-UL > 40/66) impairment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation and diffusion weight imaging indexed structure and function of the corticospinal tract and corpus callosum. Separate models of the relationship between possible biomarkers and motor outcomes …

The Comprehensive Professional Behaviours Development Log, Deb Lucy, Doreen J. Bartlett, Tianna D. B. Deluzio

Physical Therapy Publications

No abstract provided.

Development, Implementation, And Outcomes Of An Acute Care Clinician Scientist Clinical Placement: Case Report., Sarah Wojkowski, Janelle Unger, Magda Mccaughan, Beverley Cole, Michelle E Kho

Physical Therapy Publications

Purpose: This article presents the development, implementation, and outcomes of an innovative clinician scientist (CS) placement for a 2nd-year, entry-level MSc(PT) student at McMaster University. Client Description: All physiotherapy students participating in the third 6-week clinical placement at McMaster University were eligible to apply for one CS placement. A placement description and expectations were developed collaboratively by the clinical site and the MSc(PT) programme before placement matching. Intervention: A shared supervisory model between one acute care physiotherapist and a critical care CS was developed to provide supervision in both clinical and research-related activities during the placement. Measures and Outcomes: The …

Clinician's Commentary On Patterson Et Al., Sue Peters

Physical Therapy Publications

No abstract provided.

Career Paths, Barriers, And Professional Experiences: A Comparison Study Of Physical Therapy Program Directors In The United States, Tamara Nancy Gravano

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The entry-level degree for physical therapists today is a professional doctoral degree. It is similar to a medical degree program where the expected outcome of its graduates is clinical practice, and there is no formal training in academic teaching or administration. The purpose of this study was to determine the leadership characteristics, styles, and behaviors of accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program directors (PD) and to gain a better understanding of their preparation and path to program leadership. The survey instrument was sent electronically to all program directors of accredited DPT programs in the United States (N=233) and the …

Clinical Guidelines For Low Back Pain: A Critical Review Of Consensus And Inconsistencies Across Three Major Guidelines, N O'Connell, C Cook, B Wand, S Ward

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Given the scale and cost of the low back pain problem, it is imperative that healthcare professionals involved in the care of people with low back pain have access to up-to-date, evidence-based information to assist them in treatment decision-making. Clinical guidelines exist to promote the consistent best practice, to reduce unwarranted variation and to reduce the use of low-value interventions in patient care. Recent decades have witnessed the publication of a number of such guidelines. In this narrative review, we consider three selected international interdisciplinary guidelines for the management of low back pain. Guideline development methods, consistent recommendations and inconsistencies …

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Tens) For Neuropathic Pain In Adults, W Gibson, B Wand, N O'Connell

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Neuropathic pain, which is due to nerve disease or damage, represents a significant burden on people and society. It can be particularly unpleasant and achieving adequate symptom control can be difficult. Non-pharmacological methods of treatment are often employed by people with neuropathic pain and may include transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). This review supersedes one Cochrane Review ’Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic pain’ (Nnoaham 2014) and one withdrawn protocol ’Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for neuropathic pain in adults’ (Claydon 2014). This review replaces the original protocol for neuropathic pain that was withdrawn.

Objectives: To determine the …

The Development Of The Dutch Version Of The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire, Lotte Janssens, Nina Goossens, Benedict M. Wand, Madelon Pijnenburg, Tinne Thys, Simon Brumagne

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Disturbed body perception may play a role in the aetiology of chronic low back pain (LBP). The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) is currently the only self-report questionnaire to assess back-specific body perception in individuals with LBP.

Objectives: To perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the FreBAQ into Dutch.

Design: Psychometric study.

Methods: A Dutch version of the FreBAQ was generated through forward-backward translation, and was completed by 73 patients with LBP and 73 controls to assess discriminant validity. Structural validity was assessed by principal component analysis. Internal consistency was assessed by the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Construct validity was assessed …

Increased Burn Healing Time Is Associated With Higher Vancouver Scar Scale Score, Vidya Finlay, Sally Burrows, Maddison Burmaz, Hussna Yawary, Johanna Lee, Dale Edgar, Fiona M. Wood

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Increased burn wound healing time has been shown to influence abnormal scarring. This study hypothesized that scar severity increases commensurate to the increase in time to healing (TTH) of the wound. Wound healing and scar data from burn patients treated by the Burn Service of Western Australia at Royal Perth Hospital were examined. The relationship between TTH and scar severity, as assessed by the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS), was modelled using regression analysis. Interaction terms evaluated the effect of surgery and total body surface area – burn (TBSA) on the main relationship. Maximum likelihood estimation was used to account …

Total Knee Arthroplasty Rehabilitation Case Report, Abby R. Brenner

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background & Purpose Total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) are the most commonly performed elective surgery in the United States. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common diagnosis treated with a TKA, which aims to restore an individual's functional ability by improving joint biomechanics and decreasing pain. The purpose of this case report is to describe the progression of physical therapy rehabilitation for a patient status post total knee arthroplasty.

Case Description The patient was a 64 year old male who underwent a TKA surgery to resolve the complications from severe osteoarthritis (OA) of his left knee. He presented to physical therapy with …