Physical Therapy Commons^™

Outcomes After A Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Treatment Program For A Patient With A Right Pontine Stroke: A Case Report, Traci Rzeszutko

All Capstone Projects

Background/Purpose: A stroke occurs as a result of decreased blood flow to the brain and can cause serious limitations in mobility, balance, coordination, and strength resulting in functional limitations. The purpose of this case study is to examine the effects of a comprehensive acute inpatient rehabilitation program focusing on gait, balance, lower extremity strengthening, neuromuscular control, bed mobility, coordination, and stair training on a 67-year-old male after a right pontine stroke with a medical history that includes a right stroke eight years ago.

Case Description: The subject was a 67-year-old male with a diagnosis of right pontine stroke. The subject …

Walking Speed: The Functional Vital Sign, Addie Middletown, Stacy Fritz, Michelle M. Lusardi

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Walking speed (WS) is a valid, reliable, and sensitive measure appropriate for assessing and monitoring functional status and overall health in a wide range of populations. These capabilities have led to its designation as the “sixth vital sign”. By synthesizing the available evidence on WS, this scholarly review article provides clinicians with a reference tool regarding this robust measure. Recommendations on testing procedures for assessing WS, including optimal distance, inclusion of acceleration and deceleration phases, instructions, and instrumentation are given. After assessing an individual's WS, clinicians need to know what this value represents. Therefore, WS cut-off values and the corresponding …

Decision Making About Rural Physiotherapy Service Provision Varies With Sector, Size And Rurality, Robyn Adams, Anne Jones, Sophie Lefmann, Lorraine Sheppard

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: Decisions about physiotherapy service provision occur within the context of organisations, locations, and settings. The uniqueness of rural communities means it is important to consider contextual factors when making decisions about rural health services. As literature describing decision making about rural physiotherapy services is limited, this study sought perspectives on service level decision making (SLDM) from a range of stakeholders. The research approach needed to support consideration of both location and the broader health system. Method: A sequential mixed methods approach within a systems theory-case study heuristic provided the framework to explore rural physiotherapy SLDM. The investigation site, a …

Treatment Of A 65 Year Old Deconditioned Female Admitted With Complications Resulting From Morbid Obesity: A Case Report, David Sarvin

All Capstone Projects

Background/Purpose: Obesity is a growing concern among the population of adults and children living in the United States. It costs the medical industry a great deal of money each year treating these patients, especially in those individuals classified as morbidly obese. The purpose of this study is to assess effectiveness of a cardiovascular based treatment plan on a deconditioned subject who suffers from complications resulting from morbid obesity.

Case Description: The patient described in this case study is a 65 year old Caucasian female admitted to the skilled nursing facility with complications resulting from morbid obesity, among other co-morbidities.

Interventions/Ouctomes …

Physical Therapy Applications For Individuals With Neurologic Dysfunction, Charlotte Chatto, Jeff Mastromonico

Nursing and Health Sciences Open Textbooks

This textbook for the Integration for Practice: Neuromuscular course is a multimedia PDF with videos embedded. The videos make the file size of the PDF almost 600MB, which is a large download but preserves offline use of videos.

Topics include interventions and assessment for patients with Guillain-Barre and spinal cord injury, respiratory assessment and interventions, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation.

NOTE: Because this is a video-integrated PDF, your web browser's preview functions will not work with this file. If your browser opens the file instead of downloading it, please right-click the "Download" button to download the PDF properly.

Hydatid Cyst Of Thoracic Spine: A Rare Cause Of Paraplegia, Rahul Soangra, Mool Chand Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Primary spinal hydatid cysts are uncommon and extradural involvement is rare. We report an unusual case of Paraplegia due to hydatid disease of primary site of infection extra spinal muscles in thoracic region from T5 to T8 level extending into a daughter cyst at T9 level, is main cause of acute Paraplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an extradural round cystic lesion in the spinal canal filling the posterior and left postero-lateral expect at T9 level, markedly compressing the cord. The cyst was removed after laminectomy and opening of the dural sac, with excision of extraspinal mass in left paravertebral …

Piecing The Puzzle Together With The Use Of Physical Therapy, Mikayla Pruitt

Honors Projects

For my Honors Project I decided to create a set of exercise cards for children with autism. The front of each card had a picture symbolizing the exercise/activity, and on the back included directions, supplies and tips to complete the activity. The following is a selection of a few exercise cards from each of the four exercise sections, as well as the title card, table of contents cards, information cards, and source cards.

A Study Examining Practice Style Traits Of Physical Therapists: Do They Explain Practice Behaviors And Knowledge Translation?, Kristen M. Johnson

Student Dissertations

Background: The advancement of evidence-based practice (EBP) has generated a flurry of outcome measures (OMs) and continuing education courses to assist in the creation and tailoring of this knowledge to the clinical environment. Despite the development of these resources, little is known about the attributes and behaviors of the physical therapist for knowledge translation (KT) into clinical practice.

Purpose: To determine the practice style traits of physical therapists who attended an evidence-based continuing education course on Oms and to determine their perceived barriers, facilitators, attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and prerequisites for KT.

Methods: Seventy-nine physical therapists completed two standardized, validated surveys …

The Use Of Pbl In An Interprofessional Education Course For Health Care Professional Students, Kristine M. L'Ecuyer, David Pole, Sheila A. Leander

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

A problem-based learning (PBL) framework was utilized in a series of six interprofessional team seminars (IPTS) for postbaccalaureate students from seven health professions. The goal of IPTS was to develop a collaborative practice-ready workforce prepared to respond to patient care needs through use of concrete examples, skills development, critical thinking, and problem solving in safe, faculty-facilitated small groups. The collaborative nature of PBL closely correlates with teaching methodologies of the IPTS series. This study analyzed critical reflection assignments of nursing students in accelerated programs to determine the effectiveness of IPTS at preparing students for interprofessional collaborative practice. Findings indicated that …

Blockade Of Neurokinin-1 Receptors In The Ventral Respiratory Column Does Not Affect Breathing But Alters Neurochemical Release, Clarissa Muere, Suzanne Neumueller, Samantha Olesiak, Justin Miller, Matthew Hodges, Lawrence Pan, Hubert Forster

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Substance P (SP) and its receptor, neurokinin-1 (NK1R), have been shown to be excitatory modulators of respiratory frequency and to stabilize breathing regularity. Studies in anesthetized mice suggest that tonic activation of NK1Rs is particularly important when other excitatory inputs to the pre-Bötzinger complex in the ventral respiratory column (VRC) are attenuated. Consistent with these findings, muscarinic receptor blockade in the VRC of intact goats elicits an increase in breathing frequency associated with increases in SP and serotonin concentrations, suggesting an involvement of these substances in neuromodulator compensation. To gain insight on the contribution to breathing of endogenous SP and …

Differential Effects Of Cardiovascular And Resistance Exercise On Functional Mobility In Individuals With Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Trial, Amy J. Litterini, Vickie Fieler, James T. Cavanaugh, Jeannette Lee

Physical Therapy Faculty Posters

Objective: To compare the effects of resistance and cardiovascular exercise on functional mobility in individuals with advanced cancer.
Design: Prospective, 2-group pretest-posttest pilot study with randomization to either resistance or cardiovascular exercise mode.
Setting: Comprehensive community cancer center and a hospital-based fitness facility.
Demographics: Volunteer sample of individuals with advanced cancer recruited through the cancer center, palliative care service, rehabilitation department, and a local hospice.
Outcome Measures: Functional mobility was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB); self-reported pain and fatigue were assessed secondarily using visual analog scales. Data were analyzed using a split plot 2x2 analysis of variance …

A Teaching Tool To Visually Illustrate How Manipulating The Physiology Of The Ventilatory Muscle Pump Alters Functional Performance, Dennis Sobush

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

This clinical perspective article describes an inexpensive pedagogical tool intended for use in a laboratory setting as part of a cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy course. It uses a dual balance scale schematic/model. As a teaching resource, physical therapy students can use it to visually reinforce their understanding of the complex cause-and-effect interplay between physiological factors that affect ventilatory muscle pump (VMP) performance for sustained breathing or contribute to VMP fatigue/failure.

Effect Of Tai Chi Exercise Combined With Mental Imagery In Improving Balance, Abdulrahman Alsubiheen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: One of the effects of diabetes mellitus (DM), peripheral neuropathy, affects feet sensation and can increase the chance of falling. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of Tai Chi (TC) training combined with mental imagery (MI) on improving balance in people with diabetes and an age matched control group. Methods: Seventeen healthy subjects and 12 diabetic sedentary subjects ranging from 50-80 years of age were recruited. All subjects in both groups attended a Yang style of TC class, two sessions per week for 8 weeks. Each session was one hour long. Measures …

Muscle Dynamics As The Result Of Whole Body Vibration And Plyometrics, Richard Jeremy Hubbard

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

BACKGROUND: Whole body (WBV) vibration and plyometrics are common training techniques which increase strength, blood flow, force and power. The effects these techniques have on sedentary population is unknown. It is our aim to assess the effectiveness of WBV and plyometrics on sedentary population. SUBJECTS: Three groups of nine sedentary subjects were assigned to either the control group (C), jumping only group (J), or jumping with vibration group (JV). METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Measurements included: jump height (Myotest or Vertec), velocity, force, blood lactates, gastrocnemius and quadriceps strength, and exertion (RPE). Subjects were measured at the first, seventh, and eighteenth visits. …

Stroke-Related Effects On Maximal Dynamic Hip Flexor Fatigability And Functional Implications, Henry Kuhnen, Megan M. Rybar, Tanya Onushko, Ryan E. Doyel, Sandra K. Hunter, Brian D. Schmit, Allison S. Hyngstrom

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Stroke-related changes in maximal dynamic hip flexor muscle fatigability may be more relevant functionally than isometric hip flexor fatigability. Methods: Ten chronic stroke survivors performed 5 sets of 30 hip flexion maximal dynamic voluntary contractions (MDVC). A maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC) was performed before and after completion of the dynamic contractions. Both the paretic and nonparetic legs were tested. Results: Reduction in hip flexion MDVC torque in the paretic leg (44.7%) was larger than the nonparetic leg (31.7%). The paretic leg had a larger reduction in rectus femoris EMG (28.9%) between the first and last …

The Effect Of Muscle Energy Technique On Forward Shoulder Posture, Pectoralis Minor Length, And Upper Extremity Blood Flow In Collegiate Female Swimmers, Elizabeth Gross

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Overhead sports are at an increased risk of shoulder injury, particularly when scapular posture is restricted. Pectoralis minor length has been linked to scapular malpositioning and forward shoulder posture. Upper extremity blood flow has also been linked to shortened pectoralis minor length, which could lead to thoracic neurovascular occlusion. Swimmers specifically may be at an increased risk for shoulder injury if the pectoralis minor is shortened. Stretching of the pectoralis minor has been suggested as a treatment to correct shortening of the muscle, however research examining muscle energy technique (MET) applied to the pectoralis minor is limited. Objective: To …

Health Related Quality Of Life In Persons With Type 2 Diabetes In A Rural Community Served By A Critical Access Hospital, Betsy J. Becker, Terry F. Nelson, Robin High, Pat Hauer

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

Purpose

Type 2 diabetes poses significant health concerns and severe complications can result. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is greater in rural than urban areas with rural populations exhibiting higher blood glucose (A1C). The purpose of this study was to determine whether health related quality of life (QOL) varies by gender and diabetes control (A1C) in rural persons with type 2 diabetes.

Subjects

We surveyed 615 persons with type 2 diabetes who receive care at a critical access hospital that serves a seven county rural area in a Midwestern state.

Methods

This study was a cross-sectional mail survey including …

Short-Term Cortical Plasticity Associated With Feedback-Error Learning After Locomotor Training In A Patient With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury, Amanda E. Chisholm, Sue Peters, Michael R. Borich, Lara A. Boyd, Tania Lam

Physical Therapy Publications

Background and purpose: For rehabilitation strategies to be effective, training should be based on principles of motor learning, such as feedback-error learning, that facilitate adaptive processes in the nervous system by inducing errors and recalibration of sensory and motor systems. This case report suggests that locomotor resistance training can enhance somatosensory and corticospinal excitability and modulate resting-state brain functional connectivity in a patient with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI).

Case description: The short-term cortical plasticity of a 31-year-old man who had sustained an incomplete SCI 9.5 years previously was explored in response to body-weight-supported treadmill training with velocity-dependent resistance applied …

The Current State Of Physical Therapy Pain Curricula In The United States: A Faculty Survey, Marie K. Hoeger Bement, Kathleen A. Sluka

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Insufficient pain education is problematic across the health care spectrum. Recent educational advancements have been made to combat the deficits in pain education to ensure that health care professionals are proficient in assessing and managing pain. The purpose of this survey was to determine the extent of pain education in current Doctorate of Physical Therapy schools in the United States, including how pain is incorporated into the curriculum, the amount of time spent teaching about pain, and the resources used to teach about pain. The survey consisted of 10 questions in the following subject areas: basic science mechanisms and concepts …

Utility Of Ultrasound For Imaging Osteophytes In Patients With Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy, Ruth L. Chimenti, Peter C. Chimenti, Mark R. Buckley, Jeff R. Houck, A. Samuel Fleminster

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Objectives: To examine (1) the validity of ultrasound imaging to measure osteophytes and (2) the association between osteophytes and insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT).

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Participants: Persons with chronic unilateral IAT (n=20; mean age, 58.7±8.3y; 10 [50%] women) and age- and sex-matched controls (n=20; mean age, 57.4±9.8y; 10 [50%] women) participated in this case-control study (N=40).

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures: Symptom severity was assessed using the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles questionnaire, and the numerical rating scale. Length of osteophytes was measured bilaterally in both groups using …