Physical Therapy Commons^™

Effects Of Blood Flow Restriction During Acute Multi-Joint Eccentric Exercise On Muscle Recovery, Cody Fisher

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise has become an increasingly common modality due to evidence that it may yield positive muscle-related effects from low-intensity exercise. However, eccentric-only exercise in a multi-joint format has not yet been investigated in regard to the BFR influence on muscle recovery characteristics. The purpose of this study was to assess muscle recovery responses via isometric peak force (PF), soreness (i.e., VAS, PPT, PPD), and functional power (i.e., SLHD) following a 5-minute low-load multi-joint eccentric exercise bout with or without blood flow restriction. Thirty participants were randomly assigned into either an eccentric-only (CON) or an eccentric BFR …

The Effects Of Implementing An Early Childhood Education Health And Wellness Program In Underserved Elementary Schools In Las Vegas On Student Mentors And Elementary Staff: Anatomy Academy, Alexa Blazek, Amber Berumen Baker, Kevin Chan Shum, Alexander Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Academy (AA) is a seven/eight-week program implemented by select University of Nevada, Las Vegas Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) students to promote health and wellness at a Title I elementary school and help bridge the health education gap that underserved youth populations may be facing. We aimed to assess and improve the overall satisfaction of both the faculty members at the elementary school and the physical therapy students who participated in the program, while enhancing the health education of 5th grade students. Our aim was centered on stakeholders (elementary school administrators) and student mentors (DPT students) having the desire to …

Alteration In Resting-State Brain Activity In Stroke Survivors After Repetitive Finger Stimulation, Dorothy He, William A Sikora, Shirley A James, Jordan N Williamson, Louis V Lepak, Carolyn F Cheema, Evgeny Sidorov, Sheng Li, Yuan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of repetitive finger stimulation on brain activation in eight stroke and seven control subjects, measured by quantitative electroencephalogram.

Methods: We applied 5 mins of 2-Hz repetitive bilateral index finger transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and compared differences pre- and post-transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation using quantitative electroencephalogram metrics delta/alpha ratio and delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio.

Results: Between-group differences before and after stimulation were significantly different in the delta/alpha ratio ( z = -2.88, P = 0.0040) and the delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio variables ( z = -3.90 with P < 0.0001). Significant decrease in the delta/alpha ratio and delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio variables after the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was detected only in the stroke group (delta/alpha ratio diff = 3.87, P = 0.0211) (delta-theta/alpha-beta ratio diff = 1.19, P = 0.0074).

Conclusions: The decrease in quantitative electroencephalogram metrics in the stroke …

Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Program To Reduce Fall Risk Of Older Adults In Nevada, Hanna Brunty, Jordynn Cowan, Taylor Derose, Kanosha Gray, Kerry Margolin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, we completed a service-learning project to deliver a free evidence-based fall prevention program to senior residents of Nevada. “Stepping On” is a 7-week fall prevention program from the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging that is designed for older adults who are at risk or fearful of falling or for those who want to increase their awareness of fall prevention strategies. The program includes learning balance and strengthening exercises, discussing fall prevention strategies, and collaborating with community partners and healthcare professionals. The first objective of this service-learning …

Better Gait Quality And Speed In Adults With Down Syndrome When Wearing Supportive Shoes Compared To Unsupportive Shoes And Barefoot, Bailey Gosse, Kimberly Nguyen, Zoe Zelensky

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS), often experience a slower gait speed and decreased quality of gait. Different types of footwear have shown changes in gait in people without DS. The current study aimed to examine the differences between wearing commercially available supportive shoes, unsupportive shoes, and no footwear on gait quality and speed in people with DS.

Methods: In this repeated measures study, 20 adults with DS walked under three footwear conditions: supportive, unsupportive, and no footwear. Gait deviations were scored according to the Rancho Los Amigos Observational Gait Analysis (OGA) and gait speed was measured using the 10-Meter …

Development And Pilot Testing Of A Surface Discrimination Test For People With Lower Limb Amputation, Colin Kruger, Kyle Mcknight, Sharlene Lim, Samuel Straus

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: There is a lack of understanding as to how sensory loss and sensory deficits impact those with LLA. The purpose of this research is to determine the extent to which people with LLA can discriminate between surfaces underfoot, in order to better understand the relationship between people with LLA and their perception of the ground they are walking on. We developed a test to determine which qualities of surfaces may be easier to distinguish.

Methods: 10 unimpaired adults and 2 adults with LLA participated. Participants compared surfaces underfoot that consisted of ceramic, rough tile, gravel, sand, and sandpaper to …

Postural Control In Young Adults With And Without Recurrent Back Pain: Influence Of Symptom Characteristics, Rachel Berns

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Many individuals with low back pain (LBP) experience episodic symptoms. During symptomatic episodes, individuals with LBP have delayed trunk muscle activation during anticipated postural perturbations, though it's unclear if these postural control changes persist between symptomatic episodes. This study examined anticipatory postural muscle activation in adults with and without recurrent LBP to determine the influence of muscle fatigue and typical symptom characteristics on trunk muscle activation. 55 young adults with a greater than one-year history of recurrent LBP and 30 young adults with no history of LBP were recruited. Electromyography electrodes were placed on their thoracic and lumbar paraspinals, external …

Spatiotemporal Gait Parameter Consistency Across Two Days Of Treadmill Walking In Stroke Survivors, Alejandro Aguirre Ramirez, Samantha N. Jeffcoat, Natalia Sanchez, Andrian Kuch

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Retraining impaired gait is essential in post-stroke recovery. This project aims to determine between day variability of spatiotemporal gait measures in treadmill walking post-stroke to differentiate between changes due to the intervention and measurement errors due to between day test-retest variability. Six individuals post-stroke performed a two-minute walk test at a self-selected speed (SSS) for two consecutive days. SSS was assessed through the six-minute walk test. Reflective markers were placed on anatomical landmarks (van den Bogert et al. 2013). The heel markers were used for step detection. We calculated spatiotemporal parameters: stride length, stride time, step length, stance time, and …

Augmenting Hand And Arm Function For Persons With Hemiparesis, Brooke Stein, Susan Duff, Alison Mckenzie, Bailey Advincula, Isaac An, Annie Jeon, Casey Mcwilliam, Will Potter, Virginia Ruano, Paulina Vokulich, Audrey Howell, Rahul Soangra

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background. Hand and arm dysfunction due to neural disorders significantly influences quality of life. Activity-based training has been found to improve function. These improvements could be augmented with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) due to the modulatory effect it has on spinal and supraspinal networks. Objective. The primary aim is to determine if a 4-week training program will improve hand and arm function. The secondary aim is to determine if the addition of tSCS to a second 4-week training session will further improve function. Design. This is a pre-posttest, controlled trial for persons 10-75 years of age, >6 months post …

Structural Sensorimotor Adaptations In Young Adults With Low Back Pain, Isaac Chrisman, Jo Armour Smith, Rongwen Tain, Kelli G. Sharp, Laura M. Glynn, Linda R. Van Dillen, Jesse V. Jacobs, Steven C. Cramer

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the largest cause of disability worldwide. There is evidence for regional structural brain adaptation in CLBP. Most studies have investigated middle-aged adults and show decreased grey matter density in pain processing regions. It is not clear if these adaptations are evident early in the lifespan of individuals with CLBP. The purpose of the study was to compare sensorimotor gray matter density in young adults with a history of CLBP with back-healthy controls. 53 young adults with a greater than 1-year history of CLBP and 29 young adults with no history of LBP participated. Clinical …

Introduction Of The Anatomy Academy Program To Children In A Rural Elementary School, Rox Aurelio, Madison Dobbs, Nicole Horn, Gianni Terrana

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Children in rural communities experience health and education disparities. Early exposure to health promoting habits can positively impact future health habits. Healthcare providers who grew up in rural areas are more likely to practice in rural areas. Doctor of physical therapy students and physical therapists implemented Anatomy Academy, a service-learning program aimed at promoting healthy living and introducing healthcare occupations, to elementary students in a rural area as this program had previously only been implemented in urban areas. The Biomedical Institutional Review Board at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas approved this study. A 40-minute lesson was delivered weekly for …

Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices To Improve Treatment For Patients With Neck Pain: A Pilot Study, Kristine David, Sarah Kaderka, Christoffer-Judd Villarias

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: To determine physical therapists’ barriers to implementation and subsequent maintenance of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for treating neck pain from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) neck pain Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) over the course of six months.

Materials and Methods: Participating physical therapists were trained on the EBPs of treating neck pain through a live 90-minute webinar followed by a hands-on, in-person 90-minute session. Clinics were supplied with all necessary equipment and reference guides. Assessment of participant maintenance to neck pain EBPs included data collection from a baseline Knowledge Check survey prior to educational sessions, an Implementation survey at …

Standing Posterior Trunk Rotation With Adaptive Proprioceptive Toss, Jennifer Elvir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a remarkably individualized disease. Nearly every person’s trajectory is unique. One person may experience tremor at an early stage of the disease, while another may experience tremor at a later stage or even not at all. For all PD patients, for certain can expect increasing difficulty as the disease progresses. Parkinson’s disease is responsible for the loss of dopamine which displays itself most notably through motor and cognitive symptom disruption. Although Parkinson’s is a chronic and progressive condition that is irremediable, significant strides have been facilitated to help control and manage the trajectory of the disease. …

Increasing Social Inclusion And Engagement Of Exercise For Individuals With Spinal Cord Injuries: A Universal Resource Development For Wellness Facilities, Alexa Hall

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are 1.5 times more likely to disengage in exercise one-year post-injury despite 80% of these individuals agreeing that exercise is critical to their overall health and quality of life (Baehr. Et al., 2022). A needs assessment was conducted on why the lack of engagement in exercise exists for individuals with SCIs within fitness facilities to identify barriers preventing participation. A quality improvement program called the Spinal Cord Injury Wellness Toolkit was created based off these findings and implemented at the MUSC Wellness Center. 14 individuals with SCIs participated at wellness center; REDCap surveys were …

Evidence And Sources Of Placebo Effects In Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation During Visuospatial Working Memory Training, Andrew Hooyman, Nicole K. Haikalis, Peiyuan Wang, Heidi M. Schambra, Keith R. Lohse, Sidney Y. Schaefer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can be used to non-invasively augment cognitive training. However, the benefits of tDCS may be due in part to placebo effects, which have not been well-characterized. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tDCS can have a measurable placebo effect on cognitive training and to identify potential sources of this effect. Eighty-three right-handed adults were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (no exposure to tDCS), sham tDCS, or active tDCS. The sham and active tDCS groups were double-blinded. Each group performed 20 min of an adapted Corsi Block Tapping Task (CBTT), …

Cracking A Back Is Not Rehabilitation: A Comparative Analysis Of Chiropractic Vs. Physical Therapy, Lauren M. Radack

Student Scholar Showcase

There is an increasingly common belief among the general public that chiropractic care is more successful in treating injuries than physical therapy. Research shows that chiropractic care cannot be compared to physical therapy due to their different skill sets, knowledge of treatment, and applications; therefore, one modality cannot be determined better than the other. While the two domains are incomparable, individuals continue to feel pressured to select between chiropractic care and physical Therapy. Analyzing the influence of the false claims and misinformation that surrounds rehabilitation services, the belief that physical therapy treatment is able to be replaced by chiropractic treatment …

Quantitative Pilot Study: Impact Of Social Responsibility And Altruism Values On Rehabilitation Employee Satisfaction, Debra Beazley, Agnes Kim, Lori Bolgla

Asian Journal of Physical Therapy

Background: This study explores the association between physical therapist satisfaction in a rehabilitation private practice and perceptions of altruism and social responsibility in the workplace. Small private, for-profit businesses like therapy practices often embrace altruistic values and socially responsible cultures driven by close stakeholder relationships. Alignment between business culture and personal values is a stronger predictor of workplace and career satisfaction. Employees who perceive value alignment report higher job satisfaction and relatedness. Prosocial cultures, rich in altruism and social responsibility, foster job fit and reduce dissatisfaction and turnover. Physical therapy's core values, including altruism and social responsibility, are integral to …

Childhood Cancer Survivorship: Navigating A New Normal In Middle Tennessee, Karli M. Beaumont

OTD Capstone Projects

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in partnership with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center offers REACH for Cancer Survivorship, a pediatric cancer survivorship clinic. REACH provides a full range of follow-up care designed to meet the physical, emotional, and practical needs of survivors and continuous surveillance of deleterious effects of cancer and its treatments. The purpose of this project was to meet population and agency needs through research of long- and late-term sequela while advocating for occupational therapy’s role in the oncology population through the proactive therapy and prospective surveillance models. The process of creating this project included synthesizing the literature, …

Exploring The Interplay Between Physical Activity Wellness, Social Networks, And Academic Performance In Pt Students, Grace C. Johnson, Kellie Gossman, Tessa Wells, Betsy J. Becker

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

Purpose

Recognizing the intersection of peer influence, physical activity, student wellness, and academic performance, this study aims to provide insights that can inform educational practices and promote success among future physical therapist (PT) students. The study's purpose is to investigate the associations between students' physical activity wellness scores, their social networks, and academic performance within the school environment. The research questions are (1) Do students tend to form friendships with classmates who exhibit similar physical activity wellness scores and student achievement? and (2) How do the Exercise Factor scores of PT students align with published normative values?

Subjects: 124 students …

From Textbooks To Clinical Practice: Selecting And Implementing Outcomes Measures In Stroke Rehabilitation, Stacie Mae Larreau Christensen, Monica Dial

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

No abstract provided.