Physical Therapy Commons^™

Determining The Concurrent And Predictive Validity Of The Repetitive Step Test In Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease, Harold Merriman, Kurt Jackson, Kyle Arrowood, Kaylee Virag

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Split-Squat Lower Limb Biomechanics In Individuals With And Without Chronic Ankle Instability, Joaquin Barrios, Eva Carbone, Matt Cesario, Marshall Flynn, Danielle Updike

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Soft Tissue Mobilization Versus Hold-Relax Stretching On Wrist Extensor Tendon Stiffness In Tennis Players, Brendan Burck, Adina Taylor, Cody Pohlman, Andrew Traven, Harold Merriman, Joseph Day

University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Measuring Effectiveness Of A Mobility Aide On A Medical-Surgical Unit, Jamie L. Granatowicz, Laura N. Rogers, Leeza A. Struwe

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobility aide on a medical-surgical inpatient unit to improve patients’ surgical outcomes, decrease hospital length of stay, and decrease the number of falls.

Design: A retrospective review was conducted to determine the effects of a mobility aide implemented on a medical-surgical unit. The intent was to ensure the utilization of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for early mobilization before and after implementation. Two-month periods were analyzed before and after implementation.

Findings: The results demonstrated clinical significance for patients when implementing a mobility aide. The mean length of stay was 1.044 days …

Teaching Exercise: A Survey On Educational Aids And Self-Efficacy, Joshua I. Eaton, Lucas Morgan, Matthew Hermes

Honors College Theses

HEPs are an important part of therapeutic treatment because they allow for greater exercise stimulus than can be achieved from supervised exercise alone. 94.7% of physical therapists reported prescribing HEPs to their patients. However, patient adherence to these plans can be as low as 35%. Lack of HEP adherence likely leads to sub-optimal clinical outcomes in physical therapy patients. Self-efficacy is improved in patients by supplementing HEPs with instructional aids, especially in the form of videos instead of pictures or descriptions, because they act as a form of vicarious experience. It is possible that improving self-efficacy through vicarious experience could …

Evaluating The Suitability Of The Berg Balance Scale For Assessing Balance In Diabetes With And Without Prior Covid-19: A Methods-Validation Study, Garima Kaushik Dr, Sheetal Malhan Dr., Apoorva Tiwari Dr, Vishakha Daga Dr

Journal Of Indian Physician Associates

ABSTRACT

Background: Balance impairment in diabetes mellitus is predominantly driven by somatosensory loss secondary to peripheral neuropathy. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is widely used to evaluate functional balance, yet it mainly reflects motor performance and may not adequately represent sensory mechanisms. Following COVID-19, additional concerns regarding deconditioning have emerged, but interpretation depends on the measurement tool employed.

Objective: To examine the construct behavior and suitability of the BBS for assessing balance in individuals with diabetes with and without prior COVID-19 infection, and to determine whether the scale reflects known determinants of diabetic imbalance.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted …

Success In Motion: A Comparative Thematic Analysis Of Patient Success In Inpatient And Outpatient Physical Therapy, William T. Gish

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Physical therapy is practiced across a wide range of clinical settings that differ substantially in patient populations, goals, and care timelines. While standardized outcome measures are commonly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness, little research has examined how physical therapists themselves define successful outcomes  or whether those definitions vary across inpatient and outpatient contexts. This study employed a qualitative mixed-methods design to explore how physical therapists conceptualize success in clinical practice. Ten licensed physical therapists participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Supplementary quantitative data were collected via an online background survey. Five primary themes emerged: goal-oriented, patient-centered …

Play To Win: A Randomized Controlled Trial To Assess The Effects Of Play-Based Training On Upper Extremity Function In Children With Hemiplegia, Vivian London

Honors Scholar Theses

Hemiplegia, or paralysis of one side of the body, is the primary symptom of unilateral cerebral palsy, a subtype of cerebral palsy, the most common movement disorder in children. Standard of care is regular physical and occupational therapy to improve performance in bimanual activities, but conventional therapy can be expensive and draining for caregivers and children, so a need exists for a novel intervention that can take place at home and that is economical for families while being engaging for children. This thesis reports data from a subset of ten children seen as part of a randomized controlled clinical trial …

Interprofessional Palliative Care: Implementation Of What Matters Most, Nicole Moran, Madeleine A. Keppel, Madison E. Markey, Alicia Naccarato, Kristen Cumming, Lori Boright

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Palliative care (PC) is defined as specialized care plans for people with serious, life-limiting illnesses, emphasizing comfort care and management of complex symptoms. Rehabilitation professionals such as physical and occupational therapists have unique skills and perspectives towards managing and contributing to this population though are often under-represented on interprofessional palliative care teams. The Guide to What Matters (The Guide) was created upon recognition of the need for an increased presence of rehabilitation services in PC.

Severe Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Presenting With Paraplegic Symptoms: A Rehabilitation Case Report, Cecilia Hammond, Elizabeth Campione

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is characterized by sensory and/or motor symptoms in distal extremities starting within 24 hours of receiving chemotherapy and can potentially last for years. Management of CIPN may include medication (i.e. Duloxetine) and physical therapy (PT). The purpose of this case report is to describe the rehabilitation process and adjustments to the plan of care for a patient with severe CIPN. This case underscores the importance of a proper diagnosis and the need for research to develop evidence-based guidelines for PT interventions for non-ambulatory patients with severe CIPN.

Case description: The patient was a 53-year-old female …

Clinical Management Of A Patient With Lipo-Lymphedema Using Adjustable Compression Wraps: A Case Report, Candace Alexander, Claire Davies, Martha Monroe

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Background: Lipo-lymphedema indicates the presence of lipedema and lymphedema. Compression is used to achieve volume reduction and assist with long-term management. Adjustable compression wraps (ACWs) have been used in lymphedema care to replace traditional compression bandaging and facilitate patient self-care.

Case Description: This patient reported issues with bilateral leg edema for more than 35 years. She reported poor experiences with compression garments and had tried self-management with a compression pump only. She was referred for lymphedema care when her malfunctioning compression pump enabled her edema to worsen.

Assessment and Treatment: Lipedema may have been present for many years …

Recurring Axillary Web Syndrome (Aws) Following A Strenuous Increase In Upper Extremity Strengthening Exercise: A Case Report, David Locke, Linda Koehler

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Background: Axillary web syndrome (AWS) refers to cords presenting in the axilla, upper extremity, and lateral chest wall after breast cancer surgery with axillary lymph node dissection. This unique case demonstrates the onset of AWS 2 weeks post-operatively with recurrence at 4 and 21 months, following rapid progression in upper extremity strengthening exercise.

Case Description: A 33-year-old athletic woman with invasive ductal carcinoma underwent a left mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy (6 nodes removed). Cord development occurred at 2 weeks after surgery. She sought physiotherapy consisting of AWS education, myofascial pin-and-stretch techniques applied to the cord in end-range abduction, a …

Physical Therapy Management Of An Adult Patient Diagnosed With Spindle Cell Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Case Report, Jennifer Carrano

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Background: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare soft tissue sarcoma that primarily affects children and adolescents. Adult RMS is uncommon and associated with poorer prognosis and limited evidence to guide rehabilitation.

Case Description: A 29-year-old male presented with right facial pain, hearing loss, tinnitus, and right facial and tongue paresthesia. Imaging and biopsy revealed spindle cell RMS of the right masticator space. He had no cancer-related family history, did not smoke, and used alcohol occasionally. Treatment included neoadjuvant chemotherapy, major oncologic resection with scapular free flap reconstruction, and adjuvant radiation. He was referred to outpatient physical therapy with trismus, restricted …

Navigating Care In Cancer: Aligning Rehabilitation And Exercise To Support Patients, Christopher M. Wilson

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

The growing evidence base supporting both exercise oncology and cancer rehabilitation highlights their complementary roles across the cancer continuum. Research consistently demonstrates that physical activity improves physical function, fatigue, quality of life, and survival, while rehabilitation addresses impairments and restores participation in meaningful activities. Despite these advances, current care models often lack coordination, resulting in fragmented services, inappropriate referrals, and missed opportunities for optimal patient outcomes. Some individuals are directed to exercise programs without adequate screening for underlying impairments, while others may receive rehabilitation services when supervised, independent or community-based activity would suffice.

To address these gaps, there is a …

Editorial Board Message: About This Issue, Bryan A. Spinelli

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Bryan Spinelli provides a summary of the contents of the issue.

Cover And Front Matter, Volume 3, Issue 1

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Cover and front matter, Volume 3, Issue 1

Coordinated Telehealth For People With Parkinson’S Disease: A Qualitative Comparison Of Providers’ And Patients’ Experiences, Erin J. Bush, Reshmi L. Singh, Josephine Cox, Merrill R. Landers, Annalisa V. Piccorelli

The Qualitative Report

Telehealth increases access to allied healthcare in rural areas. People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) need improved access to health care, and from a patient-centered perspective, the coordination of their healthcare should be a priority. Four speech-language pathologists, two physical therapists, two pharmacists, and two study coordinators provided a coordinated allied healthcare intervention for people with PD in rural Wyoming and Nevada. Both the providers of the intervention, as well as the participants who received it, were interviewed about their experiences with the eight-week intervention and asked about aspects that were successful or unsuccessful. Through a naturalistic paradigm using a qualitative …

Patient Facing Physical Therapy Clinicians’ Experience Of Leader Development Across Their Professional Span: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Judith R. Gelber

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

While healthcare professions call for leadership among its practitioners as a key function of practice, hospital systems typically employ a top town leadership structure. In physical therapy, leadership is centered around managers and educators. This leaves a gap in understanding about leadership at the level of the patient facing clinician. This study explored the experience of leader development across the career span of experienced patient facing physical therapists in the United States. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach undergirded with leader development, experiential learning, and distributed leadership theories. Participant recruitment focused on patient facing physical therapists with ten or …

Sedentary Behavior Modifies The Effect Of Balance Rehabilitation On Balance Discordance In Parkinson’S Disease, Franziska Albrecht, Sarah J. Conklin, Andrew Hooyman, Daniel S. Peterson, Jason K. Longhurst, Erika Franzén

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often experience a misalignment between their perceived and actual balance ability, known as balance discordance, which has been associated with falls. We examined whether high-intensity balance and gait training (HiBalance) alters balance discordance in individuals with PD, and whether baseline sedentary behavior influences these changes. A secondary analysis examining pre- to post-intervention discordance changes of two HiBalance clinical trials (N = 97) using linear regression with interactions between sedentary behavior and pre-intervention discordance. The sample included two cohorts: one clinical and one research based. The model including sedentary behavior and its interaction with pre-intervention …

Physical Therapy Patient Exercise Adherence Intervention, Carter D. Booe, Dean Clark, Ernesto Duenez, Aiden Haworth, Nathan Jaeger, Gabe Tross, Emery Wolfe

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Non-adherence to prescribed home exercise programs significantly undermines the efficacy of physical therapy (PT), with research indicating only approximately 35% of patients fully adhere to regimens. This issue contributes to suboptimal recovery and places a staggering financial burden on the healthcare system, estimated at $100 billion to $300 billion annually. The Physical Therapy Home Exercise Adherence Trial (PT-HEAT) evaluates the effectiveness of a 14-week behavioral education intervention designed to improve patient adherence outside the clinical setting.

Utilizing the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) model, this protocol involves PT staff administering a motivational-volitional screener, followed by trained student aides delivering targeted …