Authors: Macedo LG, Magee DJ
The purposes of this study were to investigate whether age influences passive range of motion (PROM) in women and to compare obtained values with other available data. Ninety healthy Caucasian women from 18 to 59 years of age had the PROM of their ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, and wrist measured by using a standard goniometer. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics (mean/SD) and linear regression (to analyze the effect of age on ROM). Age did not significantly influence PROM for the majority of movements tested. For 11 of the tested movements (knee flexion, hip flexion, hip external rotation, glenohumeral and shoulder complex flexion, glenohumeral and shoulder complex external rotation, shoulder complex abduction, shoulder complex extension…

continue reading.....

Authors: Amusat N
Accurate clinical assessment of sitting is required to develop appropriate treatment programs and evaluate outcomes, but no set tool for measuring sitting balance has been commonly accepted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the sitting balance items of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Clinical Outcome Variables Scale (COVS) to show a clinical change following rehabilitation of patients with subacute stroke. A retrospective audit of 51 patients with stroke who underwent inpatient rehabilitation was conducted. Frequency distributions were used to evaluate ceiling and floor effects. Change in sitting balance was evaluated by using the Wilcoxon test, and effect size was calculated. The results showed that the mean age of the sample was 72 (SD=1…

continue reading.....

Authors: Ohman AM, Nilsson S, Beckung ER
Infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) often have an imbalance in muscle function in the lateral flexors of the neck, and the need for a valid and reliable assessment tool to determine muscle function in these muscles is essential. The lateral uprighting response is used to examine and to strengthen the sternocleidomastoid muscle. A Muscle Function Scale (MFS) has been refined and used for several years in a clinic for infants with CMT. The MFS describes an infant’s muscle function in the lateral flexors of the neck through ordered categorical scores. The aim of this study was to find out if the muscle function scale (MFS) is valid and reliable. A panel of experts examined validity, and the kappa statistic and intraclass correlation …

continue reading.....

Authors: Hoover D, Domholdt E, Leland LG, Kluver J, Malloy A
Aftercare programs allow patients to continue to exercise with supervision following discharge from physical therapy. Although not yet widespread in clinical practice, aftercare programs represent a growing trend following outpatient physical therapy settings in the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the characteristics, implementation, and impact of contemporary aftercare programs in a selected sample of outpatient physical therapy settings. A purposeful sample of three aftercare program and four clients were interviewed to provide the descriptive data for this study. Each client was also later interviewed at 3-4 months and again at 6 months. A general health outcomes measurement tool (SF-36…

continue reading.....

Authors: Smith TO, Bowyer D, Dixon J, Stephenson R, Chester R, Donell ST
Debate exists as to whether the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) can be activated to a greater degree than the vastus lateralis to produce preferential strengthening. This systematic review aims to determine whether preferential activation of VMO can be achieved by altering lower limb joint orientation or muscular co-contraction. A search of pertinent specialist journals and of the electronic databases AMED, CINAHL, the Cochrane database, EMBASE, ovid Medline, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), PubMed, and Zetoc from their inception to February 2008 was undertaken. All English-language clinical papers assessing the electromyographic activity of the human VM against the vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, in a neutra…

continue reading.....

This study is a double-blind longitudinal randomised trial of first-time-ever stroke patients. Seventy-five patients were included: 35 in an intervention group and 40 in a self-initiated exercise group. After discharge from acute rehabilitation, patients assigned in the intervention group had physiotherapy for a minimum amount of 80 hours during the first year. Patients in the self-initiated exercise group were not recommended any specific therapy besides treatment when needed. Main outcome measures were Instrumental Activities of Daily Living according to Fillenbaum, Motor Assessment Scale, 6-Minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up-and-Go Test, grip strength, Modified Ashworth Scale, and pulse monitoring. The patients were tested on admission, at discharge, and after 3, 6, and 12 m…

continue reading.....

Related Articles

Performance in the cranio-cervical flexion test is altered in elderly subjects.

Man Ther. 2009 Jan 24;

Authors: Uthaikhup S, Jull G

The cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT) tests the coordination of the deep and superficial cervical flexor muscles during a cranio-cervical flexion task. The test has revealed impairments in muscle function in younger/middle aged patients with various neck pain disorders. Neck pain and headache are common in elders but it is unknown if age alone affects performance in the CCFT. This study compared performance in the CCFT between healthy asymptomatic elderly and younger subjects. Electromyographic (EMG) amplitude in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), angle of cranio-cervical flexion and ability to target the pressure levels of each test stage were examined in 44 elderly and 39 young participants. The results indicated that the elderly group had higher measures of normalized EMG signal amplitude in the SCM during the test (p<0.001), greater shortfalls from the target pressures of all stages of the test (p<0.01), except for the 22mmHg stage (p=0.13), and larger variability of the cranio-cervical flexion range of motion for the five successive stages of the test (particularly at 26, 28 and 30mmHg stages) compared to young subjects. Clinicians must be aware of this occurrence when assessing performance in the CCFT in elders with neck pain.

PMID: 19171497 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

continue reading.....

The Essential Low Back Program: Relieve Pain & Restore Health (5 CDs Included) (Spiral-bound)
By Robin Rothenberg

Buy new: $49.95
5 used and new from $34.28
Customer Rating:

Customer tags: yoga therapy(6), back pain(6), yoga(5), viniyoga(4), low back pain(3), injuries(3), rehabilitation(3), senior yoga(2), issaquah, yoga barn, natural back pain relief

continue reading.....

By Sue Antinoro PhysicalTherapistSource.comWhy do some of use know exactly what we want to do for a career when we’re five years old and for others, we stumble into a career in mid-life. I’ve always thought it fascinating to find out how people got into their chosen career. When these Respiratory Therapists from an MSN message board were questioned why they chose this field, they responded with a wide variety of reasons: * “My family had pressured me into being a nurse because my mom and grandma both were. Then when I went to a nursing orientation and I was ready to say forget it with the medical field entirely. I looked through what other programs my school had and I found the RT program. I like the idea of being specialized in one thing and also not being confined to a small area of the…

MedWorm Message: Find out how you can get your message across here by sponsoring this MedWorm news feed.

continue reading.....

By Sue Antinoro PhysicalTherapistSource.comPhysical Therapists all over the country are starting to see the benefits of using the Nintendo Wii video game as part of their regime. It’s a wonderful addition to their instruction because, not only does the game, which uses a motion sensitive game controller, allow the patient to practice repetitive movements such as a golf or tennis swing, but it brings some lighthearted fun into their rehabilitation session.While video games are often blamed as one of the culprits responsible for leading people into a lifestyle of obesity and laziness, the Wii game system is different in that the player uses a motion-sensing wand that allows players to mimic actions performed in real life sports such as swinging a baseball bat or rolling a bowling ball. The g…

continue reading.....