Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 1998
Functional changes in back muscle activity correlate with pain intensity and prediction of low back pain during pregnancy.
To assess low back pain (LBP) intensity and subjective disability during pregnancy and compare the pain scores with lumbar motion patterns. ⋯ Prepregnancy LBP predicts renewed pain during pregnancy, and dysfunction of back muscles has been established in LBP. In this study, disturbance in the relaxation of the back muscles was linearly related to current, and also to later, pain scores. In addition, back muscle activity level was inversely related to the disability index. For the first time, it has been shown prospectively that the function pattern of back extensors seems to predict, and is related to, future back pain. Simple function testing is promising and might be valuable in identifying mothers with a high risk of pregnancy-related back pain and in directing preventive intervention to high risk women by making them aware of self-treatment methods.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 1998
Serial fiberoptic endoscopic swallowing evaluations in the management of patients with dysphagia.
To determine whether serial fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) can be used successfully and efficiently in deciding to change a patient's feeding status from nonoral (NPO) to oral (PO) with no adverse health outcome. ⋯ No subject who resumed an oral diet based on results of FEES developed an aspiration pneumonia. Serial FEES, therefore, enabled feeding status to be successful and efficiently changed from NPO to PO with no adverse health outcome. FEES was an efficient procedure with regard to appointment scheduling, transportation, patient issues, and personnel requirements.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 1998
Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy: frequency, severity, and prognosis.
To determine the frequency, severity, prognosis, and patterns of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in pregnancy. ⋯ These results represent the frequency and patterns of clinically significant CTS in a large population of pregnant women. CTS severe enough to warrant treatment occurs infrequently in pregnancy and generally resolves spontaneously postpartum or responds to conservative treatment.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 1998
Benefits of home health care after inpatient rehabilitation for hip fracture: health service use by Medicare beneficiaries, 1987-1992.
To examine the added benefit of home health services for elderly patients with hip fracture discharged home after inpatient rehabilitation. ⋯ Studies of the relative effectiveness of post-acute services and postdischarge evaluations of inpatient rehabilitation should consider additional home care as a postacute service and examine optimal postacute treatment to minimize additional service use.