Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · May 2009
ReviewA systematic review of the management of orthostatic hypotension after spinal cord injury.
To review systematically the evidence for the management of orthostatic hypotension (OH) in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). ⋯ Although a wide array of physical and pharmacologic measures are recommended for the management of OH in the general population, very few have been evaluated for use in SCI. Further research needs to quantify the efficacy of treatment for OH in subjects with SCI, especially of the many other pharmacologic interventions that have been shown to be effective in non-SCI conditions.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · May 2009
Comparative Study Clinical TrialLower thoracic spinal cord stimulation to restore cough in patients with spinal cord injury: results of a National Institutes of Health-Sponsored clinical trial. Part II: clinical outcomes.
To evaluate the clinical effects of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to restore cough in subjects with cervical spinal cord injury. ⋯ Restoration of cough via SCS is safe and efficacious. This method improves life quality and has the potential to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with recurrent respiratory tract infections in this patient population.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · May 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialA specific inpatient aquatic physiotherapy program improves strength after total hip or knee replacement surgery: a randomized controlled trial.
To evaluate the effect of inpatient aquatic physiotherapy in addition to usual ward physiotherapy on the recovery of strength, function, and gait speed after total hip or knee replacement surgery. ⋯ A specific inpatient aquatic physiotherapy program has a positive effect on early recovery of hip strength after joint replacement surgery. Further studies are required to confirm these findings. Our research indicates that aquatic physiotherapy can be safely considered in this early postoperative phase.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · May 2009
Clinical TrialLower thoracic spinal cord stimulation to restore cough in patients with spinal cord injury: results of a National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial. Part I: methodology and effectiveness of expiratory muscle activation.
Evaluation of the capacity of lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to activate the expiratory muscles and generate large airway pressures and high peak airflows characteristic of cough, in subjects with tetraplegia. ⋯ Lower thoracic SCS results in near maximum activation of the expiratory muscles and the generation of high peak airflow rates and positive airway pressures in the range of those observed with maximum cough efforts in healthy persons.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · May 2009
Ultrasound characteristics of the deep abdominal muscles during the active straight leg raise test.
To determine whether changes in the transversus abdominis (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) muscles, as seen on ultrasound imaging, during the active straight leg raise (ASLR) test differ between subjects with and without unilateral lumbopelvic pain. ⋯ Although subjects with unilateral lumbopelvic pain demonstrated a smaller increase in muscle thickness, during the ASLR test there appears to be a symmetrical response in both of the deep abdominal muscles regardless of which lower extremity is lifted during the ASLR test or the unilateral nature of the symptoms. This study attests to the potential construct validity of using the ASLR test to assess different motor control strategies of the TrA and IO muscles in subjects with unilateral lumbopelvic pain.