Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 2004
Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialAttending to the task: interference effects of functional tasks on walking in Parkinson's disease and the roles of cognition, depression, fatigue, and balance.
To evaluate the interference effects on walking of functional activities in the home in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and the contribution of clinical symptoms to disturbance of gait. ⋯ Competition for attention through additional activities, decreased executive function, depression, fatigue, and impaired balance will increase difficulty in walking for PD subjects. Evaluation of performance during complex functional activities in an appropriate environment should be a focus of therapeutic assessment. Furthermore, functional performance may be influenced by several other symptoms that should also be considered.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 2004
Therapeutic ultrasound and fracture healing: a survey of beliefs and practices.
To explore current beliefs among senior physiotherapy (PT) students and orthopedic surgeons on the clinical utility of therapeutic ultrasound for assisting fracture healing. ⋯ Some surgeons and PT students believed that therapeutic ultrasound is contraindicated and harmful to healing bone; however, most believed that therapeutic ultrasound may help in assisting fracture healing, in at least some cases. Current usage of this modality is rare, primarily due to the perceived lack of evidence and lack of availability. Large randomized trials are needed to define further the role of ultrasound in fracture healing.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 2004
Rehabilitation outcomes in cognitively impaired patients admitted to skilled nursing facilities from the community.
To examine the outcomes of patients with varying levels of cognitive impairment who received rehabilitation in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). ⋯ Patients with cognitive impairment were able to recover function with rehabilitation intervention. Patients with a more serious cognitive impairment received more rehabilitation intervention than patients with less impairment. Outcomes were predicted by admission and rehabilitation measures that were qualitatively different from other discharge outcomes. Health care professionals need to consider these factors as they create a rehabilitation plan of care for patients with cognitive impairment.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 2004
Decreased neck muscle strength is highly associated with pain in cervical dystonia patients treated with botulinum toxin injections.
To compare the isometric neck muscle strength of cervical dystonia patients treated with botulinum toxin injections with that of healthy control subjects and to evaluate the association between neck strength, neck pain, and disability in these patients. ⋯ Cervical dystonia patients with botulinum toxin-treated neck muscles showed significantly lower maximal neck strength than healthy controls. The patients also had a statistically significant difference between sides in neck rotation strength. Thus, strength measures may be useful to detect disturbance in the function of the neck muscles.
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To determine the incidence of psychiatric illness 3 years after mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. ⋯ In the 3 years after mild TBI, children with no evidence of prior-year psychiatric history were at significantly increased risk for psychiatric illness, particularly hyperactivity in the first year after injury. Prior-year psychiatric history conferred a significant independent risk for subsequent psychiatric illness. There was no evidence for an additional increase in risk in the 3-year follow-up that is attributable to mild TBI in children with prior psychiatric history.