Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Sep 2013
Development of evidence-informed physical activity guidelines for adults with multiple sclerosis.
Most adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) are physically inactive. Physical activity guidelines are an important tool for exercise prescription, promotion, and monitoring. This article describes the application of international standards for guideline development in the creation of evidence-based physical activity guidelines for people with MS. ⋯ The resulting guidelines state that to achieve important fitness benefits, adults with MS who have mild to moderate disability need at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity 2 times per week and strength training exercises for major muscle groups 2 times per week. Meeting these guidelines may also reduce fatigue, improve mobility, and enhance elements of health-related quality of life. People with MS and health professionals are encouraged to adopt these rigorously developed guidelines.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Sep 2013
Neck pain driving index: appropriateness of the rating scale and unidimensionality of the strategic, tactical, and operational levels.
To establish an appropriate scoring system using Rasch scores for the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of the Neck Pain Driving Index (NPDI) and to refine the NPDI by testing the unidimensionality of each driving performance level using Rasch analysis. ⋯ This study established the 9-item NPDI, and its 3 subsections (strategic, tactical, and operational levels) are unidimensional. The magnitude of self-reported driving difficulty at each of the 3 subsections can be assessed with the use of a 0 to 3 scale and Rasch scores.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Sep 2013
Anxiety and depression associated with caregiver burden in caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity.
To investigate the relationship between anxiety/depression and caregiver burden in informal caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity. ⋯ As caregiver burden increases, caregivers are more likely to have anxiety and depression. Depression severity also increases. Providing treatment to stroke survivors with spasticity that lessens the time and more importantly, the difficulty of caregiving may lead to a reduction in caregiver anxiety and depression.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Aug 2013
Pilot study: elevated circulating levels of the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor in patients with chronic spinal cord injury.
To test the hypothesis that the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is elevated in the circulation of patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) relative to uninjured subjects, and secondarily to identify additional immune mediators that are elevated in subjects with chronic SCI. ⋯ These data confirm the hypothesis that MIF is elevated in subjects with chronic SCI and identify additional novel immune mediators that are also elevated in these subjects. This study suggests the importance of examining the potential functional roles of MIF and other immune factors in subjects with chronic SCI.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Aug 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation for the management of knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.
To compare the effects of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA; ARTZ) and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis. ⋯ TENS with silver spike point electrodes was observed to be more effective than intra-articular HA injection for patients with knee osteoarthritis in improving the VAS for pain at 2 weeks' follow-up as well as the Lequesne index at 2 weeks' and 3 months' follow-up.