Physical therapy
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Sarcopenia refers to the loss of skeletal muscle mass with aging. It is believed to be associated with functional impairment and physical disability. ⋯ Sarcopenia was associated with physical disability in elderly men. The association between sarcopenia and physical disability was mediated to a large extent by decreased cardiopulmonary fitness.
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This perspective article provides a justification, with an overview, of the use of phenomenological inquiry and the interpretation into the everyday ethical concerns of patients with disabilities. Disability is explored as a transformative process that involves physical, cognitive, and moral changes. This perspective article discusses the advantages of phenomenology to supplement and enhance the principlist process of ethical decision making that guides much of contemporary medical practice, including physical therapy. ⋯ This literature review is followed by a discussion of the traditional principlist approach to making ethical decisions, which, in turn, is followed by a discussion of phenomenology and its tools for use in clinical inquiry and interpretation of the experiences of patients with disabilities. A specific case is presented that illustrates specific tools of phenomenology to uncover the moral context of disability from the perspective of patients. The article concludes with a discussion of clinical, educational, and research implications of a phenomenological approach to ethics and clinical decision making.
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Review
Graded activity and graded exposure for persistent nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review.
Graded activity and graded exposure are increasingly being used in the management of persistent low back pain; however, their effectiveness remains poorly understood. ⋯ The available evidence suggests that graded activity in the short term and intermediate term is slightly more effective than a minimal intervention but not more effective than other forms of exercise for persistent low back pain. The limited evidence suggests that graded exposure is as effective as minimal treatment or graded activity for persistent low back pain.
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Hip abductor muscle weakness may result in impaired frontal-plane pelvic control during gait, leading to greater medial compartment loading in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA). ⋯ Hip abductor strengthening did not reduce knee joint loading but did improve function and reduce pain in a group with medial knee OA.
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Scarring after surgery can lead to a wide range of disorders. At present, the degree of scar adhesion is assessed manually and by ordinal scales. This article describes a new device (the Adheremeter) to measure scar adhesion and assesses its validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change. ⋯ The Adheremeter showed a good level of reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in larger cohorts and to assess the device's validity for other types of scars.