American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation
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Am J Phys Med Rehabil · May 2012
Predictors of discharge to acute care after inpatient rehabilitation in severely affected stroke patients.
This study aimed to determine the predictors of discharge to acute care after inpatient rehabilitation in severely affected stroke patients. ⋯ In the current study, controlling for impairment (stroke), severity of condition, demographic variables, inpatient rehabilitation admission day of the week and discharge day of the week, prehospitalization living setting, prehospitalization living with (alone, family, other), payer (secondary insurance coverage), onset days, co-morbid medical conditions, and classification of stroke-related neurologic deficits, the only variable predictive of discharge to the acute care hospital from an inpatient rehabilitation facility is function at admission, mainly the admission motor Functional Independence Measure rating. If clinicians routinely assess the functional status of patients during the preadmission screening process, it may aid in identifying whether the patient is at an increased risk of being readmitted to the acute care hospital.
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Am J Phys Med Rehabil · May 2012
Agreement and reliability of functional performance and muscle power in patients with advanced osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.
The purpose of this study was to test the reproducibility and clinical feasibility of three functional performance measures and five single-joint or multijoint muscle power measures. ⋯ Isolated muscle power over the hip and knee can safely be evaluated with poor to good agreement and good to excellent reliability in patients with advanced hip or knee osteoarthritis. Functional performance and muscle power may be assessed concurrently.
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Am J Phys Med Rehabil · May 2012
The effect of walking in high- and low-heeled shoes on erector spinae activity and pelvis kinematics during gait.
Wearing high-heeled shoes may produce deleterious effects on the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in electromyographic (EMG) activity of the erector spinae muscles and pelvis kinematics during gait while wearing low- and high-heeled shoes in both young and middle-aged adult women. ⋯ From a clinical perspective, increased lumbar erector spinae muscle activity associated with wearing high-heeled shoes could exacerbate muscle overuse and lead to low back problems. The lower pelvic range of motion associated with wearing high heels in middle-aged women may indicate that tissues in the lumbopelvic region become more rigid with age and that the harmful effect of high-heeled shoes on posture and spinal tissues may be more pronounced with advancing age.