Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy
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This study sought to answer the following questions: What are the outcomes of physiotherapy post lumbar total disc replacement (LTDR) compared with patient self-mediated rehabilitation? Is a difference in outcomes related to the number of physiotherapy sessions? ⋯ Physiotherapy post-LTDR produces statistically significant and possibly clinically important improvements in functional disability, pain and quality of life outcomes compared with self-mediated rehabilitation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Phantom limb pain (PLP) can be disabling for nearly two thirds of amputees. Hence, there is a need to find an effective and inexpensive treatment that can be self administered. Among the non-pharmacological treatment for PLP, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied to the contralateral extremity and mirror therapy are two promising options. However, there are no studies to compare the two treatments. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare mirror therapy and TENS in the management of PLP in subjects with amputation. ⋯ Both Mirror Therapy and TENS were found to be effective in pain reduction on a short-term basis. However, no difference between the two groups was found. Substantiation with long-term follow-up is essential to find its long-term effectiveness. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Comparative Study
Reliability of the senior fitness test in community-dwelling older people with cognitive impairment.
In older people with cognitive impairment, we require reliable and valid measures to assess physical fitness and to measure change, for example, as a result of an exercise intervention. The purpose of our study was to determine the relative and absolute test-retest reliability of the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) in older people with cognitive impairment. ⋯ The SFT battery showed high to very high test-retest reliability and thus may be suitable for detecting changes in physical fitness and evaluating physical fitness in older people with cognitive impairment, both in research and for clinical purposes.
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Comparative Study
Factors influencing disability due to low back pain using the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire and the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale.
The aim of this research was to compare the difference in disability caused by back pain using scores from the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) and the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QUE) according to gender, acute and chronic low back pain (LBP) groups, specific and nonspecific LBP groups and to identify the factors influencing the degree of LBP disability. ⋯ The degree of disability from back pain assessed using the ODQ score was influenced by a pain severity and LBP type. Also, QUE score was influenced by a pain severity, LBP type, pain duration and gender. To assess the disability caused by back pain accurately using the ODQ and QUE, various factors affecting the scores of the questionnaire must be considered.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Ultrasound and laser as stand-alone therapies for myofascial trigger points: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Ultrasound (US) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) are commonly employed for myofascial trigger points (MTP) despite lack of evidence for usage as stand-alone treatments. The aim of the study was to determine, on MTP of the upper trapezius muscle (uTM), the effects of US and LLLT per se, as delivered in accordance with the procedures reported by surveys about their usage among physiotherapists. ⋯ Ultrasound and LLLT provided significant improvements in pain and muscle extensibility, which were superior to no therapy but not to placebos, thus raising concerns about the suitability, both economically and ethically, of administering such common physical modalities as stand-alone treatments in active MTP of the uTM.