Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences
Year:2016 | Volume:12 | Issue:1|Papers Count:11

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effects of age-related changes and explicit and implicit knowledge on mixed motor sequence learning and its consolidation.Materials and Methods: In this study, 96 right-handed boys who were healthy considering nervous system with age range of 6-18 years were selected via convenience sampling method. Serial reaction time task (SRTT) was used to evaluate and compare the performance in two components of response time and accuracy. The intervention was consisted of 10 stages (8 blocks for acquisition and 2 blocks for consolidation) in which the performances of groups were compared. The data were analyzed using mixed ANOVA test in 2 (type of learning) × 4 (age groups) × 8 (blocks) and Bonferroni test was used for paired comparisons.Results: In acquisition phase for response time, significant main effects were observed for block (P=0.031) and age (P=0.001), not learning conditions (P=0.431). For response accuracy, significant main effects were observed for block (P=0.001), age (P=0.001) and learning conditions (P=0.003). In addition, the performances of groups across the two first blocks of practice on the second day were better compared with the first day in response time (P=0.001) and accuracy (P=0.001), which represented the consolidation of motor learning.Conclusion: The findings showed that among different age groups, there were age-related functional changes in the acquisition and consolidation of response time and accuracy for motor sequence task. Moreover, the various components of the movement (speed and accuracy) can be performed and consolidated in different ways. This matter should be considered in educational and rehabilitation interventions related to children and adolescents.

Introduction: Autism is one of the most famous neuro-developmental disorders and increases parental stresses. On the other hand, decrease of parental stress has positive effect on child response to treatment. So, the main goal of this study was to develop a family education program for parents of children with autism, which is effective on decreasing their parental stress.Materials and Methods: The first part of the study was a qualitative research of three categories of information resulted from deep interviews with 11 specialists, semi-structured interviews with 30 parents and review of 101 articles. The second part was an experimental research on two intervention, and one control groups, with three examination stages: before, after and one-month fallow-up. To fulfill this goal, 42 parents were selected from the parents of autistic children who received services in Tehran Autism Center, Iran, during the study period, and then, were divided randomly to tree groups. The material used for this section of study was Parental Stress Index (PSI).The results were analyzed using covariate analysis and analysis of variance techniques via SPSS20 software.Results: Our family integrated treatment method for autistic disorders was more efficient on decreasing reinforcing (P=0.032), mood (P=0.010), acceptability (P=0.013), and adaptability (P=0.004), and total score of child stress (P=0.004). In addition, it showed significant effect on competence (P=0.002), depression (P=0.001), social isolation (P=0.002), attachment (P<0.001), role restriction (P=0.001), parental health (P=0.003), and total score of parental stress (P<0.001), and also on PSI-total score (P<0.001), in comparison with 2 other groups.Conclusion: In comparison with previous parental training programs like little bird program which mostly focuses on stress of child domain, family integrated treatment method pays attention to special needs of every single family and its comprehensiveness; and is effective on decreasing parental domain of stress as well.

Introduction: Balance disorders are major motor complications in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Physical exercise can improve motor complications in patients with this disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of basic gymnastics exercises on the postural stability in children with autism spectrum disorder.Materials and Methods: 20 boys with autism spectrum disorder participated in a controlled pre-post clinical trial study. Participants were divided in two 10-participant groups of case and control based on their scores in Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-II. The participants in the case group were trained with basic gymnastic exercises for 12 weeks (three sessions per week), each session lasted 45 minutes. The control group did not participate in any exercise during this time. Postural stability was measured using a force plate. Data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA test while significant level was set at 0.05.Results: In post-test, less center of pressure oscillation was observed in the case group (657 ± 143 mm) compared to control group (1057 ± 311 mm) (P=0.013). In the case group, the center of pressure oscillation was significantly reduced after gymnastic exercise (P=0.001); but the changes were not significant in control group (P>0.05).Conclusion: It seems that gymnastic training improves the postural stability through the reduction in the length of postural sway.

Introduction: Bimanual coordination is an important ability that is used in many daily tasks including throwing, catching and many sport skills. Performing these activities depends on many factors such as sensory and attentional features. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sensory disturbance and cognitive load on time of the relative phase transition in anti-phase bimanual coordination pattern among elderly women.Materials and Methods: Twelve right-handed healthy old women (66.0 ± 2.8 years old) of the twenty four voluntaries were selected based on the inclusion criteria in this study. Participants started their movement on bimanual coordination device with anti-phase pattern at the frequency of 0.50 Hz.Then, after each five seconds, 0.25 Hz was gradually increased to frequency and continued until the anti-phase pattern turned to in-phase pattern. This task was performed in two different conditions concluding with cognitive load and without it with the disturbance of visual, auditory and proprioceptive senses. Data were analyzed using 2 × 4 repeated-measures analysis of variences, Bonferroni correction and paired-samples t tests.Results: The main effects of cognitive load (P=0.004), sensory disturbance (P=0.040) and interaction (P=0.020) were mainly significant. The effect of sensory disturbance in the condition of without cognitive load was significant (P=0.004). In the condition of without cognitive load, proprioceptive disturbance significantly affected the time of the relative phase transition.Conclusion: Results indicated the prominent role of cognitive load on selected task. In the condition of without cognitive load, proprioceptive sense had a stronger effect than visual and auditory senses; but in the presence of cognitive load, the effect of sensory disturbance was lost. In terms of change in time of transition of relative phase with change in task and environmental constraints, results of this study are in line with dynamic systems view.

Introduction: The effect of shoe insoles with different characteristics and in different running speeds on lower-limb stiffness is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two types of insoles (soft and semi-rigid) in two different running speeds on leg stiffness during stance phase of running among active men.Materials and Methods: 15 male students without any background of lower extremity injury were selected.Subjects were asked to run with two controlled velocities of 3.0±0.2 and 5.0±0.1 m/s in control and insole conditions (soft and semi-rigid) on a force plate, placed on the middle of 15-meter runway. The cinematics and cinetics of motion were measured and calculated using 5 video cameras and one force plate. The leg stiffness was achieved via dividing the vertical ground reaction force by leg compression. Two-factor repeated measures ANOVA was used to test the hypothesis at the significance level of P£0.050.Results: There was a significant difference between the two types of insoles on leg stiffness. In fact, semi-rigid insole significantly increased leg stiffness (P<0.001). However, this discrepancy was not related to the running speed (P=0.999). In addition, there was no significant difference between the two different speeds on leg stiffness (P=0.632).Conclusion: It seems that the increase in shoe insole stiffness may increase the leg stiffness. Furthermore, the effect of insole stiffness is not related to the running speed, and leg stiffness will remains constant in low to medium running speeds.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Iran is considered to have a high prevalence of multiple sclerosis. Its consequences are balance deficiency, falling and fracture. Studies have shown that kinesiotaping promotes balance in patients with neurologic disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesiotaping in patients with multiple sclerosis.Materials and Methods: The participants were randomly assigned into two groups. One group received facilitation kinesiotaping technique and the other group received inhibition techniques on gastrocnemius. The balance was evaluated using Time Up and Go and functional reach tests before and 30 minutes after taping. The assessor was blind to the method of taping.Results: Within group analyses with paired t-test showed significant improvement in Timed Up And Go and functional reach records following taping in both groups. However, analysis showed no significant difference between the two experimental groups.Conclusion: The results of present study showed that both facilitation and inhibition kinesiotaping technique of gastrocnemius muscle may immediately improve the dynamic balance in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Speech and language pathologists are the professional voice users who are using their voices as a primary tool to carry out their occupational duties. Professional voice users are considered to be at risk of developing voice disorders since they lack proper care of their vocal health and voice management. The aim of this study was to determine the voice handicap index (VHI) in two groups of speech and language pathologists with years of service less than and more than of ten years.Materials and Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, convenience sampling method was used and 38 speech and language pathologists in Isfahan city, Iran, were selected according to be available in the city. They were purposely divided into two groups. In addition; the data of voice handicap index application forms were collected to evaluate the voice handicap index in speech and language pathologists. The average scores of both acoustic parameters and voice handicap index for the two groups were analyzed using Mann-Whitney test.Results: The total voice handicap index score for the two groups was less than the cut-off point in the questionnaire. Moreover, the mean and standard deviation scores of voice handicap index and three sub-tests of speech and language pathologists with more than 10-year work experiences was fewer than those with work experiences less than 10 years (P<0.05). There was an inverse relationship between the total voice handicap index score and sub- test with the years of services of speech and language pathologists.Conclusion: Although, speech and language pathologists may abuse or misuse their voices at the beginning of their professions due to the lack of knowledge and experience, they will realize significant impacts on vocal parameters after several years of working in this area.

Introduction: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (or anterior knee pain) is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions in sport medicine clinics and one of the most common interventions in management of this syndrome is foot insoles. Despite the widespread use of foot orthoses, the efficacy of these interventions is controversial.Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the papers about the efficacy of foot insole on pain, function and biomechanics in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome.Materials and Methods: A literature search was carried out in some data bases such as Pubmed, Iran medex, Magiran and ISI Web of science between the years 2000 and 2015. The quality of the research studies was evaluated using Black and Downs tool.Results: After search in Persian and English databases, we found 117 papers. According to keywords and titles, 12 articles were included in the final review.Conclusion: Foot orthoses may improve pain and function in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome; although these interventions are more effective in patients with foot pronation.