Journal of Modern Rehabilitation
Year:2012 | Volume:6 | Issue:3|Papers Count:10

Background and Aim: Constraint-induce movement therapy is one of the treatment methods to treat those who have stroke disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) on quality of life , function and range of motion of upper extremity of patients with stroke.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 15 patients in accordance to random clinical trial during the treatment operation, the patients were asked to restrict their upper extremity movement with orthopedics sling for 3 days per week and each day for 8 hours. They were asked to practice on affected upper extremity for 2 hours while their hands were restricted. Additionally, the present study was conducted for 6 weeks.Results: The statistical analysis illustrated that quality of life was significantly changed which measured by SF36 test (p=0.008). Furthermore, the upper extremity function which was assessed by Box & Black test was statistically analyzed by t-coupled; in this regard, it showed a significant change when the treatment ended up (p=0.009). However, active range of motions in wrist extension and elbow extension did not significantly changed (p=0.227).Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be implied that Constraint-induce movement therapy is an effective method for improvement of life quality and the upper extremity function .Three mechanisms are discussed: involvement of non used affected limbs, neural plasticity in CNS, and amelioration of mental and physical health of patients can be resulted in life quality and patients' hand improvement.

Background and Aim: Occupational Therapy (OT) as a holistic profession considers all aspects of a disease and leads the patients towards independent daily activities by providing appropriate treatment techniques. Considering the importance of this major in the health sector, it is required that the occupational and educational planners examine the intrinsic factors affecting the motivation of the occupational therapists. The purpose of this study was determining the job motivation among occupational therapist of Fars province based on Motivating Potential Score (MPS), so that, the job dimension and finally the motivational power of this profession to be examined.Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 1390. The statistical population includes all occupational therapist (41 people) of Fars province. Data collection tool was the valid questionnaire of Job Characteristics Model (JCM) adopted from John Wagner. Pearson correlation coefficient was used. To examine the reliability of questionnaire the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and to determine the validity of it, the Content validity was used.Results: There was no significant relationship between demographic variables and the motivational power (p>0.05). The mean scores was 2.73±0.16 for Skill Variety, 2.04±0.15 for Task Identity, 2.60±0.14 for Task Significance, 2.82±0.16 for Autonomy, 2.43±0.12 for Feedback and the mean score of OT motivational power was19.21±15.49.Conclusion: In this study the motivational power of OT profession was low. Based on MPS, The structure of OT does not provide intrinsic motivation for its practitioners.

Background and Aim: Reading skill is necessary for academic achievement, that deaf children have problems in this skill due to hearing impairment. Use of cochlear implant can improve auditory inputs. The aim of this study was to investigate the reading skills of children with cochlear implants and comparing that with normal ones.Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was done on 24 children with cochlear implant and 24 normal ones that was selected from second and third grades students of Tehran primary schools. Children's reading performance was assessed by Nama reading test and the data were analyzed using T-test, linear regression and Pearson correlations.Results: The results showed that the means of reading scores of normal children were significantly greater than the cochlear implanted ones (P<0.01). Also, there was a significant relationship between reading skills and period of cochlear implant (P<0.01).Conclusion: Cochlear implanted children showed weaker performance in reading skills than normal ones due to less access to auditory and Phonological information. It seems that early surgery and cochlear implant before the age of language learning can be partially compensated reading defects of deaf children.

Background and Aim: Fatigue is one of the most common problem of multiple sclerosis. It is a sign of inefficiency in the physical, social, and cognitive function. It is a major factor in limiting the responsibilities of social work of patients. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) in Iranian and create an appropriate tool for measuring the impact of fatigue and effectiveness of treatment and also rehabilitation interventions on fatigue in Iranian patients.Materials and Methods: In order to use the FIS in Iranian patients, the forward and backward translation and assessing the patient's perspective was done and the Persian version of the questionnaire was prepared.Results: The questionnaire was completed by twenty patients with multiple sclerosis. The time duration of filling out of each questionnaire took ten to twenty minutes .The final corrections was carried out. All questions of patients was acceptable and understandable and questions of "sexual activity" was completed only by married patients. The question of "financial support" was completed only by employed person (working people). Finally, as much as possible, this questionnaire was adapted with Iranian culture and sentences were confirmed by MAPI Institute.Conclusion: Persian version of the FIS is an appropriate tool for measuring the impact of fatigue, effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation interventions on fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background and Aim: One of the consequences of obesity is coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. Effective exercise programs for patients with the coronary artery disease is a strategy for decreasing obesity and is expected to help in eventually limiting obesity-associated long-term health. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a physiotherapy and exercise based cardiac rehabilitation on the anthropometric measurements of obesity in the diabetic and non diabetic men.Materials and Methods: Seventy one 45-to 75-years-old male volunteers with coronary artery disease (32 diabetic & 39 non diabetic patients) participated in 6-8 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise training consisting of 45 min sessions of treadmill, stationary bicycle and arm bicycle. Anthropometric measurements of obesity (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio and waist to height ratio) were measured at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of exercise sessions in both groups.Results: Following the cardiac rehabilitation program, all of the anthropometric measurements except hip circumference in diabetic patients decreased significantly (P<0.05). BMI, waist circumference and waist to height ratio increased in non diabetic patients (P<0.05).Conclusion: Exercise training alone in cardiac rehabilitation program is not sufficient to reduce the anthropometric measurements of obesity in non-diabetic patients.

Background and Aim: Perceptual abilities (reaction time and anticipatory skill) are essential for successful performance in daily activities. Training in dynamic and unpredicted sport domains such as volleyball might make changes in perceptual abilities of athletes compared to non-athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare reaction time and anticipatory skill of volleyball players versus non-athletes.Materials and Methods: Eleven female volleyball players and 11 female non-athletes participated in this study. Auditory choice reaction time, auditory complex choice reaction time, visual choice reaction time, visual complex choice reaction time, anticipatory skill of the high speed of the ball and anticipatory skill of the low speed of ball of both groups were analyzed by a software (Speed Anticipation Reaction Test (SART)).Results: Statistical analysis did not show any significant differences between two groups in both auditory reaction time tests (P>0.05). However, volleyball players showed better results in visual choice reaction time, visual complex choice reaction time, anticipatory skill of the high speed of the ball and anticipatory skill of the low speed of ball tests (P>0.05).Conclusion: Volleyball players acquire extensive knowledge of sport specific patterns of perceptual abilities due to experiences within the volleyball domain and due to the efficient extraction of this knowledge in similar conditions such as, computerized neurocognitive tests, they have superior perceptual skills than non-athletes.

Background and Aim: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common musculoskeletal condition. Women with patellofemoral pain syndrome would present significant weakness in many of hip muscle groups when compared with the healthy group. The objective of the present study was to compare the strength of hip abductor, extensor and external rotator muscle groups in sedentary women with bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome to a matched control group of sedentary women without patellofemoral pain syndrome.Materials and Methods: Twelve women with bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome as experimental group and other twelve matched women as control group participated in this study. Maximum isometric strength for three hip muscles including abductor, extensor and external rotator muscle groups was measured bilaterally in all subjects using a dynamometer fixed on a platform and finally averaged between two limbs and compared with the control group.Results: The hip abductor, extensor and external rotator muscle groups of experimental group were statistically weaker than that of the control group (p<0.001).Conclusion: It seems that lower limb muscles including hip muscles of women with patellofemoral pain syndrome become weaker due to disuse conditions.

Background and Aim: There is an agreement on impression of environment on the development in different ways. The environment effect could be passive or active. The environment enrichment is a passive method which is used to show the effect of environment on the development during infancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of early perceptual-motor enrichment on later fine motor development process of infants.Materials and Methods: Fifteen 5 to 8-months-old healthy infants participated randomly in this study. According to their age, participants were divided homogenously in two groups: training (n=8, ages=6.5±2) and non-training (n=8, ages=6.5±2). Training group had 36 training sessions(3 times in a week) for an hour at a perceptual-motor enrichment environment (involve vary manipulation and locomotion tools). After 36 training sessions, at the first assessment stage, infant fine motor skills were evaluated by Peabody motor development scale. Three months later, all infants were kept in similar and normal condition. At the later assessment stage, after this three months, infant fine motor skills were evaluated by same scale. Data were analyzed by mixed ANOVA2 (group)´(stage).Results: Results indicated that in fine motor age equivalent, main effect of group(F(1,10)=10.53 , P=009 ) and main effect of assessment stages(F(1,10)=96.33 , P=.001) was significant. Interaction between groups and assessment stages (F(1,10)=2.58 , P=.13)was not significant. Also, in fine motor scaled score, main effect of group(F(1,10)=6.65, P=.02) and main effect of assessment stages (F(1,10)=32.93 , P=.001) was significant. Interaction between groups and assessment stages (F(1,10)=.24, P=.63)was not significant.Conclusion: Generally, results show that training and experience have positive effect on later fine motor skills development of infant.

Background and Aim: Because of high incidence of hand injuries and the need for a quantitative method that provides measures of patient improvement in treatment period, a precise and easy-to-apply quantitative procedure is necessary. As a first step in validating of such a method, the intersession repeatability of quantified measures was assessed in this study.Materials and Methods: Measurement of hand drawing skills by drawing circle shape in two speeds (preferred and maximum) and spiral shape just in a preferred voluntary speed with two repetitions for each subject was assessed in 15 subjects. Digital data was recorded by a Tablet PC using special software with average sampling rate of 120 Hz.Results: The quantified variables computed for circle and spiral drawing tests with preferred speed were reliable (0.55<ICC<0.85), so they can be used for drawing quantifications. Results of drawing circles with maximum speed were not reliable (ICC<0.5).Conclusion: Repeatability analysis revealed that measures based on drawing circles with maximum speed are not repeatable and cannot be used for progress monitoring. This may be due to large variation in providing maximum drawing speed during test time. On the other hand, spiral and circle drawing parameters with preferred speed had a better repeatability and can be used for quantification of hand drawings in researches.

Background and Aim: Anterior knee pain (AKP or AnKP) is one of the most common disorders of knee. Many studies have been implemented about anterior knee pain and effect of different treatments on this disorder. Todays, this general term has been divided and studied more closely. Knee extension syndrome is one of the common disorders in orthopedic and physical therapy that diagnosed with increased stiffness of quadriceps muscle and causes anterior knee pain. The purpose of this review article is to evaluate this disorder more closely.Materials and Methods: A literature search was carried out using MEDLINE and SCIENCE DIRECT cite and JOSPT journal database to assess existing literature about anterior knee pain. Furthermore, literatures about the different standpoints of anterior knee pain and effectiveness of different treatments and interventions of anterior knee pain and knee extension syndrome have been identified.Results: Fifty articles have been surveyed: forty-two articles evaluated the effect of different treatments on anterior knee pain. Five articles evaluated the various aspects of anterior knee pain more closely and three ones related to knee extension syndrome.Conclusion: According to these studies results, the causes of anterior knee pain can be classified in two categories: 1) anterior knee pain associated with patellofemoral disorders and 2) anterior knee pain non-associated with patellofemoral disorders. The knee extension syndrome is the cause for anterior knee pain but non-associated with patellofemoral disorders. In this disorder, the tilt angle of patella could be increased and this factor can increase the patients’ pain. In contrast to general belief that focuses on tensor fascia lata-ilotiobial band complex (TFL-ITB complex), the rectus femoris muscle stretching should be focused more, because the ilotiobial band has a less effect on patellar tilt.