Physical Treatments: Specific Physical Therapy Journal
Year:2015 | Volume:5 | Issue:1|Papers Count:7

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise on the anxiety ofadolescents with intellectual disability.Methods: Study method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest design and a controlgroup. The study population included all secondary students with intellectual disability in ShirazCity in the academic year 2012-2013. The sample size consisted of 30 secondary students withintellectual disability selected by available sampling method. They were randomly divided intoexperimental and control groups (15 students in each group). Both groups took the pretest. Theexperimental group received exercise training in 8 sessions while control group did not. Aftercompletion of intervention period, the posttest was administered for both groups. The Zung selfrating anxiety scale was administered to assess the anxiety.Results: The data analyses by analysis of covariance ANCOVA and multivariate analysis ofcovariance (MANCOVA) showed that the mean scores of anxiety and its subscales (emotionaland physical signs of anxiety) were significantly lower in experimental group (P<0.01).Conclusion: Findings indicated that exercise intervention leads to decrease in the anxiety.Therefore, we suggest designing and implementing exercise programs to decrease the anxiety ofstudents with intellectual disability.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine muscular response in balance recovery after posturalperturbation among females with increased thoracic kyphosis.Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study. A total of 12 female students with thoracickyphosis (>40 degrees) and 12 matched controls were selected to participate in the study. Eachsubject underwent unexpected perturbation from anterior, posterior, right, and left directions witheyes open and eyes closed conditions while standing on a movable plate, triggered by a weightequivalent to 10% of the subjects’ body weight. Then, the electromyography activity of someselected muscles was measured. SPSS version 19.0 and Analysis of variance (ANOVAs) withrepeated measures were used for data analyses (P<0.05).Results: Significant effects after perturbation were observed with regard to the activation ofrectus femoris (P<0.001), biceps femoris (P<0.001), tibialis anterior (P<0.005), gastrocnemiusmedialis (P=0.032), and gluteus maximus (P<0.001). Whereas, no impact was seen in activitiesof erector spinae (P=0.461) and rectus abdominal muscles (P=0.224). Also the results showedincrease in muscles activities when the eyes is closed compared to open eyes condition (P<0.05).Activities of all muscles were significantly higher in kyphotic group in comparison with controlgroup. However, these differences were statistically significant regarding gastrocnemius medialis(P=0.007), gluteus maximus (P=0.033), and rectus abdominus (P=0.010).Conclusion: Proximal muscles activity was higher in kyphotic subjects than normal subjectsduring balance recovery after postural perturbation.

Purpose: previous studies have suggested that thigh muscle imbalance may be a risk factor forknee injury. The Present study aimed to compare Hamstring-to-Quadriceps (H: Q) Ratio anddynamic stability between the two lower limbs of elderly people.Methods: This was a correlational study and by nonprobability sampling 19 healthy communitydoweling elderly (age=65.93±3.53 yrs.) participated in this study. Dynamic strength and power ofknee extensor and flexor muscles and H: Q ratios of each lower limb were measured by isokineticdynamometer. Dynamic stability was evaluated using the biodex balance system. Paired t testand Wilcoxon test were performed to compare power, strength, H: Q ratio, and balance index of2 sides. Data analysis were conducted using SPSS software, version 19.Results: Strength and power between two legs was significantly asymmetrical. There was nosignificant difference in H: Q strength ratios (P=0.057) between the two sides although this ratiowas 14.42% greater in weaker leg. Antero-posterior stability index (APSI) was significantlydifferent between two legs (P=0.03), however there is no significant difference in overall stabilityindex (OSI) and medio-lateral stability index (MLSI).Conclusion: The asymmetry between limbs or weakness of the quadriceps and/or hamstringmuscle strength and the resultant change in H: Q ratio should be considered in rehabilitation ofolder adults.

Purpose: In approaching full trunk flexion (75%-80% of full flexion), myoelectric activity oflumbar erector spinae muscles is reduced or silenced; this response is known as flexion-relaxationphenomenon (FRP). FRP is a shift in load sharing and spinal stabilization from active structures(erector spinae muscles) to passive ligamentous and articular structures. Static lumbar flexionunder constant displacement or load, within the physiological range, elicits creep in lumbarviscoelastic tissues. During a short static lumbar flexion, significant changes are elicited in themuscular activity pattern of the FRP. Laxity in the passive tissues of the spine during prolongedspinal flexion disturbs the spinal stability. This study investigated the effects of Kinesio taping(KT) before and after periods of the static lumbar flexion on the timing of FRP for the erectorspinae muscles.Methods: The research was conducted on 22 healthy female college students. The surfaceelectromyographic silence and onset of the erector spinae muscle activities were measured intwo states; before the static lumbar flexion and 10 minutes after the static lumbar flexion in twoconditions (with and without KT).Results: The results indicate that KT causes erector spinae muscles relaxation earlier in theflexion and later reactivated in the extension. In other words, KT increased flexion relaxation timein erector spinae muscles (P<0.05). The results also indicate that 10 minutes static lumbar flexionwill produce relaxation of the erector spinae muscles later during the forward bending activityand earlier reactivation during the extension (P<0.05). Application of KT cannot compensate theeffects of 10 minutes static flexion at the onset and the silence of flexion relaxation and over againcreep causes FRP occurs later.Conclusion: According to the effects of KT before the creep in reducing the duration of themuscles activity, kinesio tape may be used in reducing muscle spasms and duration of erectorspinae muscles activity. It may also improve FRP in the back and the people who are predisposedto the back pain and FRP has not seen in them. Therefore, the need for research on these subjectsand other factors, such as the electrical activity of muscles is essential. Although the application ofKT cannot substitute the effects of 10 minutes static flexion on the onset and the silence of flexionrelaxation, it could be used for protection and reduction of using strained viscoelastic structures.

Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is believed to be an important risk factor for falling. Totalknee replacement (TKR) is a commonly used choice when other methods are not satisfactory.Proprioception impairment, risk of falling and balance disorder are within the main complicationsof this method. While multiple protocols have been suggested for TKR, efficacy of earlyisotonic exercise therapy aimed at improving body balance after TKR has not been thoroughlyinvestigated.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, ten female patients with severe OA, sampled by nonrandomized convenient method were randomly assigned into either “routine” or “early isotonicexercise” groups. The subjects were undergone TKR surgery. The rehabilitation process (beingthe same for both groups until the second week) was initiated the day after surgery and lasted for6 weeks. From the second week, the experimental group received progressive, isotonic exercises, in addition to the routine rehabilitation protocol. Static balance was assessed prior to surgery andafter the rehabilitation process in both groups by Sharpened Romberg tests.Results: In both groups, static balance was significantly enhanced after surgery and rehabilitation(P<0.000). Prior to surgery the groups were indifferent according to their static balance scores(P=0.423) but, after surgery and rehabilitation, the patients receiving early isotonic exercise inaddition to routine physical therapy, were significantly in better balance condition comparing thecontrol group (P=0.000).Conclusion: Routine physical therapy with and without early isotonic exercise therapy enhancesstatic balance but, the balance improvement was more pronounced with this type of exercise.Early administration of isotonic exercise therapy in addition to the routine physical therapyprogram may enhance balance and prevent fall in patients with TKR.

Purpose: The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is increasing worldwide.This survey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of leg pain among female hairdressers in Shiraz, Iran, in 2010.Methods: This is a descriptive-correlational study that was conducted on female hairdressers inShiraz, Iran. A total of 239 hairdressers were selected by available sampling method. Data werecollected by interview and a questionnaire regarding their age, body mass index, marital status, experience, total work time, positions during work (sitting and standing), daily exercise, typesof shoes worn during work, and use of arch support. Also existence of pain in feet and legs wasevaluated. We used descriptive statistics and Chi-square test to analyze the collected data. Thestatistical analyses were done by SPSS version 16.Results: About 30.1% of subjects had a BMI lower than 18 and 56.1% of them were married.Also 38.9% of subjects had a total work time of more than 8 hours per day and 69.5% of themworked in the standing position. According to the results, 53.1% of the subjects worn ordinarysandals and only 8.4% of them used arch support. Majority of the subjects (70.7%) reported painin their feet and legs. The result also revealed the significant correlation between pain prevalenceand age, BMI, marital status, total work time per day, and type of shoes worn during the work.Also, married people reported pain more.Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, several factors are associated withdiscomforts in the legs and feet among hairdressers. Therefore, hairdressing training in correctwork procedures and modifying work conditions such as designing a proper chair, reducingworking hours, use of medical shoes and sandals can prevent the incidence of musculoskeletaldisorders in this occupational group.

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of sensory and movement speedmanipulations on bimanual coordination dynamics. Here we compared to what extent the absenceand or bias of different sensory modalities affect performance of coordination of movements.Methods: Fifteen physical education students of Shahid Beheshti University (aged 18-25years) were participated in the study. Participants performed bimanual in-phase and anti-phasemovements with their wrists at 3 levels of speed ranging from slow to fast and 4 different sensoryconditions, including 1) Normal sensory input; 2) Masked vision; 3) Masked proprioception; and4) Full sensory deprivation. Separate analyses of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measureson speed and sensory conditions were conducted for the in-phase and anti-phase movementpatterns, followed by post hoc analyses using the Bonferroni correction. The dependent variablewas error of relative phase.Results: In line with observations from previous studies, results of our study showed thatincreasing movement speed influenced performance of the anti-phase (P=0.001) but not thein-phase (P=0.9) coordination patterns. Specifically, as speed increased from slow to fast, theperformance of 1800 anti-phase patterns destabilized, with participants showing higher errorscores of relative phase. Sensory manipulation showed that proprioception and vision didinfluence the accuracy and consistency of the coordination tasks in both the in-phase and antiphase movement patterns (P=0.001).Conclusion: The performance of a bimanual linear coordination task depends mainly on theavailability of proprioceptive input.