Physical Therapy articles from August 2008

Physical Therapy archives from August 2008

The bottom line.(clinical practice research)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... The Bottom Line is a translation of study findings for application to clinical practice. It is not intended to substitute for a critical reading of the research article. Bottom Lines are written by invitation only. Beck LA, Einertson MJ,...

Puckering and blowing facial expressions in people with facial movement disorders.(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... A person's face is his or her first form of identification. The face is the physical attribute that distinguishes a person from the rest of the world and is an essential component of how an individual interacts with others, sustains life, and...

Functional outcomes and quality of life after tumor-related hemipelvectomy.(Research Report)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... Hemipelvectomy is a life-changing surgery that has been an acceptable form of treatment for pelvic malignancies for decades. Over the last 20 years, limb-salvage procedures, or internal hemipelvectomies, have emerged as an option for treatment....

Changes in functional walking distance and health-related quality of life after gastric bypass surgery.(Research Report)(Report)
August 1, 2008... Obesity prevalence is rapidly rising to epidemic proportions in the United States, resulting in a corresponding increase in health care costs. (1-3) Estimates from the World Health Organization indicate that more than one billion adults are...

Direct access to physical therapy in the Netherlands: results from the first year in community-based physical therapy.(Research Report)(Table)(Report)
August 1, 2008... Since 2006, the Netherlands has had a new health care system. (1) The need for this revision was determined by the increasing demands on health care. The roles of patients, insurance companies, health care providers, and the government changed...

Scale for contraversive pushing: cutoff scores for diagnosing "pusher behavior" and construct validity.(Research Report)(Report)
August 1, 2008... "Pusher behavior" (PB) is a poorly understood disorder ii exhibited by some people with stroke. This behavior has 3 typical features: (1) contralesional tilted posture with severe imbalance, (2) tendency to push strongly toward the paretic side...

Process for applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model to a patient with patellar dislocation.(Case Report)(Report)
August 1, 2008... The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) has been proposed by the World Health Organization as a unified framework for describing the health status of people (Fig. 1). (1) The ICF recently was discussed in...

On "a four-week, task-specific neuroprosthesis program ..." Dunning K, et al. Phys Ther. 2008;88:397-405.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... We regard this report (1) as very valuable as it describes the use of a task-specific neuroprosthesis program in a patient characterized as severely impaired without any active residual finger and hand movements. Those patients without residual...

On "breathing: a sign of life ... " Ekerholt and Bergland. Phys Ther. 2008;88:832-840.(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... Thank you for your clearly written report sharing the processes of Norwegian psychomotor physical therapy (NPMP). (1) The experience of breathing is such an ancient science, and yet, it still retains an element of novelty in both evaluation and...

Physical Rehabilitation: Evidence-Based Examination, Evaluation, and Intervention.(Book, Multimedia, and Software Reviews)(Book review)
August 1, 2008... Cameron MH, Monroe LG, eds. St Louis, MO, 63146, Saunders Elsevier, 2007, hardcover with CD-ROM, 953 pp, illus, ISBN: 978-0-7216-0361-2, $79.95. The editors' goal for this book was to develop a broad-based text that utilizes the structure...

Foundation awards $292,500 in doctoral scholarships.(News from the Foundation for Physical Therapy)
August 1, 2008... The Foundation for Physical Therapy Board of Trustees recently awarded Promotion of Doctoral Scholarships (PODS I and II) to 25 recipients. As part of the Doctoral Opportunities for Clinicians and Scholarships (DOCS) program, PODS I...

The 2008 New Investigator Fellowship Training Initiative (NIFTI) Awardee announced.(News from the Foundation for Physical Therapy)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Ya-weng Tseng, PT, PhD, of Temple University, is the recipient of the 2008 New Investigator Fellowship Training Initiative (NIFTI) fellowship. Tseng receives the $78,000 award in support of her research project, "Utilizing Visual Feedback...

Recipients in the news.(News from the Foundation for Physical Therapy)
August 1, 2008... APTA recognized 46 individuals for their achievements during the Honors and Awards Ceremony held at the 2008 APTA Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Fifteen of these awardees are former Foundation funding recipients or have been involved...

Exercise balls.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OPTP The Original Franklin Balls feature a new design and texture that help muscles relax. These emerald green balls are about 10 cm in diameter and have the correct density to facilitate Franklin Method...

Electrical stimulation/ultrasound.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mettler Electronics Inc. The Sonicator Plus 940 combines 4 channels of electrical stimulation with 1- and 3-MHz therapeutic ultrasound. The Sonicator provides 8 treatment waveforms, available on all 4 channels....

Electrode gel.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Parker Laboratories Inc. Parker recommends its Spectra 360 Electrode Gel for all electromedical procedures. This salt-free gel with "stay-wet" properties is suitable for long-term applications such as...

Therapy pools.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SwimEx SwimEx offers 9 aquatic therapy pools with water surface lengths ranging from 8 to 18 feet and widths from 6.5 to 10 feet. The multi-piece 1000-T, 700-T, 600-T, 500-T, and 470T models are designed for...

Motion analysis systems.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sports Motion Sports Motion offers motion analysis systems using state-of-the-art hardware and software for applications such as physical therapy, athletic training, human gait analysis, injury rehabilitation,...

Workout system.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] efi Sports Medicine The Gravity system features a single piece of equipment: the GTS. The GTS is designed to provide a total body workout using gravity and an individual's body weight as resistance during the...

Standing Aid.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chattanooga Group Alliance Stand Aid is designed to actively engage the patient in the standing process, reducing the need for caregiver assistance. It can fit through narrow doorways and has a 400-1b safe...

Exercise roll.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OPTP The crystal blue Franklin Mini Roll was created to support the spine, legs, and shoulders during Franklin Method exercises. The roll's peanut shape is designed to massage the back, relieve tension, and help...

Snap-Cap for gel bottles.(Product News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Parker Laboratories Inc. Parker offers a Snap-Cap and valve that fits its 0.25 liter and 8 oz dispenser bottles. The cap is designed to keep the nozzle and aperture of the bottle protected from the work...

Inside PT.
August 1, 2008... Welcome to PT Magazine's annual Buyer's Guide--a comprehensive listing of products and services of interest and value to physical therapists (PTs). Scanning the listings reveals the wide mix of categories and products. Some display the latest...

APTA elects new board and nominating Committee Members.(news)
August 1, 2008... Congratulations to those who were elected to the following offices on Tuesday, June 10, at the House of Delegates held in San Antonio, Texas. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Director Kevin L Hulsey, PT, DPT, MA [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Altimate Medical.(Industry News)
August 1, 2008... Altimate Medical and ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" recently teamed up to provide an EasyStand Evolv standing frame to the Latif family; who was chosen to have a new accessible home built for them by Extreme Home Makeover. ...

Computer Sports Medicine Inc, manufacturer of human performance testing and rehabilitation equipment for the sport medicine, physical rehabilitation.(Industry News)
August 1, 2008... Computer Sports Medicine Inc, manufacturer of human performance testing and rehabilitation equipment for the sport medicine, physical rehabilitation, exercise physiology, and human performance research labs, recently entered into a preferred...

ProEx Physical Therapy.(Industry News)
August 1, 2008... Mulrenan Physical Therapy recently changed its name to ProEx Physical Therapy. The new name will replace the names Mulrenan Physical Therapy in Woburn, Massachusetts, and Stratham Physical Therapy in Epping, Hampton, and Stratham, New...

Relax Right Inc recently selected Pivotal Health Solutions as its exclusive marketing agent for the health care industry.(Industry News)
August 1, 2008... Relax Right Inc recently selected Pivotal Health Solutions as its exclusive marketing agent for the health care industry. Pivotal Health Solutions will be responsible for the marketing, distribution, and sales of Relax Right's line of new...

Gravity-based workout system.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... The Gravity system from efi Sports Medicine features a single piece of equipment: the GTS. It is designed to provide a total body workout using gravity and an individual's body weight as resistance while performing multi-plane core strength...

Franklin Mini Roll.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... OPTP introduces the crystal blue Franklin Mini Roll, which was created to support the spine, legs, and shoulders during Franklin Method exercises. The roll's peanut shape is designed to massage the back, relieve tension, and help to increase...

Exercise and balance.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... The BalanceGym from BalanceGym LLC allows actively aging adults and those with balance problems to participate in individual and group exercise programs designed specifically for fall prevention, balance training, increasing bone density;...

Aid for active standing.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... The Alliance Stand Aid from Chattanooga Group is designed to actively engage the patient in the standing process, reducing the need for caregiver assistance. It can fit through narrow doorways and has a 400-lb safe working load, allowing the...

Bariatric Parallel Bar.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... The Bariatric Parallel Bar unit from Tri W-G is designed specifically for heavier patients and has a maximum weight capacity of 1,000 lbs. The bars feature a steel frame and motorized adjustment of height and width using fingertip controls to...

Snap-Cap for dispenser bottles.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... Parker Laboratories Inc offers a proprietary Snap-Cap and valve to fit the .25 liter and 8 oz dispenser bottles for its ultrasound lotions and Aquasonic100 Ultrasound Transmission Gel. The one-handed snap cap is designed for easy use and...

Software for assessing fitness.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... Fitness Maker from BioEx Systems is an integrated software system designed to aid in fitness assessment, testing, goal achievement, and development of fitness programs. Features include capture and storage of records for an unlimited number of...

Moist heat with beads.(marketplace)
August 1, 2008... MediBeads Moist Heat Packs from North Coast Medical can provide convenient, medicine-free pain relief. These reusable packs can be microwave heated for 1-2 minutes for deep, penetrating moist heat therapy without added water. The packs contain...

Business directory.(Directory)
August 1, 2008... 1st Ergo 3616 Far W Blvd, Ste 117-181 Austin, TX 78731 david@1stergo.com www.1stergo.com 512/832-5101 FAX: 512/832-5100 A&D Orthopedic Products Inc 4254 S Mentor Ave Springfield, MO 65804 adortho@aol.com ...

Businesses by category.(Directory)
August 1, 2008... Ambulation/Mobility Cane Accessories AbleTripod Cane, A Division of LA Care Industries 888/988-2263 www.abletripod.com Canes-Quad Bailey Manufacturing Co 800/321-8372 www.baileymfg.com Canes-Rigid ...

Medicare offers feedback to practices on quality reporting.(June 13)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Physical therapist practices that participated in the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) program now can register to receive final feedback reports in mid-July on a secure Web site. The reports will be available to each...

CMS starts contacting practices to verify provider data.(June 13)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Letters will arrive at some physical therapist practices in the next week as Medicare begins to verify that data submitted to the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) for organization health care providers is accurate. The...

NIH awards $12.4 million to Winstein, USC for stroke rehabilitation study.(June 13)(National Institutes of Health, University of Southern California )(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has awarded $12.4 million to Carolee Winstein, PT, PhD, FAPTA, a professor at the...

APTA offers input for Healthy People 2020 objectives.(June 6)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Since March, APTA members and staff have attended Healthy People 2020 Regional Meetings as input is gathered for perspectives on the framework that will be used to organize Healthy People 2020 objectives. Ellen Hillegas, PT, MMSc, PhD, CCS,...

APTA joins international support of PEDro.(June 6)(American Physical Therapy Association, Physiotherapy Evidence Database )(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... APTA recently joined other international physical therapy associations in providing financial support to the operations of the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). PEDro provides quality ratings of clinical trials of physical therapy...

Games research grants include studies on patients with stroke.(June 6)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... New grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will help researchers explore such topics as how motion-based games may help patients with stroke progress faster in physical therapy. More than $2 million from the Health Games Research...

Documentation concerns remain in Medicare error report.(May 30)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Therapeutic exercise and manual therapy services have high rates of errors due to insufficient documentation on fee-for-service claims paid by Medicare, according to a report issued last week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...

APTA, OSHA join forces on injury prevention.(May 30)(American Physical Therapy Association, Occupational Safety and Health Administration)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... APTA and the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have entered into a regional alliance to reduce and prevent injuries among physical therapists and other health care employees. The alliance will operate...

Court denies NATA's request for expedited discovery.(May 30)(National Athletic Trainers' Association)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The US District Court in Dallas last week denied a request by the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) for expedited discovery in the lawsuit that it filed against APTA in February. In a letter yesterday to APTA members, APTA...

Runner with double amputation wins appeal to compete in Olympics.(May 23)(Oscar Pistorius)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Last week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned a ruling by the International Association of Athletics Foundation (IAAF) that barred Oscar Pistorius, a runner with double amputation, from competing in the Beijing Olympic Games....

Background papers for coding for services.(May 23)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Confused by Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes that you don't use frequently? The Payment Policy and Advocacy Department has added four new titles to a series of "Background Papers" developed to help APTA members with problematic and...

PCPFS launches new Adult Fitness Test.(May 16)(President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) Wednesday launched a physical fitness test for people age 18 and older. The Adult Fitness Test is similar to the Physical Fitness Test offered for children between the ages of 6 and...

Despite mandates of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act restricting post-acute care expenditures, a nationally representative study showed no decreases in the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries with five common diagnoses.(Research Roundup)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Despite mandates of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act restricting post-acute care expenditures, a nationally representative study showed no decreases in the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries with five common diagnoses receiving physical therapy...

In a study to determine the number of older adults who fall and are not injured or who sustain minor or moderate injuries and seek treatment in clinics or physician offices, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed self-report data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey.(Research Roundup)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... In a study to determine the number of older adults who fall and are not injured or who sustain minor or moderate injuries and seek treatment in clinics or physician offices, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed...

Using the principles of best evidence, Canadian researchers make the case for changes to the current system of stroke rehabilitation, based on five processes of care known to be important for optimal outcomes.(Research Roundup)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Using the principles of best evidence, Canadian researchers make the case for changes to the current system of stroke rehabilitation, based on five processes of care known to be important for optimal outcomes. The processes are (1) admission to...

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins has launched a new journal, Current Orthopaedic Practice (COP).(Research Roundup)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Lippincott Williams & Wilkins has launched a new journal, Current Orthopaedic Practice (COP). A bimonthly print and online publication, COP will cover techniques and current thinking in treating disorders of the spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist,...

Baby boomers will create multiple challenges for health care system, says IOM report.(May 9)(Institutes of Medicine's 'Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Work force')(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The United States needs to move quickly and efficiently to make certain that the health care workforce increases in size and has the proper education and training to handle the needs of a new generation of older Americans, says a new report...

Although results indicate that prolonged continuous passive motion (CPM) use has a short-term effect on range of motion (ROM).(Research Roundup)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Although results indicate that prolonged continuous passive motion (CPM) use has a short-term effect on range of motion (ROM), routine use of prolonged CPM in patients with total knee arthroplasty with limited ROM at hospital discharge should...

There is insufficient evidence from random control trials (RCTs) to conclude that any one locomotor training strategy improves walking function more than another for people with spinal cord injury (SCI), says a review published April 16 in The Cochrane Library.(Research Roundup)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... There is insufficient evidence from random control trials (RCTs) to conclude that any one locomotor training strategy improves walking function more than another for people with spinal cord injury (SCI), says a review published April 16 in The...

In new guidelines published in the May 6 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians recommends that clinicians periodically perform individualized assessment of risk factors for osteoporosis in older men and obtain dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for men who are at increased risk for osteoporosis and are candidates for drug therapy.(Research Roundup)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... In new guidelines published in the May 6 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians recommends that clinicians periodically perform individualized assessment of risk factors for osteoporosis in older men and obtain...

Report urges health care organizations to assess patients' unique and cultural needs.(May 2)(The Joint Commission's "One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations")(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... A new report released by The Joint Commission, titled "One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations," urges health care organizations to assess their capacity to meet patients' unique cultural and language...

Footnote: what's new in the literature.(May 2)(rehabilitation research)(Recommended readings)
August 1, 2008... * Children with cerebral palsy (CP) may benefit from improved exercise programs that focus on lower-extremity muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, or a combination, according to a literature review published in the May issue of American...

The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), www.icohweb.org, is an international nongovernmental professional society that aims to foster the scientific progress, knowledge, and development of occupational health and safety in all its aspects.(Site Watch)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), www.icohweb.org, is an international nongovernmental professional society that aims to foster the scientific progress, knowledge, and development of occupational health and safety in...

International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO), www.iaso. org/index.asp, is an umbrella organization for national obesity associations, which includes 52 member associations representing 56 countries.(Site Watch)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO), www.iaso. org/index.asp, is an umbrella organization for national obesity associations, which includes 52 member associations representing 56 countries. IASO's mission is to...

The Health Care Innovations Exchange, www.innovations.ahrq.gov, is a program of the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) designed to support health care professionals in sharing and adopting innovations that improve the delivery of care to patients.(Site Watch)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The Health Care Innovations Exchange, www.innovations.ahrq.gov, is a program of the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) designed to support health care professionals in sharing and adopting innovations that improve the delivery...

The National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Office of Extramural Research/ Division of Information Services (DIS) recently launched a public prototype of its Reports, Data, and Analyses (RDA) Web site, http://report.nih.gov, which eventually will replace the current Award Information and Data page.(Site Watch)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The National Institutes of Healths (NIH) Office of Extramural Research/ Division of Information Services (DIS) recently launched a public prototype of its Reports, Data, and Analyses (RDA) Web site, http://report.nih.gov, which eventually will...

Healthcare Advocacy Group Inc, www.hcagi.org, is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to educate consumers about alternatives in health care coverage and to work with individuals, health-oriented agencies and advocate groups, and health care providers to promote caring and quality medical services.(Site Watch)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Healthcare Advocacy Group Inc, www.hcagi.org, is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to educate consumers about alternatives in health care coverage and to work with individuals, health-oriented agencies and advocate groups, and health...