Physical Therapy articles from January 2008

Physical Therapy archives from January 2008

"What's in a name?" Revisited.(Guest Editorial)(Editorial)
January 1, 2008... As a clinician and an author, I have often observed colleagues labor over the choice of one word in a sentence or title of a manuscript. They weigh the options and consider the meaning of each word at length. I remember a conversation between...

Kennedy DM, Stratford PW, Riddle DL, et al. Assessing recovery and establishing prognosis following total knee arthroplasty.(The Bottom Line for January 2008)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Kennedy DM, Stratford PW, Riddle DL, et al. Assessing recovery and establishing prognosis following total knee arthroplasty. Phys Ther. 2008;88:22-32. What problems did the researchers set out to study, and why? Current studies fail to...

Landel R, Kulig K, Fredericson M, et al. Intertester reliability and validity of motion assessments during lumbar spine accessory motion testing.(The Bottom Line for January 2008)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Landel R, Kulig K, Fredericson M, et al. Intertester reliability and validity of motion assessments during lumbar spine accessory motion testing. Phys Ther. 2008;88:43-49. What problems did the researchers set out to study, and why?...

Hydrotherapy versus conventional land-based exercise for the management of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial.(Research Report)(Report)
January 1, 2008... Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease characterized mainly by complex, multifactorial joint degeneration. The prevalence of OA increases with age and eventually leads to joint stiffness, progressive deformity, and functional impairment,...

Assessing recovery and establishing prognosis following total knee arthroplasty.(Research Report)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2008... Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most frequent causes of disability. (1) For patients with end-stage OA, which is characterized by severe pain and poor functional status, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is recognized as a highly beneficial...

Associations between physical examination and self-reported physical function in older community-dwelling adults with knee pain.(Research Report)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2008... The degree to which musculoskeletal impairments are associated with limitations in physical functional activities is a central question, because proper medical care and timely rehabilitation aimed at such impairments may contribute to reducing...

Intertester reliability and validity of motion assessments during lumbar spine accessory motion testing.(Research Report)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2008... Decisions regarding the choice of interventions for low back pain are dependent on information obtained from accurate assessments. Accordingly, clinical assessments are used to identify impairments (eg, altered spinal mobility) that suggest...

Variability in effective radiating area at 1 MHz affects ultrasound treatment intensity.(Technical Report)
January 1, 2008... Therapeutic ultrasound is commonly used in the treatment of musculoskeletal injury to increase tissue temperature and increase healing rates. (1,2) Unfortunately, treatment outcomes have been equivocal. (3) As the practice of physical...

Invited commentary.(effective radiating area )(Report)
January 1, 2008... Why ERA Variability Is a Concern Straub et al (1) raise an important issue: the output of therapeutic ultrasound equipment. We buy equipment assuming that the accompanying documentation is accurate. If we are advised that the effective...

Author response.
January 1, 2008... We thank Robertson for her thoughtful review of our article (1) and, more importantly, for an in-depth review of therapeutic ultrasound outcomes. (2) This article was one of the driving forces behind our original pursuit of an inspection of...

Endurance exercise training to improve economy of movement of people with Parkinson disease: three case reports.(Case Report)
January 1, 2008... Parkinson disease (PD) is a potentially disabling condition resulting from degeneration of the substantia nigra with cardinal signs of rigidity, bradykinesia, tremor, and postural instability. (1-3) As the disease progresses, individuals with...

Cardiorespiratory capacity after weight-supported treadmill training in patients with traumatic brain injury.(Case Report)(Report)
January 1, 2008... Body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) has been studied extensively in patients with spinal cord injury (sex) (1,2) and stroke. (3-5) The patients train on a treadmill while having a harness system partially support their body weight....

Locomotor training using bodyweight support on a treadmill in conjunction with ongoing physical therapy in a child with severe cerebellar ataxia.(Case Report)(Case study)
January 1, 2008... One of the most commonly I stated goals in the rehabilitation of populations with neurologic problems is the recovery of walking capacity. (1-4) Although there is no consensus currently on the best way to train safe, efficient, and independent...

Undetected hangman's fracture in a patient referred for physical therapy for the treatment of neck pain following trauma.(Case Report)(Report)
January 1, 2008... In outpatient physical therapy settings, neck pain is a common condition for which patients seek treatment. Although a specific pathoanatomical source cannot be routinely identified in the vast majority of patients with mechanical neck pain,...

Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy.(Update)(Disease/Disorder overview)
January 1, 2008... Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) is the third most common inherited muscular dystrophy after Duchenne dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy. (1) Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, as the name implies, is characterized initially by weakness and...

Effects of intensity of treadmill training on developmental outcomes and stepping in infants with down syndrome: a randomized trial.(III STEP Series)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2008... Down syndrome (DS) is one of the few disabilities that carries with it the certainty of delays in all of the developmental domains. (1) In the United States, DS occurs approximately 1.36 times in every 1,000 live births. (2) Down syndrome is a...

Physical therapy interventions for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: an overview of systematic reviews.(CARE IV Series)
January 1, 2008... Osteoarthritis is the most common condition affecting synovial joints. (1) The prevalence of osteoarthritis increases with age, and the suffering and socioeconomic consequences are substantial. The need for clinical and cost-effective...

On "Indicators of lumbar zygapophyseal joint pain ..." Wilde et al. Phys Ther. 2007; 87:1348-1361.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... I commend the authors (1) on utilizing the collaboration of the medical and physical therapy professions in an attempt to seek common ground with respect to this less-than-definitive clinical entity. Table 3, number 11, "Pain in extension,...

"A comparison of a modified Oswestry ..." Fritz and Irrgang. Phys Ther. 2001;81:766-788.(CORRECTION)(Correction notice)
January 1, 2008... In February 2001, Physical Therapy (PTJ) published "A Comparison of a Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire and the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale," by Fritz JM and Irrgang JJ. Appendix 1 of this article included a...

News from the Foundation for Physical Therapy.(Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants)(The Foundation for Physical Therapy Board of Trustees)
January 1, 2008... Introducing the Foundation's 2008 Scientific Review Committee Appointees The Foundation for Physical Therapy Board of Trustees has selected 4 physical therapist researchers to serve as members of the Foundation's Scientific Review...

Test preparation: American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT).(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ASHT offers a learner-directed CD-ROM featuring 25 chapters of slide presentations on topics such as anatomy, wound healing, modalities, tendons, splinting, joint mobilization, and research. The CDROM is designed to...

Light therapy: NIR Therapies.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NIR offers an infrared light therapy unit designed for safety, ease of use, and sterility. The unit has a transparent coating and uses infrared light emitting diodes with a peak power rating of 100 mW, allowing for...

Flash cards: OPTP.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Recognize Flash Cards provide simple exercises designed to allow the therapist to quickly establish whether a patient's brain can distinguish between left and right. This upper-limb therapeutic resource contains...

Arm support: Blue Moon Pillows LLC.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Blue Moon Abduction Shower Pillow designed for patients who have had shoulder arthroscopic surgeries. The pillow temporarily supports the arm when showering, keeps the shoulder abducted while out of the abduction...

Robotic dynamometer: Biodex.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Biodex introduces the System 4 version of its first multi-mode computerized robotic dynamometer designed to help identify, treat, and document physical impairments that cause functional limitations. The System 4 is...

Home security: Swann Communications Inc.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Swann DVR Combo Kit is an all-in-one home security solution designed to help with home care and security of senior citizens who are still living independently. Family members can use the kit at work, at home, or...

Hip guides and lateral supports: Altimate Medical Inc.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The EasyStand Evolv offers new hip guides and lateral supports designed with firm molded pads that are durable, easy to wipe clean, and contain no seams. The hip guides can be ordered in a 2 width ranges, and the...

Elbow brace: Therma TX.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The newest addition to Thermo TX's line of muscle stimulation/ TENS braces is the ThermoSTIM tennis elbow brace. The durable brace design allows for complete patient mobility during treatment without interrupting...

TENS unit: Medi-Stim Inc.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The EV-904 2-channel digital TENS unit offers 5 treatment modes, adjustable pulse rate and width, a treatment timer, a compliance monitor, and the capacity to store 5 custom programs. The therapist can design...