MedWorm: Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy treatment with right half-field eye-patching for patients with subacute stroke and unilateral neglect: a randomised controlled trial.

Disability and Rehabilitation — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:31:03 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Right half-field eye-patching improved stroke patients' impairment level in terms of UN, but the potential benefits in impairment tests were not confirmed by improvements in function. PMID: 19360499 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Disability and Rehabilitation)

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Children With Elbow Extension Forearm Rotation Limitation: Functional Outcomes Using the Forearm Rotation Elbow Orthosis.

JPO Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:10:26 +0100

A common upper-limb deformity in children with cerebral palsy or obstetric brachial plexus palsy is a pronation or supination contracture of the forearm in association with a flexion contracture of the elbow. This case study presents preliminary data showing the potential benefits of the Forearm Rotation Elbow Orthosis (FREO) used as an adjunct to occupational therapy treatment. The FREO improves hand-arm alignment and function by increasing active and passive joint range of motion, and consistent night use can eliminate the need for repeated serial castings of the upper limb.Page: 160DOI: 10.1097/JPO.0b013e3181b16bafAuthors: Yasukawa, Audrey OTR, MOT; Cassar, Marcus CPO (Source: JPO Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics)

Practitioners' Perceptions of the Occupational Therapy Clinical Doctorate

Journal of Allied Health — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:27:31 +0100

This article is currently available as a free download on IngentaConnect (Source: Journal of Allied Health)

An Exploratory Study of Competencies for Emerging Practice in Occupational Therapy

Journal of Allied Health — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:27:31 +0100

(Source: Journal of Allied Health)

Unilateral and bilateral upper extremity weight-bearing effect on upper extremity impairment and functional performance after brain injury

Occupational Therapy International — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of upper extremity (UE) weight bearing on UE impairment functional performance of persons with acquired brain injury (BI).A quasi-experimental design was used to examine a convenience sample of 99 persons with acquired BI and 22 without BI (WBI) living in a community re-entry centre. A computerized force-sensing array pressure map system was used to determine the UE pressure during unilateral and bilateral conditions. Differences between groups were examined using t-tests. Correlations were computed between UE weight bearing and hand function, and functional performance as measured by the Fugl-Meyer scale and functional independence measure (FIM) scale.The group of people with BI exerted significantly lower UE weight bearing during uni...

Clinical study on cognitive dysfunction after spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage: patient profiles and relationship to cholinergic dysfunction

Acta Neurochirurgica — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:09:39 +0100

Conclusions Poor cognitive function was common and occurred in up to 43.6% of the patients, with the verbal and behavioural memory aspects predominantly affected. We did not find a significant association between cholinergic dysfunction and cognitive dysfunction. Organization of future drug trials and cognitive rehabilitation should take into account the association between frontal lobe dysfunction and chronic hydrocephalus. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Clinical ArticleDOI 10.1007/s00701-009-0425-zAuthors George K. C. Wong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Division of Neurosurgery Hong Kong Hong KongRosanna Wong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Department of Occupational Therapy Hong Kong Hong KongVincent C. T. Mok, The Chinese University of Hong Kong ...

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International Handbook of Occupational Therapy Interventions

Springer Medicine titles — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:02:03 +0100

Ingrid Söderback, Uppsala Universitet, Uppsala and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Resources for rehabilitation specialists tend to follow a straight line: injury—disability—limitation—intervention. The International Handbook of Occupational Therapy Interventions breaks with this tradition, organized by type of intervention ... (Source: Springer Medicine titles)

Quality of life from the perspective of adolescents with cerebral palsy: “I just think I’m a normal kid, I just happen to have a disability”

Quality of Life Research — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:13:34 +0100

Conclusion Health care providers should take into consideration what adolescents with CP value the most. The identification of attributes that can be modified such as accessibility to and competence in, and preference for different activities may help professionals to advocate for greater participation in these activities and tailor individual therapeutic strategies accordingly, increasing the likelihood of enhancing the quality of life of this population. Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s11136-009-9501-3Authors Keiko Shikako-Thomas, McGill University School of Physical and Occupational Therapy 3654 Promenade Sir William Osler Montreal QC H3G 1Y5 CanadaLucy Lach, McGill University School of Social Work 3506 Avenue University Montreal QC H3A 2A7 CanadaAnnette ...

Profiles of Service Utilization and the Resultant Economic Impact in Preschoolers With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Journal of Pediatric Psychology — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions A comprehensive understanding of service utilization in the early years of development is important in addressing the increased service use in the preschool years and assist in guiding allocation of resources. (Source: Journal of Pediatric Psychology)

Occupational therapy and neuromotor interventions

Occupational Therapy International — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

No abstract. (Source: Occupational Therapy International)

A review of bilateral training for upper extremity hemiparesis

Occupational Therapy International — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Upper extremity hemiparesis is the most common post-stroke disability. Longitudinal studies have indicated that 30-66% of stroke survivors do not have full arm function 6 months post-stroke. The current gold standard for treatment of mild post-stroke upper limb impairment is constraint-induced therapy but, because of the inclusion criteria, alternative treatments are needed which target more impaired subjects. Bilateral arm training has been investigated as a potential rehabilitation intervention. Bilateral arm training encompasses a number of methods including: (1) bilateral isokinematic training; (2) mirror therapy using bilateral training; (3) device-driven bilateral training; and (4) bilateral motor priming. Neural mechanisms mediating bilateral training are first reviewed. The key bil...

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Changes in hemiplegic grasp following distributed repetitive intervention: a case series

Occupational Therapy International — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the efficacy of a distributed model of repetitive and focused intervention on grasp force, and clinical and functional hand measures in persons with chronic hemiplegia and limited hand recovery from self-reported stroke.A case series design was used. Focused repetitive unilateral and bilateral interventions were provided in a distributed manner (three times a week for 6 weeks) to three persons with upper limb hemiplegia of more than 1 year. Data from instrumented grasp force, and clinical and functional measures were obtained at weeks 0, 3, 6 and 9.Each participant improved in at least one measure of grasp force, as well as in clinical skill and function. All participants improved in the quality of handwriting. Improved outcomes remained a...

Task-specific training: evidence for and translation to clinical practice

Occupational Therapy International — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100

There is mounting evidence of the value of task-specific training as a neuromotor intervention in neurological rehabilitation. The evidence is founded in the psychology of motor skill learning and in the neuroscience of experience-dependent and learning-dependent neural plastic changes in the brain in animals and humans. Further, there is growing empirical evidence for the effectiveness of task-specific training in rehabilitation and for neural plastic changes following task-oriented training. In this paper, we position the evidence for task-specific training in the context of rehabilitation; review its relevance for occupation-based neurological rehabilitation, particularly in relation to upper limb function and everyday activities; and recommend evidence-driven strategies for its applica...

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Injuries: Differences Among Older and Younger Occupational and Physical Therapists

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:12:15 +0100

Conclusions Older and younger therapists have similar work-related injury experiences. Older workers may be more vulnerable to lost work time and may experience more severe pain symptoms. Many interventions exist to prevent work-related injuries to therapists and more guidance in the best way to integrate these interventions (e.g., mechanical lift devices) into therapy practice is needed. Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s10926-009-9184-1Authors Phyllis King, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy P.O. Box 413 Milwaukee WI 53201 USAWendy Huddleston, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Health Sciences, Physical Therapy Program Milwaukee WI USAAmy R. Darragh, The Ohio State University School of Allied Medical P...

The Pipeline Training Program in Maternal and Child Health: Interdisciplinary Preparation of Undergraduate Students from Underrepresented Groups

Maternal and Child Health Journal — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:20:54 +0100

Abstract The Preparing Academically Successful Students in Maternal and Child Health (MCH PASS) training program provided financial support and specialized training to occupational therapy (OT) and speech-language pathology (SLP) undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in maternal and child health. The project assisted undergraduate trainees to matriculate into graduate programs in their respective fields and facilitated application into long-term maternal and child health training programs. Sixteen trainees (8 OT and 8 SLP) participated in an undergraduate training program with an emphasis on interdisciplinary teaming, family mentoring, leadership development, public health and population-based research. Instruction occurred in community and classroom settings...

Electrophysiologically guided versus non-electrophysiologically guided selective dorsal rhizotomy for spastic cerebral palsy: a comparison of outcomes

Child's Nervous System — Sat, 30 May 2009 08:20:29 +0100

Conclusions There was no advantage of doing SDR with EPG compared to no EPG. SDR can reasonably be done in centers where EPG is not available, but electrophysiological stimulation to distinguish dorsal from ventral roots may be useful in avoiding complications. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original PaperDOI 10.1007/s00381-009-0908-5Authors Paul Steinbok, University of British Columbia and British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery 4480 Oak St, #K3-159 Vancouver BC V6H 3V4 CanadaAndrew J. Tidemann, Child Youth and Women’s Health Service Department of Paediatric Rehabilitation Adelaide South Australia AustraliaStacey Miller, British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital Department of Physiotherapy Vancouver...

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End of life decisions aided by video

OnMedica Latest News — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100

Older people better informed over care through film Related items from OnMedicaGPs should promote occupational therapy & physical activityA&E survey reveals need for better pain controlPatients to be asked even more about their GPLess than a third of clinicians receive end-of-life care trainingLaunch of survey on access to GP surgeries (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Therapeutic Management of Upper-Limb Dysfunction in Children With Congenital Hemiplegia

PEDIATRICS — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS. No one treatment approach seems to be superior; however, injections of botulinum toxin A provide a supplementary benefit to a variety of upper-limb–training approaches. Additional research is needed to justify more-intensive approaches such as constraint-induced movement therapy and hand-arm bimanual intensive training. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

Systematic Review of interventions for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

BioMed Central — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: There is limited good quality evidence for specific interventions for managing FASD, however seven randomized controlled trials that address specific functional deficits of children with FASD are underway or recently completed. (Source: BioMed Central)

Content comparisons of stroke-specific quality of life based upon the international classification of functioning, disability, and health

Quality of Life Research — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:14:47 +0100

Conclusions Several categories of the ICF were linked to the items of the SS-QOL, with acceptable levels of agreement. These categories were specific and meaningful for stroke subjects, since the majority of the identified concepts were included in the comprehensive ICF core set for stroke. The findings indicated that the ICF provided a useful framework for the conceptual understanding of the SS-QOL, which demonstrated multiple representations of the ICF categories and covered a broad range of the ICF components that were meaningful for the stroke subjects. Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s11136-009-9488-9Authors Luci F. Teixeira-Salmela, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Department of Physical Therapy Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Campus Pampulha Belo H...

Rehabilitation content and clinical stroke subtype: a small observational study.

Disability and Rehabilitation — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions. The results show differences in the content of occupational and physiotherapy sessions across clinical stroke subtypes. Findings from this study could be used to help workforce planning and inform future studies with a larger sample. PMID: 19479566 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Disability and Rehabilitation)

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The Kawa model: The power of culturally responsive occupational therapy.

Disability and Rehabilitation — Fri, 15 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Iwama MK, Thomson NA, Macdonald RM The Kawa (Japanese for river) model, developed by Japanese and Canadian rehabilitation professionals, presents an important and novel alternative to contemporary 'Western' models of rehabilitation. Rather than focussing primarily on the individual client, the Kawa model focusses on 'contexts' that shape and influence the realities and challenges of peoples' day-to-day lives. The first substantial model of rehabilitation practice developed outside of the West illuminates the transactional quality of human-environment dynamics and the importance of inter-relations of self and others through the metaphor of a river's flow. The model's reflection of Eastern thought and views of nature presents a useful point of comparison to familiar rational and...

Giving Early Physical And Occupational Therapy To Critically Ill Patients Leads To Better Outcomes

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:00:00 +0100

Long-term complications of critical illness include intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness and neuropsychiatric disease - both of which could be related to the immobilisation caused by sedation. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Physical therapy beneficial for critically ill patients in ICU

CBC | Health — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:24:23 +0100

Interrupting the sedation of critically ill patients to offer brief physical and occupational therapy may improve their ability to function independently when discharged from hospital, researchers have found. (Source: CBC | Health)

Measures and time points relevant for post-surgical follow-up in patients with inflammatory arthritis: a pilot study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: We suggest a core set of instruments measuring pain, grip strength, grip ability, perceived symptoms and self-defined daily activities. This study has shown that VAS pain, the Grippit instrument, GAT, DASH symptom scale and COPM are suitable outcome instruments for hand surgery, while SOFI may be a more insensitive test. However, the feasibility of this protocol in clinical practice awaits prospective studies. (Source: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders)

Interrupting Sedation for Early Mobilization in Critically Ill Patients May Improve Outcomes

Medscape Critical Care Headlines — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:23:01 +0100

Interrupting sedation in the earliest days of treatment to give mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients physical and occupational therapy achieved better outcomes than standard care. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Critical Care Headlines)

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Occupational therapy has broad application

Managed Healthcare Executive Magazine Online — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100

With its roots in psychiatric care, today's occupational therapy practitioners tackle myriad conditions while serving a mix of patients (Source: Managed Healthcare Executive Magazine Online)

[Comparative analysis of occupational therapy benefits in spastic patients with hands involvement before and after botulinum toxin infiltration]

Revista de Neurologia — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: Both effectiveness and importance of occupational therapy were observed in the rehabilitation of patients with spastic hemiplegia due to stroke after infiltration of BTA providing them greater abilities and functional independence in their daily life activities. PMID: 19396762 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Revista de Neurologia)

Rasch analysis of the School Function Assessment provides additional evidence for the internal validity of the activity performance scales.