Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Journal

Background: Menopause is associated with hormonal changes that may impair cognitive function, physical performance, and quality of life. Physical activity is a modifiable risk factor that may reduce age-related changes. Aims: This study aimed to assess the physical activity, cognitive function, agility, and quality of life of postmenopausal women and to evaluate the interrelationships among these variables. Settings and Design: A pilot study was conducted among community-living women in Southern Karnataka. Methods and Materials: Postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years with at least 12 months of menopause were recruited using convenience sampling. Physical activity, cognitive function, agility, and quality of life were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, 8-Foot Up-and-Go Test, and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, respectively. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analysed using SPSS version 29.0. Descriptive statistics and Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient were used. Statistical significance was set at P <0.05. Results: Physical activity showed a very weak positive correlation with cognitive function (r=0.032, p=0.906) and a moderate positive correlation with agility (r=0.484, p=0.057). A moderate negative correlation was observed with the vasomotor domain of QoL (r=-0.604, p=0.013). No correlations were found between the psychosocial, physical, sexual, or overall QoL domains. Conclusions: Higher physical activity levels were associated with improved vasomotor QoL. However, no significant association was observed between physical activity and cognitive function, agility, or QoL. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the leading cause of disability among working-age adults worldwide. Psychological factors, such as pain selfefficacy, rooted in Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, increasingly shape outcomes alongside pain intensity and pathology. Objective: This study examined pain self-efficacy as a predictor of disability and kinesiophobia in adults with CLBP undergoing physiotherapy in Surat, Gujarat, India. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational design recruited 100 adults aged 18-60 years with nonspecific CLBP lasting over 12 weeks and moderate-to-severe pain intensity. Gujarati-validated versions of the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-17) were used to measure self-efficacy, disability, and kinesiophobia, respectively. Pearson's correlation and simple linear regression were used to test the relationships between self-efficacy and each outcome. Results: Self-efficacy correlated negatively with disability (r=-0.42, p<0.0001) and kinesiophobia (r=-0.25, p=0.013). In contrast, disability and kinesiophobia showed no significant correlation in this sample (r = 0.16, p=0.117). Self-efficacy significantly predicted disability, explaining 17.7% of its variance in a simple regression model (β=-0.578, p<0.0001). It predicted kinesiophobia more weakly, explaining 6.1% of the variance (β = -0.171, p=0.013).

Background: Task-specific training (TST) is an established rehabilitation approach for improving upper limb function after stroke. However, the optimal dose of repetitive task practice required to maximize recovery remains unclear. Aim: To determine the effect of different doses of task-specific training on upper limb motor recovery in individuals with subacute stroke. Methods: This pilot experimental study included 30 individuals with subacute stroke, allocated into three groups (n=10 each). Group A performed 3,200 repetitions (100 repetitions/session), Group B performed 6,400 repetitions (200 repetitions/ session), and Group C performed individualized maximum repetitions (up to 300 repetitions/session) of functional tasks including eating, drinking, and combing hair. Training was provided four days per week for eight weeks. Outcomes were assessed using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment–Upper Extremity (FM-UE), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and Motor Activity Log (MAL). Paired t-tests, oneway ANOVA, and post hoc analyses were used for statistical analysis. Results: All groups demonstrated significant improvements in FM-UE, ARAT, and MAL scores (p<0.05). Between-group analysis showed significant differences in FM-UE (p=0.047), MAL Amount of Use (p=0.041), and MAL Quality of Movement (p=0.035), while ARAT showed no significant difference (p=0.46). Post hoc analysis revealed significantly greater improvements in the individualized maximum repetition group compared with the 3,200-repetition group for FM-UE and MAL outcomes. Conclusion: Higher doses of task-specific training improved upper limb motor recovery following subacute stroke. Individualized maximum repetition training (approximately ≥300 repetitions/session) produced superior improvements in motor impairment and functional arm use, supporting the potential benefit of high-dose rehabilitation. Larger randomized controlled trials are recommended to confirm these findings.

Background: Retirement is a significant change in life that can lead to variations in physical activity levels, social interactions, and cognitive health. Decreased exercise and elevated It has been discovered that social isolation be important risk factors for cognitive decline among older adults. Aims: This study’s goal was to ascertain the connection between exercise, social isolation, and cognitive function among retired adults. Settings and Design: A pilot research was conducted on retired adults aged 60 years and above with no active employment at the AJ Urban Health Center. Methods and Materials: Retired adults aged ≥60 years were hired based on convenience sampling. Physical activity, social isolation, cognitive skills were assessed using the Scale of Physical Activity for the Elderly, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, respectively. Statistical Analysis Used: IBM SPSS Statistics was used to analyze the data version 29.0. Characteristic statistics and Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used. The statistical significance threshold was fixed at P <0.05. Results: Physical activity showed a marginally favorable relationship with social isolation (r = 0.190, p = 0.555) and a somewhat favorable association with cognitive function (r = 0.486, p = 0.109). Social isolation demonstrated a slight negative correlation with cognitive function (r = −0.326, p = 0.300). However, none of the observed correlations were statistically significant.

Background: Genu recurvatum is a knee hyperextension deformity associated with altered biomechanics and impaired dynamic balance. Young women are more prone to this condition due to ligamentous laxity and reduced hamstring muscle strength. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation of knee hyperextension with hamstring muscle strength and dynamic balance in young women. Settings and Design: A pilot study was carried out among undergraduate college women in Southern Karnataka. Methods and Material: Young women aged 18-25 years recruited through convenience sampling. Knee Hyperextension, Hamstring muscle strength and dynamic balance were evaluated using the Kinovea software, Handheld Dynamometer, and Y Balance test, respectively. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis were performed using SPSS version 29.0. Descriptive statistics and Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient were applied. Statistical significance was defined as a p<0.05. Results: Correlation analysis revealed a significant strong negative association between hamstring muscle strength and knee hyperextension on both the right (r =−0.865, p<0.001) and left (r=−0.881, p<0.001) sides. Dynamic balance showed a significant strong negative correlation with knee hyperextension on the right (r=−0.902, p<0.001) and left (r=−0.919, p<0.001), indicating that greater hamstring muscle strength and better dynamic balance were linked to reduced knee hyperextension.

Context: Hand grip strength (HGS) is a simple and reliable indicator of muscle function in older adults and may be associated with mobility and sleep quality. evidence regarding these relationships, particularly with gender-specific analysis in the Southern Karnataka population is limited. Aims: To examine the relationship between hand grip strength with gait speed, and sleep disturbance among older adults living in community-dwelling and to explore gender-specific differences. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional pilot study. Methods and Material: Eighteen community-dwelling older adults (8 males, 10 females) aged 60–74 years participated. hand dynamometry is used has assessment for hand grip strength, gait speed using the 4-m gait speed test, and sleep disturbance was assessed by using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Statistical analysis used: Descriptive statistics, Shapiro–Wilk test, Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman's rank correlation, and gender-stratified linear regression analysis was performed. Results: Greater hand grip strength was seen in male participants than females (p<0.001), while gait speed and PSQI scores did not differ significantly between genders. There was not any significant association of hand grip strength with gait speed or sleep disturbance. in gender-stratified egression, there was significant association seen between hand grip strength and gait speed in males only (p=0.014). Conclusions: Poorer sleep quality was associated with slower gait speed, whereas hand grip strength showed a gender-specific association with gait speed only in males.

Background: Perimenopause is a transitional phase characterized by hormonal fluctuations that influence anthropometric measures and physical activity behavior, and muscle strength. These alterations can affect physical capabilities and overall health among middle-aged women. Aims: To analyze the link between body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and quadriceps femoris strength among perimenopausal women. Settings and Design: A pilot study was carried out between community-living women in Southern Karnataka. Methods and Materials: Fourteen community-living perimenopausal women aged 40–60 ears were identified and enrolled through convenience sampling. Perimenopausal status was confirmed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), BMI was calculated using standard anthropometric measurements, and quadriceps femoris strength was measured using a Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD). Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS was used to analyze the dataversion 29.0. Descriptive statistics and Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient were used. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: BMI exhibited ainverse relationship between physical exercise (r=-0.009, p=0.975) and a modest negative relationship with quadriceps strength (r=-0.215, p=0.460). Furthermore, physical activity demonstrated a low positive association with quadriceps strength (r=0.295, p=0.307). However, none of these observed relationships reached statistical significance.

Background: Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint, and myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are increasingly recognised as a clinically relevant, treatable source of pain and dysfunction in this region. Physiotherapy offers a range of MTrP-directed interventions, but existing systematic reviews have largely evaluated single techniques in isolation. Objective: To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions—including dry needling, manual trigger-point therapy, muscle energy technique, and multimodal programmes containing MTrP-directed techniques—for MTrPs in patients with shoulder pain. Methods: This review followed the PRISMA 2020 statement. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, PEDro, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from inception. Randomized and controlled trials of adults with shoulder pain and clinically identified MTrPs were eligible. Primary outcome was pain intensity; secondary outcomes included disability, range of motion (ROM), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and trigger-point status. Because of substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesised narratively. Results: Eight trials (26–120 participants) evaluating dry needling, manual MTrP therapy, and muscle energy technique met inclusion criteria. Dry needling produced short-term reductions in pain and, when combined with exercise, sustained improvements in disability, but was not consistently superior to conventional physiotherapy or exercise alone. Manual MTrP therapy incorporated into a multimodal program produced clinically relevant improvements in disability and pain compared with a wait-list control. Evidence for muscle energy technique was limited but suggested benefits for ROM. Pressure pain threshold improved across

Background: Geophysical, climatic, and biological disasters cause surges in musculoskeletal, neurological, and psychosocial impairments that exceed local capacity. Physiotherapists possess assessment, mobilization, and functional restoration skills corresponding to this surge; however, their inclusion in disaster management structures remains inconsistent worldwide. Objective: To synthesize recent evidence published since global policy shifts, including the Sendai Framework and WHO Emergency Medical Teams standards, on physiotherapy's contribution to the mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of disaster management. The second aim was to identify persistent barriers constraining physiotherapist deployment, with attention to emerging data from low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: This narrative review examined recent literature on earthquakes, floods, conflict, and pandemics, along with policy documents from the World Health Organization and the World Physiotherapy. The synthesis covered epidemiology, workforce readiness, acute clinical management, long-term rehabilitation, psychosocial care, vulnerable populations, and structural barriers to integration. Findings: Observational data suggest Physiotherapy improves outcomes after crush syndrome, spinal cord injury, and traumatic amputation, although physiotherapyspecific trials remain limited. The World Health Organization's 2016 standards require rehabilitation for Emergency Medical Teams. However, surveys show poor trainee and clinician preparedness, most countries lack physiotherapy in emergency plans, and data from Nigeria and the Philippines suggest the presence of structural and political barriers.

Background: Diabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy (DLRPN) is a rare but debilitating complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by severe pain, asymmetric proximal muscle weakness, muscle wasting, and functional disability of the lower limbs. These impairments significantly affect gait, balance, and activities of daily living, leading to reduced independence and quality of life. Physiotherapy interventions, particularly progressive resistance strength training, may play a crucial role in improving muscle strength and functional outcomes in patients with DLRPN. Objective: The objective of the study is to find the effect of task oriented progressive resistance strength training on muscle strength and functional performance in individual with Diabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy [DLRPN]. Methodology: This study involved a 56-year-old subject diagnosed with DLRPN presenting with lower limb weakness, selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Muscle strength was assessed using manual muscle testing (MMT) and functional performance using the lower extremity functional scale (LEFS). A taskoriented progressive resistance strength training program was administered for 20 -30 minutes, 6 sessions per week for 6 weeks. Post-intervention assessment was done after 6 weeks using the same outcome measures. Result: There was an improvement from moderate to adequate muscle strength of lower limb in MMT and moderate functional limitation to minimal functional limitation in LEFS, reflecting improved muscle strength and functional performance following intervention.