Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Journal

 Background and Purpose: Swiss ball has been extensively used as an effective appliance that improves balance by providing unstable surface and thereby reinforcing the proprioceptive feedback from joints and muscles. The purpose of this study was to testify this very fact. Swiss ball exercises were tested against standing balance exercises in normative individuals to see the anticipated changes in proprioception and this data was compared with a control group to see the deviation away from placebo. Methods: Thirty normative, healthy subjects with sedentary lifestyle were recruited with informed consent and divided randomly into three different groups. Group A performed Swiss ball exercises while Group B performed standing balance exercises. Control group, Group C was asked to perform a random set of exercises not intended to improve lumbar proprioception. Lumbar reposition error was tested in all three groups with gravity inclinometer before the commencement of study and at its termination. Results: While comparing both sets of exercises, Group B with standing balance training showed a significant reduction in lumbar reposition error over the course of two weeks as compared to Group A with swiss ball training. Group C, the control group, showed no significant difference in initial data and last data obtained. Conclusion: The study proves that the specific lumbar reposition sense, a marker of balance, improves better with standing proprioceptive and balance exercises as compared to the swiss ball proprioceptive and balance exercises.

Key Words: Lumbar reposition sense; Reposition error; Swiss-ball balance training; Standing balance training.

Background: The number of elderly is continuous growing thus increasing the scope and demands for geriatric care in a multidisciplinary model. The medical conditions associated with ageing and various disorders pose a challenge to the palliative health care professionals, especially physical therapists who are responsible for addressing physical and functional dimensions of care. Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression among elderly people admitted in a hospital. Materials and methods: Fifty four elderly people with age and gender (male-20, female-34) were assessed by the physical therapist using Geriatric Depression Scale-Short form (GDS-SF: 15-item version), where a score >5 out of a total 15 suggested presence of depression. The patients were undergoing regular physiotherapy in terms of group physical activity, yoga, general mobility exercises, and breathing exercises. The setting included a physician, physical therapist, yoga therapist, dietitian, nurse, and a counselor. Data analysis was done for comparing the depression scores between genders and medical diagnoses, and then correlated with person’s age using SPSS version 11.5 at 95% confidence interval. Results: The overall prevalence of depression among the study population was 66.7%. Overall, the depression scores among the study participants were low (8 ± 3.82). The depressed elderly had a score of 10.11 ± 2.76 compared to non-depressed elderly (3.77 ± 1.26) which was statistically significant. There was no significant difference in GDS-SF (15) scores by gender (male-8.1 ± 4.66, female- 7.94 ± 3.31), but was significant for medical diagnoses (gastro-intestinal, pulmonary, metabolic and musculoskeletal). Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of depression among the elderly and their depression scores were less, which might be attributed to their subclinical depression status. Those who underwent regular physical therapy had lesser scores than their counterparts. The study findings have important implications for designing future prospective designs of clinical trials on physiotherapy interventions for depression.

Keywords: Ageing; rehabilitation; end-of-life care; psychosocial factors; physiotherapy

Introduction: Cervical spine pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder. There is lack of clarity in the superiority for specific application of various exercise protocols. Structured exercise protocols are commonly prescribed by physiotherapists and few also advocate McKenzie protocol as being effective. Aim of the Study: To compare a structured exercise protocol with McKenzie protocol for patients suffering from chronic mechanical cervical spine pain. Methodology: Thirty subjects, 15 in each group, were selected from hospitals and clinics in and around Noida and NCR on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and were divided randomly. One group was assessed and given McKenzie protocol and the other group was assessed and given a structured exercise therapy protocol for three weeks. Design: Experimental pre-test / post-test design. Data Analysis: Using SPSS 17.0 “t” test was applied to compare the pain and neck disability index values in pre and post interventions. A p value of < 0-05 was selected as the level of significance. Results: Independent t–test values, i.e., 1.980 and .645 were not significant for pain and neck disability index, respectively, between both the groups. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in pain checked by visual analog scale and disability by Neck Disability Index, between the McKenzie method and structured exercise protocol for patients with mechanical cervical spine pain.

Key Words: Mechanical neck pain; cervical spine; McKenzie protocol.

Objective: The study aimed to provide normative value for the unsupported upper limb exercise testas a baseline data for comparison with disease subjects. Design: A cross –sectional study.Settings: Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal College of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Bangalore. Materials and Methodology: Thirtyasymptomatic individuals with the age group of 20-30 years were included in the study, Unsupported Upper Limb Exercise test (UULEX) and Modified Upper Limb Exercise test (MUULEX) were performed by subjects seated erect in a straight-backed chair with both feet’s on the floor facing the wall on which the UULEX chart was mounted. The weight of the bar was increased each minute from 500gm to 1kg to 1.5kg to 2kg. The MUULEX test was performed with the progression of 100gm.Each subject progressed through this test until he or she indicated an inability to continue. Measurements: Student paired ‘t’ test for the pre and post changes in the variables (Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, Weights) for each of the groups. Unpaired ‘t’ test was used analysis between the two groups. Conclusion: MUULEX test is found to be better than UULEX test in eliciting symptom limited exercise performance much earlier with lesser weights

Keywords: Upper Limb Exercise Test, Heart rate,

Objective: To establish the forward reach distance values in six different sensory conditions for neurologically intact adults. In addition, we intended to compare the forward reach distance value of sensory accurate condition with sensory inaccurate conditions in neurologically intact adults. Participants: One hundred and fifty community dwelling, healthy subjects aged between 20 and 50 years participated in the study. Measures: Functional Reach Test (FRT). Results: Descriptive statistics was used to find the forward reach distance values under six different sensory conditions. We found a decline in the forward reach distance values as the somatosensory and visual inputs were inaccurate. Conclusion: In neurologically intact adults, the dynamic stance postural control is dependent on the interaction of the somatosensory, visual and vestibular systems.

Key Words: Functional Reach Test; Forward reach distance; Sensory conditions; Neurologically intact adults.