Content - Volume 44, Issue 3

Objective: To evaluate functional outcomes, health-related quality of life and life satisfaction in fracture victims 27 months after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Methods: A total of 390 earthquake survivors from 3 earthquake areas who sustained fractures were divided into early intervention, late intervention and control groups. Functional outcomes assessed included activities of daily living us ...

Objectives: Although electromechanical-assisted gait training after stroke seems to be effective, in the absence of a direct comparison between electromechanical devices it is not clear which device may be the most effective for recovery of walking. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the effects of different devices used in gait training after stroke. Data sources: We searched the Co ...

Objective: This study compares functional status, quality of life and community integration in 2008 Sichuan earthquake survivors with spinal cord injury at hospital discharge and at 1-year follow-up in the community. Methods: Twenty-six subjects with spinal cord injury completed demographic and medical questionnaires and underwent medical examination at discharge from a hospital rehabilitation d ...

Objective: To evaluate functional outcomes, health-related quality of life and life satisfaction in fracture victims 27 months after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Methods: A total of 390 earthquake survivors from 3 earthquake areas who sustained fractures were divided into early intervention, late intervention and control groups. Functional outcomes assessed included activities of daily living us ...

Objective: To compare kinematic indices in age-matched healthy subjects and stroke patients, by evaluating various tasks performed with a robotic device, and to provide an objective and standardized protocol to assess upper limb impairments in stroke patients. Design: A prospective cohort study. Subjects: Age-matched healthy subjects (n = 10) and stroke patients (n = 10 ...

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term benefits of progressive resistance training in chronic stroke. Design: A 4-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial of progressive resistance training. Subjects: Eighteen women and men (mean age 66 (standard deviation 4) from the original group of 24 post-stroke participants. Methods: The training group (n = 11) had participated in sup ...

Objective: To compare the shoulder load during handcycling and wheelchair propulsion under similar conditions of external power in persons with spinal cord injury. Design: Cross-sectional. Subjects: Eight men with spinal cord injury. Methods: Kinetics and kinematics were measured during handbike and wheelchair propulsion at 25, 35, 45 and 55 W on a treadmill. Shoulder load (glenohumeral cont ...

Objective: To determine the influence of mechanical intermittent cervical traction on the autonomic system. Design: Prospective, cases series study. Subjects: Sixteen healthy volunteers without contraindications for cervical traction. Methods: Subjects received mechanical intermittent cervical traction in a sitting position under two traction forces (10% and 20% of total body weight). Elec ...

Objective: Most children with cerebral palsy have increased muscle tension in the lower extremities, which inevitably leads to abnormal gait characteristics. Proper management of excessive muscle tension is therefore of great importance. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of continuous passive motion on children with cerebral palsy, regarding their lower extremity spastic hypertonia ...

Objective: To investigate the effect of a 10-week training programme on persons with a lower limb amputation and to determine if this training is sufficient to enable running. Subjects: Seven transtibial, 8 transfemoral and 1 bilateral amputee (all resulting from trauma, tumour or congenital) were randomly assigned to a training (n  =8) or control group (n = 8). Methods ...

Objective: To assess initial efficacy and tolerability of a thumb opposition splint on manual dexterity, perceived upper limb functioning and occupational performance in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Design: One group pre-post design. Patients and methods: Thirteen patients were provided with a neoprene opposition splint for their dominant hand. Manual dexterity (Sollerman hand fu ...

Objective: To test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of self-delivered home-based mirror therapy for phantom pain. Design: Uncontrolled prospective treatment outcome pilot study. Participants: Forty community-dwelling adults with unilateral amputation and phantom pain > 3 on a 0–10 numeric rating scale enrolled either during a one-time study visit (n = 30) or remotel ...

Objectives: To evaluate activity limitations before and after carpal tunnel release among patients with and without diabetes, to explore differences between genders and the influence of grip strength on activity limitations. Design: Prospective case-control study. Patients: Thirty-three patients with diabetes and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were age and gender matched with 30 patients without ...

Objective: To evaluate the impact of forced use therapy on posture in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Design: Single group pre- and post-training assessments. Subjects: Eight children (mean age 10. 5 years (standard deviation 1. 26 years)) with hemiplegic cerebral palsy Levels I and II on the gross motor function classification scale. Methods: All participants underwent 12 days (6 h ...

Objective: To investigate face and construct validity of the Gait Deviation Index (GDI) in adults with spastic cerebral palsy. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was used as a framework, defining gait and walking as the manner or style of walking (“body function”), and the execution of gait (“activity”), respectively. Design: A cross-sectional st ...

Objective: To determine the relationship between mobility performance measures and Wheelchair Skill Test (WST) scores and to establish the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of these measures. Methods: Forty patients with spinal cord injury participated in this study. Subjects performed the Wheelchair Skill Test and mobility performance tests: maximal velocity (Vmax), spontaneous velocity ( ...

Objective: The majority of motor recovery following stroke is known to occur within 3–6 months after onset; this period is therefore regarded as critical for motor recovery in stroke patients. We report here a case of a patient with intracerebral haemorrhage who showed changes in the affected motor function and in the damaged corticospinal tract (CST) at the primary motor cortex (M1) during reha ...