Content - Volume 49, Issue 1

Objective: To consider the effect of active lung volume recruitment (“air stacking”) on rate of decline in vital capacity. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional design. Patients: People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Methods: Vital capacity was measured at every patient visit and then graphed. Air stacking using volume-preset ventilation or manual resuscitator bag was introduced to al ...

Abstract is missing (Editorial)

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation for fibro-myalgia. Methods: Databases, conference records and registered trials were searched for articles published from the date of establishment of the database through to October 2015. Six randomized controlled trials (n=192) of transcranial direct current stimulation for fibromyalgia were includ ...

Objective: To provide an update on disability and outline potential barriers and facilitators for implementation of the World Health Organization Global Disability Action Plan (GDAP) in Pakistan. Methods: A 6-day workshop at the Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Islamabad facilitated by rehabilitation staff from Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia. Local healthcare professionals ...

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of Xbox KinectTM training of the upper extremity in subacute stroke rehabilitation. Design: A single-blind, randomized controlled, pilot study. Patients: Twenty consecutive patients with stroke. Methods: Participants were allocated randomly to 2 groups: the control group received conventional therapy and the experimental group received additi ...

Objective: To investigate whether bihemispheric anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with conventional dysphagia therapy could improve swallowing function in chronic stroke patients with dysphagia. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Subjects: Twenty-six patients with dysphagia for at least 6 months post-stroke were randomly assigned into: (i) bihemispheric anodal tDCS group; ...

Objective: To assess changes in body composition, body weight and resting metabolic rate in patients who received intrathecal baclofen therapy for spasticity. Design: Prospective, longitudinal, quasi-experimental, with a pre/post design. Patients: Twelve patients with spasticity, fulfilling study criteria, and due for pump implantation for intrathecal baclofen therapy, completed the study. M ...

Objective: To evaluate and compare the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with conventional physical therapy on muscle thickness in critically ill patients. Design: Double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Patients: Twenty-five patients participated in the study. Methods: Patients on mechanical ventilation for 24–48 h were randomized to an intervention group (neuromus ...

Objective: To consider the effect of active lung volume recruitment (“air stacking”) on rate of decline in vital capacity. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional design. Patients: People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Methods: Vital capacity was measured at every patient visit and then graphed. Air stacking using volume-preset ventilation or manual resuscitator bag was introduced to al ...

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) for disabling pain due to primary knee osteoarthritis. Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled trial (level of evidence, 1). Subjects: A total of 105 women with disabling pain due to primary knee osteoarthritis lasting for a mean of 103 months (range 3–480 months). Methods: Patients received eit ...

Objective: To explore how demographics, pain, psychosocial factors and insomnia relate to the spread of chronic pain. Methods: The study included 708 patients (68% women; median age 46 years; interquartile range 35–57 years) with chronic pain who were referred to a multidisciplinary pain centre. Spreading of pain was assessed using a questionnaire covering 36 anatomically predefined pain regio ...

Objectives: To quantify physiotherapist-supervised and independent physical activity undertaken from the first to the fifth day after cardiac surgery (POD1 to POD5), and to relate the amount of physical activity undertaken with hospital stay and postoperative physiological functional capacity on POD6. Methods: Physiotherapist-supervised and independent physical activity were monitored in 83 adul ...

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of arm crank ergometry in breast cancer patients after axillary lymph node dissection, with regard to changes in bioelectrical impedance analysis, arm circumference, muscular strength, quality of life and fatigue. Design: Randomized controlled clinical intervention trial. Subjects: Forty-nine patients with breast cancer after axillary lymph nod ...

Objective: To examine the effect on body composition and bone mineral density of locomotor training using a robotic exoskeleton in individuals with spinal cord injury. Study design: Interventional study. Subjects/methods: Five adults with a non-progressive traumatic complete sensorimotor spinal cord injury who were using a wheelchair as a primary mode of mobility. Participants performed a pers ...

O-bjective: To describe a case of epididymitis-related testicular infarction in a patient with spinal cord injury. Case report: A 22-year-old man with a traumatic spinal cord injury (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A; neurological level, C4) developed epididymitis during hospitalization. He presented with spiking fever, autonomic dysreflexia, and increased spasticity. Physica ...

Case report: A 56-year-old man presented with advanced heart failure requiring implantation of a left ventricular assist device and was discharged home. after implantation He returned to the hospital with right posterior putamen stroke and after a comprehensive rehabilitation programme was discharged home with the ability to be independent. The patient later underwent heart transplantation and sub ...

Abstract is missing (Letter to the Editor)