Content - Volume 51, Issue 4

Objectives: To investigate: (i) changes in sick-leave benefits from 1 year prior to multimodal rehabilitation to 1 and 2 years after rehabilitation; (ii) sex differences in sick leave; and (iii) the impact of policy changes on sick leave. Methods: All patients undergoing multimodal rehabilitation registered in a national pain database for 2007-11 (n=7,297) were linked to the Swedish Social Insur ...

Objective: This systematic review aimed to assess the clinical impact of neuromuscular electrical stimulation as a treatment modality for patients with oedema. Data sources and study selection: PubMed was searched up to July 2018 for randomized and non-randomized clinical trials comparing neuromuscular electrical stimulation vs no stimulation following the formation of oedema. A modified Downs a ...

The first Academic Debate was held within the European Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (EARM) in Budapest in 2016. The question debated was: is it possible to provide a theory neutral framework to describe the lived experience of health or is there an appropriate theory to understand what constitute the most relevant factors in health (and well-being). First the link between the International C ...

Objective: To assess recovery of grip strength during the first year post-stroke. Design: Exploratory study on a subsample of patients participating in the Norwegian Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy trial. Subjects: Eleven patients (mean age 59. 1 years; 3 women) with mild to moderate stroke were recruited 7–29 days post-stroke. Methods: An electronic dynamometer (Biometrics Ltd, Gwent, ...

Objective: To explore the concurrent validity, responsiveness, and floor- and ceiling-effects of the 2 items of Action Research Arm Test (ARAT-2) in comparison with the original ARAT and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) during the first 4 weeks post-stroke. Design: A prospective longitudinal cohort study. Subjects: A non-selected cohort of 117 adults with first-ever strok ...

Objective: To explore associations between pituitary dysfunction and clinical outcome at 12 months after traumatic brain injury and aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 82 patients with traumatic brain injury and 45 with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, included at one neurointensive care unit. Baseline data comprised age, sex, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) sc ...

Background and purpose: The purpose of the Finnish Spinal Cord Injury Study (FinSCI) is to identify factors related to the health and functioning of people with spinal cord injury, their challenges with accessibility, and how such factors are interconnected. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is used as a structured framework in the study. Design: Protoc ...

Objectives: To investigate: (i) changes in sick-leave benefits from 1 year prior to multimodal rehabilitation to 1 and 2 years after rehabilitation; (ii) sex differences in sick leave; and (iii) the impact of policy changes on sick leave. Methods: All patients undergoing multimodal rehabilitation registered in a national pain database for 2007-11 (n=7,297) were linked to the Swedish Social Insur ...

Objective: To optimize rapid clinical recovery and restoration of function and functionality, permissive weight-bearing has been designed as a new aftercare mobilization regimen, within the upper boundary of the therapeutic bandwidth, yet safe enough to avoid overloading. The aim of the present paper is to describe a comprehensive protocol for permissive weight-bearing during allied health therapy ...

Objective: To explore the direct influence of a soft-robotic glove on movement duration and movement execution in elderly people with decreased hand function during a reach-and-grasp task. Design: Cross-sectional study. Patients: Eight subjects, aged 55+ years, with decreased hand function. Methods: The direct effect of the glove was explored using kinematic analysis during a reach-and-grasp ...

Objective: To elucidate the adverse consequences of spasticity and spastic co-contraction of elbow flexors on motor impairment and upper limb functional limitation. Design: A pilot case-controlled prospective observational study. Subjects: Ten brain-injured adults, and 10 healthy controls. Methods: The co-contraction index was computed from electromyographic recordings of elbow flexors durin ...

Objective: There are a lack of disaster preparedness measures that target populations with dysphagia. In particular, disaster response plans frequently overlook differences in textures between emergency foods and regularly consumed foods. The aim of this study was to estimate the number of community-dwelling elderly care recipients requiring specific food preparations, including the population at ...

Is missing (Letter to the Editor)