American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

The addition of aromatase inhibitors (AI) has improved cancer-related outcomes in post-menopausal patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. However, AI can be associated with a constellation of adverse musculoskeletal effects that comprises bone loss, arthralgia, myalgia, and tendinopathy. This medication complication, known as aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal syndrome (AIMSS), can limit treatment tolerability in many patients due to the high prevalence of AIMSS among those on AI...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how gait kinematics and muscle activity during robot-assisted gait training are affected by different combinations of parameter settings and a number of instruction types, ranging from no instructions to goal-specific instructions. DESIGN: Robots for gait therapy provide a haptic guidance, but too much guidance can limit the active participation. Therapists can stimulate this active participation either with instructions or by adapting device parameters...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Sensorimotor Training (SMT) on gait, ankle joint proprioception, and quality of life in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) patients. DESIGN: A prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled experiment was performed. Forty patients with DPN aged 50 to 65 yrs were distributed randomly into two groups, the SMT group (n = 20) and the control group (n = 20). Both groups attended awareness sessions about diabetes and foot care for 30 minutes, every two weeks...

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a self-regulated dual task on muscle endurance within a single rehabilitation session in patients recovering from an elbow fracture. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of individuals recovering from elbow fractures (N = 20). Muscle endurance was tested using elastic bands at Borg's CR10 intensity 3- during four conditions: single-task and dual-task for elbow flexion and extension. RESULTS: The cognitive condition significantly influenced muscle endurance (p < 0...

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an effective procedure to improve pain, range of motion, and function for a variety of conditions, including osteoarthritis and post-traumatic arthritis. Up to 28% of patients had persistent pain at the surgical site 12 to 18 months following THA, even in the absence of surgical complications. Currently, there are no widely accepted non-pharmacological treatments for persistent postoperative pain for THA. This case report details the successful management of a 53-year-old man with chronic pain and weakness following post-traumatic THA...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of targeted scapular stabilization exercise in shoulder pain. DESIGN: This is an evaluator-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. The scapular stabilization exercise group (n = 45) received scapular stabilization exercise based on the type of scapular dyskinesis (SD) for 6 weeks; the conventional exercise group (n = 45) received pendulum, wall climbing and stick exercises for 6 weeks. Constant-Murley score (CMS), were numerical rating scale (NRS), range of motion (ROM), type of SD, lateral scapular sliding test (LSST), pectoralis minor index (PMI), scapular index (SI) and satisfaction were assessed at baseline, two, four, six-week treatment and a 6-week follow-up...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Lack of information is cited as a source of distress for caregivers of patients with brain injury during the recovery process. This is a quality improvement project with the purpose of educating family members of brain injury patients about acute inpatient rehabilitation and providing a reliable source of information through the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (TBIMS) Factsheets. The study was conducted in the brain injury unit of an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility and a total of n = 32 family members participated in the study...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Residency recruitment practices have undergone significant changes in the last several years. Interviews are now conducted fully virtually leading to both positive and negative downstream effects including decreased cost to applicants and programs, decreased time away from clinical activities, flexibility in scheduling, and increased applications for applicants and program directors. In response to these changes, the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) Residency and Fellowship Program Directors Council convened a workgroup consisting of program directors, program coordinators, residents, and medical students who reviewed the available literature to provide an evidence-based set of best practices for program leaders and applicants...

OBJECTIVE: The current extent and quality of evidence based practice (EBP) training for physiatrists is unclear at this time. Training of EBP is also available to residents in Canada. The extent, quality and impact of the training was explored. DESIGN: Cohort study Results: about half of the Canadian programs reported a formal EBP curriculum. The most frequently reported method of providing EBP education were resident participation in journal club. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increasing integration of EBP into residency program education, there remains a critical lack of knowledge and skills for implementation of EBP into clinical practice among Canadian PM&R residency programs...

Although research on sport-related concussion has grown substantially in the last decade, research on concussion in para sports remains limited. The aim of this scoping review is to synthesize and describe the current literature on the incidence, assessment, and management of sport-related concussion in para athletes. The literature search was conducted in CINAHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases and identified 22 studies that addressed one of our research questions. A majority of studies addressed concussion in elite athletes; youth and collegiate para athletes were largely under-represented...

OBJECTIVE: This study attempts to examine long-term pain medication usage after burn injury and its association with functional and psychosocial outcomes. DESIGN: This is a multi-center retrospective cohort study utilizing the Burn Model System National Longitudinal Database. Participants injured from 2015 to 2021 were divided into two groups, those taking and not taking prescription pain medication at 12 months after injury. Regression analyses examined associations between pain medication use and outcomes at 12 months, adjusting for demographics, burn size, length of hospital stay, and pre-injury pain medication use and employment status...

Patients recovering from a stroke experience reduced participation, especially when they are limited in daily activities involving walking. Understanding the recovery of independent walking, can be used by clinicians in the decision-making process during rehabilitation, resulting in more personalized stroke rehabilitation. Therefore, it is necessary to gain insight in predicting the recovery of independent walking in patients after stroke. This systematic review provided an overview of current evidence about prognostic models and its performance to predict recovery of independent walking after stroke...

This Joel A. DeLisa Lecture on endovascular brain-computer interfaces was presented by Dr. Thomas Oxley on February 23, 2023, at the Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Scientific Meeting. The lecture described how brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) replace lost physiological function to enable direct communication between the brain and external digital devices such as computers, smartphones, and robotic limbs. Specifically, the potential of a novel endovascular BCI technology was discussed. The BCI uses a stent-electrode array delivered via the jugular vein and is permanently implanted in a vein adjacent to the motor cortex...

Medical provider's ability to detect, diagnose, and treat sport-related concussion (SRC) has greatly improved in recent years. Though more is known about the biomechanical forces involved in concussion, it is still uncertain whether there are preventative measures athletes can take to prevent a SRC from occurring. The objective of this review was to determine if either neck size or neck strength is related to a decreased risk of sustaining a SRC. A literature review was conducted on Google Scholar and Ovid MEDLINE for pertinent articles...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the impact of combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with end-effector robot-assisted treatment (RAT) on upper limb function, spasticity, and hand dexterity in chronic stroke patients. DESIGN: This was a prospective, double-blind randomized trial with 20 equally allocated stroke patients. The experimental group received dual-tDCS (anode over affected M1, cathode over contralateral M1) alongside RAT, while the control group received sham tDCS with the same electrode placement + RAT...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to further previous research and gather additional information regarding the usage of motorized shopping scooters as well as feedback for improvements to an air-powered scooter. METHODS: Online surveys were used to assess individuals' shopping characteristics and experience using the motorized scooters and to gather feedback from store employees regarding their experience. K-Means clustering analysis was used to determine user demographics who chose to use the air-powered scooter versus the electric powered scooter while shopping...