Journal of Rehabilitation Sciences & Research

Abstract Background: This study aimed to assess the impact of a corrective exercise program on the balance and performance of female volleyball players with knee dynamic valgus defects.
Methods: This study employed a semi-experimental design conducted in the field. the study's target population comprised female volleyball players in East Azarbaijan with knee dynamic valgus defects. From this population, 30 subjects were selected and randomly divided into control and experiment groups, following the completion of personal profiles and screening for knee dynamic valgus defects using a squat test. The study measured static and dynamic balance through the BESS (Balance Error Scoring System) and Y balance tests for lower limb assessment and upper extremity function through the Y functional test for upper extremities in both groups. The experimental group underwent a 10-session program of corrective exercises, while the control group continued with their regular volleyball exercises. After the training period, both groups underwent a post-test. The data's normality was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test. The effect of the corrective exercise program on the research's dependent variables was analyzed through covariance analysis and dependent t-tests, with a confidence level set at P ≤ 0.05.
Results: The results showed a positive impact of corrective exercises on static and dynamic balance (P = 0.001) and upper extremity function (P = 0.001) in volleyball players with dynamic knee valgus defects.
Conclusion: The study results demonstrate that the corrective exercise program, following the National Academy of Sports Medicine approach, significantly reduces knee dynamic valgus, improves balance, and enhances upper extremity function in young female volleyball players.
 
 

Abstract Background: A swallowing disorder is one of the most common problems in the pediatric population. Schedule for Oral-Motor Assessment (SOMA) has become one of the best methods for the assessment of swallowing disorders in the pediatric population. In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, and consistency of SOMA by fluoroscopic barium swallow study.
Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical study. SOMA was assessed on 52 children with swallowing problems. The children were 6 to 48 months and had been referred for a fluoroscopic barium swallow. We analyzed sensitivity; specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of SOMA, with the fluoroscopic barium swallow as the gold standard. For the evaluation of the correlations among variables, Cronbach's coefficient alpha was calculated.
Results: In this study 6 parts of SOMA had 0-25% sensitivity, 90-97% specificity, 0-66% positive predictive value, 84-87% negative predictive value, 78-86% compatibility percent and 0.06-0.17 kappa value. Internal consistency was 0.93 using Cronbach's coefficient alpha.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that SOMA is valid for the evaluating of swallowing disorders.  It can use as a screening test and as a complementary method to fluoroscopic barium swallow.
 
 
 
 

Abstract Background:This study aimed to investigate stance phase characteristics and asymmetry in females with non-specific low back pain (LBPP) which they adopt different strategies in walking to reduce pain and enhance walking quality. The results of this research can provide new insight into gait characteristics for individuals with LBPP by examining temporal characteristics and asymmetry in their stance phase during walking.
Method: In this cross-sectional study, 36 females were purposefully recruited and divided into two groups: one consisting of 18 individuals with low back pain (LBPP) and the other without LBPP. Data were collected using the Footscan system and analyzed with the Footscan Gait 7 gait generation software. Independent t-tests were employed to compare the outcomes between the two groups.
Results: The results indicated that the right (p=0.001) and left (p=0.001) foot progression angles in the low back pain group were higher than those in the healthy group. Additionally, the low back pain group exhibited higher asymmetry in the timings of the initial contact phase (p=0.02) and forefoot contact phase (p=0.02), as well as in foot progression angle asymmetry (p=0.009) compared to the healthy group.
Conclusion:Given the higher foot progression angle and observed asymmetries in individuals with low back pain, rehabilitative exercises need to consider these differences when evaluating and planning rehabilitation procedures.
 

Abstract Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition that imposes a significant socio-economic burden on patients and society. Secondary complications are one of the most crucial issues that may arise in these patients and contribute to the overall disease burden. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of patients with SCI concerning secondary complications.
 Method: In this cross-sectional study, the authors evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of patients with spinal cord injury regarding secondary complications. Patients with SCI were identified through the hospital information system. Data were collected using a demographic and clinical information questionnaire and a three-part questionnaire covering knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
Results: A total of 180 patients participated in this study. The findings revealed a moderate level of knowledge, attitude, and practice, with respective mean scores of 84.12, 13.62, and 21.5 in patients with SCI.
Conclusion: The patients' knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding potential complications of spinal cord injury was moderate. Significant relationships were found between education and knowledge, attitude, and practice. Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between knowledge and gender. While there was no significant relationship between age and knowledge or practice, a reverse relationship was identified between age and attitude.
 

Abstract Background:Cerebral Palsy (CP) describes a group of permanent disorders of the development and posture, causing activity limitation. More than half of the children with CP experience various upper extremity problems with varying severity. Considering the importance of knowing the ability of children under 4 years old the aim of this study was to determine prepare Persian version mini-Manual Ability Classification System (mini-MACS) and evaluating its validity and reliability.
Methods In a methodological study, after translation procedures, the face validity, content validity, test–retest reliability and interrater reliability of the Persian version of mini-MACS were evaluated. In total, 100 parents of children with cerebral palsy, 12 occupational therapists and a researcher participated in the evaluation of the scale’s reliability. Fifty six boys and 44 girls with cerebral palsy with an average age of 33.21 (SD=11.37) month participated in the study.
Results The overall results indicated that the words and sentences used in mini-MACS were simple, clear, understandable, relevant and necessary. The ICC for test–retest reliability for parents, occupational therapists and researchers were 0.955, 0.979 and 0.943, respectively. The interrater reliability coefficient between parents and occupational therapists was 0.939, between parents and researcher was 0.954, and between occupational therapists and researcher was 0.922.
Conclusion:The Persian version of mini-MACS seems to be valid and reliable. This system could be used to evaluate children with cerebral palsy.
 

Abstract Background: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a novel coronavirus that has led to a global pandemic. Physiotherapy is among the beneficial treatments for this disease. This study investigated the impact of the priority and delay of prone positioning and chest physiotherapy (CPT) on patients with COVID-19. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted involving 26 COVID-19 patients who were randomly assigned to two groups: one group prioritizing prone positioning over chest physiotherapy (comprising seven men and six women, with an average age of 67.46 ± 5.91) and the other group prioritizing CPT over prone positioning (comprising eight men and five women, with an average age of 68.38 ± 5.85). Respiratory outcomes, including SpO2, PaO2, FiO2, FEV1, and FVC, were measured using pulse oximetry, arterial blood gas analysis (ABG), and spirometry). FEV1/FVC and SpO2/FiO2 ratios were evaluated both before and after the intervention Results: The demographic characteristics of the patients and the baseline respiratory outcomes between the two groups did not exhibit significant differences (P > 0.05). A significant difference was observed in respiratory outcomes within each group before and after the intervention (P < 0.05). However, after the intervention, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of respiratory outcomes (P > 0.05) Conclusion: Both prioritizing prone positioning over CPT and prioritizing CPT over prone positioning appeared to improve each respiratory outcome. Nevertheless, it was not observed that prioritizing or delaying prone positioning and CPT improved respiratory outcomes in patients with COVID-19.    

Abstract Background: A common issue experienced by the elderly, often due to specific diseases or the natural aging process, is a decline in balance and posture control. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an eight-week sensorimotor training program on the balance and proprioception of older women. Methods: This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted with the participation of older women aged 60-75 who frequented gyms in Urmia. From this population, thirty older women were randomly selected, meeting specific inclusion criteria, and were purposively divided into two groups: the experimental group (with an average age of 70.06±2.64 years, height of 156.13±6.14 cm, and weight of 73.11±7.81 kg) and the control group (with an average age of 67.93±2.12 years, height of 154.15±7.22 cm, and weight of 70.83±5.22 kg). The experimental group underwent an 8-week sensorimotor training program, consisting of three sessions per week, while the control group did not receive any training. Knee proprioception was assessed before and after the training by capturing photographs at a flexion angle of 40-60 degrees while standing. Additionally, static and dynamic balance was evaluated using the Sharpened Romberg Test and Time of Up and Go Test, respectively. The collected data were analyzed using ANCOVA, and the significance level was set at P≤0.05. Results: After the training intervention, the experimental group exhibited a noteworthy decrease in the absolute error of angle reconstruction (P=0.001). Moreover, there was a substantial enhancement in both static balance, with eyes open and closed (P=0.001), and dynamic balance (P=0.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion: the results of this study suggest that sensorimotor training can effectively enhance proprioception and improve balance in elderly individuals. This improvement is attributed to the positive impact of sensorimotor training, particularly in closed-chain movements, which strengthens the proprioceptive feedback from the muscles of the lower limbs. Consequently, this contributes to better balance and proprioception in older adults.    

Abstract Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) affects different aspects of children's development. Some of these negative effects, such as behavioral issues in children, could be mitigated by teaching mothers, as the primary caregivers, the proper skills. The study aims to explore the impact of instructing communication skills to mothers as primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in mitigating behavioral problems exhibited by these children. Methods: In this semi-experimental study, we recruited 42 mothers with children aged 4-10 years diagnosed with cerebral palsy .The mothers were required to be literate, aged between 20 and 40, and their children's mobility score should be at or below 3 in the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Convenient sampling was used for participant selection. The Rutter Children's Behavioral Questionnaire was administered to assess the children's behavioral problems before and after the training. The experimental group participated in nine 90-minute training sessions to improve their communication with their children. In contrast, the control group received no intervention for children's behavioral problems. The collected data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA). Results: Comparing the mean scores of the two groups in five sub-tests of the Rutter Children's Behavioral Questionnaire revealed significant differences in the following domains: Aggression & hyperactivity, Social incompatibility, Anti-social behaviors, Anxiety & Depression, and General Behavioral problems before the training, indicating variations between the groups (p = 0.001). Following the training, the experimental group significantly reduced all five subtests of Rutter's questionnaire (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The study suggests that equipping mothers with effective communication skills can lead to changes in their interactions with children who have CP and potentially reduce behavioral problems in these children. Consequently, rehabilitation teams may want to consider incorporating communication skills training programs into their overall therapeutic strategies for children with CP.