Residual complaints after neuralgic amyotrophy.

Objective: To develop recommendations regarding outcome measures and topics to be addressed in rehabilitation for persons with neuralgic amyotrophy (NA), this study explored which functions and activities are related to persisting pain in NA and which questionnaires best capture these factors.

Design: A questionnaire-based survey from 2 cross-sectional cohorts, one of patients visiting the neurology outpatient clinic and a cohort seen at a multidisciplinary plexus clinic.

Setting: Two tertiary referral clinics based in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation from a university medical center provided the data.

Living with myotonic dystrophy; what can be learned from couples? A qualitative study.

Background: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (MD1) is one of the most prevalent neuromuscular diseases, yet very little is known about how MD1 affects the lives of couples and how they themselves manage individually and together. To better match health care to their problems, concerns and needs, it is important to understand their perspective of living with this hereditary, systemic disease.

Methods: A qualitative study was carried out with a purposive sample of five middle-aged couples, including three men and two women with MD1 and their partners.

Implementation of multidisciplinary advice to allied health care professionals regarding the management of their patients with neuromuscular diseases.

Purpose: Patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) do not always receive appropriate allied health care. This is partially because of the large heterogeneity among these conditions, some of which are quite rare. Individual allied health care professionals, therefore, have relatively little opportunity to develop relevant experience with these patients.

Computer-aided visualization of muscle weakness distribution.

We present a computer program for visualizing muscle weakness distribution in patients with neuromuscular disorders. Ordinal muscle strength data can be computed in the program. Data are visualized as the prime movers of the testmovements in an image of the human body and a separate image of the face.

Exercise therapy and other types of physical therapy for patients with neuromuscular diseases: a systematic review.

Objective: To summarize and critically appraise the available evidence on exercise therapy and other types of physical therapies for patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMD).

Data Sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE (Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine), and reference lists of reviews and articles.

Study Selection: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs), and other designs were included.

Development of a tool to guide referral of patients with neuromuscular disorders to allied health services. Part two.

Purpose: The Perceived Limitations and Needs Questionnaire (PLAN-Q) was developed to guide referral for a one-off consultation by occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and speech therapy (ST) consultation, to provide a tailor-made advice on allied health interventions. This article reports on the testing of validity and reliability of the PLAN-Q.

Methods: In the validation study, 208 patients with a broad spectrum of neuromuscular disorders completed the PLAN-Q, Medical Outcome Study short-form 36-item version (SF-36), and the Impact of Participation on Autonomy (IPA) questionnaires.

Development of a tool to guide referral of patients with neuromuscular disorders to allied health services. Part one.

Purpose: Reasons for referral of patients with chronic, slowly progressive neuromuscular disorders (NMD) to occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT) and speech therapy (ST) are often unclear. One-off consultations by OT, PT and ST can help patients and physicians to decide if therapy is needed. We present a construct for a questionnaire, the Perceived Limitations in Activities and Needs Questionnaire (PLAN-Q).

Referral of patients with neuromuscular disease to occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy: usual practice versus multidisciplinary advice.

Unlabelled: PURPOSE To compare the volume of occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT) and speech therapy (ST) as currently received by patients with neuromuscular diseases with the volume of OT, PT and ST recommended by a multidisciplinary team.

Method: The use of OT, PT and ST was studied retrospectively and prospectively in a reference group (n = 106) receiving usual care and in an intervention group (n = 102) receiving advice based on multidisciplinary assessments. A cost analysis was made and the implementation of the advice was evaluated at 6 months.