Concurrent validity and discriminative ability of force plate measures of balance during the sub-acute stage of stroke recovery.

Background: Many objective measures of balance control, including force plate measures of standing balance, lack sufficient validation for use in the stroke population.

Research Questions: Do force plate measures of quiet standing balance during the sub-acute stage of stroke recovery have concurrent validity (i.e.

A pilot observational study of gait changes over time before and after an unplanned hospital visit in long-term care residents with dementia.

Background: Older adults with dementia living in long-term care (LTC) have high rates of hospitalization. Two common causes of unplanned hospital visits for LTC residents are deterioration in health status and falls. Early detection of health deterioration or increasing falls risk may present an opportunity to intervene and prevent hospitalization.

Reliability of force plate-based measures of standing balance in the sub-acute stage of post-stroke recovery.

Background: Difficulty controlling balance is one of the major contributors to the increased risk of falls among individuals with stroke. It is important to use reliable and objective measures to improve examination of balance impairments post-stroke, and to in turn inform clinical decision-making. The main objective of this study was to examine the relative and absolute reliabilities of force plate-based balance measures in quiet standing, in the sub-acute stage of stroke recovery.

A survey of Israeli physical therapists regarding reactive balance training.

Background: 'Reactive balance training' (RBT) was developed to improve balance reactions to unexpected losses of balance. Although this training method is effective, its practical usage in the field of physical-therapy in Israel and world-wide is still unclear.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the extent of RBT use in physical-therapy clinics in Israel, to identify the significant barriers to/facilitators for implementing RBT in clinical practice among physical therapists, and to determine which aspects of RBT most interest physical therapists in Israel.

The Effect of Reactive Balance Training on Falls in Daily Life: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Reactive balance training (RBT) is an emerging approach to reducing falls risk in people with balance impairments. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of RBT on falls in daily life among individuals at increased risk of falls and to document associated adverse events.

Methods: Databases searched were Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to March 2022), Embase Classic and Embase (1947 to March 2022), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2014 to March 2022), and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro; searched on 22 March 2022).

Ambient Monitoring of Gait and Machine Learning Models for Dynamic and Short-Term Falls Risk Assessment in People With Dementia.

Falls are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults with dementia residing in long-term care. Having access to a frequently updated and accurate estimate of the likelihood of a fall over a short time frame for each resident will enable care staff to provide targeted interventions to prevent falls and resulting injuries. To this end, machine learning models to estimate and frequently update the risk of a fall within the next 4 weeks were trained on longitudinal data from 54 older adult participants with dementia.

Reliability of unconventional centre of pressure measures of quiet standing balance in people with chronic stroke.

Background: People with stroke often have asymmetric motor impairment. Investigating asymmetries in, and dynamic properties of, centre of pressure movement during quiet standing can inform how balance is controlled.

Research Question: What are the test-retest reliabilities of unconventional measures of quiet standing balance control in people with chronic stroke?

Methods: Twenty people with chronic stroke (>6 months post-stroke), who were able to stand for at least 30 s without support, were recruited.

The experiences of people with incomplete spinal cord injury or disease during intensive balance training and the impact of the program: A qualitative study.

Study Design: Qualitative descriptive study.

Objectives: To gain insight into if and how participation in intensive balance training impacted the daily lives and risk of falling of people living with incomplete spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D), as well as to understand what motivated participation and what benefits and challenges, if any, they experienced while completing training.

Setting: Tertiary rehabilitation hospital.

Associations Between Lower Limb Isometric Torque, Isokinetic Torque, and Explosive Force With Phases of Reactive Stepping in Young, Healthy Adults.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between lower limb muscle strength and explosive force with force plate-derived timing measures of reactive stepping. Nineteen young, healthy adults responded to 6 perturbations using an anterior lean-and-release system. Foot-off, swing, and restabilization times were estimated from force plates.

Examining the Relationship Between Reactive Stepping Outcomes and Falls in People With Multiple Sclerosis.

Objective: Reactive stepping is critical for preventing falls and is impaired in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS); however, which aspects of stepping relate to falls remains poorly understood. Identifying outcomes most related to falls is a first step toward improving rehabilitation for fall prevention. The purpose of this study was to assess whether reactive step latency or length during forward and backward losses of balance were related to a history of falls in PwMS.

Factors That Influence the Clinical Implementation of Aerobic Exercise in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Theory-Informed Qualitative Study.

Objective: Best practice guidelines recommend that aerobic exercise (AEx) be implemented as early as possible poststroke, yet the prescription of AEx remains limited in stroke rehabilitation settings. This study used theoretical frameworks to obtain an in-depth understanding of barriers and enablers to AEx implementation in the stroke rehabilitation setting.

Methods: A qualitative, descriptive study was conducted.

Rehabilitation clinicians' perspectives of reactive balance training.

Purpose: Reactive balance training (RBT) aims to improve reactive balance control. However, because RBT involves clients losing balance, clinicians may view that it is unsafe or not feasible for some clients. We aimed to explore how clinicians implement RBT to treat balance and mobility issues.

Gait changes over time in hospitalized older adults with advanced dementia: Predictors of mobility change.

People with dementia are at risk of mobility decline. In this study, we measured changes in quantitative gait measures over a maximum 10-week period during the course of a psychogeriatric admission in older adults with dementia, with the aims to describe mobility changes over the duration of the admission, and to determine which factors were associated with this change. Fifty-four individuals admitted to a specialized dementia inpatient unit participated in this study.

The effect of frequency of feedback on overground temporal gait asymmetry post stroke.

Background And Objectives: Temporal gait asymmetry (TGA) affects 55% of people with stroke. This study investigated the effects of augmented feedback during overground gait training, on TGA.

Methods: Eighteen people with chronic stroke were randomized to receive one of two feedback displays (A or B) and one of three feedback frequencies; no feedback (0%), after alternate walking trials (50%) or after every trial (100%).

The state of aquatic therapy use for clients with spinal cord injury or disorder: Knowledge and current practice.

Context/objectives: Aquatic therapy (AT) has been reported to be beneficial for individuals with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D); however, AT has also been reported to be underutilized in SCI/D rehabilitation. We aimed to understand the knowledge and current practice of AT for clients with SCI/D by physiotherapists, physiotherapy assistants and kinesiologists across Canada.

Design/method: A survey with closed- and open-ended questions was distributed (July-October 2019) to professionals through letters sent by professional associations.

Does increased gait variability improve stability when faced with an expected balance perturbation during treadmill walking?

Background: Currently, there is uncertainty as to whether movement variability is errorful or exploratory.

Research Question: This study aimed to determine if gait variability represents exploration to improve stability. We hypothesized that 1) spatiotemporal gait features will be more variable prior to an expected perturbation than during unperturbed walking, and 2) increased spatiotemporal gait variability pre-perturbation will correlate with improved stability post-perturbation.

The Effect of Perturbation-Based Balance Training and Conventional Intensive Balance Training on Reactive Stepping Ability in Individuals With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury or Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Impaired balance leads to falls in individuals with motor incomplete spinal cord injury or disease (iSCI/D). Reactive stepping is a strategy used to prevent falls and Perturbation-based Balance Training (PBT) can improve this ability. The objective of this study was to determine if PBT results in greater improvements in reactive stepping ability than frequency-matched Conventional Intensive Balance Training (CIBT) in adults with iSCI/D.

Publication Rate and Consistency of Registered Trials of Motor-Based Stroke Rehabilitation.

Objective: To determine the publication rate of motor-rehabilitation trials poststroke and the consistency between registry records and their corresponding main publications in trial design, primary objectives and outcomes, eligibility criteria, and sample size.

Methods: We searched 18 clinical trial registries to identify randomized controlled trials of motor-based stroke rehabilitation registered after July 2005 and completed before April 2017. Eligible trials included adults with stroke, with at least one outcome measure related to motor function.

Integrating Technology Into Clinical Practice for the Assessment of Balance and Mobility: Perspectives of Exercise Professionals Practicing in Retirement and Long-term Care.

Objective: To explore exercise professionals' perspectives on technology integration for balance and mobility assessment practices in retirement and long-term care.

Setting: A private residential care organization in Ontario, Canada, with 18 sites providing accommodation and services for older adults.

Design: A qualitative descriptive approach was used including semistructured focus group interviews.

Test-retest reliability of force plate-derived measures of reactive stepping.

Characterizing reactive stepping is important to describe the response's effectiveness. Timing of reactive step initiation, execution, and termination have been frequently reported to characterize reactive balance control. However, the test-retest reliabilities of these measures are unknown.