Interventions for improving sit-to-stand ability following stroke.

Background: Standing up from a seated position is one of the most frequently performed functional tasks, is an essential pre-requisite to walking and is important for independent living and preventing falls. Following stroke, patients can experience a number of problems relating to the ability to sit-to-stand independently.

Objectives: To review the evidence of effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving sit-to-stand ability after stroke.

Sit-to-Stand in People with Stroke: Effect of Lower Limb Constraint-Induced Movement Strategies.

Background. Weight-bearing asymmetry and impaired balance may contribute to the increased fall risk in people with stroke when rising to stand from sitting. Objective.

Performance on five times sit-to-stand task as a predictor of subsequent falls and disability in older persons.

Objective: To investigate whether the performance on 5 times sit-to-stand test (5tSTS) can predict subsequent falls, fall-related fracture, and activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability in older persons.

Methods: A total of 948 older adults (age ≥ 60) participated in this study. Ability and the time to finish 5tSTS were recorded at baseline.

A biomechanical analysis of trunk and pelvis motion during gait in subjects with knee osteoarthritis compared to control subjects.

Background: Trunk lean over the stance limb during gait has been linked to a reduction in the knee adduction moment, which is associated with joint loading. We examined differences in knee adduction moments and frontal plane trunk lean during gait between subjects with knee osteoarthritis and a control group of healthy adults.

Methods: Gait analysis was performed on 80 subjects (40 osteoarthritis).

Effect of a home program of hip abductor exercises on knee joint loading, strength, function, and pain in people with knee osteoarthritis: a clinical trial.

Background: Hip abductor muscle weakness may result in impaired frontal-plane pelvic control during gait, leading to greater medial compartment loading in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Objective: This study investigated the effect of an 8-week home strengthening program for the hip abductor muscles on knee joint loading (measured by the external knee adduction moment during gait), strength (force-generating capacity), and function and pain in individuals with medial knee OA.

Design: The study design was a nonequivalent, pretest-posttest, control group design.

Sensory-specific balance training in older adults: effect on proprioceptive reintegration and cognitive demands.

Background And Purpose: Age-related changes in the ability to adjust to alterations in sensory information contribute to impaired postural stability. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effect of sensory-specific balance training on proprioceptive reintegration.

Subjects: The subjects of this study were 36 older participants who were healthy.

Sensory-specific balance training in older adults: effect on position, movement, and velocity sense at the ankle.

Background And Purpose: Age-related changes in proprioception contribute to impairments in postural control and increased fall risk in older adults. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effects of balance exercises on proprioception.

Subjects: The participants were 36 older people and 24 younger people who were healthy.

Velocity discrimination: reliability and construct validity in older adults.

The aim of this study was to determine whether a test of velocity discrimination is a reliable and valid measure of proprioception in healthy older adults. Results revealed excellent test-retest reliability over a 2-week period. Velocity discrimination also indicated good construct validity with modest correlations with center of pressure sway outcomes in eyes open and closed conditions as well as stair climbing time.

Balance during obstacle crossing following stroke.

Difficulty negotiating obstacles may contribute to the high falls rate following stroke. This study examined the impact of stroke on balance during obstacle crossing. Centre of mass (COM) and centre of pressure (COP) were measured as 12 stroke subjects and 12 unimpaired subjects stepped over a 4 cm high obstacle at self-selected speed.

Balance score and a history of falls in hospital predict recurrent falls in the 6 months following stroke rehabilitation.

Objective: To investigate predictors of recurrent falls in adults who return to community dwelling after stroke rehabilitation.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Community.

Functional mobility and postural control in essential tremor.

Objective: To evaluate functional mobility and postural control in participants with essential tremor (ET).

Design: Cross-sectional cohort study.

Setting: Motor performance research laboratory.

A randomized controlled trial of supervised versus unsupervised exercise programs for ambulatory stroke survivors.

Background And Purpose: Little is known about the relative efficacy of supervised versus unsupervised community exercise programs for stroke survivors. This study compared the effectiveness of a 10-week supervised strengthening and conditioning program (supervised) with a 1-week supervised instruction program followed by a 9-week unsupervised home program (unsupervised) and evaluated retention of changes at 6 months and 1 year after program completion.

Methods: Seventy-two subjects retained at baseline (27 women, 45 men; mean+/-SD age, 64.

Control of lead and trail limbs during obstacle crossing following stroke.

Background And Purpose: Obstacle crossing is compromised following stroke. The purpose of this study was to quantify modifications during obstacle clearance following stroke.

Subjects: Twelve subjects with stroke and 12 subjects without stroke participated in the study.

Physical function and health status among seniors with and without a fear of falling.

Background: Fear of falling (FF) is pervasive among older people and is an independent risk factor for decreased mobility and loss of quality of life. Although it is a serious health concern, little is known about the severity of the physical and health-related deficits in high-functioning fearful seniors.

Objective: This study examined the physical correlates of FF in community-dwelling seniors in relation to their non-fearful counterparts and also explored the relevance of recent fall history.

Radiographic measures in subjects who are asymptomatic and subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Lateral tilt and displacement of the patella are considered characteristic features of patellofemoral pain syndrome. It has been suggested that abnormal patellar tilt and displacement are detected best with the knee near full extension, which requires computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The objective of the current study was to determine whether alignment abnormalities could be detected in subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome from axial radiographs obtained at 35 degrees knee flexion using a new, standardized radiographic technique.

Reliability and validity of ankle proprioceptive measures.

Objective: To determine the reliability and validity of ankle proprioceptive measures.

Design: Reliability was assessed between test occasions. Construct validity was addressed by the ability of measures to differentiate among groups.

Reducing fear of falling in seniors through education and activity programs: a randomized trial.

Objectives: To determine the relative effect of education and activity programs on fear of falling, balance, strength, and health status.

Design: A randomized intervention trial with two groups (education and activity); evaluators were blind to group allocation.

Setting: Motor performance laboratory at Queen's University.

Balance, muscle strength, and fear of falling in older adults.

This study examined balance ability, lower-extremity muscle strength, fear of falling and their inter-relationships in 40 community-dwelling older adults (>65 years). Subjects who self-identified either as being fearful of falling or not (no concern) were screened to exclude those with known risk factors for falling. Limits of stability, maximal isometric strength, gait speed, and fear of falling were contrasted between groups (27 control subjects, 13 fearful subjects).

Static and dynamic biomechanics of foot orthoses in people with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: Gait biomechanics (knee adduction moment, center of pressure) and static alignment were investigated to determine the mechanical effect of foot orthoses in people with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.

Design: Repeated measures design in which subjects were exposed to three conditions (normal footwear, heel wedge and orthosis) in random order.

Background: The knee adduction moment is an indirect measure of medial compartment loading.