Perceived Physical Activity Levels and Objective Measures: A Mixed-Methods Study of Residents Aged 65 and Above in Assisted Living Homes in Australia.

Communities face a mounting social, economic and health burden as the global population of older adults continues to grow. Regular physical activity is consistently reported as an effective means of maintaining health and independence in older adults, yet engagement in activity remains low. This study assesses the activity levels of adults aged over 65 years residing in Australian assisted living homes, and extended to examine their perception of their activity and explore possible factors that hinder or promote their engagement in physical activity.

Physical Exercise for Healthy Older Adults and Those with Frailty: What Exercise Is Best and Is There a Difference? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses.

Methods: All English studies published after 1989 with a controlled design, investigating    65 years and over were considered if the study design compared PE to a nonexercise control group. Health-related outcomes included physical, cognitive, and psychological function. Studies that investigated cardiorespiratory disease and used designs like systematic review were excluded.

Predicting post-surgical outcomes in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus using clinically important changes from the cerebrospinal fluid tap test.

Objective: Patients diagnosed with idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) typically experience symptom improvements after undergoing a cerebrospinal fluid-tap test (CSF-TT), These improvements are recognized as indicative of potential improvements following surgical intervention. As gait disturbance is the most common iNPH symptom, gait improvements are of predominant interest. The purpose of this study was to examine if clinically important changes in gait and balance from CSF-TT predict meaningful changes following surgery.

"Are we there yet?" expectations and experiences with lower limb robotic exoskeletons: a qualitative evaluation of the therapist perspective.

Purpose: Lower limb robotic exoskeletons can assist movement, however, clinical uptake in neurorehabilitation is limited. The views and experiences of clinicians are pivotal to the successful clinical implementation of emerging technologies. This study investigates therapist perspectives of the clinical use and future role of this technology in neurorehabilitation.

Ten-Second Tandem Stance Test: A Potential Tool to Assist Walking Aid Prescription and Falls Risk in Balance Impaired Individuals.

Objective: To assess the utility of a 10-second tandem stance test in predicting gait impairment and the need for a mobility aid.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Public hospital ambulatory and hospitalized care.

Physiotherapy using a free-standing robotic exoskeleton for patients with spinal cord injury: a feasibility study.

Background: Evidence is emerging for the use of overground lower limb robotic exoskeletons in the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury (SCI), with suggested benefits for gait speed, bladder and bowel function, pain management and spasticity. To date, research has focused on devices that require the user to support themselves with a walking aid. This often precludes use by those with severe trunk, postural or upper limb deficits and places the user in a suboptimal, flexed standing position.

Impact of a new post-operative care model in a rural hospital after total hip replacement and total knee replacement.

Problem: The predicted global trend of increasing total hip replacement and total knee replacement numbers leads to a direct and growing impact on health care services. Models of care including 'fast-track' mobilisation after total hip replacement and total knee replacement have been reported to reduce length of stay. This has not been verified in rural settings.

Effects of therapy with a free-standing robotic exoskeleton on motor function and other health indicators in people with severe mobility impairment due to chronic stroke: A quasi-controlled study.

Introduction: Robotic exoskeletons facilitate therapy in upright postures. This study aimed to evaluate potential health-related effects of this therapy for people with severe mobility impairment due to chronic stroke.

Methods: This quasi-controlled trial with 12 weeks of twice weekly therapy in a free-standing exoskeleton, and 12 weeks follow up, included people dependent for mobility, with stroke at least 3 months prior.

The Metabolic Cost of Exercising With a Robotic Exoskeleton: A Comparison of Healthy and Neurologically Impaired People.

While neuro-recovery is maximized through active engagement, it has been suggested that the use of robotic exoskeletons in neuro-rehabilitation provides passive therapy. Using oxygen consumption (VO) as an indicator of energy expenditure, we investigated the metabolic requirements of completing exercises in a free-standing robotic exoskeleton, with 20 healthy and 12 neurologically impaired participants (six with stroke, and six with multiple sclerosis (MS)). Neurological participants were evaluated pre- and post- 12 weeks of twice weekly robotic therapy.

Do powered over-ground lower limb robotic exoskeletons affect outcomes in the rehabilitation of people with acquired brain injury?

To assess the effects of lower limb robotic exoskeletons on outcomes in the rehabilitation of people with acquired brain injury. A systematic review of seven electronic databases was conducted. The primary outcome of interest was neuromuscular function.

Cognitive and upper limb symptom changes from a tap test in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Objectives: To determine which cognitive and upper limb assessments can identify change in patients undergoing a Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap test (TT) diagnosed with idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH).

Patients And Methods: Prospective observational study of 74 iNPH patients undergoing a CSF TT for consideration of a ventricular peritoneal shunt. Patients who were offered surgical intervention were classified as responders.

Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation on Motor Function in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To determine effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on motor function for children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: Six electronic databases were searched using terms related to tDCS, combined with functional deficits/associated clinical measures. Results were filtered, including randomized controlled trials in English and children with cerebral palsy.

Investigating post-stroke fatigue: An individual participant data meta-analysis.

Objective: The prevalence of post-stroke fatigue differs widely across studies, and reasons for such divergence are unclear. We aimed to collate individual data on post-stroke fatigue from multiple studies to facilitate high-powered meta-analysis, thus increasing our understanding of this complex phenomenon.

Methods: We conducted an Individual Participant Data (IPD) meta-analysis on post-stroke fatigue and its associated factors.

Surviving, not thriving: a qualitative analysis of parents' perceptions of physical activity participation for rurally residing children with a disability.

Introduction: Preliminary research suggests that rurally residing children with a disability seldom participate in the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day and face multiple barriers to participation. The purpose of this study was to explore parents' perceptions of physical activity participation of rurally residing children with a disability, including barriers and any factors that may facilitate their participation.

Methods: Participants were parents or carers of a school-aged child with a disability residing in a rural or remote area of the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Hippotherapy in adults with acquired brain injury: A systematic review.

Hippotherapy is used to supplement conventional therapy in neurological conditions with evidence supporting its use in pediatric patients. However, evaluation of its merit in adults with acquired brain injury (ABI) is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine if hippotherapy can improve motor function in adults with ABI.

Clinimetric Properties and Minimal Clinically Important Differences for a Battery of Gait, Balance, and Cognitive Examinations for the Tap Test in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is treated by insertion of a ventricular peritoneal (VP) shunt. To help identify who would benefit from a VP shunt, patients undergo a tap test (TT). Several measures can identify change from a TT, but the magnitude of change and the combination of measures that indicate the improvement from a TT is unclear.

Gait and Balance Measures Can Identify Change From a Cerebrospinal Fluid Tap Test in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Objectives: To identify in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) undergoing a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap test (TT) for consideration of a ventricular peritoneal (VP) shunt: (1) gait and balance measures, which identify symptom change; (2) differences present between pre- and post-CSF TT scores between patients classified as responders and nonresponder; (3) ability of patients with iNPH to accurately quantify change in their gait and balance symptoms from a CSF TT.

Design: Prospective observational study. Post-CSF TT assessment was completed 2-4 hours post.

Garment Therapy does not Improve Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.

Aims: To conduct a systematic review asking, does garment therapy improve motor function in children with cerebral palsy?

Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to review the literature. Inclusion criteria involved the wearing of therapy suits/garments in children with cerebral palsy. The primary outcome of interest was movement related function and secondary outcomes included impairment, participation, parental satisfaction and adverse outcomes of garment wear.

Clinical Benefits of Joint Mobilization on Ankle Sprains: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To assess the clinical benefits of joint mobilization for ankle sprains.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, Embase, AMED, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PEDro, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Dissertations and Theses were searched from inception to June 2017.

Study Selection: Studies investigating humans with grade I or II lateral or medial sprains of the ankle in any pathologic state from acute to chronic, who had been treated with joint mobilization were considered for inclusion.

Determining the benefits of transcranial direct current stimulation on functional upper limb movement in chronic stroke.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a tool to enhance stroke rehabilitation; however, evidence to support its use is lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of anodal and cathodal tDCS on upper limb function in chronic stroke patients. Twenty five participants were allocated to receive 20 min of 1 mA of anodal, cathodal or sham cortical stimulation in a random, counterbalanced order.

Corrigendum: No Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Motor Cortex on Response-Related ERPs during a Conflict Task.

[This corrects the article on p. 384 in vol. 10, PMID: 27547180.

No Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Motor Cortex on Response-Related ERPs during a Conflict Task.

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the motor cortex is considered a potential treatment for motor rehabilitation following stroke and other neurological pathologies. However, both the context under which this stimulation is effective and the underlying mechanisms remain to be determined. In this study, we examined the mechanisms by which anodal tDCS may affect motor performance by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) during a cued go/nogo task after anodal tDCS over dominant primary motor cortex (M1) in young adults (Experiment 1) and both dominant and non-dominant M1 in older adults (Experiment 2).

Anodal direct current stimulation in the healthy aged: Effects determined by the hemisphere stimulated.

Purpose: Research popularity and scope for the application of transcranial direct current stimulation have been steadily increasing yet many fundamental questions remain unanswered. We sought to determine if anodal stimulation of either hemisphere leads to improved performance of the contralateral hand and/or altered function of the ipsilateral hand, or affects movement preparation, in older subjects.

Method: In this cross-over, double blind, sham controlled study, 34 healthy aged participants (age range 40- 86) were randomised to receive 20 minutes of stimulation to either the dominant or non-dominant motor cortex.

Anodal tDCS over the Motor Cortex on Prepared and Unprepared Responses in Young Adults.

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) has been proposed as a possible therapeutic rehabilitation technique for motor impairment. However, despite extensive investigation into the effects of anodal tDCS on motor output, there is little information on how anodal tDCS affects response processes. In this study, we used a cued go/nogo task with both directional and non-directional cues to assess the effects of anodal tDCS over the dominant (left) primary motor cortex on prepared and unprepared motor responses.

The influence of tai chi and yoga on balance and falls in a residential care setting: A randomised controlled trial.

Abstract Falls amongst older people is a global public health concern. Whilst falling is not a typical feature of ageing, older people are more likely to fall. Fall injuries amongst older people are a leading cause of death and disability.