Objective: Discussions of the root causes of health disparities and educational inequities often neglect to identify racism as a primary factor. Researchers must take a systems perspective to identify the effects of racism and other forms of systemic oppression on health. It is unclear to what extent this perspective exists in the physical therapy research literature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Antimicrobial resistance is a global health threat. Antibiotics are commonly prescribed for children with uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections, but there is little randomised evidence to support the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating these infections, either overall or relating to key clinical subgroups in which antibiotic prescribing is common (chest signs; fever; physician rating of unwell; sputum/rattly chest; shortness of breath).
Objectives: To estimate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of amoxicillin for uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections in children both overall and in clinical subgroups.
Purpose: The unique demands of dance technique make dancers more prone to certain pathologies especially of the foot and ankle. Flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendinopathy, colloquially known as "dancer's tendinopathy," is common in dancers and not well studied. The purpose of this study was to assess if morphological alterations in tendon structure occur as an adaptive response to dance activity by comparing the FHL tendon in dancers to non-dancers, and if pathology further alters tendon morphology in dancers clinically diagnosed with tendinopathy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigated motor control strategies utilized by individuals with recurrent low back pain (rLBP) during active pain and remission periods as well as by back-healthy controls using the Balance-Dexterity Task. Nineteen young adults with rLBP were tested first when they were in pain and then again in symptom remission, and 19 matched controls were also tested. Trunk kinematic coupling and muscle co-activation were examined while participants performed the task by standing on one leg while compressing a spring with a maximum consistent force with the other leg.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Transforming the University of Southern California health care system requires that institutions and organizations position equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI), and anti-racism as central to their missions. The purpose of this administrative case report was to describe a systematic approach taken by an academic physical therapy department to develop a comprehensive antiracism plan that engages all interested and affected parties and includes processes for sustainable, long-term engagement.
Methods: Four strategies contributed to organizational change toward anti-racism: Holding Ourselves Accountable; Developing a Plan; Building Consensus; and Providing Education, Support, and Resources.