Effects of modified long stick exercise on hyperkyphosis, muscle imbalance and balance control in elderly community-dwelling women with hyperkyphosis.

Background: Hyperkyphosis is a condition often seen in older women. This condition causes muscle imbalance in the upper back of the body and impacts balance control. Long stick exercise (LSE) is an exercise programme for the elderly that improves muscle strength and balance control.

Knee Extensor Muscle Strength to Measure the Ability of Five Times Sit to Stand Independently in Patients with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury.

Background: Patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) and lower extremity muscle weakness often fall while standing up from a chair. The sit-to-stand (STS) task primarily uses the strength of the knee extensor muscles. The five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST) is often applied to determine lower limb function and the results are related to lower extremity muscle strength.

Agreement between clinical measures to classify foot posture in asymptomatic adults.

Background: Various clinical measures of static foot posture have been developed and used. However, consensus among clinical measures to classify foot posture remains to be established. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of agreement as a reliability component between two common clinical methods in asymptomatic adults: the normalised navicular height truncated (NNHt) and the Foot Posture Index-6 (FPI-6).

The 7th cervical vertebra wall distance (C7WD) identifies balance control, functional mobility and the risk of multiple falls in elderly community-dwelling women with thoracic hyperkyphosis.

Background: Thoracic hyperkyphosis is common in the elderly, especially in women, and results in impaired balance control, impaired functional mobility and an increased risk of multiple falls. The 7th cervical vertebra wall distance (C7WD) is a practical method for evaluating thoracic hyperkyphosis.

Objective: This study calculated C7WD cut-off scores that may identify impaired balance control, impaired functional mobility and an increased risk of multiple falls in elderly community-dwelling women with thoracic hyperkyphosis.

Effects of Play in an Upright Position on Intra-Individual Variability of Gross Motor and Language Development in Institutionalized Infants.

(1) Objective: To investigate the effects of play in an upright position on intra-individual variability and to examine the relationship between the variability of gross motor and language development in institutionalized infants aged six to ten months. (2) Methods: Thirty infants were conveniently enrolled in either the experimental or control groups. The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile (CSBS-DP) Infant/Toddler Checklist were tested pre and post each monthly intervention for three months.

Intra-Individual Variability in Gross Motor Development in Healthy Full-Term Infants Aged 0-13 Months and Associated Factors during Child Rearing.

The gross motor development of a typically developing infant is a dynamic process, the intra-individual variability of which can be investigated through longitudinal assessments. Changes in gross motor development vary, according to the interaction of multiple sub-systems within the child, environment, task setting, and experience or practice of movement. At present, studies on environmental factors that influence gross motor development in full-term infants over time are limited.

Validity and reliability of the block method for measuring thoracic hyperkyphosis.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the concurrent validity of the block method as compared with the gold standard (Cobb's method). An additional aim was to examine the intra- and inter-rater reliability of expert and novice assessors using the block method.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we enrolled 62 participants with hyperkyphosis aged ≥10 years, with hyperkyphosis defined as one or more blocks.

Gross motor development of Thai healthy full-term infants aged from birth to 14 months using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale: Inter individual variability.

Background: The gross motor percentiles of the Alberta Infants Motor Scale (AIMS) have been commonly referenced in research. Cross-cultural assessment of gross motor development during the first year of life is suggested as diverse child-rearing practices can cause inter-variability. The main aim of this study was to develop an AIMS percentile curve for typically developing home-raised infants in the northeastern part of Thailand.

The use of lower limb loading ability as an indicator for independence and safety in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.

Background: Data relating to weight-bearing or lower limb loading ability (LLLA) have been reported wildly in several individuals, mostly with unilateral impairments, but not in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) who have bilateral sensorimotor deterioration.

Aim: To assess the LLLA of ambulatory individuals with SCI who walk independently with and without a walking device, and explore the optimal threshold of the LLLA to determine the independence and safety of these individuals.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Thai dance exercises benefited functional mobility and fall rates among community-dwelling older individuals.

Background: With dramatic increase in the number of older individuals, special efforts have been made to promote the levels of independence and reduce fall rates among these individuals.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Thai dance exercises over 6 weeks on functional mobility and fall rates in community-dwelling older individuals.

Methods: Sixty-one community-dwelling older adults were interviewed and assessed for their demographics and fall data during 6 months prior to participation in the study.

Effects of Exercises on a Hard, Soft, and Sand Surface on Functional Outcomes of Community-Dwelling Older Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial compared the effects of Thai dance exercise training on hard, soft, and sand surfaces on the functional outcomes of 120 community-dwelling older adults (40 subjects/group). The subjects were involved in a Thai dance exercise program on each surface, according to their groups, for 50 min/day, 3 days/week, for 6 weeks. The functional outcomes were assessed prior to training, at Week 3, and Week 6 after training.

Reliability of novice and experienced physiotherapists using the normalized navicular height truncated and the foot posture index-6 for classifying static foot posture in adults.

[Purpose] To investigate the reliability of novice and experienced physiotherapists using the normalized navicular height truncated and the foot posture index-6 for classifying foot posture in healthy adults. [Participants and Methods] Thirty asymptomatic adults participated in this study. After brief training, inter-rater reliability was performed by an expert and inexperienced rater (the novice physiotherapist).

Various surfaces challenge gait characteristics of ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To assess the influence of various surfaces on the gait characteristics of ambulatory participants with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) as compared to data from able-bodied participants.

Setting: A tertiary rehabilitation center and communities.

Increased Lower Limb Loading During Sit-to-Stand is Important for the Potential for Walking Progression in Ambulatory Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.

Background: Decreased rehabilitation time may increase the need for walking devices at the time of discharge to promote levels of independence among ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, using walking devices could create adverse effects on patients. This study explores the proportion of walking devices used, potential for walking progression, and associated factors among ambulatory individuals with SCI.

Failures in dual-task obstacle crossing could predict risk of future fall in independent ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.

Objective:: To determine whether cognitive-motor interference using ability of dual-task obstacle crossing could predict a risk of fall in 90 ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.

Design:: Six-month prospective study.

Setting:: A rehabilitation center and community hospitals.

Ability of sit-to-stand with hands reflects neurological and functional impairments in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To explore the need of upper limb contribution during sit-to-stand (STS) in ambulatory participants with spinal cord injury (SCI) and compare the lower limb loading during the sit-to-stand (LLL-STS) in those with SCI who performed the task with or without hands as compared to able-bodied individuals. In addition, the study assessed the correlation between the LLL-STS, and sensorimotor scores and functional ability in ambulatory participants with SCI.

Effects of dual- and complex-task on walking ability of ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.

Background: Attempting to perform dual- and complex-tasks obviously reduces the walking ability of individuals with impaired cognitive functions. However, there is no clear evidence describing the effects of dual- and complex-tasks on the walking ability of ambulatory individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) who have intact cognitive functions, but suffer from various degrees of sensorimotor deterioration.

Aim: To primarily investigate the effects of dual- and complex-task on the walking ability of ambulatory subjects with SCI as compared to healthy individuals.

Importance of independent sit-to-stand ability in ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury.

Background: Sit-to-stand (STS) is an important and basic activity for daily living. However, a few studies have reported information relating to STS ability in ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Aim: To investigate factors associated with the ability of independent sit-to-stand (iSTS) among ambulatory patients with SCI.

Functional ability and health status of community-dwelling late age elderly people with and without a history of falls.

Background: Obvious functional deterioration is demonstrated in elderly people aged 75 years and older. However, there is only little objective evidence relating to falls in these individuals.

Objective: This cross-sectional study compared functional abilities and health status in the elderly age at least 75 years with no fall, single fall (1 fall), and multiple falls (≥2 falls) during the past 6 months.

Discriminative ability of the three functional tests in independent ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury who walked with and without ambulatory assistive devices.

Background/objectives: Many persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) require an ambulatory assistive device (AAD). An effective monitoring method enables the use of an appropriate AAD and promotes levels of independence for patients. This study investigated the discriminative ability of the three-functional tools relating to walking ability, including the 10-meter walk test (10MWT), the five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST), and the timed up and go test (TUGT), in independent ambulatory persons with SCI who walked with walker, crutches, cane, and non-AAD.

Centella asiatica Improves Physical Performance and Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy Elderly Volunteer.

Recently, oxidative stress has been reported to contribute an important role in the decline of physical function as age advances. Numerous antioxidants can improve both physical and psychological performances resulting in the increase of health-related quality of life (HQOL). Therefore, we hypothesized that Centella asiatica, a medicinal plant reputed for nerve tonic, strength improvement and antioxidant activity, could improve the physical performance and HQOL especially in the physical satisfaction aspect, of the healthy elderly volunteer.