CHARACTERIZING PHYSICAL STRAIN IN NON-ROUTINIZED CLINICAL WORK THROUGH OBSERVATION: AN EXAMPLE OF ORAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

The Revised Strain Index (RSI), despite its prevalence in ergonomics field practice, is designed to assess jobs with cyclic and predictable physical and behavioral patterns. The quantification of exertion force, posture, and work task duration is substantially more challenging for non-routinized work in clinical and hospital environments. Using dental hygiene work as an exemplar, we proposed a consolidated method to characterize physical exertion for non-routinized work.

2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence.

2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence.

Gaps in care following first time seizure in an underserved region: A retrospective analysis.

Purpose: This study investigated the characteristics of patients presenting with the first-time seizure (FTS) and whether neurology follow-up occurred in a medically underserved area.

Methods: A retrospective study of adults with a FTS discharged from the Emergency Department (ED) at Loma Linda University between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018 was performed. The primary outcome was days from the ED visit to the first neurology visit.

Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Sham-Controlled Pilot Study of Intraneural Facilitation as a Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Objective: To perform a pilot study to assess the efficacy of intraneural facilitation, a novel manual technique, in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Design: Patients with clinical and electrodiagnostic evidence of CTS were randomized into intraneural facilitation or sham groups.

Setting: Electrodiagnostic laboratory in a university medical center.

The State of Science in the Use of Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Acute and Chronic Pain: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Previous reviews have reported virtual reality (VR) to be an effective method to treat pain. This scoping review examines the state of the science for VR and pain both generally and by pain type (acute and chronic) related to types of mechanisms, dosage, effectiveness, and adverse events (AEs). We searched online databases PubMed, Web of Science, PsychInfo, and CINAHL from 2010 to 2020 and included studies from peer reviewed journals that examined people with pain, (excluding pain-free participants) with a primary outcome measuring pain.

Quality of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Patient Education Handouts Available on the Internet: A Systematic Analysis of Content and Design.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patient education handouts and identify the best resources for patients and clinicians.

Design: A document content analysis of handouts identified through a systematic internet search using 8 search terms on Google and Bing and a hand search of professional association websites.

Setting: Not applicable.

A standardized protocol for the comprehensive assessment of dental hygiene work.

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in dental hygienists. Although engineering controls and ergonomic training is available, it is unclear why this intransigent problem continues. One possible barrier is that a comprehensive, standardized protocol for evaluating dental hygiene work does not exist.

Meta-synthesis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment Options: Developing Consolidated Clinical Treatment Recommendations to Improve Practice.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) treatment contains ambiguities across and within disciplines. This meta-synthesis of professional guidelines consolidates clinical treatment recommendations for CTS treatment and classifies them by strength of evidence. We conducted a search of Google, Google Scholar, and PubMed for published clinical treatment recommendations for CTS.

Effectiveness of eccentric strengthening in the treatment of lateral elbow tendinopathy: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Study Design: Meta-analysis.

Introduction: Lateral elbow tendinopathy is a common condition with an annual incidence of up to 3% of the population. Eccentric strengthening has shown promise as a method to treat lateral elbow tendinopathy, but is unclear if it is superior to other forms of treatment.

Identifying an Optimal Sampling Method to Estimate Postural Risk in a Dynamic Work Task.

Introduction: The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) is an ergonomic assessment tool used to screen for risk of musculoskeletal injury due to working posture. The RULA is traditionally applied once during a work task to approximate overall risk. No method exists for estimating a RULA score for work requiring frequent shifts in posture across an extended period of time.

The effect of sit-stand desks on office worker behavioral and health outcomes: A scoping review.

This scoping review examines the effects of sit-stand desks (SSDs) on six domains: behavior (e.g. time sitting and standing), physiological, work performance, psychological, discomfort, and posture.

Does Insurance Coverage Affect Use of Tests and Treatments for Working Age Individuals With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the United States? Analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2005-2014).

Objective: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is frequently seen as a work-related disorder. Few studies have examined the treatment of CTS by insurance coverage, and none have used a large, population-based dataset. This study examined the extent to which the use of CTS tests and treatments varied for those on workers' compensation insurance (WCI) vs private insurance and Medicaid, controlling for patient and provider characteristics.

What Types of Treatment Are Provided for Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? A Retrospective Analysis of Commercial Insurance.

Background: Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in commercially insured patients across the spectrum of provider types rarely has been described.

Objective: To describe patterns of types of treatment for patients with CTS using a large commercial insurance database.

Design: Retrospective cohort descriptive study.

Lifetime Risk of Symptomatic Hand Osteoarthritis: The Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.

Objective: Symptomatic hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition that affects hand strength and function, and causes disability in activities of daily living. Prior studies have estimated that the lifetime risk of symptomatic knee OA is 45% and that of hip OA is 25%. The objective of the present study was to estimate the overall lifetime risk of symptomatic hand OA, and the stratified lifetime risk according to potential risk factors.

Arthritis and cognitive impairment in older adults.

Adults aged 65 or older with arthritis may be at increased risk for cognitive impairment [cognitive impairment but not dementia (CIND) or dementia]. Studies have found associations between arthritis and cognition impairments; however, none have examined whether persons with arthritis develop cognitive impairments at higher rates than those without arthritis. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we estimated the prevalence of cognitive impairments in older adults with and without arthritis, and examined associations between arthritis status and cognitive impairments.

Associations Between Arthritis and Change in Physical Function in U.S. Retirees.

Background: The aims of this study were to determine among retirees: the associations of arthritis with limitations in physical functions, and whether these associations changed differently with age for those with arthritis versus without arthritis.

Methods: We identified retirees from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal panel study of U.S.

Impact of arthritis and multiple chronic conditions on selected life domains - United States, 2013.

About half of U.S. adults have at least one chronic health condition, and the prevalence of multiple (two or more) chronic conditions increased from 21.

Arthritis among veterans - United States, 2011-2013.

Arthritis is among the most common chronic conditions among veterans and is more prevalent among veterans than nonveterans. Contemporary population-based estimates of arthritis prevalence among veterans are needed because previous population-based studies predate the Persian Gulf War, were small, or studied men only despite the fact that women comprise an increasing proportion of military personnel and typically have a higher prevalence of arthritis than men. To address this knowledge gap, CDC analyzed combined 2011, 2012, and 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data among all adults aged ≥18 years, by veteran status, to estimate the total and sex-specific prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis overall and by sociodemographic categories, and the state-specific prevalence (overall and sex-specific) of doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

The role of occupational therapy in vision rehabilitation of individuals with glaucoma.

Purpose: Specific to individuals with glaucoma: (1) provide an overview of the role of occupational therapists (OTs) as part of the vision rehabilitation team, (2) outline evaluation and intervention approaches provided by OTs, and (3) summarize the evidence to support those intervention approaches.

Methods: Literature on vision rehabilitation and the typical practice patterns of OTs working with individuals with glaucoma are reviewed and the occupational therapy process is applied to evaluation and intervention approaches. The evidence which supports intervention approaches for individuals with glaucoma is presented.