An audit of physiotherapists' documentation on physical activity assessment, promotion and prescription to older adults attending out-patient rehabilitation.

Purpose: Identify if physiotherapists document the assessment, promotion and prescription of physical activity to older adults attending out-patient rehabilitation and assist them in the transition to an active lifestyle.

Methods: An audit of physiotherapists' documentation in medical records of older adults who attended an out-patient rehabilitation program at a tertiary hospital.

Results: Fifty-six medical records were reviewed.

Center-Based Group and Home-Based Individual Exercise Programs Have Similar Impacts on Gait and Balance in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Group and home-based exercises to improve function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are common but have little underpinning evidence.

Objective: To determine the comparative effectiveness of a center-based group versus home-based individual 8-week exercise program to improve gait and balance in people with MS.

Design: Prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Sensory retraining of the leg after stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to investigate the effects of interventions intended for retraining leg somatosensory function on somatosensory impairment, and secondary outcomes of balance and gait, after stroke.

Data Sources: Databases searched from inception to 16 January 2019 included Cochrane Library, PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Reference lists of relevant publications were also manually searched.

Vestibulo-ocular dysfunction in adolescent rugby union players with and without a history of concussion.

Objectives: Sport-related concussions are common in adolescent contact sports. Vestibulo-ocular dysfunction has been reported in athletes post-concussion. There is a lack of research on vestibulo-ocular function in sporting adolescents, and the influence of previous concussions on the vestibular system in this population.

A Systematic Review of the Reported Proportions of Diagnoses for Dizziness and Vertigo.

Objectives: To determine the typical proportions of diagnoses for patients presenting with dizziness or vertigo based on clinical speciality and to assess the change in proportions of diagnoses over time.

Data Sources: Following PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches of PubMed and CINAHL databases and follow-up reference searches were performed for articles published in English up to October 2016.

Study Selection: Analysis of searches yielded 42 studies meeting the criteria of case series of adult patients with dizziness and/or vertigo presenting to general practice, emergency departments or specialist outpatient clinics.

Allied health clinicians using translational research in action to develop a reliable stroke audit tool.

Objective: To design and establish reliability of a local stroke audit tool by engaging allied health clinicians within a privately funded hospital.

Methods: Design: Two-stage study involving a modified Delphi process to inform stroke audit tool development and inter-tester reliability.

Participants: Allied health clinicians.

Can a single session of motor imagery promote motor learning of locomotion in older adults? A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of a single session of locomotor-based motor imagery training on motor learning and physical performance.

Patients And Methods: Thirty independent adults aged >65 years took part in the randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted within an exercise science laboratory.

Investigating the Relationship of the Functional Gait Assessment to Spatiotemporal Parameters of Gait and Quality of Life in Individuals With Stroke.

Background And Purpose: Walking in the community is an important aspect of independence and quality of life (QOL) that poses challenges for individuals with stroke. This study investigated whether performance on the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) differentiated spatiotemporal gait parameters, QOL, and fall history of community-ambulating individuals with stroke. We hypothesized that those scoring higher on the FGA would present with better gait speed and cadence, stride width and length, and improved load time on the paretic limb, report a higher QOL, and be less likely to have a fall history than those who scored lower on the FGA.

Inter- and intra-tester reliability of the acute brain injury physiotherapy assessment (ABIPA) in patients with acquired brain injury.

Background: The Acute Brain Injury Physiotherapy Assessment (ABIPA) is a new outcome measure with face validity and sensitivity to change in the early stages of neuromotor recovery after acquired brain injury (ABI). Reliability of physiotherapists using the tool has not been established.

Objective: Determine inter- and intra-tester reliability of physiotherapists using the ABIPA.

The patients' perspective of sustaining a fall in hospital: A qualitative study.

Aims And Objectives: To understand the patient's perspective of falling in hospital.

Background: A fall in hospital can affect a patient physically and psychologically, increasing their hospital length of stay and potentially putting them at risk of further complications. Despite a wealth of literature on falls that focuses on risk assessment, preventive interventions and cost, very little research has focused on the experience of the patient that has fallen, particularly within the acute hospital setting.

Self-reported Concussion History and Sensorimotor Tests Predict Head/Neck Injuries.

Purpose: Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a risk for players involved in high-impact, collision sports. A history of SRC is a risk factor for future concussions, but the mechanisms underlying this are unknown. Despite evidence that most visible signs and symptoms associated with sports concussion resolve within 7-10 d, it has been proposed that subclinical loss of neuromuscular control and impaired motor functioning may persist and be associated with further injury.

A systematic review of patient-reported measures associated with vestibular dysfunction.

Objectives/hypothesis: Use of clinical questionnaires to assist in the screening of vestibular disorders in the acute hospital setting is needed. The objective is to detail the clinimetric properties and clinical utility of patient-reported questionnaires for quantifying dizziness/vertigo symptoms associated with vestibular dysfunction, and to determine validity and utility for screening dizziness/vertigo in the emergency department.

Data Sources: We performed a systematic review of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science in May 2015.

Mortality Reduction for Fever, Hyperglycemia, and Swallowing Nurse-Initiated Stroke Intervention: QASC Trial (Quality in Acute Stroke Care) Follow-Up.

Background And Purpose: Implementation of nurse-initiated protocols to manage fever, hyperglycemia, and swallowing dysfunction decreased death and disability 90 days poststroke in the QASC trial (Quality in Acute Stroke Care) conducted in 19 Australian acute stroke units (2005-2010). We now examine long-term all-cause mortality.

Methods: Mortality was ascertained using Australia's National Death Index.

A prospective investigation of changes in the sensorimotor system following sports concussion. An exploratory study.

Background: Sports concussion is a risk for players involved in high impact, collision sports. Post-concussion, the majority of symptoms subside within 7-10 days, but can persist in 10-20% of athletes. Understanding the effects of sports concussion on sensorimotor systems could inform physiotherapy treatment.

Impacts of small vestibular schwannoma on community ambulation, postural, and ocular control.

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate balance, community mobility, gaze instability, and dizziness handicap and assess falls risk in people who are conservatively managed with small vestibular schwannoma (VS).

Study Design: Cross-sectional study with controls.

Methods: The study involved 18 people (mean age 58.

Association between altered motor control of trunk muscles and head and neck injuries in elite footballers - An exploratory study.

Background: Head and neck injuries are common in football. Injuries such as concussion can have serious consequences. Previous studies have shown that size and function of trunk muscles are predictive of lower limb injuries in professional Australian Football League (AFL) players.

Are Changes in Gait and Balance Across the Disease Step Rating Scale in Multiple Sclerosis Statistically Significant and Clinically Meaningful?

Objectives: To explore differences in gait endurance, speed, and standing balance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) across the Disease Step Rating Scale, and to determine if differences are statistically significant and clinically meaningful.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Community rehabilitation - primary health care center.

Fall risk in people with MS: A Physiological Profile Assessment study.

Introduction: The Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) is used in research and clinical practice for assessing fall risk. We compared PPA test performance between people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls, determined the fall-risk profile for people with MS and developed a reference database for people with MS.

Methods: For this study, 416 ambulant people with MS (51.

Construction and Validation of the Vestibular Screening Tool for Use in the Emergency Department and Acute Hospital Setting.

Objectives: To construct a new vestibular screening tool to identify likely vestibular disorders and guide referral of dizzy patients presenting to hospital and to test the vestibular screening tool for construct and discriminative validity and reliability of physiotherapy assessors.

Design: Methodologic study.

Setting: Emergency and acute hospital wards of a metropolitan hospital.

Frailty and Mobility.

Frailty represents a state of heightened vulnerability. Mobility impairment contributes to the construct of frailty and channels adverse events. While mobility disorder is universal at a high burden of frailty, neither mobility nor balance dysfunction is sufficient to fully define frailty.

Balance self-efficacy in older adults following inpatient rehabilitation.

Older adults discharging from inpatient rehabilitation were investigated to determine change in self-efficacy at 1 month after discharge, the relationship with discharge balance performance and physical function, and the influence of diagnosis. A prospective cohort of 101 adults older than 50 years of age, 43% men, average age 75.84 (SD 9.

Child obesity service provision: a cross-sectional survey of physiotherapy practice trends and professional needs.

This study explored current physiotherapy practice trends for management of children who are overweight or obese. The professional needs of physiotherapists working with this population were also assessed, including the perceived need for physiotherapy clinical guidelines for prevention and management of children with obesity. A cross-sectional survey design was used, with questionnaires purposefully distributed through 13 key physiotherapy services throughout Australia.

Mobility has a non-linear association with falls risk among people in residential aged care: an observational study.

Questions: What is the association between mobility and falls risk for people living in residential aged care? Can the Physical Mobility Scale discriminate between residents at risk of falling and those not at risk?

Design: Prospective longitudinal observational study.

Setting: Six residential aged care facilities in Australia.

Participants: Eighty-seven high- and low-level care permanent residents.

Age-related changes in musculoskeletal function, balance and mobility measures in men aged 30-80 years.

Objectives: This study aimed to establish age-related changes in musculoskeletal function, balance and mobility measures in men.

Design: An observational, cross-sectional cohort study was undertaken.

Methods: One hundred six healthy, community-ambulant men (30-80 years) participated in this study.

Sensory system function and postural stability in men aged 30-80 years.

Objective: To examine age-related changes in postural stability and sensory system functioning in men aged 30-80 years.

Design: Observational, cross-sectional study.

Methods: One hundred six healthy men aged 30-80 years participated.