The Value of Mind-Body Connection in Physical Activity for Older People.

Exercise that targets balance and strength is proven to prevent falls in older age. The Successful AGEing yoga trial is the first large randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of yoga on falls in people aged ≥60 years. We conducted a realist process evaluation to explain the strong participant engagement observed using interviews (21 participants and three yoga instructors) and focus groups (12 participants and four yoga instructors).

Acceptability and feasibility of an online physical activity program for women over 50: a pilot trial.

Regular physical activity benefits health across the lifespan. Women in middle-age often juggle carer and work responsibilities, are often inactive, and may benefit from tailored support to increase physical activity. Establish the acceptability, feasibility, and impact on physical activity of a scalable program for women 50+ years.

Promoting Physical Activity in Women Over 50: A Randomized Trial.

Purpose: This study aims to test the effect of an information and support intervention on physical activity (PA) in women aged 50+ years.

Design: Randomized wait-list controlled trial.

Setting: Sydney, Australia.

Early Intervention for Children Aged 0 to 2 Years With or at High Risk of Cerebral Palsy: International Clinical Practice Guideline Based on Systematic Reviews.

Importance: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood physical disability. Early intervention for children younger than 2 years with or at risk of CP is critical. Now that an evidence-based guideline for early accurate diagnosis of CP exists, there is a need to summarize effective, CP-specific early intervention and conduct new trials that harness plasticity to improve function and increase participation.

Bobath therapy is inferior to task-specific training and not superior to other interventions in improving lower limb activities after stroke: a systematic review.

Question: In adults with stroke, does Bobath therapy improve lower limb activity performance, strength or co-ordination when compared with no intervention or another intervention?

Design: Systematic review of randomised trials with meta-analyses.

Participants: Adults after stroke.

Intervention: Bobath therapy compared with another intervention or no intervention.

Yoga-based exercise to prevent falls in community-dwelling people aged 60 years and over: study protocol for the Successful AGEing (SAGE) yoga randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Falls significantly reduce independence and quality of life in older age. Balance-specific exercise prevents falls in people aged 60+ years. Yoga is growing in popularity and can provide a high challenge to balance; however, the effect of yoga on falls has not been evaluated.

online information and support to promote physical activity behaviour change: study protocol for a pilot trial.

Background: Physical activity has many physical and mental health benefits and can delay the development of disability in older age. However, uptake of this health behaviour is sub-optimal in women in their middle and older age. This trial aims to establish the acceptability and feasibility of the programme involving online information, telephone health coaching and email or SMS support to promote physical activity behaviour change among women aged 50 years and over.

Active women over 50: study protocol for RCT of a low-dose information and support program to promote physical activity behaviour change.

Background: There is compelling evidence that physical activity has many physical and mental health benefits and can delay the development of disability in older age. However, uptake of this health behaviour is sub-optimal in working women in their middle age. This trial aims to establish the impact of a low-dose information program, incorporating follow-up support using behaviour change techniques, compared with a wait-list control group, on physical activity among women aged 50+ years.

Analysis of infant physical activity in the childcare environment: An observational study.

This study utilized behavior-mapping to describe behavior and levels of activity in infants attending Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Descriptive statistics were used to determine proportion of time spent in certain locations, body positions, activities and engagement with others. To establish whether location, the presence of equipment or engagement with others influenced levels of activity, a paired t-test was used.

Early, Accurate Diagnosis and Early Intervention in Cerebral Palsy: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment.

Importance: Cerebral palsy describes the most common physical disability in childhood and occurs in 1 in 500 live births. Historically, the diagnosis has been made between age 12 and 24 months but now can be made before 6 months' corrected age.

Objectives: To systematically review best available evidence for early, accurate diagnosis of cerebral palsy and to summarize best available evidence about cerebral palsy-specific early intervention that should follow early diagnosis to optimize neuroplasticity and function.

Plantarflexor muscle and spatiotemporal gait characteristics of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: an observational study.

Objective: The study investigated associations between the active and passive mechanical properties of the calf muscle in children with cerebral palsy and the spatiotemporal features of their gait on both level ground and over stairs.

Methods: 26 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (age 4 - 10 years) walked barefoot across a level ten metre pathway and a staircase. Walking speed, stride length and cadence were calculated and spasticity, maximum isometric strength, stiffness and hysteresis of the affected side calf muscle measured.

Enhancing physical activity and brain reorganization after stroke.

It is becoming increasingly clear that, if reorganization of brain function is to be optimal after stroke, there needs to be a reorganisation of the methods used in physical rehabilitation and the time spent in specific task practice, strength and endurance training, and aerobic exercise. Frequency and intensity of rehabilitation need to be increased so that patients can gain the energy levels and vigour necessary for participation in physical activity both during rehabilitation and after discharge. It is evident that many patients are discharged from inpatient rehabilitation severely deconditioned, meaning that their energy levels are too low for active participation in daily life.

No change in calf muscle passive stiffness after botulinum toxin injection in children with cerebral palsy.

Aim: Stiffness and shortening of the calf muscle due to neural or mechanical factors can profoundly affect motor function. The aim of this study was to investigate non-neurally mediated calf-muscle tightness in children with cerebral palsy (CP) before and after botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injection.

Method: Sixteen children with spastic CP (seven females, nine males; eight at Gross Motor Function Classification System level I, eight at level II; age range 4-10 y) and calf muscle spasticity were tested before and during the pharmaceutically active phase after injection of BoNT-A.

Evaluation of spasticity in children with cerebral palsy using Ashworth and Tardieu Scales compared with laboratory measures.

The content validity of the Tardieu Scale and the Ashworth Scale was assessed in 27 independently ambulant children with cerebral palsy (gender: 17 males, 10 females; age: 5-9 years; Gross Motor Function Classification: level I and II). Ashworth and Tardieu Scale scores and laboratory measures of spasticity and contracture were collected from the plantarflexor muscles by 2 examiners who were blinded to the results. The Tardieu Scale was more effective than the Ashworth Scale in identifying the presence of spasticity (88.

Mechanical properties of the plantarflexor musculotendinous unit during passive dorsiflexion in children with cerebral palsy compared with typically developing children.

Aim: To examine the passive length-tension relations in the myotendinous components of the plantarflexor muscles of children with and without cerebral palsy (CP) under conditions excluding reflex muscle contraction.

Method: A cross-sectional, non-interventional study was conducted in a hospital outpatient clinic. Passive torque-angle characteristics of the ankle were quantified from full plantarflexion to full available dorsiflexion in 26 independently ambulant children with CP (11 females, 15 males; mean age: 6 y 11 mo, range 4 y 7 mo-9 y 7 mo) and 26 age-matched typically developing children (18 females, 8 males; mean age 7 y 2 mo, range 4 y 1 mo-10 y 4 mo).

A randomized controlled trial of the effects of intensive sit-to-stand training after recent traumatic brain injury on sit-to-stand performance.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of intensive practice of sit-to-stand on motor performance, exercise capacity and exercise efficiency in traumatic brain-injured patients during early inpatient rehabilitation.

Design: Single-blind randomized controlled pilot study.

Setting: Brain injury rehabilitation unit.

Clinical physiotherapy specialisation in Australia: some current views.

Clinical specialisation in physiotherapy has a history extending over 20 years. The first specialist fellowships in Australia were awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 1983. In order to gain some insight into current views of specialisation, a questionnaire was circulated to members of the profession as an insertion in the Australian Journal of Physiotherapy.