Sport Participation Positively Associated with Balance Confidence and Well-being in Transtibial Amputees.

Transtibial amputation (TTA) is the removal of the lower leg often resulting in pain, mental health issues, and a more sedentary lifestyle that lacks physical activity (PA). Low balance confidence and other factors related to the physical and psychosocial adaptation to amputation could contribute to why people with TTA actively avoid PA. Studies have investigated lower extremity amputations and barriers to PA in general, but none have focused solely on transtibial amputation and its relationship with PA participation and avoidance habits.

IFOMPT's Educational Standards and International Monitoring: A member survey and review.

Background: The International Federation of Manual and Musculoskeletal Physical Therapists (IFOMPT) membership requires accreditation of countries postgraduate musculoskeletal physiotherapy programmes to meet IFOMPT's Educational Standards through International Monitoring. The Educational Standards and International Monitoring are both being reviewed.

Objectives: To seek insight and feedback from IFOMPT's membership on the Educational Standards and International Monitoring to inform the current review.

The Immediate Effects of Dry Cupping the Lumbar Paraspinals on Range of Motion and Temperature.

Dry cupping is a therapeutic modality proposed to produce a negative pressure, stretching the skin and underlying tissue. This mechanism is said to promote regional blood flow of oxygenated blood and causing a physiological stretch in the tissue, allowing it to elongate and potentially changing skin temperature. The possible effects of the application to the lumbar spine paraspinal muscles, however, has not been thoroughly examined.

Exploring the personal stroke and rehabilitation experiences of older adults with chronic stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the personal stroke and rehabilitation experiences of older adults with chronic stroke living in a mid-sized Northwestern Ontario city in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach with a constructivist worldview was used. In addition, a semi-structured interview guide was used to gather the participants' perspectives on their experiences throughout stroke recovery.

Shockwave therapy and fibromyalgia and its effect on pain, blood markers, imaging, and participant experience - a multidisciplinary randomized controlled trial.

Background: Patients with fibromyalgia experience chronic, widespread pain. It remains a misunderstood disorder with multimodal treatments providing mixed results.

Objectives: To examine the effects of radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) compared to placebo on pain, pain catastrophizing, psychological indices, blood markers, and neuroimaging.

The Effects of Ankle Taping on Measures of Ground Reaction Forces and Jump Height During a Sport-Specific Vertical Jump in Youth Basketball Players.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ankle taping using zinc oxide tape versus no tape to measure ground reaction forces (GRF) and vertical jump height during a sport-specific vertical jump test in youth basketball players. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling and completed a basketball specific vertical jump test with and without zinc oxide tape. Mean sway velocity, 95% ellipse area, and path length were measured using the AMTI© force platform and vertical jump height using a Vertec© device.

Ovariectomized rat model and shape variation in the bony labyrinth.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a serious concern in aging individuals, but has not been explored for its potential to alter the shape of the inner ear by way of increased remodeling in the otic capsule. The otic capsule, or bony labyrinth, is thought to experience uniquely limited remodeling after development due to high levels of osteoprotegerin. On this basis, despite the widespread remodeling that accompanies osteoporosis, we hypothesize that both the shape and volume of the semicircular canals will resist such changes.

The effects of exercise and active assisted cycle ergometry in post-operative total knee arthroplasty patients - a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the use of an active assisted cycle ergometer as an adjunct to post-operative treatment following total knee arthroplasty.

Method: A total of 55 participants aged 50-80 years who had undergone unilateral total knee arthroplasty were randomly assigned to either the control group (standard of care) or the active assisted cycle ergometer (AACE) group. The effect on patient motivation, blood biomarkers, and knee pain, function, range of motion (ROM), strength, and swelling was examined.

Ankle bracing's effects during a modified agility task: analysis of sEMG, impulse, and time to complete using a crossover, repeated measures design.

This study explored the effects of no braces, softshell (AE), and semi-rigid (T1) ankle braces on time to complete a modified agility task, as well as lower extremity muscle activity and impulse during the change of direction component of the task. Thirty-nine healthy, active individuals completed a modified agility task under the three brace conditions. Time to complete the modified agility task, along with mean surface electromyographic activity (sEMG) and impulse during the deceleration and propulsive phases of the task were measured.

Ankle bracing's effects on lower extremity iEMG activity, force production, and jump height during a Vertical Jump Test: An exploratory study.

Objective: To determine if softshell (AE) and semi-rigid (T1) ankle braces affect lower extremity iEMG activity, force, and jump height during a Vertical Jump Test.

Design: Repeated measures, crossover.

Setting: Laboratory.

The Effects of Ankle Braces on Lower Extremity Electromyography and Performance During Vertical Jumping: A Pilot Study.

Ankle braces have been hypothesized to prevent ankle injuries by restricting range of motion (ROM) and improving proprioception at the ankle. As such, ankle braces are commonly worn by physically active individuals to prevent ankle injuries. Despite their widespread use, the effects that ankle braces have on athletic performance measures, such as vertical jumping, remains unclear.

End-tidal carbon dioxide levels in patients with post-concussion syndrome during neurocognitive and physical tasks compared to a normative control group.

Primary Objective: Recent findings suggest breathing may negatively affect performance after concussion. The aim of the study was to examine group differences between individuals with and without post-concussion syndrome (PCS) in end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO) and respiratory rate (RR) during neurocognitive and physical tasks.

Hypothesis: Individuals in the PCS group will have elevated ETCO and lower RR compared to the control group.

Implementing a structured exercise program for persistent concussion symptoms: a pilot study on the effects on salivary brain-derived neurotrophic factor, cognition, static balance, and symptom scores.

Primary Objective: Persistent concussion symptoms (PCS) affect 10-30% of individuals after sports-related concussion. This study evaluated the effect of exercise-based rehabilitation on symptom scores, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cognitive functions and static balance in a sample of participants with PCS.

Research Design: One group pre-test post-test pilot study.

The effect of patellar taping on lower extremity running kinematics in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

: To investigate the effects of patellar taping (Leukotape® (LT), Pinetown, South Africa, Kinesio Tape (KT), Dortmund, Germany, or no tape) on lower extremity kinematics in runners with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). : In total, 20 healthy individuals and 12 with PFPS ran on a treadmill under different taping conditions and lower extremity kinematics and stride characteristics were obtained using Peak Motus Software, Colorado, USA. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and mixed factorial analysis of variance ( < 0.

Exploring the perspectives of 10-, 11-, and 12-year-old primary school students on physical activity engagement-"'Cause you can't just be sitting at a desk all the time!".

Background: Research indicates that 91% of Canadian children are not engaging in enough physical activity (PA) to achieve health benefits. Physical education (PE) classes have been identified as a way to improve child health by facilitating engagement in movement-based activities. The daily physical activity (DPA) initiative was created with similar intentions and requires that students participate in at least 20 min of PA daily via PE classes and/or during instructional time for other subjects.

Medicinal and useful plants in the tradition of Rotonda, Pollino National Park, Southern Italy.

Background: This paper reports an ethnobotanical survey of the traditional uses of medicinal and useful plants in an area of the Pollino National Park, Basilicata, Southern Italy. The study, conducted between 2009 and 2010, gathered information on the medicinal plants traditionally used in the neighbourhood of town of Rotonda, in the Pollino National Park, that appears have very rich and interesting ethnopharmacological traditions.

Methods: In all, we interviewed 120 key informants, whose age ranged between 50 and 95 years.

Regulatory T-cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: actor or innocent bystander?

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are now under extensive investigation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This small subset of T-cells has been, in fact, considered to be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of CLL. However, whether Treg dysregulation in CLL plays a key role or it rather represents a simple epiphenomenon is still matter of debate.

[Therapeutic infusion of heparin. Application of a nomogram correlated with weight].

We performed a retrospective study to determine whether the use of a nomogram in General Medicine Wards is superior to the empiric method for the adjustment of heparin dosage. In the period october 1998-september 1999 we treated 138 patients with continuous infusion of heparin using a weight-based nomogram. Then we compared these data (nomogram group) with data from period october 1997-september 1998, when we had treated 155 patients with heparin, using empiric method for dose adjustments (empiric group).