Evidence-based practice confidence and behavior throughout the curriculum of four physical therapy education programs: a longitudinal study.

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a foundational process taught in health professional education, yet it is unclear when EBP confidence and skills are obtained. Increases in EBP confidence and behaviors from the start of physical therapy programs to post graduation have been reported in studies that evaluated a single program or used non-valid questionnaires. This study aimed to describe changes in EBP confidence and behavior using validated questionnaires of students from four physical therapy education programs throughout their curriculum and one year post graduation.

Balance and Mobility Improvements During Inpatient Rehabilitation Are Similar in Young-Old, Mid-Old, and Old-Old Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: To compare balance, mobility, and functional outcomes across 3 age groups of older adults with traumatic brain injury; to describe differences between those discharged to private residences versus institutional care.

Setting: Acute inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Participants: One hundred adults, mean age of 78.

Use of a fracture prevention screening algorithm predicts self-reported falls in postmenopausal women.

: The prevention of falls and fall-related fractures following menopause is an important health initiative. The Fracture Prevention Screening Algorithm (FPSA) uniquely uses fracture risk to prompt fall risk assessment to classify both fall and fracture risk in individuals. The purpose of this study was to determine whether use of the FPSA accurately predicted self-reported falls in post-menopausal women over one year.

Supporting clinical practice behavior change among neurologic physical therapists: a case study in knowledge translation.

Background And Purpose: Physical therapists tend to underuse research evidence in clinical practice. Emerging research on knowledge translation activities (KTAs) provides guidance to address this problem. We describe a yearlong effort to promote clinical practice behavior change in neurologic physical therapists.

Relationships among measures of balance, gait, and community integration in people with brain injury.

Objective: To examine the relationship among measures of gait, balance, and community integration in adults with brain injury.

Setting: Two rehabilitation hospitals.

Participants: Thirty-four community-dwelling individuals with brain injury, aged 18 to 61 years (mean = 32 years), who were able to walk at least 12 m independently or with supervision.

Screening postmenopausal women for fall and fracture prevention.

Fragility fracture prevention has been historically associated with the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. Given that the strongest determinant of fracture is falls, it is critical to add fall risk into clinical decision-making guidelines for fracture prevention. This special interest paper proposes an algorithm based on 2 validated tools: (1) World Health Organization's Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, which evaluates probability of fracture and (2) Functional Gait Assessment, which evaluates fall risk.

Fracture risk and prevention: a multidimensional approach.

Although physical therapists commonly manage neuromusculoskeletal disorders and injuries, their scope of practice also includes prevention and wellness. In particular, this perspective article proposes that physical therapists are well positioned to address the client's skeletal health by incorporating fracture prevention into clinical practice with all adults. Fracture prevention consists primarily of maximizing bone strength and preventing falls.

Competency-based validation of neurologic specialty practice.

Introduction: This paper describes a recent practice analysis of neurologic physical therapy. The purpose of the analysis was to describe the knowledge, skills, and abilities of a neurologic physical therapist and to distinguish elements that the neurologic specialist may perform differently from a nonspecialist. The analysis was done to revalidate and revise the Description of Specialty Practice used by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS).

Predicting caregiver assistance required for sit-to-stand following rehabilitation for acute stroke.

Objective/methods: The objective of this case series was to determine the relationship between impairments identified at hospital admission and a reduced need for sit-to-stand (STS) assistance during an inpatient rehabilitation hospital stay. Fifty- five inpatients with a diagnosis of acute stroke were retrospectively studied. Demographic information and the following admission and discharge measures were collected from a chart review: bilateral dorsiflexion PROM, strength of the unaffected leg, Motricity Index (MI), presence of hemi-neglect, gait velocity, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores for STS, ambulation, and cognition.