Passive Movements Do not Appear to Prevent or Reduce Joint Stiffness in Medium to Long-Stay ICU Patients: A Randomized, Controlled, Within-Participant Trial.

Objectives: ICU patients have an increased risk of joint stiffness because of their critical illness and reduced mobility. There is a paucity of evidence evaluating the efficacy of passive movements (PMs). We investigated whether PMs prevent or reduce joint stiffness in ICU patients.

Inspiratory muscle training is feasible and safe for patients with acute spinal cord injury.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and safety and, to a lesser extent efficacy, of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) for patients with acute complete cervical or thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Prospective, observational pilot study comprising a series of case reports.

Setting: Tertiary care, public hospital.

Orthopedic inpatients’ ability to accurately reproduce partial weight bearing orders.

Partial weight bearing is often prescribed for patients with orthopedic injuries. Patients’ ability to accurately reproduce partial weight bearing orders is variable, and its impact on clinical outcomes is unknown. This observational study measured patients’ ability to reproduce partial weight bearing orders, factors influencing this, patients’ and physiotherapists’ ability to gauge partial weight bearing accuracy, and the effect of partial weight bearing accuracy on long-term clinical outcomes.

Randomized controlled trial of interventions designed to reduce the risk of progression to first-episode psychosis in a clinical sample with subthreshold symptoms.

Background: Most disability produced by psychotic illnesses, especially schizophrenia, develops during the prepsychotic period, creating a case for intervention during this period. However, only recently has it been possible to engage people in treatment during this phase.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial compared 2 interventions in 59 patients at incipient risk of progression to first-episode psychosis.