Evaluation of participation in a former rehabilitation population: a comparison between USER-Participation Restriction and Satisfaction subscales and PROMIS Ability to Participate and PROMIS Satisfaction with participation 8-item short forms in a cross-sectional multicentre study.

Background: Several Patient Reported Outcome Measurements (PROMs) can be used to quantify participation in rehabilitation patients, yet there is limited comparative research on their content and psychometric properties to make an informed decision between them.

Objective: To compare the content and several psychometric properties of the Restriction and Satisfaction subscales of the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation - Participation (USER-P) with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities (PROMIS-APS) and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities (PROMIS-SPS) v2.0 8-item short forms.

Dutch Dataset Vocational Rehabilitation for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Baseline Patients' Characteristics and Program Eligibility.

Purpose: Vocational rehabilitation (VR) is an intervention to improve return to work for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP). However, a systematic overview of characteristics of referred patients or eligible for VR is lacking, which hinders comparability across studies. Objectives were (1) to describe characteristics of patients with CMP referred to and eligible for VR and (2) to identify factors that contribute to VR eligibility.

Effect of Training for an Athletic Challenge on Illness Cognition in Individuals with Chronic Disability: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Illness cognitions (IC) influence how a patient adapts to a chronic disease. The aim was (1) to determine if training for a handcycling mountain time trial (HandbikeBattle) improves IC and (2) to identify factors associated with IC change scores. Persons with a chronic disability (N = 220; including N = 151 with spinal cord disorder) trained 5 months and participated in the time trial.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Pneumonia in Individuals With Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Multi-national, Multi-center, Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To describe the occurrence of pneumonia in individuals with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) and identify its key predictors.

Design: Multi-centric, longitudinal cohort study.

Setting: 10 specialized SCI rehabilitation units in Europe and Australia.

Stroke survivors' long-term participation in paid employment.

Background: Knowledge on long-term participation is scarce for patients with paid employment at the time of stroke.

Objective: Describe the characteristics and the course of participation (paid employment and overall participation) in patients who did and did not remain in paid employment.

Methods: Patients with paid employment at the time of stroke completed questions on work up to 30 months after starting rehabilitation, and the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation (USER-P, Frequency, Restrictions and Satisfaction scales) up to 24 months.

The impact of lower-limb function on upper-limb pull and push strength in elite handcycling athletes.

This study investigated the impact of performing a closed kinetic chain with the lower limbs on isometric upper-limb pull and push strength. Sixty-two elite handcyclists were assessed with the Manual Muscle Test and allocated to groups with partial to normal (LLF) or no lower-limb (no-LLF) function. Both groups performed upper-limb strength measurements under two kinetic-chain conditions.

Effective bowel management in spinal cord injury during inpatient rehabilitation: data from the Dutch spinal cord injury database.

Study Design: Retrospective Observational Study.

Objectives: To describe bowel management in individuals with a recently acquired spinal cord injury (SCI) both at admittance and discharge from first inpatient rehabilitation, and to determine factors that contribute to effective bowel management (EBM) at discharge.

Setting: Specialized rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands.

Changes in body satisfaction during and after a 5-month handcycle training period and associations with physical capacity and body composition in individuals with a physical impairment.

Purpose: To investigate: (1) changes in body satisfaction during five months of handcycle training and one year after the training period; (2) whether longitudinal changes are dependent on sex, waist circumference and severity of the physical impairment; (3) associations between changes in physical capacity or body composition, and body satisfaction.

Materials And Methods: Individuals ( = 143) with health conditions such as spinal cord injury filled out the Adult Body Satisfaction Questionnaire: at the start of the training (T1), directly after the training period (T2); and four months (T3) and one year after the training period (T4). At T1 and T2, physical capacity was determined with an upper-body graded exercise test, and waist circumference was measured.

Using Self-Regulation Assessment to Explore Associations between Self-Regulation, Participation and Health-Related Quality of Life in a Rehabilitation Population.

Objective: Self-regulation, participation and health-related quality of life are important rehabilitation outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore associations between these outcomes in a multi-diagnostic and heterogenic group of former rehabilitation patients.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey used the Self-Regulation Assessment (SeRA), Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-participation (USERParticipation) and the Patient-Reported-Outcome-Measurement-System (PROMIS) ability and PROMIS satisfaction with participation in social roles, and the EuroQol-5L-5D and PROMIS-10 Global Health.

Current practices, needs, and expectations of discussing work with a medical specialist from a patient's perspective: a qualitative study.

Purpose: Attention to paid work in clinical health care-clinical work-integrating care (CWIC)-might be beneficial for patients of working age. However, the perceptions and expectations of patients about CWIC are unknown. The aim of this study was to develop an understanding of current practices, needs, and expectations among patients for discussing work with a medical specialist.

A cross-sectional comparison of patient characteristics across healthcare settings using the minimal dataset for adults with acquired brain injury (MDS-ABI).

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can have lifelong consequences and accordingly, persons with ABI often receive various types of healthcare. Facilities have their own preferences towards measurement instruments used to evaluate patients, impeding data comparison across healthcare settings. In this cross-sectional study, we used the previously developed minimal dataset for persons with ABI (MDS-ABI) to uniformly document and compare characteristics and outcomes of ABI patients in three healthcare settings: (1) residential care (= 21), (2) non-residential care (= 80), and (3) no ABI-related care (= 22).

Association between upper-limb isometric strength and handcycling performance in elite athletes.

This study investigated the association among isometric upper-limb strength of handcyclists and sport-specific performance outcomes. At two international events, 62 athletes were tested on upper-limb strength, measured with an isometric-strength setup and with Manual Muscle Test (MMT). Horizontal force (F), effectiveness, rate of development, variability, and asymmetries were calculated for upper-limb pull and push.

The Self-Regulation Assessment (SeRA) questionnaire: development and exploratory analyses of a new patient-reported outcome measure for rehabilitation.

Purpose: To develop and explore underlying dimensions of the Self-Regulation Assessment (SeRA) and psychometric features of potential components. Further, to identify associations between the SeRA and disability-management self-efficacy, type of diagnosis, and type of rehabilitation.

Materials And Methods: Based on a previously developed model of self-regulation, expert and patient opinions, and cognitive interviews, a list of 22 items on self-regulation (the SeRA) was constructed.

External and Internal Work Load During a Mountain Time Trial in Trained Handcyclists Versus a World-Class Handcyclist and Determinants of Performance.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to evaluate the external and internal work load of trained handcyclists during a mountain time trial, to compare the results with a world-class handcyclist, and to identify time trial performance determinants.

Design: Ten trained and one world-class handcyclists performed a graded exercise test to determine power output and heart rate at the (first and second) ventilatory thresholds and exhaustion. Power output and heart rate were continuously measured during the race.

Management of sleep-disordered breathing in three spinal cord injury rehabilitation centres around the world: a mixed-methods study.

Study Design: Mixed-methods observational study.

Objective: To describe the sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) management models of three spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation centres that are screening, diagnosing and treating uncomplicated SDB, and to determine their common elements.

Setting: Three specialist SCI rehabilitation centres.

Low drop-out rates in the HandbikeBattle free-living training study: understanding the reasons for dropping out.

Study Design: Longitudinal observational study.

Objectives: During the five-month free-living training period for the HandbikeBattle event several participants dropped out. The aim of this study was to clarify the numbers and reasons for drop out, and to characterize the differences between study participants who did (dropouts) and did not (competitors) drop out during the training period for the HandbikeBattle event.

Maladaptive schemas of patients with functional neurological symptom disorder.

Background: The psychological underpinnings of functional neurological symptom disorders (FNSD) remain poorly understood. A disintegration of explicit and implicit information processing in patients with FNSD has previously been suggested; however, this suggestion has so far received little empirical support. Trauma and maladaptive schemas probably reinforce disintegration in FNSD.

Mobile App (WHEELS) to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle in Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury or Lower Limb Amputation: Usability and Feasibility Study.

Background: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important for wheelchair users' well-being, as it can have a major impact on their daily functioning. Mobile health (mHealth) apps can support a healthy lifestyle; however, these apps are not necessarily suitable for wheelchair users with spinal cord injury or lower limb amputation. Therefore, a new mHealth app (WHEELS) was developed to promote a healthy lifestyle for this population.

A Role for Trunk Function in Elite Recumbent Handcycling Performance?

Handcycling classification considers trunk function, but there is limited scientific evidence of trunk involvement in recumbent performance. This study investigated the association between trunk function and recumbent handcycling performance of athletes without upper-limb impairments (H3-H4 sport classes). The study was divided into two parts.

Comparison of two Borg exertion scales for monitoring exercise intensity in able-bodied participants, and those with paraplegia and tetraplegia.

Study Design: Cross-sectional cohort study.

Objectives: To compare ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) on Borg's 6-20 RPE scale and Category Ratio 10 (CR10) in able-bodied (AB) participants during upper and lower body exercise, and recreationally active participants with paraplegia (PARA) and athletes with tetraplegia (TETRA) during upper body exercise only.

Setting: University and rehabilitation centre-based laboratories in UK and Netherlands.

Measurement Properties of the Work Ability Score in Sick-Listed Workers with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain.

Purpose Chronic musculoskeletal pain can have a major impact on ability to work. The work ability score is a commonly used single-item question to assess work ability but has not been fully validated yet. The aim of the present study was to evaluate test-retest reliability, agreement, construct validity, and responsiveness of the work ability score among sick-listed workers with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Faecal Microbiota in Patients with Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction and Spinal Cord Injury or Multiple Sclerosis-A Systematic Review.

Background: Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) frequently occurs in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) with comparable symptoms and is often difficult to treat. It has been suggested the gut microbiota might influence the course of NBD. We systematically reviewed the literature on the composition of the gut microbiota in SCI and MS, and the possible role of neurogenic bowel function, diet and antibiotic use.

Differences in Societal Participation Across Diagnostic Groups: Secondary Analyses of 8 Studies Using the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation.

Objective: To determine differences in participation problems between diagnostic groups and to examine diagnosis as a determinant of participation with and without statistically accounting for confounders.

Design: Secondary analyses of data from 8 studies.

Setting: Community, the Netherlands.

Effects of Handrail and Cane Support on Energy Cost of Walking in People With Different Levels and Causes of Lower Limb Amputation.

Objective: The energy cost of walking with a lower limb prosthesis is higher than able-bodied walking and depends on both cause and level of amputation. This increase might partly be related to problems with balance control. In this study we investigated to what extent energy cost can be reduced by providing support through a handrail or cane and how this depends on level and cause of amputation.

The Course of Physical Capacity in Wheelchair Users During Training for the HandbikeBattle and at 1-Yr Follow-up.

Objective: The aims of this study were (1) to compare physical capacity at 1-yr follow-up with physical capacity before and after the training period for the HandbikeBattle event and (2) to identify determinants of the course of physical capacity during follow-up.

Design: This was a prospective observational study. Former rehabilitation patients (N = 33) with health conditions such as spinal cord injury or amputation were included.