Effects of a Rehabilitation Nursing Program on Muscle Strength, Flexibility, Self efficacy and Health Related Quality of Life in Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a rehabilitation nursing program(RNP) for persons with disabilities. a quasi-experimental pretest and post test study was used to examine the changes of patient's muscle strength, flexibility, self efficacy and health related quality of life at the completion of an 8-week education and physical exercise with a Thera-Band and Exercise Ball course. The subjects consisted of 40 adults who were disabled. Twenty-two experimental and 18 control subjects completed pre and post-test measures. Outcome variables were flexibility, hand grip, elbow flexor and extensor, knee flexor and extensor, self efficacy and quality of life. Independent t-test and ANCOVA were used to examine group differences by using SPSS 12.0. Mean comparisons of the change scores revealed that the experimental group increased significantly in knee extremity flexor(p=0.035), extensor(p=0.039), flexibility(p=0.008), self efficacy(p=0.000), and quality of life(p=0.000). No significant group differences were found in each patient's hand grip, elbow flexor and extensor. RNP can improve lower extremity flexibility, muscle strength, self efficacy and health related quality of life in people with disabilities. The intervention to tailor exercise and education to the unique needs of the disability was suggested for further study.