Level Of Functional Ability Research Articles

Providing Real-Time Wearable Feedback to Increase Hand Use after Stroke: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

After stroke, many people substantially reduce use of their impaired hand in daily life, even if they retain even a moderate level of functional hand ability. Here, we tested whether providing real-time, wearable feedback on the number of achieved hand movements, along with a daily goal, can help people increase hand use intensity. Twenty participants with chronic stroke wore the Manumeter, a novel magnetic wristwatch/ring system that counts finger and wrist movements. We randomized them to wear the device for three weeks with (feedback group) or without (control group) real-time hand count feedback and a daily goal. Participants in the control group used the device as a wristwatch, but it still counted hand movements. We found that the feedback group wore the Manumeter significantly longer (11.2 ± 1.3 h/day) compared to the control group (10.1 ± 1.1 h/day). The feedback group also significantly increased their hand counts over time (p = 0.012, slope = 9.0 hand counts/hour per day, which amounted to ~2000 additional counts per day by study end), while the control group did not (p-value = 0.059; slope = 4.87 hand counts/hour per day). There were no significant differences between groups in any clinical measures of hand movement ability that we measured before and after the feedback period, although several of these measures improved over time. Finally, we confirmed that the previously reported threshold relationship between hand functional capacity and daily use was stable over three weeks, even in the presence of feedback, and established the minimal detectable change for hand count intensity, which is about 30% of average daily intensity. These results suggest that disuse of the hand after stroke is temporarily modifiable with wearable feedback, but do not support that a 3-week intervention of wearable hand count feedback provides enduring therapeutic gains.

A STUDY OF MENTAL ACTIVITY AMONG HEALTHY MEDICAL STUDENTS USING A VIRTUAL MODEL TO INVESTIGATE ACUTE COGNITIVE STRESS EFFECTS

<p>Studies have shown that first-year medical students, experience psychological stress and, in some cases, mental illness due to new environments and stressful study regimes of the medical universities. An experimental study was conducted on first and next (2-3) year medical students of both genders. In the acute stress-recognized virtual model, participants were exposed to two increasing complexity visual tasks. Some derivative indices: correct answers in percent (CA%), reaction sustainability (RS), and functional ability level (FAL) were calculated based on the reaction time measures during simple and complex sensorimotor reactions (SSMRT, CSMRT). For statistical analysis ANOVA and Bonferroni correction t-test was used. No significant differences were found in mental activity between the two genders in 2-3 year medical students, except for CA% in the males' group during CSMRT which indicates that males concentrate well; There were significant differences in parameters of SSMRT (RS; CA%) and CSMRT (RS; FAL; CA%) between first-year males and females; Significant differences were found also in parameters of SSMRT (RS; CA%) and CSMRT (FAL; CA%) between first and next-year medical students in the females' group and no significant differences between first and next-year medical students in males group. Seems independent of gender, in 2-3 year medical students the sensorimotor and cognitive abilities are almost the same. The better mental performance parameters in the male group of first-year students can be explained only by the presence of certain stress in the female group, which can be related to the difficulty adapting to new environments and stressful learning regimes. In addition, male students are able to concentrate better compared to females on acute visual stress. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the psychophysiology of mental activity and further demonstrate how a virtual model can be used to investigate acute cognitive stress effects.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0447/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Reference values of gait characteristics in community-dwelling older persons with different physical functional levels

BackgroundMobility is one major component of healthy ageing of older persons. It includes gait speed, nowadays valued as the sixth vital sign of ageing. Quantitative gait analysis can support clinical diagnostics, monitor progression of diseases and provide information about the efficacy of interventions. Fast gait speed is an additional marker in the area of functional ability. Our aim was to contribute reference values of gait parameters of older persons based on their functional ability.MethodsWe visualised and combined three different established frameworks that assess gait characteristics into a new framework based approach that comprises eight gait parameters: gait speed, stride length, walk ratio, single and double support time, step width, step width CV (coefficient of variance), stride length CV. Gait parameters were stratified by two instruments that indicate levels of functional ability: First, the LUCAS Functional Ability Index (FAI), a self-administered screening tool easy to apply to a public-health orientated approach and second the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), an established performance test widely used in comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGA). Gait parameters of older community-dwelling persons were measured with an objective Gait system (GAITRite) across differing functional ability ranging from robust to transient (postrobust and prefrail) to frail physical status.ResultsOf 642 community-dwelling participants (age 78.5 ± 4.8; n = 233 male, n = 409 female) categorisations by SPPB were 27.1% for robust (11–12 points), 44.2% for transient (8–10 points), 28.7% for frail (0–7 points), and 16.2, 50.3, 33.5% for robust, transient, frail by LUCAS FAI. Overall, our results showed that distinction by functional level only uncovers a wide spectrum of functional decline for all investigated gait parameters. Stratification by functional ability (biological age) revealed a greater range of differentiation than chronological age.ConclusionsGait parameters, carefully selected by literature, showed clinically meaningful differences between the functional featuring a gradient declining from robust over transient to frail in most gait parameters. We found discriminative power of stratifications by SPPB to be the highest, closely followed by LUCAS FAI, age groups and dichotomous age making the application of the LUCAS FAI more cost and time effective than conducting SPPB.

MHealth Apps for Low Back Pain Self-management: Scoping Review.

BackgroundThe role of self-management in health promotion, as well as prevention and rehabilitation, is increasing through the use of mobile health (mHealth) apps. Such mHealth apps are also increasingly being used for self-management of low back pain (LBP), but their effectiveness has not been sufficiently explored.ObjectiveThe aim of this scoping review was to provide an overview of the literature on self-management mHealth apps and their effects on the levels of pain and disability in people with LBP.MethodsWe applied the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) methodology, including a priori research questions. A literature search was conducted in 2 databases (PubMed and PEDro) for studies published between January 1, 2015, and June 17, 2021. Interventional, cohort, or case series studies with an interventional period were included if the mHealth app included built-in self-management content, the app was used for self-management for people with LBP, and the study reported outcomes regarding pain and disability in people with LBP.ResultsIn total, 7 studies were selected for the review with overall 2307 persons with LBP, of whom 1328 (57.56%) were women. Among the studies (5/7, 71%) that reported the type of pain, 85% (390/459) of the participants were experiencing chronic LBP. A total of 5 different mHealth apps were identified, of which 4 contributed to a statistically significant reduction in LBP and clinically meaningful changes. Of the 7 studies, 4 (57%) used 4 different assessments for disability, of which 3 (75%) showed statistically significant improvements in the level of functional ability of participants in the experimental groups using an mHealth app with built-in self-management content for LBP.ConclusionsThis scoping review supports the conclusion that people with LBP may benefit from mHealth apps that provide self-management content. However, the generalizability of the findings is limited because of heterogeneity in the pain characterization of the included participants and the intervention durations. More high-quality studies with longer follow-up periods to investigate personalized mHealth approaches are recommended for LBP self-management.

Risk factors for depression among older adults living alone in Shanghai, China.

Rapid population ageing and the increasing number of older adults living alone are important phenomena. Older adults are prone to depression. This study aimed to investigate the depression of older adults living alone in Shanghai and its risk factors. The data from the survey of quality of life of community-dwelling older adults in Shanghai from April 2015 to March 2016 was used in this study. A total of 387 older adults living alone in two communities in Shanghai participated in this study. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data, including depression, the presence of chronic diseases, functional ability, self-rated health, loneliness, social support and sociodemographic variables. The prevalence of depression was 26.9%. There were significant differences across the participants of different genders, education levels, previous occupations, economic levels, residential areas, physical activity levels, chronic diseases, functional ability levels, levels of self-rated health, loneliness levels and social support levels (P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analyses found that self-rated health (odds ratio (OR)=5.914, P=0.001) and loneliness (OR=1.132, P < 0.001) were risk factors of depression. The psychological and physical health of older adults living alone need to be emphasised. Appropriate interventions could be implemented to prevent depression, so as to promote the quality of life of older adults, and achieve active ageing and healthy ageing.

RESULTS OF FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF ABDOMINAL PRESS MUSCLES IN PATIENTS AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY IN LONG-TERM PERIOD

The Aim is to determine the level of functional ability of abdominal muscles in patients of different ages after LCH in the long-term rehabilitation period.&#x0D; Materials and methods. Lovett's manual muscle testing (MMT) was performed on 113 patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LCH), who were undergoing rehabilitation at the Morshyn kurort resort complex in 2020 and 2021. The average age of patients was 52,96±0,62 years. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to three age categories: group A - women aged 18 to 44 years (n = 14); group B - aged 45 to 59 years (n = 79); group C aged from 60 to 74 years (n = 20). Inclusion criteria: patients after LCH from 1 month to 1 year after surgery. Exclusion criteria: patients who have contraindications to testing: early postoperative period; pregnancy; severe circulatory failure, the presence of patients with neuropsychiatric pathology; peptic ulcer of the stomach and, or duodenum with bleeding, patients' refusal to participate in the study.&#x0D; Methods. Evaluators were blinded during testing. Methods of synthesis, analysis and mathematical statistics. Indicators under study: functional ability of torso flexion and rotation muscles.&#x0D; In order to assess the effect of LCH on the functional ability of the abdominal muscles, MMT was performed according to the Lovett method.&#x0D; The results of the study. The results of the assessment of the functional ability of the abdominal muscles of patients after LCH in the long term indicate a decrease in the strength of the abdominal muscles in patients of three groups. Analyzing the results, it was found that the functional ability to bend the torso was the best in the youngest group A 2.86 ± 0.20 points. Slightly lower level of torso flexion was in group B 2.44 ± 0.07 points and the worst in the oldest group C - 2.20 ± 0.11 points. A statistically significant difference was found between the three groups in this indicator. In all three groups, the level of functional flexion of the abdominal muscles of patients after LCH was low. However, it was found that in three age groups there is an asymmetry in the level of muscle strength - in all patients the muscles that perform the function of torso rotation on the right are weaker than the muscles on the left side. In all three groups, there was a greater statistically significant difference between the strength of the functional ability of the abdominal muscles to rotate on the left than on the right. This result indicates that even minor surgery with minor damage to muscle fibers and fascia reduces the functional capacity of the abdominal muscles. LCH leads to an asymmetry in the strength of the external and internal oblique muscles of the abdominal press - a statistically significant decrease in the functional state of these muscles on the right compared with the strength of the muscles on the left in all age groups.&#x0D; Conclusions. The low level of functional ability of the abdominal muscles of patients after LCH in the long term requires the inclusion in the protocols of rehabilitation physical therapy and occupational therapy. Accordingly, physical therapy and occupational therapy programs at this stage should include techniques to increase the strength of the abdominal muscles, due to the postponed surgery, recovery and improvement of motor capacity.

심부전 환자의 신체적 수행 능력에 따른 도구적 일상생활 수준과 인지 수준의 연관성

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the level of physical functional ability in patients with heart failure and to suggest the correlation between cognitive level and instrumental daily activity level with physical function ability. Methods: The study included individuals who were diagnosed with heart failure and those who were not diagnosed with stroke. Among 66 patients who were tested for weakness at S Hospital located in Gyeonggi-do from June 2021 to April 2022, data from 56 patients were selected and analyzed. Results: In the correlation between MMSE-K and SPPB, balance (r = .381, p &lt; .01), gait speed (r = .368, p &lt; .01), chair stand (r = .245, p &gt;.05), and total score (r = .387, p &lt; .01) showed a positive correlation except for the chair stand. In the correlation between K-IADL and SPPB, balance (r = −.532, p &lt; .01), gait speed (r = −.644, p &lt; .01), chair stand (r = −.391, p &lt; .01), and total score (r = −.600, p &lt; .01) showed a negative correlation. The higher the simple physical function, the higher the cognitive level and the lower the level of need for help in the level of instrumental daily activities. Conclusion: A correlation was found between the level of physical function and the level of cognitive and instrumental daily activities in patients with heart failure; thus, its evaluation is essential.

Assessment of functional ability by anthropometric and physiological parameters during six-minute walk test in healthy children.

To assess the functional ability and vitals of young children using six-minute walk test. The analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 to January 2020 at public and private schools of Rawalpindi and Islamabad after approval from the ethics review committee of Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Westridge Campus Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and comprised healthy children aged 7-12 years who were subjected to the six-minute walk test according to standardised guidelines. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements, distance walked in six minutes, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and rate of perceived exertion were the outcome variables. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. Of the 376 subjects, 225(59.8%) were boys and 151(40.2%) were girls. The mean age of the sample was 9.25±1.64 years. Mean distance covered by the children was 482.63±119.76 metres. Public school students performed better than those studying in private schools (p=0.001). The difference in gender terms was non-significant (p=0.926). Significant difference was observed in mean heart rate and respiratory rate post-walk (p<0.05). There was a weak positive correlation of the test with age and height (p<0.001), but not with weight, gender and body mass index (p>0.05). The level of functional ability of the young students improved with age and was better among those studying at public schools. Besides, anthropometric and physiological parameters influenced the text performance.

Validity of Dual-Minima Algorithm for Heel-Strike and Toe-Off Prediction for the Amputee Population

Assessment of gait deficits relies on accurate gait segmentation based on the key gait events of heel strike (HS) and toe-off (TO). Kinematics-based estimation of gait events has shown promise in this regard, especially using the leg velocity signal and gyroscopic sensors. However, its validation for the amputee population is not established in the literature. The goal of this study is to assess the accuracy of lower-leg angular velocity signal in determining the TO and HS instants for the amputee population. An open data set containing marker data of 10 subjects with unilateral transfemoral amputation during treadmill walking was used. A rule-based dual-minima algorithm was developed to detect the landmarks in the shank velocity signal indicating TO and HS events. The predictions were compared against the force platform data for 2595 walking cycles from 239 walking trials. The results showed considerable accuracy for the HS with a median error of −1 ms. The TO prediction error was larger with the median ranging from 35–84 ms. The algorithm consistently predicted the TO earlier than the actual event. Significant differences were found between the prediction accuracy for the sound and prosthetic legs. The prediction accuracy was also affected by the subjects’ mobility level (K-level) but was largely unaffected by gait speed. In conclusion, the leg velocity profile during walking can predict the heel-strike and toe-off events for the transfemoral amputee population with varying degrees of accuracy depending upon the leg side and the amputee’s functional ability level.

Dynamics of the quality of life of patients with periimplantitis with complex use of laserotherapy and low-frequency electrostatic field

The article is devoted to the study of the dynamics of the quality of life of patients with peri-implantitis in the course of combined use of a low-frequency electrostatic field and low-intensity infrared laser therapy. It has been shown that in the initial state, the quality of life of patients with peri-implantitis is significantly reduced in comparison with the group of healthy individuals. The high sensitivity of the «Chewing food» domain in relation to disease progression was established, which allows considering this domain as the effectiveness of the treatment provided. The course combined use of an infrared laser and a low-frequency electrostatic field in the treatment of post-prosthetic inflammatory complications during dental implantation, along with high clinical efficacy, has a maximum corrective effect on the quality of life of patients. Additional evidence of the obtained data, objectifying the subjective opinion of patients in relation to their quality of life, is the results of correlation adaptometry. This technique, based on the parameters of the correlation matrix, makes it possible to distinguish a state of stable homeostatic equilibrium, in which changes in regressor factors (clinical-functional, biochemical, psychological, and other variables) are not reflected at the level of the resulting trait, the function of which was performed by the quality of life. The use of correlation adaptometry confirmed the high efficiency of combined physiotherapy in relation to the quality of life of patients with peri-implantitis, which indicates the formation of a high level of functional reserves and adaptive abilities of the body.

Understanding Acceptability, Barriers, and Facilitators to Clinical Implementation of the on Track Developmental Monitoring System for Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Qualitative Study

Aims On Track Developmental Monitoring System (DMS) is a novel series of tools to assist in shared-decision making, guide rehabilitation intervention based on functional ability levels, and promote episodic care service models. Further understanding of the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of On Track DMS in clinical settings is critical. The purpose of this study was to understand clinician perspectives of the acceptability of On Track DMS and to identify potential implementation barriers and facilitators within pediatric physical therapist practice. Methods Three, day-long training workshops were conducted with 32 pediatric physical therapists across the US. Focus groups with 21 workshop participants were conducted following training. Results were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded into themes. Results Three themes emerged from the data: (1) Valuing the On Track Approach to Intervention; (2) Setting-Specific Needs and Challenges to Implementation; and (3) Training Material/Tool Strengths and Limitations. Conclusions On Track DMS appears to have initial value and acceptability for pediatric physical therapists across practice settings. Perceived benefits include facilitation of data-driven practice and therapist/family collaboration to improve health outcomes for children with CP. Using this data to understand and assess barriers and facilitators to knowledge use are first steps in successfully implementing On Track DMS.

Level of Students ‘Functional Abilities as a Parameter for Determining Differences in Triglyceride, Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and Body Composition in Students

The aim of the study was to determine the differences in the level of fat, sugar and body structure based on the level of functional abilities. The sample of respondents are students of the University of Bihać who also completed the shuttle run test (BEEPT). T-test for independent samples revealed the existence of statistically significant differences between the arithmetic means of the two groups of subjects for (AMAS, p = 0 .011), (BMI p = 0 .000), (FAT%, p = 0.000), (FMKG p) = 0.000). A statistically significant difference was also found in the variable triglycerides (TRIGL p = 0.019), while in the other variables no statistically significant difference was found in the two groups of subjects in favor of subjects who had better results in functional abilities. The coefficient of discriminant canonical correlation is (0.512), as is Wilks lambda, (0.738), which indicates very high discrimination between groups (sig. 000). The greatest contribution to the formation of the discriminatory function was given by the variables FMKG - .801, FATPR -.760, BMI - .707, AMAS - .390, TRIGL - .358, HOLE - .235. The centroids of the groups show a large distance between the results of the groups because they are located at both ends of the coordinate system. The first group consists of positive results of a total of 7 variables, which means that the respondents of the first group had significantly better results in these variables. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the increase in cholesterol triglycerides and some parameters of body structure affected the level of health status as well as body composition in students.

Resilience amongst the Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Many old people live with challenges, poor health and hardship in their life. In spite of the crisis and losses, they tend to experience low impact as compared to the general population, which may be accounted to their resilience. Resilience is achieving the same level of functional ability as such of the pre-crisis state. A study was conducted online to assess resilience amongst the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in a selected rural community area, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India. A descriptive research design was used. The sample size was 67. Convenient sampling technique was adopted. The demographic profile and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25 were used as data collection instruments. Many older people showed moderate levels of resilience, and the mean score was 57.86. Gender and educational status and family income were significantly associated with resilience.

Impact of structured physical activity program on the level of functional ability of Persons with Mental Illness.

BACKGROUND:A structured physical activity program has many health benefits. Physical activity improves the functional ability of a patient with mental illness as an adjunctive treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a physical activity program on the level of functional ability of patients with mental illness.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A pre-experimental research design and one group pre-post design were adopted. Thirty-one in-patients with mental illness who met the inclusion criteria were recruited for the study using convenient sampling. Baseline data were collected using sociodemographic and illness profiles developed by the researcher and validated by the experts. Functional ability and illness severity were assessed using the standardized World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) (36-item version) and the Clinical Global Improvement Scale. Pretest, i.e., intervention with structured physical activity, was administered for 40 consecutive days. A posttest was given 30 days after the intervention ended to assess the impact of the structured physical activity program on the level of functional ability among the study participants.RESULTS:The impact of structured physical activity on functional ability was measured using the WHODAS 2.0, a 36-item version. The paired Sample t-test and the Wilcoxon Rank test analyzed the data. There was a significant improvement in the overall functional ability of study participants at P = 0. 001.CONCLUSION:The study findings support that structured physical activity substantially impacts functional ability among patients with mental illnesses.

Preparedness of senior preschool children with mental retardation to learn ball games

Introduction. Ball games, being a unique motor activity, combine the opportunities for favourable psychomotor, social and personal development of children. According to World Health Organisation experts, the value of ball games as a means and form of physical activity lies in the fact that they improve cognitive abilities and physical fitness of children with intellectual disabilities and hyperkinetic behaviour / hyperactivity syndrome. However, in order to achieve effective results in teaching ball games to children with disabilities, their level of physical fitness and functional abilities needs to be taken into account. The aim of the study was to examine and assess the level of readiness of senior preschool children with mental retardation to learn ball games, with further comparison of the findings with survey results in respect of children without developmental disabilities. Materials and methods. The research involved two groups of senior preschool children attending preschool institutions of Belgorod (Russian Federation). The diagnostic ball game exercises recommended in the programme “Play to your heart’s content”, as well as the methods of mathematical statistics (Student’s t-test), were used. Results. Talking of preschool children’s readiness to master ball games, we mean a well-formed orientative framework of motor actions with a ball in the form of knowledge and ideas about the motor task, mastering the ways to effectuate these actions, motivation towards achieving the result. The obtained data confirmed that children with mental retardation have insufficient readiness to master ball games and exercises. The optimal and average level of readiness to master ball games and exercises is recorded in 54.83% of children with mental retardation and in 80.64% of children without developmental disabilities. A total of 45.16% of children with mental retardation and 19.35% of children without developmental disabilities have problems of visuomotor coordination, attention development, low control and regulation of own actions, low level of coordinating a motor act with external environment. The processing of the obtained results shows statistical reliability of differences (p&lt;0.05) in average indicator values (score) in game exercise performance within the modules “Football” and “Basketball” between children with mental retardation and children without developmental disabilities. Conclusion. The data obtained on the level of readiness of preschool children with mental retardation to master ball games testify to the need to identify due goals and content of individual assignments towards overcoming existing problems, the feasibility of organising child-adult interaction aimed at conveying and mastering motor experience.

Functional activity and communication-social ability of youths with developmental disabilities: a qualitative study.

[Purpose] To describe the functional activity and the communication-social ability levels of youths with developmental disabilities and to determine whether demographic factors predict these levels. [Participants and Methods] A mixed, observational and qualitative, study in which parents of students with developmental disabilities were interviewed based on the WeeFIM questions. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analysed. [Results] Data were collected for 30 youths with mild to severe developmental disabilities with mean age 18.5 ± 2.7 years (19 males). Mean WeeFIM total score was 106.2 ± 10.9, indicating relatively high functional and communication-social ability. No significant difference was observed for the total WeeFIM score between males and females and between adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities. Main themes emerged from the interviews were: Difficulties with smooth and stable walking, transfers to/from bathtub and stairs. Also, youths are expressing a need for independence in self-care, while relationships with their peers are difficult and problems are primarily solved with help from their parents. [Conclusion] Despite the high functional and communication-social ability levels of a group of youths with developmental disabilities, parents revealed that youths had certain difficulties. Therapy should address such difficulties to promote independence and participation of these young people in the community.

Correlation between Level of Functional Ability and Sports Performance among Football Players with Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI)

Background: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is the most common injury among the football players and it occurs with the players who have history of repetitive ankle sprain. This will result in limitation of functional ability and sport performance of a football player. However, most of the sport rehabilitation focused on the sport performance of an athletic after ankle sprain injury and the functional ability was not stressed on during the return to sport process. It is because the relationship between the level functional ability and sport performance among the football players with CAI is still unclear.&#x0D; Objectives: To determine the relationship between the level of functional ability and sports performance among the football players with chronic ankle instability (CAI).&#x0D; Study Design: Correlation study.&#x0D; Methods: Forty two (n=42) of football players were involved in this study by convenience sampling design. Football players filled in the questionnaire which was Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) which included the activities of daily living (ADL) subscale and sports subscale. The total score of each subscale for all the players were calculated and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze the relationship.&#x0D; Results: A total of twenty five (60%) of the football players had higher ADL score than the sports score while seventeen (40%) of them had higher sports score than ADL score. The mean score for ADL subscale was 79.63±20.64 (%) whereas for sports subscale was 75.59±25.43 (%). Pearson’s correlation was .92 (r=.92) and it is significant at .01 level (p &lt;.00).&#x0D; Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between the level of functional ability and sports performance among the football players with chronic ankle instability (CAI).&#x0D; Implication: It provides a guideline for the physiotherapy or football player to plan a more structured rehabilitation in order to improve the quality of return to sport performance.

Функциональное состояние центральной и вегетативной регуляции у врачей экстренной помощи молодого возраста в северном регионе

The purpose of this research was to analyse the functional state of the central and autonomic nervous systems in young emergency physicians working in the northern region. Materials and methods. We examined 33 emergency physicians of a multidisciplinary hospital in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra aged 25 to 43 years (19 men and 14 women). The functional state of the central nervous system (CNS) was assessed using the method of simple visual-motor reaction (SVMR) and criteria developed by T.D. Loskutova – system’s functional level (SFL), reaction stability (RS) and level of functional abilities (LFA) – as well as attention stability, working memory and Whipple’s accuracy index. The state of autonomic regulation was evaluated according to the dynamics of heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and during active orthostatic test (AOT). Results. We found that male emergency physicians have higher rates of psychomotor reactions, SFL, RS, and LFA than their female colleagues. SVMR showed pathological reactions of the CNS in subjects of both sexes. The body’s adaptive capabilities due to autonomic regulation were preserved in most emergency physicians. However, a pathological response to AOT was found in both men and women. The pathological basis for impaired autonomic regulation and the development of maladaptive reactions in the subjects was a deterioration of the current functional state of the body, excessive activation of the sympathoadrenal system and a decrease in parasympathetic regulation. Responses to AOT in male emergency physicians were accompanied by a decrease in the total power (TP) of the HRV spectrum by 24.7 %, and an increase in low frequency (LF) to high frequency (HF) ratio by a factor of 2.6; while in female doctors, by a decrease in TP by 11.5 % and an increase in LF/HF ratio by a factor of 1.7. The median of 30/15 coefficient was 1.48 for men and 1.45 for women. Thus, in the course of professional selection of doctors to provide emergency care under unfavourable climatic conditions of the North, it is advisable to conduct a comprehensive examination of the functional state of the central nervous system and autonomic regulation to identify a risk group with impaired adaptation mechanisms. For citation: Popova M.A., Scherbakova A.E., Karimov R.R. Functional State of the Central and Autonomic Regulation in Young Emergency Physicians in the Northern Region. Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 2021, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 374–384. DOI: 10.37482/2687-1491-Z075

Evaluation of the instrumented Timed Up and Go test as a\xa0tool to measure exercise intervention effects in nursing home residents: results from a\xa0PROCARE substudy

Background and objectivesTo achieve independence in activities of daily living, a certain level of functional ability is necessary. The instrumented Timed Up and Go (iTUG) test provides guidance for appropriate interventions, for example, when considering the subphases within the TUG. Therefore, we evaluated the iTUG as a tool to measure the effects of a multicomponent exercise intervention on the iTUG subphases in nursing home residents.MethodsFifty long-term nursing home residents (34 women, 82.7 ± 6.46 [65–91] years; 16 men, 78.6 ± 7.0 [62–90] years) performed the iTUG test before and after a 16-week intervention period (2 × 45–60 min/week). According to the attendance rates, participants were divided into three groups.ResultsThe total iTUG duration decreased from baseline to posttest, F(2,46) = 3.50, p = 0.038, η2p = 0.132. We observed significant correlations between the attendance rates and the total iTUG duration (r(50) = 0.328, p = 0.010). However, we did not observe significant group × time interaction effects in the subphases. The Barthel Index moderated the effect between attendance rate and the total duration of the iTUG test, ΔR2 = 8.34%, F(1,44) = 4.69, p = 0.036, 95% CI [0.001, 0.027].ConclusionsWe confirmed the effectiveness of the iTUG as a tool to measure exercise intervention effects in nursing home residents, especially when participants exhibit high attendance rates. That said, mobility needs to be considered in a more differentiated way, taking into account parameters in the subphases to detect changes more sensitively and to derive recommendations in a more individualized way.

Functional independence in the Finnish spinal cord injury population

Study designA cross-sectional survey of the Finnish population with spinal cord injury (FinSCI database).ObjectivesTo describe the functional independence of the population with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Finland and to identify how generic and lesion characteristics affect their functional independence.SettingThe participants were recruited from the registers of three SCI outpatient clinics responsible for lifelong follow-up and care for people with SCI in Finland.MethodsThe data were retrieved from FinSCI (n = 1772). The response rate was 50% (n = 884). The Spinal Cord Independence Measure-Self Report (SCIM-SR) was used. The data were analyzed with univariate testing, factor analyses, and multiple linear regression models.ResultsThe median (percentiles 25; 75) SCIM-SR total score was 76.0 (58.8; 89.0), and the score was 18.0 (13.0; 20:0) for the self-care sub-scale, 33.0 (25.0; 39.0) for the respiration and sphincter management sub-scale and 29.0 (16.0; 36.8) for the mobility sub-scale. The higher the neurological level in groups AIS A, B, and C, the lower the functional ability. Group AIS D at any injury level had the highest level of functional ability. Age and the number of years since injury negatively influenced the SCIM-SR scores for every sub-scale.ConclusionBased on the International Spinal Cord Injury Core Data Set, the severity of SCI can differentiate persons with SCI according to their functional ability. The results suggest that SCI affects individuals’ health more than ageing alone does, thereby reducing the functional ability and independence of persons with SCI over time.