Journal of geriatric physical therapy
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J Geriatr Phys Ther · Jan 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialDry Needling on the Infraspinatus Latent and Active Myofascial Trigger Points in Older Adults With Nonspecific Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Shoulder pain is a prevalent condition in older adults. Some authors associate nonspecific shoulder pain with myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the infraspinatus muscle. Dry needling is recommended to relieve the MTrP pain of shoulders in the short term (<9 days). Active MTrPs dry needling improves shoulder pain and the irritability of the satellite MTrPs in the referred pain area. Nociceptive activity at a latent MTrP may influence motor activity and the sensitivity of MTrPs in distant muscles at a similar segmental level. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate dry needling on 1 latent MTrP, in conjunction with 1 active MTrP, in the infraspinatus muscle of older adults with nonspecific shoulder pain. ⋯ One dry needling intervention of the latent MTrP associated with the key active MTrP of the infraspinatus reduces pain intensity and the irritability of the satellite MTrPs located in the referred pain area in the short term in older adults with nonspecific shoulder pain.
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J Geriatr Phys Ther · Jan 2018
Association Between the Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale and Physical Functions in Community-Dwelling Japanese Older Adults Using Long-term Care Services.
The Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale (FIDS), a newly developed basic activities of daily living (BADL) assessment tool, assesses both independence and subjective difficulty of BADL performance. This patient-reported outcome measure has been shown to have acceptable internal consistency, concurrent validity, and reliability. However, little is known about the relationship between FIDS and objective measures of physical function among older Japanese adults using long-term care insurance services. This study aimed to reveal the relationship between FIDS and physical functions and to examine the concurrent validity of FIDS against physical functions. ⋯ The FIDS, a patient-reported BADL assessment tool, mainly reflected balance and gait performance and had concurrent validity as an objective measure of balance and gait performance.
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J Geriatr Phys Ther · Jan 2018
Review Meta AnalysisFrailty as a Predictor of Nursing Home Placement Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Frailty has been recognized as a medical syndrome characterized by decreased physiological reserve and vulnerability to poor resolution of homeostasis. Frailty is common in nursing homes and as many as 90% of nursing home patients are frail or prefrail. Previous studies have examined frailty as a risk factor for nursing home placement and yielded inconsistent results. The current study aims to systematically review the literature and to conduct a meta-analysis to combine the risk measures to provide the evidence on frailty as a predictor of nursing home placement among community-dwelling older adults. ⋯ This systematic review and meta-analysis study is the first to report pooled evidence that both frailty and prefrailty are significant predictors of nursing home placement among community-dwelling older adults.
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J Geriatr Phys Ther · Jul 2017
Health Characteristics, Neuromuscular Attributes, and Mobility Among Primary Care Patients With Symptomatic Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Secondary Analysis.
Mobility problems are common among older adults. Symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis (SLSS) is a major contributor to mobility limitations among older primary care patients. In comparison with older primary care patients with mobility problems but without SLSS, it is unclear how mobility problems differ in older primary care patients with SLSS. The purpose of this study was to compare health characteristics, neuromuscular attributes, and mobility status in a sample of older primary care patients with and without SLSS who were at risk for mobility decline. We hypothesized that patients with SLSS will manifest poorer health and greater severity of neuromuscular impairments and mobility limitations. ⋯ Among older primary care patients who are at risk for mobility decline, patients with SLSS had greater pain, higher levels of comorbidity, greater limitation in knee ROM, and greater limitations in mobility that surpassed meaningful thresholds. These findings can be useful when prioritizing interventions that target mobility for patients with SLSS.
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J Geriatr Phys Ther · Apr 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialShort- and Long-Term Effects of Balance Training on Physical Activity in Older Adults With Osteoporosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
We have developed a 12-week balance training program for older adults shown to improve fall-related concerns, gait speed, balance performance, and physical function. We hypothesized that this balance training would also contribute to higher habitual physical activity (PA) levels and improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The primary aim was to evaluate short- and long-term effects of the balance training program on objectively measured habitual PA in older adults with osteoporosis. Secondary aims were to assess the effects of the balance training on HRQoL, and to study whether any effects on PA were associated with changes in HRQoL, gait speed, balance performance, fall-related concerns, and physical function. ⋯ The short-term evaluation showed that balance training increased habitual PA in community-dwelling older adults with osteoporosis. A significantly higher proportion of participants in the intervention group reached a level of 5000 or more steps/day, which is important for overall health. This effect was not associated with improvements in HRQoL, gait speed, balance performance, or fall-related concerns, and did not persist through the long-term follow-up. To accomplish a sustained PA change, a prolonged intervention or more support regarding habitual PA may be required, such as reinforcement with personalized behavior change counseling or PA on prescription.