Physical therapy
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Observational Study
Physical Therapist Management of COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit: The West China Hospital Experience.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has dominated the attention of health care systems globally since January 2020. Various health disciplines, including physical therapists, are still exploring the best way to manage this new disease. The role and involvement of physical therapists in the management of COVID-19 are not yet well defined and are limited in many hospitals. This article reports a physical therapy service specially commissioned by the Health Commission of Sichuan Province to manage COVID-19 during patients' stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu in China. ⋯ Our experience in the management of patients with COVID-19 has revealed that physical therapist intervention is safe and appears to be associated with an improvement in respiratory and physical function in patients with COVID-19 in the ICU.
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Observational Study
Adding Physical Impairment to Risk Stratification Improved Outcome Prediction in Low Back Pain.
Identifying subgroups of low back pain (LBP) has the potential to improve prediction of clinical outcomes. Risk stratification is one such strategy that identifies similar characteristics indicative of a common clinical outcome trajectory. The purpose of this study was to determine if an empirically derived subgrouping approach based on physical impairment measures improves information provided from the STarT Back Tool (SBT). ⋯ Subgroups based on physical impairment and psychosocial risk could lead to better prediction of LBP disability outcomes and eventually allow for treatment options tailored to physical and psychosocial risk.
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Physical therapists have a unique role in both prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) through the promotion of early mobility and physical activity and diagnosis through discovery of signs and symptoms of VTE. This Perspective updates clinicians on the latest information regarding pathophysiology of coagulopathy associated with COVID-19 and applies VTE clinical practice guidelines to COVID-19 in order to provide guidance on physical therapist management.
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Comparative Study
Self-Reported Disability in Persons With HIV-Related Neuropathy Is Mediated by Pain Interference and Depression.
The purpose of this study was to compare disability in people with HIV and peripheral neuropathy with those without neuropathy and explore how neuropathy and other relevant factors are associated with disability. ⋯ People living with HIV may experience disabling painful neuropathy. Treatment for pain and depression may help reduce the disability associated with painful neuropathy.