Content - Volume 48, Issue 5

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an enriched environmental activities programme in an inpatient tertiary neuro-rehabilitation unit. Methods: A total of 103 participants were randomized to an intervention group (n = 52) undertaking an enriched environmental activities programme or a control group (n = 51) receiving usual ward activity. Primary outcome measure: Dep ...

Objective: To evaluate the evidence for, and clinical relevance of, immediate and long-term effects of trunk restraint during reach-to-grasp training poststroke on movement patterns and functional abilities within the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Data sources: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro, Cochrane Library (publication date ...

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an enriched environmental activities programme in an inpatient tertiary neuro-rehabilitation unit. Methods: A total of 103 participants were randomized to an intervention group (n = 52) undertaking an enriched environmental activities programme or a control group (n = 51) receiving usual ward activity. Primary outcome measure: Dep ...

Objectives: To describe ambulatory rehabilitation programmes (physical and occupational therapy activities and interventions) following botulinum toxin injections for post-stroke spasticity using a stroke rehabilitation taxonomy. To explore the relationship between therapy provided and injected limb/s and treatment goals. Design: Prospective, observational cohort study. Participants: Stroke su ...

Objective: To evaluate the measurement variability of quantitative sensory testing (QST) in persons with post-stroke shoulder pain. Design: A test-retest design. Participants: Twenty-three persons with post-stroke shoulder pain (median age 65 years). Methods: Thermal detection thresholds (cold and warm), pain thresholds (cold and heat) and mechanical pain thresholds (pressure and pin prick) ...

Objective: To examine factors impacting long-term functional and psychological outcomes in persons with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study (n = 103) assessed the long-term (up to 5 years) impact of traumatic brain injury on participants’ current activity and restriction in participation using validated questionnaires. Results: Parti ...

Objective: To examine the perspectives of villagers in rural Botswana about the everyday life burden and impact of their musculoskeletal disorders. Methods: Ethnographic fieldwork for 8 months included 55 in-depth interviews with 34 villagers. Interviews were typically conducted in Setswana with an interpreter. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, with Setswana contextually translated int ...

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a high load lifting exercise with low load motor control exercises on pain intensity, disability and health-related quality of life for patients with mechanical low back pain. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Subjects: Patients with mechanical low back pain as their dominating pain mechanism. Methods: The intervention programm ...

Objective: To determine: (i) the prevalence of opioid-naïve patients discharged on opioids from a musculoskeletal rehabilitation inpatient unit; (ii) the prevalence of opioid use 6 months after discharge; and (iii) the efficacy of the Opioid Risk Tool in identifying long-term opioid use. Design: Prospective study. Participants: Sixty-four opioid-naïve patients who were exposed to opioids dur ...

Objective: To investigate the impact of disease-related aspects on long-term variations in fatigue in persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Design: Observational longitudinal study. Methods: Sixty-five persons with rheumatoid arthritis, age range 20–65 years, were invited to a clinical examination at 4 time-points during the 4 seasons. Outcome measures were: general fatigue rated on visual anal ...

Objective: To review the diagnosis of patients transferred to rehabilitation unit. Design: Case series. Subjects: Five patients with functional decline were transferred from an acute care setting in a tertiary hospital to the rehabilitation unit. Methods: Full clinical evaluation and clinical reasoning were applied in addition to multidisciplinary care. Functional outcome and discharge desti ...

Objective: Ponseti treatment for clubfoot is effective and inexpensive, improving children’s social participation. Two rehabilitation centres in Madagascar piloted Ponseti treatment; however, at one centre 46% of infants failed to complete treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the causes of defaulting in order to facilitate subsequent improvements nationwide when treatment is rolled ...