Content - Volume 51, Issue 2

Background: Pre-clinical evidence suggests a period early after stroke during which the brain is most receptive to rehabilitation, if it is provided as high-dose motor training. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of repetitive gait training within the first 3 months post-stroke and the effects on gait-specific outcomes. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Rehab Data and PE ...

Background: Pre-clinical evidence suggests a period early after stroke during which the brain is most receptive to rehabilitation, if it is provided as high-dose motor training. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of repetitive gait training within the first 3 months post-stroke and the effects on gait-specific outcomes. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Rehab Data and PE ...

Objective: To critically appraise published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for brain tumours, and to synthesize evidence-based recommendations from a rehabilitation perspective. Methods: A comprehensive literature search included: health science databases, CPG clearinghouse/developer websites, and grey literature up to March 2018. All brain tumour CPGs that reported systematic methods for e ...

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of mechanical inspiration and expiration exercise using mechanical cough assist on velopharyngeal incompetence in patients with subacute stroke. Design: Pilot, randomized controlled study. Setting: University-based rehabilitation centre. Subjects: Thirty-six patients with subacute stroke diagnosed with velopharyngeal incompetence by videofluo ...

Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of contralaterally controlled functional electrical stimulation (CCFES) on the recovery of active wrist dorsiflexion and upper limb function in patients with early-phase stroke (<15 days post-stroke). Methods: Patients in the CCFES group were treated with routine rehabilitation combined with CCFES, while those in the conventional neuromuscular electr ...

Objective: The aim of this pilot randomized study was to assess the efficacy potential of an electromyo-graphic biofeedback-assisted exercise programme on clinical and functional outcomes of hemiplegic patients in comparison with sham electromyogra-phic biofeedback. Patients and methods: Thirty-four patients with hemiplegia were randomized into 2 groups. Both groups participated in an inpatient ...

Objective: To assess the effects of manually assisted body-weight supported locomotor training in subjects with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Subjects: Twenty subjects with American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grades C or D and > 2 years post-injury. Methods: Random allocation to 60 days of body-weight supported locomoto ...

Objective: To understand clients’ experiences of the recovery journey through the compensation system and to identify areas and strategies for quality improvement. Methods: A qualitative study of 23 participants with physical or mental disabilities caused by traffic accidents, which occurred, on average, 4 years ago. Purposive sampling of long-term recovery clients who made a compensation clai ...

Objective: To quantify and compare the course of health-related quality of life of immigrant native Italian-speaking and German-speaking patients before and after an interdisciplinary pain programme. Design: Prospective cohort study with 1–12 month follow-up. Subjects: Fibromyalgia, generalized widespread pain, and chronic non-specific back pain patients (Italian-speaking n = 96, German- ...

Objectives: Rehabilitation of patients following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been widely studied; however, research into early rehabilitation after CABG is sparse. The aim of this trial was to assess the impact of early rehabilitation, compared with usual care in patients following CABG. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Patients: A total of 326 patients treated with CABG. ...

Objective: Sex-specific medicine requires understanding of the specific therapeutic needs and patho-physiology of men and women. In these terms, we investigated sex-related differences in the gait kinematics of patients with Down syndrome. Design: Retrospective observational cohort study. Subjects: A sample of 230 patients (103 females) aged 7–50 years underwent a standard gait-analysis test ...