A Qualitative Study to Explore Patient Expectations of Recovery After Total Knee Replacement Surgery.

Introduction: Total knee replacement (TKR) is a common intervention for end-stage knee osteoarthritis; however, some patients report dissatisfaction despite favourable clinical outcomes. Patient expectations are increasingly recognized as key contributors to postoperative satisfaction. These expectations often shape perceptions of success and influence recovery experiences, making them a critical focus for preoperative care and counselling.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the lower extremity functional scale in kannada and assessment of its measurement properties - a longitudinal study.

BackgroundLower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a useful tool for evaluating lower extremity (LE) disability, but it has not been adapted for use with Kannada or other regional languages in India.ObjectiveThis study aimed to perform cross-cultural adaptation and Kannada translation of the LEFS (LEFS-K) and examine its psychometric properties.MethodsA Longitudinal study on 150 patients with hip and knee injuries.

Predictors of gait speed post-stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: While gait speed serves as a clinical marker and health indicator, there is a paucity of a consolidated review of the factors that are most predictive of gait speed across the clinical stages of stroke recovery.

Research Question: What are predictors of gait speed in the acute, subacute and chronic phase of stroke, categorized according to International Classification of Functioning, Health, and Disability (ICF)?

Methods: A systematic search was conducted using four electronic databases following the PRISMA guideline. Included studies were cross-sectional, cohort and case-control reporting the predictors of gait speed, published from January 2000 to July 2024, and involved participants 18 years or older with diagnosis of stroke.

COVID-19 and the risk and trajectory of frailty in community- or institution-dwelling individuals: Protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a protocol for a systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis examining the associations between an episode of COVID-19 and trajectory as well as the risk of frailty. The protocol for this SR has been registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023468297) and conforms to the guidelines proposed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). The search strategy will involve retrieving literature from six different databases and will be guided by keywords encompassing population (community-dwelling or institution-dwelling adults), exposure (episode of COVID-19), and outcome (frailty).

Impact of core muscle strengthening on knee pain, patient outcomes, physical function, and cartilage thickness in knee osteoarthritis: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) is a degenerative condition that significantly impacts individuals, causing disability. Routine rehabilitation methods primarily involve knee and hip strengthening exercises. While there is limited evidence supporting the potential benefits of core muscle strengthening in KOA rehabilitation, further research is needed to examine the effects of a structured core muscle strengthening protocol on pain, functional abilities, quality of life, and knee cartilage health.

Distal Radius Fracture Rehabilitation.

Distal radius fracture (DRF) is arguably the most common upper extremity fracture resulting from a fall accident. These clinical practice guidelines (CPG) were developed to guide all aspects of the management of DRF by physical therapists and other rehabilitation practitioners, such as certified hand therapists. This CPG employed a systematic review methodology to locate, appraise, and synthesize contemporary evidence while developing practice recommendations for determining the prognosis of outcomes, examination, and interventions while managing individuals with DRF.

A qualitative inquiry to explore management of distal radius fracture by certified hand therapists.

Background: Distal radius fractures (DRF) are extremely common in middle-aged and elderly. Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) are experts in managing hand injuries including DRF.

Purpose: Using qualitative methodology, this study examined practice patterns among CHT and understand prevalent common patterns in managing DRF.

Rasch Analysis of Joint Replacement Version for Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome in Individuals With Advanced Osteoarthritis of Hip Awaiting Total Hip Arthroplasty Surgery.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine measurement properties of the Joint replacement version for Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS-JR) using Rasch analysis in patients with osteoarthritis of hip (HOA).

Design: Cross-sectional clinical measurement SETTING: Patient outcomes database at a tertiary care hospital PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sampling of patients with HOA scheduled for total hip arthroplasty (N=327) OUTCOME MEASURES AND ANALYSIS: The data for pre-surgery assessments for patients with HOA were extracted from an existing database. Variables extracted included HOOS-JR scores, demographic information (age, sex), health-related data, and anthropometric variables.

Validity and Accuracy of the Tilburg Frailty Indicator Part B for Identification of Frailty in Older Adults Consulting a Rural Geriatric Medicine Clinic.

The Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) is a validated tool for determining frailty in older adults. This study examined the validity and accuracy of the TFI Part B (TFI-B) in a North American context. Seventy-two individuals ≥ 65 years of age recruited from a rural geriatric medicine clinic completed a set of self-reported and performance-based measures, including TFI-B.

Severity of persistent pain and disability can accurately screen for presence of pain catastrophizing and fear of performing wrist movements in individuals with distal radius fracture.

Background: The evidence indicating presence of psychological factors concerns in individuals who report persistent residual pain and disability over a longer term after distal radius fractures (DRF) is emerging but requires further inquiry.

Objectives: To examine the associations of persistent wrist pain and disability at 6-months after DRF with the presence of psychological factors.

Methods: Eighty-five patients with DRF were evaluated for wrist pain and disability with subscales of Patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE), 6-months after the fracture.

Smartphone goniometer has excellent reliability between novice and experienced physical therapists in assessing knee range of motion.

Introduction: Smartphone app-based goniometer (SG) are emerging as an alternative to Universal Goniometers (UG) in assessing joint range of motion (ROM). This study examined whether the experience level of examiner affected the reliability of assessing knee flexion (KF) and knee extension (KE) ROM using UG and SG.

Methods: Participants with osteoarthritis of the knee or following total knee replacement were recruited.

Measurement Properties of Outcome Measures Used to Assess Physical Impairments in Patients After Distal Radius Fracture: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Individuals with distal radius fractures (DRF) may experience difficulty with gripping an object, painful wrist movements, sensorimotor difficulties, and swelling around the wrist and hand. A comprehensive review of the existing evidence concerning the measurement properties of common physical impairment measures can provide a valuable resource to guide hand therapy practice while managing DRF. The primary objective was to locate and assess the quality of literature on the measurement properties for the measures of physical impairment used in individuals with DRF.

Virtual assessments of knee and wrist joint range motion have comparable reliability with face-to-face assessments.

Background: There has been increased usage of virtual telerehabilitation approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to establish reliability of conducting virtual assessments for musculoskeletal conditions.

Objectives: This research determined the intra- and interrater reliability of measuring knee and wrist range of motion (ROM) assessed virtually and obtained face-to-face (F2F) using a goniometer (UG) for a student and an experienced examiner.

Rasch Analysis for the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Joint Replacement Version in Individuals Awaiting Total Knee Replacement Surgery.

The aim of this study was to verify the single-factor structure of the joint replacement version of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-JR) and examine its measurement properties in the context of Rasch analysis in patients with end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee (KOA) awaiting total knee replacement (TKR). The study design was retrieval of prospectively collected clinical data. The data were extracted from the presurgery visit for individuals with KOA who were scheduled for primary TKR at a tertiary care hospital.

Using Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire in clinical practice: A systematic review of its measurement properties.

Introduction: Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (CTQ) is widely used for assessing condition-specific impairments in individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) or for assessing outcomes after carpal tunnel surgery (carpal tunnel release [CTR]). A systematic review of its measurement properties can greatly facilitate its evidence-based use in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to systematically locate, appraise, and synthesize the evidence concerning the reliability, responsiveness, validity, minimal detectable change (MDC), and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the CTQ and its scales.

Validation of Physical Performance Tests in Individuals with Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis.

Background: Individuals with advanced osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee experience significant impairments in balance and in essential physical functions such as walking and rising from a chair. There is limited evidence on valid outcome measures to capture these impairments.

Questions/purposes: We sought to examine the construct validity of three physical performance measures in patients with advanced knee OA: a gait speed (GS) test, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test.

Developing and Validating a Step Test of Aerobic Fitness among Elementary School Children.

The tests to estimate aerobic fitness among children require substantial space and maximum effort, which is often difficult for children. We developed a simple submaximal step test (Step Test of Endurance for Pediatrics, or STEP) and assessed its reliability, validity, and ability to estimate aerobic fitness among elementary school children. Children aged 5-10 years completed the STEP with a protocol consisting of 0.

A systematic review of the benefits of occupation-based intervention for patients with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

Study Design: Systematic review of intervention studies (level 3a).

Introduction: Occupation-based intervention (OBI) uses daily activities as a treatment modality. Its growing use with patients diagnosed with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UE MSK) has driven interest in its supporting body of evidence.

Reliability, validity, and minimal detectable change of the push-off test scores in assessing upper extremity weight-bearing ability.

Study Design: Clinical measurement study.

Introduction: The push-off test (POT) was recently conceived and found to be reliable and valid for assessing weight bearing through injured wrist or elbow. However, further research with larger sample can lend credence to the preliminary findings supporting the use of the POT.

Reliability, Concurrent Validity, and Minimal Detectable Change for iPhone Goniometer App in Assessing Knee Range of Motion.

Much of the published works assessing the reliability of smartphone goniometer apps (SG) have poor generalizability since the reliability was assessed in healthy subjects. No research has established the values for standard error of measurement (SEM) or minimal detectable change (MDC) which have greater clinical utility to contextualize the range of motion (ROM) assessed using the SG. This research examined the test-retest reproducibility, concurrent validity, SEM, and MDC values for the iPhone goniometer app (i-Goni; June Software Inc.

Intra and Inter-Rater Reliability and Convergent Validity of FIT-HaNSA in Individuals with Grade П Whiplash Associated Disorder.

Background: Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD) are common following a motor vehicle accident. The Functional Impairment Test - Hand, and Neck/Shoulder/Arm (FIT-HaNSA) assesses upper extremity physical performance. It has been validated in patients with shoulder pathology but not in those with WAD.

A structured literature synthesis of wrist outcome measures: An evidence-based approach to determine use among common wrist diagnoses.

Study Design: Structured literature synthesis.

Introduction: Hand therapists and researchers have numerous options when selecting outcome measures for patients with wrist pathologies. An evidence-based approach to determining which measures are used most often can inform choices.

Psychometric Properties of the Hindi Version of the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand: A Pilot Study.

Objectives. To culturally adapt and translate the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire into Hindi (DASH-H) and assess its reliability, validity, and responsiveness in adult patients with shoulder tendonitis. Study Design.