Physiotherapy News
The efficacy of physiotherapy upon shoulder function following axillary dissection in breast cancer
Many patients suffer from severe shoulder complaints after breast cancer surgery and axillary lymph node dissection. Physiotherapy has been clinically observed to improve treatment of these patients. However, it is not a standard treatment regime. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of physiotherapy treatment of shoulder function, pain and quality of life in patients who have undergone breast cancer surgery and axillary lymph node dissection. Overall quality of life improved significantly, however, handgrip strength and arm volume did not alter significantly showing that physiotherapy reduces pain and improves shoulder function and quality of life following axillary dissection after breast cancer.
Muscle Tension Biofeedback Shown To Be Effective For Urinary Incontinence
The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB), the professional association representing people who provide biofeedback based services, announced that a recent review of the scientific literature shows that muscle tension biofeedback from the pelvic floor is effective in treating muscle based stress and urge urinary incontinence among young athletic women, women who have had children, and older women. Double blind controlled studies and clinical studies showed that the treatment is as or more effective than other treatments such as medications and electrical stimulation.
Prognostic Differences for Functional Recovery After Major Lower Limb Amputation: Effects of the Timing and Type of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services in the Veterans Health Administration
An article in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation compared the recovery of mobility and self-care functions among veteran amputees according to the timing and type of rehabilitation services received through observational study of inpatient rehabilitation care patterns of 2 types (specialized and consultative) with 2 timings (early and late). After adjustment, amputees who received specialized rehabilitation had motor FIM gains that were on average 8.0 points greater than those for amputees who received consultative rehabilitation. Although patients whose rehabilitation was delayed until after discharge from the index surgical stay tended to be more clinically complex, they had gains comparable to those of patients who received early rehabilitation. On the basis of this analysis, those patients who receive specialized rehabilitation can be expected to make comparatively greater gains than patients who receive consultative services, regardless of timing and clinical complexity. Findings highlight the need for clinicians to adjust prognostic expectations to both clinical severity and the type of rehabilitation that patients receive.
Electrical Stimulation Therapy Increases Rate of Healing of Pressure Ulcers in Community-Dwelling People With Spinal Cord Injury
An article in the Archives of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation investigated whether electric stimulation therapy (EST) administered as part of a community-based, interdisciplinary wound care program accelerates healing of pressure ulcers in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). It found that the percentage decrease in wound surface area (WSA) at the end of the intervention period was significantly greater in the EST+SWC group (mean ± SD, 70±25%) than in the SWC group (36±61%; P=.048). The proportion of stage III, IV, or X pressure ulcers improving by at least 50% WSA was significantly greater in the EST+ standard wound care (SWC) group than in the SWC group (P=.02). These results demonstrate that EST can stimulate healing of pressure ulcers of people with SCI. EST can be incorporated successfully into an interdisciplinary wound care program in the community.
