Rehabilitative Sciences
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/30454
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Browsing Rehabilitative Sciences by Author "Salem, Yasser"
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Item Exoskeleton & Gait Speed in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury(2021) Walls, Paige; Diu, Pam; Salem, Yasser; Liu, HowePurpose: Robot assisted gait training (RAGT) is an intervention used to improve gait in individuals with lower extremity motor dysfunction. The purpose of this review is to evaluate both prior and recent literature on the effectiveness of exoskeleton use as an intervention for gait speed in individuals with spinal cord injury. Methods: Electronic databases used in the search included PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, & Scopus. Two reviewers searched all results from the databases and categorically organized relevant articles based on inclusion & exclusion criteria. Studies were included if they involved exoskeleton as an intervention for gait speed and were conducted on adults diagnosed with spinal cord injury. Results: 37 final articles were reviewed. The sample sizes ranged from 1 to 170 participants. Participant ages ranged from 18 to 81 years old. Duration of treatment ranged from a single session to 16 weeks, frequency ranging from 1-2 sessions to 5 per week. Length of sessions ranged from 20 to 90 minutes. The primary outcome measure for gait speed used in most studies was the 10MWT. Others included the 6MWT, 2MWT, TUG, treadmill speed, and motion capture analysis. Conclusion: The evidence suggests that the use of robotic assistance may effectively improve gait speed in individuals with spinal cord injury. However, evidence is inconclusive as to whether RAGT is more effective in improving gait speed when compared to other interventions. Studies report that robotic assisted interventions are safe & feasible interventions without adverse events or exacerbation of symptoms for patients of this population.Item Tai Chi and Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathies(2021) Janssen, Allison; Kolenovic, Mersida; Logsdon, Liana; Liu, Howe; Salem, YasserBackground: Every year about 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. A common and major complication these individuals face is the development of peripheral neuropathies, typically due to uncontrolled glucose levels. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the benefits of Tai Chi as an exercise intervention to alter peripheral sensation and balance related to neuropathy in diabetic patients. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that incorporates elements of balance, strength, postural control, and concentration. Methods: This systematic review examines the effects of a Tai Chi program based on studies from PubMed database within the past 20 years. Each intervention program had varying parameters like numbers of forms, session durations and session frequencies. Results: Six studies show improvement in ankle proprioception, quality of life, glucose control, nerve conduction velocities in legs and arms, vascular reactivity index, plantar sensation, and locomotor stability. Each study had less than 60 participants and a Tai Chi program of at least 8 weeks of Yang, Sun, or Cheng style with progressions at the instructor's discretion. Conclusion: Tai Chi is a beneficial intervention for people with peripheral neuropathy. The six studies showed improvement in glucose control, quality of life, sensation and standing balance components. After thorough analysis, this review exposes several deficits in the existing research. Further studies could control for more balance variables, include larger sample sizes, and investigate the efficacy of specific Tai Chi program parameters.Item The Effect of Tai Chi on Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review(2021) Baker, Joshua; Liu, Howe; Salem, YasserPurpose: To identify the effects of Tai Chi (TC) on sleep quality in older adults with or without a medical condition. Methods: Tai Chi, Tai Ji, insomnia, sleep disorder, and sleep problem were used to search for articles in peer-reviewed, English journals from the last 15 within the following databases: PubMed, Medline, and Scopus. Studies that met the initial criteria included subjects older than 18 with a sleeping disorder and included Tai Chi as one of the interventions. Two hundred and ten articles met the initial selection criteria and were further scanned and discussed as needed by 3 reviewers. Following review, 16 studies were qualified. Results: Sleep quality was improved as measured by the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in 14 studies and by the Spiegel Sleep Questionnaire (SSQ) in 1 study in adults without medical conditions, or for those with cancer, sleep apnea, depression, or insomnia. Also, fatigue and quality of life were found to be improved in 4 studies as evaluated by the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and SF-12 or SF-26. Further, one study investigated the effect of Tai Chi on inflammatory biomarkers in patients with insomnia due to breast cancer and revealed significant inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The most commonly used TC parameters were 60 minutes per session, 2-7 times per week, with a duration between 3-6 months. Conclusions: TC is an effective program for improving sleep quality in individuals with or without a medical condition.