scholarly journals Effects of an Interactive Computer Game Exercise Regimen on Balance Impairment in Frail Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 1449-1462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Szturm ◽  
Aimee L. Betker ◽  
Zahra Moussavi ◽  
Ankur Desai ◽  
Valerie Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Day Hospital ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Balance Exercises ◽  
Experimental Group

Background Due to the many problems associated with reduced balance and mobility, providing an effective and engaging rehabilitation regimen is essential to progress recovery from impairments and to help prevent further degradation of motor skills. Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and benefits of physical therapy based on a task-oriented approach delivered via an engaging, interactive video game paradigm. The intervention focused on performing targeted dynamic tasks, which included reactive balance controls and environmental interaction. Design This study was a randomized controlled trial. Setting The study was conducted in a geriatric day hospital. Participants Thirty community-dwelling and ambulatory older adults attending the day hospital for treatment of balance and mobility limitations participated in the study. Interventions Participants were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. The control group received the typical rehabilitation program consisting of strengthening and balance exercises provided at the day hospital. The experimental group received a program of dynamic balance exercises coupled with video game play, using a center-of-pressure position signal as the computer mouse. The tasks were performed while standing on a fixed floor surface, with progression to a compliant sponge pad. Each group received 16 sessions, scheduled 2 per week, with each session lasting 45 minutes. Measurements Data for the following measures were obtained before and after treatment: Berg Balance Scale, Timed “Up & Go” Test, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance, and spatiotemporal gait variables assessed in an instrumented carpet system test. Results Findings demonstrated significant improvements in posttreatment balance performance scores for both groups, and change scores were significantly greater in the experimental group compared with the control group. No significant treatment effect was observed in either group for the Timed “Up & Go” Test or spatiotemporal gait variables. Limitations The sample size was small, and there were group differences at baseline in some performance measures. Conclusion Dynamic balance exercises on fixed and compliant sponge surfaces were feasibly coupled to interactive game-based exercise. This coupling, in turn, resulted in a greater improvement in dynamic standing balance control compared with the typical exercise program. However, there was no transfer of effect to gait function.

Cluster Symptoms Reduction via Telephone-Based Intervention in Thai Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing 4-Cycle Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Randomized-Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (6) ◽  
pp. 887-894
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Adjuvant Chemotherapy ◽  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Experimental Group

Background: Cluster symptoms are a common occurrence in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The telephone is a well-recognized, convenient device for reaching out to patients for monitoring and managing their symptoms in an efficient, prompt, and appropriate manner. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of telephone-based intervention to achieve energy conservation among breast cancer patients with the aim of alleviating fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, and depression. Materials and Methods: The present study was a two-armed, randomized control trial conducted in the university hospital between March and September 2019. Seventy-four breast cancer patients, receiving four courses of adjuvant chemotherapy, were randomly recruited and assigned into the experimental group and the control group. One face-to-face intervention interview for energy conservation was conducted, followed by 20-minutes telephone brief counselling and assessment sessions, scheduled on day 1, 2, 7, and 14. Results: The scores for symptoms of median fatigue and pain in the experimental group were shown to be significantly reduced at the end of the study as compared to those scores within the control group (p<0.05). Similarly, scores for median sleep time and depression were greater at the end of cycle 1 and highest in cycle 2 (p<0.05, 0.001, respectively). Physical activity levels were also higher in the experimental group than in the control group in every cycle, with a statistical significance (p<0.001). Conclusion: The present study intervention demonstrated an effectiveness for the reduction of cluster symptoms. Further studies would be needed in a larger population scale in the customary, randomized controlled trial manner. Keywords: Cancer; Energy conservation; Fatigue; Pain; Sleep; Telephone

Testing the Effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Intervention Targeting All 24 Strengths: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
pp. 003329412093744
Author(s):  
Lobna Chérif ◽  
Valerie M. Wood ◽  
Christian Watier
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Character Strengths ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Strength Development ◽  
Character Strength ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Time Interaction ◽  
Experimental Group

This study assessed the effectiveness of a strengths-based randomized controlled trial focused on fostering all 24 character strengths in a group of 75 participants from a University in Tunisia. Participants randomly assigned to the challenge condition (n = 40) received an email each day for 24 days, that highlighted a particular strength of the day including why the strength is valuable, how to implement the strength behaviourally, and a motto related to that strength. Those in the control condition (n = 35) simply received emails containing the motto for each strength daily for 24 days. We assessed all participants’ levels of happiness before the experiment (T0), the day following the experiment (T1), and one-month following the experiment (T2). Results from a 2 (group) X 3 (time) split plot ANOVA revealed a significant group-by-time interaction, such that at T2 the experimental group had greater happiness scores than the control group. These findings provide some evidence that even “minimalist” interventions (involving the receipt of emails encouraging character-strength development), might be effective for promoting gains in happiness even one month after the intervention.

scholarly journals Effects of Monopolar Dielectric Radiofrequency Signals on the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2465
Author(s):  
Alfonso Javier Ibáñez-Vera ◽  
Jerónimo Carmelo García-Romero ◽  
José Ramón Alvero-Cruz ◽  
Rafael Lomas-Vega
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Sham Group ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Physical Factor ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Local Pain ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Experimental Group

Monopolar dielectric radiofrequency (MDR) is a non-invasive treatment for pain based on the local application of electromagnetic signals. The study’s goal was to analyze the effects of MDR on the symptoms of fibromyalgia. For this aim, a randomized controlled trial was conducted on 66 female participants (aged 47 ± 17.7) diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Participants were randomly allocated to either an experimental group (n = 23), which received eight 20-minute sessions of MDR; a sham group, which received the same number of sessions of a sham MDR therapy (n = 22); or a control group (n = 21), which received usual care. The outcome variables included pain measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS), score on the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and quality of life measured by the combined index of fibromyalgia severity (ICAF). A large effect size was observed for the local pain (R2 = 0.46), total ICAF (R2 = 0.42) and ICAF physical factor scores (R2 = 0.38). Significant mean differences were found for the local pain (p = 0.025) and ICAF physical factor (p = 0.031) scores of the experimental group in comparison with the sham group. No statistically significant differences between groups were found in HADS. In conclusion, MDR is more effective than either sham treatment or usual care in the short-term improvement of pain and the physical wellbeing of participants with fibromyalgia.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Hydrogalvanic Bath on Improving Pain, Disability, and Quality of Life in Individuals with Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Mastour Saeed Alshahrani ◽  
Jaya Shanker Tedla ◽  
Ravi Shankar Reddy ◽  
Faisal Asiri
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Pain Disability ◽  
Sf 36 ◽  
Neck Disability ◽  
Experimental Group

Background. Neck pain is one of the world’s leading factors in years lived with disability. Ambiguity in the effect of electrotherapy modalities for the treatment of chronic nonspecific neck pains (CNSNP) needs to be examined further. This study sought to elucidate the effectiveness of hydrogalvanic bath on improving pain, disability, and quality of life among individuals with CNSNP. Methods. Thirty-four individuals with a diagnosis of CNSNP were selected through convenient sampling and randomly divided into two groups by block randomization. The control group treatment underwent low Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and exercise, and the experimental group was subjected to hydrogalvanic bath therapy (HGBT) and exercise. Individuals were evaluated for pain using a visual analog scale (VAS), disability with the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and quality of life with Short Form-36 (SF-36). These measures were applied at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Results. The pretreatment and posttreatment results for VAS, NDI, and SF-36 were compared for both control and experimental groups. We found that all the three variables showed significant differences between the two time points with p < 0.05 in both the groups but the experimental group improvements were more significant than the control group with p < 0.05 . Conclusion. Twelve weeks of low TENS or HGBT along with exercises can decrease pain and neck disability and increase the quality of life in individuals with CNSNP. However, HGBT along with exercise has superior effects relative to low TENS along with exercise. This randomized controlled trial was registered in the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trials Number-ISRCTN29695190 and registered on 05/02/2020. This study is a retrospective registration.

scholarly journals A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Passive Accessory Joint Mobilization on Acute Ankle Inversion Sprains

2001 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 984-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Green ◽  
Kathryn Refshauge ◽  
Jack Crosbie ◽  
Roger Adams
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Joint Mobilization ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Ankle Inversion ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Support Time

Abstract Background and Purpose. Passive joint mobilization is commonly used by physical therapists as an intervention for acute ankle inversion sprains. A randomized controlled trial with blinded assessors was conducted to investigate the effect of a specific joint mobilization, the anteroposterior glide on the talus, on increasing pain-free dorsiflexion and 3 gait variables: stride speed (gait speed), step length, and single support time. Subjects. Forty-one subjects with acute ankle inversion sprains (&lt;72 hours) and no other injury to the lower limb entered the trial. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. The control group received a protocol of rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). The experimental group received the anteroposterior mobilization, using a force that avoided incurring any increase in pain, in addition to the RICE protocol. Subjects in both groups were treated every second day for a maximum of 2 weeks or until the discharge criteria were met, and all subjects were given a home program of continued RICE application. Outcomes were measured before and after each treatment. Results. The results showed that the experimental group required fewer treatment sessions than the control group to achieve full pain-free dorsiflexion. The experimental group had greater improvement in range of movement before and after each of the first 3 treatment sessions. The experimental group also had greater increases in stride speed during the first and third treatment sessions. Discussion and Conclusion. Addition of a talocrural mobilization to the RICE protocol in the management of ankle inversion injuries necessitated fewer treatments to achieve pain-free dorsiflexion and to improve stride speed more than RICE alone. Improvement in step length symmetry and single support time was similar in both groups.

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Cognitive Narrative Crisis Intervention for Bereavement in Primary Healthcare

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Sofia Andrade ◽  
Margarida Moreira ◽  
Mónica Sá ◽  
Duarte Pacheco ◽  
Vera Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Demographic Questionnaire ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

Background and Aims: As there are known risks of retraumatization through bereavement crisis interventions, we tailored a new intervention lowering the degree of direct emotional activation. However, we need some evidence on the effects of depression and psychotraumatic symptoms between 1 and 6 months after a loss. Method: We conducted a randomized controlled trial with two groups: control group (n = 18) and experimental group (n = 11) in two assessments (1 and 6 months after loss); both included a semi-structured interview (Socio-Demographic Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised–IES-R). The experimental group had a cognitive-narrative program with four sessions: recalling; cognitive and emotional subjectivization; metaphorization; and projecting sessions. Results: Participants in the experimental and control groups have lower levels of depression and traumatic stress 6 months after a loss. Statistically significant results in emotional numbing IES-R sub-scale are observed. Conclusions: A brief narrative-based cost-effective intervention has a positive effect on depression, controlling the traumatic stress and time after a loss.

Do Verbal and Tactile Cueing Selectively Alter Gluteus Maximus and Hamstring Recruitment During a Supine Bridging Exercise in Active Females? A Randomized Controlled Trial

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Hollman ◽  
Tyler A. Berling ◽  
Ellen O. Crum ◽  
Kelsie M. Miller ◽  
Brent T. Simmons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gluteus Maximus ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Tactile Cues ◽  
Hip Extension ◽  
Experimental Group

Context: Hip extension with hamstring-dominant rather than gluteus maximus-dominant recruitment may increase anterior femoracetabular forces and contribute to conditions that cause hip pain. Cueing methods during hip extension exercises may facilitate greater gluteus maximus recruitment. Objective: We examined whether specific verbal and tactile cues facilitate gluteus maximus recruitment while inhibiting hamstring recruitment during a bridging exercise. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: 30 young adult women (age 24 [3] y; BMI 22.2 [2.4] kg/m2). Intervention: Participants were tested over 2 sessions, 1 week apart, while performing 5 repetitions of a bridging exercise. At their second visit, participants in the experimental group received verbal and tactile cues intended to facilitate gluteus maximus recruitment and inhibit hamstring recruitment. Control group participants received no additional cues beyond original instructions. Main Outcome Measures: Gluteus maximus and hamstring recruitment were measured with surface electromyography, normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs). Results: Gluteus maximus recruitment was unchanged in the control group and increased from 16.8 to 33.0% MVIC in the cueing group (F = 33.369, P < .001). Hamstring recruitment was unchanged in the control group but also increased from 16.5 to 29.8% MVIC in the cueing group (F = 6.400, P = .02). The effect size of the change in gluteus maximus recruitment in the cueing group (Cohen’s d = 1.5, 95% CI = 0.9 to 2.2) was not significantly greater than the effect size in hamstring recruitment (Cohen’s d = 0.8, 95% CI = 0.1 to 1.5). Conclusions: Verbal and tactile cues hypothesized to facilitate gluteus maximus recruitment yielded comparable increases in both gluteus maximus and hamstring recruitment. If one intends to promote hip extension by facilitating gluteus maximus recruitment while inhibiting hamstring recruitment during bridging exercises, the cueing methods employed in this study may not produce desired effects.

scholarly journals Effects of Virtual Reality Associated With Serious Games for Upper Limb Rehabilitation in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis. a Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Cuesta-Gómez ◽  
Patricia Sanchez-Herrera Baeza ◽  
Edwin Daniel Oña-Simbaña ◽  
Alicia Martínez-Medina ◽  
Carmen Ortiz-Comino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Experimental Group

Abstract Background: Dexterity and activities of daily living limitations on the upper limb (UL) represent one of the most common problems in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the specially developed Serious Games that make use of the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) as main user interface for improving UL grip muscle strength, dexterity, fatigue, quality of life, satisfaction and compliance. Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted. The sample was randomized into two groups: an experimental group who received treatment based on serious games designed by the research team using the developed LMC based Serious Games for the UL plus conventional rehabilitation, and a control group who received the same conventional rehabilitation for the UL. Both groups received two 60 min sessions per week over a ten-week period. Grip muscle strength, coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity, fatigue, quality of life, satisfaction and compliance were assessed in both groups pre-treatment, post-treatment and in a follow-up period of one month without receiving any treatment. Results : In the experimental group compared to the control group, significant improvements were observed in the post-treatment assessment for coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity. Also, significant results were found in the follow-up in coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross for the more affected side. Conclusions: An experimental protocol using an LMC based Serious Games designed for UL rehabilitation showed improvements for unilateral gross manual dexterity, fine manual dexterity, and coordination in MS patients with high satisfaction and excellent compliance.

scholarly journals A comparison of patient, intervention, comparison, outcome (PICO) to a new, alternative clinical question framework for search skills, search results, and self-efficacy: a randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorie A. Kloda ◽  
Jill T. Boruff ◽  
Alexandre Soares Cavalcante
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Clinical Question ◽  
Alternative Framework ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Clinical Questions ◽  
Experimental Group

Objective: In educating students in the health professions about evidence-based practice, instructors and librarians typically use the patient, intervention, comparison, outcome (PICO) framework for asking clinical questions. A recent study proposed an alternative framework for the rehabilitation professions. The present study investigated the effectiveness of teaching the alternative framework in an educational setting.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with students in occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) to determine if the alternative framework for asking clinical questions was effective for identifying information needs and searching the literature. Participants were randomly allocated to a control or experimental group to receive ninety minutes of information literacy instruction from a librarian about formulating clinical questions and searching the literature using MEDLINE. The control group received instruction that included the PICO question framework, and the experimental group received instruction that included the alternative framework.Results: There were no significant differences in search performance or search skills (strategy and clinical question formulation) between the two groups. Both the control and experimental groups demonstrated a modest but significant increase in information literacy self-efficacy after the instruction; however, there was no difference between the two groups.Conclusion: When taught in an information literacy session, the new, alternative framework is as effective as PICO when assessing OT and PT students’ searching skills. Librarian-led workshops using either question formulation framework led to an increase in information literacy self-efficacy post-instruction.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of an interactive organ donation education intervention for Dutch lower-educated students: a cluster randomized controlled trial

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Steenaart ◽  
Rik Crutzen ◽  
Math JJM Candel ◽  
Nanne K de Vries
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Organ Donation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Cluster Randomized ◽  
And Control ◽  
Experimental Group

Abstract Background: Organ donation registration rates remain low, especially among people with lower educational levels. An interactive educational intervention was developed to prepare lower-educated students in the Netherlands for making a well-informed decision about organ donation. This article reports on the effects of this intervention on the intention to register (i.e. the primary outcome in the study at hand) and beliefs regarding organ donation. Methods: The effectiveness was investigated in a post-test only cluster randomized controlled trial, in which the intervention was offered to the experimental group and after measurement also to the control group. Randomization to the experimental and control groups took place at a class level. Teachers of schools for intermediate vocational education who taught a course on Citizenship delivered three intervention elements (i.e. video fragments and discussion, quizzes with tailored feedback and exercise filling out a registration form) to their students during two 50-minute lessons. Results: A total of 1170 students participated in the trial and filled out a questionnaire (45 experimental and 43 control classes). Compared to the control group, students in the experimental group had higher odds of having positive registration intentions (OR=1.81; 95%CI [1.10-2.96]), their perceived knowledge was higher (B=.62; 95%CI [.23-1.01]) and they had higher intentions to talk to family members (B=.68; 95%CI [.28-1.08]) and friends (B=.36; 95%CI [.07-.66]) about organ donation. There were no effects on the choice students intended to register (OR=1.08; 95%CI [.67-1.73]). Conclusions: Providing education in a classroom setting is an effective tool in increasing registration intentions. Despite uncertainties about the effects on actual registration behavior, a larger scale dissemination of this intervention is recommended. Providing clear information and opening the discussion about organ donation is an important and promising first step towards higher registration rates. Trial registration: The Dutch Trial Register, NTR6771. Registered on 24 October 2017. https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6557

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