مجله پژوهش در علوم توانبخشی
سال چهاردهم شماره 6 (بهمن و اسفند 1397)

Neck pain is a common problem in human societies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of six weeks of functional cognitive training on the cognitive factors of people with non-specific chronic neck pain.

In this clinical trial study, 24 patients with chronic neck pain were randomly divided into two groups of cognitive functional exercise and control. Cognitive factors were assessed before and immediately after six weeks of cognitive training using pain self-efficacy questionnaire, pain catastrophizing scale, fear-avoidance believes inventory, and depression, anxiety, and stress-21 questionnaire. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and paired t tests.

Comparison of two groups after treatment showed a significant difference in all cognitive variables; so that all factors were improved in the intervention group (P = 0.001). Paired t-test results also showed a significant difference in all variables in the intervention group, before and after the test (P = 0.001); but no significant difference was observed for the control group.

The findings suggest that functional cognitive training can be used as a novel method to improve the cognitive factors among the people with chronic neck pain.</div>

Plantar fasciitis is the most common reason for heel pain and the result of some repetitive trauma in calcaneus. People with plantar fasciitis need to be treated through some stretching techniques for plantar fascia and calf muscles, and some anti-inflammatory treatments.

In this randomized clinical trial study, 28 patients with plantar fasciitis were selected through convenience sampling method. Individuals with morning pain and tenderness in the insertion of plantar fascia were included, and were assigned in two control and experimental groups. Individuals with a history of surgery, dislocation, and fracture in the lower limb were excluded. Then, they were referred to technical orthopedic clinics for night splinting. The heel pain and quality of life were assessed through Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Foot Ankle Outcome Questionnaire, respectively, before treatment, and at the end of the first, fourth, and sixth weeks. The collected data were compared between the groups using independent t test with a significant level of P < 0.05.

Regarding pain, daily activity, and sport, there were significant differences between the control and experimental groups at the fourth and sixth weeks. In terms of foot and ankle problems and quality of life, there were significant differences between the control and experimental groups at the first, fourth, and sixth week

The current study indicates that prefabricate orthotic may be effective in pain relief of the heel, improvement of daily activities, and doing sport over time. Ultimately, the use of this splint increases the quality of life and decreases foot and ankle problems in the people with plantar fasciitis.

Introduction:

 The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of Persian version of Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) in three groups of chronic diseases [myocardial infarction (MI), diabetes mellitus, and multiple sclerosis (MS)].

This study was a psychometric study on 135 patients with MI, MS, or diabetes mellitus who were selected through available sampling in Isfahan City, Iran. They completed Persian versions of BIPQ, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), and the World Health Organization-Brief Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF-26). Then, the data were analyzed.

The reliability of the whole questionnaire and it’s subscales was between 0.59 and 0.73. The correlation coefficients between the BIPQ questionnaire and the HADS scale and the WHO-BREF-26 questionnaire showed a significant correlation. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index was 0.70, indicating the adequacy of the sample size. By using exploratory factor analysis, two main factors (the nature and the recognition of the disease-effect of disease) explained 59% of the total variance.

The Persian version of BIPQ has relatively acceptable reliability and validity for the population of patients with chronic diseases. It can be used in clinical and psychological studies.

The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) checklist has been designed to investigate children’s movement disorders at school; however, the validation characteristics of this checklist in Iran have not been evaluated. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of MABC checklist.

The participants in this study comprised 181 six-year-old children (87 girls and 94 boys) and 166 seven-year-old children (89 girls and 77 boys) from Isfahan City, Iran. Their sports teachers completed the MABC checklist. To measure concurrent validity, motor skills of 233 of these children were assessed using MABC. To measure construct validity, confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity [Average Variance Extracted (AVE)] were used. Moreover, to measure reliability, Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and test-retest reliability were used.

AVE indicator was used to evaluate subscales of child stationary/environment stable, child moving/environment stable, child stationary/environment changing, child moving/environment changing, and behavioral problems related to motor difficulties. The overall scores obtained were 0.51, 0.5, 0.53, 0.54, 0.49, and 0.5, respectively. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability were 0.79 and 0.84 for the subscales of “the child is stationary and the environment is stable”, 0.85 and 0.88 for “the child is moving and the environment is stable”, 0.87 and 0.84 for “the child is stationary and the environment is changing”, 0.89 and 0.91 for “the child is moving and the environment is changing”, 0.81 and 0.82 for “behaviors related to physical activity”, and 0.92 and 0.94 for all the subscales. The correlation coefficient of MABC with MABC checklist was 0.37, which was significant at P < 0.001.

The data indicate that MABC checklist is valid and reliable for 6- to 7-year-old children. Therefore, teachers are recommended to use this checklist in investigating children’s movement disorders in primary school children.

Introduction:

 The aim of the current research was to concurrently determine the reliability and validity of force platform device, Danesh Salar-e Iranian, using Kistler's platform device in measuring the static balance of men and women </em>athletes.

Participants consisted of 50 athletes (25 men and 25 women) from Isfahan City, Iran, who were selected using a purposive convenience sampling method. The research instrument included the force platform device of Danesh Salar-e Iranian model and Kistler's platform device. The subjects tried to keep their static balance on each of the force platforms for 40 seconds with eyes open and eyes closed. After 48-72 hours, test-retest was done under the same conditions as the first test. Each test repeated three times. To measure internal and time reliability, the within-group and between-group correlation tests were used. To measure the concurrent validity, the Pearson correlation test was used. The significance level was set at P < 0.05.

Results:

Kistler's platform had internal reliability in all open- and closed-eyes parameters; while the Danesh Salar-e Iranian force platform had internal reliability in all closed-eyes parameters. Both the force platform deviceshad time stability in all open-eyes parameters. Kistler's platform had time stability in all closed-eyes parameters (except total oscillation), too. In addition, there was a significant correlation in all variables between the two force platform devices.

Conclusion:

 Danesh Salar-e Iranian force platform is a valid and reliable equipment to measure the static balance in men and women </em>athletes in most parameters. Technical improvements of the equioment can increase the psychometric parameters of this tool, as well as its usability and effectiveness. This can promote national production, and pave the way for economic growth, national efficiency, and emancipation of dependency.

Introduction:

 Disabling behaviors of autism are a prominent factor in differences with normal individuals. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of implicit and explicit learning of bimanual coordination on disabling social, communicative, and motor behaviors in autism.

Materials and Methods:

This was semi-experimental research. 24 patients with autism and with an average age of 10 ± 3 years were divided into three equal groups of implicit learning, explicit learning, and control, with the help of pretest Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (SSRQ). The training groups performed bimanual coordination exercises for six days; the implicit learning group performed low-error learning and the explicit learning group performed full-error learning. Then, all of the subjects were re-measured using SSRQ. On the sixth day, the test was taken into account. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

 One-way ANOVA showed a significant difference between the implicit learning group with the explicit learning and control groups (P = 0.014). This was significant for social interaction index (P = 0.019) and behavioral disorders (P = 0.002), too. However, there was no significant difference in speech disorder index (P = 0.910).

Conclusion:

 It is suggested that error-less learning be used to educate people with high-performance autism. In addition to benefiting from implicit learning features, we can improve behavioral and social performance.

Pronation distortion syndrome is one of the most common abnormalities in the lower extremity that causes distortions in the structures of the skeletal parts of the foot. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of systematic corrective exercises on the ankle proprioception in people with functional pronation distortion syndrome.

In this randomized controlled clinical trial study, 30 volunteers who had pronation distortion syndrome were selected and randomly divided in to control and experimental groups. The experimental group performed corrective exercises for 12 weeks (3 sessions per week for one hour), while control group performed the routine exercises. Ankle proprioception (using electrogoniometer) was evaluated before and after the interventions. Data were analysed using independent and paired t tests.

Following 12 weeks of corrective exercises, the experimental group showed significant improvement in ankle proprioception (P = 0.001); however, there was no significant change in control group (P > 0.050). In addition, there was a significant improvement in ankle proprioception in the experimental group compared to control group (P < 0.001).

It can be concluded that systematic corrective exercises improve ankle proprioception in patients with pronation distortion syndrome, and it may be recommended for these people.

Scoliosis is a 3-dimensional spinal deformity. In recent years, more attention has been paid to scoliosis specific exercises. Among different exercise methods for treating scoliosis, the Schroth’s method is the most recognized and widely used. This study aimed to determine the effect of Schroth’s scoliosis specific exercises on different outcomes and quality of life in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

In this narrative review, databases such as PubMed, PEDro, Trip, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched from 2009 till 2019 using words “schroth AND scoliosis AND (quality of life/ muscle endurance/cobb angle/ respiration/respiratory function) PSSE AND scoliosis, 3 dimensional exercises AND scoliosis.

Finally, 15 studies were included. Most of the studies discussed Cobb’s angle changes and other outcomes such as pain, back muscle endurance, respiratory volumes, chest expansion, pulmonary function, cosmetics and patient’s satisfaction, trunk deformities, weight distribution, and quality of life in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

Schroth’s method’s and 3-dimensional exercises had a positive effect on Cobb’s angle, pain, back muscle endurance, respiratory volumes, chest expansion, cosmetics and patient’s satisfaction, trunk deformities, weight distribution, and quality of life in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. However, the effect of such exercises on pulmonary function is controversial.