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State of Art in Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 April 2023) | Viewed by 11179

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alvaro N. Gurovich

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Guest Editor

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, College of Health Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Interests: clinical applied physiology; cardiovascular pathophysiology and rehabilitation; exercise-induced blood flow patterns; endothelial function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the rehabilitation of patients with acute or chronic physical conditions should follow the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model. The ICF model relies on the “dynamic interaction between a person’s health condition, environmental factors, and personal factors”, which determines the bio–psycho–social approach to current rehabilitation strategies.

This Special Issue will focus on current research advancing any of the three ICF model pillars (from the biological perspective, via basic and applied sciences, and research on environmental and psychological factors that play key roles in the recovery of patients). We welcome manuscripts covering a broad overview of research topics to enhance the applied medicine and rehabilitation field. These topics can be related to basic or applied sciences, such as vascular biology and exercise physiology, or to environmental and psychological factors associated with the bio–psycho–social aspects of physical rehabilitation.

Dr. Alvaro N. Gurovich
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Applied Physiology
Movement Sciences
Mobility
Exercise
Bio–Psycho–Social
Assistive Technology
Tele-Rehabilitation
Applied Mechanics
Biomechanics
Motor Control
Applied Neurology
Neuro-Rehabilitation

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measuring Equine-Assisted Therapy: Validation and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of an ICF-Based Standardized Assessment-Tool

by Isabel Stolz, Volker Anneken and Ingo Froböse

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2738; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052738 - 26 Feb 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2263

Abstract

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization (WHO) was established as an international framework for monitoring rehabilitation outcomes and the impacts of health interventions since, as the term “functioning” implies, it emphasizes a person’s “lived health” in addition to their biological health status. Equine-assisted therapy (EAT) represents a holistic intervention approach that aims to improve both biomedical functioning and the patient’s lived health in relation to performing activities and participating in social situations. In this study, the psychometric properties of an ICF-based digital assessment tool for the measurement of the rehabilitation impacts of EAT were analyzed via simultaneous confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and reliability and sensitivity tests. In total, 265 patients from equine-assisted therapy centers in Germany were included for CFA. Change sensitivity was assessed via multi-level analyses based on 876 repeated assessments by 30 therapists. Results show satisfactory model-fit statistics; McDonald’s omega (ML) showed excellent scores for the total scale (ω = 0.96) and three subscales (ω = 0.95; ω = 0.95, ω = 0.93). The tool proved itself to be change sensitive and reliable (change sensitivity p ≤ 0.001), retest r = 0.745 **, p ≤ 0.001). Overall, the developed assessment tool satisfactorily fulfills psychometric requirements and can be applied in therapeutic practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of Art in Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation)

11 pages, 1087 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examining Facilitators and Barriers to Cardiac Rehabilitation Adherence in a Low-Resource Setting in Latin America from Multiple Perspectives

by Diana Marcela Rangel-Cubillos, Andrea Vanessa Vega-Silva, Yully Fernanda Corzo-Vargas, Maria Camila Molano-Tordecilla, Yesica Paola Peñuela-Arévalo, Karen Mayerly Lagos-Peña, Adriana Marcela Jácome-Hortúa, Carmen Juliana Villamizar-Jaimes, Sherry L. Grace, Hugo Celso Dutra de Souza, Adriana Angarita-Fonseca and Juan Carlos Sánchez-Delgado

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 1911; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19041911 - 09 Feb 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2758

Abstract

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is under-used, particularly in low-resource settings. There are few studies of barriers and facilitators to CR adherence in these settings, particularly considering multiple perspectives. In this multiple-method study, a cross-sectional survey including the Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale (each item scored on a five-point Likert scale) was administered to patients treated between February and July, 2019, in three CR centers in Colombia. A random subsample of 50 participants was invited to a focus group, along with an accompanying relative. Physiotherapists from the programs were invited to an interview, with a similar interview guide. Audio-recordings were transcribed and analyzed using interpretive description. A total of 210 patients completed the survey, and 9 patients, together with 3 of their relatives and 3 physiotherapists, were interviewed. The greatest barriers identified were costs (mean = 2.8 ± 1.6), distance (2.6 ± 1.6) and transportation (2.5 ± 1.6); the logistical subscale was highest. Six themes were identified, pertaining to well-being, life roles, weather, financial factors, healthcare professionals and health system factors. The main facilitators were encouragement from physiotherapists, relatives and other patients. The development of hybrid programs where patients transition from supervised to unsupervised sessions when appropriate should be considered, if health insurers were to reimburse them. Programs should consider the implications regarding policies of family inclusion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of Art in Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation)

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9 pages, 1258 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of 1 MHz Therapeutic Ultrasound on Limb Blood Flow and Microvascular Reactivity: A Randomized Pilot Trial

by Megan Waters, Branko Miljkovic, Jozelyn Rascon, Manuel Gomez and Alvaro N. Gurovich

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111444 - 30 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1954

Abstract

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study where continuous therapeutic ultrasound (CUS; at 0.4 W/cm²), pulsed therapeutic ultrasound (PUS; at 20% duty cycle, 0.08 W/cm²), both at 1 MHz, and placebo (equipment on, no energy provided) were randomized and applied over the forearm of the non-dominant arm for 5 min in 10 young, healthy individuals. Absolute and peak forearm blood flow (FBF) were measured via Venous Occlusion Plethysmography. FBF was measured before, halfway, and after (immediately and 5 min after) the therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) intervention. Post-ischemic peak FBF was measured 10 min before and 10 min after the TUS intervention. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (group × time) was selected to assess differences in FBF before, during, and after TUS treatment, and for peak FBF before and after TUS treatment. FBF increased 5 min after TUS in CUS compared to placebo (2.96 ± 1.04 vs. 2.09 ± 0.63 mL/min/100 mL of tissue, p < 0.05). PUS resulted in the greatest increase in Peak FBF at 10 min after US (Δ = 3.96 ± 2.02 mL/min/100 mL of tissue, p = 0.06). CUS at 1 MHz was an effective treatment modality for increasing FBF up to 5 min after intervention, but PUS resulted in the greatest increase in peak FBF at 10 min after intervention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of Art in Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation)

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Review

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19 pages, 1199 KiB

Open AccessReview

Ultrasound Imaging as a Visual Biofeedback Tool in Rehabilitation: An Updated Systematic Review

by Juan Antonio Valera-Calero, César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Umut Varol, Ricardo Ortega-Santiago, Gracia María Gallego-Sendarrubias and José Luis Arias-Buría

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7554; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147554 - 15 Jul 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3244

Abstract

Rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) is used by physical therapists as a feedback tool for measuring changes in muscle morphology during therapeutic interventions such as motor control exercises (MCE). However, a structured overview of its efficacy is lacking. We aimed to systematically review the efficacy of RUSI for improving MCE programs compared with no feedback and other feedback methods. MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases were searched for studies evaluating efficacy data of RUSI to improve muscular morphology, quality, and/or function of skeletal muscles and MCE success. Eleven studies analyzing RUSI feedback during MCE were included. Most studies showed acceptable methodological quality. Seven studies assessed abdominal wall muscles, one assessed pelvic floor muscles, one serratus anterior muscle, and two lumbar multifidi. Eight studies involved healthy subjects and three studies clinical populations. Eight studies assessed muscle thickness and pressure differences during MCE, two assessed the number of trials needed to successfully perform MCE, three assessed the retain success, seven assessed the muscle activity with electromyography and one assessed clinical severity outcomes. Visual RUSI feedback seems to be more effective than tactile and/or verbal biofeedback for improving MCE performance and retention success, but no differences with pressure unit biofeedback were found. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of Art in Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation)

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