Joanna Grzegorczyk

Evaluation of Hand-Grip Strength Measurement Using the Pablo Virtual Reality System in Young Adults - Article abstract #949357

Changes in the composition of the body mass of functionally limited older patients may contribute to a decrease in functional fitness and the development of chronic diseases. This research aimed to assess the differences in anthropometric parameters and physical fitness of older patients, over the age of 65, in a 12-week clinical intervention study. Method: The study participants were nursing home inhabitants aged 65–85 who were functionally limited. Persons meeting the inclusion criteria were assigned to one of the three groups: Group 1–basic exercises/BE group (n = 56); Group 2—physical exercises with elements of dancing/PED group (n = 57); Group 3—control group/CO group (n = 56) routine care. The data were collected at the beginning of the study and at the 12-week mark. The outcome was observed for hand grip strength (HGS), arm curl test (ACT), Barthel Index (BI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), triceps skin fold (TSF), waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR), and arm muscle area (AMA). Results: The study included 98 women and 71 men. The average age of the participants was 74.40 years. The analysis of the effects of the 12-week exercise program showed the greatest changes in HGS, ACT, and BI in the exercise groups, especially in the PED group compared to the BE group. Statistically significant differences in the examined parameters of the PED vs. BE vs. CO groups were demonstrated in favour of the exercising groups. In conclusion, a 12-week program of group physical exercises, both PED and BE, improves physical fitness indicators and anthropometric indicators.

Wprowadzenie: Złamanie typu pilon to wieloodłamowe, śródstawowe złamanie kości piszczelowej, strzałkowej i skokowej, które wymaga leczenia prowadzonego przez doświadczony zespół. Materiał i metody: 63-letnia pacjentka, która doznała złamania typu pilon, była leczona operacyjnie, a następnie rehabilitowana z dużymi utrudnieniami z powodu infekcji i martwicy tkanek. Do oceny postępów rehabilitacji wykorzystano: test dwóch wag, pomiar zakresu ruchu zajętego stawu, skalę bólu VAS, ocenę sposobu przemieszania się i jakościową ocenę chodu, skalę jakości życia SF-36, skalę VAS w odniesieniu do lęku. Wyniki: Wielokrotne nawroty procesu zapalnego oraz zakaz obciążania i ćwiczeń kończyny po etapowym usuwaniu instrumentarium i przeszczepach skóry doprowadzały do nasilania się dolegliwości bólowych i okresowych regresji efektów rehabilitacji, włącznie z powrotem do wózka inwalidzkiego. Jednorazowe zastosowanie terapii mięśniowo-powięziowej znacząco i niespodziewanie nasiliło proces zapalny i ograniczyło czasowo możliwości chodzenia. Obecnie chora porusza się o dwóch kulach łokciowych, na krótkich dystansach bez kul, stopa jest ustawiona końsko, zakres ruchu w stawie skokowym nie uległ zmianie i jest nadal śladowy. Wnioski: Liczne powikłania po złamaniu stawu skokowego typu pilon w znacznym stopniu utrudniają postęp rehabilitacji. Fizjoterapia powinna być dobierana bardzo ostrożnie i indywidualnie ze stopniowo dozowanym obciążaniem, gdyż zbyt intensywne jej prowadzenie może przyczynić się do pogorszenia i zmuszać do czasowego odroczenia rehabilitacji.

Introduction: Over the last few decades, the quality of care and the quality of life of nursing home (NH) residents have significantly improved, but insufficient physical activity and social involvement still represent substantial challenges in modern nursing facilities. The main aim of this research was to assess the influence of physical exercises with dance movement therapy (DMT) elements on strength and other fitness components of the upper limbs and the overall functional performance of NH residents in wheelchairs compared to standard exercise programmes and usual care. Method: The study participants were persons aged 68–85 who lived in NH and used manual wheelchairs as a primary means of mobility. Individuals meeting the inclusion criteria were assigned to one of the three groups: Group 1, basic exercise/BE group (n = 55); group 2, physical exercises with elements of dance movement therapy/PED group (n = 55); and group 3, control group, usual care/CO group (n = 55). The intervention for both exercising groups consisted of a 30-min session, two times a week, for 12 weeks in total. Outcome assessments were performed at baseline, 12 weeks after baseline (immediately after the intervention) and 24 weeks after baseline (12 weeks after the intervention). The main outcome was observed for hand grip strength (HGS), while secondary outcomes for box and block test (BBT), arm curl test (ACT), back scratch test (BS), chair sit-and-reach (CSR), peak expiratory flow (PEF), Barthel Index (BI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the range of motion of the shoulder. Results: Prior to the start of the exercise programmes, all the tested groups were homogeneous. After 12 weeks the PED group presented higher statistically significant scores in HGS_L, BBT, ACT, BS, CSR, BI, BBS: p < 0.001 and HGS_R: p = 0.01, compared to the BE group. After 24 weeks from the beginning of the intervention the comparison between the PED group and the BE group showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) in favour of PED group in almost all areas: HGS_R, HGS_L, BBT: ACT, PEF, BS, CSR, BI. After 12 and 24 weeks both intervention groups performed better than the CO in all measures except for Katz ADL and shoulder extension. Conclusion: Twelve weeks of physical exercises had beneficial effects on the strength and fitness of the upper limbs and overall functional performance in both exercise groups. This study demonstrated that group performing physical exercises with elements of DMT obtained statistically better scores in the majority of analysed domains than other groups. Trial registration: The study was registered in the Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (Registration Number - SLCTR/2018/014 - Date of Registration 16/05/2018. Accessed on https://slctr.lk/trials/1045).

Background: The aging is a multi-faceted process comprising both—the physical and mental alterations. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the variables affecting the psychophysical state of the elderly people using wheelchairs and living in nursing homes (NH). Methods: 165 older wheelchair users were included in the study after meeting the inclusion criteria and expressing written consent. The assessment involved cognitive functioning, depression, body balance and flexibility, lung capacity and upper limbs dexterity, strenght and endurance. The results showed negative correlation between depression and balance, upper limb dexterity and endurance and shoulder flexion. A positive correlation between cognitive functioning and balance, upper limb dexterity, strenght and endurance, lung capacity and joint mobility was determined. Also, the study proved positive correlation between daily functioning and functional fitness, muscle strength and endurance, body flexibility, joint mobility. The regression analysis showed that better scores in balance test and joint mobility implied with higher scores in cognitive functioning. The most important determinants of functional fitness were balance, hand grip strenght and joint mobility. Conclusion: The future study should be focused on developing interventions aimed at senior wheelchair users living in NHs to prevent the deterioration of their mental and physical fitness.

Assessment of sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D), relative to the method of insulin therapy used, and in comparison to healthy controls. The study group consisted of 215 children with T1D, including 109 (50.7%) insulin pen and 106 (49.3%) insulqsain pump users. The control group comprised 115 healthy children. The subjects’ sedentary time was measured with a tri-axial accelerometer ActiGraph GT3X+, used continuously for 7 days. The diabetes group was characterized by a significantly higher “% in sedentary time” score (P = .024) and a lower “mean daily breaks in sedentary time” result (P = .007), which means that they spent much more time on sedentary activities compared to the control group. There were no significant differences between the children using insulin pump and insulin pen in the “% in sedentary time” score (P = .294) and “mean daily breaks in sedentary time” (P = .251). The T1D is a serious encumbrance, leading to longer duration of sedentary time, in comparison to healthy controls. The type of insulin therapy did not significantly affect the percentage of the wear-day spent in sedentary time and mean daily breaks in sedentary time.

Background: An excessive accumulation of the adipose tissue in women's organism is a frequent and important medical problem which should be monitored. The aim of this study was to explore correlations between the selected parameters of body composition assessed using DXA and anthropometric methods. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 50 women aged 51–85. Both adipose mass and fat-free mass were assessed with the DXA method, and the nutritional status of the participants was evaluated with the anthropometric methods. Results: The mean body mass index (BMI) value assessed with the DXA method amounted to 28.4 (±5.12). The Spearman's Rho correlation indicated the presence of a moderate association (0.27–0.50) between: (1) right arm lean and the circumference of the arm (P = 0.020), forearm (P = 0.011), and transverse cross-section of the arm (P = 0.020), (2) right leg fat and circumference of the thigh (P = 0.003), shin (P = 0.009), and also the musculature index of the lower extremity (P = 0.034), (3) visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass and BMI (P = 0.050), Waist to HeightRatio (WtHR) (P = 0.031), (4) Android fat and WHtR (P = 0.044), and (5) gynoid fat and Škerlj index (P = 0.025). Conclusion: The selected parameters assessed with DXA were significantly correlated with the selected parameters assessed with anthropometric methods. WHtR anthropometric parameter is significantly correlated with DXA parameters: VAT mass, gynoid region % fat and android region % fat.

Objective: The assessment of pelvis reposition exercise efficacy in the treatment of pelvic floor muscles (PFM) asymmetry. The hypothesis was that PFM asymmetry may have a functional reason related to lumbopelvic complex misalignment. Design: A parallel group trial with follow-up Methods: Thirty young women were divided into 2 groups: experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15). In experimental group one, a 15-minute trial of pelvis reposition exercise was carried out. Ober test, the Thomas test, and transabdominal PFM ultrasound measurements were performed in both groups. Results: In the experimental group both the Ober and Thomas tests were positive at baseline in most subjects. After the exercise, improvement was noted in Ober test (P = .005; d = 0.75 on the right side, P = .005; d = 0.78 on the left side) and in the Thomas test (P = .005; d = 0.66 on the right side, P = .005; d = 0.67 on the left side). At baseline, the ultrasonographic evaluation of PFM performed during resting and during voluntary pelvic muscles contraction showed the right–left length asymmetry. The return of symmetrical PFM work after pelvis reposition exercise was observed in the experimental group. There were no statistically significant changes in the control group.s Conclusions: We suggest that after reposition exercises, the pelvis was more symmetrically aligned in relation to body axis; therefore, the muscles of the pelvic floor have functional length and did not shorten or lengthen due to pelvis rotation. In this study, for the first time, it was presented that PFM asymmetry visible in ultrasonography may be corrected by this specific exercise. Further analysis of the causes of this asymmetry may lead to more accurate treatment of PFM dysfunctions.

Exercise is a determinant of people’s well-being, and it contributes to the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases of affluence, e.g. diabetes and obesity. The rapid pace of economic development is affecting human functioning to such a degree that the need for physical activity, which...