Hani Fahad Ateeq Albalawi

Background/Objectives: Within a family-centered care framework, families of children with cerebral palsy (CP) rely on both informal and formal support systems to manage caregiving demands, yet the adequacy and perceived helpfulness of this support vary. This study aimed to examine the availability of different support sources for families of children with CP in Saudi Arabia, explore their perceived helpfulness, and evaluate the influence of child-, parent-, geographical-, and household-related characteristics on the level of family support helpfulness. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 223 caregivers of children diagnosed with CP across Saudi Arabia. The participants completed the Child and Family Questionnaire and the Family Support Scale (FSS), and the children were classified on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Kruskal–Wallis H and Mann–Whitney U tests examined the differences in perceived support helpfulness across family, child, and household characteristics. Results: Spousal and kinship support were perceived as the most helpful sources, with families of children with bilateral spastic CP and more severe GMFCS perceiving less support. Overall, informal social support was significantly perceived as more helpful than formal support. Conclusions: Families of children with CP rely mainly on spouses and relatives for support, with lower perceived helpfulness among those facing greater caregiving demands, highlighting the need to improve the accessibility, coordination, and quality of support services.

Introduction: The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is a widely accepted tool for evaluating physical function in older adults. TUG is traditionally conducted in clinical settings through in-person appointments. However, barriers such as living in rural areas or facing limited healthcare access have driven the exploration of tele-assessments. This study aims to assess the agreement between asynchronous tele-assessments and in-person assessments of the TUG test for adults aged 50 and older in a Saudi community. Methods: A cross-over comparative study involving 33 participants aged 50 years and older was conducted. Each participant underwent both asynchronous tele-assessment and in-person assessment of the TUG test on the same day. The agreement between the two methods was evaluated using a paired t-test, Bland-Altman analysis, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC). The ICC was calculated using a two-way random-effects model (ICC(2,1)). Results: The mean scores obtained using the two methods were comparable with statistically insignificant differences, with excellent agreement indicated by an ICC(2,1) of 0.988 (95% CI: 0.976–0.994). Bland-Altman plots further confirmed that the differences were within clinically acceptable limits. Conclusion: Asynchronous tele-assessment can be a viable alternative, particularly for older adults in remote areas or those with limited access to healthcare facilities.

In Saudi Arabia, nearly half of older adults (49.9%) experience at least one fall annually. Despite its global and regional significance, research on fall risk factors in Saudi Arabia remains limited, with most studies concentrating on specific cities or subpopulations. This study investigated factors associated with falls among older adults across Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional study, 473 (58.8% female) older adults (58.4% aged 65–69 years) completed a questionnaire, where we collected data on demographic and health characteristics; additionally, participants completed the Arabic version of the Fall Risk Questionnaire (FRQ-AV). Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including logistic regression, were used to analyze the data using SPSS. Based on the FRQ-AV, 168 (35.5%) participants were identified as at risk of falling. After multivariable adjustment, the following significant risk factors were identified: age 70–74 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=2.52; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35–4.68; p = 0.004) and ≥80 (aOR=4.85; 95% CI: 1.50–15.63; p = 0.008) years; coexisting diabetes and hypertension (aOR=3.59; 95% CI: 1.75–7.35; p < 0.0005); being somewhat (aOR=4.64; 95% CI: 1.78–12.12; p = 0.002), fairly (aOR=11.36; 95% CI: 4.04–31.91; p < 0.0005), or very afraid of falling (aOR=32.81; 95% CI: 10.88–98.99; p < 0.0005); and falling 1–2 (aOR=5.27; 95% CI: 2.80–9.89; p < 0.0005), 3–4 (aOR=13.06; 95% CI: 5.50–30.98; p < 0.0005), or five (aOR = 12.23; 95% CI: 2.88–51.83; p = 0.001) times in the past year. Protective factors included university education (OR=0.39; 95% CI: 0.22–0.68; p = 0.001) and engagement in physical activity (aOR=0.46; 95% CI: 0.26–0.81; p = 0.007). This study offers significant insights into fall factors and preventive strategies among older adults in Saudi Arabia. This study’s results can help in developing and implementing efficient fall prevention strategies nationwide.

Background: Physical therapy is crucial in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy (CP), aiming to enhance motor function, postural control, and functional independence. Objective: The study explored the current physical therapy interventions for children with CP in Saudi Arabia, including waiting time, the most used interventions, the focus of therapy, and parents’ desired goals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 215 children with CP (aged 6 months to 18.2 years). Face-to-face surveys were conducted to collect data on CP classification (based on the Gross Motor Function Classification System), age at first referral, types of interventions used, intervention goals, and parents’ desired goals for their children. Results: Children with severe CP (non-ambulators) received physical therapy services significantly earlier than those with milder involvement (ambulators). The most commonly used interventions were therapeutic exercises and home exercises, followed by standing frames. Hydrotherapy was the least utilized intervention. The focus of therapy was mainly on joints and muscles, as well as mobility and transfers. Conclusions: The study underscores the need to identify and refer children with CP for physical therapy. The findings suggest further investigation into barriers to utilizing certain interventions like hydrotherapy and emphasize the need for more inclusive goal-setting processes in the rehabilitation of children with CP based on both physical therapy and parent perspectives.

Background/Objectives: Physical therapists’ use of various balance assessment tools is essential for accurately identifying deficits and guiding rehabilitation plans. This study aimed to investigate clinical balance assessment practices in Saudi Arabia, examine physical therapists’ preferences for different balance assessment tools, and analyze how participant characteristics—such as age, experience, and practice setting—affect these preferences. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between April and July 2024 in Saudi Arabia. A total of 194 physical therapists (62.9% male; 45.9% with 1–5 years of experience) who actively manage individuals with balance disorders were recruited using a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected through a self-structured questionnaire. Participants reported their use of balance assessment tools on a six-point Likert scale, incorporating both numeric and descriptive anchors. Results: The Single-Leg Stance was the most regularly used tool (54.6%), followed by the Berg Balance Scale and Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) (both 43.8%). Conversely, tools such as the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (68.1%), Mini Balance Evaluation System (65.4%), and Fall Efficacy Scale International (56.2%) were the most underutilized. Significant associations were observed between tool preferences and participant characteristics, including area of practice, academic qualification, experience level, and work environment (p < 0.05). However, several validated assessment tools remain underutilized, highlighting gaps in awareness and training. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the need for greater standardization in balance assessment practices. Improving training programs, establishing clear clinical guidelines, and standardizing assessment protocols across healthcare settings can help make balance evaluations more consistent and effective.

Background: Supervised exercise interventions tend to be more effective than unsupervised exercises or physical activity advice alone. However, people with type 2 diabetes may find it difficult to attend supervised exercise interventions due to several obstacles. Tele-exercise, or utilizing technology to deliver home-based exercise, might be a solution. Objective: This scoping review aimed to explore clinical trials investigating the impact of tele-exercise interventions in individuals with type 2 diabetes Methods: Four electronic databases were searched for the period up to January 2024 for clinical trials investigating the impact of tele-exercise on health-related outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes. Results: Seven trials involving 460 individuals with type 2 diabetes met the inclusion criteria. In these trials, combined aerobic and resistance exercise programs were the main types delivered remotely. To deliver such programs, both synchronous (n = 4) and asynchronous (n = 3) delivery modes were adopted. Regardless of the delivery mode, all tele-exercise interventions led to improvements in various factors related to type 2 diabetes and its complications, including glycemic control, blood lipids, body composition, functional capacity, muscle strength, and quality of life. The improvements were also found to be as effective as those of supervised exercise. Conclusions: Tele-exercise interventions seem to be feasible and as effective as supervised exercise interventions in terms of improving glycemic control, blood lipids, functional capacity, muscle strength, body composition, and quality of life for people with type 2 diabetes.

The use of tele-rehabilitation (TR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) following COVID-19 infection remains unexplored. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine the clinical effects of tele-physical therapy (TPT) on T2DM following COVID-19 infection. The eligible participants were randomized into two groups, a tele-physical therapy group (TPG; n = 68) and a control group (CG; n = 68). The TPG received tele-physical therapy for four sessions a week for eight weeks, and the CG received patient education for 10 min. The outcome measures were HbA1c levels, pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), and peak exploratory flow (PEF)), physical fitness, and quality of life (QOL). The difference between the groups in HbA1c levels at 8 weeks was 0.26 (CI 95% 0.02 to 0.49), which shows greater improvement in the tele-physical therapy group than the control group. Similar changes were noted between the two groups after 6 months and at 12 months resulting in 1.02 (CI 95% 0.86 to 1.17). The same effects were found in pulmonary function (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, MVV, and PEF), physical fitness, and QOL (p = 0.001). The reports of this study show that tele-physical therapy programs may result in improved glycemic control and improve the pulmonary function, physical fitness, and quality of life of T2DM patients following COVID-19 infection.

A simple, valid, and reliable self-assessment fall-risk questionnaire in Arabic is needed to significantly promote awareness and develop fall-prevention programs. This study translated and adapted the Fall Risk Questionnaire (FRQ) into Arabic and determined its validity and reliability among Saudi Arabian older adults in two phases: (1) cross-culturally adapting the FRQ into Arabic and (2) assessing the adapted questionnaire’s psychometric properties in two sessions with 110 Arabic-speaking participants aged ≥65 years. Pearson’s r showed that the Arabic FRQ had a significant moderate negative relationship with the Berg Balance Scale and fair-to-moderate positive correlations with Five Time Sit to Stand and Time Up and Go. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated a significant area under the curve = 0.81. The cut-off score was 7.5 and associated with 73.7% sensitivity and 73.6% specificity. Internal consistency was estimated as good, with Cronbach’s α = 0.77. Deletion of item 1 slightly increased Cronbach’s α to 0.78. The Arabic FRQ demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.95 (95% CI: 0.92–0.97). It is highly valid and reliable in providing valuable data for evaluating fall risk in adults aged ≥65 years and for consulting a specialist for further investigation if necessary.