In-Home Virtual Reality Videogame Telerehabilitation in Adolescents With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy Golomb et al
Golomb and colleagues conducted a proof of concept study to investigate the benefits of remotely-monitored virtual reality-based rehabilitation in 3 children with severe hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Virtual reality videogame-based rehabilitation systems were installed in the subjects' homes and they were asked to play games that used a sensor glove and emphasized finger movement on a 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week schedule. All 3 demonstrated improvements on hand function testing and the extent of their functional magnetic resonance imaging-monitored spatial activation during grasping tasks at the end of the 3-month trial. In addition, improvements in radial bone mineral content and area were noted in the 2 that were the most compliant. The authors concluded that videogame telerehabilitation may be beneficial in improving hand function and bone health in children with hemiplegia.
Effects of a 12-Week Tai Chi Chuan Program Versus a Balance Training Program on Postural Control and Walking Ability in Older People Lelard et al
Tai Chi (TC) has been recommended as a means to improving balance and reducing the risk of falls among the elderly. Lelard and colleagues compared the relative benefits of TC and balance training (BT) on the postural control and gait of 28 community dwelling older adults. Subjects were divided into 2 groups. Half participated in a TC program and half in conventional BT. Evaluation revealed that the groups were indistinguishable in terms of walking speed or postural sway under either eyes open or eyes closed conditions at the end of the 12-week trial. The authors noted that the TC group appeared to fare better when performance during eyes open and eyes closed conditions was compared and concluded that while neither approach was superior that TC might have particular benefits in countering the effects of eye closure.
The Effectiveness of Walking Stick Use for Neurogenic Claudication: Results From A Randomized Trial and the Effects on Walking Tolerance and Posture Comer et al
Comer and colleagues note that spinal flexion and unloading are often central in the treatment of spinal stenosis and investigated the benefits of cane use on the symptoms and performance of 46 adults with spinal stenosis and neurogenic claudication. Evaluation of the 40 who completed the 2-week trial revealed that cane use did not result in a significant lessening of symptoms, longer walking distances or an increase in spinal flexion. The authors speculate that while a cane shorter than the standard height version used in their study cane or an alternative approach to spinal unloading may be beneficial in reducing the symptoms of spinal stenosis that their cane was not.
Mortality After Discharge From Acute Care Hospitalization With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Population Based Study Ventura et al
Ventura and colleagues studied the postacute mortality and long-term survival of a cohort of almost 19,000 people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The investigators found that mortality was markedly elevated within the first month of discharge (standardized mortality ratio= 25.20) and that a continuing but lessening elevation persisted thereafter. Mortality rates were highest for deaths due to mental, behavioral, and neurologic conditions but were also increased to a lesser extent by a variety of other causes. Relative to the general population, subjects displayed a 6-year reduction in their life expectancies and a 2.5 increased risk of death. The authors conclude that TBI is associated with an increased risk of mortality and that presence of risk factors such as injury severity and health status should increase concern.
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