ABSTRACT
Introduction: Fatigue is a common yet not frequently explored complication of diabetes. There are fewer studies available on the impact of diabetes on the severity of fatigue and the functional status of patients. Methods: Fifty individuals meeting the inclusion criteria were included. The individuals were divided into two groups: group A (diabetic elderly individuals) and group B (nondiabetic age and gender-matched individuals). An observational analytical study was conducted. Outcome measures used were: fatigue severity scale (FSS), lower extremity functional scale (LEFS), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and 30-second chair stand test. SPSS 16 was used to analyze data. Results: As per the normality test, a between-group comparison of fatigue severity scale (FSS) score, chair stand test score, and LEFS score was carried out by a nonparametric Mann-Whitney test, which showed a statistically significant difference between the groups (P < 0.05). Between-group comparison of 6MWD was carried out by parametric unpaired t test. The results showed a statistically significant difference in the distance walked by both groups. Conclusion: Higher levels of fatigue and impaired functional status along with reduced strength and function of lower limbs was seen in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes Inclusion of symptom assessment and strategies to reduce the burden of fatigue in diabetes patient should be incorporated.
ABSTRACT
Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are conditions that are caused and/or aggravated by work. The most important reason behind work-related musculoskeletal disorder is abnormal and/or stressful position of joints while working. Physiotherapists are very much prone to develop work-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially while treating neurologically challenged patients. Postural assessment is a key to identify a person at risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Proper assessment of some of the areas like neck, spine, upper and lower extremities is the key to get risk factor analysis. REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) is a tool which can be used on field to quantify areas of the body which are more likely to develop work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Aims: To find out risk of MSDs among physiotherapists treating neurologically challenged patients. Study Setting and Design: At neuro-paediatric department of SBB College of Physiotherapy, an observational pilot study was conducted. Materials and Methods: Photographs of the participants were captured with their consent through smart phone camera during treatment of different patients both adult and paediatric. Selected postures were analysed and quantified based on the REBA sheet. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive analysis was done based on areas at higher risk for MSDs according to REBA sheet. Results: More than 50% of participants were at moderate to high risk of developing MSDs. Conclusion: Physiotherapists working with neurological patients were found to be at high to medium risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. There is a need to assess MSD risk in detail in all physiotherapists.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Areca nut is chewed by itself and in various scented preparations. Areca nut chewing is widely practiced in many parts of Asia, including India. Users often consider it harmless and report a sense of well-being, but evidence has shown that it is far from harmless and can have multiple oral health implications such as oral submucosal fibrosis posing difficulty in opening mouth and carcinogenesis. Studies in India have reported increasing prevalence of this habit among schoolgoing children. The objectives of the study were to find the effect of areca nut chewing on mouth opening, compare it with the children not having this habit, and to find correlation between maximal mouth opening (MMO) and months of areca nut chewing. AIMS: The aim of this study is to find the effect of areca nut chewing on MMO in schoolgoing children in Ahmedabad. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: An observational analytical study was conducted across various schools of Ahmedabad. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of eighty male students of 12-14-year-old were included in the study. Group A included children having the habit of eating areca nut for 6 months or more, and Group B had children who did not have the habit of areca nut chewing. Children who had just started eating for <6 months were excluded from the study. MMO was calculated as distance from the edge of the upper incisor teeth to the edge of the lower incisor teeth using a calibrated fiber ruler. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software version 20.0, with level of significance set at 5%. RESULTS: Mean and standard deviation of MMO for Group A was 3.69 ± 0.5 cm and for Group B was 4.46 ± 0.4 cm. Statistically significant difference was found using Mann-Whitney U-test with U = 239.500 and P = 0.0001. Pearson's coefficient r = -0.623 and P = 0.0001 showed moderate correlation between months of chewing and MMO. The mean duration of chewing was found to be 1.5 years. CONCLUSION: There is difference in MMO between children chewing areca nut and not chewing it with a moderate correlation between months of eating areca nut and MMO.