A comparison of the energy costs with use of different types of manual wheelchair in disabled persons.

SUMMARY: The energy cost of physical activity is a well-documented field of research both in non-disabled subjects and in subjects with physical disabilities, in particular spinal cord lesions. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the energy cost and subjective fatigue in disabled persons who make daily use of a manual wheelchair by comparing three different types of wheelchair (standard, lightweight and ultra-light) in order to obtain indices useful for prescribing the most effective and appropriate wheelchairaid for the individual patient. The study was carried out on 18 patients affected by paraplegia or paraparesis due to spinal cord injury at different levels. Result revealed a significant difference across the three types of wheelchair, with the energy expenditure to cover 100 m increasing from the ultra-light (lowest expenditure) to the lightweight to the standard type (highest expenditure). The differences observed in the average energy consumed to cover a distance of 100 meters with the three types of wheelchair confirm the hypothesis that it is the weight of the wheelchair chosen by the rehabilitation team together with the patient that constitutes the fundamental criterion in making such a prescription. Obviously, in making the final choice, other factors as well need to be taken into account, such as the person's age and anthropometric characteristics, the nature of the disability and prognosis, the achievable degree of autonomy, functional capacities, personal preferences, the type of use (domestic or external), accessibility, reliability and durability, esthetic features, eventual accessories available, etc.

Comparison of exercise training effect with different robotic devices for upper limb rehabilitation: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Several robotic devices have been proposed for upper limb rehabilitation, but they differ in terms of application fields and the technical solutions implemented. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three different robotic devices for shoulder-elbow rehabilitation in reducing motor impairment and improving motor performance in post-stroke patients. DESIGN: Retrospective multi-center study. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital. POPULATION: Eighty-seven chronic and subacute post-stroke patients, aged 48-85 years. METHODS: Data were obtained through a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent a 3-week rehabilitation program including robot-assisted therapy of the upper limb and conventional physical therapy. Patients were divided into three groups according to the robot device used for exercise training: 'Braccio di Ferro" (BdF), InMotion2 (IMT), and MEchatronic system for MOtor recovery after Stroke (MEMOS). They were evaluated at the beginning and end of treatment using the Fugl-Meyer (FM) and Modified Ashworth (MAS) clinical scales and by a set of robot measured kinematic parameters. RESULTS: The three groups were homogeneous for age, level of impairment, time since the acute event, and spasticity level. A significant effect of time (P<0.001) was evident on FM and kinematic parameters across all groups. The average change in the FM score was 9.5, 7.3 and 7.1 points, respectively, for BdF, IMT and MEMOS. No significant between-group differences were observed at the MAS pre- vs. post-treatment. A significant interaction between time and groups resulted for the mean velocity (MV, P<0.005) and movement smoothness parameters (nPK, P<0.001 and SM, P<0.02). The effect size (ES) was large for the FM score and MV parameter, independently of the type of robot device used. Further, the ES ranged from moderate to large for the remaining kinematic parameters except for the movement accuracy (mean distance, MD), which exhibited a small ES in the BdF and MEMOS groups. CONCLUSIONS: The motor function gains obtained during robot-assisted therapy of stroke patients seem to be independent of the type of robot device used for the training program. All devices tested in this study were effective in improving the level of impairment and motor performance. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: This study could help rehabilitation professionals to set-up comparative studies involving rehabilitation technologies.

[Role of occupational rehabilitation therapy in returning to work: experimental experience]. / Ruolo della terapia riabilitativa occupazionale nel reinserimento al lavoro: esperienze sperimentali.

The experimental experience is the result of combining cultural, clinical and scientific interest in rehabilitative, occupational and forensic mnedicine and in ergonomics. It deals with the rehabilitation and return at work of patients with physical disabilities caused by occupational trauma or disease. The programme described starts with a selection by INAIL and involves with an outpatient surgery inclusion. It is composed of: preliminary physical examination, functional assessment, the formulation of a rehabilitation plan and its successive implementation. At the end of the evaluation plan, there is a final assessment to identify outcome indicators and residual functional and work capacity.

[The shoe industry and the musculoskeletal system]. / Attività calzaturiera ed apparato muscoloscheletrico.

Shoes factory workers are engaged in ripetitive tasks, often performed in constrained postures and in concomitance of force applied, which result in increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Risk assessment and ergonomic interventions are part of the on-site prevention program, which should pertain also to gender and age differences. Health and safety issues can be adequately faced by an active epidemiological surveillance complemented by ergonomics.

Rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease: assessing the outcome using objective metabolic measurements.

Objective measurements to assess the efficacy of rehabilitation treatment in Parkinson's disease, suitable to be carried out routinely in the clinical setting, are lacking. Metabolic parameters, reflecting the recruitment and co-ordination of muscle fibers, might be simple instrumental measurements suitable for use as outcome markers. Twenty parkinsonian patients underwent a 4-week rehabilitation treatment. Functional evaluation was based on Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Motor Section (UPDRS III), Berg's scale, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), and the metabolic data recorded during the 6MWT namely the active energy expenditure (AEE), the kinetics of the energy consumption curve, and the peak value of energy consumption. Both rating scales and gait improved significantly (UPDRS III decreased by 32%, Berg increased by 21% and the 6MWT increased by 17%). We observed significant improvements also in metabolic measurements (35, 18, and 15 improvement in the kinetics of the energy consumption, AEE, and peak value of energy consumption, respectively). Hence, the rehabilitation protocol improved functional characteristics of the patients and these improvements were clearly reflected also by the metabolic measurements. The improvement in clinical scores corresponded with an increase in energy consumption during the 6MWT, indicating greater speed in the recruitment of motor units and of a capacity to maintain this recruitment over time.

E-learning for nurse continuous education.

The paper compares the effectiveness of a traditional residential and an e-learning course for nurses, and suggests ways to identify the psychological characteristics which might lead people to prefer e-learning education.