Interrater Reliability of the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia, Berg Balance Scale, and Functional Independence Measure Motor Domain in Individuals With Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the interrater reliability of the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and motor domain of the FIM (m-FIM) administered by physiotherapists in individuals with a hereditary cerebellar ataxia (HCA). DESIGN: Participants were assessed by 1 of 4 physiotherapists. Assessments were video-recorded and the remaining 3 physiotherapists scored the scales for each participant. Raters were blinded to each other's scores. SETTING: Assessments were administered at 3 clinical locations in separate states in Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one individuals (mean age=47.63 years; SD=18.42; 13 male and 8 female) living in the community with an HCA were recruited (N=21). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total and single-item scores of the SARA, BBS, and m-FIM were examined. The m-FIM was conducted by interview. RESULTS: Intraclass coefficients (2,1) for the total scores of the m-FIM (0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-0.96), SARA (0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.96), and BBS (0.99; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99) indicated excellent interrater reliability. However, there was inconsistent agreement with the individual items, with SARA item 5 (right side) and item 7 (both sides) demonstrating poor interrater reliability and items 1 and 2 demonstrating excellent reliability. CONCLUSIONS: The m-FIM (by interview), SARA, and BBS have excellent interrater reliability for use when assessing individuals with an HCA. Physiotherapists could be considered for administration of the SARA in clinical trials. However, further work is required to improve the agreement of the single-item scores and to examine the other psychometric properties of these scales.

Obese Versus Normal-Weight Late-Adolescent Females have Inferior Trabecular Bone Microarchitecture: A Pilot Case-Control Study.

Though still a topic of debate, the position that skeletal health is compromised with obesity has received support in the pediatric and adult literature. The limited data relating specifically to trabecular bone microarchitecture, however, have been relatively inconsistent. The aim of this pilot cross-sectional case-control study was to compare trabecular bone microarchitecture between obese (OB) and normal-weight (NW) late-adolescent females. A secondary aim was to compare diaphyseal cortical bone outcomes between these two groups. Twenty-four non-Hispanic white females, ages 18-19 years, were recruited into OB (n = 12) or NW (n = 12) groups based on pre-specified criteria for percent body fat (≥32 vs. <30, respectively), body mass index (>90th vs. 20th-79th, respectively), and waist circumference (≥90th vs. 25th-75th, respectively). Participants were also individually matched on age, height, and oral contraceptive use. Using magnetic resonance imaging, trabecular bone microarchitecture was assessed at the distal radius and proximal tibia metaphysis, and cortical bone architecture was assessed at the mid-radius and mid-tibia diaphysis. OB versus NW had lower apparent trabecular thickness (radius and tibia), higher apparent trabecular separation (radius), and lower apparent bone volume to total volume (radius; all P < 0.050). Some differences in radius and tibia trabecular bone microarchitecture were retained after adjusting for insulin resistance or age at menarche. Mid-radius and mid-tibia cortical bone volume and estimated strength were lower in the OB compared to NW after adjusting for fat-free soft tissue mass (all P < 0.050). These trabecular and cortical bone deficits might contribute to the increased fracture risk in obese youth.

Load-specific physical activity scores are related to tibia bone architecture.

Assessment of physical activity in clinical bone studies is essential. Two bone-specific physical activity scoring methods, the Bone Loading History Questionnaire (BLHQ) and Bone-Specific Physical Activity Questionnaire (BPAQ), have shown correlations with bone density and geometry, but not architecture. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between physical activity scoring methods and bone architecture in non-Hispanic white adolescent females (N = 24; 18-19 years of age). Bone loading scores (BLHQ [hip and spine] and past BPAQ) and energy expenditure (7-day physical activity recall) were determined from respective questionnaires. Estimates of trabecular and cortical bone architecture at the nondominant radius and tibia were assessed via magnetic resonance imaging. Total body and regional areal bone mineral density (aBMD), as well as total body fat mass and fat-free soft tissue (FFST) mass were assessed via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Pearson's correlations and partial correlations adjusting for height, total body fat mass, and FFST were performed. Hip BLHQ scores were correlated with midtibia cortical volume (r = .43; p = .03). Adjusted hip and spine BLHQ scores were correlated with all midtibia cortical measures (r = .50-0.58; p < .05) and distal radius apparent trabecular number (r = .46-0.53; p < .05). BPAQ scores were correlated with all midtibia cortical (r = .41-0.51; p < .05) and most aBMD (r = .47-0.53; p < .05) measures. Energy expenditure was inversely associated with femoral neck aBMD only after statistical adjustment (r = .49, p < .05). These data show that greater load-specific physical activity scores, but not energy expenditure, are indicative of greater midtibia cortical bone quality, thus supporting the utility of these instruments in musculoskeletal research.

Exploring what influences physiotherapists' capability, opportunity and motivation to integrate new evidence into routine clinical care using the Balance Intensity Scale.

PURPOSE: To explore influences on the capability, opportunity and motivation of physiotherapists integrating new evidence into routine care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mixed-methods study utilising the Theoretical Domains Framework and Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour model. Metropolitan inpatient rehabilitation physiotherapists participated by integrating the Balance Intensity Scale into routine care for 6 weeks. Evidence integration was supported by a tailored theory-informed approach. Participants completed pre- and post-evidence integration surveys and a post-evidence integration focus group. RESULTS: Pre- and post-surveys were completed by 24 and 12 participants, respectively. One focus group (n = 7) was conducted. Framework analysis identified themes in Capability (n = 4), Opportunity (n = 4) and Motivation (n = 5) domains influencing behaviour when implementing new evidence. The evidence integration process enhanced participants' Knowledge (p = 0.04), Skills (p = 0.003) and Belief in capabilities (p = 0.03) when prescribing and measuring balance exercises. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified perceived barriers and enablers to evidence integration of a new outcome measure into routine care. It highlights strategies that may support physiotherapy teams in incorporating new evidence into routine care. These strategies include education on the evidence being implemented, physical resources, change champions to facilitate social support, management endorsement, and recognition of the time and effort required for evidence integration in the short term.

When integrating new evidence into routine physiotherapy care in rehabilitation settings, the theoretical domains framework can provide a suitable framework to identify potential barriers and enablers of evidence integration at a local level, to guide the tailoring of support strategies.Rehabilitation physiotherapists can integrate the Balance Intensity Scale into balance exercise prescription as part of routine care.Targeted education provides support to change practice and implement evidence-informed care.Clinical change champions and sharing the effort to change as a team are pivotal in fostering the adoption of new evidence, such as the Balance Intensity Scale, into practice.