COMPARISON OF EFFECTIVENESS OF DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING AND PURSEDLIP EXPIRATION EXERCISES IN IMPROVING THE FORCED EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE AND CHEST EXPANSION IN PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

Background: Asthma is growing problem in India and throughout the world. Breathing exercises are commonly incorporated in overall pulmonary rehabilitation program of patients with bronchial asthma. However there is a lack of awareness regarding following a specific exercise prescription which is based on individual’s requirements. Physiotherapist can help in designing an exercise prescription specific to an individual possibly to achieve more control over bronchial asthma. Methods: Thirty patients both male and female aged between 20 and 40 years diagnosed with bronchial asthma by the physician were assigned in two groups. Group-1 patients were given diaphragmatic breathing exercises and group-2 patients were given pursed-lip expiration exercises. Both groups received selected intervention for 6 weeks, 5 days in a week, 2 times in a day, and 20 minutes per session. Pre and post-test measures of forced expiratory flow rate were taken by peak expiratory flow meter and chest expansion was measured by inch tape. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 software. The analysis was performed by using students paired t-test. Results: The study shows statistically significant improvement in diaphragmatic breathing exercise group when compared to pursed-lip expiration exercise group. The value of chest expansion has shown 2.04 % improvement in group1 and 1.01 % in group 2 whereas peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) showed 16.9 % improvement in group 1 and 2.27 % in group 2. Conclusion: Diaphragmatic breathing exercises play a vital role in rehabilitation of asthmatic patients to gain functional improvement and independence

PREVALENCE OF WORK-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS IN SOUTHERN KARNATAKA DISTRICT

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are common amongst dental personnel including dental students when they are still in educational programs due to their work in a static posture. The objective of the study is to identify work-related musculoskeletal disorders in terms of perception of pain and stiffness experienced by the dental students and interns and to find the association between pain, stiffness and selected socio demographic variables. Methods: A total of 236 subjects were selected from Yenepoya Dental College, Manipal Institute of Dental Sciences and A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore. The subjects were selected by using convenience method and were given closed-ended questionnaire to find perception of pain and stiffness experienced. Results: The study revealed that 51.3% of dental students sometimes had pain in lower back and 44.4% in neck. 20.3% of subjects complained of having sometimes stiffness in neck and 19.9% of them had in lower back. It was observed that number of workdays per week had significant association (p=0.01) with increase in frequency of pain. Frequency of stiffness was significantly associated with height (p= 0.02) and weight (p= 0.02). There was also significant association between intensity of pain and average number of work days per week (p= 0.017) and average number of patients treated per day (p= 0.012). Conclusion: The study revealed that WMSDs are prevalent in dental students and interns. A significant association was found between musculoskeletal symptoms and socio-demographic variables like gender, height, weight, number of workdays per week and number of patients treated per day

ANALYSIS OF POWER GRIP AND PINCH GRIP AMONG HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Background: Grip and pinch strength are commonly employed indices of strength used in hand evaluations. Pinch grip and power grip strengths are used as indices of strength in hand therapy assessments. For all professions grip strength is an important criterion to be successful in their profession. Such phenomena may be explained by differences in nature of work, working environment, and objects workers handle. Method: 200 healthy subjects, satisfying the selection criteria were included and assessed with standardized procedure for power grip and pinch grip (lateral pinch, pad-pad, and tip-tip) strength. They were divided in four groups, 50 group each according to profession i.e. medical surgeons, dentist, physiotherapists and nurses. Results: The mean power grip strength shows highly significant difference between medical vs. dental (p>0.01) and medical vs. physiotherapy group (p> 0.05) .The mean lateral pinch strength shows there is highly significant difference (p< 0.001) between dental vs. nursing profession and dental vs. physiotherapy group. No significant difference among other groups. The mean pad-pad pinch strength shows there is significant difference between dental vs. nursing (p< 0.05) and dental vs physiotherapy group (p< 0.05). The mean Tip-Tip pinch strength shows there is significant difference between dental vs nursing profession(p< 0.05) and dental vs. physiotherapy(p< 0.05). No significant different among other groups. Conclusion: Surgeons have highest power grip strength followed by Nursing, Physiotherapy and Dental professionals. Dentists have the maximum pinch strength in all three positions, followed by Surgeons, Nurses and Physiotherapists. Surgeons have maximum pinch strength next to Dentists

CORRELATION OF LOW BACK PAIN WITH BODY MASS INDEX, FUNCTIONAL REACH TEST AMONG FEMALE NURSING PROFESSIONALS

Background: Among health care workers the highest level of work related back injuries are more affected in nurses. There were many studies done to assess low back pain by using different tools. So this study aimed to identify the prevalence low back pain disability among female nursing professionals and the association between BMI, functional reach test and low back pain, so that a better tool can be used during the clinical examination for the betterment of the patient. The objective of the study is to identify the prevalence of low back pain disability, the association of Low Back Pain(LBP) with BMI and functional reach test among female nursing professionals. Methods: A total of 256 subjects were assessed for disability due to back pain using OswestryLBP Disability Questionnaire and the prevalence of disability was determined. The sit and reach test, forward reach test and their BMI were calculated for those who had a disability score of 20 and above (n=87). Results: Data was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation.The study result showed a significant correlation (p=0.03) of sit and reach test with low back pain disability scores. There was a negative correlationseen among BMI and LBP disability score forward reach test and LBP disability score, and BMI and no low back pain disability score. Conclusion: The prevalence of LBP disability among nursing professionals was 33.9%. This study suggest that sit and reach test can be used as an indicator of low back pain. Whereas BMI and forward reach test do not indicate low back pain