Effect of progressive prone plank exercise program on diastasis of rectus abdominis muscle in postpartum women: A randomized controlled trial

Diastasis of Rectus Abdominis (DRA) muscle is a concerning health issue that commonly affects female within pregnancy and postpartum time, persistent lower back pain and pelvic instability are common consequences to DRA. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the effect of progressive prone plank exercises on narrowing the inter-Rectus distance (IRD) in postpartum women diagnosed with (DRA). A prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled trial was conducted at the Faculty of Physical Therapy Clinic of Beni-Suef University. Fifty postpartum women presented with (DRA) of at least 2 finger widths assigned into 2 equal groups (A&B). A Toshiba Xario100, 8–12 MHz ultrasonography was used to accurately measure IRD before and after 8 weeks of the exercise program. Group (A), received progressive prone plank exercise program and advice relevant to DRA as well as wore abdominal binder, while group (B) continued their ordinary lifestyle after receiving advice and wearing abdominal binder as group (A).The study results revealed a statistical significant decrease within each group and between groups in IRD (p < .05) above and below the umbilicus both at rest and during Rectus Abdominis (RA) contraction, with a significantly narrower IRD in favoured of participants of group (A) (p < .05). To sum it up, progressive prone plank exercise program is very effective in decreasing IRD in postpartum women presented with DRA

The effect of a selected physiotherapy program on pelvic deviations in cases of supple flat feet

Supple flat feet is frequent condition having diverse effects on the entire lower limb kinetic chain including the pelvis. Thus, this study was conducted to compare the effects of an 8-weeks, conservative physiotherapy treatment program to a medial arch support on pelvic deviation. A prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled trial was conducted at the Physiotherapy department, college of health sciences, University of Sharjah. One hundred male participant were assed for pelvic obliquity and torsion before and after 8 weeks of the either an exercise program or using an insole for medial arch support. Group (A) received progressive short feet exercises, while group (B) used the insole for medial arch support. The study results revealed a statistically significant decrease in pelvic obliquity and pelvic torsion in the exercise group (A) only with values of (p = .030 and .035) respectively. No statistically significant difference was found within the insole group (B). Between groups analysis revealed a significant difference in favour of group (A) compared to group (B) for both pelvic obliquity (p = .039) and torsion (p = .036) respectively). To sum it up, short feet exercises were more effective in decreasing pelvic deviations in cases of bilateral supple flat feet

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Arabic Version of the Prolapse Quality of Life Questionnaire in the United Arab Emirates

Background: Given the extensive translation of the Prolapse Quality of Life Questionnaire (P-QoL) into many languages, it is imperative to develop an Arabic version to facilitate the study of pelvic organ health within the Arabian culture. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate, cross-culturally adapt, and validate the Arabic version of the P-QoL. Study Design: This study involved cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing. Methods: A total of 90 participants were included in the study. This cross-sectional study was carried out in two phases; during phase I, the P-QoL was translated and adapted from English into Arabic. The Arabic version was psychometrically validated during phase II using the test–retest reliability and internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, convergent construct (CC) validity among the four study tools using Spearman’s coefficient (r), and discriminative validity using Mann–Whitney test to find the differences between the means of the two samples. Results: A satisfactory level of semantic, conceptual, idiomatic, and content comparability was reached in the cross-cultural adaptation of the Arabic version of the P-QoL. The internal consistency was high in terms of psychometric validation, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.971 for the P-QoL. The test–retest results showed high reliability, with the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of the P-QoL determined as 0.987. The convergent construct validity was highly acceptable (moderately strong), reflecting a positive correlation between the Arabic version of the P-QoL and the Australian Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Questionnaire (APFD) (r = 0.68; p r = 0.47; p r = 0.46; p < 0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between the 12-Item Short-Form Survey (SF-12), the P-QoL, the APFD, and the VAS. Conclusion: Based on the significant correlation found between the Arabic APFD and the VAS, the results reveal good reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. It is recommended that Arabic-speaking females with pelvic organ prolapse use the Arabic version of the P-QoL. More research is needed to assess the responsiveness of the P-QoL

Flow chart of the RC study.

BackgroundRussian current (RC), a well-known neuromuscular electrical stimulation operating at 2500 Hz, has demonstrated significant strength improvement over traditional exercises due to its high tolerance and low pain provocation. Despite extensive NMES parameter research, the specific effects of expert modes, particularly ON2 and Rest, remain unexplored. This study investigates the direct effect of these expert modes on quadriceps muscle strength in healthy adults.MethodsThis is a single-blind, randomization-controlled trial. Forty-eight healthy university students (31 females, 17 males) were assigned in two randomized experimental groups either the ON2 or Rest mode for a 15-minute electrical stimulation session. Quadriceps maximum voluntary isokinetic contraction measurements were taken before and directly after RC application using Biodex Medical Systems 4 pro isokinetic dynamometer.ResultsBoth RC modes significantly increased the quadriceps muscle torque in healthy adults compared to baseline (pConclusionThe findings of this study align with previous research on NMES and RC supporting the idea that electrical stimulation enhances muscle strength, selecting the appropriate RC expert modes can assist physiotherapist in tailoring rehabilitation program to achieve their specific strength goals.</div

Physiotherapists' perspectives on barriers to implementation of direct access of physiotherapy services in the United Arab Emirates: A cross-sectional study.

BackgroundThere are two primary ways of accessing physiotherapy for service users around the world. The direct access, as opposed to the indirect access which requires a referral from a general physician, has several merits including better quality, timeliness, cost effectiveness of treatment and better probability of preventing acute conditions from turning into chronic ailments. Despite these benefits, several countries including the UAE, do not allow direct access to physiotherapists. This study aims to understand the level of awareness among practicing physiotherapists in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) about direct access and to determine whether any of their demographic variables influence the way they perceive the concept. Further, the study sought to explore the perceived barriers and benefits of direct access according to the participating physiotherapists.Subjects and methodsAn observational cross-sectional study was employed. The questionnaire survey developed by Bury and Stokes in 2013 was adapted and employed in this study. The instrument had six sections with close-ended items using a Likert five-point scale to rate them. Two hundred and sixty-four physiotherapists answered the questionnaire shared with them through a web link. Finally, MANOVA was employed to explore any influence of demographic variables on the opinions of the respondents.ResultsThe findings showed that 70% of participants were aware about direct access while nearly 30% were completely unaware. Younger physiotherapists were more willing to endorse the practice whereas older ones were more apprehensive of the barriers. The main barriers reported were the limited support from the physicians and policy makers, professional autonomy, and the limited scope of practice for the physiotherapists, as well as evidence-based practice. The impact of demographic variables on direct access indicated that physiotherapists under the age of 23 endorsed direct access more strongly than other age groups.ConclusionMore efforts are needed to implement direct access in the UAE, considering the benefits of improved professional status, cost savings, patient satisfaction, and higher efficiency. This study recommends leadership support, professional autonomy, and mentorship as possible ways to achieve this goal

The quadriceps muscle knee torque measurement’s directly after the application of the RC expert modes.

The quadriceps muscle knee torque measurement’s directly after the application of the RC expert modes.</p

Quadriceps muscle knee torque measurements at the baseline.

Quadriceps muscle knee torque measurements at the baseline.</p

Participants’’ descriptive data.

BackgroundRussian current (RC), a well-known neuromuscular electrical stimulation operating at 2500 Hz, has demonstrated significant strength improvement over traditional exercises due to its high tolerance and low pain provocation. Despite extensive NMES parameter research, the specific effects of expert modes, particularly ON2 and Rest, remain unexplored. This study investigates the direct effect of these expert modes on quadriceps muscle strength in healthy adults.MethodsThis is a single-blind, randomization-controlled trial. Forty-eight healthy university students (31 females, 17 males) were assigned in two randomized experimental groups either the ON2 or Rest mode for a 15-minute electrical stimulation session. Quadriceps maximum voluntary isokinetic contraction measurements were taken before and directly after RC application using Biodex Medical Systems 4 pro isokinetic dynamometer.ResultsBoth RC modes significantly increased the quadriceps muscle torque in healthy adults compared to baseline (pConclusionThe findings of this study align with previous research on NMES and RC supporting the idea that electrical stimulation enhances muscle strength, selecting the appropriate RC expert modes can assist physiotherapist in tailoring rehabilitation program to achieve their specific strength goals.</div

Intragroup analysis for pre and post maximum torque measurements.

Intragroup analysis for pre and post maximum torque measurements.</p