Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy最新文献

Background and purpose: Slow gait speed has been associated with adverse outcomes in older adults, but little data exist for those 90 years and older, a group often referred to as the "oldest old." We aimed to establish reference values for gait speed in men and women 90 years and older.

Methods: The 90+ Study is a population-based longitudinal study of aging. Our analyses of gait speed included participants who were evaluated in person and were ambulatory. Gait speed was assessed using the 4-m walk test. We calculated means, standard deviations, and percentiles stratified by age, sex, and use of assistive device.

Results and discussion: The 797 participants had a mean age of 93.5 years. Of these, 73.9% were women, 39.5% had a college education, and 98.6% were White. The overall mean gait speed was 0.58 m/s (women = 0.55 m/s, men = 0.65 m/s). In participants who did not use an assistive device, the overall mean gait speed was 0.66 m/s (women = 0.63 m/s, men = 0.71 m/s). In those who used a device, the overall mean gait speed was 0.38 m/s (women = 0.37 m/s, men = 0.43 m/s). Gait speed decreased with increasing age. Men had consistently higher average gait speeds compared with women across age categories. Men and women who used assistive devices had lower average gait speeds across age categories compared with men and women who ambulated with no device. Average gait speeds in our oldest-old cohort were slower than those of older adults younger than 90 years in previous studies.

Conclusions: This study is the first to establish gait speed reference values specific to adults 90 years and older. Age-appropriate reference values are crucial to the accurate interpretation of clinical measures for patients in their 90s and above.

Background and purpose: Mobility is a basic human need, and its limitation compromises health status, especially in older adults from developing countries and residing in nursing homes. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with mobility limitation in older adults residing in nursing homes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 305 older adults (≥60 years) residing in 10 nursing homes in Northeast Brazil. Mobility limitation was evaluated using the "walking" item of the Barthel index. Sociodemographic/economic data concerning the participants and institutions, as well as conditions that could influence the mobility state of the older adults, were collected. The χ2 test and multiple logistic regression were performed using a significance level of 5%.

Results and discussion: The prevalence of mobility limitation was 65.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59.6-70.4). Walking dependence was identified in 39.7% of the sample (26.9% wheelchair users and 12.8% bedridden), while 25.9% walked with assistance (16.7% with maximal assistance and 9.2% with minimal assistance). Mobility limitation was significantly associated with malnutrition/risk of malnutrition (1.86, 95% CI, 1.54-2.26, P < .001) and age ≥81 years (1.35, 95% CI, 1.12-1.63, P = .002).

Conclusion: Mobility limitation has a high prevalence among older adults residing in nursing homes in Brazil, and is associated with advanced age and poor nutritional status. Health professionals should advocate for the maintenance of mobility and adequate nutritional support.

Background and purpose: Physical therapists (PTs) require specialized education and training to increase the capacity and competence of the dementia care workforce. Four areas of critical dementia workforce education and training gaps that apply to the physical therapy profession have been identified, including recruitment/retention, financing and cost of training, interprofessional education, and translation/implementation of effective dementia care. A critical step in developing effective training programs and educational curricula is to understand PTs' and PT students' experiences and views on working with people with dementia (PwD). Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review was to examine the extent and types of evidence that explore the experiences and views of PTs and PT students on the provision of physical therapy services to PwD.

Methods: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsychINFO, ERIC, PEDro, Web of Science, and Medline databases and sources of gray literature were searched for sources of evidence that met the inclusion criteria of the review protocol. The literature was mapped according to author, participant role, setting, publication type, study design, study aim, key findings, and dementia workforce training gaps addressed.

Results and discussion: A total of 552 sources of evidence were screened for eligibility, and 16 studies were selected for inclusion. Twelve studies included PTs as participants, and 5 included PT students. Included sources explored PTs' experiences, behaviors, knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in working with PwD and the influence of educational, organizational, and other factors on these domains. Challenges to and strategies for delivering effective care to PwD were examined in multiple sources. The 4 areas of critical dementia workforce education and training gaps were each addressed by at least 1 of the included studies.

Conclusions: The current body of literature identifies several gaps in both research and education that need to be addressed before our profession is truly prepared to effectively manage this challenging population of patients with specialized needs.

Background and purpose: Thoracic hyperkyphosis is a common condition that progresses with aging and has been associated with impaired functional performance, increased risk of falls, and even mortality. Previous studies to improve posture primarily used exercise for durations of 3 months or longer. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of a manual therapy intervention in community-dwelling older adults over a 4-week time frame that is comparable to the typical clinical setting, to test the appropriateness and procedures for the measurement of posture and function in the older population with hyperkyphosis, and to collect preliminary data to describe change in posture and function measures.

Methods: Twenty-four participants with hyperkyphosis or forward head posture were recruited, and 22 participants completed this pilot study. Feasibility was measured based on attendance, tolerance, safety, and retention. Issues with measurement procedures were recorded. The intervention included manual therapy and exercise 3 times a week for 4 weeks to target spinal and peripheral joint stiffness, muscle lengthening, and muscle activation. Outcomes included height, kyphotic index (KI), Block Test, Acromion to Table (ATT), Timed Up and Go (TUG), 5 times sit-to-stand (5XSTS), Functional Reach (FR), 2-minute walk test (2MWT), and Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). Data collected at visits 1, 6, and 12 were analyzed using 1-way repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance.

Results and discussion: Measurement and intervention protocols were found to be feasible. A significant effect for the aggregate dependent variables change over time was found. Univariate analysis of each dependent variable showed significance except for FR. All postural measures (height, KI, Block Test, and ATT) significantly improved statistically. The KI and ATT exceed the minimal detectable change for clinical significance. Function showed statistical improvements in the TUG, 5XSTS, 2MWT, and PSFS. Clinical significance was reached with the PSFS. Seven of 9 measures showed a statistically significant change in just 2 weeks.

Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that manual therapy and exercise applied to older adults shows promise for improvement in measures of posture and functional performance in a clinically feasible 4-week time frame.

Background and purpose: Preventing subsequent falls in persons recovering from hip fracture is paramount. The Four Square Step Test (FSST) is a fast, easy measure of dynamic balance, with times more than 15 seconds previously associated with multiple fall risk in older adults. This study investigates among hip fracture patients (1) FSST performance, and how (2) unique population characteristics (such as fracture side) and (3) cognition impact FSST performance.

Methods: Patients with hip fracture (n = 40) 60 years and older came from an ancillary study to a larger randomized controlled trial testing two 16-week in-home physical therapy interventions after completion of usual care rehabilitation. Baseline measurers included: FSST, demographics, fracture characteristics, Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS), Hooper Visual Organization Test (HVOT), and Trails Making Tests (TMT) A and B.

Results: Of 40 patients with hip fracture, 13 did not complete the FSST at baseline and were significantly older (P = .040) and performed worse on cognitive tests (3MS, HVOT, TMT-B; P < .05). Mean FSST time was 24.3 ± 13.1 seconds for the other 27, of whom 7 finished in less than 15 seconds. A significant 3-way interaction was observed, such that those with left-side pertrochanteric fractures who performed poorly on the HVOT did significantly worse on the FSST (P < .01, R2 = 0.93).

Discussion: Almost one-third of patients with hip fracture could not perform the FSST after completing usual care rehabilitation. Inability to perform the FSST was not random, as those without the FSST were physically and cognitively worse than those who did perform the FSST. Among those who could attempt the FSST, few performed well. Cognitive ability related to spatial orientation and fracture characteristics such as fracture side and fracture type has a synergistic effect on FSST performance.

Conclusions: This is one of the first studies to assess the FSST in a population with hip fracture. At 4 months after hip fracture, most patients cannot perform the FSST in less than 15 seconds. Fracture side and fracture type appear important to FSST performance, as does cognition. More work needs to be done longitudinally to study the FSST in patients with hip fracture.

Background and purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the domains and characteristics of balance training (BT) interventions delivered in rehabilitation programs following hip fracture to identify potential treatment gaps.

Methods: Manual and electronic searches (Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and ProQuest) were conducted. We selected randomized controlled trials with older adults following hip fracture surgery that included either specific BT or gait, mobility, or transfer training. Two independent reviewers extracted data and rated the methodological quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. A third reviewer provided consensus. Extracted BT data included balance domain, progression, frequency, duration, intensity, level of supervision, setting, and rehabilitation phase.

Results and discussion: We included 17 trials from 19 studies; 11 studies were rated as moderate to high methodological quality, but only 8 were considered to have high-quality BT components. Half of the interventions included only one balance domain, with stability during movement being the most commonly included domain. The primary balance progression utilized was reducing hand support. Dual task, anticipatory postural adjustment, reactive strategies, and perceptual training domains were rarely included. Balance training duration and intensity were poorly described. Although most programs were home-based with minimal levels of supervision, a few extended beyond postacute phase of rehabilitation.

Conclusion: Further consideration should be given to include more challenging BT domains with planned progressions to maximize patient recovery through hip fracture rehabilitation programs.

Background and purpose: Despite the popularity of Pilates exercises among postmenopausal women, few studies have devoted attention to verifying the effects of the technique on bone mineral density (BMD), and, to date, no systematic review and meta-analysis have been conducted on this topic. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining the effect of Pilates on BMD.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials were considered eligible, with follow-up of 6 months and more, which verified the effects of Pilates exercise on the BMD of postmenopausal women. The calculations of the meta-analysis were performed through the weighted mean difference between the Pilates exercise and control groups, through the absolute change between pre- and postintervention in the areal bone mineral density.

Results: Three randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Only 1 study presented satisfactory methodological quality. Pilates exercises did not offer significant effects to improve areal bone mineral density of the lumbar spine (0.019 g/cm2 [95% confidence interval (CI), -0.018 to 0.057], P = .32), total hip (0.012 g/cm2 [95% CI, -0.002 to 0.027], P = .10), or femoral neck (0.000 g/cm2 [95% CI, -0.021 to 0.022], P = .97).

Conclusions: Pilates exercises had no significant effects on BMD in postmenopausal women. However, the few studies included in the meta-analysis and the low methodological quality of the majority of the studies do not allow safe extrapolation of the results at this time. More robust randomized controlled trials with high methodological quality are needed so that the results of this meta-analysis can be confirmed.

A clinical practice guideline on physical therapist management of patients with suspected or confirmed osteoporosis was developed by a volunteer guideline development group (GDG) that was appointed by the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy (APTA Geriatrics). The GDG consisted of an exercise physiologist and 6 physical therapists with clinical and methodological expertise. The guideline was based on a systematic review of existing clinical practice guidelines, followed by application of the ADAPTE methodological process described by Guidelines International Network for adapting guidelines for cultural and professional utility. The recommendations contained in this guideline are derived from the 2021 Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) document: Management of Osteoporosis and the Prevention of Fragility Fractures. These guidelines are intended to assist physical therapists practicing in the United States, and implementation in the context of the US health care system is discussed.