Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/rehabilitation/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169966.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169966.php In a special guest editorial, Bass and colleagues discuss the limitations of current estimates of the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) veterans. Since these estimates often determine the allocation of resources, the authors urge decision makers to understand the limitations of these prevalence estimates. Veterans / Ex-Servicemen Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169158.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169158.php This past week in Washington, DC, physical therapists from around the world heard that direct access and patient self-referral to a physical therapist is proven to be safe, and results in improved health outcomes, more timely care, higher patient satisfaction, and lower costs, says the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), co-host of the International Summit on Direct Access and Advanced Scope of Practice. "We were very pleased to host this event," says APTA President R. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168980.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168980.php Face and Hand Transplants - Ready to Become Mainstream Medicine? Though once inconceivable, face and hand transplants are quickly making themselves more present, both in the operating room and in the media. The world's first hand transplant was performed more than a decade ago, and the first partial-face transplant performed in the United States (and most extensive procedure to date) was completed this year. Cosmetic Medicine / Plastic Surgery Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168846.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168846.php Regularly playing a musical instrument changes the anatomy and function of the brain and may be used in therapy to improve cognitive skills. There is growing evidence that musicians have structurally and functionally different brains compared with non-musicians. In particular, the areas of the brain used to process music are larger or more active in musicians. Even just starting to learn a musical instrument can changes the neurophysiology of the brain. Neurology / Neuroscience Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168608.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168608.php Most people have a gap under the arch of their foot when they are in a standing position. The arch, the inner part of the foot is slightly raised off the ground. People with flat feet or fallen arches either have no arch, or it is very low. The feet of people with flat feet may roll over to the inner side when they are standing or walking, and the feet may point outwards as a result. Bones / Orthopaedics Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168402.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168402.php Statement by APTA President R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is disappointed by the Senate's actions yesterday to block S. 1776, the Medicare Physicians Fairness Act of 2009, legislation that would have protected the ability of physical therapists to serve the rehabilitation needs of seniors and people with disabilities. S. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168331.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168331.php New research suggests a tailored approach to physical therapy after a neurological injury such as a stroke, traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury could help restore a wider variety of functions. Clinical physical therapy is a widely used treatment approach to help restore the motor function of patients following neurological injuries. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168173.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168173.php A groundbreaking international collaboration among the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA), and the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) will bring together thought leaders in physical therapy and policymakers October 22-24, in Washington, DC, to share their knowledge about access and practice issues facing the physical therapy profession. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168169.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168169.php Physical therapists from Nevada will be offering free balance tests and speaking with attendees on various health-related issues at the AARP "VEGAS@50+" Expo at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 22-24, 2009. The physical therapists will offer these services at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) booth, #833. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167495.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167495.php National HealthCare Corporation (NYSE Amex: NHC)(NYSE Amex: NHC.PR.A), one of the nation's leading operators of long-term health care and assisted living facilities, announced today that the NHC Geriatric Clinical Residency Program (GCRP) for Physical Therapists has successfully received accreditation through the American Physical Therapy Association. The NHC GCRP will be the fourth in the nation and the first within a senior care corporation. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167459.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167459.php Modern tissue engineering developed at the University of Michigan could improve the function of prosthetic hands and possibly restore the sense of touch for injured patients. Researchers presented their updated findings at the 95th annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons. The research project, which was funded by the Department of Department of Defense, arose from a need for better prosthetic devices for troops wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq. Medical Devices / Diagnostics Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167328.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167328.php As breast cancer awareness month is observed during October, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is hoping to shine a spotlight on lymphedema, a chronic, debilitating and often irreversible side effect of cancer treatment. According to APTA, breast cancer patients who seek the services of a physical therapist can reduce their risk of lymphedema, as it can be prevented or more effectively managed if caught in its earliest stages and treated by a physical therapist. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167327.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167327.php Physical therapists are calling for definitive vestibular screenings and assessment measures for US military service members with blast-induced traumatic brain injuries (BITBI). Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167248.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167248.php Older women who receive rehabilitation services after hip surgery from a variety of health care professionals as inpatients are slightly more likely to do better than those who receive usual hospital care, a new review shows. The authors suggest that such multidisciplinary rehabilitation also might help if applied in patient or caregiver homes. Bones / Orthopaedics Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166770.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166770.php The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has announced its selection of Dr. Uwe Jacobs, clinical and executive director of Survivors International, San Francisco, to receive a Community Health Leaders Award. He is one of 10 extraordinary Americans to receive the RWJF honor for 2009 at a ceremony at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. Jacobs has provided therapeutic care to more than 1,000 individuals who have experienced torture. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166542.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166542.php Physical therapy students from across the nation will learn the latest in physical therapist research and treatment techniques during the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) 17th Annual National Student Conclave (NSC) at the Hyatt Regency Miami in Miami, FL, October 30 - November 1, 2009. "This conference gives students critical information at a formative stage in their careers," said APTA Student Assembly President Nate Thomas, PT. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166186.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166186.php Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a common condition in which the articular shoulder capsule (a sac of ligaments surrounding the joint) swells and stiffens, restricting its mobility. It typically affects only one shoulder, but one in five cases affect both. The term "frozen shoulder" is often used incorrectly for arthritis, even though the two conditions are unrelated. Bones / Orthopaedics Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166057.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166057.php Neuroscience researchers at the University of Louisville will be the only team collaborating with an international group of scientists that last week announced they had enabled paralyzed rats to walk while supporting their own weight. Dr. Neurology / Neuroscience Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165692.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165692.php Preterm infants who receive leg movement training display feet-reaching behaviors similar to that of full-term infants, according to a randomized controlled trial reported in the October issue of Physical Therapy (PTJ), the scientific journal of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165166.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165166.php An article in this week's Surgery Special Issue of The Lancet reports that surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome in patients (without an indication of severe nerve damage known as denervation) provides better outcomes than non-surgical treatment. However, the clinical relevance of this difference is modest. The article is the work of Professor Jeffrey Jarvik, of the Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, USA, and colleagues. Bones / Orthopaedics Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165079.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165079.php Most people don't think twice about the ability to choose the movie they want to watch, the book they want to read or with whom they will have coffee. But what if you didn't have the choice, or were never taught how to make decisions regarding leisure activities? That's the reality for some women living in group homes according to a new study from the University of Alberta. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165052.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165052.php The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has awarded specialist certification to 1,001 physical therapists this year. Since 1985, 9,409 physical therapists have achieved board certification. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165055.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165055.php The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) announces that 243 physical therapists were awarded recertification in 2009 as board-certified clinical specialists. To date, more than 1,900 board-certified clinical specialists have been recertified. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164986.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164986.php In the wake of a report showing that patients with musculoskeletal conditions who receive physical therapy and other "physical medicine" services are less likely to have surgery, incur lower costs, and fare better than patients who do not receive such services, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is urging Congress to include policies in health care reform that increase access to physical therapy services, especially for America's seniors who live in rural areas. Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164970.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164970.php Physical therapist-directed exercise counseling combined with fitness center-based exercise training can improve muscular strength and exercise capacity in people with type 2 diabetes, with outcomes similar to those of supervised exercise, according to a randomized clinical trial published in the September issue of Physical Therapy, the scientific journal of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Diabetes