Welcome to our Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation "Thieves' Market" issue that puts in your hands today's research-based evidence on a variety of topics to help assist your patients with their rehabilitation goals. We believe you will find unique treasures in this issue as you open your eyes to new research and new studies being completed all over the world. In this issue, we highlight articles from Turkey, Thailand, Iran, Korea, Belgium, Australia, Japan, and the United States.
The human body, arguably the most complex organism on the planet, has many systems, which, when working properly, can make life a completely fantastic experience. However, when not working properly, the body can experience significant problems and functional decline. Although some functional decline may occur with aging, some of this decline of body systems can be reversed or slowed. It is these many body systems that we as rehabilitation professionals need to be knowledgeable about. Our knowledge can help our patients navigate a variety of physical bodily conditions that directly affect longevity, mobility, and even quality of life. For example, if your patient presents with a fear of falling or perhaps a frozen shoulder, do you have the tools to provide effective and evidence-based care? If your clients present with decreased hand function or gait disturbances, do you know the latest research to help them?
In this issue, we hope you will find several research articles that will be helpful for both your practice and your patients. As you read the following highlights, consider the various physical impairments that your patients present. Perhaps, these articles can be referenced as you strive to implement your own best practice treatments.
* Have you taught a patient chair exercise program but you were not sure if there was evidence supporting the effectiveness? This study from Turkey showed that inactive patients older than 65 years who performed chair-based exercises demonstrated increased scores on numerous functional tools.
* Do you have home care patients who have a fear of falling? Detection of fear of falling in older adults can provide the opportunity to prevent or reduce falls and consequent health problems using appropriate interventions.
* Did you know that glioblastoma multiform (GBM) tumors rarely exist with extracranial malignancies? In this case report from Korea, one patient with GBM had a bone tumor metastasis in the femur, which supports the need for comprehensive whole-body evaluations for proper management and therapeutic strategies.
* Do you have a patient with frozen shoulder? Although traditional physical therapy treatments improve shoulder range of motion, both local acupuncture and auricular acupuncture can facilitate range-of-motion improvement as well as pain reduction in patients with frozen shoulder.
* Do your older patients seem to drop out from their exercise programs? Screening for mental health problems in older adults who enroll in exercise programs and implementing effective intervention to address mood disorders may increase exercise attendance and compliance.
* Do your older patients have reduced mobility and gait disturbances that may benefit from the use of therapeutic exoskeletons? In this study from Belgium, the Honda Walking Assist exoskeleton is tested to investigate the immediate changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters in healthy older adults.
* Do your older patients with cognitive impairment and higher-level gait disorders need strategies to transfer and mobilize safely during everyday activities? The home-based, one-on-one, 3-week Safe Mobilization Program could help your patients to improve their functional mobility and reduce fall risk.
* Do your older patients fall into a category of either "frail" or "nonfrail"? In this study from Turkey, when comparing physical activity, exercise barriers, and physical performance, the frail patients tend to test poorer than the nonfrail patients.
* Do your older patients have a combination of heart failure and frailty? This combination may have a synergistic negative effect on skeletal muscle mass and upper- and lower-limb muscle strength.
Did any of these highlights strike a chord with you or sound familiar in your experience? We hope you enjoy this issue and find evidence to consider and implement in your practice. Let's get to work!
-Wendy Powers James, PT
Managing Editor of
Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation