Abstract

Background and Aim: Patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency are divided to coper and noncoper groups. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of perturbation training with traditional rehabilitation on functional tests of lower extremity and knee muscles isokinetic peak torque ratio in two groups of patients with ACL-deficient: coper and noncoper

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 24 patients with ACL-deficient were divided to two groups: coper and noncoper. They participated in a management plan for 4 weeks, three times a week, including perturbation exercises and traditional rehabilitation (stretching, strengthening, and endurance exercises). Lower extremity functional tests through hop tests and knee muscles isokinetic peak torque ratio were evaluated.

 Results: After 4 weeks, all the functional tests improved significantly in both groups and timed 6-meter hop test showed significant improvement in coper group with respect to noncoper grouop (p< 0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups in knee flexors to extensors isokinetic peak torque ratio but this ratio was lower and close to normal values in coper group.

Conclusion: Perturbation training with traditional rehabilitation improves functional abilities of lower extremity in both groups of coper and noncoper of the patients with ACL-deficient. Probably, the patients of noncoper ACL-deficient have chance to return in some daily activities too.

Keywords: anterior cruciate ligament, perturbation training, functional tests, knee isokinetic peak torque

Background and Aim: Some of the patients with chronic low back pain commonly do not experience full recovery with the conventional physical therapy. It is revealed that may be there are some items in subjects with low back, which are not studied well till now. Since there are some evidences about breathing pattern disorder in low back pain patients, the purpose of this study was to compare between some important breathing pattern index in non-specific chronic low back pain and healthy subjects .

Materials and Methods : In this descriptive analysis study, there were 16 patients with chronic non-specific low back pain and 16 healthy subjects. Both groups were matched and selected by some of the demographic characteristics. Respiratory data including respiratory rate, volumetric, time depended and chemical index were calculated by K4b2 instrument.

Results: They have significant differences in some of the respiratory parameters including respiratory rate, inspiration and expiration times and total time of respiration between two groups, whereas inspiration total time ratio, volumetric and chemical index do not have significant differences.

Conclusion: Existence of disorders in some parameters of respiratory patterns in patients with low back pain are revealed that survey of respiratory system in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain can be effective in diagnosis and treatment process in physiotherapy centers.

Keywords: Low back pain, Breathing, Respiratory chemistry.

Background and Aim: Visually and hearing impairments are as the most common groups of physical disabilities. Due to limitation caused by these disorders, they can affect family functioning. The aim of this study was to compare the functioning of families with visual and hearing impairments with families without disorders.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive – analytical study, 55 subjects with visually and hearing impairment from association of the blind and deaf of Ahvaz city, Iran and 55 subjects without disorders as the control group were selected by available sampling method and examined. Data collection tools include Family Assessment Device (FAD) inventory and the demographic  information questionnaire. Finally, the data were statistically analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS 20 software.

Results: The research findings showed that the mean scores values obtained from FAD inventory
in families with visual and hearing impairments and the controls had no statistically significant differences (P=0.1). Comparing the functioning dimensions in the three groups, the families with visual impairment had poorer functioning in dimensions of behavioral control (P=0.02), communication (P = 0.01) and overall functioning (P = 0.03) with respect to the two groups.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the families with visual impairment have lower performance compared to families with hearing impairment and the control group in some aspects.

Keywords: Family functioning, Visually impairment, Hearing impairment