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Background and Aim: Auditory discrimination is one component of central auditory processing skills or auditory perception, that has an important role in acquisition and production of speech sounds. Auditory discrimination test is a tool for screening or diagnosis of auditory discrimination. The aim of this study is to investigate of auditory discrimination development process in 4-6 years old children in Semnan city. 

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was done on 200 normal 4-6 years old children in semnan city. Auditory discrimination skill was evaluated by Wepman auditory discrimination test (WADT) .The level of significancy in this study was 0.05.

 Results: Auditory discrimination skills based on percentage of 5 and 95 for 4 years old children were 20 and 36, 21.85 and 38 for 5 years old, 23.30 and 39.35 for 6 years old children. There was significant differences between 4 years old children with 5 and 6 years old children In auditory discrimination skill (P=0.003), but there  was no significant difference between 5 and 6 years old children(P=0.21). In addition, auditory discrimination test scores between boys and girls were not significant (P=0.34).

Conclusion: Results of this study showed that children ability in discrimination of sounds was increased with age.

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Background and Aim: Core stability is the ability of the lumbopelvic- hip complex to prevent buckling of the vertebral column and return it to equilibrium following perturbation. It has been demonstrated that trunk muscle activity occurs before the activity of the prime mover of the limb. Core stability is seen as being pivotal for efficient biomechanical function to maximize force generation and minimize joint loads in all types of activities ranging from running to throwing. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between core stability and lower extremity function in female athletes.

 Materials and Methods: Thirty volunteer female athletes with mean age (SD)=23(3.8) years old, participated in this study. They performed two series of tests: core stability tests (hip isometric abduction and lateral rotation, double leg lowering, trunk extension – flexion and left and right lateral flexion endurance, and double leg lowering), and lower extremity function tests (star excursion balance tests in three directions, vertical jump, single and triple hopping, stairs sprinting, 6 m hopping, and shuttle run).

Results: The results of this study showed that the strength of hip isometric abduction with stairs sprinting, 6 m hopping , and with star excursion balance test in three directions had r=-0.430, r=-0.367and r=0.515 respectively and all significant. Also , right lateral flexion endurance with shuttle run (r=0.367) , double leg lowering with vertical jump (r=0.42), trunk extension endurance with vertical jump (r=-0.404) ,were significantly correlated. In the other items there were no relationship between core stability and lower extremity function (p>0.05).

Conclusion: There is a relationship between core stability and lower extremity function but studies have not supported them. However, the data showed that core stability is moderately too weak related to lower extremity function, core stability could not be measured with these tests and they are not good indicators for lower extremity function. Evaluation of the core should be dynamic, and compromise assessment of the specific functions which specialize for athletic groups.

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Background and Aim: Measurement of reaction time and anticipation skill are used widely in therapeutic exercises or sport programs. Improvement of anticipation skill  and reaction time in any exercise or activity that need fast and correct reaction time for deciding and doing a suitable movement, can improve the motor control and its strategies as well as central processing. There is a need for an easy-to-use program that can run reaction time tasks and anticipation skills with no special experiments. There is no system for objective measurement of above variables in our country, so designing and construction of a system for reaction time test and anticipation skill estimation was carried out.

 Materials and Methods: A system that consist of software, lap top, LCD and key board was designed. The software of the system had two subsystems for measuring reaction time and estimating anticipation skill.

Results: By use of the above equipments, 6 tests of video choice reaction time, audio choice reaction time, video complex choice reaction time, audio complex choice reaction time, high speed anticipation skill and low speed anticipation skill were performed. Structural and content validity of the system was estimated very high.

 Conclusion: Current system can use in many therapeutic and sport centers simply and provide basic data about motor control strategies. By use of it, there is a better judgment about effectiveness of various treatments and sport-men selection, too.

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Background and Aim: Developmental dysgraphia is a kind of learning disabilities in school students. Evaluation of the sensory and motor skills in hand  of these persons by appropriate, functional and real tests demonstrates that their fine and complex hand sensory-motor abilities are prerequisites of intervention planning.  Purdue Pegboard and Two-Point Discrimination Tests are used for evaluation of the hand motor and sensory skills respectively. This study was aimed to evaluate the test-retest reliability of these tests in students with developmental dysgraphia.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study hand sensory-motor skills were evaluated in 23 students with developmental dysgraphia (8-11 years) in Tabriz city by Purdue Pegboard and static and moving Two-Point Discrimination tests. Test-retest reliability of mentioned tests was done between and within examiners via intra-class correlation coefficient and independent t-test  was done for the comparison of the skills between girls and boys and right and left-handed students and Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated for the relationship between motor and sensory skills.

Results: Intra-class correlation coefficients of Purdue Pegboard, static and moving two-point discrimination tests for inter-session and intra-session reliability were ranged from 0.77 to 0.94 and 0.69 to 0.92 respectively. There was no significant relationship between motor and sensory skills (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Because of high reliability of these tests, it can be used them for evaluating the sensory-motor skills and intervention planning in students with developmental dysgraphia. Loss of relationship between motor and sensory skills can be related to the pathology of dysgraphia that needs further researches. 

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Background and Aim: Spasticity is one of the symptoms that contributes to functional limitation in adults with cerebral palsy and characterized by a velocity dependent increase in tonic reflex due to the hyperexcitability of the stretch reflex. Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) is a valid clinical tool for assessment of spasticity. The purpose of this study was to investigate Inter-rater reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) for hip adductors, knee extensors and ankle plantar flexors muscles in adult subjects with cerebral palsy.

 Materials and Methods: In an analytical cross sectional study, 30participants (11 men ،21 women, age range 20 to 40 years, mean age (26.57±4.8) with spastic cerebral palsy from Ra'ad Rehabilitation Goodwill Complexes in Tehran city in a convenient sampling took part in this study. Spasticity was measured by two physiotherapist for hip adductors, knee extensors and ankle plantar flexors with MTS during same session with ten minutes interval between assessment of two raters.

 Results: ICC values for R₂-R₁ as an indicator of spasticity in hip adductors, knee extensor and plantar flexors were 0.97, 0.88 and 0.81 respectively. Also ICC Values for quality of muscle reaction was 0.89 in hip adductors, 0.96 in knee extensors and 0.92 in ankle plantar flexors

Conclusion: MTS has a high reliability in spasticity assessment of adductors, knee extensors and ankle plantar flexors muscles, Probably MTS can be used as a reliable clinical tool to measure spasticity of lower extremity muscles in adult subjects with cerebral palsy.

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Background and Aim: People with schizophrenia have deficits in interpersonal and social skills associated with social dysfunction. Facial processing ability is an effective component of social functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between facial identity discrimination and social functioning in 20-55 years old schizophrenic patients and comparison with normal matched group.

 Materials and Methods: The method of this study was analytical- descriptive and comparative. Twenty normal individuals and 20 schizophrenic patients matched in age, sex and educational level, were assessed about facial identity by researcher- made test, and interaction skills by "Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills"(ACIS) questionnaire. Available sampling was used for census patients (who inhabited Tolou rehabilitation center and supported houses in Tehran) and normal group.

 Results: There were significant difference in scores of "communication and interaction skills" (p<0.01) without any significant difference between facial identity discrimination testing variables (p>0.05) between two groups. The relationships between "facial identity discrimination" and "communication and interaction skills" in schizophrenia were compared with control group and did not show significant difference. (p>0.05).  

 Conclusion: The facial identity in schizophrenic patients and healthy adults were processed globally (configural). However, its relation with "Communication and Interaction Skills in schizophrenic patients requires further study.

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Background and aim: Various studies indicate that background noise affects speech recognition ability of bilingual listeners (BL) more than monolingual ones (ML). However, no study has engaged in the speech recognition performance of Turkish-Persian bilinguals in the background noise. The purpose of the present study was to compare word recognition scores (WRSs) in the continuous and interrupted noises among ML Persian and BL Turkish-Persian young adults.

Material and methods: The cross- sectional analytical study was conducted by presenting speech stimuli in quiet and in the background continuous and interrupted noises at signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of -20, -10, 0, +10 dB. Two groups of 33 ML Persian and 36 BL Turkish- Persian subjects with age ranging from eighteen to twenty-five years old participated   

 Results: The degree of reduction in WRSs was significantly higher in the continuous noise relative to the interrupted one at four studied SNRs (p<0.0001) Moreover, the difference between WRSs of ML Persian and BL Turkish-Persian groups in the presence of both continuous (p≤0.001) and interrupted (p=0.002) noises was significant.

Conclusion: It seems that Persian-words recognition ability of Turkish-Persian BLs reduces more than Persian MLs in the background noises and continuous noise affects speech perception ability more than interrupted one. 

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Background and Aim: Anterior knee pain (AKP or AnKP) is one of the most common disorders of knee. Many studies have been implemented about anterior knee pain and effect of different treatments on this disorder. Todays, this general term has been divided and studied more closely. Knee extension syndrome is one of the common disorders in orthopedic and physical therapy that diagnosed with increased stiffness of quadriceps muscle and causes anterior knee pain. The purpose of this review article is to evaluate this disorder more closely.

Materials and Methods: A literature search was carried out using MEDLINE and SCIENCE DIRECT cite and JOSPT journal database to assess existing literature about anterior knee pain. Furthermore, literatures about the different standpoints of anterior knee pain and effectiveness of different treatments and interventions of anterior knee pain and knee extension syndrome have been identified.

 Results: Fifty articles have been surveyed: forty-two articles evaluated the effect of different treatments on anterior knee pain. Five articles evaluated the various aspects of anterior knee pain more closely and three ones related to knee extension syndrome.

Conclusion: According to these studies results, the causes of anterior knee pain can be classified in two categories: 1) anterior knee pain associated with patellofemoral disorders and 2) anterior knee pain non-associated with patellofemoral disorders. The knee extension syndrome is the cause for anterior knee pain but non-associated with patellofemoral disorders. In this disorder, the tilt angle of patella could be increased and this factor can increase the patients' pain. In contrast to general belief that focuses on tensor fascia lata- ilotiobial band complex (TFL-ITB complex), the rectus femoris muscle stretching should be focused more, because the ilotiobial band has a less effect on patellar tilt. 

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 Background and Aim:  Because of high incidence of hand injuries and the need for a quantitative method that provides measures of patient improvement in treatment period, a precise and easy-to-apply quantitative procedure is necessary. As a first step in validating of such a method, the intersession repeatability of quantified measures was assessed in this study. 

Materials and Methods: Measurement of hand drawing skills by drawing circle shape in two speeds (preferred and maximum) and spiral shape just in a preferred voluntary speed with two repetitions for each subject was assessed in 15 subjects. Digital data was recorded by a Tablet PC using special software with average sampling rate of 120 Hz.

Results: The quantified variables computed for circle and spiral drawing tests with preferred speed were reliable (0.55 < ICC < 0.85), so they can be used for drawing quantifications. Results of drawing circles with maximum speed were not reliable (ICC<0.5).

 Conclusion: Repeatability analysis revealed that measures based on drawing circles with maximum speed are not repeatable and cannot be used for progress monitoring. This may be due to large variation in providing maximum drawing speed during test time. On the other hand, spiral and circle drawing parameters with preferred speed had a better repeatability and can be used for quantification of hand drawings in researches. 

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 Background and Aim: There is an agreement on impression of environment on the development in different ways. The environment effect could be passive or active. The environment enrichment is a  passive method which is used to show the effect of  environment on the development during infancy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of early perceptual-motor enrichment on later fine motor development process of infants.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen 5 to 8-months-old healthy infants participated randomly in this study. According to their age, participants were divided homogenously in two groups: training (n=8, ages=6.5±2) and non-training (n=8, ages=6.5±2). Training group had 36 training sessions(3 times in a week) for an hour at a perceptual-motor enrichment environment (involve vary manipulation and locomotion tools). After 36 training sessions, at the first assessment stage, infant fine motor skills were evaluated by Peabody motor development scale. Three months later, all infants were kept in similar and normal condition. At the later assessment stage, after this three months, infant fine motor skills were evaluated by same scale. Data were analyzed by mixed ANOVA2 (group) × (stage). 

Results: Results indicated that in fine motor age equivalent, main effect of group(F_(1,10)=10.53 , P=.009 ) and main effect of assessment stages(F_(1,10)=96.33 , P=.001) was significant. Interaction between groups and assessment stages (F_(1,10)=2.58 , P=.13)was  not significant. Also,  in fine motor scaled score, main effect of group(F_(1,10)=6.65, P=.02) and main effect of assessment stages (F_(1,10)=32.93 , P=.001) was significant. Interaction between groups and assessment stages (F_(1,10)=.24, P=.63)was  not significant.

Conclusion: Generally, results show that training and experience have positive effect on later   fine motor skills development of infant.   

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Background and Aim: Perceptual abilities (reaction time and anticipatory skill) are essential for successful performance in daily activities. Training in dynamic and unpredicted sport domains such as volleyball might make changes in perceptual abilities of athletes compared to non-athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare reaction time and anticipatory skill of volleyball players versus non-athletes.

 Materials and Methods: Eleven female volleyball players and 11 female non-athletes participated in this study. Auditory choice reaction time, auditory complex choice reaction time, visual choice reaction time, visual complex choice reaction time, anticipatory skill of the high speed of the ball and anticipatory skill of the low speed of ball of both groups were analyzed by a software (Speed Anticipation Reaction Test (SART)).

Results: Statistical analysis did not show any significant differences between two groups in both auditory reaction time tests (P> 0.05). However, volleyball players showed better results in visual choice reaction time, visual complex choice reaction time, anticipatory skill of the high speed of the ball and anticipatory skill of the low speed of ball tests (P> 0.05).

Conclusion: Volleyball players acquire extensive knowledge of sport specific patterns of perceptual abilities due to experiences within the volleyball domain and due to the efficient extraction of this knowledge in similar conditions such as, computerized neurocognitive tests, they have superior perceptual skills than non-athletes.

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Background and Aim: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common musculoskeletal condition. Women with patellofemoral pain syndrome would present significant weakness in many of hip muscle groups when compared with the healthy group. The objective of the present study was to compare the strength of hip abductor, extensor and external rotator muscle groups in sedentary women with bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome to a matched control group of sedentary women without patellofemoral pain syndrome. 

Materials and Methods: Twelve women with bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome as experimental group and other twelve matched women as control group participated in this study. Maximum isometric strength for three hip muscles including abductor, extensor and external rotator muscle groups was measured bilaterally in all subjects using a dynamometer fixed on a platform and finally averaged between two limbs and compared with the control group.

Results: The hip abductor, extensor and external rotator muscle groups of experimental group were statistically weaker than that of the control group (p< 0.001).

Conclusion:  It seems that lower limb muscles including hip muscles of women with patellofemoral pain syndrome become weaker due to disuse conditions. 

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Background and Aim: One of the consequences of obesity is coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. Effective exercise programs for patients with the coronary artery disease is a strategy for decreasing obesity and is expected to help in eventually limiting obesity-associated long-term health. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a physiotherapy and exercise based cardiac rehabilitation  on the anthropometric measurements of obesity in the diabetic and non diabetic men. 

Materials and Methods: Seventy one 45- to 75-years-old male volunteers with coronary artery disease (32 diabetic & 39 non diabetic patients) participated in 6-8 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise training consisting of 45 min sessions of  treadmill, stationary bicycle and arm bicycle. Anthropometric measurements of obesity (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio and waist to height ratio) were measured at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of exercise sessions in both groups.

Results: Following the cardiac rehabilitation program, all of the anthropometric measurements except hip circumference in diabetic patients decreased significantly (P<0.05). BMI, waist circumference and waist to height ratio  increased in non diabetic patients (P<0.05).

 Conclusion: Exercise training alone in cardiac rehabilitation program is not sufficient to reduce the anthropometric measurements of obesity in non-diabetic patients. 

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Background and Aim: Fatigue is one of the most common problem of multiple sclerosis. It is a sign of inefficiency in the physical, social, and cognitive function. It is a major factor in limiting the responsibilities of social work of patients.The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) in Iranian and create an appropriate tool for measuring the impact of fatigue and effectiveness of treatment and also rehabilitation interventions on fatigue in Iranian patients. 

Materials and Methods: In order to use the FIS in Iranian patients, the forward  and backward translation and assessing the patient's perspective was done and the Persian version of the questionnaire was prepared.

Results: The questionnaire was completed by twenty patients with multiple sclerosis. The time duration of filling out of each questionnaire took ten to twenty minutes .The final corrections was carried out. All questions of patients was acceptable and understandable and questions of "sexual activity" was completed only by married patients. The question of "financial support" was completed only by employed person (working people). Finally, as much as possible, this questionnaire was adapted with Iranian culture and sentences were confirmed by MAPI Institute.

Conclusion: Persian version of the FIS is an appropriate tool for measuring the impact of fatigue, effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation interventions on fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

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Background and Aim: One of the consequences of obesity is coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. Effective exercise programs for patients with the coronary artery disease is a strategy for decreasing obesity and is expected to help in eventually limiting obesity-associated long-term health. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a physiotherapy and exercise based cardiac rehabilitation  on the anthropometric measurements of obesity in the diabetic and non diabetic men.

Materials and Methods: Seventy one 45- to 75-years-old male volunteers with coronary artery disease (32 diabetic & 39 non diabetic patients) participated in 6-8 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise training consisting of 45 min sessions of  treadmill, stationary bicycle and arm bicycle. Anthropometric measurements of obesity (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist the hip ratio and waist to height ratio) were measured at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of exercise sessions in both groups.

Results: Following the cardiac rehabilitation program, all of the anthropometric measurements except hip circumference in diabetic patients decreased significantly (P<0.05). BMI, waist circumference and waist to height ratio  increased in non diabetic patients (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Exercise training alone in cardiac rehabilitation program is not sufficient to reduce the anthropometric measurements of obesity in non-diabetic patients. 

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Background and Aim: Reading skill is necessary for academic achievement, that deaf children have problems in this skill due to hearing impairment. Use of cochlear implant can improve auditory inputs. The aim of this study was to investigate the reading skills of children with cochlear implants and comparing that with normal ones.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive - analytic study was done on 24 children with cochlear implant and 24 normal ones that was selected from second and third grades students of Tehran primary schools. Children's reading performance was assessed by Nama reading test and the data were analyzed using T-test, linear regression and Pearson correlations.

Results: The results showed that the means of reading scores of normal children were significantly greater than the cochlear implanted ones (P<0.01). Also, there was a significant relationship between reading skills and period of cochlear implant (P<0.01).

Conclusion: Cochlear implanted children showed weaker performance in reading skills than normal ones due to less access to auditory and Phonological information. It seems that early surgery and cochlear implant before the age of language learning can be partially compensated reading defects of deaf children.

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Background and Aim: Constraint-induce movement therapy is one of the treatment methods to treat those who have  stroke disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of constraint-induced movement therapy(CIMT) on quality of life , function and range of motion of upper extremity of patients with stroke.

Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 15 patients in accordance to random clinical trial during the treatment operation, the patients were asked to restrict their upper extremity movement with orthopedics sling for 3 days per week and each day for 8 hours. They were asked to practice on affected upper extremity for 2 hours
while their hands were restricted.  Additionally, the present study was conducted for 6 weeks.

Results: The statistical analysis illustrated that quality of life was significantly changed which measured by SF36 test (p=0.008). Furthermore,  the upper extremity function which was assessed by Box & Black test  was statistically analyzed by t-coupled in this regard, it showed a significant change when the treatment ended up (p=0.009). However, active range of motions in wrist extension and elbow extension did not significantly changed (p=0.227).

Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be implied that Constraint-induce movement therapy is an effective method for improvement of life quality and the upper extremity function .Three mechanisms are discussed: involvement of non used affected limbs, neural plasticity in CNS, and amelioration of mental and physical health of patients can be resulted in life quality and patients' hand improvement.

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Background and Aim: This study examined the effect of empowerment programs on geriatric depression in daily rehabilitation center Farzanegan of Khorramabad city. 

Materials and Methods: In this interventional study, 40 elderly subjects were participated in the city of Khoramabad with a mean age of 65 years old.  They were 8 men and 12 women in each group.

These people have the ability to perform common tasks without dependence on others and they had no systemic and restrictive disease.Subjects randomly divided into two groups (case and control).In case group, empowerment programs was performed for 40 days and 3 hours in a day. Empowerment program included lifestyle education, rehabilitation services, support services, cultural, sports, arts, tourism and leisure services. Part of the program was general such as training of healthy lifestyle and daily exercise and another part of services was presented based on assessment and diagnosis of treatment and rehabilitation team. This program was produced by designers and experts from the office of country welfare  elderly. Depression scores in both group, before the intervention and at the end of intervention was assessed by the beck depression inventory.

Results: Using the empowerment program, depression scores were reduced after intervention (P≤0.047 ), however in the control group did not make significant changes in depression scores.

Conclusion: The date showed that that regular and consistent application of empowerment program can an effective and complementary method in conjunction with other treatments as well as a non-drug therapy in improving depression.

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Background and Aim: Difficulties in sidedness of autistic students and their defected language and communication function can be in relationship with their educational state. This research was designed to investigate the possible relationship among sidedness, communicative function and educational state in autistic students. 

Materials and Methods: This is a described-analytic research and a kind of cross sectional and comparative one. For these purpose 40 autistic students with age average 10 years old and 8 months (SD=±2.5) were chosen. Communicative function questionnaire were completed by all subjects‘parents. We used observation check list to examine handedness, footedness, and dominant eye and ear. Using of T-test, covariance analysis data were analyzed.

Results :Data analysis indicated that there is not significant statistically difference  between communicative function and educational state(p<0.05),but participants with weak educational state less tend to definite sidedness preference-in hand and foot not in eye and ear (p>0.05).

Conclusion: These findings reveal that stability of sidedness, which obtains with interventions rehabilitation in autistic students, can perform important role in high language skills and appropriate educational state for them.

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Background and Aim: Given the biomechanical differences between over ground and treadmill walking, it is expected that the contraction of muscles should be also different, so exercise training in these scenarios may have various effects on trunk muscles. The aim of this study was to compare amplitude and duration of activation of trunk muscles during over ground and treadmill walking to prescribe a suitable exercise mode considering the special circumstances of each person.

Materials and Methods: Nineteen healthy 20-40 years old male with sedentary life style were selected via simple sampling. Surface electromyography of rectus abdominis, external oblique, longissimus and multifidus muscles were recorded.

 Results: In each gait cycle, there was not statistically significant differences on duration of trunk muscles activity between treadmill and over ground walking. The mean amplitude of these muscles was greater on treadmill in comparison with over ground and this difference was statistically significant for rectus abdominis (P=0.005), longissimus (P=0.018) and multifidus (P=0.044) muscles.

Conclusion: Stabilizing role of trunk muscles during walking causes them to be active throughout the entire gait cycle. The increased muscle amplitude on treadmill might show that more motor units may be recruited during the contraction, which is helpful in prescribing the appropriate type of exercise especially to patients who have trunk muscles weakness.