Earticle

Sensory integration therapy is an area of intervention that should be of interest to occupational therapists, physical therapists, and special education. However, research has been continuously required to establish confidence due to the lack of consistency of each intervention. The purpose of this study was to implement sensory integration therapy for the siblings of disabled and non-disabled children and to demonstrate the effectiveness in brotherhood, peer relationships, play skills and sensory integration functions. This study was conducted on children with parental consent among children with disabilities who use the S Child Development Center, and are preschoolers aged 3-7. The experimental group consisted of 20 participants (10 disabled children and 10 non-disabled siblings of disabled children) for group sensory integration therapy. Each experiment group had 40 minutes of sensory integration therapy for the sibling once a week, and a total of 10 programs were conducted. Interviews were conducted with the primary caregiver of children to identify qualitative changes after participating in the study. This research showed positive changes in brotherhood relationships, improvement of play skills, and changes in peer relationships after the intervention of the sibling group sensory integration therapy on the results of interview with the main caregiver.

This study aims to investigate the effects of a vocalization-based respiratory training intervention on forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in patients with a cervical spinal cord injury in a recovery phase, ultimately to present clinical evidence for an efficient respiratory physical therapy. Fifteen participants with a cervical spinal cord injury were randomized to the vocalization-based respiratory training group (n=8) and incentive spirometry training group (n=7). The participants underwent 30 minutes of conservative physical therapy and additionally underwent 15 minutes of their corresponding intervention (respiratory training and incentive spirometry) five times a week for four weeks. Prior to the intervention, pulmonary function tests were performed to analyze FVC and PEFR, both of which were measured again after four weeks of intervention. The values were compared within and between groups. Both groups showed significantly increased FVC and PEFR after the intervention, and the FVC and PEFR in a seated posture significantly differed between the vocalization-based respiratory training group and the incentive spirometry group (p<.01). In the supine position, FVC did not significantly differ between the two groups (p>.05). The results of this study show that vocalization-based respiratory training is more effective in improving FVC in a seated posture and PEFR in the supine position. Vocalization-based respiratory training would improve pulmonary function parameters in patients with cervical spinal cord injury, and additional studies are needed based on these results to examine a variety of variables according to the type of respiratory training technique.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the intervention effect of a client-centered occupational therapy on occupational performance, cognition, activity daily living (ADL), and quality of life in the elderliy who have resided in tnursing facility. Outcome measures were Canadian occupational performance measure (COPM), Korean version of mini-mental state examination (MMSE-K), Katz’s index of independence in activity daily living (KIADL), and geriatric quality of life - dementia (GQOL-D). Measurements were performed before and after the intervention. A client-centered occupational therapy consists of physical and cognitive activities, ADL, leigure activities. The MMSE-K score was significantly improved after thee intervention (p<.05). However, there were not found in the COMP, KIADL, and GQOL between pre- and post-test (p>.05), despite remarkable improvement after thee intervention. These findings suggest that a client-centered occupational therapy might be beneficial to improve health condition of elderly in nursing facility.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a home-based exercise program on balance and psychosocial well-being such as balance confidence, depression, and quality of life for the elderly. Forty-nine people over the age of 65 were recruited from a welfare center in the community and were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG) or control group (CG). Daily routine activities such as walking around the house and simple actions to maintain their own lives were not limited. Additionally, subjects of the EG have performed a home-based exercise program for 20 minutes, five times per week for 4 weeks (a total of 20 sessions), which consisted of four exercise programs: Pressing the waist floor, bending their knees, pushing their knee with their opposite arms, and bridge exercise that could perform on own itself. Outcome measures included Berg balance scale (BBS), functional reach arm test, one leg stance test (OLST), timed up and go test, Korean version of activities-specific balance confidence (K-ABC), Korean version of geriatric depression scale, and 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) Measurements were performed before and after the intervention. In within-group comparison, subjects of the CG did not show significant improvement in all parameters; however, there were found for the BBS, OLST, and K-ABC scores in subjects of the EG (p<.01). Furthermore, in the EG, a total score of the SF-36 and scores of sub-domains (physical function [PF], mental health, vitality, bodily pain [BP], and general health [GH]) of the SF-36 showed significant improvement after the intervention (p<.05). In between-group comparison, significant differences were found for OLST, SF-36, PF, BP, and GH scores between two groups (p<.05). These findings indicate that a home-based exercise program might be advantageous to improve the balance and psychosocial well-being of the elderly. Further studies with a wider range of subjects and a longer experimental spans are required to support the results of this study.

This study aims to identify the effects of an isometric trunk exercise program on muscle endurance and balance ability in young adults. Fourteen young adults volunteered to participate in this study. Isometric muscle endurance tests (trunk curl in supine, hyperextension of trunk in prone, and arm-supporting side bridge) and one-leg standing test were used to measure muscle endurance and balance of subjects. Isometric trunk exercises were performed for 30 minutes, twice per week for 6 weeks (a total of 12 sessions), including upper and lower abdominal drawing, abdominal bracing, posterior pelvic tilting, supine bridge exercise, and alternating raising of limbs in quadruped position. After the intervention, significant improvements were found for all items of muscle endurance and balance (p<.05). These findings suggest that an isometric trunk exercise program might be favorably used to enhance muscle endurance if the trunk and balance in young adults. Further studies need to support our findings.

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of self-efficacy, major satisfaction, and college life adaptation to nursing and health-related college students who participated in the extracurricular activities through untact education. 56 students were assigned to the experimental group (n=28) and control group (n=28). Survey was performed to investigate self-efficacy, major satisfaction, and college life adjustment. Subjects of the experimental group underwent an 50-min extracurricular program eight times, which was progressed in untact education using online system. This program included educational activities related to exercise therapy, phylotherapy, hand reflexology, ear reflexology, and art therapy, which aims to develop supplementary and integrative educational materials for people with cognitive impairment. Process has led by three steps: (1) the understandings of disability and supplementary and integrative concepts, (2) case application and presentation, and (3) conference. However, subjects of the control group did not attend to the program. There were no statistically significant differences in self-efficacy, major satisfaction, and college life adjustment between the experimental and control groups (p<.05). These findings suggest that untact extracurricular educational courses might not lead to positivie influence on self-efficacy, major satisfaction, and college life adjustment. This results from educational limitations, lack of direct experience of the subjects, and insufficient duration of extracurricular activities. Therefore, a face-to-face extracurricular activities should be recommended for college students in nursing and health fields since they are helpful to improve practical experience in education. Also, it is suggested to operate them in consideration of the composition of the volunteers and the duration of their activities.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that clinicians manage acute medical disorders worldwide. In addition, neurological manifestations of the COVID-19 had a negative effect on medical service of neurological diseases, which might be challenging to develop successful solutions for rehabilitation of patients with neurological impairments in clinical practice. This pandemic apparently threatened and threatening for achieving all functional goals in neurological rehabilitation due to lack of available care and compromised rehabilitation service globally. In general, neurotropic properties from SARS-CoV-2 lead to neurological symptoms and complications in direct and indirect way, including dysgeusia, hyposmia, myalgia, headache, and consciousness disorder. However, virus-related pathobiology has not been completely illustrated still However, as yet virus-related pathobiology has not been completely illustrated. On basis of emerging knowledge, creating multiple channels of rehabilitation interventions for neurological disorders helps to promote multidisciplinary collaboration and cooperation across clinicians. To accomplish this goal, it’s very important to demonstrate possible neurological effects from COVID-19. Accordingly, this study aimed to introduce neurological symptoms and complications caused by COVID-19, leading to upgrading the rehabilitation services to a satisfactory level.

A coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, the rapid spread of COVID-19 is one of the world’s most important health issues, having threatened the general health of people worldwide. Advanced age and comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, and obesity are risk factors for the occurrence of critical illness and increased mortality. Although neurological symptoms and complications remain minor, they last a long time, resulting from the direct invasion of the virus into the central nervous system and systemic effects of the viral infection. For these reasons, patients with neurological impairment are more vulnerable to serious conditions caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, for people with mild respiratory infections or those who are asymptomatic, it is not easy to find clear evidence of a relationship between COVID-19 and neurological disorders. Therefore, research and clinical practice should highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on neurological conditions in order to provide management guidelines and rehabilitation services in an effective way. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, social distancing has been imposed, restricting social activity and participation and facilitating individual isolation from societal groups, both of which had negative impacts on rehabilitation of neurologic disorders. It is important to develop efficient solutions for unwanted problems in the COVID pandemic. Tele-rehabilitation is considered to have some benefits in overcoming its detrimental effects. Accordingly, this study aimed to demonstrate the clinical course and pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, to summarize the impact of COVID-19 on neurologic disorders, and finally to provide suggestions for effective management.