Alwin F.J. Brouwer and Paul L.P. Brand.
This exhaustive evidence-based review provides an interesting update about current recommendations in asthma management.
Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 9(3), 09/2008, 193-200.
Brehm MA, Harlaar J, Schwartz M
This study determined the effect of ankle-foot orthoses on walking efficiency and gait in a heterogeneous group of children with cerebral palsy, using barefoot walking as the control condition. The use of an ankle-foot orthosis resulted in a significant decrease in the energy cost of walking of quadriplegic children with cerebral palsy, compared with barefoot walking, whereas it remained unchanged in hemiplegic and diplegic children with cerebral palsy. Energy cost reduction was related to both a faster and more efficient walking pattern. The improvements in efficiency were reflected in changes of stance and swing phase knee motion, i.e. those children whose knee flexion angle improved toward the typical normal range demonstrated a decrease in energy cost of walking, and vice versa.
This study supports the use of ankle-foot orthoses for quadriplegic children with cerebral palsy.
Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 2008, 40(7), 529-34
Sarath Ranganathan, Barry Linnane, Gary Nolan, Catherine Gangell and Graham Hall.
This review describes recent research findings in infants and preschool children and outlines available lung function techniques, issues around their standardization and their interest in young children with CF.
Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 9(3), 09/2008, 160-167.
Takken T, Van Brussel M, Engelbert RH, Van Der Net J, Kuis W, Helders PJ
The objective of this review was to assess the effects of exercise therapy on functional ability, quality of life and aerobic capacity in children with JIA. Three out of 16 identified studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 212 participants. The results suggest that the outcome measures all favoured the exercise therapy but none were statistically significant. None of the studies reported negative effects of the exercise therapy.
Overall, there was no clinically important or statistically significant evidence that exercise therapy can improve functional ability, quality of life, aerobic capacity or pain. The included and excluded studies were all consistent about the adverse effects of exercise therapy; no short-term detrimental effects of exercise therapy were found in any study. Both included and excluded studies showed that exercise does not exacerbate arthritis. Although the short-term effects look promising, the long-term effect of exercise therapy remains unclear.
European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 2008, 44(3), 287-97
Luís B. Sardinha,
This study analyzes the relationship between intensity and duration of physical activity and composite indices of femoral neck strength and bone-mineral content of the femoral neck, lumbar spine, and total body in 143 girls and 150 boys. It finds that daily vigorous physical activity for at least 25 minutes seems to improve femoral neck bone health in children, although there are discrepancies between genders. The lumbar spine is not affected.
Pediatrics, 122(3), 09/2008, 728-736.
Smith Anne, O'Sullivan Peter, Straker Leon.
From a a classification of subjects according to sagittal spinal alignment in standing, this study evaluates the correlation between kyphoscoliosis and LBP. It concludes that more neutral thoraco-lumbo-pelvic postures are associated with less back pain.
Spine. 33(19):2101-2107, 01/09/2008.
Jung H. Lee, In Y. Sung, Jong Y. Yoo.
This study compares static measurement in clinical and radiologic evaluation for assessment of pes planus, to evaluates whether it leads to abnormal gait pattern. 13 children with pes planus were selected. Femoral anteversion, internal and external rotation, thigh–foot angle (TFA), and resting calcaneal stance position (RCSP) were measured, as well as talo-calcaneal angle (TCA), talometatarsal angle (TMA), calcaneal pitch, and forefoot adduction on simple X-ray, and femoral anteversion, tibial torsion and rotation on computed tomography (CT). Then a 3-D gait analysis was performed and the correlation between all data was assessed.
It concludes that TMA was the factor most related to degree of calcaneal valgus on physical exam and that larger TCA was responsible for decreased maximal external rotation and increased maximal internal rotation in gait cycle.
Pediatrics Int., published online 3/09/2008
Lara Allet; Elisabeth Burge; Dominique Monnin
The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) holds great promise for providing the rehabilitation disciplines with a universal language. However, the ICF is still highly complex and questions remain about its practicability. The aims of this review were to (i) identify how the ICF is integrated in the clinical activity of physiotherapists, (ii) discuss advantages and limits of the use of the ICF, and (iii) suggest further possibilities for implementing the ICF by physiotherapists. Of 155 identified articles, 22 were specific to physiotherapy. These articles described the utility of the ICF to facilitate decision-making for physiotherapists; to classify the evaluation of therapy outcomes; to ensure that all aspects of human functioning are represented while testing the effectiveness and the reliability of these outcomes; to structure the documentation of assessments and interventions, as well as to ameliorate the communication.
ICF has a clinical relevance for physiotherapists, although the limited reliability of the qualifier system for the feasibility of its implementation was shown. The authors emphasize that the ICF is a tool that facilitates the decision of what to measure but not how to measure.
Advances in Physiotherapy, 2008, 10(3), 127-137
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of heat and duration of stretching on the extensibility of hamstring muscles and their electromyographic responses to passive stretch in children with hypertonia and severe mental retardation. Subjects received four treatment sessions in random order with each consisting of five repetitions of stretching: (A) 10-second stretching, (B) 30-second stretching, (C) hot pack followed by 10-second stretching, and (D) hot pack followed by 30-second stretching.
The results showed that heat application to the hamstrings before stretching could result in greater increase in extensibility than stretching alone in children with hypertonia and severe mental retardation. Stretching could promote relaxation of the hamstring muscles regardless of prior heat treatment. Stretching sustained for 30 seconds led to greater relaxation than that for 10 seconds.
Ckinical Rehabilitation, 2008, 22(9), 771-779
Finkel Richard S., Hynan Linda S., Glanzman Allan M., Owens Hollis, Nelson Leslie, Cone Stephanie R., Campbell Suzann K., Iannaccone Susan T., the AmSMART Group.
This article evaluates the reliability of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) in infants with spinal muscular atrophy, type I (SMA-I), and concludes that TIMP scores can be reliably obtained in infants with SMA-I.
Pediatric Physical Therapy. 20(3):242-246, Fall 2008
