Buket Büyükturan

Effects of Ai Chi on balance, quality of life, functional mobility, and motor impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease*

Abstract Purpose: In this study, we aimed to investigate effects of Ai Chi on balance, functional mobility, health-related quality of life, and motor impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Method: This study was conducted as an open-label randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN26292510) with repeated measures. Forty patients with Parkinson’s disease stages 2 to 3 according to the Hoehn and Yahr Scale were randomly allocated to either an Ai Chi exercise group or a land-based exercise control group for 5 weeks. Balance was measured using the Biodex-3,1 and the Berg Balance Scale. Functional mobility was evaluated using the Timed Up and Go Test. Additionally, health-related quality of life and motor activity were assessed with the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale-III. Results: Although patients in both groups showed significant improvement in all outcome variables, improvement of dynamic balance was significantly greater in the Ai Chi group (p < 0.001), Berg Balance Scale (p < 0.001), Timed Up and Go Test (p = 0.002), Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (p < 0.001), Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale-III (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that an Ai Chi exercise program improves balance, mobility, motor ability, and quality of life. In addition, Ai Chi exercise was more effective as an intervention than land-based exercise in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease. Implications for rehabilitation Ai Chi exercises (aquatic exercises) may help improve balance, functional mobility, health-related quality of life, and motor ability in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease more efficiently than similar land-based exercises. Ai Chi exercises should be considered as a rehabilitation option for treatment of patients with mild or moderate Parkinson’s disease.

The Effect of Mulligan Mobilization Technique in Older Adults with Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled, Double-Blind Study

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Mulligan mobilization technique (MMT) on pain, range of motion (ROM), functional level, kinesiophobia, depression, and quality of life (QoL) in older adults with neck pain (NP). Methods Forty-two older adults with NP were included in the study, and they were randomly divided into two groups: traditional physiotherapy (TP) group and traditional physiotherapy-Mulligan mobilization (TPMM) group. Treatment program was scheduled for 10 sessions. Participants were assessed in terms of pain, ROM, functional level, kinesiophobia, depression, and QoL both pre- and posttreatment. Results Pain, ROM, functional level, kinesiophobia, depression, and QoL improved in both groups following treatment (p < 0.05). When comparing effects of these two treatment programs, it was observed that the TPMM group had a better outcome (p < 0.05) in terms of ROM, kinesiophobia, depression, and QoL. Conclusion In older adults with NP, MMT has been found to have significant effects on pain, ROM, functional level, kinesiophobia, depression, and QoL as long as it is performed by a specialist. “This trial is registered with NCT03507907”.

Yaşlı bireylerde cilt yüzeyi üzerinden torasik kifoz ve lumbal lordoz açılarının değerlendirilmesi: Spinal Mouse geçerliliği ve güvenilirliği

Amac: Bu calisma, saglikli yasli bireylerde, eksternal ve non-invaziv olarak spinal hareketliligi degerlendiren spinal mouse (SM) cihazinin, gecerliligini ve guvenilirligini test etmek amaciyla yapilmistir. Yontemler: Ayakta durma esnasinda, hem SM cihaziyla, hem de Cobb acisi yontemiyle radyolojik olarak olgularin torakal kifoz ve lumbal lordoz egrilikleri degerlendirilmistir. SM cihazi ile uc farkli arastirmaci tarafindan olcum yapilmistir. Kullanici-ici ve kullanicilar arasi gecerlilik ve guvenilirlik icin sinif ici korelasyon katsayisi (SKK) ve standart hata olcum (SHO) yontemi kullanilmistir. Bulgular: Calismaya yas ortalamasi 68,12±2,67 yil olan 46 yasli birey (29 kadin, 17 erkek) dahil edilmistir. Kullanicilar arasi SKK 0,80-0,89 ve kullanici-ici SKK 0,88-0,91 arasinda bulunmustur. SM ile yapilan tum olcumlerde SHO degeri 2,01° ile 4,26° arasinda tespit edilmistir. Ayrica tum arastirmacilarin SM ile olctugu spinal egrilik dereceleri ile, radyolojik olarak olculen spinal egrilik dereceleri arasinda anlamli korelasyon bulunmustur (p<0,05). Sonuc: SM cihazinin, yaslilar ile ilgili kliniklerde ve arastirmalarda kullanilabilecek guvenilir, gecerli, guvenli, hizli olcum yapabilen ve herhangi bir yan etkisi olmayan bir yontem oldugu dusunulmektedir.

Cervical stability training with and without core stability training for patients with cervical disc herniation: A randomized, single-blind study

This study aims at evaluating and comparing the effects of cervical stability training to combined cervical and core stability training in patients with neck pain and cervical disc herniation.