Vera Lúcia Israel

Um projeto político-pedagógico de graduação em fisioterapia pautado em três eixos curriculares

Abstract Introduction: UFPR Litoral with its innovative PPP (Political-Pedagogical Project), based on Complexity Theory, is finalizing the implementation of its first Physical Therapy graduating group. Objectives: To comment some of the theoretical basis which sustain the project, presenting the experience of PPP’s collective construction process, focusing three curricular components. Metodology: Qualitative, with a theoretical-reflexive approach. Results: PPP’s construction resulted in a curricular organization based in three componets: TPF (Theoretical and Practical Fundaments), LP (Learning Projects) and CHI (Cultural and Humanistic Interactions). TPF consists about 60% of the curriculum, comprehending thematic modules elaborated by interdisciplinary professors team, based on the contextualized situation of the profession reality outside the campus. All contents taught follow Brazillian national curricular guidance and national health system. The PA allows students to develop projects, mediated by professors involving the triad: teaching-research-extension. These are contextualized to the reality of Parana’s coastal commu-nities, and also extended or amplified to other communities. The CHI (consisting 20% of the curriculum) allows the future professionals to experience the complexity of human being and its integration to the surrounding environment, once they share experiences with other graduation courses and communities. Conclusions: Throughout all these processes, UFPR students demonstrate distinguished characteristics, that come from generalist, humanist, critical and reflexive praxis, as recommended by national curricular guidance. So we hope these experiences provide articulation of knowledge and practices, developing qualified professionals and conscious citizens who care for the collectivity.Keywords: Teaching. Curriculum. Physical therapy. Education. Profession.

Stature recovery after sitting on land and in water

Back pain treatment in water has been commonly used although there is little evidence about its effects. One purported advantage for exercise is the reduced loading due to the buoyant force. The purpose of this study was to compare stature change, as a marker of spinal loading, after sitting in aquatic and dry land environments. Fourteen asymptomatic volunteers had their stature measured in a precision stadiometer, before and after a bout of physical activity and during a recovery period either sitting in water (head out of water immersion; HOWI) and sitting in a chair on land (SITT). Stature loss following exercise was as expected similar in both groups (SITT=89.2+/-5.4% and HOWI=86.5+/-8.1%; p=0.33). When stature recovery was compared between the water and land environments, HOWI (102.2+/-8.7%) showed greater recovery than SITT (86.5+/-6.3%) after 30 min (p<0.05). These results suggest that HOWI facilitated more rapid stature recovery through lower spinal loading and supports use of this technique to reduce spinal loading during recovery.

Influência da seletividade de atenção no desenvolvimento da percepção corporal de crianças com deficiência motora

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of using cognitive strategies for directing attention (learning cues) on the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiencies. METHOD: Twenty-two children of both sexes, aged 7 to 10 years, were selected based on their similar functional characteristics and were divided randomly into two groups: cue group (n= 11) and no cue group (n= 11). The cue group followed a methodological sequence in which attention was directed using learning cues, while the no cue group followed a different sequence, in which there was no directing of attention. These programs were followed for two weeks, with two sessions of 50 minutes each per week. Pre, post and retention tests were applied using the following instruments: body part identification test, kinetic perception test and critical body part perception test. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and the Tukey multiple comparisons test were used to analyze possible significant differences. RESULTS: The results indicated significant differences (p< 0.01), with superior performance by the cue group in the variables of kinetic perception and critical body part perception. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that selectivity of attention may contribute towards the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiency.Influence of selectivity of attention on the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiencies Objective: To investigate the influence of using cognitive strategies for directing attention (learning cues) on the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiencies. Method: Twenty-two children of both sexes, aged 7 to 10 years, were selected based on their similar functional characteristics and were divided randomly into two groups: cue group (n= 11) and no cue group (n= 11). The cue group followed a methodological sequence in which attention was directed using learning cues, while the no cue group followed a different sequence, in which there was no directing of attention. These programs were followed for two weeks, with two sessions of 50 minutes each per week. Pre, post and retention tests were applied using the following instruments: body part identification test, kinetic perception test and critical body part perception test. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and the Tukey multiple comparisons test were used to analyze possible significant differences. Results: The results indicated significant differences (p< 0.01), with superior performance by the cue group in the variables of kinetic perception and critical body part perception. Conclusion: These results suggest that selectivity of attention may contribute towards the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiency.

Effect of the Ai-Chi Method on Functional Activity, Quality of Life, and Posture in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the Ai-Chi method on the functional activities, quality of life, and posture in patients with Parkinson disease. Methods: The sample was divided into 2 groups: intervention (Ai-Chi method exercises; n = 8) and control group (without exercises; n = 7). Subjects were assessed for functional activities (Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale), quality of life (39-item Parkinsons Disease Questionnaire), and posture (postural assessment software SAPO). Results: The subjects in the intervention group showed improvement in functional activities (Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale score, 38.3 vs 23.8, P = .02) and posture (21.53 vs 21.86, P = .029). Conclusion: The Ai-Chi method improves functional activities and head posture in patients with Parkinson disease.

Efeitos de diferentes programas de exercícios físicos na marcha de idosos saudáveis: uma revisão

INTRODUCAO: Com o aumento da populacao idosa e da perda da capacidade funcional com o envelhecimento, ha um importante interesse em investigar medidas que possam propiciar um envelhecimento mais saudavel. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo deste estudo foi, por meio de uma revisao bibliografica, verificar os efeitos dos diferentes tipos de atividade fisica na performance funcional da marcha em idosos saudaveis. MATERIAIS E METODOS: Para esta revisao a base de dados MEDLINE foi consultada, definiram-se como limites de busca os artigos publicados entre os anos de 1999 e 2008 e que abrangessem o tema atividade fisica e marcha em idosos saudaveis. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos estudos aponta que programas de exercicio estruturados sao efetivos em se contrapor aos declinios funcionais relacionados com a idade, e os efeitos beneficos do exercicio na marcha dos idosos tem sido bem estabelecidos. CONCLUSAO: Os resultados confirmam que o treinamento de forca, o treinamento funcional e os exercicios de alongamento tem efeitos positivos em diferentes parâmetros da marcha.

O papel da atenção na fisioterapia neurofuncional

This study presents a theoretical review of attention in the creation of strategies of movement control from the perspective of the systemic paradigm applied to motor behavior and its relationship with the motor control approach in neurofunctional physical therapy. The following databases were consulted Medline, PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, and PEDro, including articles from 1990 to 2009. Research has shown the understanding of attention as a mediator agent between a subject and the environment in the process of self-organization of organic sub-systems during the realization of a motor task. Similarities between this theoretical perspective of attention and the assumptions that support the motor control in the neurofunctional physical therapy approach have been identified, evidencing paths of scientific investigation for a better comprehension about the attention role on neuromotor system adaptation of individuals with neurological lesions and its efficiency to promote human functional movement.Este estudo apresenta uma revisao teorica sobre o papel da atencao na realizacao de tarefas motoras, adotando-se a perspectiva do paradigma sistemico aplicado ao comportamento motor e sua relacao com a abordagem do controle motor na fisioterapia neurofuncional. Foram consultados os bancos de dados Medline, PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, e PEDro, incluindo artigos de 1990 a 2009. Nos estudos pesquisados, observou-se o entendimento da atencao como um agente mediador entre o individuo e o ambiente no processo de auto-organizacao dos subsistemas orgânicos durante a realizacao de uma tarefa motora. Foram identificadas similaridades entre esta perspectiva teorica sobre a atencao e os pressupostos que fundamentam a abordagem do controle motor na fisioterapia neurofuncional, evidenciando caminhos de investigacao cientifica no sentido de ser mais bem compreendido o papel da atencao na adaptacao do sistema neuromotor de pessoas com lesao neurologica e sua efetividade na promocao do movimento funcional humano.

Repeatability and comparison of clinical tests in children with spastic diplegia and with typical development

Objective The aims of this study were to evaluate the reliability of three range of motion tests (Straight Leg Raise, Modified Thomas, and Duncan-Ely) using photographic measurements in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SD) and with typical development (TD). Methods A cross-sectional test-retest design was applied to compare muscle-tendon unit shortening tests between groups. Results The tests showed reliability that ranged from good to excellent (ICC > 0.8), except for the Thomas Test for the bi-articular hip flexor muscle-tendon unit of the TD group (ICC = 0.7). Differences between groups were found in all tests (p 0.05). Conclusion Children with SD presents a smaller range of motion than the TD group. However, the Thomas Test for the bi-articular hip flexor muscles was unable to determine differences between children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy from that with typical development.

Effects of Functional Exercise Program on Balance in the Institutionalized Elderly

This study aimed to verify the effect of a program of functional exercise on body balance in the institutionalized elderly. Six elderly persons participated and were evaluated and reevaluated after 3.5 weeks using the Berg Balance Scale. The program consisted of 14 meetings of 60 minutes each, 4 times a week. The function descriptive analysis of Microsoft 2010 was used. An improved scale score (48.3 ± 4.1 vs 42.8 ± 6.2, P = 0.002) and a decreased risk of falls (84% ± 43% vs 46% ± 29%, P = 0.002) were found. Functional training was sufficient to improve balance and reduce the number of falls.

Exposição crônica em ambiente de conflito sensorial e sua influência no controle postural

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the balance of subjects chronically exposed to an environment with sensorial conflict before and immediately after exposition to this environment. Fifteen fishermen volunteered to participate and had their displacement of center of pressure (CP) measured by a force platform before and after a sea journey. Six different conditions, in which the sensorial information of visual and somatosensory system was manipulated, were tested. The total path of the center of pressure indicated the participants ability to use each sensory system separately for each condition to control upright posture. There were no changes in body sway or sensory dependence immediately after exposure to an environment with sensorial conflict. A chronic adaptation seemed to prevent them to be influenced by acute effects of exposure to an environment with sensorial conflict.

Effects of selective attention on the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiencies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of using cognitive strategies for directing attention (learning cues) on the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiencies. METHOD: Twenty-two children of both sexes, aged 7 to 10 years, were selected based on their similar functional characteristics and were divided randomly into two groups: cue group (n= 11) and no cue group (n= 11). The cue group followed a methodological sequence in which attention was directed using learning cues, while the no cue group followed a different sequence, in which there was no directing of attention. These programs were followed for two weeks, with two sessions of 50 minutes each per week. Pre, post and retention tests were applied using the following instruments: body part identification test, kinetic perception test and critical body part perception test. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and the Tukey multiple comparisons test were used to analyze possible significant differences. RESULTS: The results indicated significant differences (p< 0.01), with superior performance by the cue group in the variables of kinetic perception and critical body part perception. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that selectivity of attention may contribute towards the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiency.Influence of selectivity of attention on the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiencies Objective: To investigate the influence of using cognitive strategies for directing attention (learning cues) on the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiencies. Method: Twenty-two children of both sexes, aged 7 to 10 years, were selected based on their similar functional characteristics and were divided randomly into two groups: cue group (n= 11) and no cue group (n= 11). The cue group followed a methodological sequence in which attention was directed using learning cues, while the no cue group followed a different sequence, in which there was no directing of attention. These programs were followed for two weeks, with two sessions of 50 minutes each per week. Pre, post and retention tests were applied using the following instruments: body part identification test, kinetic perception test and critical body part perception test. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and the Tukey multiple comparisons test were used to analyze possible significant differences. Results: The results indicated significant differences (p< 0.01), with superior performance by the cue group in the variables of kinetic perception and critical body part perception. Conclusion: These results suggest that selectivity of attention may contribute towards the development of body awareness in children with motor deficiency.