ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale was developed to quantify the self-perceived level of confidence in performing specific activities without losing balance or becoming unsteady. The ABC scale has been adopted in clinical practice and in research, although cross-cultural differences may impose difficulties in its use. OBJECTIVE: To translate, cross-culturally adapt and verify the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the ABC scale and describe the self-perceived balance confidence of elderly Brazilian people. METHOD: The ABC scale was translated and culturally adapted. To verify the intra- and inter-rater reliability, 40 elderly individuals with ages ranging from 60 to 88 years were interviewed. The scale was administered by two raters on the same day and readministered after seven days by rater 1. To test the reliability, we used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Six items from the ABC scale were considered culturally, semantically or regionally inappropriate and were modified. The intra-rater reproducibility was excellent (ICC=0.94), and the inter-rater reproducibility was very good (ICC=0.80). The self-perception of balance in specific activities of the elderly was considered very good, with an average of 81.7 and scores ranging from 61.2 to 96.7. CONCLUSION: The ABC scale was translated and culturally adapted for the Brazilian population and presents good intra- and inter-rater reliability. The self-perceived balance confidence in elderly Brazilian people evaluated with the ABC scale is moderate. .
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Cultural Characteristics , Postural Balance , Surveys and Questionnaires , TranslationsABSTRACT
CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: O método de Reeducação Postural Global (RPG) tem sido utilizado na clínica com relatos de benefícios para a prevenção e recuperação de disfunções musculoesqueléticas. Após duas décadas de aplicação, estudos têm verificado sua eficácia no tratamento de diferentes condições clínicas e ele tem sido comparado com outros recursos fisioterapêuticos. Entretanto, são poucos os estudos voltados à comprovação dos princípios defendidos pelo autor do método, o que torna frágeis as argumentações em favor dele. OBJETIVO: Realizar, com base na literatura científica, uma análise crítica dos efeitos da intervenção fisioterapêutica utilizando o método RPG. MÉTODOS: Pesquisaram-se as bases de dados Medline, SciELO, LILACS e PeDRO, de 2000 a 2010, considerando os unitermos: RPG, alongamento global e alongamento ativo. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados 25 estudos, sendo 13 relacionados ao método RPG e oito aos alongamentos global e ativo, além de três livros e uma tese. Após análise, 20 referências foram utilizadas. CONCLUSÕES: Parte dos estudos aponta que o método RPG é mais efetivo, enquanto outros mostram resultados similares a outros métodos de intervenção fisioterapêutica. Estudos indicam benefícios do método na melhora da força muscular respiratória, expansibilidade torácica, mobilidade toracoabdominal e da pressão respiratória máxima, além de reduzir a dor, a perda de urina em mulheres incontinentes, melhorar a flexibilidade, a atividade eletromiográfica nas disfunções temporomandibulares e a estabilidade postural em alterações ortopédicas de membros inferiores. Limitações metodológicas observadas sugerem a necessidade de maior rigor em futuras pesquisas.
BACKGROUND: The Global Postural Re-education (GPR) method has been widely used in clinical practice, with reported benefits for prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal dysfunctions. In parallel with almost two decades of clinical implementation, research studies have tested and verified the effectiveness of GPR in treating different clinical conditions and have also compared this method with other physical therapy resources. However, few studies focused on the verification of the principles of mechanisms of action defended by the author of the method making the arguments in favor of the method weak. OBJECTIVE: To perform a critical systematic review of the effects of physical therapy intervention that use the GPR method. METHODS: We searched Medline, SciELO, LILACS and PeDRO, from 2000 to 2010, considering the key words: Global Postural Re-education, global and active stretching. RESULTS: We found 25 studies, 13 about GPR and 8 about global and active stretching in addition to three books and a thesis. After analysis, 20 references were included. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the studies indicated that the GPR method was more effective than other physical therapy interventions, while others demonstrated similar results of GPR when compared to other physical therapy interventions. Studies showed benefits of the GPR in improving the respiratory muscle strength, chest expansion, maximal respiratory pressure and in reducing pain, loss of urine in incontinent women, increasing flexibility, the electromyographic activity in temporomandibular disorders and postural stability in lower limb orthopedic alterations. Methodological limitations observed suggest the need for greater rigor in future research.
Subject(s)
Humans , Physical Therapy Modalities , Posture , Muscle Stretching ExercisesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a painful syndrome characterized by widespread chronic pain and associated symptoms with a negative impact on quality of life. OBJECTIVES: Considering the subjectivity of quality of life measurements, the aim of this study was to verify the discriminating power of two quality of life questionnaires in patients with fibromyalgia: the generic Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the specific Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 150 participants divided into Fibromyalgia Group (FG) and Control Group (CG) (n=75 in each group). The participants were evaluated using the SF-36 and the FIQ. The data were analyzed by the Student t-test (α=0.05) and inferential analysis using the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) Curve - sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC). The significance level was 0.05. RESULTS: The sample was similar for age (CG: 47.8±8.1; FG: 47.0±7.7 years). A significant difference was observed in quality of life assessment in all aspects of both questionnaires (p<0.05). Higher sensibility, specificity and AUC were obtained by the FIQ (96 percent, 96 percent, 0.985, respectively), followed by the SF-36 (88 percent, 89 percent and 0.948 AUC). CONCLUSION: The FIQ presented the highest sensibility, specificity and AUC showing the most discriminating power. However the SF-36 is also a good instrument to assess quality of life in fibromyalgia patients, and we suggest that both should be used in parallel because they evaluate relevant and complementary aspects of quality of life.
CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A fibromialgia é uma síndrome dolorosa caracterizada por dor espalhada e crônica e sintomas associados com um impacto negativo na qualidade de vida. OBJETIVOS: Considerando a subjetividade da mensuração de qualidade de vida, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o poder de discriminação de dois questionários que avaliam a qualidade de vida de pacientes com fibromialgia: o genérico Medical Short Form Healthy Survey (SF-36) e o específico Questionário do Impacto da Fibromialgia (QIF). MÉTODOS: Foi conduzido um estudo transversal com 150 indivíduos, divididos em dois grupos: grupo fibromialgia (FM) e grupo controle (GC) (n=75 em ambos). Os pacientes foram avaliados pelo SF-36 e pelo QIF. Na análise dos dados, utilizou-se o teste "t de Student" com α=0,05 e a Curva ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristics Curve). RESULTADOS: As amostras foram estatisticamente semelhantes para a idade - 47,8 (8,1) no GC e 47,0 (7,7) no FM - e estatisticamente diferentes em todos os aspectos dos dois questionários (SF-36 e QIF). Alta sensibilidade, especificidade e área abaixo da curva (AUC) foram obtidas com o QIF (96 por cento, 96 por cento, 0,985 respectivamente), seguido pelo SF-36 (88 por cento, 89 por cento e 0,948 AUC). CONCLUSÃO: O QIF mostrou-se mais discriminativo do que o SF-36 para avaliar a qualidade de vida de fibromiálgicos. No entanto, o SF-36 é também um bom instrumento de avaliação e sugere-se que ambos sejam usados uma vez que avaliam aspectos relevantes e complementares da qualidade de vida.