Validity and reliability of mobile applications in physical therapy: protocol for a systematic review

BACKGROUND@#Due to technological advancements, mobile applications have aided in the enhancement of assessment, treatment, and exercise programs for the major stakeholders in healthcare. However, there is a lack of preponderance of the evidence of reliability and validity of these mobile applications among traditional tools/methods used in rehabilitation. Thus, this systematic review aims to identify and synthesize existing studies on evidence of the validity and reliability of mobile applications used in physical therapy. @*METHODS@#Included in this systematic review are studies written in English that tested the PT mobile application in healthy individuals, compared it with gold standard equipment, and tested the app's validity and/or reliability. A literature search will be conducted on nine databases, and two electronic software will be used - (1) Mendeley and (2) Rayyan. The Brink and Louw (2012) Critical Appraisal Tool will be used to assess the validity and reliability of the eligible articles. A qualitative review and meta-analyses will be conducted for data synthesis.@*EXPECTED RESULTS@#This study will contribute to current knowledge and healthcare practices by providing information on valid and reliable PT applications, synthesizing evidence on mobile applications that will improve PT assessments and interventions, and which applications can be further studied and developed. Overall, the results of this study will give information on how PT mobile applications can complement standard test measures or procedures in physical therapy such as assessments, interventions, and home exercise programs.

Spatiotemporal parameters of gait in Filipino adults using the 3-D motion capture system

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background and Purpose:</strong> Gait is one of the outcome measures used in evaluation in the field of rehabilitation and there is a need for reference data of gait parameters primarily to understand the physiological significance of these parameters, describe their changes in pathologic gait for better understanding of pathophysiology and be able to provide the appropriate therapeutic approach. The purpose of this study was: 1) To derive a reference data of spatiotemporal parameters of gait among Filipinos, which include step time, stride time, stance time, swing time, single limb support time, double limb support time, cadence, speed, step length, stride length, and step width; 2) To determine correlation of age, gender, and anthropometric measures with spatiotemporal parameters, and 3) To determine<br />gait symmetry.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> In this cross-sectional study, 374 participants aged 20-69 years (males = 181, females = 193) were included. They were asked to walk in their comfortable speed. Spatiotemporal parameters were obtained using the Vicon motion capture system.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Results:</strong> The walking speed, step length, stride length, and step width declined with age. Filipino men demonstrated higher values in all parameters except cadence which is higher in Filipino women. Height and leg length both have positive correlation with all parameters except for cadence. Weight has a positive correlation with all spatiotemporal parameters except for cadence, swing time, single limb support time, and speed. Cadence and stride length were symmetrical between right and left lower extremities.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Spatiotemporal parameters among healthy Filipinos 20-69 years old were presented including their correlations with age, gender, and anthropometric measures. This can serve as a reference for future studies in gait where Filipinos are the participants.</p>

Association between lower extremity movement compensations in the presence of PFPS among female collegiate football athletes: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION@#Fifteen to fifty percent of all sports injuries commonly occur in the knee joint. Active women are more susceptible to Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) than men. Aims: This study aims to associate the presentation of different movement compensations at the different body segments such as the hip, knee, and foot with the presence of PFPS among female collegiate football players at the University of Santo Tomas.@*METHODS@#In this descriptive observational cross-sectional study, purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. A total of 11 participants were included. PFPS has a strong association with Anterior Knee Pain (AKP), and it was diagnosed using the Physical Examination questionnaire. With the use of dynamic and transitional assessments, namely overhead squat test (OST) and tuck jump test (TJT), movement patterns were observed using standardized data sheets and video analysis.@*RESULTS@#Among those 11 female participants (mean age 19 ± 1.7 years old), 8 were diagnosed with PFPS and 3 were negative of PFPS. An association between different compensations and PFPS was sought using Fisher’s exact statistical tool. In the OST, compensations such as the foot turning out, foot flattening, knee directing inward and outward, lumbo-pelvic-hip complex patterns. In the TJT, PFPS was associated with three general compensations: foot placement, landing contact noise, and lower extremity valgus. @*CONCLUSION@#There was no direct association found between movement compensations and PFPS in dynamic and transitional assessments among female collegiate football players in this study. Although there are a few associations between different lower extremity movement compensations with PFPS. The majority of those with PFPS had knee out and LPHC compensations with the OST. With the TST, those with PFPS have positive foot placement compensations as compared to the majority of those without PFPS.