Strength of hip muscles and bradykinesia contribute to walking speed over a long distance, but not a short distance, in people with mild Parkinson's disease: An observational study.

BACKGROUND: Bradykinesia and postural instability contribute to walking limitations in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), but the contribution of muscle strength to walking speed has not been examined extensively. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does strength of the major lower limb muscles contribute to walking speed over short and long distances in people with PD? METHOD: na. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, observational study. PARTICIPANTS: 50 people with mild PD. OUTCOME MEASURES: Maximum isometric strength of the flexors and extensors of the lower limb was measured using hand-held dynamometry. Flexed posture, postural instability and bradykinesia were measured using the MDS-UPDRS part III. Walking speed was measured during the 10-m Walk Test and 6-min Walk Test. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that age, bradykinesia, flexed posture, and hip, knee and ankle weakness were all significantly correlated with walking speed over short and long distances. Multiple regression analysis revealed that age, bradykinesia, flexed posture and weakness of the hip and knee muscles together accounted for 47% of the variance in walking speed over a short distance, with age (R2 = 0.11, p = 0.003) making a significant independent contribution. Age, bradykinesia, flexed posture and strength of the hip and knee muscles together accounted for 56% of the variance in walking speed over a long distance. Age (R2 = 0.12, p = 0.001), weakness of the hip muscles (R2 = 0.12, p = 0.001) and bradykinesia (R2 = 0.04, p = 0.04) made significant, independent contributions to the variance in walking speed over a long distance. SIGNIFICANCE: In people with mild PD, weakness of the hip muscles and bradykinesia only make a significant relative contribution to walking speed over a long distance. Therefore, in people with normal walking speed over a short distance the 6-min Walk Test could be measured to more effectively identify the impact of motor impairments on walking.

Patients performing lower limb exercises in an orthopedic ward: a best practice implementation project.

AIMS: The evidence-based project sought to educate patients on doing lower limb exercises within 24 h of their admissions to the ward. Patients spend most of their time in bed during their hospital stays, which imposes negative outcomes due to inactivity, such as risks of reduced muscle mass and deconditioning, which may further implicate patients' conditions. METHODS: The project occurred in three phases over a period of 18 months. The project was undertaken in an orthopedic ward of an acute tertiary hospital. A preimplementation and postimplementation audit strategy using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System was conducted on a sample of 20 adult patients. The Getting Research into Practice framework was utilized to analyze the barriers and gaps encountered in the clinical ground. RESULTS: The baseline audit result revealed that only 35% of the patients received education on the exercise program and that there was poor compliance on nursing documentation of the intervention in daily note-free texts. Following the implementation, there was an improvement in nurses' documentation compliance. In follow-up audits one and two, the nurses achieved compliance rates of 60 and 90% in nursing documentation, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, there were improvements in provision of lower limb exercise education to patients. This project has demonstrated that patients were willing to exercise during hospitalization. Nurses play a significant role in providing early education to patients to do simple exercises. The implementation of the evidence-based project may increase the awareness of the importance of exercises to minimize hospital-acquired deconditioning and functional declines among ward nurses and patients.

One hundred female burns cases : a study in suicidology.

A study of one hundred consecutive female burns (aged 15-40) admissions into the Department of Plastic Surgery, Madurai Medical College and Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai revealed 70% to be suicidal, 25% accidental, 3% homicidal ad 2% non-classifiable in nature. The important causes were grouped under psychiatric disorders (23%) physical illness (15%), and marital and interpersonal problems (51%). The unreliability of dying declarations was observed. The degree of burns, previous suicide attempts and family history were analysed. Abdominal pain and marital problems in relation to suicide are discussed in detail. 5% of suicides were due to dowry related problems. Post Vention measures towards the management of the survivors of suicide attempt and family members of the suicide were undertaken. Broad guidelines on prevention of suicide from marital problems are indicated. The technique of 'Psycho-logical autopsy' was utilised for collection of data and reconstruction of the anatomy of suicide.