Effects of aquatic therapy on joint flexibility and functional ability in subjects with rheumatic disease.

Currently, there is a deficit of objective data showing the efficacy of aquatic exercise therapy in improving function in individuals with rheumatic disease. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effectiveness of aquatic therapy in changing joint motion, functional status, assistance, pain, and difficulty in 13 subjects with rheumatic disease. Active joint motion and Functional Status Index scores of assistance, pain, and difficulty were taken prior to and following 8 weeks of aquatic therapy. Multivariate analysis of variance, analysis of covariance procedure controlling for pain, and a Pearson correlation between active joint motion and Functional Status Index changes and between assistance, pain, and difficulty scores of the Functional Status Index were conducted. Results showed a significant difference between the pre and post means of active joint motion, Functional Status Index, pain, and difficulty (p < .05); a significant, negative relationship between pain and active joint motion of select joints; and positive correlations between assistance and pain, assistance and difficulty, and pain and difficulty. The decreased pain and difficulty experienced in performing daily tasks contributed significantly (94%) to the overall increased functional status and active joint motion for select joints. These findings support aquatic therapy as an effective means of increasing joint flexibility and functional ability while reducing pain and difficulty with daily tasks.

Predictive study of physical therapy admission variables.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of 12 preadmission academic scores with the professional cumulative grade point average (PT CUM GPA) achieved in a two-year physical therapy program. The objective of the study was to suggest to faculty ways to limit the admission-selection criteria to statistically significant predictors of academic achievement. Preadmission cumulative grade point average, science cumulative grade point average, average Allied Health Professions Aptitude Test (AHPAT) score, and nine other less often utilized academic scores were correlated with PT CUM GPA of 111 physical therapy students. The Pearson product-moment correlation and a stepwise regression procedure identified chemistry, physics, and science cumulative GPAs and AHPAT quantitative ability score as significant predictors of PT CUM GPA. These predictors accounted for 16% of the variance of the PT CUM GPA. Results suggest that these preadmission scores be used in the admission-selection process and be given equal weight in predicting academic achievement.