Merits of exercise therapy before and after major surgery

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Advances in medical care have led to an increasing elderly population. Elderly individuals should be able to participate in society as long as possible. However, with an increasing age their adaptive capacity gradually decreases, specially before and after major life events (like hospitalization and surgery) making them...

Jeugdgezondheidszorgrichtlijn 'Zindelijkheid urine en feces' [Guideline 'Incontinence urine and feces' of the Dutch Preventive Youth Health Care]

Continence problems can occur during childhood. This guideline is for the Dutch Youth Health Care (JGZ) and gives recommendations for the prevention, early detection and treatment of these problems. As a preventative measure advices for potty training should be started in children aged 18-24 months. If incontinence is present, it is important to...

Walking or vitamin B for cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment? A randomised controlled trial

Objective: To examine the effects of aerobic exercise or vitamin B supplementation on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Design: Randomised placebo-controlled trial. Setting: General community. Participants: Community-dwelling adults aged 70-80 with MCI. Interventions : The 152 participants were randomly...

The effectiveness of graded activity for low back pain in occupational healthcare

A controlled trial was performed in a occupational healthcare setting to determine the effectiveness of graded activity as part of a multistage RTW programme. Workers (112) absent from work for more than eight weeks due to low back pain, were randomised to either graded activity (n = 55) or usual care (n = 57). The graded activity, a physical...

The effects of an exercise program for older adults with osteoarthritis of the hip

Objective. Evaluation of an 8-week exercise program with strength training and lifestyle advice for older adults with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip. Outcome measures were pain, hip function, disability, quality of life (QOL), and body mass index (BMI). Methods. Inclusion criteria for this randomized controlled trial were: age a 55 years,...

The effects of physical therapists' guidance on improvement in a strength-training program for the frail elderly

Elderly participants experiencing difficulty in chair rising and with a maximum knee-extensor torque below 87.5 N · m were randomized to different versions of a strength-training program for the knee-extensors: to a high-guidance group (HG; two group sessions supervised by a physical therapist and one unsupervised home session per week, n = 17),...

Self-management in osteoarthritis of hip or knee: A randomized clinical trial in a primary healthcare setting

Objective. To assess in a primary healthcare setting the efficacy of a self-management program in middle-aged patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. This was a 2-group randomized controlled trial, with 273 patients aged 40 to 60 years with OA of the hip(s) and/or knee(s). The experimental intervention was compared with care-as-usual....

Dropout from exercise programs for seniors: A prospective cohort study

This study examines dropout incidence, moment of dropout, and switching behavior in organized exercise programs for seniors in the Netherlands, as determined in a prospective cohort study (with baseline measurements at the start of the exercise program and follow-up after 6 months; N = 1,725, response rate 73%). Participants were community...

Precision, comfort and mechanical performance of the Quadriso-tester, a quadriceps force measuring device

The mechanical performance, repeatability and comfort of the Quadrisotester, which assesses isometric knee extensor muscle strength, were examined. Twenty healthy subjects and 20 patients treated for unilateral anterior ligamenta cruciata insufficiency were tested. Intra-rater repeatability was determined by the testing and retesting of subjects...

Cesar-therapie tijdelijk effectiever dan standaardbehandeling door de huisarts bij patiënten met chronische aspecifieke lage rugklachten: Gerandomiseerd, gecontroleerd en geblindeerd onderzoek met 1 jaar follow-up [Cesar therapy is temporarily more effective than a standard treatment from the general practitioner in patients with chronic aspecific lower back pain; randomized, controlled and blinded study with a I year follow-up]

Objective. To determine the effectiveness of a special form of exercise therapy ('Cesar therapy') on self reported recovery and improvement of posture amongst patients with chronic aspecific lower back pain. Design. Prospective randomized controlled and blinded investigation. Method. After informed consent had been obtained, patients with...

The effects of a health educational and exercise program for older adults with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee

Objective. Evaluation of a self-management program for patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee. The program, which consisted of 6 weekly sessions of 2 hours, included health education by a peer and physical exercises taught by a physical therapist. Methods. Randomized controlled trial. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of OA of the...

The effects of a psychomotor activation programme for use in groups of cognitively impaired people in homes for the elderly

Objectives. To test the effects of the Psychomotor Activation Programme (PAP) on the behaviour and cognition of demented elderly people. Design. Randomized controlled trial with an experimental group and a control group. Post-test after 6 months. Setting. Group care projects for demented elderly people living in 11 different homes for the...