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  Blood Flow Restriction Exercises Following An ACL Reconstruction In A 17-Year-Old Female Athlete: A Case Report

  Andrew Anich and Kirsten Buchanan

  
  

  Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions account for over 50% of all sports-related knee surgeries. Due to graft healing, rehab protocols do not allow for high resistance training for several months. Blood flow restriction (BFR) therapy with low load exercise has been suggested to improve quadriceps and hamstring strength and hypertrophy in adults. There is currently a lack of research on the effects of BFR therapy on hamstring strength and... Read More

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  Physical Therapy For Low Back Pain With A Focus On McKenzie Method For Diagnosis And Treatment: A Case Report

  Macey Berube

  
  

  Low back pain (LBP) is thought to affect 80% of the population. It decreases work attendance, affects daily activity, and decreases quality of life. Physical Therapy (PT) is a noninvasive form of treatment that may include manual therapy, physical exercise, deep heat modalities, or a combination. The purpose of this case report was to review a multifaceted approach to LBP, including a focus on the McKenzie method and paired... Read More

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  Gait and Functional Training for a Patient Post-Stroke with a History of Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Disorders: A Case Report

  Morgan Costa and Amy J. Litterini

  
  

  The opioid crisis is the largest drug epidemic in recorded history, resulting in over 500,000 deaths between the years of 2000 and 2015. The abuse of and addiction to opioids are serious global health problems that affect the social and economic well-being of all societies. Drug abusers have a 6.5 times increased risk of stroke. Strokes contribute to the disability and morbidity associated with drug abuse. Drug abuse is... Read More

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  High Intensity Intervals And Gait Training For A Patient With Heart Failure And Parkinson Disease In A Skilled Nursing Facility: A Case Report

  Kelly Fritz

  
  

  The primary impairments of congestive heart failure (CHF) and Parkinson disease (PD) interact and present a unique challenge to rehabilitation. There is limited evidence on the PT management of both CHF and PD in the literature. The purpose of this case report is to present the PT management and outcomes of cardiovascular endurance training, gait training, therapeutic exercise, and balance activities for a patient with acute CHF and PD.

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  A PT Exercise Program For A Patient With Bilateral Transtibial Amputations: A Case Report

  Erin Fusting and Kirsten Buchanan

  
  

  The most common reason for lower extremity amputation (LEA) is from complications from Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Patients with DM are 10x more likely to have an amputation than someone without the disease. 50% of those with DM with an LEA will have an opposite foot or leg amputated in approximately 3 years or less. Transtibial amputations (TTAs), also known as below knee amputations, are the most common amputation. There... Read More

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  Outpatient Vestibular Rehabilitation For A Patient Three Months Post Acoustic Neuroma Resection: A Case Report

  Joel Harrison

  
  

  An acoustic neuroma is a benign and slow growing intracranial tumor that originates from cells of the vestibular nerve within the inner ear. Acoustic neuromas are estimated to occur in 10-20 individuals per 1,000,000 in the US. The tumor and subsequent surgery frequently lead to vestibular impairment. The vestibular system functions to coordinate head and eye movement through the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), maintain postural stability, and provide input for... Read More

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  Comprehensive Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Motor Control Deficits And Idiopathic Toe-Walking: A Case Report

  Chelsey Hoglund and Kirsten Buchanan

  
  

  Idiopathic toe-walking (ITW) describes patients who walk bearing most weight through their forefoot, in the absence of any known cause. Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a chronic condition involving impairments in gross motor, postural, and/or fine motor performance and affects the performance of movements necessary for daily living and academic tasks. Physical therapy intervention has been shown to result in improvements for patients with ITW and DCD, however, there... Read More

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  Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Total Knee Arthroplasty With Severe Contralateral Knee Osteoarthritis: A Case Report

  Michael Ikemura

  
  

  Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of severe pain, disability within the community, and dependence on others. In the U.S., a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most commonly performed orthopedic procedures and 95% of them are attributed to OA. Following a TKA, pain and walking ability are the most important factors that need to be addressed. The purpose of this case report is to describe... Read More

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  Physical And Psychological Outcome Measures After Multiple Foot Surgeries: A Case Report

  Elizabeth Inscore and Kirsten Buchanan

  
  

  The psychological effects of an injury have the potential to be more debilitating than the physical ailments themselves. Physical therapy (PT) rehabilitation programs that incorporate both physical and psychological interventions have demonstrated successful outcomes but have not been widely studied. The purpose of this case report was to investigate both the physical and psychological outcomes after a comprehensive PT rehabilitation program for a patient who sustained multiple foot and... Read More

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  Balance & Fall Prevention Rehabilitation Program For A 77-Year-Old Patient Following A Trimalleolar Fracture: A Case Report

  Kathryn Judd and Kirsten Buchanan

  
  

  Balance and fall prevention are typical components of a rehab program in the elderly, however, there is limited research investigating the effects of the combination of balance and fall prevention in an elderly person with a trimalleolar fracture. The purpose of this case report was to describe a comprehensive physical therapy program combining balance training and fall prevention strategies for a 77-year-old patient after a trimalleolar fracture.

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  Caries Prevalence In Maine Based On College Of Dental Medicine (UNE) Findings

  Molly A. Kalish and Vasiliki Maseli

  
  

  Poster presentation outlining a retrospective study conducted in order to better understand the needs of Maine residents and provide the appropriate oral health care in the future.

  Background and Overview: Dental caries is a progressive, irreversible microbial disease affecting the hard tissues of the tooth. It is the most prevalent chronic disease affecting the human race. Once it occurs, its manifestations persist throughout life even when the lesion is... Read More

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  Physical Therapy Management Of A 13 Year Old Female With A Right Shoulder SLAP Tear: A Case Report

  Esaam Kamareddine and Kirsten Buchanan

  
  

  There is limited research on the most effective conservative PT plan of care (POC) for a young athlete with a superior labrum anterior and posterior (SLAP) tear. The purpose of this case report was to investigate a comprehensive conservative PT rehab program for a 13-year-old softball player with a SLAP lesion.

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  Adult Scoliosis And Chronic Low Back Pain With Land And Aquatic Based Physical Therapy: A Case Report

  Thomas Kent

  
  

  Scoliosis is defined as a spinal angulation of greater than 10 degrees in the frontal plane with spinal torsion. Incidence of idiopathic scoliosis is 2- 3%. Symptoms associated with scoliosis include pulmonary dysfunction and spinal pain. Cobb angle greater than 25° requires physical therapy to stop progression of curve. Cobb angle greater than 45° requires surgical intervention. The purpose of this case report was to evaluate the effects of... Read More

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  The Use Of Therapeutic Exercise And Manual Therapy For A Patient Following Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Case Report

  Allison Maynes

  
  

  Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder in the United States (US) and is the most common cause for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery. Approximately 670,000 TKA surgeries are performed annually in the US and it is estimated that one third are bilateral TKAs (BTKA) due to bilateral OA. Simultaneously, BTKA procedures consist of replacing both knees consecutively, in one operation, under one anesthesia. The purpose of... Read More

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  The Comprehensive PT Management Of A Patient With Chronic Low Back Pain And Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Case Report

  Robin McGuire

  
  

  Lumbar radiculopathy is pain originating from nerve root compression in the lumbar spine. Patient presentation is chronic, recurring low back pain with associated radiating pain and potential sensory, strength, or reflex deficits in the involved lower extremity. The purpose of this case report was to describe a comprehensive approach for a patient with chronic low back pain and lumbar radiculopathy using the following interventions: therapeutic exercises using directional preference,... Read More

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  Developing Effective Online Training Tools For Maine Adaptive Sports And Recreation

  Chelsea Paul, Emily Gall, Kristina Jamo, and Shannon Bergeland

  
  

  Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation (MASR) is an adaptive sporting program that relies on volunteers to instruct participants of varying abilities. In order to effectively instruct, volunteers should firmly understand the health condition their participant has. Previously, MASR lacked a formal curriculum to educate their volunteers. The aim of this research project was to create online learning modules & determine whether a massed or distributed learning schedule resulted in... Read More

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  Task-Oriented Training To Restore Independence In A Patient With Encephalitis In The Intensive Care Unit: A Case Report

  Victoria Perez

  
  

  Bacterial meningitis is a serious disease that causes acute inflammation of the meninges, the lining of the brain and spinal cord, which can result in significant morbidity and mortality. There are 15,000 to 25,000 cases in the US yearly and it is one of the top 10 causes of infection-related deaths worldwide. Bacterial meningitis is commonly complicated by encephalitis, inflammation of the brain parenchyma. 30% to 50% of survivors... Read More

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  The Role Of Physical Therapy Interventions For An Elderly Patient Following Surgical Fixation Of A Fracture Of The Femoral Shaft: A Case Report

  Ashley Push

  
  

  In the U.S. approximately half of elderly white females will sustain an osteoporotic hip fracture. One year following surgery most elderly adults have not returned to their prior level of function. Evidence demonstrates the benefits of early weight bearing and mobility post-surgery to improve functional abilities. The purpose of this case report was to document this patient’s response to skilled physical therapy intervention in the inpatient setting, including functional... Read More

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  Acute Care Physical Therapy Status Post Colostomy For A Patient With Colorectal Cancer: A Case Report

  Elizabeth Race

  
  

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignancy that begins in the colon or rectum. In 2016 there were 724,690 men and 727,350 women living with a history of CRC, with an estimated 135,430 new cases in 2017. Treatment can include local radiation, systemic chemotherapy, and/or surgery to remove the tumor, which can result in the placement of a colostomy. A colostomy entails a surgical resection to a portion of the... Read More

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  The Use Of Manual Lumbar Traction And Therapeutic Exercise In The Treatment Of A Patient With Low Back Pain: A Case Report

  Kyle Rasmussen

  
  

  The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) has been increasing in the United States. Manual lumbar traction and therapeutic exercise are two common treatments by physical therapists (PT) for LBP, but there is limited research investigating the combined effects of these treatments on low back pain. The purpose of this case report was to investigate the combined effects of these treatments on LBP.

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  Vestibular Rehabilitation For A Geriatric Patient With Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Treatment Failure: A Case Report

  Clare Roeder

  
  

  Good balance requires integration of sensory information from three systems: vestibular, visual and somatosensory. The vestibular portion of the inner ear contains two types of sensory structures that respond to gravity and head movements: semicircular canals and otolith organs. Crystals of calcium carbonate (otoconia) reside in the otolith organs, but can become dislodged and migrate to the semicircular canals, causing symptoms of vertigo. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), caused... Read More

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  Strength And Balance Training For A 29-Year-Old Female Who Sustained A Multifocal Stroke: A Case Report

  Britney Simonton and Kirsten Buchanan

  
  

  Stroke is defined as a decrease in blood supply to the brain, and most often occurs in older adults. In the United States, approximately 795,000 people sustain a stroke annually. Risk factors for a stroke include high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Although research has shown that a balance and strength training program is beneficial for... Read More

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  Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With A Lacunar Stroke And Multiple Comorbidities: A Case Report

  Kevin Tachibana

  
  

  Strokes are the fourth leading cause of death and the number one cause of long-term disability in the United States. A lacunar infarct is a type of ischemic stroke that occurs within the deepest structures of the brain when one of the small arteries gets blocked. Risk factors for a lacunar stroke include older age, high blood pressure, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, and obstructive sleep apnea. The... Read More

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  Physical Therapy On The Function Of A Patient With Stage III Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Report

  Kelly Trancygier and Michaael Fillyaw

  
  

  Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects 1.5% of the US population over 65 years of age. PD is typically diagnosed in individuals over the age of 60. There is no cure and the disease itself is not fatal, however, its effects can be very debilitating. PD occurs when the neurons in the basal ganglia of the brain stop producing enough dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate body movements... Read More

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  Functional Strengthening In A Patient With Chronic Stroke And Low Back Pain: A Case Report

  Sofia Tzortzinis

  
  

  In the U.S., the prevalence of stroke is approximately 795,000 annually and is the fifth most common cause of death. Stroke impairments include hemiplegia, sensory loss, dyspraxia, and hemianopsia. The chronic phase of stroke is defined as six months and beyond post-stroke. Nearly 85% of adults will experience low back pain (LBP) at some point in their life. Risk factors for LBP include age, educational status, psychosocial factors, physically... Read More