Journal of Modern Rehabilitation

Correlation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Fugl-Meyer Score Changes after Telerehabilitation in Stroke

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:35:01 +0430

Background: Early post-stroke rehabilitation reduces disability and improves quality of life. However, limited access to rehabilitation facilities can be challenging. Home-based telerehabilitation emerges as a viable solution to reach distant stroke populations. Motoric recovery relies on penumbral reorganization and restructuring. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in synaptic plasticity regulation. Yet, the impact of additional rehabilitation sessions on BDNF levels and motoric function in post-stroke patients remains unexplored.
Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted, involving 50 stroke patients from June to September 2023. Medical history was assessed via a questionnaire, and motoric function was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). Blood samples were drawn to measure BDNF levels. The intervention included prescribing home-based exercises using a telerehabilitation application on cellphones for 12 weeks. BDNF levels and FMA scores were reassessed at the study's conclusion.
Result: Significant increases in BDNF and FMA scores were observed in the mobile-based telerehabilitation group. The increment of BDNF and FMA in the intervention group exceeded that of the control group.
Conclusion: Mobile-based telerehabilitation proves superior to conventional home exercise programs for delivering home-based therapeutic exercises.

Effectiveness of Psychophysical Visual Stimuli-Based Interventions in Amblyopia Treatment: A Systematic Review

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:12:24 +0430

Introduction: Active vision therapy, integrating perceptual learning with dichoptic or binocular environments, has shown potential effectiveness in treating amblyopia. However, uncertainties linger regarding the optimal types of stimuli and the best approaches and sequences for their presentation. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of psychophysical visual stimuli-based interventions, particularly perceptual learning and dichoptic training, in treating amblyopia.
Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search across major databases, such as PubMed and Google Scholar, yielded 26 studies involving 993 amblyopic patients. These studies investigated various visual training methods, including perceptual learning, dichoptic stimulation, and combinations of both, with stimuli such as Gabor patches, letter optotypes, Vernier stimuli, and random-dot stereograms.
Results: The findings indicate that perceptual learning enhances visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and stereopsis, even in adult patients, by leveraging neural plasticity. Dichoptic training, which engages both eyes simultaneously, shows promise in reducing suppression and improving binocular integration, providing a potential advantage over traditional patching therapy. Gabor patches emerged as particularly effective, stimulating the visual cortex to drive neural efficiency.
Conclusion: Vision therapy can be an effective strategy for treating amblyopia and potentially reduce the overall treatment time when used alongside patching. In addition, it is imperative to modify the stimuli to align with the distinct characteristics of the patient during both monocular and binocular training.

Reliability and Validity of the Lower Extremity Motor Activity Log in Persian People with Ankle Sprain

Amir Seyed Ahmadi, Laleh Lajevardi, Ghorban Taghizadeh, Akram Azad — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:13:23 +0430

Background: Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries and affect functional mobility, lower extremity function and health status. Accessing to a reliable measurement tool to assess diverse real-world lower extremity use in patients following ankle sprain seems essential. Researchers have developed number of measurements to determine rehabilitation goals and also measure the effects of therapeutic interventions. This study was conducted to translate the original English Lower Extremity Motor Activity Log (LE-MAL) to Persian and to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version.
Material and Methods: The LE-MAL was translated to Persian and adapted to the Persian culture. Then a total of 140 patients with ankle sprain filled out the Persian LE-MAL, Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) and Life Space Questionnaire (LSQ). The Persian LE-MAL was re-completed by participants with an interval of two weeks and internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct validity were investigated.
Results: The Persian LE-MAL had good internal consistency (Cronbach's α =0.95) and test-retest reliability (ICC=0.76). The construct validity of the Persian LE-MAL was demonstrated to be acceptable as a result of its significantly strong correlations with LEFS and LSQ (0.74<r<0.77). Standard error of measurement was less than 10% of the total instrument score (SEM=0.43) and minimal detectable change was 1.2. No ceiling and floor effect observed.
Conclusion: Persian version of LE-MAL is a valid and reliable measurement to assess lower extremity function in people with ankle sprain.

Integrating the Effect of Franklin Method along with Pelvic Floor Muscle Training in Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Keerthana Ravi, Senthilkumar Selvakumar, Mohammed Munvar Rizwan Basha — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0430

Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the descent of pelvic organ from its anatomical position which affects the quality of life in women. Traditional pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) has shown benefits, but adherence and technique execution can be challenging. The Franklin method allows individuals to recognise the body image and enhance neuromuscular control. This study aims to determine the effects of Franklin method with Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for women with POP.
Methods: This study includes a group of women with pelvic organ prolapse stage 1 and 2, age 45-55, no associated neurological defects and no present history of the uro-gynecological disorder. Participants were excluded from the study if they had any of the following: uncontrolled systemic illness, history of malignancy, active infection such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ongoing hormonal therapy, inability to understand or respond accurately to the questionnaire, or if they had undergone pelvic surgery within the past 4 weeks. All the participants (120) underwent Franklin method and PFMT for 6 weeks, the outcome measures included Prolapse Quality of Life questionnaire (P-QoL) and ICIQ-FLUTS tamil measured before and after intervention.
Result: The mean values of P-QoL before and after intervention were 56.74 and 47.06. In ICIQ-FLUTS tamil, the overall mean value was pre-test:36.09 and post-test:20.22. Quality of life and incontinence symptoms showed a significant improvement (p value ≤0.001) after the 6 weeks of intervention.
Conclusion: Franklin method along with PFMT showed significant improvement in symptoms of POP.

Effects of Hamstring Flossing on Balance and Foot Function in Female Patients with Plantar Fasciopathy: A Randomized Controlled Study

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 11:04:20 +0430

Background: A relation between hamstring tightness and Plantar Fasciopathy (PF) has been reported in the literature. Hamstring flossing was reported to improve hamstring flexibility, however its effect on balance and foot function in patients with PF was not clearly investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of conventional physical therapy treatment protocol plus hamstring flossing with conventional physical therapy treatment protocol alone on balance and foot function in patients with PF.
Materials and Methods: Thirty patients with PF were randomly assigned into study group (A) patients received hamstring flossing in addition to the conventional physical therapy treatment protocol, whereas patients in control group (B) received only the conventional physical therapy treatment protocol. Foot function was evaluated by Foot Function Index (FFI), while Overall Stability Index (OSI) was assessed by the Biodex Balance system. The outcomes were evaluated at the baseline and after three weeks of intervention. The groups were compared using the two-way mixed design MANOVA test.
Results: Results revealed a significant improvement in the post testing mean values of FFI score and OSI compared with the pre testing ones in flossing and control groups (p = 0.001). No significant differences for both variables post-treatment between both groups were found (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The combination of conventional treatment of PF and hamstring flossing had no additive gain compared with conventional treatment only for managing patients with plantar fasciopathy