The goal of this study was to explore the psychosocial aspects within the workplace of people with visual impairment, after mobility training at Optima College Pretoria. The objectives of this study were: To build up a theoretical framework by means of a literature study as well as consultation with experts on the psychosocial aspects of people with visual impairment within the workplace after mobility training at Optima College. To conduct an empirical study of the psychosocial aspects of people with visual impairment within the workplace after mobility training at Optima College. To come to conclusions and to make recommendations for improved adaptation of people with visual impairment within the workplace. This qualitative study endeavoured to answer the following research question: What are the psychosocial aspects experienced by people with visual impairment within the workplace and what are the viewpoints of supervisors and colleagues in this regard? By answering this question, the researcher aimed to document these experiences to understand the phenomenon and to make recommendations for improved adaptation within the workplace. Non-probability sampling methods were used to select the five respondents. Data was gathered by conducting interviews, using semi-structured interview schedules with five people with visual impairment, as well as a supervisor and colleague for each of the five respondents. These interviews were taped and transcribed and subsequently analysed, extracting themes as well as sub-themes. The study was feasible, as it was within the financial and practical means of the researcher. She had access to the target group and she had permission from Optima College to conduct the study, using their resources, clients and data. Five main themes emerged from the data analysis, namely: 1.The adaptation at Optima College and the experience of the training 2.Adaptation at the workplace and investments made by the employers 3.Psychosocial aspects experienced within the workplace as well as in the community 4.The experiences of the supervisor of the person with visual impairment 5.The experiences of the colleague of the person with visual impairment. From the research findings, recommendations were made on micro, macro and meso-levels. On micro-level, people with visual impairment can play a role by telling supervisors and colleagues about their needs and problems. On macro-level, recent employers of people with visual impairment can motivate other employers to employ people with visual impairment. When stigmatization as well as prejudices are removed from society, employers will be more motivated to employ people with visual impairment. On meso-level, Optima College, the South African National Council for the Blind, as well as public media, can play a leading role in publishing positive articles regarding people with visual impairment in the workplace. Optima College must continue with the training of people with visual impairment. / Dissertation (MSD (Health Care))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

Inledning: Stretching ökar rörelseförmågan över leden och har visats vara skadeförebyggande och en viktig del i rehabilitering. Rörligheten tros öka genom förlängning av kontraktil vävnad, ökad stretch-tolerans och anpassningar kopplade till aktivering av motoriska områden i hjärnan. Överföringseffekten innebär att den otränade (kontralaterala) extremiteten drar nytta av färdigheter som den tränade (unilaterala) extremiteten utvecklar något som kan ha stor nytta vid långvarig unilateral immobilisering. Syftet: Syftet med studien var att undersöka överföringseffekten från dynamisk- respektive statisk unilateral rörlighetsträning av hamstringsmusklatur till kontralateral sida efter två veckors intervention, samt jämföra effekterna däremellan. Metod: Fyra deltagare inkluderades och fördelades slumpmässigt mellan de två interventionerna. En grupp, deltagare 2 och 3, utförde unilateraldynamisk rörlighetsträning och den andra gruppen, deltagare 1 och 4, utförde unilateralstatisk rörlighetsträning. Rörligheten i hamstringsmuskulatur mättes med passive straight legraise (PSLR) och aktiv knäextension (AKE) innan och efter två veckors intervention. Resultat: Deltagare 1 och 2 visade en överföringseffekt på 6,4-11,3% vid mätning av AKE. Deltagare 2 visade en överföringseffekt på 6,3% vid mätning av PSLR. Deltagare 3 visade en minskning med 8% på kontralaterala benet vid mätning av PSLR. För övriga utfall visade deltagarna en förändring av rörligheten på ±3 grader. Diskussion: Överföringseffekt observerades vid hälften av utfallen och till största del vid mätning av AKE, utan skillnad mellan statisk och dynamisk rörlighetsträning. Tänkbar mekanism är en kombination av ökad stretch-tolerans och neurala adaptioner mellan hjärnbark, muskel och muskelspole. Konklusion: En viss överföringseffekt efter rörlighetsträning kan ej uteslutas men studier med fler deltagare behövs för att bekräfta resultatet av denna pilotstudie.

Pediatric powered mobility training teaches a child useful skills to become effectively mobile with the aid of their powered wheelchair. The staff at the Massachusetts Hospital School (MHS) desired a powered mobility training protocol that could be used for training children who were considered to be marginal wheelchair drivers with respect to basic maneuvering skills. The primary objective of the protocol was to reduce the subject's reliance on verbal cuing and replace this dependence by external cues provided by the environment. The specific aim of this pilot study was to investigate the use of a ranging device mounted on a powered wheelchair to provide an auditory feedback to the subject when an obstacle within its range was detected. The first goal of this study was to verify that the ranging device was capable of providing useful auditory feedback to the MHS patients that had met criteria to be candidates for the study. The second goal was to determine to what extent the device was beneficial in improving the subject's everyday mobility skills. The final goal was to observe if there was an internalization of the ranging device cues such that the subject's mobility skills improved upon removal of the device. Three subjects participated in this study. Each subject participated in pre-training, training and post-training evaluations through which the improvement of their mobility skills was measured. The results of this pilot study demonstrated that the use of a ranging device, with auditory feedback, can potentially be used effectively in the powered mobility training of children with disabilities. Further, it appeared that marginal wheelchair drivers were able to internalize some of the ranging device's auditory cues such that their performance improved when the sensing device was removed from their wheelchair. Recommendations for improving this study include using a more appropriate ranging device, redefining criteria for qualified candidates participating in the study, and eliminating variations in data between different evaluators.

Syfte I dagsläget finns det forskning som ger underlag till evidens inom stretching och dess effekter på såväl prestation som skadeprevention. Det finns dock få studier som visar vilka uppfattningar löptränare och löpare har angående stretching. Syftet med studien var därför att beskriva vilka uppfattningar löptränare och elitlöpare har om stretching och dess eventuella effekter på såväl prestation som skadeprevention. Metod Undersökningen inkluderade fyra löptränare (män i åldrarna 30-60 år) och fyra elitlöpare (två kvinnliga respektive två manliga i 20-årsåldern) som valdes ut genom ett bekvämlighetsurval. De deltog i en halvstrukturerad intervju med primära frågor samt tilläggsfrågor enligt ett strukturerat intervjuprotokoll skapat av projektledarna. Varje intervju spelades in, transkriberades och analyserades med hjälp av fenomenografisk analysmetod. Resultat Löptränarnas och elitlöparnas uppfattningar om effekter av stretching var positiva angående såväl rörlighetsförmåga som skadeprevention. Deltagarna hade skilda uppfattningar vad gäller effekter på prestation, två löpare menade att stretching ger positiva effekter medan resterande deltagare uppfattade att stretching inte ger någon effekt. Slutsatser Löptränarna och elitlöparna hade överlag en positiv uppfattning om stretching i relation till skadeprevention vilket går helt emot den aktuella evidensen. Deltagarna uppfattade rörlighetsförmågan som viktig för långdistanslöpare vilket inte är bevisat i vetenskapliga studier. Det förelåg skillnader i uppfattningar om positiva effekter på prestationen vilket också indikerar kunskapsluckor angående stretching kopplat till prestationsförmågan. Det finns en tydlig kunskapsbrist inom området stretching trots att tränarna har en hög utbildningsnivå inom träning. / Purpose As of right now there is research that provides a foundation for evidence regarding stretching and its effects on performance as well as injury prevention. There is however few studies showing how running coaches and runners perceive stretching. The purpose of this study was therefore to describe how running coaches and elite runners perceive stretching and its potential effects on performance as well as injury prevention. Method The survey included four running coaches (men in the ages 30-60 years old) and four elite runners (two women and two men in their twenties) selected through a convenience survey. They participated in a semi-structured interview with primary questions and additional questions according to an organized interview protocol created by the project managers. Each interview was recorded, transcribed and analyzed with phenomenografic analyze method. Results The running coaches and the elite runners perceptions about stretching was positive regarding mobility as well as injury prevention. The participants had different perceptions regarding effects on performance, two runners and one coach suggested that stretching provides positive effects while the remaining participants perceived that stretching did not produce any effect. Conclusion The running coaches and the elite runners had an overall positive perception regarding stretching in relation to injury prevention which is completely opposite to the current evidence. The participants perceived mobility as something important for long-distance running which has not yet been proven in research studies. Positive effects on performance were perceived differently which also indicates a lack of knowledge regarding stretching and performance. There is a clear knowledge gap regarding stretching despite a high level of coaching education.