INTRODUCTION Low back pain have become an urgent problem recently. Four out of five people already have or will experience backaches during their life span, for 10% of them this pain will become chronic. Due to its great spread and treatment, health institutions experience dramatic losses for backache diagnostics and morbidity. Together with financial losses related to patient incapacity to work, his/her care, sickness benefits, etc. the expenditure becomes enormous. Thus back pain are no longer considered a medical or a social problem, but it is regarded a complex bio- psycho-social issue in today’s community. The medical part of this issue remains very important. Solving the back pain problem, significant is the knowledge of fundamental neuro- and skeleton anatomy, pain neurophysiology and neurochemistry; in the clinical practice closely related are the basics of neurology, pain medicine, orthopedics, rehabilitation and other disciplines. Consequently, it is not simple for a medicine practitioner to find the right diagnostic direction or to choose the right treatment. The most complicated issues in the back pain clinical practice are neurological syndromes (neuropathic, neurogenic). These are related with nerve structure back radicular, dorsal ganglion or the damage of nerve branches. These syndromes make up to 10% of all backaches and are generally called radicular pain syndromes. There often emerges hyper-diagnostics or sometimes the syndromes are ignored completely... [to full text]

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS FIM - Functional Independence Measure. P - Significance level. CI - Confidence interval. df -degrees of freedom SD - Standard deviation. OR - Odds ratio. AOTA - American Occupational Therapy Association. COPM - Canadian occupational performance measure. NS - Not significant. ASIA - American Spinal Cord Injury Association. 1. Introduction About 140 – 150 people suffer from traumatic spinal cord injury in Lithuania annually. Also, there are frequent cases of non-traumatic spinal cord injury caused by hernia of intervertebral disc, tumours and disorders of spinal cord circulation. Spinal cord injury causes motor, sensor and autonomic dysfunctions, as well as bowel and bladder dysfunctions which are considered to be the main factors causing disability. Patients after spinal cord injury face disorders of daily living, decrease of work and leisure possibilities. Reintegration after rehabilitation period is very important as more than 50 % of spinal cord injuries appear among people of 16 – 30 years. Rehabilitation period of such people is a long-lasting process which aims at readjustment of all activity areas. During rehabilitation process it is essential to foresee the aims which are influenced by the level and grade of injury, as well as age and gender of patients. Occupational therapy, as a part of complex rehabilitation, is applied for the solution of problems of activity disorders of patients after spinal cord injury. Purposeful... [to full text]

Purpose – to determine students back pain correlation with physical development. In order to reach purpose of the reserach following tasks were set: 1. To determine indicators of students’ physical development and correlations among them; 2. To find out and assess static endurance of subjects’ trunk (back, abdominal, left and right sides) muscles; 3. To find out incidence of back pain in students and physical activity through questionnaire survey. Object of research – students back pain. 132 physical therapy students (109 females and 32 males) participated in the study. First year students − 39 females, 5 males; second year − 28 females, 5 males; third year − 27 females, 4 males; fourth year − 15 females, 9 males. When planning a research the following problematic question was formulated: does the fact that subjects are studying at Lithuanian Academy of Physical education and study in faculty of sports biomedicine where they get medical knowledge allows for ensuring them good health condition? In case of our research anthropometric data, physical activity and fitness of trunk muscles were treated as indicators of health condition. It was hypothesized that because of the specificity of studies students should be physically active what may have a positive effect on data of their physical development and trunk muscles’ fitness and at the same time on the condition of their back. The following conclusions were reached after analysis of research findings: 1. Indicators of... [to full text]

The topic of this work – „The physical therapy management of a patient with low back pain in sanatorium „Lietuva“. The study was caried out in sanatorium „Lietuva“ Druskininkai from 2003 to 2004. 60 participants took part in the study. The age of participants from 18 to 74. First group (9 men and 21 women) with low back pain to continue exercing after treatment at home and second control group (5 men and 25 women) noexercing at home. The course of treatment consisted 14 day 30 – 45 min two time by day 6 day by weak. The purpose of study carried out by us was determine the change of the pain and the functioal state of the back muscles in the course of these procedures. Pain intensity (visual analog skale) in the active rehabilitation group (p<0,05) than in the passive control treatmen group after treatment was 3,07 ± 0,14 points. The abdominal muscle strangeht and abdominal and lumbar muscle endurance change the exercise time in both groups but in the active exercise group significanty more (p<0,05) after 14 day treatment. The spine muscle flexibility was still greater in both groups after programmed exercise. The study show that the patient must to do actine exercise at home because the pain did not disappear after therapy.

The purpose of the study was to find out the importance of exercise individualization treating chronic low back pain. Methods: 32 chronic low back pain pacients, 32.12±4.83 years of age, were divided into two groups under research. The first group took part in 14 weeks general trunk muscles strengthening program. The second group patients obtained individual 14 weeks trunk muscles strengthening programs. Individual programs were made by physiotherapist in accordance with trunk muscles static and dynamic endurance characteristics which were measured and evaluated with trunk muscles capability tests. The capability of trunk muscles of all patients were measured and evaluated before and after exercise program using tests suggested by D. J Magee in year 2000. At the same time the intensity of experienced pain was evaluated using Phoenix recommendations (1999). Results: Both exercise programs significantly reduced chronic low back pain and also amplified trunk muscles static and dynamic endurance. The effect of individualized exercise treatment programs for reducing pain was significantly higher. The average intensity of pain dropped from 5.69 to 2.25 in the general exercise group, and from 5.63 to 0.94 in the individualized exercise programs group. The improvement in the individualized group was significantly higher than that in the general group, i.e. 4.69 ± 1.78 and 3.44±1.71 respectively. Other significant difference between two exercise groups was different distribution of... [to full text]

XXI amžiuje skausmas yra rimta problema. Vis daugiau jaunų žmonių skundžiasi nugaros skausmais. Nugaros skausmai dėl mažo fizinio aktyvumo, netaisyklingos laikysenos yra viena labiausiai paplitusių ligų. Iškėlėm hipotezę, kad pratimai vandenyje pagerins vaikų stuburo paslankumą ir laikyseną. Tyrimas buvo atliktas LKKA baseine. Tyrime dalyvavo 12 vaikų, iš jų 10 berniukų ir 2 mergaitės. Tiriamųjų amžiaus vidurkis buvo 10,88 ± 2,10 metų, svorio - 46,2 ± 1,54 kg, ūgio vidurkis 156,9 ± 2,04 cm. Tiriamiesiems 8 mėnesius 2 kartus per savaitę po 1 valandą buvo taikoma KT vandenyje. KT pagrindą sudarė tempimo, atsipalaidavimo, liemens raumenų pratimai bei pratimai laikysenai gerinti. Buvo vertinama tiriamųjų laikysena, stuburo paslankumas, liemens raumenų statinė ištvermė bei gyvensenos ypatumai. Visi minėti rodikliai registruoti 3 kartus ( KT pradžioje, KT viduryje ir KT pabaigoje). Darbo tikslas – nustatyti vaikų, kuriems buvo taikyta KT vandenyje, stuburo paslankumo, raumenų ištvermės ir laikysenos pokyčius. Iškelti uždaviniai: nustatyti ir palyginti vaikų liemens raumenų ištvermę, stuburo paslankumą, laikyseną prieš ir po kineziterapijos vandenyje, bei nustatyti ir įvertinti vaikų gyvensenos ypatumus. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad pratimai vandenyje patikimai (p<0,05) padidino liemens raumenų (pilvo, nugaros, kairės bei dešinės pusės) ištvermę, stuburo paslankumą, pagerino pečių, liemens ir pilvo laikyseną. Taip pat nustatėme, jog vaikų fizinis aktyvumas nėra pakankamas, nes... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Pain is a very serious problem in the 21st century. More and more young people complain of backache. Because of reducing amount of physical activities, incorrect posture, backache is one of the most common diseases. A hipothesy is that exercises in water will improve spine flexibility and children posture will improve as well. A research was made in LKKA swimming pool. 12 children – 10 boys and 2 girls – took part in this research. The average age of those who were researched was 10,88 ± 2,10 years, the average weight 46,2 ± 1,54 kg and height 156,9 ± 2,04 cm. They were in physiotherapy in water for 8 months 1 hour twise a week. Aquatic therapy consisted of posture, stretch, relaxing exercises and exercises for waist muscles. Posture, spine flexibility, waist muscles static endurance and particularities of lifestyle of the researched people was evaluated. All indicators are mentioned three times (in the beginning, in the middle and at the end of physiotherapy in water). The purpose is to find spine flexibility, muscle endurance and posture changes of kids who were in physiotherapy in water. Targets: to measure and assess children‘s trunk muscle endurance, back mobility and posture before and after aquatic therapy; to assess the lifestyle of the participants. The research results showed that exercises in the water increased waist muscles (stomach, back, left and right side) endurance, spine flexibility, improved shoulder, waist and stomach posture. Moreover, we realised that... [to full text]

Darbo tikslas: nustatyti stuburą stabilizuojančios kineziterapijos veiksmingumą gydant apatinės nugaros dalies skausmą. Pasirinktam darbo tikslui įgyvendinti buvo iškelti šie uždaviniai: 1. Išanalizuoti naujausią mokslinę literatūrą apie apatinės nugaros dalies skausmą, juosmeninį stabilumą bei segmentinės stuburą stabilizuojančios kineziterapijos efektyvumą. 2. Įvertinti sveikų asmenų nugaros raumenų tonusą ir palyginti su besiskundžiančių apatinės nugaros dalies skausmais asmenų raumenų tonusu. 3. Įvertinti besiskundžiančių apatinės nugaros dalies skausmais asmenų nugaros raumenų tonuso pokyčius prieš ir po stuburą stabilizuojančios kineziterapijos. 4. Įvertinti besiskundžiančių apatinės nugaros dalies skausmais asmenų dauginio ir skersinio pilvo raumenų funkciją prieš ir po segmentinės stuburą stabilizuojančios kineziterapijos. 5. Įvertinti besiskundžiančių apatinės nugaros dalies skausmais asmenų juosmeninės stuburo dalies skausmo pokyčius prieš ir po segmentinės stuburą stabilizuojančios kineziterapijos. 6. Įvertinti besiskundžiančių apatinės nugaros dalies skausmais asmenų funkcinės negalios pokyčius prieš ir po segmentinės stuburą stabilizuojančios kineziterapijos. Tyrimo metodai. Keturiolika asmenų, besiskundžiančių apatinės nugaros dalies skausmais, sudarė tiriamąją grupę, kuriai buvo taikyta segmentinė stuburą stabilizuojanti kineziterapija. Kontrolinę grupę sudarė 12 asmenų nejaučiančių apatinės nugaros skausmų. Tiriamajai grupei prieš atliekant kineziterapiją ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Purpose: to define effectiveness of the spinal segmental stabilizing physiotherapy curing the low back pain. To achieve the goal several tasks were raised: 1. To analyse recent literature about low back pain, lumbar stability and the local spinal segmental stabilizing physiotherapy. 2. Evaluate the muscle tone of healthy patients' and compare to the muscle tone of patients' complaining of the low back pain. 3. Evaluate the muscle tone of patients' complaining of the low back pain before and after the local spinal segment stabilizing physiotherapy. 4. Evaluate the muscle function for multifidus and transversus abdominis muscles for patients' complaining of the low back pain before and after the local spinal segmental stabilizing phsysiotherapy. 5. Evaluate the changes of pain in patients'complaining of the low back pain before and after the local spinal segmental stabilizing phsysiotherapy. 6. Evaluate the changes of functional disability before and after the local spinal segmental stabilizing physiotherapy in patients' complaining of the low back pain. Methods of the research. Fourteen people complaining of the low back pain made a research group using the spinal segmental stabilizing physiotherapy. There was also a control group of 12 patients without the low back pain. The research group before and after the spinal segmental stabilizing physiotherapy had evaluation of the low back pain's intensivity (VAS), functional ability of low back ( Roland-Morris... [to full text]

There are about 250 new spinal cord injury cases in Lithuania each year. Usually, young people of a „working age” are getting injured. Men are getting spinal cord injuries four times often than women. Researches were made in Wellness center of Vilkpėde in year 2004 and year 2005, in Vilnius (rehabilitation takes 35 days). In this supportive rehabilitation participated 24 patients who have experienced cord injuries in a past 2 years. There were 32 – 45 years old, both sex patients (79,2 % males, 20,8 % females). Participants were divided into two groups. There were 12 patients with spinal cord injuries participating in each group (paraplegics). In the first (control) group researched patients were treated only with kinesitherapy, and the second group was experimental where patients were treated using K.Nyshi method. There were made 40 procedures for the patients in each group. Purpose of this research is – the influence of K. Nyshi method for the patients with spinal cord injures. Goal of this work is – to compare the efficiency of K. Nyshi method and kinesitherapy; to evaluate patient’s functional independence; shoulder joint flexibility. During this research the following evaluation tests were used – functional independence, spinal muscle strength, waist muscular strength balance, shoulder joint flexibility, waist flexibility. Chances of bedsores were evaluated by scale of Norton. After spinal cord injuries, in period after traumas or when disease was irascible and heavy... [to full text]

Daugybė tyrimų aiškinasi, kodėl nedarbas tarp žmonių su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais toks aukštas, mažai kas besidomi, kaip neįgalūs žmonės susidoroja su išoriniais ir vidiniais veiksniais sprendžiant įsidarbinimo problemas. Profesinė reabilitacija, o po to ir grįžimas į darbo rinką, tai procesas, kurį įtakoja įvairūs veiksniai. Šiame darbe didžiausias dėmesys skiriamas savo negalios priėmimui, Aš-efektyvumo įvertinimui, bei vidiniams ir išoriniams motyvuojantiems veiksniams. Žmogaus su judėjimo negalia integracija į visuomenę priklauso ne tik nuo aplinkinių nuomonės, bet pirmiausiai nuo pačio žmogaus savęs vertinimo: nuo savo negalios priėmimo, savęs, kaip galinčio savimi pasirūpinti ir efektyviai dirbti. O ypač svarbu, kad noras vėl „grįžti į gyvenimą“ gimtų žmogaus viduje. Šio darbo tikslas – nustatyti sunkią judėjimo negalią turinčių žmonių pasirengimo profesinei reabilitacijai psichologinius veiksnius Tyrime naudojamos metodikos: pradinis interviu (renkami demografiniai duomenys apie tiriamuosius), motyvacijos langas (tai schema, kurios pagalba galima nustatyti žmogaus ketinimus ir motyvaciją keistis. Tai yra, kokie vidiniai ir išoriniai veiksniai motyvuoja profesinei reabilitacijai), noras ar viltis bei įsitikinimas, jog pavyks įsidarbinti metų bėgyje, Aš-efektyvumo klausimynas specialiai sukurtas žmonėms su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais, negalios priėmimo klausimynas (tiriama žmogaus nuostata į negalią, ko nors netekus (mobilumo, galūnių ir pan.), vertinamas pozityvus... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Lots of researches are devoted to investigate why unemployment rate among people with spinal cord injury is so high. Not enough attention is paid to the issue of how disabled people cope with external and internal factors when facing employment problems. Vocational rehabilitation and re-entry to labor market are processes influenced by many factors. The most attention in this paper is devoted to acceptance of own disability, evaluation of self-efficacy as well as to internal and external motivating factors. The integration of people with motion disability into society depends not only on society opinion, first of all it depends on person‘s self-evaluation: acceptance of own disability, self, as able to take care of him/herself and work effectively. Particularly important is that the wish to „come back to life“ came from person‘s inside. The aim of this paper is to determine the psychological factors for vocational rehabilitation of people with deep motion disability. The following research methods were used: initial interview (demographic data was gathered about the target group), motivation window (a scheme which is used to set person‘s intentions and motivation to change, i.e. which internal and external factors promote vocational rehabilitation), wish or hope and conviction that they will get employed in the course of one year, Self-Efficacy, specially developed for people with spinal cord injury, questionnaire of disability acceptance (person‘s attitude to disability... [to full text]

Praradus apatinių galūnių funkciją, žmonės su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais (SCI) priklauso nuo viršutinės kūno dalies raumenyno beveik per visus užsiėmimus kasdieniniame gyvenime. Dažnai važiavimas vežimėliu asmenims su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais sukelia sunkumų, o tai gali inicijuoti ribotą judrumą, neaktyvų gyvenimo stilių, o dėl tų priežasčių blogėja fizinė sveikata. Tyrimo problema: ar asmenų su skirtingo lygio nugaros smegenų pažeidimais aerobinis pajėgumas rankų ergometrijos metu skiriasi, ar sportuojančių asmenų su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais aerobinis pajėgumas yra geresnis nei nesportuojančių? Tyrimo tikslas: Nustatyti ir įvertinti asmenų su skirtingais nugaros smegenų pažeidimo lygiais aerobinį pajėgumą rankų ergometrijos metu. Uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti ir įvertinti vyrų su skirtingais nugaros smegenų pažeidimo lygiais aerobinį pajėgumą. 2. Nustatyti ir įvertinti moterų su skirtingais nugaros smegenų pažeidimo lygiais aerobinį pajėgumą. 3. Palyginti asmenų su skirtingais nugaros smegenų pa�����eidimo lygiais, sportuojančių ir nesportuojančių, aerobinį pajėgumą. Tyrimo hipotezės: Asmenų su žemesnio lygio nugaros smegenų pažeidimais aerobinis pajėgumas rankų ergometrijos metu yra geresnis, nei asmenų su aukštesnio lygio nugaros smegenų pažeidimais. Sportuojančių asmenų su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais aerobinis pajėgumas rankų ergometrijos metu yra geresnis, nei nesportuojančių asmenų su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais. Tyrimas buvo atliekamas Lietuvos kūno kultūros... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The persons with spinal cord injuries depend from upper body muscles in daily life activities. The movement with a wheelchair causes a lot of troubles, and this can be the main reason to the in active life style and bad finical health. The problem of the research is the following: Is the aerobic performance different of persons with different spinal cord injury level during arm ergometry and is the aerobic performance better of persons with spinal cord injuries who take exercise the in persons who don’t take exercise. Aim of research: Ascertain and evaluate the aerobic performance of persons with different spinal cord injuries during arm ergometry. Goals: 1. Ascertain and evaluate the men with different spinal cord injuries levels aerobic performance. 2. Ascertain and evaluate the women with different spinal cord injuries levels aerobic performance. 3. Compare the persons who take exercise and who don’t take exercise with different spinal cord injuries aerobic performance. Hypothesis of research: The persons with a low level spinal cord injuries aerobic performance are better then in persons with higher spinal cord injuries. And the person with spinal cord injuries who take sports aerobic performance is better than in persons who don‘t take sports. The researches were carried out in Lithuanian academy of physical education in adapted physical education laboratory. In this research participate 21 persons (8 men and 13 women) with spinal cord injuries. Research methods —... [to full text]