Physiotherapy Practice and Research

Nordic walking (NW) and retro walking (RW) are innovative exercise interventions that target balance, mobility, and functional health in aging populations. While both methods have been shown to enhance physical performance, their comparative impact on quality of life (QoL) in young-old individuals remains underexplored. Given the growing need for effective aging strategies, this study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of NW and RW on QoL over a 4-week intervention, providing insights into their potential for promoting healthy aging.

A comparative study was conducted with 40 participants (aged 60–75 years), who were assigned to either the NW or RW group. The intervention consisted of supervised 3 days/week sessions for 4 weeks. The SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess eight QoL domains: Physical Functioning, Role-Physical, Pain, General Health, Vitality, Social Functioning, Role-Emotional, and Mental Health. Within-group and between-group analyses were performed using appropriate statistical tests.

Both NW and RW groups demonstrated statistically significant within-group improvements across all SF-36 domains (p < 0.05). However, between-group comparisons did not show statistically significant differences. Clinically, NW showed consistently higher mean differences in Physical Functioning (7.9), Role-Physical (5.8), Pain (6.91), General Health (4.09), Vitality (6.87), Social Functioning (3.24), Role-Emotional (5.4), and Mental Health (8.24), indicating a greater functional impact compared to RW.

Both interventions effectively improved QoL, but NW exhibited superior clinical benefits across multiple domains. These findings suggest that NW may be more effective for promoting holistic well-being in young-old adults.

The inherently practical nature of clinical skills means they may be less amenable to online or technology-supported teaching and learning than other domains within health science education. There is a dearth of literature and limited knowledge regarding staff and student perceptions of digitally enhanced practical teaching across health science disciplines. The aim of this study was to explore staff and students’ perceptions to digitally assisted teaching and learning methods in practical health sciences education as well as the perceived barriers to and opportunities for use.

A cross-sectional online survey was distributed among third level institutions, examining staff and student experiences of digitally enhanced practical teaching, perceived opportunities and barriers and personal experiences of practical skill assessment. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data while open ended questions were analysed using content analysis.

Forty-one staff and 96 students competed the survey. Attitudes towards digitally enhanced practical teaching were mixed; staff described digital tools as holding potential while students believed tools were not best utilised by educators. Of the staff who had not carried out digitally enhanced assessment (56%, n = 23), 39% (n = 9) struggled to identify an appropriate technology supported method to assess learning outcomes.

The current study identified the importance of maximising aspects of traditional teaching and technology enhanced teaching and ensuring a balance between teaching approaches for student success.

This scoping review aimed to identify and chart rehabilitation methods for severe upper limb motor impairments in patients with chronic stroke, incorporating both non-randomized controlled trials and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to provide a broader perspective.

A search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science. Data were managed using the Rayyan software. Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. Inclusion criteria included severe upper limb motor impairment, chronic stroke, RCTs, quasi-RCTs, and crossover studies.

From 802 extracted articles, 16 met the inclusion criteria: 87.5% were RCTs, 12.5% were crossover trials, whereas 0% were quasi-RCTs. Major interventions included robot-assisted training (25%), noninvasive brain stimulation (25%), and electrical stimulation (31.3%). Although motor function improvements were frequently reported, few studies showed statistically significant differences compared with control groups.

This review systematically mapped the range of study designs and rehabilitation methods identified in the literature, providing a structured overview of current evidence for severe upper limb motor impairments in patients with chronic stroke.

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is one of the most widely used assessments. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the observed step count during this test performed by experienced physiotherapists, using video recordings of healthy adults.

In this cross-sectional study two physiotherapists independently observed video recordings of healthy participants completing the TUG twice, and obtained step count and the time taken to complete the TUG. For the intra-rater reliability, the step count observation was repeated after 10 months. ICC and Bland Altman plots were used to analyse the intra-and inter-rater reliability. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to investigate the correlation between step count and time taken.

Thirty-six recordings from 31 healthy adults were analysed. The median step count across both raters and rating sessions was 12. The intra-rater reliability for step count was 0.924 (95% CI: 0.874 to 0.954), whereas the inter-rater reliability was 0.857 (95% CI: 0.730 to 0.919), the minimal detectable change (MDC) was 0.51. The correlation between the time taken and the average step count was rho = 0.71 (p < 0.001).

The results indicate that the observed step count during the TUG in healthy adults using video recordings is reliable and is positively correlated with the time to complete the test. With an MDC of 0.51 steps, a change of more than one step confidently reflects a real change in performance, beyond measurement error. Further research should explore this outcome parameter in individuals with irregular and unpredictable gait patterns.

Straight Leg Raise (SLR) assessment represents a foundational neurodynamic maneuver employed for diagnosing radicular pain; however, its reliability and validity vary across populations and clinical settings. Despite frequent clinical use, inconsistencies remain in diagnostic accuracy and standardized testing methods.

This scoping review endeavored to comprehensively synthesize the Straight Leg Raise’s reliability and accuracy in individuals with radicular pain, examining psychometric properties including sensitivity, specificity, and inter-rater reliability across diverse clinical populations.

A comprehensive search of Scopus, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and PubMed (2015–2025) was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, using the PCC framework, which is Population (adults with radicular pain), Concept (reliability and validity of SLR), and Context (clinical and diagnostic settings). Studies assessing SLR reliability or validity in individuals with radicular pain were included. Data on sensitivity, specificity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy were extracted.

A total of 1247 studies screened, eight investigations fulfilled inclusion requirements after full-text appraisal, with synthesis of the evidence demonstrating that the SLR test has a low specificity (25–81%) but a high sensitivity (77–97%) for identifying lumbar nerve root involvement. Inter-rater reliability was enhanced by standardized procedures with structural differentiation (kappa up to 0.87). In older persons (>60 years, 33%), sensitivity declined. SLR’s negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy were enhanced when combined with tests such as Bragard or slump.

When combined with thorough neurodynamic evaluations rather than utilised in isolation, the SLR test is a useful screening tool for radicular pain. In order to improve diagnosis accuracy across a range of clinical groups, future research should focus on standardising testing procedures, validating test combinations, and creating age-specific modifications. Open Science Framework registries (OSF) with a registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/N4GES.

Vestibular dysfunction compromises balance and daily function, with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) being the most common. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT), an exercise-based intervention, enhances vestibular adaptation and symptom recovery. Tailored VRT combined with home exercises can improve adherence when aligned with recommended exercise dosing and clinician guidance.

To determine the facilitators and barriers to patient adherence to vestibular rehabilitation therapy.

Cross-sectional Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 60 patients aged 30–65 years receiving VRT at specialized centers. Ethical approval was obtained before study initiation. Participants completed a validated self-administered questionnaire on demographics, adherence, facilitators, and barriers to VRT participation. Data were analyzed descriptively to determine factors affecting adherence levels.

Per-question analysis using Microsoft Excel.

Of the 60 participants (61.7% females), BPPV accounted for 81.7% of diagnoses, followed by vestibular neuritis and Ménière’s disease and vestibular migraine. Over half of ongoing VRT patients had treatment duration >12 weeks, while most former patients received VRT <4 weeks. Adherence was moderate—60% maintained consistent home exercise practice. Key facilitators included therapist feedback and clear exercise instructions; main barriers were time constraints, symptom exacerbation, and motivation lapses. Overall, 73.3% rated VRT as “very effective.”

Adherence to VRT can be enhanced through personalized communication, structured education, and collaborative goal-setting. Addressing time limitations, symptom flares, and psychosocial challenges is essential for sustained compliance. Adaptive exercise programs supported by motivational frameworks such as self-determination theory warrant further investigation in longitudinal trials.