Implications for clinical physiotherapy and student learning

Abstract

workers on insuffi cient loading in stoke subjects during conventional training, calls for attention in clinical practice. Elbow fl exors were tested for strength and a resistance-training task in an isokinetic dynamometer with simultaneous Electromyography (EMG) measurement on patients with stroke and healthy controls. Both the concentric and eccentric phases were tested in the dynamometer. Even though the relative load throughout the concentric phase was found to be similar between groups, there were indications of insuffi cient loading in the stroke group. However, the relative loading during the eccentric phase was lower for the stroke group compared to the controls. Thus, in stroke rehabilitation, it is not feasible to adapt the relative loading principles for resistance training for able-bodied on patients with stroke. It is therefore a challenge for the clinician to fi nd various ways to provide suffi cient load in resistance training for stroke patients. Ryman-Augustsson and her co-workers present an evaluation of muscle function, functional capacity and quality of life after shoulder surgery due to instability. Patients were examined preoperatively, after 6 months and 7 years, in a cross-sectional design. Shoulder function was evaluated with constant score, isometric shoulder strength and hand grip strength were measured with dynamometry, active range of motion was measured with handheld goniometer and quality of life was assessed with a self-administered disease specifi c questionnaire, Western Ontario Shoulder Instability (WOSI). Comparing the injured side to the non-injured side, active range of motion seems to be more affected by shoulder instability surgery than muscle strength. The scores from WOSI were far from normative values, suggesting that the patient ’ s subjective experience does not fully refl ect the physical examination. These results can guide the physiotherapist to give the patient realistic expectations on shoulder function after shoulder surgery. Heijne and her co-workers present an interesting paper on student learning with assessment by means of a portfolio in a physiotherapy program in Sweden. The working portfolio consists of a collection of work by the student from the beginning of the teaching period to the end, in order to refl ect EDITORIAL