Explore the vast range of titles available.

Life-limiting conditions often cause children to be overlooked as participants in everyday activities. For parents child development should lead to independence in daily living activity. For parents of children who are disabled, independence is a step to a better quality of a child’s life. The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of functional intervention of self-service activities in children with life-limiting conditions at the age of 3–6 years of life. 32 children aged 3–6 years ( N  = 32, girls and boys) were followed for two years. The Progress Assessment Chart of Personal and Social Development (PPAC) H.C Gunzburg according to Witkowski inventory was used to assess. After two years of functional intervention, statistically significant improvement in everyday activities was observed in examining group. The control group showed less progress than the study group, even though the children in the control group were older. Functional intervention allows for effective work with a patient with life-limited conditions. Better progress was observed in the younger group, subjected to therapy for the existence of developmental potential occurring in children with limitations in intellectual development.

Professional care of a child with myelomeningocele is well known, yet in Poland Occupational Therapy is rarely used for improving the quality of live. In the Care and Treatment Centre for Children in Jaszkotle a pioneering concept of Occupational Therapy (OT) based on American programmes of Occupational Therapy is practiced [1]. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the influence of the individually adjusted programme of occupational therapy on social development of a five year old child with myelomeningocele staying at the Care and Treatment Center in Jaszkotle. The paper presents a planned and purposeful way of carrying out the occupational therapy, ways of monitoring the therapeutic progress, modifying and planning the goals of the therapeutic process. The main rule of the occupational therapy is considering current needs and abilities of the patient. The method which was employed to evaluate the effects of the therapy was PPAC inventory by H.C. Gunzburg modified by Witkowski. Conclusion: properly planned programme of assisting the child during the occupational therapy which considers the person, their environment and occupation (PEO) makes it possible to improve their social development and thus influences the quality of life.

Evaluation of balance and gait in the elderly residents of a nursing home Disorders of balance and gait are one of the most disturbing symptoms of ageing. They lead to repeated falls, that are the main reason for injuries in the elderly. They result in suffering, disability, loss of self-dependence and social isolation of the affected individuals. The aim of the study was to evaluate the balance and locomotor abilities in the elderly people living in a nursing home. The study was performed on 58 individuals (30 women and 28 men) aged 65-93 (mean age 77.1 ± 7.7) living in a nursing home in Jelenia Góra. Balance and gait were evaluated by means of the Tinetti test. The result of the test, called Tinetti mobility index, can help evaluate the risk of falls. The results suggest significant deficits in maintaining balance and quality of gait in the examined. The results in women were worse than in men, yet he differences were not statistically significant. Only in four people (13%) the Tinetti index showed the risk of falling. The risk of falling was observed in 15 patients (50%) and in eleven of them the probability of falls was 5 times higher than in the rest. Age significantly influenced body balance and the risk of falls. In the examined group the deficits of body balance and the increased risk of falling related to them were observed in 87% of the elderly. Physiotherapy plays an important role in prophylaxis of falls and it should be introduced in nursing homes for the elderly.

Spinal curvatures in the sagittal plane in girls The aim of the paper is to characterise the anterio-posterior spinal curvatures in a chosen development period in girls contrasted with their somatic development. Research hypothesis: the anterio-posterior spinal curvatures are formed along with development, and changes of the values of particular characteristics depend on the age of the examined. Material: the research was carried out in a group of 667 girls, aged from 6 to 16 from Plock who were randomly chosen from kindergartens and schools. Method: the analysis of the spinal curvatures in the sagittal plane was carried out by means of the photogrammetric method, which employs the Moira effect. The following parameters were determined: the total length of the spine, the percentage of the total length of the spine in body height, the length of lumbar lordosis, the percentage of the length of lumbar lordosis in the total length of the spine, the depth of lumbar lordosis, the length of thoracic kyphosis, the percentage of the length of thoracic kyphosis in the total length of the spine, the depth of thoracic kyphosis, the inclination angle of the lumbo-sacral section of the spine, the inclination angle of the thoraco-lumbar section of the spine, the inclination angle of the upper thoracic section of the spine. Conclusions: 1. Spinal curvatures in the sagittal plane are characterised by certain autonomy in relation to somatic development. 2. The total length of the spine shows a tendency toward decreasing of its percentage in body height. 3. The lumbar section of the spine is a curvature which intensively increases its length.

Current concepts on biomechanics of the shoulder complex This paper presents recent views on the issue of biomechanics of the shoulder complex with particular regard for interdependencies between the three anatomical joints of the shoulder girdle. The authors have stressed the significant role of scapulohumeral rhythm for achieving normal mobility ranges of the joint and presented a 3D concept of the scapulohumeral joint's mobility based on Codmann paradox. They also emphasized the role of passive and active stabilizers in ensuring stability and compactness of the individual joints during performance of defined kinds of motion.

Treatment proceeding persons with shoulder pain syndrome The aim of this work is the evaluation of changes at the shoulder complex in (STS) and the selection of physiotherapeutic techniques which allow for the global changes and let streamline results of more efficient treatment. Fifty eight people at age 24-85 took part in the researches. All of them were cured because of the sydrome of the subacromial tightness between 2004 and 2006. The average time of the incidence was 40 months. Measurements of the range of active mobility were performed at all people. The SFTR method was used. The symmetry of shoulders was evaluated by photogrammetric method and the bioelectric activity of muscles was investigated using superficial electromyography. The efficient treatment should start when sharp aching symptoms have disappeared. It should include the reconstruction of the shoulder joint's stability through learning how properly the head of the shoulder joint should be focused by using PNF method. The efficient treatment should also restore the correct movement and the scapulohumeral rhythm thorough scapular bone's mobility and gradually increase the range of the active mobility. The range of the active mobility should allow for the external rotation which is needed to improve other ranges of movement and finally to rebuild the correct power of muscles.

The clinical picture of a child with spastic diplegia on a horse, depending on the position of the hippotherapeutic team Hippotherapy is one of the methods used in rehabilitation of children with infantile cerebral palsy (ICP). Since this disorder is very specific when it comes to rehabilitation of children, methods which are based on neurophysiology should be used. Various elements need to be included in order for hippotherapy to be effective in terms of neuromuscular re-education. One of these elements is positioning of the hippotherapeutic team as it influences the clinical picture of a disabled child. The child while sitting on a horse led from the inner side of the circle achieves greater improvement in shifting the body weight and elongating the loaded side of the body thanks to supportive activity of the centrifugal force.

Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to assess the condition of foot morphological structure of young Disco-Dance dancers compared to their untrained peers. Material and methods: The research was carried out among professional female Disco-Dance dancers, aged 9 ± 1.07, members of Opole dance groups. The control group consisted of 33 females in the same age range, not subject to regular professional training. The condition of morphological structure of their feet was evaluated with the use of the photogrammetric method. Results: Status of the dancers’ longitudinal foot arch fit the norm. Considerable toe V varus was observed. Conclusions: In both groups defective positioning of hallux and toe V was stated. Monitoring morphological architecture of feet of young dancers, especially those entering the adolescence is very important because it will allow for early detection of disorders that may result from excessive stress and enable early prevention measures to be undertaken.

In addition to the standard methods used to form the correct postural and locomotional patterns in children with neurological deficits, there are many methods to support the improvement. One of them is use of the dynamic orthosis “Dunag 02”. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the dynamic orthotic “Dunag 02” on muscles of lower limbs in children with hypotonia and ataxic gait. The study involved two girls: 5-year-old with hypotonia and ataxia and a 15-year-old with a cerebellar syndrome. Evaluation of performance of the dynamic orthosis “Dunag 02” was based on “global” electromyography (EMG). In case of the 5-year-old girl with hypotonia and ataxia, use of the dynamic orthosis “Dunag 02” had a moderate effect on ataxia and allowed for greater postural stability, and in 15-year-old girl with cerebellar syndrome, activity and functions were improved.