Day 6: Example of a Current Intern’s LHSI Poster Summary Spring 2017
Intern Name: Ryan Ball
Intern Major: Exercise Science, Pre-Physical Therapy
Mentor Name: Dr. Terry Loghmani
Mentor Department: School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Physical Therapy
Poster Title: The Reliability of a Novel Device for Soft Tissue Manipulation Force Quantification in Sentient Rats
Summary of Poster:
Soft tissue mobilization (STM) is a type of manual therapy often used by therapists. Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), a type of massage that uses a device, has demonstrated therapeutic benefit. However, the amount of force transferred during IASTM has not been sufficiently measured in humans. This significantly limits the capability to create and compare IASTM procedures and outcomes. The purpose of this project was to test the reliability of a force measuring device system for quantifiable soft tissue mobilization (QSTM) when used with sentient animals before testing the device in humans. Fifteen rats served as subjects for two different examiners to test and re-test the reliability of the QSTM device system during the treatment of the lower back region. Testing was done in order to determine how reliable the device is between different examiners and different time points. The consistency of measures within one examiner at different time points was found to be good, although the reliability between examiners was less than good. These findings will be used to inform future modifications to the QSTM device. The ability to quantify the forces delivered during STM will improve soft tissue therapy outcomes for many orthopedic conditions.
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