Purpose: To investigate the effect of dynamic orthotic garments (Thera togs) on foot pressure distribution, postural control, and endurance in children with spastic diplegic CP. Patients and Methods: This is a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial involving 34 (8– 10 years) with spastic diplegic CP. The control group received conventional physical therapy (CPT), whereas the study group received CPT in addition to wearing TheraTogs. We recorded foot pressure distribution, trunk control measurement scale, trunk position sense, Pediatric Berg Balance Scale (PBS), and six-minute walking distance (6MWD). Results: Both groups showed improvement. The study group had significant improvement in foot pressure distribution (p-value 0.003, 0.001, < 0.001 for forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot mean pressures respectively, and 0.005, < 0.001, and 0.005 for forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot peak pressures respectively), Pediatric balance scale, The trunk control measurement scale, and Trunk position sense (p-value < 0.001) and six-minute walking distance (p-value 0.029). Our data suggest that adding TheraTogs to conventional physiotherapy improves foot pressure, postural control, and endurance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Conclusion: Both TheraTogs and conventional physical therapy corrected foot pressure distribution, trunk control, improved balance, and increased 6MWD in children with spastic diplegic CP but the improvement was more significant in TheraTogs group. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05271149.

Context: With the high prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament rupture among young and active individuals, rehabilitation after the injury and surgery should meet the current evidence-based recommendations to restore knee function and reduce the risk of further injury. This study aimed to investigate the current rehabilitation practices and return to sports (RTS) criteria after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia. Design: Online cross-sectional survey-based study. Methods: A total of 177 physical therapists in Saudi Arabia participated in this survey. The survey included questions about the preferred postoperative timing and frequency of rehabilitation, current views on the importance of preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation to the overall outcomes, the timeframe of RTS, and the decision-making process to RTS. Results: Most therapists (96.6%) believed preoperative rehabilitation was essential/important to postoperative outcomes. Two-thirds encouraged patients to start rehabilitation program within 1 to 4 days immediately post-ACLR. RTS was permitted 6 to 9 months post-ACLR by 60% of therapists if satisfied with patient progress and capacity. Factors considered before RTS included knee strength (72.9%), functional capacity (86.4%), lower limb and trunk mechanics (62.7%), and psychological readiness (42.2%). Knee strength was assessed by manual muscle testing (39%), handheld dynamometry (15.3%), and isokinetic dynamometer (13.6%). While 60% of the therapists used single-limbed hop for distance for evaluating functional capacity, only 27.1% used a hop test battery. Conclusions: The surveyed physical therapists in Saudi Arabia demonstrated variations in the current rehabilitation practices and RTS criteria post-ACLR. Over half of the surveyed therapists considered preoperative rehabilitation essential to postoperative outcomes. However, the therapists should update their perspective with current evidence-based practice regarding the RTS timeframe, psychological readiness assessment for RTS, and knee strength evaluation using objective measurements.

Purpose: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have limited postural control and functional ability. TheraTogs was reported to improve postural stability. However, studies involving the functional ability and quality of life are limited. We aimed to investigate the effects of TheraTogs use as an orthotic garment and strapping system on the balance and functional ability of children with spastic diplegic CP and if wearing TheraTogs improves their quality of life. Patients and Methods: A total of 34 children (aged 5– 8 years) with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy participated in this study. The control group received conventional physical therapy (CPT), whereas the study group received CPT in addition to wearing TheraTogs. Balance, lower limb strength, and functional abilities were examined using the Biodex balance system, 30-s chair rise test, and Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-PEDI). Results: The measured parameters of postural stability significantly improved in both groups post-treatment (p< 0.05). The study group showed significant improvement in balance and lower limb strength compared to the traditional physical therapy group (p < 0.05). Both groups showed significant improvement in functional skill mobility (0.001 and 0.01 for control and study groups respectively) and caregiver assistance mobility scores (p=0.001 and < 0.001 for control and study groups respectively); however, there was no significant improvement in self-care ability with TheraTogs. The 30s sit-to-stand showed increased number of sit to stands in both groups post treatment (p=< 0.001 for both groups) and the study group showed significant improvement compared to the control group (p=0.01). Conclusion: The findings in this study suggest that both conventional physical therapy and TheraTogs are beneficial in improving balance and functional ability. TheraTogs could be utilized as a useful posture orthosis to help improve the balance and functional strength of children with spastic diplegic cerebral, palsy indicating improved quality of life.

Background: Text neck is a common postural malalignment that significantly affects daily activities. Reliable and user-friendly assessment tools are essential for physiotherapists, and evaluating text neck prevalence in both sitting and standing positions is crucial for effective rehabilitation. This study aimed to compare text neck prevalence between students in practical and non-practical disciplines using multiple assessment methods. Methodology: A total of 82 female students (18–24 years) from Taibah University participated. The practical group included students from the Colleges of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences and Applied Medical Sciences, who engage in hands-on learning. The non-practical group consisted of Business Administration students, whose coursework is primarily theoretical. Text neck was assessed using observational methods, tragus to wall distance (TWD), craniovertebral angle (CVA) via a smartphone application, and PostureCo in both sitting and standing positions. Results: Observational assessment showed text neck prevalence of 95.5% in the non-practical group and 70% in the practical group while sitting, and 91% versus 80% while standing. Based on TWD, prevalence was 48% in non-practical students and 32% in practical students. Using Physiomaster, prevalence was 71% in standing and 54% in sitting for non-practical students, compared to 39% and 14%, respectively, for practical students. Significant differences were found between groups in sitting (p < 0.002) and standing (p < 0.001) using TWD, and in CVA measurements (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Text neck is more prevalent among non-practical students, while practical students exhibit milder cases. Both sitting and standing assessments are essential for accurate diagnosis and rehabilitation planning. Future studies should analyze the accuracy of various measurement tools to identify the most precise methods for assessing text neck prevalence, taking into consideration both sitting and standing positions.

Background: This study assessed the beliefs and knowledge of physical therapists in Saudi Arabia regarding the management of patellofemoral pain (PFP) and their alignment with current Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, involving 111 licensed physical therapists actively treating PFP patients. The survey included questions about PFP risk factors, prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment, using a Likert scale to measure confidence and knowledge. Results: Readers have significantly greater confidence in the knowledge of managing patients with PFP following current CPGs (p < 0.01). No significant differences were observed between groups in the other items (p > 0.01). However, over 70% of respondents, irrespective of guideline familiarity, held beliefs about risk factors, prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment that were inconsistent with CPGs. Conclusions: These discrepancies highlight a significant knowledge gap that may affect patient care quality. Enhancing education and dissemination efforts regarding CPGs is essential to improve adherence to evidence-based practices among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia. To change practitioners’ preferences, attitudes, and beliefs, more targeted programs and interventions for knowledge dissemination and implementation should be provided.