The Clinical Research Network (CRN), a $1.5 million project, funded
by the Foundation for Physical Therapy in 2003 and completed in March
2007. Headed by Carolee J. Winstein, PT, PhD, FAPTA, and James
Gordon, PT, EdD, Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy,
University of Southern California, the coordinating center was at the
University of Southern California with satellite sites at:
Northwestern Univeristy, Missouri State University, University of
California at Los Angeles, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitiation
Center, and 23 outpatiend clinics in the greater Los Angeles area.
This multi-site physical therapy clinical research network, also known
as PTClinResNet, was establised to assess the effects of strengthening
exercises designed to improve muscle performance and movement skill in
patients with the following physical disabilities: adults
post-stroke, children with cerebral palsy, adults with chronic spinal
cord injury who suffer shoulder pain, and adults whith orthopedic/low
back pain. A common set of valid and reliable outcome measures
were used across the projects enabling the investigators to compare the
effectiveness of treaments across disabilities and age group. The
preliminary primary outcomes were presented at a session held during
APTA's Advocacy Academy in May 2007 in Wasington, DC.
The four research projects were:
PEDALS (Pediatric Endurance Development & Limb
Strengthening) evaluated whether a 12 week program of
stationary cycling would enhance function in children with cerebral
palsy. The outcomes examined were strength;
cardiovascular/respiratory endurance during walking; gross motor
performance/perception of change in activities of daily living, sport
and play; health-related quality of life; and measures of gait
performance.
MUSSEL (Muscle-Specific Strengthening Effectiveness Post
Lumbar Microdiscectomy) evaluated the ability of
muscle-specific strengthening, after post-lumbar microdiscectomy, to
result in improvement in muscle performance, function, quality of life,
as well as a reduction in debilitating pain.
STOMPS (Strengthening and Opitmal Movements for Painful
Shoulders in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury) evaluated the
effectiveness of a combined shoulder exercise and optimization of
performance technique program, done by people uisng wheechairs due to
chronic spinal cord injury, on pain reduction, increasing performance,
as well as improving health-related and overall quality of life.
STEPS (Strengh-Training Effectiveness Post Stroke)
evaluated whether functional outcomes, primarily gait speed, were best
improved in poststroke patients by: 1) strength training as an adjunct
to body weight-supported tradmill training (BWSTT); 2) locomotor-based
strength training (BLST) as compared with muscle-specific strength
training as an adjunct to BWSTT; and 3) LBST as compared with BWSTT.
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