Islamabad

This research aims to evaluate the effects of Action Observation on balance and mobility in children with spastic cerebral palsy aged 5 to 12 years. The study compares training that includes Action Observation Therapy with training without it to understand its impact on functional performance, specifically focusing on balance and mobility. Participants will be assessed using tools such as the Modified Ashworth Scale, GMFCS, Pediatric Balance Scale, and GMFM-88 to measure their condition and progress. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one receiving Action Observation Therapy combined with conventional therapy including lower limb stretching and strengthening exercises, and the other receiving similar balance and mobility training without action observation. Both groups will engage in fun, activity-based exercises such as reaching for objects, tower building, and taking turns in various stances like sitting, standing, and turning. The study includes baseline and post-treatment assessments for comparison. During the study, children will be evaluated at the start and after 8 weeks of intervention for static balance, dynamic balance, and mobility. Researchers will closely monitor their functional performance and collect data to analyze the effects of the therapies. The study ensures informed consent is obtained before participation and involves tracking adherence to the training and measuring improvements over the duration of the study.

Researchers are evaluating the added benefits of combining coherent breathing with aerobic exercise compared to aerobic exercise alone in adults aged 30 to 65 who have stage 1 hypertension. This condition is characterized by blood pressure readings between 130-139 mmHg systolic or 80-89 mmHg diastolic. Hypertension affects many people worldwide and is often called a "silent killer" because it usually shows no symptoms. Non-drug treatments like exercise and breathing techniques may help improve heart and lung function and quality of life. The study randomly assigns 40 participants to either an intervention group that performs aerobic exercise along with a 10-minute coherent breathing technique or a control group that does aerobic exercise only. Aerobic exercise includes brisk walking, warm-up, stepper, static cycling, and cool-down lasting about 30 minutes per session. The program lasts 4 weeks with five sessions each week. The study takes place over one year in a clinical setting and is approved by ethics committees. Participants will have their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, oxygen levels, and the rate pressure product measured at the start, after 2 weeks, and at the end of 4 weeks. Quality of life is assessed using a questionnaire. Researchers will analyze all data to determine if adding coherent breathing offers extra benefits. This research aims to support low-cost, non-drug ways to manage hypertension, especially in low-resource areas.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive and irreversible lung condition that causes persistent airflow limitation, leading to breathing difficulties and reduced ability to perform daily activities. Pulmonary rehabilitation combined with various breathing exercises has been shown to reduce shortness of breath and improve physical function by enhancing breathing efficiency and muscle control in people with COPD. This study compares the effects of short-term pulmonary rehabilitation alone with the combination of short-term pulmonary rehabilitation and a breathing technique called box breathing. Participants will be divided into two groups over a three-week period. Both groups receive supervised sessions twice a week including warm-up, aerobic training, strength exercises, pursed-lip breathing, and cool down, along with medications prescribed by their lung specialist. The group using box breathing will practice this technique daily in addition to the rehabilitation program. Participants will have their breathing difficulty (dyspnea) assessed after three weeks. The study also evaluates changes in functional capacity and quality of life. Throughout the study, researchers will monitor and measure participants’ respiratory symptoms and physical abilities to understand the added benefits of box breathing when combined with pulmonary rehabilitation.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a common cause of recurrent vertigo that affects about 2.4% of people during their lifetime, especially older adults. It is caused by displaced particles in the inner ear, leading to brief episodes of dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance, which reduce quality of life. Although canalith repositioning maneuvers are effective, BPPV often recurs, highlighting the need for additional supportive treatments. This trial aims to evaluate the added effects of Brandt-Daroff exercises combined with the GANS maneuver on dizziness and quality of life in patients with BPPV. Participants will be randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving only the GANS maneuver and the other receiving the GANS maneuver plus Brandt-Daroff exercises. The intervention lasts for six weeks, with participants attending two supervised GANS maneuver sessions per week, each with three repetitions. In the combined group, participants will also perform Brandt-Daroff exercises at home twice daily, each cycle consisting of three repetitions. Over the six weeks, participants complete 12 supervised GANS sessions, and those in the combined group will also complete 36 home sessions of Brandt-Daroff exercises. Participants will be assessed at the start and after six weeks using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) to measure dizziness and the Vestibular Activities and Participation (VAP) scale to evaluate quality of life. The study will enroll 30 patients at Fauji Foundation Hospital and will analyze data using SPSS software. Ethical approval has been obtained, and informed consent will be collected from all participants. The study duration is one year.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a stage between normal aging and dementia, where older adults experience noticeable declines in memory, attention, and executive function but can still manage daily activities independently. This trial explores whether combining immersive Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree videos with aerobic chair exercises improves cognitive functions more than aerobic exercises alone in people aged 60 and above with MCI. The study uses tests like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Trail Making Test (TMT) to measure changes in global cognition, attention, and executive skills.

Researchers are evaluating the additional effects of kinesio taping combined with conventional physical therapy on upper limb function, range of motion, and spasticity in patients with subacute stroke. This randomized control trial aims to determine whether adding kinesio taping to physical therapy improves shoulder, elbow, and wrist joint movement and reduces muscle spasticity. The study is conducted at Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi and a leading physical therapy clinic over a six-month period. Participants are divided into two groups. The experimental group receives kinesio taping three times per week alongside conservative physical therapy, which includes passive and active range of motion exercises, PNF stretching, and D1 flexion and extension movements. From weeks 3 to 6, strengthening exercises using a medium-resistance band are added. The control group receives the same physical therapy without kinesio taping. Treatments are given on alternate days for six weeks. During the study, participants' upper limb spasticity and function are assessed at baseline, week 3, and week 6 using the Modified Ashworth Scale and the Wolf Motor Function Test, respectively. Range of motion is measured with a goniometer. Data on demographics and general health are also collected. The study monitors outcomes related to spasticity and upper limb function over the 6-week treatment period to evaluate kinesio taping's potential benefits as part of stroke rehabilitation.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is a frequent complication affecting nearly half of people with diabetes. It causes nerve damage leading to pain, numbness, and difficulties with balance, which increase the risk of falls, foot ulcers, and reduce quality of life. Current treatments mainly focus on symptom management, so this research aims to explore additional therapies that could improve pain, balance, and overall well-being in people with DPN. This randomized controlled trial will investigate the effects of Neural Mobilization alongside balance training compared to balance training alone in individuals with type 2 diabetes and DPN. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups for six weeks, attending two 30-minute sessions per week. One group will receive Neural Mobilization combined with balance training and conventional physical therapy including hot packs and TENS. The Neural Mobilization involves specific nerve sliding and tensioning techniques along with progressive balance exercises. The other group will receive balance training alone with conventional physical therapy, focusing on gradually advancing balance tasks over the six-week period. Both groups will receive standard care throughout the study. Participants' pain levels, balance abilities, and quality of life will be evaluated at the start and end of the six-week intervention. Pain will be measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, balance by the Berg Balance Scale, and quality of life by the Norfolk QOL-DN questionnaire. The study will include 32 patients aged 50 to 75 with type 2 diabetes and mild to moderate neuropathic symptoms. Ethical approval has been obtained, and data will be analyzed using statistical software to assess the treatment effects.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is when the pressure in the blood vessels is too high, defined by the Joint National Committee 8 (JNC 8) as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and a diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg or higher. This condition increases the heart's workload, causing it to stiffen and thicken, which can significantly affect quality of life. This research aims to evaluate the combined effects of Pilates breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and moderate intensity continuous cycling training on blood pressure, chest expansion, lung function, and quality of life in people with hypertension. The study includes three groups of hypertensive patients: one group will do cycling training combined with Pilates breathing, another with diaphragmatic breathing, and the third group will do cycling training alone. The cycling training is moderate intensity continuous training performed at 60-79% of maximum heart rate, three times per week for six weeks. Pilates breathing involves controlled lateral rib cage expansion and core engagement for 10-15 minutes per session, while diaphragmatic breathing focuses on slow, deep abdominal breaths for 10-15 minutes per session. All interventions last for six weeks, with a total of 18 sessions including warm-up and cool-down exercises. Participants will have their blood pressure, chest expansion, lung function using spirometry, and quality of life assessed before and after the six-week intervention. The study uses tools such as a sphygmomanometer for blood pressure, measuring tape for chest expansion, spirometry for pulmonary function, and a quality of life questionnaire. Heart rate and oxygen saturation will be monitored during cycling sessions. The researchers will analyze changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, chest expansion, pulmonary function, and quality of life to understand the effects of these breathing techniques combined with cycling training in hypertensive patients.

Researchers are investigating the effects of combining pilates breathing and diaphragmatic breathing with moderate-intensity continuous treadmill training on people with pre-hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure between 120-139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure between 80-89 mmHg. This randomized controlled trial focuses on whether adding these breathing techniques can improve blood pressure, chest expansion, pulmonary function, and quality of life for pre-hypertensive patients aged 20 to 55 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: treadmill training with pilates breathing, treadmill training with diaphragmatic breathing, or treadmill training alone. The treadmill training involves moderate-intensity continuous exercise at 55-70% of maximum heart rate for 20-35 minutes, three times per week, over six weeks. Breathing exercises are performed for 10-15 minutes per session, also three times per week, following a 6-week protocol. During the study, researchers will assess blood pressure, chest expansion, and pulmonary function before and after the six-week intervention. Quality of life will also be measured. The study uses various assessments to monitor progress throughout the intervention, and data will be analyzed to evaluate the effects of the breathing techniques combined with treadmill training on pre-hypertensive individuals.

Diabetes Mellitus, especially type 2, often leads to a condition called Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN), which affects the feet and legs first and causes symptoms such as pain, numbness, balance problems, and an increased risk of falls. This research investigates the added effects of combining Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) with the Otago Exercise Program on reducing fall risk in patients with diabetes. The study focuses on improving balance, reducing fear of falling, and enhancing sensory function in this population. Participants will be divided into two groups: one performing only the Otago Exercise Program, and the other performing a combined PNF and Otago exercise protocol. The Otago program includes leg muscle strengthening and balance retraining exercises progressing over six weeks. The PNF exercises involve progressive levels of movement patterns and resistance designed to enhance proprioception and balance. Each session lasts 40 to 50 minutes, conducted three times per week for six consecutive weeks. Throughout the study, participants will be evaluated using tests such as the Berg Balance Scale, Fall Efficacy Scale, Functional Reach Test, and Semmes Weinstein Monofilament Test at the start and end of the intervention period. The study monitors changes in balance, fear of falling, and sensory function over six weeks. Data collection occurs at baseline and after completing the exercise sessions to assess the effectiveness of the interventions in improving functional outcomes for people with diabetic neuropathy.