Objectives:The purpose of the present study was to present an up-to-date report on the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints in dental hygienists and dental hygiene students in Israel. It examined the areas of the body that were most frequently affected and the intensity of pain in both groups. The possible differences between groups and the likelihood that musculoskeletal symptoms in students can be attributed to their workload. Method: A modified version of The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ)was used to assess reports of Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in general and in different body areas. A numerical pain scale was administered to evaluate pain intensity.Results: Two hundred and five women participated in the study: 85 experienced dental hygienists, 17 dental hygiene students and 103 students in a non-clinical track (control group). MSD reports were the most common in the neck (60%), upper back (52%) and lower back (61%). This tendency was seen across all three groups. Hygiene students differed significantly from the control group in terms of number of body areas with MSD and for pain intensity. By contrast, no significant differences were found between dental hygienists and hygiene students, Conclusions:The findings suggest that dental hygienists and students are at high risk of developing MSD. The high prevalence of MSD among hygiene students underscores the need to commence intervention prior to the initiation of fieldwork.

Background Trigger finger (TF) is a common hand pathology frequently encountered in hand clinics. Occupational therapists predominantly assess TF symptoms as opposed to using standardized hand functioning assessments. The purpose of this study was to assess the construct validity of dexterity and grip strength assessments for clients with TF.Method Sixty-three participants with TF and 66 healthy controls were administered the Functional Dexterity Test (FDT), Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT), and Jamar® Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer (JD) and completed the Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH). TF symptoms were graded using the Quinnell classification.Results Statistically significant differences were found between the groups in dexterity and grip strength. A statistically significant difference between the three TF grades was found on the PPT. All three test scores were moderately correlated with the DASH scores.Conclusion This study provides innovative evidence for the validity of common hand function assessments for individuals with TF and recommends incorporating these tools in clinical practice. Further research is needed with larger samples and better representation of each TF clinical grade.

The findings of the study point to the importance of addressing the functional implications and QOL of individuals with TF. Implications for Rehabilitation Although trigger finger is considered to be a mild hand pathology, it has a wide-ranging impact on hand functioning, daily activities and quality of life. Clinicians should include assessments of these outcomes in the treatment of individuals with trigger finger. Treatment efficacy should be evaluated with International Classification of Functioning outcomes, and not limited to symptomatology.

According to these data, substantial long-term disability and pain persist in both the acute and chronic settings. Implications for rehabilitation Recovery from TF may be a prolonged process and a long term follow up should be considered in clinical practice. The present study found that TF leads to significant disability, therefore, activity and participation should be addressed in practice. Assessment of TF interventions should include outcomes that address the client's perspective using standardized measures of disability, such as the QuickDASH.

The purpose of this study was to describe the reported evaluation and treatment methods commonly administered by occupational therapy (OT) specialists in hand therapy for patients with trigger finger (TF). Sixty-one therapists from Israel and the United States completed an electronic survey. Sixty-nine per cent of the therapists reported evaluating TF symptoms (body function level) as part of their assessment protocol; however, only 25% reported the use of occupation-based measures for the assessment of people with TF. All therapists reported using orthoses to treat TF, yet significant differences were found between the groups regarding the frequency of using physical agent modalities, exercise and activity modifications. The results of the study point to the limited use of occupation-based assessments and to a lack of consensus regarding treatment guidelines for TF. The study is limited by a restricted sample size and a low response rate from US therapists, which warrant caution in generalization of the findings. Further research is needed to study the broad implications of TF in order to inform the assessment of TF in OT and to establish the foundations for future treatment efficacy studies.

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Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. The goal of the study was to evaluate the long-term implications of breast cancer (BC) on upper extremity function, participation, and perceived quality of life (QoL) among Israeli women and examine the utilization of OT services in the rehabilitation process. The study included two steps: (1) an online survey and (3) face-to-face in-depth evaluation. Women with BC reported a wide range of impairments that are within the domain of OT, but only a small minority received OT services. Primary Author and Speaker: Danit Langer Contributing Authors: Hagit Magen, Shlomit Tendler, and Asnat Bar-Haim Erez

BACKGROUND: Studies found that women with breast cancer struggle with significant physical and mental challenges that affect their participation in daily living, social and work activities. Although women express their need for rehabilitation, in Israel there has been scant research on the nature of these needs. OBJECTIVE: To examine the implications of breast cancer for Israeli women in terms of their quality of life, body function, activities and participation in all facets of life, including work. METHODS: The sample was composed of women diagnosed with breast cancer. The data were collected through: (a) an online electronic survey assessing cancer-related quality of life (QoL), function and disability, fatigue and sensory-motor functions, (n = 201) followed by (b) face-to-face interviews and assessments (n = 20), and a healthy control group (n = 61). RESULTS: Women with breast cancer reported significantly lower QoL compared to the healthy control group. They reported higher levels of disability in areas such as, cognition, mobility, upper extremity, as well as overall difficulties in self-care, doing routine household activities and return to work. Roughly one-third of the women did not return to work. Interestingly, our sample did not perceive a decline in terms of their social support or networks, the women stated that family and social support were major enabling factors. CONCLUSION: The results show that breast cancer has short and long-term functional effects on most facets of these women’s life. The women’s social support system served as an enabling factor. Many women expressed their frustration at the lack of rehabilitation services for their condition and needs in Israel.