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Background:To evaluate the test-retest reliability of Jamar hand held dynamometer for measuring handgrip strength (HGS) in patients with acute and chronic cervical radiculopathy and to find out the difference in measurement of the handgrip strength between acute and chronic cervical radiculopathy. Methods:A prospective, observational and non-experimental, the comparative study design was used. A sample of 72 subjects (37 women and 35 men) suffering from cervical radiculopathy were divided into two groups i.e., Group A(acute) and Group B(chronic), handgrip strength was measured using Jamar hand held dynamometer on two occasions by the same rater with an interval of 7-days. Data collection was based on standard guidelines of American Society of Hand Therapists. Three gripping trials (measured in Kg) with patient's arm in standardized arm position were recorded. The data was analyzed from the mean score obtained from the sample.Result: One-way Analysis of Variance(ANOVA) was used to evaluate test-retest reliability and Tukey-Kramer Multiple Comparison Test used to find the difference between handgrip strength among acute and chronic Cervical radiculopathy cases. Greater P-value (>0.05) in both testing session, as well as 95% of the confidence interval, shows the reliability of the instrument and lesser p-value (<0.05) in male subject shows a significant difference in handgrip strength and greater p-value (>0.05) in female subjects shows no significant difference in handgrip strength between the two groups. Conclusion:Excellent test-retest reliability for hand grip strength measurement was measured in patients with acute and chronic cervical radiculopathy shows that the equipment could be used as an assessment tool for this patient and significant difference exists among male handgrip strength between acute and chronic cervical radiculopathy cases whereas no difference exists among female handgrip strength between acute and chronic cervical radiculopathy cases.

BACKGROUND Stroke or brain attack is the sudden loss of neurological function caused by interruption of the blood flow to the brain. Ischaemic stroke is the most common type, affecting about 80 percent of individuals with stroke and results when a clot blocks or impairs blood flow. In hemorrhagic stroke, rupture of blood vessel leads to accumulation of blood, depriving the brain of essential oxygen and nutrients. If clinical symptoms persist even after 24 hrs. or imaging is suggestive of any new lesion, it is termed as stroke. In clinical practice, various types of neurological deficits are possible, including impairment of consciousness and of sensory, motor, cognitive, perceptual, and language abilities. METHODS 120 patients participated in the study. The primary objective of our study was to find out the role/prevalence of various modifiable risk factors in primary stroke patients. We also tried to find out the synergistic effect of various risk factors, lag period between appearance of risk factor and occurrence of stroke and effect of various risk factors on physiotherapy indices. RESULTS Results showed that out of 120 patients, as many as 103 patients were hypertensive, 57 were diabetics and 48 were smokers. Significant numbers of patients were not aware of their blood pressure and diabetic status. CONCLUSIONS In our study, hypertension by far was the most prevalent factor for causing stroke; this was followed by diabetes and smoking as modifiable risk factors. Hypertension and smoking formed the lethal combination in many patients.

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Introduction: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is access to and availability of the scientific database, the search of relevant literature in practice, and the precise use of Evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. Assessment of variables such as the beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behavior give rise to factor influencing and self-efficacy of individuals practicing EBP and conceptualizing the growing importance of EBP in the physical therapy sector. The present study aimed to assess belief and attitude about EBP, its knowledge, and skills related to obtaining and evaluating evidence and identify barriers to practice among Physical Therapists in India. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among the physical therapist working in Delhi and NCR. A survey questionnaire contains 5 segments and 51 statement item screening beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behavior of individuals in terms of using EBP. The relationship among variables is obtained by using Logistic Regression analysis. The data was collected from April 2016 through May 2016. Results: The physical therapist state that they had a positive attitude toward EBP and understand the necessity of evidencebased practice (87%). They were familiar with a search engine (87%), relevant literature is useful in practice (75%), help in clinical decision making (75.9%), and improve quality of patient care (78.9%) but the majority of respondents said that it doesn’t come under patient preference (51.8%), lack of generalizability of research finding to the individual patient (28.7%), and insufficient time (77.8%) to incorporate EBP. Conclusion: Indian physical therapists from Delhi and NCR believe that they had a positive attitude toward obtaining EBP, using available evidence for clinical decision making, and improve the quality of patient care. A cultural change within the working environment and the organization’s support will allow more time for searching relevant databases for implementing EBP in daily clinical practice.