Background: Spirometry mandates the requirement of equipments and skilled technicians which may be difficult to acquire in resource limited situations. Thus simple alternative tests like Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) and Single Breath Count (SBC) can be used to assess the pulmonary functioning of an individual.Methods: Hundred healthy participants of both genders between the age group of 18-50 years were recruited for this study. They were asked to perform PEFR using the Mini Wright Peak Flow Meter and SBC using a metronome. Three reading were noted and the best of three readings were used for analysis.Results: The mean age and BMI of the participants were 31.54±10.42 years and 23.88±5.14 kg/m2 respectively. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient of PEFR and SBC was 0.7048 with p<0.001 indicating a strong positive correlation.Conclusions: SBC can be used as a simple, convenient and cost-effective alternative to PEFR to assess pulmonary function in adults.

Background: Balance in the human body is maintained by the coordinated integration of sensory input from somatosensory, vestibular and visual system. This coordinated response to stimuli must be transmitted to appropriate muscles to maintain or to correct balance. Both static and dynamic stabilizers provide support to the normal knee joint where static stabilizers include ligament, meniscus and joint capsule which provide stabilization to the joint. Altered response in these sensory inputs may affect balance. Proprioceptive feedback is received from the sensory receptors present in the joint to maintain knee joint position, which gets altered due to microtrauma in the aging process, which thus affects balance. In elderly, this loss of balance is correlated with increased risk of falls. So, it is important to study the correlation between static balance and knee proprioception in elderly. Purpose of the study: To understand the correlation of static balance with knee proprioception. Methodology: It was an Observational cross-sectional study in which 70 subjects were enrolled as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria, after which a written informed consent was taken. Knee proprioception error was assessed in standing position using a goniometer. Static Balance was assessed using Tandem Stance Time. Results: The study showed negative correlation between Right knee proprioception error and tandem stance time, r= -0.1207 and left knee proprioception error and tandem stance time, r= -0.1222. Conclusion: Thus, the study concluded that there is negative correlation between knee proprioception error and static balance, i.e. lesser the knee proprioception error better is the static balance.

BACKGROUND: Smartphone usage has increased in the young adult population. Excessive usage can negatively affect the various body systems, including pulmonary functions and functional capacity. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to correlate the functional capacity with Smartphone usage. METHODS: Fifty participants were recruited and grouped into exercising and non-exercising individuals. Smartphone usage was assessed by SAPS (Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale Score) and the number of hours of phone usage, which was categorized as being <4hrs and >4hrs of phone usage in a day. Functional capacity was assessed by 6 Minute Walk Test (6 Minute Walk Distance and Recovery Time) and Single Breath Count. RESULTS: Smartphone usage is observed to be of longer duration in young adults, who are at moderate to no risk due to their addiction proneness. SAPS showed a weak inverse relationship with 6MWTD (P=0.053) but no significant correlation with either Recovery Time or SBC. CONCLUSION: This study showed that exercise does contribute to functional capacity, and prolonged smartphone usage will negatively affect functional capacity.

COVID-19 disease also known as SARS-COV-2 has made significant impact in India through millions of positive patients in this pandemic. One of the detriments of this disease is reduction in physical function and pulmonary function in turn affecting quality of life of COVID-19 patients. In this case series, 6 COVID-19 patients admitted in COVID-19 specific wards were assessed for physical functioning at pre-discharge phase, to form a baseline parameters to plan home programme and further physiotherapy rehabilitation post discharge.

Background: Dynamic balance control is required to perform simple and complex mobility task in our day-to-day life. Deficit in balance can results in falls and fractures which can affect health-related quality of life. Menopause is also considered as a risk for fracture due to osteoporosis, which at later life becomes difficult to manage and causes higher morbidity. So, evaluation of balance and bone density is important in middle-age in women, so that we can plan and administer proper treatment strategies at an early stage which can reduce risk of falls and fractures. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess and compare dynamic balance and bone density in premenopausal and postmenopausal middle-age women.Methods: Female participants in the age-group of 40-60 years were divided into premenopausal and postmenopausal group based on the criteria of cessation of menstrual cycles for minimum one year. Participants were assessed barefooted for dynamic balance by physical performance mobility tests such as narrow walk test (NWT), Figure-of-8 walk test (F8WT), obstacle walk test (OWT) and normal gait speed (NGS). Bone density was evaluated by using ultrasound bone densitometer at calcaneus in community setting. Results: The time taken to complete the NWT, F8WT, OWT was reduced significantly (p<0.05) in post-menopausal group, showing dynamic balance is significantly affected in postmenopausal women when compared with premenopausal women in middle-age group. Gait speed was also reduced in both the groups but it was significantly reduced (p<0.05) in postmenopausal group. Also bone density decreases significantly in post-menopausal group showing osteoporosis, premenopausal group also showed osteopenia when assessed by ultrasound bone densitometer in community setting.Conclusions: Dynamic balance and bone density significantly decreases in post-menopausal middle-age women as compared with pre-menopausal middle-age women.