Narasimman Swaminathan

• Professor
• University of Nizwa

Purpose Various teaching and learning methods that use digital tools have been used in professional health education. Among these, blended learning (BL) has recently attracted attention. The successful implementation of any teaching method requires educators’ readiness and acceptance to adopt the method. Therefore, this study aimed to assess profes...

Purpose of the study. This study aimed to identify factors influencing adherence to HEP among clients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Methodology. Clients with chronic MSK pain attending the physiotherapy outpatient department of a tertiary-care teaching hospital were recruited. Ten clients who consented to participate were interviewed in-depth,...

Background Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs), including pacemakers, defibrillators, and resynchronization devices, significantly enhance patient outcomes, reduce sudden cardiac death, and improve health-related quality of life. CIED implantation is associated to persistent shoulder dysfunction in a considerable number of patients one-y...

Recent studies have documented the importance of Vitamin D in improving immunity, mental health, and quality of life in various diseased conditions. Vitamin D is a genetic modulator involved in protein synthesis, immune activity, and optimal mineralization of bone which are essential to performance and training. This scoping review aims to identify...

Varying evidence shows a surge in the prevalence of insufficient serum Vitamin D levels among athletes. Further exploration is incumbent to identify the influence of Vitamin D on athletic performance and various factors such as recovery from musculoskeletal pain and fatigue, improving muscle strength, reducing frequency and duration of illness, and...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected face-to-face teaching across the globe. The sudden shift in learning methods has impacted learning experiences significantly. Students' perception about online compared to blended learning might affect learning. The objective of this study was to evaluate physiotherapy students' perception of blended...

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify the entry-level health profession students’ perception and readiness to adopt online learning as a component of blended learning (BL). Methods: A cross sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was administered using Google forms. Entry level Health professionals’ education (HPE) gra...

Cardiotoxicity is a serious side effect of chemotherapy in breast cancer survivors. Although the use of anthracyclines and trastuzumab improves the survival rate, it also produces cardiotoxicity over a period of time. Exercises can be a choice of non-pharmacologic interventions in preventing and reducing the cardiotoxicity effects of chemotherapy....

Background The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) is a tool that helps in the assessment of the readiness of the students to pursue Self-Directed Learning (SDL). There are no documented studies on the validation of internal structure of the SDLRS among Indian medical students. Hence, the objective of this study is to validate the intern...

Health‑care professionals in a society have dual responsibilities of upgradation as well as delivery of services. The need of regulatory body can never be overemphasized in creating a framework within which health‑care professionals upgrade themselves by acquiring new skills, innovating new approaches and technology, transfer knowledge as w...

Background/Aims The prevalence of cardiac implantable electronic devices has risen considerably during recent years. This has revolutionised the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, which in turn reduced the incidence of sudden cardiac death. There are several complications associated with cardiac implantable electronic device implantation. Upper extr...

Background: Blended learning (BL), the integration of online with face to face teaching, is established as a teaching method in higher education. Understanding the learner's readiness toward online component of BL is important in designing and delivering BL. Nursing students require proficiency in interpersonal relationship and social interaction...

Use of information, communication, and technology in higher education is known to enhance learning experience. Thoughtful mixing of online and face-to-face activities is identified as blended learning (BL). Owing to its advantages, health professional education programs adapted this method globally. Understanding the concept of BL will be useful fo...

Objective Engaging learners during the COVID-19 pandemic is a significant challenge for educators. The pandemic has propelled the popularity of online learning, with Google Classroom being widely used by educational institutions as a remote learning platform. This study aims to evaluate the impact of an online faculty development programme on nurse...

Post COVID-19 sequelae includes breathlessness, weakness, fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance and impaired quality of life. Physiotherapy based rehabilitation program is an essential component for post COVID-19 patients in facilitating maximum functional recovery. Expert consensus statements are available from the developed countries. There is a...

Background: With the Wuhan pandemic spread to India, more than lakhs of population were affected with COVID-19 with varying severities. Physiotherapists participated as frontline workers to contribute to management of patients in COVID-19 in reducing morbidity of these patients and aiding them to road to recovery. With infrastructure and patient c...

Abstract: Aim and Background: Clinical Education opportunities for undergraduate Physiotherapy students are now increasingly occurring internationally. The clinical educator (CE) plays a significant role in the clinical education process particularly when a student undertakes a clinical placement in a different country as the CE often takes on a su...

Purpose Mobilization is feasible, safe, and beneficial to patients admitted to critical care units. Vasoactive therapy appears to be one of the most common barriers to early mobilization. Many recent publications have studied the safety and feasibility of mobilizing patients with these vasoactive drugs. The aim of this review was to synthesize the...

Blended learning (BL) refers to a systematic teaching method, which combines the aspects of face-to-face and online interactions using appropriate Information and Communication Technologies. This mixed-method systematic review (SR) protocol is developed with the objective to determine the effectiveness and appropriateness of BL in the health-care p...

Introduction Early mobilization (EM) in the intensive care unit (ICU) improves clinical outcomes. Despite the positive evidence, the implementation of EM is low in many countries. However, little is known about the practice of EM in ICU by physiotherapists in West Malaysia. Hence, this study was planned to assess the practice of physiotherapist-ini...

Physiotherapy has been accepted as an integral part of critical care in developed countries. Preventing and managing pulmonary complications of ventilated and other critically ill patients is still considered to be the primary task of physiotherapists in India. As movement experts of the intensive care unit team, physiotherapists play a major role...

This is an Educational Innovative Project (EIP) as part of FAIMER.

The contributions of allied health professionals to patient care is well recognized in developed countries. In developed countries, allied health providers can reach the general public easily and cater to the health care needs of the society. However, medical dominance in developing countries often curtails the autonomy of allied health professiona...

Background Recently, there has been an increased need for all healthcare disciplines to provide interventions that are effective and evidence based. This has led to more implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in clinical settings. Following this, research regarding EBP gained attention to determine its uptake into the physiotherapy profess...

Background: This study aims to examine the changes in arterial stiffness immediately following sub-maximal exercise in people with metabolic syndrome. Methods: Ninety-four adult participants (19-80 years) with metabolic syndrome gave written consent and were measured for arterial stiffness using a SphygmoCor (SCOR-PVx, Version 8.0, Atcor Medical...

Background: Obesity is one of the major cardiovascular risk factors and is linked with arterial stiffness. This study was undertaken to establish the relationship between regional adiposity and arterial stiffness using simple noninvasive techniques. Methods: In total, 181 young Asian Indian adults aged 18-28 years (mean age 21.9 ± 2.2) were measure...

Background: Interprofessional relationship plays a major role in effective patient care. Specialized units such as critical care require multidisciplinary care where perception about every members role may affect the delivery of patient care. The objective of this study was to find out nurses’ perceptions of the role of physiotherapists in the crit...

Background. Teaching face to face and partly online is called blended teaching. In practical oriented subjects like physiotherapy more hands on training is required. Hence online teaching may not help to meet the learning outcomes. But a combination of face to face and online may be very effective in delivering the course contents. In this paper th...

Title: A survey on the use of standardized outcome measures among physiotherapists in India Authors: Background: Evidence based practice is an important element of clinical care. To implement evidence based approach, it is integral to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and patient care. In order to adopt evidence based clinical practice; t...

Measuring the structural deformities of the spine is always a challenge for the clinician, since it is important to make clinical decision. When repeated exposure to the X ray has to be reduced in the routine practice, rehabilitation professionals are looking for a tool to be used in daily practice. Rasterstereography is one such method used from t...

Background: Walking-related disability is the most frequent reason for inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Task-related practice is a critical component for improving patient outcomes. Objective: To test the feasibility of providing quantitative feedback about daily walking performance and motivating greater skills practice via remote sensing. Met...

We studied the effectiveness of a home-based exercise programme with information technology (IT) support in people with metabolic syndrome in India. Ninety-four participants with metabolic syndrome (mean age 50 years) were randomized into two groups. Both groups received a 12-week home exercise programme and Group 2 received additional IT support f...

Contractures, a common complication following immobility, lead to restricted joint range of motion. Passive movements (PMs) are widely used for the treatment and prevention of contractures; however, it is not clear whether they are effective. The aim of this review was to determine the effects of PMs on persons with contractures or at risk of devel...

Objective: To evaluate and compare physical activity and physical fitness among urban school children and their rural counterparts. Methods: This cross sectional study included children aged between 9 and 13 y in eight middle schools; 4 urban and 4 rural. Data on health related fitness parameters was obtained by using the procedures described in...

Purpose: The physiotherapist facilitates optimum functional independence, health and well being of the community. An idea of the range of conditions that a physiotherapist can treat will help the community to benefit from their skill. Anganwadi workers (AWW) play a key role in health education and care at the primary care settings especially in rur...

Background/objectives: Interaction between various disciplines of medicine within a health care team is becoming recognised more and more as an effective method of improving the delivery of health care services. Members of the health care team need to understand and respect each other's professional abilities, in order to achieve interdisciplinary...

Background: Early mobilization is an important component of physiotherapy used to prevent and decrease pulmonary and immobilization complications, which are the major goals of physiotherapy in the intensive care unit (ICU). Prolonged bed rest and hospitalization leads to deconditioning and weakness which can further increase the length of the ICU s...

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most common fungal infections that recur frequently in HIV infected women. Symptoms of VVC are pruritis, discomfort, dyspareunia, and dysuria. Vulval infection presents as a morbiliform rash that may extend to the thighs. Vaginal infection is associated with white discharge, and plaques are seen on eryth...

Background. The objective of this case study is to explain the influence of the altered lower limb kinematics in subject with non-specific low back pain using simple video analysis and to emphasise the relationship between the altered lower limb kinematics and low back pain. Low back pain management is one of the most challenging tasks encountered...

Background. Pulmonary complications are the most common cause of mortality and morbidity in post-operative populations, especially in cardiothoracic surgeries that may demand much attention from the therapist. Median sternotomy, a gold standard incision for CABG, has been shown to have an inevitable adverse effect on the performance of the respirat...