An Analysis of Memory Retrieval and Performance of Physiotherapy Exercises in Younger and Older Patients

Introduction: Physiotherapists routinely prescribe exercises in the O.P.D. and advice the patient to follow the same at the home. The clinical goals set by the therapist depend on the success of the exercises programme and protocols, which the patient has to follow regularly. These study was aimed to have a "know - how" of how far the patient remembers the sequence of exercises that are prescribed.

Design: 90 patients were selected; patients were of common problems like Postural Neck Pain, Postural Low Back Pain, Knee Pain. Patients were further divided into 30 each and three groups were made, each group contains 10 of each condition and 5 younger & 5 older patients. Groups were Group I - Verbal Instructions and Self Performance, Group II - Pictorial Diagram / Written Material and Self Performance, Group III -Demonstration by Model and Self Performance. Exercises were told to patients and were told to recall them on 2nd day & 5th day for short and long term memory.

Methods: Study included Younger adults aged between 20 to 40&older adults aged between 60 to 80. Patients were prescribed exercises and asked to recall on 2nd&5th day for short and long term memory respectively. The outcome was measured by using "Rastall's Exercise Scoring Table". Points allotted were 02, 03, 03, 02 respectively total 10 points - minimum scoring was 08 points. Data Analysis was done using unpaired' test.

Results: This study proves that "demonstration by model and self performance" has better memory retrieval of shot term and long term memory in both younger and older adult patients compare to other two groups i.e. "Verbal Instructions and Self Performance&Pictorial Diagram / Written Material and Self Performance".