Akanksha Saxena

@mmumullana.irins.org

Assistant Professor, MMIPR/Maharishi Markandeshwar Deemed to be university,Mullana Ambala
maharishi markandeshwar university

8

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • The level of perceived stress, burnout, self-efficacy, and coping strategies among physiotherapy academicians during the COVID-19 lockdown
    Akanksha Saxena and Mandeep Kumar Jangra

    IOS Press
    BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, academicians were juggling their personal and professional life amid lockdown while trying to deliver maximum knowledge through online classes. This chronic stress is emotionally draining and can eventually lead to burnout. OBJECTIVE: To examine the levels of perceived stress and burnout and examine the effects of self-efficacy and coping in reducing stress and preventing burnout in academicians during the COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: This survey included 63 physiotherapy academicians from various physiotherapy colleges in India. Assessments used to collect data were the Perceived Stress Scale, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. The data was collected through Google Forms and sent through an online mode via various social media apps. RESULTS: This study revealed that the majority of the physiotherapy academicians were experiencing moderate levels of stress eventually leading to burnout. Stress levels were higher in academicians with more than 10 years of experience. Also, self-efficacy and resilient coping were negatively correlated with perceived stress and burnout. CONCLUSION: Academicians experienced increasing amounts of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, which, if not addressed on time, can lead to job burnout.

  • COMMENTARY ON "COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF ROBOT-ASSISTED TRAINING VERSUS ENHANCED UPPER EXTREMITY THERAPY ON UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITY FOR STROKE SURVIVORS: A MULTICENTRE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL"
    Aastha Sharma, Sonali Kumari, and Akanksha Saxena

    Medical Journals Sweden AB
    In their statistical analysis, the authors applied the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality, but since the sample size is >50 the normality test should be the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test (9). The table and graphs included in the study are simple and easy to understand. In addition, the intention-to-treat analysis is appropriately applied to primary outcomes, which show significant results, although, for the secondary outcomes, the analysis of between-group difference in the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and overall and proximal Fugl-Meyer assessment upper extremity subscale (FMA-UE), was not significant at mid-treatment and post-treatment. The authors claim justification based on other literature, and state the limitations of their study. In conclusion, the authors have stated that RAT is not better and, in another context, also state that RAT was non-inferior; this could be confusing for readers. The authors should have stated that RAT is not better than enhanced upper extremity therapy (EUET), although it produces an almost similar result to EUET (1).

  • Lived experiences of caregivers and survivors of paediatric spinal cord injury: A scoping review of qualitative studies
    Akanksha Saxena, Asir John Samuel, and Manjeet Singh

    Informa UK Limited
    CONTEXT Paediatric Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) has an impact on a child's dynamic development, disrupting their participation in school, community, and social relationships while simultaneously causing repercussions on their caregiver's life. The rare nature of paediatric SCI calls for a detailed inspection of the literature from the perspective of children and their caregivers. OBJECTIVE This scoping review of qualitative research determines the extent of literature from perspective of caregivers and individuals with paediatric SCI. METHODS 9351 full-text published articles were identified from CINAHL, Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus between 2001 and 2021. After duplicate deletion, 8354 articles were left, and 103 full-text articles were assessed for their eligibility. Finally, eight articles were assessed for their relevance. Key themes that emerged from the data were summarized, compared, and synthesized. RESULTS Six studies were from the perspectives of individuals with SCI and two from caregiver's perspective. Three major themes were identified from caregivers' opinion studies: "Obstacles to community participation"; "Unmet needs related to a child with SCI"; and "Radiating effect on caregivers' lives"; whereas five were obtained from individuals with paediatric SCI opinion studies: "Adjusting to life with SCI"; "Hardships & hardiness"; "Peers & family/emotional support"; "Perception of self & body-image post injury"; and "Transitioning into post-traumatic life". CONCLUSION There is a need for more specialized rehabilitation centers and an accessible environment in public spaces. Also, the review sheds some light on the discriminatory attitude of society as a whole, which can be improved by providing proper knowledge and awareness of SCI.



  • Knowledge and awareness among physiotherapy students to combat COVID-19: A questionnaire based study
    Mandeep Kumar Jangra, Akanksha Saxena, and Praharsh Anurag

    Elsevier BV
    Objective Despite the various preventive guidelines and recommendation for infection control, the COVID-19 is spreading very extensively. So it becomes essential for healthcare professionals to have proper knowledge and awareness of it. The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge and Awareness among Physiotherapy students to combat COVID-19. Methods A total of 203 participants from MMIPR, MM(DU), Mullana completed a questionnaire based survey on the Knowledge and Awareness among Physiotherapy students to Combat COVID-19. The questionnaire was self-administrated and distributed through WhatsApp. Convenient sampling method was used for data collection and the distributions of responses were presented as frequencies and percentages. Results A total of 203 physiotherapy students participated in this survey (143 females& 60 males), forming a response rate of 53.4% (203 participated out of 380). The overall awareness for all the participants was adequate with 73.1% reporting correct answers. The findings of this study revealed that 93% of subjects (score more than 60%) have good knowledge and awareness to combat COVID-19. However, only 49% knew the correct name of the virus causing COVID-19 infection, only 41% of participants were aware about the diagnostic measures, and only 25.6% were aware of the treatment strategies. 91% of the respondents uses ‘Aarogya Setu’ app, while 85% says agrees that it helps to know more about the social distancing. Conclusion We conclude that physiotherapy students of MMIPR, MM(DU), Mullana (Ambala) were well aware about the knowledge on COVID-19 infection and its preventive measures.

  • Effectiveness of Neurodynamic Mobilization versus Conventional Therapy on Spasticity Reduction and Upper Limb Function in Tetraplegic Patients
    Akanksha Saxena, Stuti Sehgal, and Mandeep Kumar Jangra

    Asian Spine Journal (ASJ)
    Study Design: The study employed a pre- and post-test experimental design.Purpose: This study was designed to assess the effect of neurodynamic mobilization of the median nerve on upper limb spasticity in tetraplegic patients.Overview of Literature: Spasticity is a common and potentially disabling and bothersome complication in patients with spinal cord lesion; this disorder can negatively influence the quality of life by restricting the patient’s ability to perform activities of daily living. Neural mobilization is currently used for reducing the spasticity in individuals with neurological disorders.Methods: Twenty subjects with traumatic spinal cord injury (level C5–C8) and upper limb spasticity in the finger and wrist flexors were enrolled. They were randomly allocated to two different groups using a computer-generated randomization schedule: group I comprised the neurodynamic mobilization group (n=11) and group II was the conventional therapy group (n=9); the subjects were administered therapy for 5 days every week for a period of 4 weeks. Upper limb spasticity was assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale for wrist and finger flexors; F-wave amplitude, latency, and F-wave/M-wave amplitude ratio (F/M ratio) were examined using the F-wave scores of the median nerve; and upper limb function was determined using the Capabilities of Upper Extremity (CUE) Questionnaire.Results: After 4 weeks of intervention, between-group comparisons showed a significant difference in the pre-intervention and postintervention scores on the Modified Ashworth Scale score for wrist flexors (−1.64±0.67), Modified Ashworth Scale score for finger flexors (−1.00±0.63), F-wave amplitude (−154.09±220.86), F/M ratio (−0.18±0.24), and CUE scores (17.82±13.49).Conclusions: These results suggest that neurodynamic mobilization of the median nerve may be effective for upper limb spasticity control and upper limb functional improvement in tetraplegic patients.

  • Significance of physiotherapy in "sARS-CoV-2/COVID-19: An Epidemic"
    MandeepKumar Jangra and Akanksha Saxena

    Medknow
    Sir, COVID‐19 is a newly recognized disease which spread rapidly from Wuhan to other places of China as well as across the world.[1] The WHO declared COVID‐19 outbreak as the sixth Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020. Primarily, it was labeled as “Pneumonia of unknown etiology.”[2] Later, the human coronavirus (CoV) was found as the causative agent, named as severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) by the experts of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses).[3] Later, on February 11, 2020, the WHO announced that the disease caused by this new CoV was a COVID‐19.[2]