Name and Surname: prof. Nejc Šarabon, PhD
Links: ARIS 21495, LINKEDIN
E-mail: nejc.sarabon@fvz.upr.si
Research facility (research activity location)
University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences,
Specijalistička ordinacija Drugi Korak, Beograd, Srbija
Research field according to ARIS classification
Science: Social sciences
Field: Sport
Subfield: Kinesiology – medical aspect (orthopedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation,..)
Summary of research topic and field
Mentoring of a young researcher under the Public Call for Young Researchers at the University of Primorska in 2024.
More information on the website: https://www.upr.si/en/about-university/open-calls–tenders/call-for-employment/5291-
Topic: OPTIMISATION OF POST-STROKE CLINICAL REHABILITATION PROTOCOLS
The aim of the doctoral dissertation will be the optimization of clinical protocols for subacute and chronic post-stroke rehabilitation and the development of the first clinical guide on the subject in the Republic of Serbia. The candidate will systematically review the current literature and conduct a series of studies to develop and evaluate comprehensive rehabilitation protocol for post-stroke patients using a biopsychosocial approach. The candidate will systematically review the current state of the art for post-stroke rehabilitation interventions such as current data on using Robotic gait trainers, different types of biofeedback in RAGT and their effects, functional exercising, dual-task training, 24-hour movement behaviors, ergonomic counseling and psychological counseling and its impact on rehabilitation outcomes such as mobility and balance function, patients satisfaction and attitudes, quality of life and participation in post-stroke patients. The candidate will conduct studies that will be in the form of cross-sectional studies to evaluate the benefits of psychological counseling in post-stroke rehabilitation and the benefits of ergonomics counseling following 24-hour movement behavior observations in post-stroke rehabilitation, as well as a pilot study which aims to evaluate feasibility and cost-effectiveness of implementing comprehensive rehabilitation programs and to determine a test battery for evaluation before intervention study. Based on the conducted research and an in-depth literature review, the final step will be the execution of an Intervention study that will be in the form of a randomized controlled study with a crossover design and will typically involve 20 to 40 subjects divided into two groups who will participate in developed post-stroke rehabilitation program utilizing counseling, Robotic-assisted gait training, dual-task training, and exercise therapy for four weeks. The exact content of the final study will be precisely determined based on previous research. In the final research, key variables and outcome measures will be determined after the pilot study. Additionally, we will consider subjective feedback from subjects on the improvement of life quality, satisfaction, and patients’ attitudes after the completion of the rehabilitation protocol. These variables will provide a comprehensive insight into the effectiveness of selected interventions and developed rehabilitation protocol in managing post-stroke conditions.
