1,721,008 research outputs found
Correction to: Increase pain sensitivity during the four phases of the migraine cycle in patients with episodic migraine (Neurological Sciences, (2022), 43, 9, (5773-5775), 10.1007/s10072-022-06263-w)
No full textOriginally, an incorrect Abstract was included in the paper. Author decided to remove Abstract as this is a short paper. The original article has been corrected
Isolated resistance training programs to improve peripheral muscle function in outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases: A systematic review
Full text linkThis systematic review aims to establish which isolated resistance training (RT) programs have been used in outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their impact on all aspects of peripheral skeletal muscle function. Electronic databases were systematically searched up to June 2021. The eligibility criteria were: (1) randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of supervised and isolated RT programs in outpatients with COPD and (2) RT programs lasting 8–12 weeks, (3) including at least one outcome measure related to trainable muscle characteristics. Initially, 6576 studies were identified, whereas 15 trials met the inclusion criteria. All the included trials reported that isolated RT improved both upper and lower limbs’ maximal strength. Muscle endurance and power also increased after RT but received less attention in the analysis. Furthermore, few studies assessed the effect of RT on muscle mass and cross-sectional area, reporting only limited improvement. Isolated RT programs carried out 2–3 days a week for 8–12 weeks improved skeletal muscle function in individuals with COPD. The RT program should be specifically focused to the trainable muscle characteristic to be improved. For this reason, we further encourage the introduction of a detailed assessment of muscle function and structure during the pulmonary rehabilitation practice
Relationship between Lower Limbs Performance and Spinal Alignment in Parkinson’s Disease Patients: An Observational Study with Cross Sectional Design
Full text linkParkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease determining spinal deformities and muscle rigidity, weakness and dystonia that can be related to a change in muscular output during sit-to-stand tasks (STS). Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the impacts of spinal alignment on lower limbs performance during STS tasks in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients and healthy controls. Methods: In total, 43 consecutive PD patients (“PD” Group, 25 males and 18 females; age 73.7 ± 7.1) and 42 people not affected by any type of neurological disease (“CON” Group, 22 males, 20 females; age 69.8 ± 6.0) participated in the observational study. The clinical assessment included: IPAQ (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), Hoehn Yahr score, plumbline distance from the spinous process of C7, kyphosis apex and the spinous process of L3 and S1. We used the Muscle Quality Index test (MQI) to assess muscle power output during STS in both groups. Results: The MQI test measurements of absolute and relative lower limb power was significantly lower in the PD group, in addition to a negative correlation with age and a positive correlation with PL-L3 in that group of patients. Conclusions: A final consideration regarding our results leads to the possibility that the preservation of lumbar lordosis may be one of the factors for maintaining efficient biomechanics of the lower limb muscles, with the preservation of the physiological contractile characteristics of these muscles being the objective for a multidisciplinary rehabilitation based on postural exercises of the spine and a program of training exercises for the lower limb muscles
Effects of soft tissue artifact in the measurement of hand kinematics
No full textSoft Tissue Artifact (STA) remains the most significant error for optoelectronic motion analyses based on surface markers. STA knowledge is fundamental for measurement confidence, providing indications about the significance of measured motion conditions of patients. STA is task-related and subject-dependent, but few actual datasets are currently available on STA in hand kinematics, with non-invasive techniques. Besides, STA depends on the measurement protocol, so normalization techniques as the deformation energy evaluation must be applied to make data comparable among different works. Focusing on hand kinematics, this paper presents: i) a new biomechanical model for the description of hand kinematics, and ii) design and results of an experimental campaign leading to a significant dataset of displacements of specific landmark points on fingers during flexion/extension using a non-invasive method. Experimental results show that STA produces an error up to 87% of the phalanges length and it can be suggested as clinical significance of optoelectronic measurements of the hand motion
Functional and Structural Neuroplastic Changes Related to Sensitization Proxies in Patients with Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review
Full text linkObjective: Several reports in literature have identified sensitization as a possible basis for the enhanced pain reactions associated with osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this current systematic review is to summarize functional and structural brain changes associated with surrogate sensitization parameters assessed in patients with OA-related pain. Design: Systematic review. Subjects: Patients with OA related pain. Methods: A literature search was conducted systematically in MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE databases for human studies up to December 2019. Articles were included if they assessed brain imaging and sensitization parameters (quantitative sensory testing and questionnaires) in adults with OA-related pain. Methodological quality was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) score. Results: Five studies reporting on 138 patients were included in this review. The MINORS scale yielded mean scores of 8.5/16 and 12.3/24, for the cohort and case-control studies respectively. Four low-quality studies suggest a greater pain matrix activation associated with clinical measures of sensitization in patients with OA, while another study underlined the presence of structural changes (reduced gray matter volume) in the cortical areas involved in the nociceptive processing possible also related to sensitization. Conclusions: This review shows conflicting evidence for structural and functional neuroplastic brain changes related to sensitization proxies in patients with OA
“Hands-On” and “Hands-Off” Physiotherapy Treatments in Fibromyalgia Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Full text linkBackground: Physiotherapy plays a key role in managing fibromyalgia, a multifaceted disorder, through a combination of active and passive treatments. The purpose of this review is to compare the efficacy of "hands-off" treatments alone versus the combination of "hands-off" and "hands-on" therapies. Methods: MEDLINE (PubMed), CENTRAL, and Embase were searched. English-language randomized controlled trials involving adults with fibromyalgia were included. The included studies were divided into subgroups to reduce the possible heterogeneity. We calculated the standardized mean difference or mean difference with 95% confidence intervals for the continuous data according to the outcome measures. We used the risk ratio for dichotomous data of the drop-out rate of the studies. Results: We included and analyzed seven RCTs. The meta-analysis showed no significant results in the outcomes, pain, QoL, health status, and drop-out rate. We found significant results (p < 0.001) in favor of combining "hands-off" and "hands-on" treatments for the rest quality (SMD 0.72, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.09). Conclusions: This review increases the treatment options available for clinicians. Up to now, the main guidelines on managing fibromyalgia suggest only approaches based on "hands-off" treatments. These findings suggest that other approaches based on mixed interventions combining "hands-off" and "hands-on" treatments did not reduce the patient outcomes. Moreover, the mixed intervention led to better results for the patients' sleep quality than the "hands-off" treatments alone
How many physical therapy sessions are required to reach a good outcome in symptomatic lumbar spondylolisthesis? A retrospective study
No full textBackground There is a lack of conclusive information about the optimal dosage of physical therapy treatments in Spondylolisthesis (SPL) patients. Purpose The present study attempted to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of two different doses in reaching similar clinical outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 64 consecutive patients admitted for physical therapy with symptomatic lumbar grade I SPL (42 ± 15years, 57% female) was conducted. At the end of the treatment, all participants were retrospectively assigned to one of two groups, receiving either 5–8 or 9–12 sessions (experimental or control group, respectively) of physical therapy treatments. The Prone Bridge Test (PBT) and the Supine Bridge Test (SBT) were used to measure muscular endurance. Results The area under the ROC curve for the PBT was 0.64 (95% CI 0.45–0.83) and for the SBT was 0.57 (95% CI 0.33–0.80). The optimal cutoff points were 25.5s for the PBT and 55.0s for the SBT. Logistic regression revealed that PBT (OR = 1.062) was associated with SPL. The final regression model explained 77.4% (R2 = 0.341; p = 0.024) of the variability. Conclusions In this sample, the number of sessions required to achieve satisfactory outcomes ranged from 5 to 12. The clinical results of the subjects in the 5–8 sessions group were similar to the 9–12 sessions group. Individual's coping mechanisms could be considered in future studies to understand which patients will require more therapeutic sessions
3D printing in orthopedic surgery
No full textThe advent of 3D printing in orthopedics has allowed the creation of patient-specific anatomical models, custom-made implants, surgical guides and even bioprinted tissues. This technology has the potential to revolutionize preoperative planning, surgical simulation, and patient-specific surgery, providing orthopedic surgeons with excellent opportunities to increase the precision, customization, and outcomes of their surgical procedures. This is fundamental especially in complex cases such as pelvic fractures, pediatric orthopedic operations and in oncological surgery. Furthermore, a new technology that arises from 3D printing is 3D bioprinting which allows the creation of three-dimensional biological material that can be used as a scaffold and has the potential to regenerate damaged tissues. However, 3D printing has brought new challenges including patient safety, personal data security, and legal considerations that have not yet been resolved. In conclusion, 3D printing has ushered in a new era of customization and precision in orthopedic surgery, offering surgeons and patients new tools to improve medical care. As technology, materials and knowledge continue to evolve, the future offers even more promising prospects for 3D printing-based orthopedic treatments
Functional outcomes of percutaneous correction of hallux valgus in not symptomatic flatfoot: A case series study
No full textHallux valgus (HV) and Pes Planus (PP) are two common conditions characterized by aesthetic dissatisfaction with or without pain. The aim of the study was to assess clinical and functional outcomes at two years follow-up of percutaneous surgery in patients with HV and concomitant not-symptomatic PP. From January 2014 to May 2015 a total of 12 females and 2 males (14 feet) were enrolled in the study (mean age 41.9±13.28). The inclusion criteria were patients with HV surgically treated with the percutaneous approach, mild or moderate not symptomatic PP at 24 months follow-up. Percutaneous distal metatarsal osteotomy and exostectomy is performed for all patients and followed by a weekly bandage. American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score for HV (AOFAS-HV), patient satisfaction, and preoperative and postoperative X-ray at 6 weeks follow-up were evaluated. Numerical data are reported as the mean± SD and 95% confidence intervals. The pre-operative hallux valgus angle (HVA) was 30.14°±11.26°, the post-operative HVA was 18.36°±10.13 with a mean correction of 11.79°±2.67° with p<0.0001. Mean AOFAS-HV increased from 42.07±10.82 pre-operatively to 83±8.96 post-operatively with p<0.0001. One out of 14 patients had recurrence of HV without needing revision surgery at the last follow-up. All patients were satisfied with the clinical outcomes. Our results suggested that percutaneous osteotomy with the mini-burr is an effective treatment for patients with HV despite PP presence, even if the mean functional score was slightly worse when compared with the literature. (www.actabiomedica.it)
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