Evidence for Improvement in Local but Not Diffuse Pressure Pain Thresholds Following Physical Therapist Interventions for Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to investigate whether quantitative sensory testing proxy measures for peripheral and central sensitization change following physical therapist interventions for tendinopathy and whether changes occur in parallel to changes in self-reported pain.

METHODS

Four databases-Ovid EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, and CENTRAL-were searched from inception to October 2021. Three reviewers extracted data for the population, tendinopathy, sample size, outcome, and physical therapist intervention. Studies that reported quantitative sensory testing proxy measures and pain at baseline and another time point following a physical therapist intervention were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tools and the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Levels of evidence were assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies were included and all investigated changes in pressure pain threshold (PPT) at either local and/or diffuse sites. Change in other proxy measures of peripheral and central sensitization were not investigated among any studies. Diffuse PPT did not demonstrate significant change in all trial arms that reported this outcome. Local PPT improved for 52% of trial arms, and it was more likely to change at the medium (63%) and longer (100%) compared with the immediate (36%) and short (50%) timepoints. On average, 48% of trial arms demonstrated parallel changes in either outcome. Pain improvement was more frequent than local PPT improvement at all timepoints except for the longest.

CONCLUSION

Local PPT may improve among people receiving physical therapist interventions for tendinopathy, but these changes appear to lag behind changes in pain. Change in diffuse PPT among people with tendinopathy has been infrequently investigated in the literature.

IMPACT

The findings of the review contribute to knowledge of how tendinopathy pain and PPT change with treatments.

Healing potential of the anterior cruciate ligament in terms of fiber continuity after a complete rupture: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament is a major problem owing to inadequate surgery outcomes and the limited healing capacity of the ligament. This study aimed to summarise the evidence on the spontaneous healing potential of the anterior cruciate ligament in terms of fiber continuity based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and MEDLINE databases were searched from their inception to November 1, 2020. Studies that analysed patients diagnosed with complete anterior cruciate ligament rupture were included. Further, studies that used conservative treatment as intervention and MRI finding as an outcome measure were included.

RESULTS

In total, 9 studies, with a total of 734 participants, met the inclusion criteria. Knee laxity was measured in all studies. Two studies classified patients according to rupture location, where most ligaments with restored fiber continuity had proximal ruptures. All included studies reported spontaneous healing. Furthermore, none of the included studies reported the absence of healing.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review demonstrates the intrinsic healing capacity of the anterior cruciate ligament, indicating a higher healing potential for proximal ruptures. While our study reveals an emerging need to question general practice, a definitive conclusion could not be drawn owing to the low quality of the studies included and the heterogeneity of results.

Pilates Dosage in Rehabilitation of Patients With Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Scoping Review

CONTEXT

Pilates exercise is commonly used in the rehabilitation of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions, but dosing parameters for optimal outcomes are unclear. Large variations exist in Pilates-based protocols, and research related to specific dosing is sparse.

OBJECTIVE

To identify optimal dose parameters of Pilates exercise when applied to the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal conditions.

DATA SOURCES

English-language articles published up to February 2023, in the PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Pedro databases.

STUDY SELECTION

Articles where patients 20-60 years old with musculoskeletal conditions received a Pilates-based exercise intervention and reported quantification of treatment dose. A total of 72 full-text articles were assessed, with 14 meeting inclusion criteria.

STUDY DESIGN

Scoping review.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two investigators (A.P.S., G.K.) independently identified all proposed Pilates-based protocols and outcome measures from the included studies.

RESULTS

From the 1667 references initially found in 4 databases, 14 studies were included of which 13 were randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental (612 patients) and 1 was a Cochrane review (19,642 patients). Eight studies were of high methodological quality. The most frequent musculoskeletal condition examined was chronic low back pain. Pilates dosage regarding total intervention duration ranged from 6 to 16 weeks, but the most frequent duration reported was 8 weeks and 2 to 3 sessions per week with sessions lasting 50 to 60 minutes.

CONCLUSION

This review suggests that there are clinically relevant Pilates dosing parameters that result in improved outcomes for patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

Isometric Exercise for the Management of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy

The most common tendinopathy in the elbow area and one of the two most common tendinopathies in the upper limb is Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy (LET) [...].

Ηand dexterities assessment in stroke patients based on augmented reality and machine learning through a box and block test

A popular and widely suggested measure for assessing unilateral hand motor skills in stroke patients is the box and block test (BBT). Our study aimed to create an augmented reality enhanced version of the BBT (AR-BBT) and evaluate its correlation to the original BBT for stroke patients. Following G-power analysis, clinical examination, and inclusion-exclusion criteria, 31 stroke patients were included in this study. AR-BBT was developed using the Open Source Computer Vision Library (OpenCV). The MediaPipe's hand tracking library uses a palm and a hand landmark machine learning model to detect and track hands. A computer and a depth camera were employed in the clinical evaluation of AR-BBT following the principles of traditional BBT. A strong correlation was achieved between the number of blocks moved in the BBT and the AR-BBT on the hemiplegic side (Pearson correlation = 0.918) and a positive statistically significant correlation (p = 0.000008). The conventional BBT is currently the preferred assessment method. However, our approach offers an advantage, as it suggests that an AR-BBT solution could remotely monitor the assessment of a home-based rehabilitation program and provide additional hand kinematic information for hand dexterities in AR environment conditions. Furthermore, it employs minimal hardware equipment.

Excessive Knee Internal Rotation during Grand Plié in Classical Ballet Female Dancers

Classical ballet dancers are exposed daily to physically demanding movements. Among these, the Grand Plié stands out for its biomechanical complexity, particularly the stress applied to the knee joint. This study investigates the knee kinematics of healthy professional classical ballet dancers performing the Grand Plié. Twenty dancers were evaluated with a motion analysis system using a marker-based protocol. Before measurements, the self-reported Global Knee Functional Assessment Scale was delivered for the knees' functional ability, and the passive range of knee motion was also assessed. The average score on the Global Knee Functional Assessment Scale was 94.65 ± 5.92. During a complete circle of the Grand Plié movement, executed from the upright position, the average maximum internal rotation of the knee joint was 30.28° ± 6.16°, with a simultaneous knee flexion of 134.98° ± 4.62°. This internal rotation observed during knee flexion exceeds the typical range of motion for the joint, suggesting a potential risk for knee injuries, such as meniscal tears. The findings provide an opportunity for future kinematic analysis research, focusing on the movement of the Grand Plié and other common ballet maneuvers. These data have the potential to yield valuable information about the knee kinematics concerning meniscus damage.

The Greek version of shoulder rating questionnaire (SRQ): Translation, cultural adaptation, a reliability and validity study in patients with rotator cuff related shoulder pain

BACKGROUND

The Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ) was created in the English language to assess shoulder disorders in six areas: global function, pain, daily activities, recreational and athletic activities, and work.

PURPOSE

The study aimed to translate and culturally adapt Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ) into Greek.

METHODS

The SRQ English version was translated and adapted into the Greek language using forward translation, expert panel synthesis, and backward translation procedures. A pilot testing has been made in the target population, and the final version was created. A cross-sectional study was conducted in clinical settings with the SRQ and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index. A total of 168 Greek adult patients with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain were recruited from physical therapy clinics. Τhe reliability of the SRQ Greek version was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients. Internal consistency was assessed using the Cronbach alpha coefficient. Concurrent validity was measured by correlating the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index using Pearson's correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

The results showed that the SRQ Greek version has excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.99), test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.976), and concurrent validity (r > 0.9). No ground or ceiling effects were found. The standard error of measurement and the minimum detectable change of the total score were 5.55 and 15.38.

CONCLUSIONS

The Greek Language Version of the SRQ is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to evaluate adult patients with shoulder rotator cuff-related disorders in the acute or chronic phases and in clinical trials.

Affective and Clinical Outcomes Related to Pain After Graded Motor Imagery in Patients With Chronic Shoulder Pain: A Pre-Post-Single-Group Study

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess at 6-month and 1-year follow-up the effect of graded motor imagery (GMI) in addition to usual care on the affective and clinical outcomes in patients with chronic shoulder pain. Methods: A pre-post-intervention single-group study was conducted. One hundred forty-eight patients with chronic shoulder pain were included. All participants received a 6-week GMI program in addition to usual care. The primary outcome assessed was pain intensity using visual analog scale (VAS), the secondary outcomes were fear of movement with the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), catastrophization with the pain catastrophization scale (PCS), shoulder flexion active range of motion (AROM) with a goniometer, and central sensitization with the central sensitization inventory (CSI). All outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6-month and 1-year follow-up. Results: At 6 months, GMI showed to be statistically significant for all outcomes assessed (p < 0.001). At 1-year follow-up, the VAS showed a decrease of 3.3 cm (p < 0.001), TSK showed a decrease of 16.1 points (p < 0.001), PCS showed a decrease of 17.4 points (p < 0.001), AROM showed an increase of 29.9° (p < 0.001), and CSI showed a decrease of 17.9 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: At medium- and long-term follow-up, the individuals who received the GMI program in addition to usual care showed a clinically and statistically significant change for all outcomes assessed. Further studies, including clinical trials, are needed to confirm our findings.

Comparability of the Effectiveness of Different Types of Exercise in the Treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review

Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is a common condition both in athletes and the general population. The purpose of this study is to highlight the most effective form of exercise in managing pain-related symptoms and functional capacity as well as in a return to life activities, ensuring the quality of life of patients with AT, and creating a protocol to be used in rehabilitation. We conducted a systematic review of the published literature in Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, and PEDro for Randomised Controlled Trials concerning interventions that were based exclusively on exercise and delivered in patients 18-65 years old, athletes and non-athletes. An amount of 5235 research articles generated from our search. Five met our inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Research evidence supports the effectiveness of a progressive loading eccentric exercise program based on Alfredson's protocol, which could be modified in intensity and pace to fit the needs of each patient with AT. Future research may focus on the optimal dosage and load of exercise in eccentric training and confirm the effectiveness of other type of exercise, such as a combination of eccentric-concentric training or heavy slow resistance exercise. Pilates could be applied as an alternative, useful, and friendly tool in the rehabilitation of AT.

Do We Need Psychological Outcome Measures in the Management of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy (LET)?

Many outcome measures have been developed in the evaluation of LET [...].