Effect on health-related quality of life of a multimodal physiotherapy program in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders

Effect of Structured Exercise-Based Intervention on Upper Quadrant Dysfunction among Fish Processing Workers with Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the major causes of morbidity, which affect particularly the upper quadrant in industrial settings and so upset the quality of life (QoL). The influence of the protocol of exercise-based programs at the workplace on the well-being of the worker is contradictory. The objective of the study was to find the effect of the structured exercise-based intervention on upper quadrant dysfunction among fish processing workers with work-related MSDs.

Methods

The intervention group (n = 91) participated in an individually tailored structured exercise-based intervention (SEBI) program for three months, which consisted of stretching, strengthening, and active exercises. The control group (n = 93) was instructed to continue routine daily activities. The outcome measures of the cluster-randomized controlled trial were Neck Disability Index (NDI), Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Short Form-36, used to evaluate at baseline, eighth, and twelfth week. The data were analyzed by repeated analysis of variance and Student's t-tests.

Results

The results for the overall perception of upper quadrant dysfunction showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.0001) for NDI, DASH, and VAS. Further, we obtained a significant difference in QoL between the intervention and control groups for physical and psychological health sub-domains.

Conclusion

SEBI effectively enhanced the general health of fish processing workers by showing improvements in the measures of NDI, DASH, VAS, and QoL. Hence, SEBI can be recommended in the fish processing industries to achieve potential impact on upper quadrant dysfunction and improve the QoL.

Engagement in an mHealth-Guided Exercise Therapy Program Is Associated With Reductions in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

CONTEXT

Chronic musculoskeletal pain costs the US $980 billion annually. Conservative treatments are the criterion standard, but scalable methods of treatment remain to be evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to determine the effects of pain reduction and the perceived benefits of an mHealth exercise therapy program.

DESIGN

This is a retrospective observational study on data from 3109 people (18-98, 49% female) with musculoskeletal pain in an mHealth exercise program. Presession pain was measured via 11-point numeric rating scale and nonstandardized single-item questions for work and quality of life; all were analyzed using mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

By 11 sessions, there was an estimated a 2.09-point decrease in average numeric rating scale pain levels. There was an average percent increase of approximately 0.7 points for work life and quality of life ( tdf =6,632 = 12.06, P < 0.001). User engagement was high; 46% of participants were performing more than one session per day, and 88% were engaging within a week, indicating the feasibility of the deployment of an mHealth exercise app.

CONCLUSIONS

An mHealth exercise program was associated with significant decrease in pain and increased perceived benefits in a large population. These findings serve as preliminary findings of the feasibility for mHealth exercise interventions as scalable tools to improve chronic musculoskeletal pain outcomes.

Brazilian registry of patients with porphyria: REBRAPPO study

BACKGROUND

Porphyrias are a rare group of disease due to inherited defects of heme synthesis with important systemic manifestations and great burden of disease for patients and families due to the exceptional course of disease with disabling chronic symptoms interposed by life-threatening acute attacks. Unfortunately, the porphyrias are usually underrecognized reflecting a lack of medical and disease awareness as well as few studies about natural history in large cohorts of patients. The main aim of this article is present consistent data about natural history and burden of disease in a large Brazilian cohort.

METHODS

We conducted a national cross-sectional registry with retrospective clinical data of Brazilian patients with porphyria collected with Brazilian patients Association with Porphyria in collaboration with a tertiary care center for rare diseases.

RESULTS

A cohort of 172 patients was analyzed in which 148 (86%) patients had the diagnosis of acute hepatic porphyria [AHP] that needed a mean of 62.04 medical visits and 9.6 years to achieve a definitive diagnosis. About AHP cohort, the most common first clinical manifestation were abdominal pain in 77 (52%) patients and acute muscle weakness in 23 (15.5%) with 73 (49.3%) patients presenting only one attack during disease course and 37 (25%) exhibiting 4 or more attacks in the last year. Of note, 105 patients with AHP reported chronic manifestations and the scores for quality of life are lower when compared with general healthy population.

CONCLUSIONS

Brazilian patients with AHP had a higher prevalence of chronic disabling manifestations and a poor quality of life like other cohorts and a higher proportion of patients with recurrent attacks than previously reported.

Technical aspects of virtual augmented reality-based rehabilitation systems for musculoskeletal disorders of the lower limbs: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common causes of physical disability. The rehabilitation process after musculoskeletal disorders is long and tedious, and patients are not motivated to follow rehabilitation protocols. Therefore, new systems must be used to increase patient motivation. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies can be used in this regard. In developing such systems, various technologies and methods of movement recognition are used; therefore, this study aims to summarize the technical aspects of using VR/AR in rehabilitation and evaluate and discuss efficient methods of investigating studies using the Statement of Standards for Reporting Implementation Studies (StaRI).

METHODS

Search in four scientific databases was done systematically based on PRISMA through online search engines from inception to June 2021. These databases include Medline (PubMed), Scopus, IEEE, and Web of Science. An updated search was also conducted on 17 December 2021. The research used keywords and MeSH terms associated with VR/AR, musculoskeletal disorder, and rehabilitation. Selected articles were evaluated qualitatively using the Standards for Reporting Implementation Studies (StaRI) statement.

RESULTS

A total of 2343 articles were found, and 20 studies were included. We found that 11 (55%) studies used Kinect technology as input tools, and 15 (75%) studies have described the techniques used to analyze human movements, such as dynamic time warping (DTW) and support vector machines (SVM). In 10 (50%) studies, the Unity game engine was used for visualization. In 8 studies (40%), usability was assessed, and high usability was reported. Similarly, the results of the review of studies according to the StaRI checklist showed poor reporting in the title and discussion of the studies.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that academic studies did not describe the technical aspects of rehabilitation systems. Therefore, a good description of the technical aspects of the system in such studies should be considered to provide repeatability and generalizability of these systems for investigations by other researchers.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of a Remote Digital Musculoskeletal Program: An Ad Hoc Analysis from a Longitudinal Study with a Non-Participant Comparison Group

Digital solutions have emerged as an alternative to conventional physiotherapy, particularly for chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) management; however, its long-term effects remain largely unexplored. This study focuses on patients reporting CMP, assessing 1-year clinical outcomes after a multimodal digital care program (DCP) versus non-participants, who enrolled in the program but never engaged in a single exercise session or partook of the educational content made available to them. In this longitudinal study ad-hoc analysis, pain and functionality outcomes at 1-year reassessment were studied, focusing on the odds of reaching minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and, overall average reduction in both outcomes. Healthcare utilization was additionally studied within the same period. From 867 individuals allocated to the study, 460 completed the 1-year reassessment (intervention group: 310; comparison group: 150). The intervention group presented sustained and greater pain reduction until 1-year reassessment than the comparison group, reflecting greater odds ratio of achieving the MCID both in pain and functionality (1.90 95% CI: 1.27-2.86, p = 0.002 and 2.02 95% CI: 1.31-3.12, p = 0.001, respectively). A lower healthcare utilization during the 1-year follow-up was observed in the intervention group than in the comparison group. This study suggests that a digital CMP program may have a lasting impact on improved pain and functionality in patients with CMP.

Does combined individualized orofacial manual therapy, pain neuroscience education, and brain training change orofacial pain, chronic face dysfunction, (facial) body perception and pain? An observational mixed methods case series study

BACKGROUND

Orofacial pain is a complex disabling condition. Multimodal physical therapy intervention may be helpful, yet studies of such approaches are not available and are the basis of this study.

OBJECTIVE

To identify whether combined orofacial manual therapy, pain neuroscience education, graded motor imagery, and face emotional expression training has an impact on orofacial pain and associated features.

DESIGN

Mixed-methods case series report.

METHODS

Eight subjects (five females) with predominant chronic unilateral face pain (mean duration 7.3 years) were given six individualized treatment sessions and a home program. The primary outcome was orofacial pain, while secondary outcomes were depression, quality of life, alexithymia, 2-point discrimination (TPD), laterality and emotional recognition, as well as qualitative analysis were evaluated post intervention.

RESULTS

Following the intervention orofacial pain intensity significantly reduced (p = 0.03) from 3.0 (0.53) to 2.2 (1.75) on the Graded Chronic Pain Status questionnaire. As well, secondary outcome measures depression, alexithymia, TPD, and quality of life also significantly improved. Changes were not significant in aspects of facial perception. Qualitative analysis of perception of therapy is discussed.

CONCLUSION

Multimodal therapy had a positive outcome in terms of improvement in unilateral persistent facial pain, depression score, facial body perception and quality of life, and pain in people with chronic unilateral facial pain. Based on the qualitative analysis of their perception of the therapy, multimodal therapy had beneficial effects through increased motivation and joy to exercise.

Direct and Indirect Relationships Between Physical Activity, Fitness Level, Kinesiophobia, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: A Network Analysis

Introduction

Using a network analysis, the present study investigated the extent to which physical activity (PA), objective fitness level, kinesiophobia, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) interact in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The objectives were twofold: 1) to clarify the direct and indirect relationships between these variables while controlling for the shared variance between them, and 2) to establish a potential ranking of influence among them.

Methods

This cross-sectional design study involved patients recruited from a rheumatology unit. One hundred and twenty patients completed self-reported measures of PA, the Tampa scale of kinesiophobia and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, and ninety-seven of those patients performed the six-minute walking test and the thirty-second sit-to-stand test. Network analyses were conducted using bootnet and qgraph packages.

Results

Weekly time spent on PA, as well as physical fitness measures, were directly linked to kinesiophobia and the HRQoL physical dimension, but indirectly linked to HRQoL mental dimension through the mediation of kinesiophobia. Specifically, weekly PA time had direct relationships to physical functioning, vitality, and role limitations due to physical and emotional problems. Fitness measures had direct relationships with physical functioning, bodily pain, and mental health. The analyses did not clearly highlight one variable as the most influential in the network.

Discussion

The study highlights the complexities of direct and indirect biopsychosocial relationships that are at the core of patients’ daily functioning. Measurement of PA, use of a longitudinal design, and interventions are discussed.

Predictors of health-related quality of life in musculoskeletal disease patients: a longitudinal analysis

Introduction

Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) have a significant impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) exacerbating disability, reducing independence and work capacity, among others. Predictors' identification affecting HRQoL could help to place efforts that minimize the deleterious impact of these conditions on patients' wellbeing. This study evaluates the influence of demographic and clinical predictors on the HRQoL of a cohort of RMD patients, measured using the Rosser classification index (RCI).

Methods

We included patients attending the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (HCSC) rheumatology outpatient clinic from 1 April 2007 to 30 November 2017. The primary outcome was the HRQoL assessed in each of the patient's visits using the RCI. Demographic and clinical variables extracted from a departmental electronic health record (EHR) were used as predictors: RMD diagnoses, treatments, comorbidities, and averaged HRQoL values from previous periods (for this last variable, values were imputed if no information was available). Association between predictors and HRQoL was analyzed using penalized generalized estimating equations (PGEEs). To account for imputation bias, the PGEE model was repeated excluding averaged HRQoL predictors, and common predictors were considered.

Discussion

A total of 18,187 outpatients with 95,960 visits were included. From 410 initial predictors, 19 were independently associated with patients' HRQoL in both PGEE models. Chronic kidney disease (CKD), an episode of prescription of third level analgesics, monoarthritis, and fibromyalgia diagnoses were associated with worse HRQoL. Conversely, the prescription in the previous visit of acid-lowering medication, colchicine, and third level analgesics was associated with better HRQoL.

Conclusion

We have identified several diagnoses, treatments, and comorbidities independently associated with HRQoL in a cohort of outpatients attending a rheumatology clinic.

Physical activity and disability in patients with noncardiac chest pain: a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) is one of the leading reasons for emergency department visits and significantly limits patients' daily functioning. The protective effect of physical activity has been established in a number of pain problems, but its role in the course of NCCP is unknown. This study aimed to document the level of physical activity in patients with NCCP and its association with NCCP-related disability in the 6 months following an emergency department visit.

METHODS

In this prospective, longitudinal, cohort study, participants with NCCP were recruited in two emergency departments. They were contacted by telephone for the purpose of conducting a medical and sociodemographic interview, after which a set of questionnaires was sent to them. Participants were contacted again 6 months later for an interview aimed to assess their NCCP-related disability.

RESULTS

The final sample consisted of 279 participants (57.0% females), whose mean age was 54.6 (standard deviation = 15.3) years. Overall, the proportion of participants who were physically active in their leisure time, based on the Actimètre questionnaire criteria, was 22.0%. Being physically active at the first measurement time point was associated with a 38% reduction in the risk of reporting NCCP-related disability in the following 6 months (ρ = .047). This association remained significant after controlling for confounding variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Being physically active seems to have a protective effect on the occurrence of NCCP-related disability in the 6 months following an emergency department visit with NCCP. These results point to the importance of further exploring the benefits of physical activity in this population.

Efficacy of aquatic therapy for neck pain: a systematic review

This study systematically reviews the current state of aquatic treatment of neck pain and assesses the scientific evidence of its benefits. The databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and PEDro were searched for relevant reports published from January 1, 2008, to November 7, 2017, using the keywords "neck pain" in addition to "balneotherapy", "spa treatment", "spa", "thalassotherapy", "hydrotherapy", "aquatic therapy" or "aquatic". Inclusion criteria were full-text articles published in journals included in Journal Citation Reports in English and Spanish describing human studies. Case studies, letters to the editor and meeting presentations or other contributions were excluded. Of 367 articles identified, only 13 fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 5 randomized trials, 1 single blind controlled study, 2 pilot studies, 2 observational retrospective studies, 1 prospective study, 1 clinical study and 1 not specified. Participants were 658 subjects with chronic neck pain. Main symptoms and signs treated were neck pain, disability, cervical disc herniation and compromised quality of life. Evidence that aquatic treatment improves quality of life in affected individuals was good in four studies, fair in eight and weak in one. Treatment of neck pain using different waters and techniques reduced pain and disability, and improved functional capacity, quality of life, joint mobility, balance, relaxation and mood.

The effect of blood flow restriction exercise on exercise-induced hypoalgesia and endogenous opioid and endocannabinoid mechanisms of pain modulation

This study aimed to investigate and compare the magnitude of exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) with low-intensity blood flow restriction (BFR) resistance exercise (RE) at varying pressures to other intensities of resistance exercise and examine endogenous mechanisms of pain reduction. Twelve individuals performed four experimental trials involving unilateral leg press exercise in a randomized crossover design: low-load RE at 30% of one repetition maximum (1RM), high-load RE (70% 1RM), and BFR-RE (30% 1RM) at a low and high pressure. BFR pressure was prescribed relative to limb occlusion pressure at 40% and 80% for the low- and high-pressure trials. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were assessed before and 5 min and 24 h following exercise in exercising and nonexercising muscles. Venous blood samples were collected at the same timepoints to determine plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. High-pressure BFR-RE increased PPTs in the exercising limb to a greater extent than all other trials. Comparable systemic EIH effects were observed with HLRE and both BFR-RE trials. PPTs in the exercising limb remained elevated above baseline at 24 h postexercise following both BFR-RE trials. Postexercise plasma beta-endorphin concentration was elevated during the BFR-RE trials. No changes to 2-arachidonoylglycerol concentration were observed. High pressure BFR-RE causes a greater EIH response in the exercising limb that persists for up to 24 h following exercise. The reduction in pain sensitivity with BFR-RE is partly driven by endogenous opioid production of beta-endorphin. BFR-RE should be investigated as a possible pain-modulation tool in individuals with acute and chronic pain.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY High-pressure blood flow restriction (BFR) causes a greater hypoalgesia response in the exercising limb (48%) compared with light and heavy load resistance exercise (10–34%). Performing light load resistance exercise with BFR causes systemic hypoalgesia comparable with heavy load resistance exercise (10–18%). BFR resistance exercise prolonged the exercise-induced hypoalgesia response for 24 h in the exercising limb (15% and 24%, respectively). Activation of endogenous opioid production and a conditioned pain modulation effect partly mediate the relationship between exercise and hypoalgesia.

Links between meaning in life and physical quality of life after rehabilitation: Mediating effects of positive experiences with physical exercises and mobility

BACKGROUND

Indicators of emotional processes (positive experiences with physical exercises) and functional processes (mobility) were previously found to be associated with positive cognitive resources (meaning in life), and the key outcome in the rehabilitation, namely physical quality of life (QOL). Yet, the mediating roles of such processes were not tested. Therefore, this prospective study investigated whether the relationship between meaning in life and physical QOL was mediated by positive experiences with physical exercises and mobility.

METHODS

Prospective data were collected at two measurement points, 1 month apart. A total of N = 339 participants (aged 19-84 years old, 57.9% women) provided data at Time 1 (T1) at the beginning of inpatient rehabilitation from central nervous system diseases (CNSD, e.g., stroke; n = 89) or musculoskeletal system diseases (MSD, e.g., dorsopathies; n = 250), and n = 234 at Time 2 (T2, the end of rehabilitation; 4 weeks after T1). Mediation analysis with meaning in life as predictor (T1), positive experiences with physical exercises and mobility as sequential mediators (T2), and physical QOL (T2) as the outcome was conducted.

RESULTS

Higher meaning in life (T1) predicted more positive experiences with physical exercises (T2), which were associated with a higher level of mobility (T2), which in turn was associated with better physical quality of life (T2).

CONCLUSIONS

Meaning in life at the beginning of inpatient rehabilitation may trigger positive experiences with physical exercises and functional changes in mobility levels, leading to better physical quality of life. Screening for low meaning in life may allow to identify patients who are at risk for a lack of improvement of mobility and physical quality of life during rehabilitation.

Low intensity blood flow restriction exercise: Rationale for a hypoalgesia effect

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia is characterised by a reduction in pain sensitivity following exercise. Recently, low intensity exercise performed with blood flow restriction has been shown to induce hypoalgesia. The purpose of this manuscript is to discuss the mechanisms of exercise-induced hypoalgesia and provide rationale as to why low intensity exercise performed with blood flow restriction may induce hypoalgesia. Research into exercise-induced hypoalgesia has identified several potential mechanisms, including opioid and endocannabinoid-mediated pain inhibition, conditioned pain modulation, recruitment of high threshold motor units, exercise-induced metabolite production and an interaction between cardiovascular and pain regulatory systems. We hypothesise that several mechanisms consistent with prolonged high intensity exercise may drive the hypoalgesia effect observed with blood flow restriction exercise. These are likely triggered by the high level of intramuscular stress in the exercising muscle generated by blood flow restriction including hypoxia, accumulation of metabolites, accelerated fatigue onset and ischemic pain. Therefore, blood flow restriction exercise may induce hypoalgesia through similar mechanisms to prolonged higher intensity exercise, but at lower intensities, by changing local tissue physiology, highlighting the importance of the blood flow restriction stimulus. The potential to use blood flow restriction exercise as a pain modulation tool has important implications following acute injury and surgery, and for several load compromised populations with chronic pain.

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia: A meta-analysis of exercise dosing for the treatment of chronic pain

OBJECTIVE

Increasing evidence purports exercise as a first-line therapeutic for the treatment of nearly all forms of chronic pain. However, knowledge of efficacious dosing respective to treatment modality and pain condition is virtually absent in the literature. The purpose of this analysis was to calculate the extent to which exercise treatment shows dose-dependent effects similar to what is seen with pharmacological treatments.

METHODS

A recently published comprehensive review of exercise and physical activity for chronic pain in adults was identified in May 2017. This report reviewed different physical activity and exercise interventions and their effectiveness in reducing pain severity and found overall modest effects of exercise in the treatment of pain. We analyzed this existing data set, focusing specifically on the dose of exercise intervention in these studies. We re-analyzed data from 75 studies looking at benefits of time of exercising per week, frequency of exercise per week, duration of intervention (in weeks), and estimated intensity of exercise.

RESULTS

Analysis revealed a significant positive correlation with exercise duration and analgesic effect on neck pain. Multiple linear regression modeling of these data predicted that increasing the frequency of exercise sessions per week is most likely to have a positive effect on chronic pain patients.

DISCUSSION

Modest effects were observed with one significant correlation between duration and pain effect for neck pain. Overall, these results provide insufficient evidence to conclude the presence of a strong dose effect of exercise in pain, but our modeling data provide tes predictions that can be used to design future studies to explicitly test the question of dose in specific patient populations.

Changes in health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) dimensions associated with community-based musculoskeletal physiotherapy: a multi-centre analysis

Purpose

To determine the changes in each of the five dimensions of the EuroQol 5-dimension index associated with community-based physiotherapy.

Methods

Four thousand one hundred and thirty-six patients that received community-based musculoskeletal physiotherapy across five NHS centres completed the EQ-5D on entry into the service and upon discharge. Patients were categorised on symptom location and response to treatment based on their EQ-5D index improving by at least 0.1 (“EQ-5D responders”). For each symptom location, and for responders and non-responders to treatment, the mean (± SD) were calculated for each dimension pre- and post-treatment as well as the size of effect.

Results

The mobility dimension improved (p < 0.05) in all symptom locations for EQ-5D responders (d = 0.26–1.58) and in ankle, knee, hip and lumbar symptoms for EQ-5D non-responders (d = 0.17–0.45). The self-care dimension improved (p < 0.05) in all symptom locations for EQ-5D responders (d = 0.49–1.16). The usual activities dimension improved (p < 0.05) across all symptom locations for EQ-5D responders (d = 1.00–1.75) and EQ-5D non-responders (d = 0.14–0.60). Despite the pain/discomfort dimension improving (p < 0.05) across all symptom locations for both EQ-5D responders (d = 1.07–1.43) and EQ-5D non-responders (d = 0.29–0.66), the anxiety/depression dimension improved (p < 0.05) from higher starting levels in EQ-5D responders (d = 0.76–1.05) with no change seen for EQ-5D non-responders (d = − 0.16 to 0.06).

Conclusions

Clinicians should not assume that a patient presenting with pain but expressing high anxiety/depression is unlikely to respond to treatment, as they may show the best HRQoL outcomes. For patients presenting with pain/discomfort and low levels of anxiety/depression, the EQ-5D index is perhaps not a suitable tool for sole use in patient management and service evaluation.

Associations between community-based physiotherapy for musculoskeletal injury and health related quality of life (EQ-5D): a multi-centre retrospective analysis

Background

Community-based musculoskeletal physiotherapy is used to improve function and health related quality of life (HRQoL). The purpose of this retrospective, multi-centre observational study was to determine the association between community-based physiotherapy management for musculoskeletal disorders and changes in HRQoL.

Methods

Four thousand one hundred twelve patients’ data were included in the study. Patients were included if they received a single period of treatment for a musculoskeletal injury or disorder. Patients were only included if they were being treated for a single morbidity. Patients received standard physiotherapy appropriate to their specific disorder, which could include health education/advice, exercise therapy, manual therapy, taping, soft tissue techniques, electrotherapy and/or acupuncture. Health related quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D index.

Results

EQ-5D improved by 0.203 across all patients (d = 1.10). When grouped by anatomical site of symptom, the largest increases in EQ-5D was in foot pain (0.233; d = 1.29) and lumbar pain (0.231; d = 1.13). Improvements in EQ-5D greater than the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) were seen in 68.4% of all patients. The highest proportion of patients with positive responses to treatment were in ankle pain (74.2%) and thoracic pain (73.4%). The hand (40.5%), elbow (34.7%), and hip (33.9%) showed the greatest proportion of patients that did not respond to treatment.

Conclusions

Community-based musculoskeletal physiotherapy is associated with improved health related quality of life. A randomised controlled trial is needed to determine any causal relationship between community-based physiotherapy and health related quality of life improvements.

The Effectiveness of Multimodal Care for the Management of Soft Tissue Injuries of the Shoulder: A Systematic Review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal care for the management of soft tissue injuries of the shoulder.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from 1990 to 2015. Two independent reviewers critically appraised studies using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. We used best evidence synthesis to synthesize evidence from studies with low risk of bias.

RESULTS

We screened 5885 articles, and 19 were eligible for critical appraisal. Ten randomized controlled trials had low risk of bias. For persistent subacromial impingement syndrome, multimodal care leads to similar outcomes as sham therapy, radial extracorporeal shock-wave therapy, or surgery. For subacromial impingement syndrome, multimodal care may be associated with small and nonclinically important improvement in pain and function compared with corticosteroid injections. For rotator cuff tendinitis, dietary-based multimodal care may be more effective than conventional multimodal care (exercise, soft tissue and manual therapy, and placebo tablets). For nonspecific shoulder pain, multimodal care may be more effective than wait list or usual care by a general practitioner, but it leads to similar outcomes as exercise or corticosteroid injections.

CONCLUSIONS

The current evidence suggests that combining multiple interventions into 1 program of care does not lead to superior outcomes for patients with subacromial impingement syndrome or nonspecific shoulder pain. One randomized controlled trial suggested that dietary-based multimodal care (dietary advice, acupuncture, and enzyme tablets) may provide better outcomes over conventional multimodal care. However, these results need to be replicated.

Quality of life in rehabilitation outpatients: normal values and a comparison with the general Dutch population and psychiatric patients

Purpose

To provide Dutch normal values for rehabilitation outpatients with chronic pain or musculoskeletal diseases utilizing the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF) and analyse influence of diagnosis and patient characteristics on normal values and increase understanding in those values.

Methods

Five hundred and forty-two outpatients were referred to a rehabilitation psychologist. Referral diagnoses were “musculoskeletal”, “chronic pain”, “neurological” and “miscellaneous”. Comparisons between groups were made for each of the four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF (scoring range 4–20).

Results

Domain scores of rehabilitation outpatients were physical domain 11.0 (±2.7), psychological domain 13.6 (±2.4), social domain 14.8 (±3.4) and environmental domain 14.2 (±2.2). Outpatients with chronic pain reported the lowest scores on the WHOQOL-BREF when compared to the “musculoskeletal”, “neurological” and “miscellaneous” groups. Increased age, lower education, living alone and unemployment had a negative impact on WHOQOL-BREF scores. Compared to the general Dutch population, rehabilitation outpatients scored, unadjusted for age, significantly lower difference for the physical domain 4.5 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 4.2; 4.8], the environment domain 1.7 (95 % CI 1.5; 2.0), the psychological domain 1.1 (95 % CI 0.4; 1.2) and the social domain 0.4 (95 % CI 0.0; 0.8).

Conclusions

WHOQOL-BREF scores of rehabilitation outpatients are lower and differed significantly from normal values of a Dutch population in all four domains. Therefore, the WHOQOL-BREF can be used to measure the subjective impact of their disease or injury. The subjective impact of chronic pain was found to be particularly high.

Changes in disability, physical/mental health states and quality of life during an 8-week multimodal physiotherapy programme in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a prospective cohort study

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of an 8-week multimodal physiotherapy programme (MPP), integrating physical land-based therapeutic exercise (TE), adapted swimming and health education, as a treatment for patients with chronic non-specific neck pain (CNSNP), on disability, general health/mental states and quality of life.

METHODS

175 CNSNP patients from a community-based centre were recruited to participate in this prospective study.

INTERVENTION

60-minute session (30 minutes of land-based exercise dedicated to improving mobility, motor control, resistance and strengthening of the neck muscles, and 30 minutes of adapted swimming with aerobic exercise keeping a neutral neck position using a snorkel). Health education was provided using a decalogue on CNSNP and constant repetition of brief advice by the physiotherapist during the supervision of the exercises in each session.

STUDY OUTCOMES

primary: disability (Neck Disability Index); secondary: physical and mental health states and quality of life of patients (SF-12 and EuroQoL-5D respectively). Differences between baseline data and that at the 8-week follow-up were calculated for all outcome variables.

RESULTS

Disability showed a significant improvement of 24.6% from a mean (SD) of 28.2 (13.08) at baseline to 16.88 (11.62) at the end of the 8-week intervention. All secondary outcome variables were observed to show significant, clinically relevant improvements with increase ranges between 13.0% and 16.3% from a mean of 0.70 (0.2) at baseline to 0.83 (0.2), for EuroQoL-5D, and from a mean of 40.6 (12.7) at baseline to 56.9 (9.5), for mental health state, at the end of the 8-week intervention.

CONCLUSION

After 8 weeks of a MPP that integrated land-based physical TE, health education and adapted swimming, clinically-relevant and statistically-significant improvements were observed for disability, physical and mental health states and quality of life in patients who suffer CNSNP. The clinical efficacy requires verification using a randomised controlled study design.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02046876.