Comparison of static and dynamic balance measurements among chronic and episodic migraine patients

Effects of 12 weeks of Tai Chi Chuan intervention on the postural stability and self-reported instability in subjects with functional ankle instability: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a physical activity modality that originated in China and is now widely popular around the world. Although there are a series of articles reporting that TCC can improve balance and other functional symptoms in a variety of populations, including the elderly, patients with stroke, and patients with Parkinson's disease, its efficiency has not been scientifically and methodically evaluated in subjects with functional ankle instability (FAI). Moreover, there is no literature directly comparing TCC and conventional balance training (CBT) interventions for FAI. The objective of this study is to investigate the comparative effects of TCC intervention and CBT protocols in improving postural balance and subjective instability feelings in patients with FAI.

Methods

This study will be a single-center, parallel group, randomized controlled trial. Sixty-eight patients with FAI will be included and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention group (n =34) or a control group (n = 34). The participants in the intervention group will complete 12 weeks of TCC intervention (40 min/time, 3 times/week for 12 weeks) on the basis of health education treatment. The control group will receive health education and 36 CBT sessions during a 12-week period. Outcome measures include postural stability and self-reported feelings of instability at baseline, after the end of the intervention, and 3-month follow-up. The postural stability assessment of patients with FAI will be detected by performing static and dynamic postural tests, which will be carried out through a specific balance platform (TecnoBody ProKin). Self-reported feelings of instability will be assessed by Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT), American Orthopedics Foot and Ankle Society's Ankle–Hindfoot Evaluation Scale (AOFAS-AHES), and the MOS item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).

Discussion

This trial will demonstrate whether a 12-week TCC intervention positively affects postural stability and self-reported outcomes in patients with FAI. At the same time, the superiority of its clinical efficacy will also be compared with that of CBT. This study may also help to redefine the value of traditional Chinese exercises in the treatment of chronic ankle instability.

Clinical trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2100041790. Registration date: 22 March 2021. http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=119501&htm=4.

B vitamins and their combination could reduce migraine headaches: A randomized double-blind controlled trial

Background: The B vitamins can potentially help prevent migraine. This study was designed to examine the effects of supplementation with thiamine (B1), pyridoxine (B6), cobalamin (B12), folic acid (B9), and a combination of these vitamins on women with episodic migraine (EM). Methods: This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, clinical trial conducted on 120 women with EM. The participants were divided into the 6 groups of B1 (n = 20), B6 (n = 20), B12 (n = 20), B9 (n = 20), vitamin B complex (n = 20), and placebo (n = 20). Subjects received 1 capsule daily for 12 weeks. As part of the baseline and post-intervention phases, paper-based headache diaries were used to record the number of abortive drugs consumed and the frequency of headache attacks, and the Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS) was used to assess migraine disability. Results: A 16-week study on women with EM revealed that the mean changes in the frequency of headache attacks decreased significantly in all vitamin groups in comparison with the placebo group (P < 0.001). In contrast to the placebo, there was also a significant improvement in the migraine disability score in each vitamin group (P < 0.001). The 12-week supplementation with vitamins B9, B1, B6, B12, and B complex also brought on a significant decrease in the use of abortive drugs compared to the placebo group (P = 0.032). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that B1, B6, B12, and B9, and a combination of these vitamins could be effective as an adjuvant in treatment and prophylaxis of EM. Further large trials with long-term follow-ups will be required to confirm our results.