The Effectiveness of Muscle Energy Technique in Patients with Adhesive Capsulitis

Objective: The objective of study was to find the effectiveness of muscle energy techniques (METs) in patients with adhesive capsulitis. Methodology: Study was conducted in population of Sargodha seeking physiotherapy treatment for adhesive capsulitis in physiotherapy rehabilitation departments and centers. Study was randomized, controlled and multicenter. 50 patients were selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria and were divided into two groups by lottery method of randomization. Group I obtained muscle energy technique. Group II was controlled that obtained conventional treatment in the form of heat and range of motion exercises. Duration of study was 06 month. Interventions were carried out for two weeks (total 10 sessions). A baseline measurement was taken on shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI). A post intervention measurement was taken on same outcome measurements tools and was compared by independent t test. Results: The pre intervention measurements on Shoulder Pain Disability Index were 61.11 in control and 61.18 in METs group. The post intervention measurements on Shoulder Pain Disability Index were 49.33in control and 27.69 in METs group. Conclusion: This study concluded that METs techniques are effective in treatment of adhesive capsulitis to decrease the pain and disability in comparison to control groups.

Functional outcome in operated patients of multilevel lumbar canal stenosis and use of HRQoL role in depicting the anxiety and its correlation with the pain

Background Lumbar canal stenosis (LCS) is a degenerative spinal disease of elderly people, and it not only impairs the mechanical activity but also alters the economic and mental status of the patients indirectly. This is single-center observational prospective study conducted for 2 years and included 30 consecutive operated patients of multilevel LCS patients and excluded the patients with single-level LCS, with primary LCS or with grade II subluxation. We analyzed the various measurement indices used for the surgical outcome assessment as ED-5D 5L and OLBPDI (Oswestry low back pain disability index). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) Version 21.0 statistical Analysis Software. The independent t test, post hoc analysis, Wilcoxon signed rank statistic test and RM-ANOVA test were also applied. Result Most patients have improvement in pain and all the components of HRQoL (health-related quality of life) after surgery, which was further improved in mean follow-up of 1 year. Our study also suggested that the patients with higher anxiety/depression have higher pain intensity and low HRQoL, which was persistent in postoperative period (p < .001). Conclusion ED-5D 5L and OLBPD are good indices to assess all the components of quality of life and give valuable information overall. Anxiety has shown important correlation with the pain component in both preoperative and postoperative phase.

Effect of multi-grip myoelectric prosthetic hands on daily activities, pain-related disability and prosthesis use compared with single-grip myoelectric prostheses: A single-case study

Objective: To evaluate the effect of multi-grip myoelectric prosthetic hands on performance of daily activities, pain-related disability and prosthesis use, in comparison with single-grip myoelectric prosthetic hands. Design: Single-case AB design. Patients: Nine adults with upper-limb loss participated in the study. All had previous experience of single-grip myoelectric prostheses and were prescribed a prosthesis with multi-grip functions. Methods: To assess the changes in daily activities, pain-related disability and prosthesis use between single-grip and multi-grip myoelectric prosthetic hands, the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Pain Disability Index, and prosthesis wearing time were measured at multiple time-points. Visual assessment of graphs and multi-level linear regression were used to assess changes in the outcome measures. Results: At 6 months’ follow-up self-perceived performance and satisfaction scores had increased, prosthesis wearing time had increased, and pain-related disability had reduced in participants with musculoskeletal pain at baseline. On average, 8 of the 11 available grip types were used. Most useful were the power grip, tripod pinch and lateral pinch. Conclusion: The multi-grip myoelectric prosthetic hand has favourable effects on performance of, and satisfaction with, individually chosen activities, prostheses use and pain-related disability. A durable single-grip myoelectric prosthetic hand may still be needed for heavier physical activities. With structured training, a standard 2-site electrode control system can be used to operate a multi-grip myoelectric prosthetic hand.

Evaluation of the correlation between the Istanbul Low Back Pain Disability Index, Back Pain Functional Scale and other back pain disability scales in Turkish patients with low back pain

BACKGROUND: Low back pain is an important health problem that may cause functional loss. Several back pain disability scales have been developed in different languages. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluates the correlation between the Istanbul Low Back Pain Disability Index (ILBPDI) the Back Pain Functional Scale (BPFS) and other back pain disability scales in patients with mechanical low back pain. METHODS: Included in the study were 105 patients who presented to our outpatient clinics and who were diagnosed with mechanical low back pain. The ILBPDI, BPFS, Quebec back pain disability scale (QBPDS) and Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire (ODI) were administered to all participants, and Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were recorded. RESULTS: A strongly negative correlation was identified between ILBPDI and BPFS (p< 0.05), and a strongly positive correlation was noted between ILBPDI and QBPDS, ODI and VAS. CONCLUSION: A strong correlation exists between ILBPDI and BPFS, and a further strong correlation between ILBPDI ODI and QBPDS. These questionnaires can be used interchangeably to evaluate disability associated with chronic mechanical low back pain.

LAND BASED EXERCISES VERSUS POOL BASED EXERCISES FOR SWIMMER’S SHOULDER IN COMPETITIVE SWIMMERS: RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

To compare the effect of Land based exercises and Pool based exercises for shoulder strength to reduce shoulder pain in competitive swimmers using Shoulder Pain Disability Index (SPADI) score, Hand-Held dynamometer (HHD), Randomized Clinical trial.29 competitive swimmers with age group between 8 to 18 years were evaluated for shoulder pain using Shoulder Pain Disability Index Score [SPADI] and shoulder strength was evaluated using Hand Held Dynamometer [HHD] before and after the study. Then all the subjects were divided into 2 groups, for Group A Pool based exercises were given and for Group B Land based exercises were given. Statistically there is significant difference in values of outcome measures after the study in both groups but there is more significant difference in Group A than Group B. Pool based exercises showed more significant effect on shoulder pain than land based exercises in swimmer’s shoulder.

EFFECTIVENESS OF CERVICAL MANUAL MOBILIZATION TECHNIQUES VERSUS STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR PAIN RELIEF IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NECK PAIN

Introduction. A huge literature is available regarding the efficacy of various physiotherapy techniques for neck pain (NP), however, comparative study is still in scarcity. Therefore, this study aimed to compare effectiveness of stretching exercises versus manual mobilization techniques in the management of NP. Material and method. A randomized controlled trial parallel-group design study was conducted on the patients suffering from NP. Participants with the history of NP, aged between 19 to 60 years, NP without radiculopathy, and no history of trauma were included in the study. Two outcome measures were used i.e., Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) and neck pain disability index (NDI) questionnaire. Two groups were equally divided had twenty-five patients each. Group A received cervical stretching with strengthening exercises as home-treatment program and group B received manual mobilization with strengthening exercises as home-treatment program. Six sessions were given on alternate basis and assessed pre- and post-treatment information of all patients. Results and discussions. Independent sample t-test was run to compare the post difference between stretching exercises and manual mobilization at 95% confidence interval (p<0.05). The Post NPRS difference between the groups shows no significant improvement (p=0.32). Similarly no significant difference was found in post NDI Disability (p=0.57). Therefore, both the treatment strategies are equally effective in improving NP and disability. Conclusions. This clinical trial concluded that stretching or manual mobilization is equally effective to reduce pain and disability. Hence, improve the quality of life in neck pain survivors. Keywords: Manual Mobilization Technique, Neck Pain, , Neck Pain Disability Index Questionnaire, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Range of Motion, Stretching Exercises,

Pain Neuroscience Education Combined with Therapeutic Exercises Provides Added Benefit in the Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain

Background: Chronic neck pain is common in the adult general population. Although the etiology of chronic neck pain is under debate, it is clear that chronic neck pain is multifactorial, with both physical and psychosocial contributors. Objective: To determine whether adding pain neuroscience education (PNE) to therapeutic exercises improved their pain–disability index, pain catastrophizing, fear–avoidance beliefs, and pain self-efficacy in subjects with chronic nonspecific neck pain. Methods: This study was a three-arm randomized control trial. Seventy-two patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain were allocated to three groups: therapeutic exercises alone (n = 24), combined (therapeutic exercises + PNE; (n = 24), and a control group (n = 24). Each program took place three times a week, lasting for six weeks. The disability index, pain catastrophizing, fear–avoidance beliefs, and pain self-efficacy measured by the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPAD), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Fear–Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ), and Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), respectively. Participants were assessed before and after the six-week intervention, and there was no further follow-up. Results: For the outcomes NPAD, PSC, and FABQ, combined intervention demonstrated more significant improvements than therapeutic exercises alone (p ≤ 0.05), whereas no differences were observed between the two intervention groups for PSEQ (p = 0.99). In addition, significant differences were favoring experimental groups versus control for all outcomes (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: Therapeutic exercises combined with pain neuroscience education reduced the pain–disability index, pain catastrophizing, and fear–avoidance beliefs more than therapeutic exercises alone in patients with chronic neck pain. For pain self-efficacy, there was no statistically significant difference between the two intervention groups; however, the combined group had a more significant effect than therapeutic exercises alone. Further studies with longer periods and follow-up are required.

Psychological factors associated with headache frequency, intensity, and headache-related disability in migraine patients

Background Several psychological cofactors of migraine have been identified, but relationships to different headache parameters (e.g., headache frequency vs. headache-related disability) are only incompletely understood. Methods We cross-sectionally assessed 279 migraine patients at their first presentation at our tertiary headache center. We obtained headache and acute medication frequency, pain intensity, the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), and the Pain Disability Index (PDI) as headache-related outcomes as well as scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Pain-Related Control Scale (PRCS), and Avoidance Endurance Questionnaire (AEQ) as psychological factors. Results Linear regression models revealed the highest associations of the psychological factors with the PDI (adjusted R2 = 0.296, p < 0.001, independent predictors: PCS, AEQ social avoidance, depression) followed by the MIDAS (adjusted R2 = 0.137, p < 0.001, predictors: depression, AEQ social avoidance) and headache frequency (adjusted R2 = 0.083, p < 0.001, predictors: depression, AEQ humor/distraction). Principal component analysis corroborated that psychological factors were preferentially associated with the PDI, while the MIDAS loaded together with headache frequency. Conclusion Our results suggest that psychological factors are more strongly associated with the subjective degree of headache-related disability measured by the PDI than with the days with disability (MIDAS) or the more objective parameter of headache frequency. This once again highlights the need for comprehensive assessment of migraine patients with different headache parameters and the need for considering psychological treatment, especially in patients with high disability.

Reliability and validity of the Istanbul low back pain disability index in lumbosacral radiculopathy

BACKGROUND: Lumbosacral radiculopathy is associated with a broad range of complaints; therefore, specific disability measurements should be validated for this condition. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Istanbul Low Back Pain Disability Index (ILBPDI) in lumbosacral radiculopathy. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with radiculopathy caused by a disc herniation were included. Disability and quality of life were evaluated with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Short Form-36 (SF-36), respectively. The severity of low back pain and leg pain were evaluated using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). The reliability of the ILBPDI was assessed using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The relation of ILBPDI with SF-36, ODI, NRS-back and NRS-leg scores were analyzed for convergent validity. The relation of the ILBPDI with age, body mass index (BMI), and disease duration was analyzed for divergent validity. Factor analysis was used to establish the internal construct validity. RESULTS: One hundred patients (55% female) were included in this study. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.92. The ILBPDI was found to be correlated with the ODI (rho: 0.619, p< 0.005) and NRS-leg score (rho: 0.597, p< 0.005), but not with NRS-back score (rho: 0.164, p> 0.05). The ILBPDI was significantly correlated with physical functioning (rho: -0.638, p< 0.005), bodily pain (rho: -0.488, p< 0.005), general health (rho: -0.264, p= 0.008) and social function (rho: -0.372, p< 0.005) subscales of SF-36 (convergent validity). The ILBPDI was not correlated with age, BMI, or disease duration (divergent validity). Factor analysis showed that the scale had three-factors which were correlated to bending forward, standing, and sitting activities. CONCLUSION: The ILBPDI is a valid and reliable instrument in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy.