Role of Physiotherapy and Physical Agent Modalities for Musculoskeletal Disorders: Present and Future

Dear Colleagues,

Musculoskeletal disorders are recognized as the second most common reason for disability worldwide. Conventional pain management approaches are focused on pharmacological interventions; however, functional outcomes of chronic pain have often been underestimated and undertreated. In this context, the role of physiotherapy and physical agent modalities (PAMs) dates back to the early days of the development of the physical and rehabilitation medicine field. PAMs are managed by physiatrists and physical therapists to deliver a desired therapeutic effect and are gaining growing attention in the domain of research, not only in terms of functional recovery but also in recovering from musculoskeletal pain. In this outline, we center the benefits of PAMs, including technological advances could play a key role in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Thus, understanding the effects, contraindications, and precautions of each modality is crucial for proper use. Starting from clinical evidence, physiotherapy and PAMs might be useful to counteract musculoskeletal pain disorders. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to provide a broad and clear overview of PAMs in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. 

Prof. Dr. Alessandro de Sire
Prof. Dr. Antonio Ammendolia
Dr. Nicola Marotta
Guest Editors

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