Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Healthcare Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Physical Medicine Therapies for Human Health, Function, and Quality of Life

Print Special Issue Flyer
Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety, and Self-care Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 9 January 2027 | Viewed by 2730

Share This Special Issue

Editors

Dr. Joanna Witkoś

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

1. Department of Physiotherapy (Physical Medicine), Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
2. Collegium Medicum, Faculty of Health Sciences, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, 30-705 Kraków, Poland
Interests: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS); electrotherapy and neuromodulation; physical medicine and physical modalities; pain sensitivity and pain management; sensory processing and sensory thresholds; functional outcomes and quality of life; vibration therapy/whole-body vibration; individualized therapy and parameter optimization

Dr. Magdalena Hartman-Petrycka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Basic Biomedical Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
Interests: electrotherapy; taste; vibration; smell; food preferences; body composition and dietary factors; skin; Interdisciplinary; light therapy; sport and physiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Contemporary physical medicine is an integral part of evidence-based medicine, grounded in high-quality clinical research. It encompasses a wide spectrum of specialized therapies that employ physical agents, including electrotherapy, phototherapy, ultrasound, and vibrotherapy. These modalities modulate pain processing, support tissue healing processes, and influence neuromuscular activity, therefore promoting the restoration of physical function across a wide range of clinical conditions.

Properly planned and methodically applied physical medicine procedures, individualized for each patient, play a crucial role in the comprehensive rehabilitation process. Achieving such outcomes requires precise selection and adjustment of therapy parameters, taking into account clinical presentation, stimulus tolerance, and therapeutic goals. As a result, physical medicine therapies can lead to a clinically meaningful improvement in patient functioning, an increase in activity, and enhanced participation in daily life, as well as beneficial changes in patients’ quality of life.

Despite its well-documented potential, physical medicine still tends to be underestimated in many healthcare systems and is often regarded as an adjunctive treatment rather than an integral component of therapeutic management. This Special Issue will highlight clinical value and innovation in the field of physical medicine by bringing together studies that evaluate therapeutic protocols, clinical outcomes, and their impact on patients’ health, functioning, and quality of life.

For this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Physical medicine therapies for acute and chronic pain;
Electrotherapy and neuromodulation, including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), high-voltage stimulation (HVS), and related techniques;
TENS-based analgesia: protocols and clinical outcomes;
Clinical applications of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) for muscle performance, function, and recovery;
Phototherapy (e.g., laser therapy);
Ultrasound therapy and combined physical modalities (e.g., simultaneous application of ultrasound and electrical stimulation);
Vibration therapy and deep oscillation;
Parameter-driven and protocol-optimized approaches in physical medicine;
Individualized, patient-centered applications of physical medicine therapies;
Effects of physical medicine therapies on quality of life;
Safety, tolerability, and clinical decision-making in physical medicine;
Integration of physical medicine into comprehensive rehabilitation programs.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Joanna Witkoś
Dr. Magdalena Hartman-Petrycka
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

physical medicine
therapeutic modalities
electrotherapy (TENS and related techniques)
phototherapy/laser therapy
ultrasound therapy
vibration therapy/deep oscillation
pain management with physical medicine therapies
functional recovery
quality of life (QoL)
rehabilitation
spa therapy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

13 pages, 2825 KB

Open AccessArticle

Current Intensity and Immediate Analgesic Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Patients with Lumbosacral Pain: A Preliminary Observational Study

by Joanna Witkoś, Grzegorz Błażejewski, Galina Mratskova, Ewa Strój-Loranc, Tomasz Kogut and Magdalena Hartman-Petrycka

Healthcare 2026, 14(14), 2121; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14142121 - 15 Jul 2026

Viewed by 274

Abstract

Background: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is widely used for pain management; however, the optimal stimulation intensity remains uncertain. This preliminary observational study investigated the association between TENS current intensity and immediate analgesic effects in patients with lumbosacral pain. Methods: Fifty-three adults with lumbosacral pain undergoing routine physiotherapy were enrolled. Participants were classified post hoc according to their preferred stimulation intensity into a low-intensity group (L, n = 26), receiving stimulation at approximately the sensory threshold level, and a high-intensity group (H, n = 27), receiving stimulation at the highest tolerated intensity. TENS was delivered using an ASTAR ETIUS device (100 Hz, 100 μs, biphasic symmetrical waveform) for 20 min. Pain intensity was assessed before and immediately after treatment using a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Between-group baseline characteristics were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. Within-group changes were assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and associations between current intensity and pain reduction were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rs). Results: Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ significantly between groups. No significant change in pain intensity was observed in Group L. In contrast, Group H demonstrated a significant reduction in VAS scores following TENS (VAS before Mdn = 5, VAS after Mdn = 4, Z = 4.11, p < 0.001, effect size r = 0.88). In this group, higher stimulation intensity was associated with greater pain reduction (r_s = −0.48, p = 0.011). Conclusions: In this study, TENS delivered at the highest tolerated intensity was associated with greater immediate pain relief than stimulation applied near the sensory threshold. Because of the observational design, post hoc group allocation, and lack of randomization, the findings should be interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether higher stimulation intensities causally improve TENS analgesic efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Medicine Therapies for Human Health, Function, and Quality of Life)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1778 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Comprehensive Health Resort Treatment on Insomnia and Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Pre-Experimental Study

by Grzegorz Onik, Magdalena Dąbrowska-Galas, Galina Mratskova and Dariusz Górka

Healthcare 2026, 14(14), 2085; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14142085 - 12 Jul 2026

Viewed by 302

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep disorders are common in older adults, and quality of life is often diminished due to gradual declines in physical and mental abilities. Among the treatment strategies routinely applied in older adults, comprehensive health resort treatment is considered a promising option because of its multifaceted nature and low risk of adverse effects. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of comprehensive health resort treatment on insomnia and quality of life in older adults. The secondary objective was to examine whether treatment-induced changes in these parameters were associated with participants’ age. Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 83 participants (14 men and 69 women) with a mean age of 71.94 ± 6.00 years who underwent a 21-day comprehensive, individually tailored health resort treatment for degenerative joint disease. Insomnia was assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale. Health-related quality of life was evaluated with the European Quality of Life Five Dimensions—Five Levels (EQ-5D-5L) instrument. Assessments were conducted twice: upon admission to and discharge from the sanatorium. Results: The mean Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) score at baseline was 6.97 ± 6.21 across all participants. Following treatment, the AIS score decreased to 4.78 ± 4.95 (p < 0.0001). The baseline mean EQ-5D-5L index was 0.956 ± 0.064. After health resort treatment, the mean EQ-5D-5L index increased to 0.969 ± 0.042 (95% CI: 0.006 to 0.022; p = 0.001). Age was not associated with the magnitude of changes in the AIS score, EQ-5D-5L index or EQ-5D-5L VAS in the studied population. Conclusions: Comprehensive health resort treatment was associated with improvements in insomnia severity and quality of life in older adults, with similar changes observed across age groups. These findings suggest that comprehensive health resort treatment may be a beneficial component of geriatric health care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Medicine Therapies for Human Health, Function, and Quality of Life)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2381 KB

Open AccessArticle

Transfer of Energy Capacitive and Resistive Therapy Versus Dry Needling for Active Upper Trapezius Myofascial Trigger Points: Effects on Pain and Cervical Range of Motion a Randomized Controlled Trial

by Tomasz Piętka, Katarzyna Knapik, Grzegorz Onik and Karolina Sieroń

Healthcare 2026, 14(7), 860; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070860 - 27 Mar 2026

Viewed by 1405

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Transfer of Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) therapy in treating active myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius muscle (UT) and to compare it with the effects of dry needling (DN). Materials and Methods: We recruited 29 men (mean age: 35.52 ± 5.73 years) with active MTrPs in the UT. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: TECAR (n = 17) and DN (n = 12). Treatment was administered twice, with a 7-day interval between sessions. PPT, pain intensity (NRS), UT muscle strength (dynamometer), and cervical spine range of motion (ROM) were measured before treatment, immediately after each therapy session, and at a 30-day follow-up. Data were analyzed using parametric or non-parametric tests depending on data distribution (p < 0.05). Results: Both groups showed significant increases in PPT, but TECAR reduced NRS significantly more than DN (p < 0.001), demonstrating superior immediate analgesia. While TECAR temporarily decreased unaffected UT strength, it provided broader improvements in cervical mobility (flexion: 19.5%, contralateral rotation: 13.1%). Over 30 days, both groups improved PPT (TECAR: ~110%; DN: ~63%) and NRS (TECAR: ~97.1%; DN: ~84.5%). The TECAR group consistently outperformed DN in long-term pain reduction and achieved more substantial improvements in ROM. Conclusions: TECAR therapy appears to provide immediate and longer-term analgesic effects in the treatment of active MTrPs in the UT, although its impact on cervical ROM seems relatively limited compared with DN. It may therefore represent a useful, though less commonly applied, option for MTrPs management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Medicine Therapies for Human Health, Function, and Quality of Life)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

10 pages, 817 KB

Open AccessBrief Report

Can Phonotherapy Serve as an Adjunct Treatment for Acute and Chronic Stroke? A Preliminary Report

by Wiktor Rybicki, Katarzyna Kapcia, Marek Krzystanek, Anna Brzęk, Kamil Barański, Iwona Schuster, Dorota Szydlak, Wiktoria Balcerzak and Anetta Lasek-Bal

Healthcare 2026, 14(12), 1689; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14121689 - 12 Jun 2026

Viewed by 251

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and long-term disability worldwide. This study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and preliminary clinical effects of phonotherapy (PHT) as an adjunct to standard care in patients with acute ischemic stroke. This prospective observational study enrolled 140 patients, who were assigned to receive either phonotherapy in addition to standard care (PHT group, n = 70) or standard care alone (control group, n = 70). Phonotherapy consisted of twice-daily 528 Hz sound stimulation administered for 3 months. Neurological (NIHSS), functional (mRS), and cognitive (MoCA) outcomes were assessed at days 10 and 90. At day 10, patients receiving PHT showed significantly better neurological, functional, and cognitive outcomes compared to the controls. However, these differences were not sustained at 90 days. Phonotherapy was not an independent predictor of favorable functional outcome at 90 days. Recurrent stroke occurred in three patients (4.3%) in the PHT group and nine (12.9%) in the control group (p = 0.07). No intervention-related adverse events were observed. Phonotherapy appears to be a safe adjunct intervention in acute ischemic stroke and may be associated with short-term improvements in selected outcomes. Overall, phonotherapy appeared safe as an adjunctive intervention in patients with acute ischemic stroke and showed possible short-term associations with improvements in selected outcomes, although these preliminary findings require confirmation in randomized controlled trials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Medicine Therapies for Human Health, Function, and Quality of Life)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Physical Medicine Therapies for Human Health, Function, and Quality of Life

Share This Special Issue

Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

Research

Other

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI