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Musculoskeletal Disorders: From Molecular Pathology to Novel Therapeutic Approach

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 3227

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Unidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: physiotherapy; musculoskeletal disorders; dry needling; manual therapy; instrumentally assisted manual therapy; therapeutic exercise

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most prevalent pathologies worldwide and may affect a diversity of tisular organizations conforming to the structural components of the neuromusculoskeletal system. The high prevalence of these pathologies, particularly of those with a chronic nature, seems to be on the rise, raising concerns regarding the older average age of the population and certain lifestyle habits, such as a sedentary lifestyle, which determine a physiological state that is prone to the appearance and chronicity of this type of pathology. A sedentary lifestyle leads to a destabilization of cellular homeostasis, which is linked to major macroscopic dysfunctions, such as obesity, but also to imbalances in tissue functioning that can favor the chronicity of musculoskeletal disorders.

This will be lead by Prof. Dr. María Orosia Lucha-López and assisted by our Topical Advisory Panel Member Dr. Clemens Gögele (Paracelsus Medical University). This Special Issue of IJMS, entitled “Musculoskeletal Disorders: From Molecular Pathology to Novel Therapeutic Approach”, aims to consolidate research highlighting new insights in the pathological mechanisms behind the regenerative failure of musculoskeletal system tissues. In addition, new evidence based on novel therapeutic approaches in which action mechanisms might be clearer today, thanks to novel discoveries in pathological mechanisms, will enrich the future treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

Prof. Dr. María Orosia Lucha López
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • joints
  • skeletal muscles
  • tendons
  • ligaments
  • fascia
  • articular cartilage
  • intervertebral discs
  • physiotherapy
  • novel therapies

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

29 pages, 1968 KiB  
Review
Unraveling the Metabolic Pathways Between Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) and Sarcopenia
by Marina Ribas Losasso, Maria Luiza Cesto Parussolo, Antony Oliveira Silva, Rosa Direito, Karina Quesada, Claudia Rucco Penteado Detregiachi, Marcelo Dib Bechara, Nahum Méndez-Sánchez, Ludovico Abenavoli, Adriano Cressoni Araújo, Ricardo de Alvares Goulart, Elen Landgraf Guiger, Lucas Fornari Laurindo and Sandra Maria Barbalho
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4673; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104673 - 14 May 2025
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Abstract
Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a public health concern that is constantly expanding, with a fast-growing prevalence, and it affects about a quarter of the world’s population. This condition is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular, hepatic, and oncologic diseases, such as [...] Read more.
Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a public health concern that is constantly expanding, with a fast-growing prevalence, and it affects about a quarter of the world’s population. This condition is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular, hepatic, and oncologic diseases, such as hypertension, hepatoma, and atherosclerosis. Sarcopenia was long considered to be an aging-related syndrome, but today, it is acknowledged to be secondarily related to chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular conditions, and liver diseases, among other comorbidities associated with insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, besides inactivity and poor nutrition. The physiopathology involving MAFLD and sarcopenia has still not been solved. Inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and insulin resistance seem to be some of the keys to this relationship since this hormone target is mainly the skeletal muscle. This review aimed to comprehensively discuss the main metabolic and physiological pathways involved in these conditions. MAFLD and sarcopenia are interconnected by a complex network of pathophysiological mechanisms, such as insulin resistance, skeletal muscle tissue production capacity, chronic inflammatory state, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, which are the main contributors to this relationship. In addition, in a clinical analysis, patients with sarcopenia and MAFLD manifest more severe hepatitis fibrosis when compared to patients with only MAFLD. These patients, with both disorders, also present clinical improvement in their MAFLD when treated for sarcopenia, reinforcing the association between them. Lifestyle changes accompanied by non-pharmacological interventions, such as dietary therapy and increased physical activity, undoubtedly improve this scenario. Full article
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15 pages, 1822 KiB  
Review
Association between Estrogen Levels and Temporomandibular Disorders: An Updated Systematic Review
by Grzegorz Zieliński and Beata Pająk-Zielińska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 9867; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25189867 - 12 Sep 2024
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2431
Abstract
The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the impact of estrogen levels on the occurrence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in humans. Searches were conducted in the same databases as follows: PubMed, the Cochrane Collaboration database, and the Scopus database. In accordance [...] Read more.
The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the impact of estrogen levels on the occurrence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in humans. Searches were conducted in the same databases as follows: PubMed, the Cochrane Collaboration database, and the Scopus database. In accordance with the MeSH database and previous work, the following keywords were used: ‘estrogens’ and ‘temporomandibular joint disorders’. Twelve studies were included in the review and were assessed for the quality of evidence. Estrogen levels are associated with pain modulation in the temporomandibular joint and the entire orofacial region. There is insufficient evidence to either confirm or refute the influence of estrogen on the occurrence of TMDs. The study was registered under the identifier: 10.17605/OSF.IO/BC7QF. Full article
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