Search Results (66)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Percutaneous Electrolysis (PE), Percutaneous peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS), and Eccentric Exercise (EE) in patients with supraspinatus tendinopathy. Methods: Forty-six participants with supraspinatus tendinopathy were randomly allocated to either an invasive therapy group (four sessions in four weeks of PE+PNS and EE program) or a conventional physical therapy group (ten sessions for 2 weeks). The multimodal physical program included Ultrasound therapy (US), Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and the same EE program. The Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), shoulder Range of Motion (ROM), Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), and disability (DASH and SPADI) were measured at baseline, at the end of treatment, and at 12- and 24-weeks follow-up. Results: The PE+PNS+EE group demonstrated consistently greater and statistically significant improvements across nearly all pain, mobility, and functional outcomes at all follow-up points (post-treatment, 12-weeks, and 24-weeks) compared to the TENS+US+EE group, with generally medium to large effect sizes. Conclusions: This study concludes that the combined PE+PNS+EE intervention offers safe and effective treatment for supraspinatus tendinopathy, demonstrating statistically significant improvements in pain, mobility, and function compared to conventional electrotherapy. Full article

Background: Arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP1) is a common intervention for hallux rigidus (HR). The procedure eliminates MTP1 motion but results in significant pain relief and high satisfaction rates, although MTP1 is eliminated. Less evidence is available regarding the effects on gait and the presence of compensatory mechanisms. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of MTP1 arthrodesis on gait and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) compared with preoperative functioning and healthy individuals. Methods: In this prospective study, 10 patients (10 feet) with HR who underwent MTP1 arthrodesis were evaluated before and after surgery and compared with 15 healthy controls (30 feet). Gait analysis was performed with a motion capturing system using the multi-segment Oxford foot model. Spatiotemporal parameters and kinematics were quantitatively analyzed. PROMs were evaluated using validated questionnaires including the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Hallux Metatarsophalangeal-Interphalangeal (AOFAS-HMI) scale, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and the Manchester–Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ). Results: MTP1 joint motion was reduced in HR and further reduced after MTP1 arthrodesis compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, intersegmental ROM analysis revealed increased forefoot frontal plane motion (pronation and supination) in HR compared with healthy controls. This was also observed after MTP1 arthrodesis, while additionally increased frontal plane motion in the hindfoot (inversion and eversion) was observed compared with HR and healthy controls. PROM evaluation revealed improved AOFAS-HMI (from 55.7 to 79.1 points, p = 0.002) and NPRS (from 5.7 to 1.5 points, p = 0.004) scores after surgery. Additionally, improvements in the MOXFQ score (from 51.0 to 20.0 points, p = 0.002) were observed. Conclusions: Due to the loss of sagittal hallux motion, foot and ankle kinematics are changed in HR patients and after MTP1 arthrodesis compared with healthy controls. Loss of MTP1 motion results in increased frontal plane motion of the forefoot in HR, and increased frontal plane motion of the fore- and hindfoot after MTP1 arthrodesis. Additionally, substantial improvements in PROMs were recorded after surgery. Full article

Aim: New disease-specific and mechanism-based treatments for migraine that share good evidence of efficacy have recently been introduced. However, due to reimbursement problems with insurance companies and high costs, classical anti-migraine drugs continue to be used. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and tolerability of flunarizine for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine without aura in a Turkish cohort, concentrating on alterations in headache frequency, pain intensity, and migraine-related disability as measured by MIDAS scores within a practical clinical environment. Methods: Clinical and demographic data of 243 patients with episodic migraine without aura (175 females, 68 males; mean age 33.9 years) were evaluated. Headache frequency, side effects of flunarizine, pain intensity, and MIDAS scores were recorded during initial and 3-month follow-up periods. Results: After three months of flunarizine treatment, significant improvements were observed in headache parameters. The mean Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score, the mean MIDAS score, and the monthly migraine attack frequency declined significantly (all p values < 0.001). Adverse events were reported in 21.8% of patients, most commonly weight gain and tiredness, followed by mood changes, gastrointestinal symptoms, and numbness or tingling. Patients experiencing side effects were significantly older (p = 0.023), though side effects did not impact treatment efficacy. Regression analysis identified no significant predictors of disability improvement. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that flunarizine had considerable short-term efficacy in decreasing the frequency of migraine attacks, alleviating headache severity, and reducing migraine-related disability among patients experiencing episodic migraine without aura. Although mild to moderate side effects were fairly prevalent, especially in older individuals, they did not compromise the effectiveness of the treatment. Notably, early adverse events occurring within the first two weeks resulted in treatment discontinuation for some patients, highlighting the necessity for vigilant monitoring during the initial phase of treatment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Natural-origin PN HPT™ (Polynucleotides High Purification Technology) protect and revitalize chondrocytes, synoviocytes, and cartilage with a regenerative medicine perspective following intra-articular injection. This six-month, open-label data collection aimed to validate the benefits documented in previous studies of a single intra-articular injection of a proprietary PN HPT™/HA-based medical device in improving both subjective and objective manifestations of knee osteoarthritis in real-life ambulatory patients of both genders with unilateral or bilateral knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Efficacy and safety assessments, conducted at baseline before a single PN HPT™/HA injection and after three and six months of follow-up, included the Lequesne index and the patient-assessed Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), which focuses on pain intensity, as primary endpoints. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) was a secondary endpoint. Results: After three and six months, the mean baseline Lequesne index score improved by 43.8% and 51.4%, respectively. Concurrently, the mean NPRS score improvements were 42.2% and 54.7%. Furthermore, 32% of investigators and 15.5% of treated patients deemed optimal the clinical outcomes with no clinical worsening. Conclusions: With some limitations due to the uncontrolled design and relying on subjective rating scales only, the study confirms all previous findings about the benefits of combining PN HPT™ and HA in the same medical device for intra-articular injection in knee osteoarthritis. Full article

Background: In this study, we used intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Rather than emphasizing its use for safety purposes, our goal was to evaluate how neurophysiological parameters change during surgery and their correlation with clinical findings. Methods: This study included 30 patients who underwent ACDF. Detailed neurological examination was performed together with manual muscle testing (MMT), the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire. During surgery, somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs), motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), and spontaneous electromyography were registered. Results: There were statistically significant difference in the latency and amplitude of SSEPs of the right median nerve. Regarding the left median nerve, there was a statistically significant difference in amplitude, but not in latency. Differences were also observed in the amplitudes of right and left tibial nerve SSEPs, though no significant differences were found in their latencies. No statistically significant difference was found in the threshold values required to elicit MEPs between the beginning and end of the surgery. Additionally, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between the latency of the left and right median nerve and the left tibial nerve with somatosensory impairment. There was also a significant negative correlation between the amplitude of both tibial nerves and somatosensory impairment, and their latency showed a significant negative correlation with pain level before surgery. We found statistically significant decreases in NDI and pain level values one month after surgery. Conclusions: The results show significant changes in SSEPs and a correlation between clinical and neurophysiological findings and emphasize the importance of using MEPs to assess the condition of the motor system. Additionally, there was a general improvement in the patients’ condition, as assessed by NDI and pain scores. This study identifies critical surgical phases to consider in the absence of real-time neuromonitoring feedback and emphasizes that clinical observations may not fully reflect the condition of neurological structures in patients with myelopathy, which is crucial when deciding on timely surgery. Full article

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects 20–85% of individuals exposed to neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. Perineural electrical dry needling (PEDN) and neural mobilization (NM) interventions may be beneficial in the management of chronic neurogenic pain; however, there is a paucity of research on the efficacy of both interventions for CIPN. Methods: Three patients were referred to an outpatient physical therapy clinic with chronic neuropathic pain associated with CIPN. Each underwent PEDN and NM twice weekly until goals were met or progress stalled. The primary outcome measure was the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Secondary outcomes included the Global Rating of Change (GROC) and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS). All outcome measures were assessed at evaluation and discharge. Results: At discharge, patients A and B exceeded the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for the primary and secondary outcome measures, indicating decreased neuropathic pain and improved lower extremity function. Patient C improved in all outcome measures but only experienced clinically meaningful changes in the NPRS and LEFS, not the GROC. Conclusions: Following 4–8 sessions of PEDN and NM, three patients with CIPN demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in chronic lower extremity neuropathic pain and function. PEDN and NM may be beneficial in the management of patients presenting with chronic neuropathic pain secondary to CIPN. Full article

This pilot study examines the relationship between pain intensity and trunk sitting postural control in 10 office workers with chronic spinal pain, using field-based real-time inertial sensors. Pain intensity was assessed with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) before and after work across three non-consecutive workdays, while postural control was evaluated through estimated center of pressure (COP) displacements. Linear and nonlinear metrics, including sway range, velocity, the Hurst exponent, and sample entropy, were derived from the estimated COP time series. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and corresponding p-values were used to analyze the relationship between pain intensity and postural control. Significant correlations, though limited to specific metrics, were found (r = −0.860 to 0.855; p < 0.05), suggesting that higher pain intensity may be correlated with reduced postural variability. These findings provide preliminary insights into the potential link between pain intensity and postural control. Understanding trunk posture dynamics could inform the development of targeted ergonomic interventions to reduce musculoskeletal stress and improve sitting comfort in office environments. Full article

Background: In the cardio-respiratory rehabilitation field, thermal medicine represents an interesting complementary therapy approach. It can aid in complex medical contexts characterized by cardio-respiratory deficiency, functional limitation, and pain determined by the invasiveness of pharmacological and surgical treatments in combination with limited post-surgical physical activity. Methods: We investigated the evolution of cardio-respiratory and functional performances following the application of the Integrated Thermal Care (ITC) protocol in 11 mastectomized/quadrantectomized women (mean age of 54 years). The ITC protocol consisted of hydroponic treatments, steam inhalations treatment, hydrokinesitherapy, and manual treatments. Patients were assessed before and after a cycle of 1 h long treatment sessions, which were performed 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The outcomes were measured through the following scales and tests: Piper Fatigue Scale (PIPER), 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), Five Times Sit-to-Stand (5STS), Range of Arm Motion (ROM), Disability of the Arm–Shoulder–Hand Scale (DASH), and Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Results: We found appreciable improvements in cardio-respiratory efficiency and in pain perception exemplified by a reduction of PIPER, 5STS, DASH, and NPRS values together with an increase in 6MWT and ROM values. Conclusions: We conclude that ITC is a promising rehabilitative tool to enhance cardio-respiratory and functional performance and reduce pain after mastectomy/quadrantectomy. Full article

Background/Objectives: Due to rigidity, musculoskeletal pain is more common in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) compared with age-matched older adults, and the shoulder is one of the body parts that is most involved. In the literature, there is no clear standard for the treatment of shoulder pain in people with PD. This clinical trial study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy treatment for people with PD with painful shoulders. Methods: The main goals were improvements in pain intensity, balance, quality of life (QoL), and activities of daily living (ADL), evaluated with the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ-R), 12-Item Short-Form Survey (SF-12), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scale, and Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Also, the evaluation comprised range of motion (ROM) evaluation with a goniometer and the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale. The inclusion criteria of this study were a diagnosis of PD associated with shoulder pain, and a stage of disease of 1–2 on the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Results: The sample comprised 16 participants; the mean age of the participants was 72. Through feedback collected from the individuals participating in this study, it emerged that the rehabilitation approach specifically designed for individuals suffering from shoulder pain associated with Parkinson’s disease produced remarkable results. Conclusions: These results were confirmed by a series of statistically significant data, which showed significant improvements in several areas: joint mobility, muscle strength, motor coordination, the ability to perform daily activities, emotional state, pain reduction, QoL improvement, and balance in both dynamic and static conditions. Full article

Background/Objectives: CAPTRANE evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of high-concentration capsaicin patch (HCCP) vs. oral pregabalin for the treatment of postsurgical neuropathic pain (PSNP) following breast cancer surgery. The study was designed with the aim of demonstrating noninferiority of one HCCP against daily pregabalin. Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, parallel-arm, open-label study conducted across nine centers in France. The primary endpoint was a change from baseline in the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score after 2 months. Results: Recruitment challenges resulted in the randomization of 140 patients (versus 644 planned); the per-protocol population comprised 107 patients (HCCP: n = 65; pregabalin: n = 42). Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. In the per-protocol analysis, the mean (standard deviation) change versus baseline in NPRS score was −1.926 (2.554) with HCCP and −1.634 (2.498) with pregabalin. The prespecified analysis showed that HCCP was not inferior to pregabalin: the lower bound of the 90% confidence interval for the between-arm difference was −0.889 and the upper bound was +0.260 (i.e., below the predefined clinical threshold of +0.4). Patient-reported outcomes showed no statistically significant differences between treatments. The painful area size decreased significantly more with HCCP. Tolerability profiles differed, with HCCP mostly causing application-site reactions. While >50% of patients switched from pregabalin to HCCP, none switched from HCCP to pregabalin. Conclusions: This comparative study in PSNP post breast cancer surgery, evaluating a single treatment of HCCP, shows a noninferior reduction in pain intensity, a superior reduction in painful area size, and a patient preference for HCCP compared with pregabalin. Despite limitations, it contributes valuable initial data for PSNP management in breast cancer care. Full article

Background/Objectives: Individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) have altered lumbar multifidus stiffness properties compared to healthy controls. Although neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) application to the multifidus might affect stiffness, this has never been investigated. The aims of this study were to examine the effect of a single NMES treatment on multifidus stiffness and pain intensity in CLBP patients. Methods: 30 participants (13 male, 17 female) were randomized to one of two intervention (‘phasic’ and ‘combined’) protocols with the StimaWELL 120MTRS system. Multifidus stiffness at L4 and L5 was measured via shear-wave elastography (SWE) at rest and in standing prior to, and 15 min after, a 20 min NMES treatment. Pain intensity was measured pre- and post-treatment with the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS). Results: There were significant increases in resting shear modulus at right L4 (p = 0.001) and bilaterally at L5 (p = 0.017; p = 0.020) in the ‘combined’ intervention group, and a significant between-group difference at right L4 (p < 0.001). There were significant decreases in standing shear modulus at right L4 (p = 0.015) and left L5 (p = 0.036) in the ‘combined’ intervention group, and a significant between-group difference at left L5 (p = 0.016). Both groups experienced significant decreases in pain intensity (MD combined group = 1.12, 95% CI [0.34, 1.90], p = 0.011) (MD phasic group = 1.42, 95% CI [0.68, 2.16], p = 0.001). Conclusions: There were multiple significant changes in multifidus stiffness in the combined group, but not in the phasic group. Both groups experienced significant decreases in low back pain intensity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Precisely selected patients require vitreoretinal surgeries (VRS) performed under general anesthesia (GA) when intravenous rescue opioid analgesics (IROA) are administered intraoperatively, despite a risk of adverse events, to achieve hemodynamic stability and proper antinociception and avoid the possibility of intolerable postoperative pain perception (IPPP). Adequacy of anesthesia guidance (AoA) optimizes the titration of IROA. Preventive analgesia (PA) techniques and intravenous or preoperative peribulbar block (PBB) using different local anesthetics (LAs) are performed prior to GA to optimize IROA. The aim was to analyze the utility of PBBs compared with intravenous paracetamol added to AoA-guided GA on the incidence of IPPP and hemodynamic stability in patients undergoing VRS. Methods: A total of 185 patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery (VRS) were randomly assigned to one of several anesthesia protocols: general anesthesia (GA) with analgesia optimized through AoA-guided intraoperative remifentanil opioid analgesia (IROA) combined with a preemptive single dose of 1 g of paracetamol (P group), or PBB using one of the following options: 7 mL of an equal mixture of 2% lidocaine and 0.5% bupivacaine (BL group), 7 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine (BPV group), or 7 mL of 0.75% ropivacaine (RPV group). According to the PA used, the primary outcome measure was postoperative pain perception assessed using the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), whereas the secondary outcome measures were as follows: demand for IROA and values of hemodynamic parameters reflecting quality or analgesia and hemodynamic stability. Results: A total of 175 patients were finally analyzed. No studied PA technique proved superior in terms of rate of incidence of IPPP, when IROA under AoA was administered (p = 0.22). PBB using ropivacaine resulted in an intraoperative reduction in the number of patients requiring IROA (p = 0.002; p < 0.05) with no influence on the dose of IROA (p = 0.97), compared to paracetamol, and little influence on hemodynamic stability of no clinical relevance in patients undergoing VRS under AoA-guided GA. Conclusions: PA using paracetamol or PBBs, regardless of LAs used, in patients undergoing VRS proved no advantage in terms of rate of incidence of IPPP and hemodynamic stability when AoA guidance for IROA administration during GA was utilized. Therefore, PA using them seems no longer justified due to the potential, although rare, side effects. Full article

Background and Objectives: It has been seen that jaw opening is associated with neck extension and jaw closing is associated with neck flexion. This natural association between the jaw and neck can be used as a novel approach to treat chronic non-specific neck pain, although the effects of this concept have never been previously evaluated as a treatment strategy. This article intends to study the effects of integrating jaw opening and closing movements along with active neck exercises versus active neck exercises alone in the management of chronic non-specific neck pain. Materials and Methods: A total of 80 patients, aged 20 to 50, with chronic non-specific neck pain were included in a double-blind randomized controlled trial, conducted at the Sindh Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Karachi, Pakistan from 2018 to 2022. The patients were divided into two groups: Group A patients were assigned jaw movements with active neck exercises, while Group B patients were assigned only active neck exercises. Both groups were assigned isometric strengthening exercises and self-resisted strengthening exercises for cervical spine muscles as a home plan. The study used various outcome measures, including the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), neck disability index (NDI), neck flexion endurance (NFE), neck extension endurance (NEE), the neck proprioception error (NPE): neck flexion proprioception error (NFPE), neck extension proprioception error (NEPE), neck right rotation proprioception error (NRRPE), and neck left rotation proprioception error (NLRPE), with measurements taken at week 1 and week 6, respectively; the mean differences between the groups were measured using a two-way repeated ANOVA. Results: The experimental group showed better improvements compared to the control group, NPRS (73%), NDI (57%), NFE (152%), NEE (83%), NFPE (58%), NEPE (65%), NRRPE (65%), and NLRPE (62%), with a significant difference (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Active neck extension and flexion movements combined with jaw opening and closing are more effective in reducing pain and disability, improving neck muscles endurance and normalizing neck proprioception in patients with chronic neck pain. Full article

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy when a tibial nerve block was added to the femoral nerve block for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods: A total of 60 patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG) in a 1:1 ratio. The thirty patients who formed the CG underwent an ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block together with neuraxial anaesthesia and the administration of opioids and NSAIDs through an intravenous elastomeric pump for the management of the postoperative pain; the other thirty, who formed the EG, underwent neuraxial anaesthesia together with femoral and tibial nerve blocks. The efficacy of the analgesic effect was evaluated based on the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) and on the need for analgesic rescue at different time intervals within 48 h after surgery. Results: At 24 h, the mean NPRS score in the EG and CG at rest was 1.50 ± 1.19 and 1.63 ± 1.60 [U = 443.5, p = 0.113], respectively. With joint movement, the mean NPRS score was 2.80 ± 1.49 and 3.57 ± 1.79 [U = 345, p = 0.113], respectively. Ten patients in the EG [33.3%] and 24 in the CG [80%] required rescue analgesia [Phi = 0.471, p < 0.001]. At 48 h, the mean NPRS score in the EG and CG at rest was 0.33 ± 0.60 and 0.43 ± 0.72 [U = 428, p = 0.681], respectively. With movement, the mean NPRS score was 1.03 ± 0.99 in the EG and 1.60 ± 1.07 in the CG [U = 315, p = 0.038]. No patient in the EG group required rescue analgesia, while three patients in the CG [10%] did [Phi = 0.229, p = 0.076]. The mean opioid dosage in the CG was 300 mg, whereas in the EG it was 40 mg ± 62.14 [U < 0.05, p < 0.001]. Conclusions: Adding a tibial nerve block to the femoral nerve block in TKA may achieve the same analgesic efficacy within 48 h after surgery and would reduce the systematic use of opioids. Full article

Background: Osteoarthritis is a chronic disorder that affects the synovial joints by the progressive loss of articular cartilage. In the hip, the largest weight-bearing joint, the deterioration of articular cartilage and acetabular labrum can cause pain, diminishing the quality of life for patients. This study presents changes in reported pain scales from patients who received Wharton’s jelly applications to cartilage deterioration in the hip from the observational retrospective repository at Regenative Labs. Methods: Sixty-nine patients were selected based on inclusion criteria with patient-reported pain scales, including the Numeric Pain Rating Scale and the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index, collected at the initial application, 30, and 90-day follow-up visits. Thirteen patients received a second allograft application and had additional follow-up visits at 120 and 180 days. Results: Five of the six scales used showed a statistically significant improvement in average scores across the cohort. The greatest improvements were observed in the NPRS with a 31.36% improvement after 90 days and a 44.64% improvement for patients with two applications after 180 days. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was also calculated to determine the perceived value of care for each patient with 44.9% of patients exceeding the MCID and 78.3% reporting at least one level of improvement. Conclusions: The positive outcomes for the patients in this cohort suggest WJ to be a promising alternative care option for patients with structural tissue degeneration in the hip refractory to the current standard of care. Full article