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Currently there is no treatment capable of significantly alleviating all the symptoms of fibromyalgia (FM), even though it is a complex syndrome with a high prevalence in the population. Experimental study using a single-blind, randomised, clinical trial. To analyse the efficacy of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) as an alternative to traditional treatment of fibromyalgia (FM) in women. This was an experimental study using a single-blind, randomised, clinical trial of 20 women between 30 and 55 years old with FM. Patients were divided into an experimental group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 10). During the study, 3 measurements of pain (visual analogue scale and algometry), FM impact (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire), sleep quality (Index Pittsburgh), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) were recorded. Treatment of the experimental group consisted of 2 weekly MLD sessions for 6 weeks. The effect of the interaction of MLD showed statistically significant results in Right intercostal space (F 2,36 = 3.54; p = 0.04; n2p = 0.16). The sleep quality was significantly better favour of the treatment (F 2,36 = 4.16; p = 0.01; n2p = 0.20). MLD therapy demonstrated effects in the experimental group in contrast to the control group across the intervention period concerning the right intercostal space and sleep-related factors. However, MLD did not result in observable alterations in pain perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panoramic ultrasound (US) is a novel method used to assess linear dimensions, cross-sectional area, fatty infiltrate and echo-intensity features of muscles that cannot be measured with B-mode US. However, a structured overview of its validity and reliability is lacking. MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for studies evaluating reliability or validity data on panoramic US imaging to determine the muscular morphology and/or quality of skeletal muscles. Most studies had acceptable methodological quality. Seventeen studies analyzing reliability (n = 16) or validity (n = 5) were included. Twelve studies assessed cross-sectional area, seven studies assessed echo-intensity, five assessed linear dimensions (fascicle/tendon length, muscle/subcutaneous adipose thickness or between-structure distance) and one assessed intramuscular fat. Panoramic US seems to be a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of muscle morphology and quality in healthy populations at specific locations, particularly the lower extremities. Studies including scanning procedures are needed to confirm these findings in locations not included in this revision and in both clinical and healthy populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multifactorial modulation of postural stability implies difficulties in its knowledge and approach. Does pain modify postural stability ? Scientific literature affirms and denies this relationship. Our objective was to identify if modifications of postural stability appear in the presence of pain. A systematic review was performed by searching Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and Cochrane during November and December 2018. Articles published over the past 10 years which included subjects with pain and evaluation of the postural balance with stabilometry/posturography were selected. Those who did not evaluate the postural stability through objective measurable parameters or did not include subjects with pain were excluded. The search identified 232 articles, 71 met methodological criteria for full analysis. In this review, subjects of both genders from 6 to 88 years were included. Postural stability in relation to pain was studied in different anatomical regions : – 31 articles involved the spine ; – 3 the temporomandibular joint ; – 9 the knee. Twenty-eight articles include different conditions or pathologies. Lumbar, cervical and knee are the most studied regions. The mean position and the mean speed of the centre of pressure are altered in painful processes such as chronic low back pain. Postural disturbances due to whiplash are observed in acute and chronic processes. Traumatic processes seem to alter stability more than idiopathic pain. After the complete reading of the articles, a great variability of the criteria is observed in the stabilometric/posturographic measurements. The presence of pain seems to alter postural stability. The unification of the criteria in the stabilometric/posturographic measurements is necessary to draw more reliable and extrapolatable conclusions between the different pain conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]