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Introduction: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is associated with temporary morbidity as a result of pain, soreness, and reduced muscular performance that affects the overall performance of the individual. Several interventional modalities have been studied without a conclusive evidence of efficacy. Objective: This study was carried out as part of a continuous attempt to find an effective and quick relief for DOMS. The study investigated the comparative effects of warm-up exercises and infrared radiation in ameliorating the symptoms associated with DOMS. Materials and Methods: Sixty volunteer subjects between the age of 16 years and 35 years had DOMS induced in the left biceps brachii muscle. They were randomized into three groups with 20 subjects in each group. The groups were allocated as follows: Group A as control that received no treatment, Group B had a bout of warm-up exercises consisting of 10 sets of maximal elbow flexion and extension after which DOMS was experimentally induced, and Group C had infrared radiation for 20 min after which DOMS was experimentally induced. Assessment for muscle soreness, pain, and joint range of motion (ROM) was carried out immediately after inducing DOMS and it was repeated 24 h and 48 h later using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), deep palpation (DP), and goniometry, respectively. Results: The infrared group (Group C) had significantly lower scores on NPRS and DP throughout the 3 days compared with the control while the significant effects of warm-up exercises were seen from day 2. There was, however, no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the range of movement (ROM) scores. Compared with warm-up exercises (Group B), infrared resulted in significantly lower NPRS and DP scores and greater ROM only on day 1. Conclusion: Infrared radiation (IRR) is effective in ameliorating the symptoms of DOMS immediately after treatment on day 1 while the effect of warm-up exercises is seen 24 h later. IRR, thus, has a better effect than warm-up exercises in ameliorating the symptoms associated with DOMS.

Intrasound therapy (IST) has been found to improve healing in acute injuries in animal models but no clinical study has been conducted on chronic degenerative conditions in human subjects. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of IST and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the management of knee osteoarthritis. Twenty-four patients were randomly assigned into three groups: IST, TENS, and the control group. Subjects in Group 1 had low-intensity IST for 10 minutes and closed-chain exercises, Group 2 subjects had TENS at a frequency of 100 Hz, a pulse width of 150 µs, continuous mode for 15 minutes and closed-chain exercises, while the control group patients had only closed-chain exercises. Treatment was given for eight weeks, twice weekly. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scores, the distance covered in the 6-minute walk test, and knee range of motion were evaluated before and after the treatment. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and analysis of variance. Level of significance was set at P < 0.05. The clinical outcome measures improved significantly in the posttreatment of the three groups. Subjects in the three groups had significant differences in the mean change in the outcome variables for the WOMAC score (TENS = 29.13 ± 3.83; IST = 28.0 ± 1.72; and control = 13.71 ± 2.52). The post hoc analysis between IST and TENS showed no significant differences but IST had better clinical outcome than TENS. The results of this study suggest that IST may be an alternative to TENS as an adjunct therapy in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the prevalence of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of the upper extremity and low back among secretaries in a state public service and their associations with working posture. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional survey was carried out among 150 secretaries randomly selected within the Lagos State Civil Service Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, by using a 52-item questionnaire which captured information on work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Working posture was assessed by measuring the variation in craniovertebral angle (CVA) and using Rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) scores of participants. RESULTS: The prevalence of WMSDs of low back, neck, shoulder and hand of the participants in this study was observed to be 71.3%, 59.3%, 48.0% and 28.0% respectively The results of this study showed a significant difference in CVA and the RULA scores (p = 0.02), between participants with neck pain and those without neck pain, hand pain and those without hand pain (p = 0.003), low back pain and those without low back pain (p = 0.004. CONCLUSION: This study shows a high prevalence of upper extremity and low back musculoskeletal disorders among secretaries in Lagos State Civil Service Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria. Neither CVA nor RULA scores were associated with shoulder pain. Key words: Occupational Health, Cranio vertebral angle, Rapid upper limb assessment, Musculoskeletal discomfort

Functional abnormalities in wound structure has been identified as a potential complication if a patient consumes alcohol prior to injury and studies suggest that even a single incidence of acute ethanol exposure can perturb the tissue response to trauma significantly. Ethanol ingestion has been shown to result in delayed and abnormal tendon healing 3 weeks after injury. This study investigated the effects of low intensity intrasound therapy (LITR) given twice daily on the morphology and antioxidant parameters in the healing tendon following an acute injury in rats exposed to prior ethanol consumption. Fifteen male rats, randomised into three groups all underwent induced crush injury to the Achilles tendon. Groups 2 and 3 had prior administration of 30% ethanol for six days. The three groups were allocated to: serve as controls (Group 1), received no treatment (Group 2), LITR twice daily (Group 3). LITR was commenced immediately post-injury and was given twice daily over the first 6 days. The animals were sacrificed on day 20 post-injury and the tendons were excised, and processed for histology and anti-oxidant and MDA assay. The tendons in group 2 showed disordered and haphazard collagen formation with neutrophilic infiltrates and high tenoblast population at 20 days post-injury while the LITR treated tendon had dense, well-ordered, parallel collagen deposits with fewer tenoblasts. LITR also significantly improved the antioxidant parameters and lowered the MDA compared with the alcohol-exposed untreated tendon (p LIRT thus reverses the deleterious effect of ethanol on the healing tendon and resulted in near-normal morphology of the healing tendon 20 days post-injury. References Aiyegbusi et al . Connective Tissue Research. 2012;53(6):478–484 Novasonic. www.novasonicwest.com/novasonic. 2007 Molina et al . Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2002;26(1):120–8 Sommers MS. Crit Care Nurse . 1994;14:82–86, 88–93