Search

Background: Understanding postural control in low back pain (LBP) subgroups can help develop targeted interventions to improve postural control. The studies on this topic are limited. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to compare the postural control of LBP subgroups with healthy individuals during overhead load lifting and lowering. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the participants were 52 with LBP and 20 healthy. The LBP patients were classified based on the O'Sullivan classification system into 21 flexion patterns and 31 active extension patterns. The participants lifted the box from their waists to their overheads and lowered it to their waists. Changes in postural control parameters were measured with a force plate system. Results: The results of the analysis of variance showed that during load lifting, the mediolateral phase plane (p =.044) and the mean total velocity (p =.029) had significant differences between flexion patterns and healthy. Also, the load-lowering results showed that active extension patterns, compared with healthy, had significant differences in the anteroposterior–mediolateral phase plane (p =.042). The patients showed less postural sway than the healthy. Conclusions: The results in this work highlight the importance of identifying the homogenous subgroups in LBP and support the classification of heterogeneous LBP. Different subgroups exhibit different postural control behaviors. These behaviors can be due to the loading of various tissues during different tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common and debilitating condition among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and is more prevalent among women. Over the past decade, numerous studies have investigated the effects of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) as a treatment for UI in people with MS. MS negatively impacts pulmonary function even in the early stages of the disease and people with MS may experience respiratory muscle weakness. Considering the synergy between the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) and respiratory muscles, this trial will evaluate the effects of PFMT and breathing exercises on PFM activity and strength, diaphragm activity, and urinary symptoms in women with MS who experience UI. Methods: Fifty women with MS and UI will participate in this parallel randomized controlled trial, comprising 32 treatment sessions. The intervention group consists of PFMT and breathing exercises, and the control group includes PFMT. The severity of UI symptoms, PFM activity, diaphragm activity, and PFM strength will be evaluated using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Urinary Incontinence Short Form, ultrasound imaging, and modified Oxford grading scale, respectively before and after the intervention. Discussion: The current trial is designed to examine the effects of a combined exercise program for UI in women with MS. It is hypothesized that using breathing exercises in conjunction with PFM exercises will improve patient symptoms compared to PFMT alone. Trial registration: The trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with code IRCT20180916041051N3 and was approved on 23 May 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first purpose was to investigate the trunk muscle endurance, the second aim was to evaluate the trunk–pelvis kinematics during gait, and the third was to evaluate the relationship between trunk–pelvis kinematics and the trunk muscle endurance. Thirty participants (15 nonspecific chronic low back pain [NCLBP] and 15 healthy) were included. The authors first assessed trunk muscle endurance on endurance testing protocols. The authors next measured the trunk–pelvis kinematics during gait using a 3-dimensional motion capture system. Angular displacement, waveform pattern (CVp), and offset variability (CVo) were also examined. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in (1) the trunk muscle endurance and (2) sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes CVp between groups (P <.05). A significant moderate correlation was found between supine double straight-leg raise and frontal CVp (r =.521, P =.03) and transverse planes CVp (r =.442, P =.05). However, a significant moderate correlation was observed between prone double straight-leg raise and sagittal plane CVp (r =.528, P =.03) and transverse plane CVp (r =.678, P =.001). The relationship between (1) lower trunk extensor endurance with transverse and sagittal planes CVp and (2) lower abdominal muscle endurance with transverse and frontal planes CVp suggests that gait variability in these planes may result because of trunk muscle deconditioning accompanying NCLBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the effectiveness of e-learning methods in comparison with traditional learning on physiotherapy students' knowledge, skills and satisfaction/attitude. Seven databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, ProQuest, Ovid SP and Cochrane were searched until October 2021. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared e-learning with traditional learning or another form of digital education among physiotherapy students and assessed knowledge, skills and satisfaction/attitude were included. Cochrane effective practice and organisation of care tool was used to assess risk of bias. Nineteen RCTs were included. The results suggested that blended learning approach is better than traditional methods for improving skills and satisfaction/attitude in physiotherapy students, with moderate to low level of evidence. There was no difference between blended learning and traditional learning for knowledge acquisition. Pure e-learning revealed an equal result with traditional learning in all measured outcomes. Due to limited number of studies that compared one e-learning method with another form of digital education, the findings were inconclusive. e-Learning methods made changes in knowledge, skills, satisfaction/attitude. Based on moderate to low evidence, blended learning method may be more effective than traditional learning in terms of skill acquisition and satisfaction/attitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of postural sway were assessed in quiet standing under three different postural task conditions in 14 patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain and 12 healthy subjects using linear and nonlinear center of pressure parameters. The linear parameters consisted of area, the mean total velocity, sway amplitude, the SD of velocity, and the phase plane portrait. The nonlinear parameters included the Lyapunov exponent, sample entropy, and the correlation dimension. The results showed that the amount of postural sway was higher in the patients with low back pain compared with the healthy subjects. Assessing the nonlinear parameters of the center of pressure showed a lower sample entropy and a higher correlation dimension in the patients with low back pain compared with the healthy subjects. The results of this study demonstrate the greater regularity and higher dimensionality of the center of pressure fluctuations in patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain, which suggests that these patients adopt different postural control strategies to maintain an upright stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Clinical evaluation of the spine is commonplace in musculoskeletal therapies, such as physiotherapy, physical medicine/rehabilitation, osteopathic, and chiropractic clinics. Sit-to-stand (STS) is one of the most mechanically demanding daily activities and crucial to independence. Difficulty or inability to perform STS is common in individuals with a variety of motor disabilities, such as low back pain (LBP). Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate available evidence in literature to determine 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional kinematics of the spine during STS in patients with LBP and healthy young adult participants using motion analysis systems (electromagnetic and marker based). Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE [National Library of Medicine], Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar) were searched between January 2002 and February 2017. Additionally, the reference lists of the articles that met the inclusion criteria were also searched. Prospective studies published in peer-reviewed journals, with full text available in English, investigating the kinematics of the spine during STS in healthy subjects (mean age between 18 and 50 y) or in patients with LBP using motion analysis systems, were included. Sixteen studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. All information relating to methodology and kinematic modeling of the spine segments along with the outcome measures was extracted from the studies identified for synthesis. Results: The results indicated that the kinematics of the spine are greatly changed in patients with LBP. In order to develop a better understanding of spine kinematics, studies recommended that the trunk should be analyzed as a multisegment. It has been shown that there is no difference between the kinematics of patients with LBP and healthy population when the spine is analyzed as a single segment. Furthermore, between-gender differences are present during STS movement. Conclusion: This review provided a valuable summary of the research to date examining the kinematics of the spine during STS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Kinesio tape (KT) is a widely used intervention in the fields of sports and rehabilitation. However, its effects on lower-extremity behavior during functional activities are not entirely known. Objective: To test the hypothesis that application of KT can change performance and vertical stiffness (VS) during the countermovement jump (CMJ) before and after a fatigue protocol. Design: A predesign and postdesign to study the effect of KT in 2 situations, prefatigue and postfatigue. In each fatiguing condition, there were 2 conditions with and without KT application on the gastrocnemius muscle. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: Fifty healthy, nonathlete participants (26 females and 24 males). Interventions: KT application on the gastrocnemius muscle and a fatigue protocol to induce fatigue in plantar flexor muscles. Main Outcome Measures: Various jumping parameters, including jump height, maximum force, maximum power, rate of force development, eccentric lower-limb stiffness, and VS, were calculated using the vertical ground reaction force data. Eccentric lower-limb stiffness and VS were calculated using a mass-spring model. The studied variables can present lower-extremity elastic behavior and performance during CMJ. Results: The results of a 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance showed no significant effect for KT application. Fatigue resulted in lower values of jump height, maximum power, and VS. Moreover, male subjects showed greater values of jump height, maximum force, and maximum power than did females. Conclusions: The main finding of this study was that gastrocnemius KT has no effect on performance or elastic behavior of the lower-extremity during CMJ. Moreover, KT cannot reduce the adverse effect of fatigue in a functional activity such as CMJ. It seems that gastrocnemius KT is not effective for demanding activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]