Search

Environmental conditions are associated with the onset of pain or the recurrence of symptoms of chronic sufferers either with musculoskeletal pathologies or neurological diseases. Recent research has indicated that physiotherapy also appears to be helpful in dealing with the symptoms of climate change. The purpose of this study was to investigate how temperature and precipitation are associated with referrals for physical therapy. All the data were collected retrospectively for three years, 2020–2022. A total of 2164 referrals were studied, 78% of which were female cases. Our results highlighted that (a) referrals with musculoskeletal problems are associated with the weather indicators of temperature and precipitation, (b) this relation was found to be stronger for females, and (c) there were slightly differentiated trends between them and those with neurological problems. These results suggest that low temperatures and high precipitation are strongly associated with increased referrals for chronic musculoskeletal pain and that females are more vulnerable to precipitation. Moreover, the increased number of referrals with chronic neurological problems was found to be associated with extreme temperatures. Considering these findings, rehabilitation centers and healthcare systems have the opportunity to immediately provide reliable and qualitative services, guided always by the safety and maximum relief of chronic sufferers.

The aim of this study was to investigate how temperature and precipitation are associated with the number of referrals for physical therapy. Material and Methods: Weather data and monthly referrals were collected retrospectively for three years (2020–2022). A total of 937 referrals were studied. Trend analysis was conducted to identify patterns and trends in data over time, including correlation analysis to discover relationships and multivariate linear regression analyses to model the direction and strength of this. Results: Monthly referrals were found to be strongly associated with weather indicators (rs = −0.744, p < 0.001 for temperature and rs = 0.894, p < 0.001 for precipitation). Multivariate regression analyses verified this significant correlation (b = −0.763, p < 0.025 and b = 0.598, p < 0.001, respectively). A stronger correlation was found for female referrals (b = 0.509, p < 0.001) compared to that found for male referrals (b = 0.089, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Low temperatures and high precipitation rates were found to be associated with an increased number of referrals. Females were more vulnerable to precipitation increases.

High-dose intravenous steroid treatment (HDIST) represents the first choice of treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses. Chronic oral glucocorticoid (GC) administration correlates with bone loss whereas data regarding HDIST in MS are still conflicting. Twenty-five newly diagnosed MS patients (NDMSP) (median age: 37 years) were prospectively studied for the effects of HDIST on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism. Patients received 1000 mg methylprednisolone intravenously every day for 5 days followed by oral prednisolone tapering over 21 days. Bone metabolism indices were determined prior to GC, on days 2, 4, 6, and 90, and at months 6, 12, 18, and 24 post GC therapy. Femoral, lumbar-spine BMD, and whole-body measurement of adipose/lean tissue were assessed prior to GC-administration and then every six months. Ten patients completed the study. N-terminal-propeptide-procollagen-type-1 and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase showed a significant increase at day-90 (p < 0.05). A transient non-significant fall of BMD was observed at 6 months after GC-administration, which subsequently appeared to be restored. We conclude that HDIST seems not to have long-term negative effects on BMD, while the observed transient increase of bone formation markers probably indicates a high bone turnover phase to GC-administration. Additional prospective studies with larger sample size are needed.

Exercise is often recommended for fibromyalgia. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible influence and change in the pain characteristics of fibromyalgia patients when breathing exercises were added to their exercise program. A total of 106 patients were included and randomly divided into two groups. Τhe first group of patients followed a program of active exercises up to the limits of pain, lasting 30 min with a repetition of two times a week. Patients of the second group followed the same program with the addition of diaphragmatic breaths when they reached the pain limit. The patients completed three questionnaires: the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST), the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and the Pain Quality Assessment Scale (PQAS)—once at the beginning, once again after three weeks of exercise, and again 3 months since the beginning of the program. Independent t-tests for the mean total change scores in pain scales demonstrated that for the second group there was a greater improvement in all pain scales, except for the PQAS Deep Pain subscale (p = 0.38). In conclusion, both groups showed significant improvement in all characteristics of the pain scales; however, the improvement of the second group was significantly higher.