Musculoskeletal science & practice
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Musculoskelet Sci Pract · Oct 2020
Women with mechanical neck pain exhibit increased activation of their superficial neck extensors when performing the cranio-cervical flexion test.
Several studies have analysed the activity of superficial neck flexors, but the activity of neck extensors has been less investigated in patients with neck pain OBJECTIVES: 1, to investigate the differences in the activation of superficial neck flexor and extensor musculature during the cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT) in women with mechanical chronic neck pain when compared to asymptomatic women; 2, to investigate the correlation between neck muscle activity and the clinical features of neck pain DESIGN: Cross-sectional METHODS: Surface electromyography was recorded bilaterally from the sternocleidomastoid, anterior scalene, splenius capitis, and upper trapezius muscles of 30 women with mechanical chronic neck pain and 30 asymptomatic women as they performed the CCFT. Comparisons of the normalized root mean square between both groups were conducted with 2x5 ANCOVA with task level as the within-subjects variable, group as the between-subjects variable, and pain related-disability as a co-variate RESULTS: Women with mechanical neck pain exhibited increased activity of superficial neck flexors (sternocleidomastoid: F = 14.448, P < 0.001; anterior scalene: F = 21.693, P < 0.001) and superficial neck extensors (splenius capitis: F = 4.692, P < 0.001; upper trapezius: F = 4.245, P < 0.001) as compared to asymptomatic women. Higher pain related-disability was associated with more electrical activity of the anterior scalene and upper trapezius muscles during the CCFT CONCLUSIONS: Women with mechanical chronic neck pain exhibit an increased activity of their superficial neck flexors and superficial neck extensors during a low-load task such as CCFT when compared to asymptomatic pain-free women. Our results should be considered when designing therapeutic exercise programs for this population.
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Musculoskelet Sci Pract · Aug 2020
Observational StudyReliability and validity of Five Times Sit to Stand Test in pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder during pregnancy, and functional mobility evaluation is very important in reflecting the treatment effects. ⋯ The 5TSS test is a reliable and valid functional mobility outcome measure in pregnant women with and without PGP. Further psychometric properties of the measure such as responsiveness, should be investigated in the future.
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Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of global morbidity. Access to traditional in-person healthcare can be difficult for some under usual conditions and has become a ubiquitous barrier throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth, defined as the 'delivery of healthcare at a distance using information and communication technology' is a solution to many access barriers and has been rapidly adopted by many healthcare professions throughout the crisis. While significant advancements in technology has made the widespread adoption of telehealth feasible, there are many factors to be considered when implementing a telehealth service. ⋯ Telehealth is a broad concept and should be implemented to meet the specific needs of a healthcare service. This masterclass offers a structured approach to the implementation of a musculoskeletal physiotherapy telehealth service, and highlights practical considerations required by both clinicians and healthcare organisations throughout all stages of the implementation process.
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Musculoskelet Sci Pract · Aug 2020
Observational StudyIs implicit motor imagery altered in people with shoulder pain? The shoulder left/right judgement task.
Implicit motor imagery performance is altered in a variety of chronic pain conditions, but it is not known whether this is the case in shoulder pain. ⋯ Participants with shoulder pain do not demonstrate poorer implicit motor imagery performance than people who are pain-free. However, more intense shoulder pain is associated with poorer implicit motor imagery performance. We recommend further research utilising the LRJT in well-defined clinically homogenous groups, with verified pain severity, functional disability, and chronicity.