Physical therapy
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Effectiveness of a home program of ischemic pressure followed by sustained stretch for treatment of myofascial trigger points.
Myofascial trigger points (TPs) are found among patients who have neck and upper back pain. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a home program of ischemic pressure followed by sustained stretching for the treatment of myofascial TPs. ⋯ A home program, consisting of ischemic pressure and sustained stretching, was shown to be effective in reducing TP sensitivity and pain intensity in individuals with neck and upper back pain. The results of this study indicate that clinicians can treat myofascial TPs through monitoring of a home program of ischemic pressure and stretching.
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Reduced motor unit activity of the vastus medialis muscle relative to the vastus lateralis muscle has been implicated as a cause of lateral patellar subluxation. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of vastus muscle motor unit activity on patellar kinematics. ⋯ These results suggest that increased motor unit activity of the vastus medialis muscle appears to be associated with abnormal patellar kinematics in women, but it is not necessarily a cause of abnormal patellar kinematics.
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This study examined the sensitivity and specificity of the Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) under single-task versus dual-task conditions for identifying elderly individuals who are prone to falling. ⋯ The results suggest that the TUG is a sensitive and specific measure for identifying community-dwelling adults who are at risk for falls. The ability to predict falls is not enhanced by adding a secondary task when performing the TUG.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of the University of California-Los Angeles Shoulder Scale and the Simple Shoulder Test with the shoulder pain and disability index: single-administration reliability and validity.
Shoulder scales are often used to evaluate treatment efficacy, yet little is known about the psychometric properties of these scales. Only one scale has undergone psychometric scrutiny: the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). This study compared 2 shoulder measures-the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Scale and the Simple Shoulder Test (SST)-with the SPADI. ⋯ All scales demonstrated good internal consistency, suggesting that all items for each scale measure the same construct. However, the SEMs for all scales were high. Factor loading was inconsistent, suggesting that patients may not distinguish between pain and function.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Endurance training of the trunk extensor muscles in people with subacute low back pain.
Clinicians treating patients with low back pain often use exercise to reduce pain and improve function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of trunk extensor endurance training in reducing pain and decreasing disability in subjects with subacute low back pain (ie, onset of back pain within 7 days to 7 weeks). ⋯ Trunk extensor endurance training reduced pain and improved function at 3 weeks but resulted in no improvement at 6 weeks when compared with the control group. Endurance exercise is considered to expedite the recovery process for patients with an acute episode of low back pain.