Joint mobilization and therapeutic exercises in the hands of patients with systemic sclerosis: A preliminary randomized controlled trial

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of Maitland’s joint mobilization and therapeutic exercises on the functionality of the hands in patients with systemic sclerosis. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Tertiary university hospital. Subjects: Twenty-four patients diagnosed with systemic sclerosis according to ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria; age ⩾18 years and Cochin Hand Functional Scale (COCHIN) score ⩾10. They were randomized to physical therapy group ( n = 12) or control group ( n = 12). Interventions: The physical therapy group received joint mobilization and undertook therapeutic exercises, twice a week, for 12 weeks, and received a booklet with information about the disease. The control group only received the booklet about the disease. Main measures: The primary outcome measure was functionality of the hands (COCHIN). The secondary outcomes measures were disability (SHAQ), pain (visual analogic scale), range of motion (HAMIS and Delta finger-to-palm), grip strength (JAMAR dynamometer), and quality of life (SF12). Results: Twenty-two patients were female, with a mean age of 47.4 ± 11.1 years and 18 had limited cutaneous form. The physical therapy group showed a decrease of 11.33 points in the COCHIN in comparison with the control group ( P = 0.09). There was a significant increase in range of motion by HAMIS (3.00 ± 1.48 vs 5.42 ± 2.64, P = 0.008), reduction in pain VAS (3.42 ± 2.78 vs 7.75 ± 2.53, P < 0.001), and increase in the physical component of SF12 (38.51 ± 9.60 vs 32.65 ± 9.10, P = 0.038). Conclusion: Maitland’s joint mobilization and therapeutic exercises improved the functionality of the hands, reduced pain in the hands and wrists, increased range of motion, and improved quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis.

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Comparison of kinesio taping and cold therapy in patients with total knee arthroplasty: A randomized controlled trial

Clinical Rehabilitation ◽

10.1177/02692155211049152 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026921552110491

Author(s):

Ertugrul Yuksel ◽

Bayram Unver ◽

Vasfi Karatosun

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Range Of Motion ◽

Therapy Group ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Control Group ◽

Functional Level ◽

Kinesio Taping ◽

Cold Therapy

Objective To investigate the effects of kinesio taping and cold therapy on pain, edema, range of motion, muscle strength, functional level and quality of life in patients with total knee arthroplasty. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting A university hospital. Subjects One-hundred patients were included. Intervention Patients were allocated into three groups; control group, kinesio group and cold therapy group. The control group received a standard rehabilitation program. Kinesio taping group received two fan-shaped kinesio taping bands and cold therapy group received cold packs in addition to the standard rehabilitation program. Main measures The outcome measures were pain, edema, range of motion, muscle strength, functional level and quality of life. Participants were assessed at preoperative, discharge and postoperative third month. Results The groups were similar at preoperative. A significant difference was determined in terms of pain in kinesio taping group compared to the control group at the discharge. Cold therapy was efficient in reducing postoperative swelling but kinesio taping had no significant effects on swelling control. There was no difference between the groups in terms of range of motion, muscle strength, functional level and quality of life. The groups were similar in all parameters at the postoperative third month measurements. Conclusion Fan-shaped kinesio taping is an effective technique in terms of postoperative pain relief. Cold therapy is an effective method in terms of edema control. Kinesio taping and cold therapy has no specific beneficial effect on functional level, muscle strength and quality of life compared to control group.

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Effect of Warm Epsom Salt Pack over Knee Osteoarthritis-A Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research ◽

10.9734/jocamr/2021/v16i330290 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 7-15

Author(s):

Ranjini Rajasekharan ◽

Sujatha Dinesh ◽

Prashanth Shetty

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Range Of Motion ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Weight Bearing ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Epsom Salt

Aims: Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis which commonly affects weight-bearing joints like the knee, hip, spine, and joints. Since the effectiveness of conventional medicine on severe types of osteoarthritis is surgical intervention, the patients are seeking alternative medicine. A warm Epsom salt pack is used commonly for pains over joints. Hence this study is undertaken. Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Naturopathy, SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, between November 2019 and January2020. Methodology: From the inpatient department of Shri Dharmasthala Yoga and Nature cure Hospital Shanthivana, hundred subjects diagnosed with osteoarthritis belonging to the age groupof35to75yearswererecruitedandwererandomlyallocated to case (Warm Epsom salt pack) and control group. Subjects were assessed for Goniometry, Visual analog scale (VAS), Shortform-12(SF-12), Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index Scale (WOMAC) before and after the intervention of 20 minutes. Results: The study was done to evaluate the effect of Warm Epsom salt on Knee Osteoarthritis. There were 100 subjects in the sample. Shapiro-Wilk’s test/Quantile-Quantile (QQ) plot was used to check the normality of variables. In study group there was a significant decrease in Goniometry (p=<0.0001), SF 12 (p=<0.0001), WOMAC (P=<0.0001). In the control group, other than VAS there were no significant changes in other variables (Goniometry, WOMAC, SF-12). Conclusion: Our study indicates that a warm Epsom salt pack may reduce pain, stiffness, range of motion, and improves the quality of life. The study revealed that Warm Epsom salt reduced Range of motion from 172.94 to 134.5, WOMAC from 65.94 to 26.38, and Quality of life from 33.98 to 31.22. Results reveal with significant improvement (p<0.001) in pain, swelling, and quality of life.

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Efficacy of axial TheraTogs on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial

Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy ◽

10.1186/s43161-021-00030-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shamekh Mohamed El-Shamy ◽

Ehab Mohamed Abd El Kafy

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Physical Therapy ◽

Muscle Tone ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Gait Pattern ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Gait Parameters ◽

Experimental Group

Abstract Background TheraTogs promotes proprioceptive sense of a child with cerebral palsy and improves abnormal muscle tone, posture alignment, balance, and gait. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of TheraTogs orthotic undergarment on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Thirty children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy were selected for this randomized controlled study. They were randomly assigned to (1) an experimental group that received TheraTogs orthotic undergarment (12 h/day, 3 days/week) plus traditional physical therapy for 3 successive months and (2) a control group that received only traditional physical therapy program for the same time period. Gait parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months of intervention using Pro-Reflex motion analysis. Results Children in both groups showed significant improvements in the gait parameters (P < 0.05), with significantly greater improvements in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusions The use of TheraTogs may have a positive effect to improve gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Trial registration This trial was registered in the ClinicalTrial.gov PRS (NCT03037697).

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Asthma in Adolescents: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Asthma Program for Adolescents and Young Adults with Severe Asthma

Canadian Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1155/2002/106262 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 253-259 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Robert L Cowie ◽

Margot F Underwood ◽

Cinde B Little ◽

Ian Mitchell ◽

Sheldon Spier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Emergency Department ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Asthma Control ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Disease Specific

BACKGROUND: Asthma is common and is often poorly controlled in adolescent subjects.OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of an age-specific asthma program on asthma control, particularly on exacerbations of asthma requiring emergency department treatment, and on the quality of life of adolescents with asthma.METHODS: The present randomized, controlled trial included patients who were 15 to 20 years of age and had visited emergency departments for management of their asthma. The interventional group attended an age-specific asthma program that included assessment, education and management by a team of asthma educators, respiratory therapists and respiratory physicians. In the control group, spirometry was performed, and the patients continued to receive usual care from their regular physicians. The outcomes were assessed by a questionnaire six months after entry into the study.RESULTS: Ninety-three subjects entered the study and were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Of these, only 62 patients were available for review after six months. Subjects in both the control and the intervention groups showed a marked improvement in their level of asthma control, reflected primarily by a 73% reduction in the rate of emergency department attendance for asthma. Other indexes of disease control, including disease-specific quality of life, as assessed by questionnaires, were improved. There was, however, no discernible difference between the subjects in the two groups, with the exception of an improvement in favour of the intervention group in the symptom (actual difference 0.7, P=0.048) and emotional (actual difference 0.8, P=0.028) domains of the asthma quality of life questionnaire. The overall quality of life score favoured the intervention group by a clinically relevant difference of 0.6, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P=0.06).CONCLUSIONS: Although all subjects demonstrated a significant improvement in asthma control and quality of life, the improvement attributable to this intervention was limited to two domains in disease-specific quality of life.

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Early Physical Therapy Effects on the High-Risk Infant: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.78.2.216 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 78 (2) ◽

pp. 216-224

Author(s):

Martha C. Piper ◽

V. Ildiko Kunos ◽

Diana M. Willis ◽

Barbara L. Mazer ◽

Maria Ramsay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Physical Therapy ◽

High Risk ◽

Motor Development ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Physical Growth ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Early Physical Therapy ◽

The Impact

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to assess the effects of early physical therapy on infants at risk for neurologic sequelae and to evaluate the impact of such early treatment on the prevention or minimization of future handicaps. A cohort of 134 infants who had received care in two Montreal inborn neonatal intensive care units was identified prospectively. Infants were stratified according to prognosis and birth weight and were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. Babies assigned to the experimental group received early physical therapy, whereas those allocated to the control group received conventional follow-up care. Outcome measures were administered by independent evaluators at 12 months and included measures of neurologic status, motor and overall development, and physical growth. No statistically significant differences on any of the measured outcomes at 12 months were found between the experimental and control groups. Infants weighing less than 750 g at birth, regardless of group assignment, consistently demonstrated significant delays in their growth and development when compared with their heavier peers. The early physical therapy program investigated in this study was not efficacious in altering the pattern of motor development in those high-risk infants participating in the trial.

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Effects of Personal Low-Frequency Stimulation Device on Myalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19020735 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 735

Author(s):

Yong-Soon Yoon ◽

Myoung-Hwan Ko ◽

Il-Young Cho ◽

Cheol-Su Kim ◽

Johny Bajgai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Therapy ◽

Short Form ◽

Therapy Group ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Control Group ◽

Mcgill Pain Questionnaire ◽

Low Frequency Stimulation ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Frequency Stimulation

Electrotherapy is commonly used for myalgia alleviation. Low-frequency stimulation (LFS) is primarily used for controlling acute and chronic pain and is a non-invasive therapy that can be easily performed with electric stimulation applied on the skin. However, little evidence exists regarding the pain alleviation effects of personal low-frequency stimulation device for home use. Moreover, no studies have compared myalgia alleviation effects between personal low-frequency stimulation (PLS) and physical therapy (PT), which are most commonly used for patients with myalgia in hospitals and clinics. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the pain alleviation effects of PLS in patients with myalgia and compare these effects with those of conventional PT (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation + ultrasound). In total, 39 patients with myalgia in the neck, shoulder, back, and waist areas were randomly assigned to the personal low-frequency stimulation group (PLSG: n = 20) and physical therapy group (PTG: n = 19). Both groups were treated for 3 weeks (20 min per session and 5 sessions per week). Patients were assessed for pain intensity by surface electromyography (sEMG), visual analogue scale (VAS) and a short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) before and after the intervention period. Our results showed that PLSG showed a tendency of muscle relaxation with a significant decrease in sEMG in the neck (p = 0.0425), shoulder (p = 0.0425), and back (p = 0.0046) areas compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in waist area. Additionally, VAS scores significantly decreased between pre- and post-treatment in both PTG (p = 0.0098), and PLSG (p = 0.0304) groups, but there was no significance difference between the groups. With respect to SF-MPQ, the PLSG showed greater pain alleviation (5.23 ± 0.25) effects than the PTG (6.23 ± 0.25). Accordingly, our results suggest that PLS treatment using a home device might offer positive assistance in pain alleviation for patients with myalgia that is as equally effective as conventional PT treatment. However, further detailed studies are required considering larger samples to fully claim the effectiveness of this device.

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Harnessing Telehealth to Mitigate the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep and Well-being: A Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.34409 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kathleen P. O'Hora ◽

Raquel A. Osorno ◽

Dena Sadeghi-Bahmani ◽

Mateo Lopez ◽

Allison Morehouse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Early Treatment ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

The Impact ◽

Insomnia Symptoms

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 Pandemic led to drastic increases in the prevalence and severity of insomnia symptoms. These increases in insomnia complaints have been paralleled by significant decreases in well-being, including increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicidality and decreased quality of life. However, the efficacy and impact of early treatment of insomnia symptoms on future sleep and well-being remains unknown. OBJECTIVE Here, we present the framework and protocol for a novel study that aims to investigate whether a brief telehealth insomnia intervention targeting new insomnia that developed during the pandemic prevents deterioration of well-being, including symptoms of insomnia, depression, anxiety, suicidality, and quality of life. METHODS The protocol details a two-arm randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of a brief, telehealth-delivered, early treatment of insomnia and evaluate its potential to prevent a deterioration of well-being. Participants with clinically significant insomnia symptoms that began during the pandemic are randomized to either a treatment group or a 28-week waitlist control group. Treatment consists of 4 telehealth sessions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) delivered over 5 weeks. All participants will complete assessments of insomnia symptom severity, well-being, and daily habits checklist at baseline (week 0), and at weeks 1-6, 12, 28, and 56. RESULTS The trial began enrollment June 3, 2020 and closed enrollment June 17, 2021. As of October 2021, 49 participants have been randomized to either immediate treatment or a 28-week waitlist. 23 participants are still active in the protocol. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this protocol would be represent the first study to test an early sleep intervention for improving insomnia that emerged during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The findings of this study could provide information about the utility of CBT-I for symptoms that emerge in the context of other stressors before they develop a chronic course and deepen understanding of the relationship between sleep and well-being. CLINICALTRIAL NCT04409743

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The effect of Baduanjin exercise for functional ankle instability rehabilitation: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial

10.21203/rs.2.9762/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Li Zhou ◽

Juanjuan Ai ◽

Kuangshi Li ◽

Yiting Sun ◽

Ruyu Yan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Therapy ◽

Ankle Instability ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Pilot Trial ◽

Bilateral Symmetry ◽

Erector Spinae ◽

Control Group ◽

Joint Control ◽

Functional Ankle Instability ◽

Randomized Controlled

Abstract Background Patients with functional ankle instability (FAI) have problems with joint control, balance, gait, and postural symmetry. Baduanjin is a type of traditional Chinese exercise, which has been shown to be effective for treating many diseases and symptoms. However, the effect of Baduanjin in patients with FAI has not been proved. This trial is an assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT), its objective is to study the efficacy and safety of Baduanjin on the rehabilitation of patients with FAI. Methods Seventy-two participants, who are eligible according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, will be randomized (in a 1:1 ratio) using a random numbers table into two groups: a Baduanjin group and a control group (subjected to conventional physical therapy). The Baduanjin group will be subjected to Baduanjin exercise in addition to the conventional physical therapy. The participants’ exercise will be implemented for 4 weeks (5 days a week). All the participants will be assessed at baseline, after 2 weeks’ treatment, and after 4 weeks’ treatment (after the intervention). The efficacy of Baduanjin will be assessed based on three types of outcome: (1) surface electromyography (sEMG) results of the bilateral erector spinae, tibialis anterior, and peroneus longus; (2) balance function under different conditions; and (3) the severity of ankle instability in daily life, using the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT). Discussion The aim of the trial is to study the effect and safety of Baduanjin in patients with FAI. The study findings may show whether Baduanjin could be used to complement medical FAI rehabilitation methods. The study findings could also highlight the importance of Baduanjin in promoting the bilateral symmetry of motor function.

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Comparison of the effects of Buteyko and pranayama breathing techniques on quality of life in patients with asthma – a randomized controlled trial

Clinical Rehabilitation ◽

10.1177/0269215512450521 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 133-141 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Venkatesan Prem ◽

Ramesh Chandra Sahoo ◽

Prabha Adhikari

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Control Group ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Control Groups ◽

Quality Of Life Questionnaire ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Questionnaire Score ◽

And Control

Objective: To compare two breathing exercises (Buteyko and pranayama) with a control group in patients with asthma. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Subjects: One hundred and twenty subjects were randomized to three groups through block randomization. Subjects with an Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score <5.5 participated in the study. Setting: Outpatient pulmonary medicine department. Interventions: Subjects in the Buteyko and pranayama groups were trained for 3–5 days and instructed to practise the exercises for 15 minutes twice daily, and for three months duration. The control group underwent routine pharmacological management during the study period. Outcome measures: Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, Asthma Control Questionnaire and pulmonary function test. Results: The baseline characteristics were similar in all three groups. Post intervention, the Buteyko group showed better trends of improvement (mean (95% confidence interval), P-value) in total Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score than the pranayama (0.47 (–0.008–0.95), P = 0.056) and control groups (0.97 (0.48–1.46), P = 0.0001). In comparison between the pranayama and control groups, pranayama showed significant improvement (0.50 (0.01–0.98), P = 0.042) in total Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score. Conclusion: The Buteyko group showed better trends of improvement in quality of life and asthma control than the group performing the pranayama breathing exercise.

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Effectiveness of Hydrogalvanic Bath on Improving Pain, Disability, and Quality of Life in Individuals with Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2020/7974816 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Mastour Saeed Alshahrani ◽

Jaya Shanker Tedla ◽

Ravi Shankar Reddy ◽

Faisal Asiri

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Pain Disability ◽

Sf 36 ◽

Neck Disability ◽

Experimental Group

Background. Neck pain is one of the world’s leading factors in years lived with disability. Ambiguity in the effect of electrotherapy modalities for the treatment of chronic nonspecific neck pains (CNSNP) needs to be examined further. This study sought to elucidate the effectiveness of hydrogalvanic bath on improving pain, disability, and quality of life among individuals with CNSNP. Methods. Thirty-four individuals with a diagnosis of CNSNP were selected through convenient sampling and randomly divided into two groups by block randomization. The control group treatment underwent low Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and exercise, and the experimental group was subjected to hydrogalvanic bath therapy (HGBT) and exercise. Individuals were evaluated for pain using a visual analog scale (VAS), disability with the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and quality of life with Short Form-36 (SF-36). These measures were applied at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Results. The pretreatment and posttreatment results for VAS, NDI, and SF-36 were compared for both control and experimental groups. We found that all the three variables showed significant differences between the two time points with p < 0.05 in both the groups but the experimental group improvements were more significant than the control group with p < 0.05 . Conclusion. Twelve weeks of low TENS or HGBT along with exercises can decrease pain and neck disability and increase the quality of life in individuals with CNSNP. However, HGBT along with exercise has superior effects relative to low TENS along with exercise. This randomized controlled trial was registered in the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trials Number-ISRCTN29695190 and registered on 05/02/2020. This study is a retrospective registration.

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