Effectiveness of Low-Frequency Stimulation in Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Techniques for Post-Ankle-Sprain Balance and Proprioception in Adults- a Randomized controlled trial

Abstract BackgroundStretching is an important part of post-ankle-sprain rehabilitation, as well as an effective exercise for improving general ankle-joint performance. But the combination of stretching alongside muscle stimulation has not yet been extensively studied. Therefore the purpose of the present research is to compare the baseline, post- and follow-up effects of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching technique combined with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), as compared against the effects of the PNF stretching technique alone.MethodsSixty subjects with lateral ankle sprains were selected and randomly allocated to three groups: Experimental Group One (EG 1), Experimental Group Two (EG 2), and the Control Group (CG). Subjects in EG 1 received the PNF stretching technique combined with TENS. Subjects in EG2 received the PNF stretching technique alone. Both experimental groups received these treatments for 4 weeks (4 days/week); follow-up assessments were administered in the third and fifth weeks. CG received no treatment; outcome measures alone were assessed. Outcome measures comprised pain, flexibility, proprioception, range of motion, muscle strength, physical activity, and balance. A mixed-model ANOVA was used to analyze the effects of time factors and groups on these outcome measures.ResultsThere was significant interaction (time and group), and the time effect for all the outcome measures (p < 0.05). Physical activity, dorsiflexion, and balance in the medial, lateral, anterolateral, and anteromedial directions did not show a significant difference between the groups. EG 1 showed significant improvement for all the outcome variables between pre- and post-treatment and follow-up when compared to the other groups.ConclusionsThe present study showed that a 12-session treatment program of 3 weeks’ duration that combines PNF stretching with low-frequency TENS for post-ankle sprain subjects, compared against PNF stretching alone, produced significant improvements in balance, proprioception, strength, and range of motion. The study also showed that the treatment effect was sustained even after treatment was ceased after the follow-up assessment in the fifth week.Trial Registration:Human Research Ethics Committee approval for the trial (approval no.: (ECM#2019-26)Clinical trial was also registered in the Clinical Trials Registry – ISRCTN 18013941

Download Full-text

Effectiveness of Text Messaging as an Incentive to Maintain Physical Activity after Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126645 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6645

Author(s):

Giulia Foccardi ◽

Marco Vecchiato ◽

Daniel Neunhaeuserer ◽

Michele Mezzaro ◽

Giulia Quinto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽

Exercise Testing ◽

Text Messages ◽

Control Group ◽

Stand Test ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Sit To Stand ◽

Significant Difference

Although the efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is proven, the need to improve patients’ adherence has emerged. There are only a few studies that have investigated the effect of sending text messages after a CR period to stimulate subjects’ ongoing engagement in regular physical activity (PA). A randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted after CR, sending a daily PA text message reminder to an intervention group (IG), which was compared with a usual care control group (CG) during three months of follow-up. Thirty-two subjects were assessed pre- and post-study intervention with GPAQ, submaximal iso-watt exercise testing, a 30 s sit-to-stand test, a bilateral arm curl test, and a final survey on a seven-point Likert scale. A statistically significant difference in the increase of moderate PA time (Δ 244.7 (95% CI 189.1, 300.4) minutes, p < 0.001) and in the reduction of sedentary behavior time (Δ −77.5 (95% CI 104.9, −50.1) minutes, p = 0.004) was shown when the IG was compared with the CG. This was associated with an improvement in heart rate, blood pressure, and patients’ Borg rating on the category ratio scale 10 (CR10) in iso-watt exercise testing (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, only the IG did not show a worsening of the strength parameters in the follow-up leading to a change of the 30 s sit-to-stand test with a difference of +2.2 (95% CI 1.23, 3.17) repetitions compared to CG (p = 0.03). The telemedical intervention has been appreciated by the IG, whose willingness to continue with regular PA emerged to be superior compared to the CG. Text messages are an effective and inexpensive adjuvant after phase 2 CR that improves adherence to regular PA. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in a larger patient population and in the long term.

Download Full-text

The added value of cognition-targeted exercise versus symptom-targeted exercise for multiple sclerosis fatigue: A randomized controlled pilot trial

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0258752 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (11) ◽

pp. e0258752

Author(s):

Azza Alketbi ◽

Salah Basit ◽

Nouran Hamza ◽

Lori M. Walton ◽

Ibrahim M. Moustafa

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Clinical Outcome ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Recruitment Rate ◽

Control Group ◽

Entire Study ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Intervention Protocol

Background Fatigue is considered one of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and lacks a current standardized treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a cognition-targeted exercise versus symptom-targeted exercise for MS fatigue. Methods In this Pilot, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, sixty participants with multiple sclerosis, were randomly assigned to either a Cognition-Targeted Exercise (CTE) (N = 30, mean age 41) or a Symptom-Targeted Exercise (STE) (N = 30, mean age 42). The participants in the experimental group received eight, 50-minute sessions of weekly Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in addition to a CTE Program; whereas, participants in the control group received eight, 50-minute sessions of weekly CBT in addition to the standardized physiotherapy program (STE Program). Feasibility was assessed through recruitment rate, participant retention, adherence and safety, in addition to clinical outcome measures, including: (1) Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), (2) Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), (3) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). All outcome measures were assessed at baseline (pretreatment), following completion of the eight visit intervention protocol, and at 3-months follow-up. Results The recruitment rate was 60% and 93% of participants completed the entire study. The recruited participants complied with 98% of the required visits. No adverse events were recorded. A Generalized Estimation Equation Model revealed a significant difference over time as an interaction term during the post and follow up visit for all clinical outcome measures (p < .001). Conclusion The addition of CTE to CBT exhibited positive and more lasting influence on MS fatigue outcomes compared to Symptom-Targeted Exercise (STE). Feasibility and efficacy data from this pilot study provide support for a full-scale RCT of CTE as an integral component of Multiple Sclerosis fatigue management.

Download Full-text

Investigating the Effect of Positive, Intermediate and Negative Enabling and Training Factors Affecting Physical Activity in Pregnant Women

10.21203/rs.3.rs-151184/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Leila Kianfard ◽

Farkhonde Amin SHokravi ◽

Sakineh Rakhshanderou ◽

Shamsaddin Niknami

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Control Group ◽

Control Groups ◽

Enabling Factors ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Significant Difference ◽

E Learning ◽

And Control ◽

Experimental Group

Abstract BackgroundPhysical activity during pregnancy period is one of the issues with priority during pregnancy period. Researches show that women reduce their physical activity during this period and are unaware of the benefits on the health of the mother and embryology. Although researchers regarding physical activity during pregnancy have prepared many guidelines; it is not however clear why pregnant women do not perform physical activity and the effectiveness factors that facilitate the desired behavior. MethodsThe research population included all pregnant women aged 18 to 40 years with gestational age of 12-38 weeks referring to the healthcare centers in District 5 of Tehran Municipality, from 22 districts of the city who had eliminated their physical activity during pregnancy. Questionnaires of physical activity assessment questionnaire after educational intervention in pregnant women (PPAQ) and a questionnaire designed based on the results of the needs assessment and the dimensions of the PEN-3 model were used for assessment. This study is a Research Clinical Trial (RCT). Due to the nature, a quasi-experimental research design (pre-test, post-test) with the control group was used in this research. ResultsBased on the obtained results, the intervention based on E-learning has a significant effect of enabling factors to increase physical activity in pregnant women in the experimental group. In addition, the intervention based on E-learning has a significant effect on the training factors in order to increase physical activity in pregnant women in the experimental group. ConclusionBased on the research results, it can be said that there is a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the scores obtained from training factors in the pretest and the experimental group. Furthermore, it can be said that there is a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the scores obtained from the enabling factors in the pre-test and the experimental group.

Download Full-text

Effects of a steps/day programme with evaluation in physical education on body mass index in schoolchildren 11-12 years of age

Kinesiology ◽

10.26582/k.48.1.2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 132-141 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alberto Grao-Cruces ◽

Rafael Ruiz-López ◽

José-Enrique Moral-García ◽

Alberto Ruiz-Ariza ◽

Emilio J. Martínez-López

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Physical Education ◽

Body Mass ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Control Group ◽

Education Students ◽

Minimum Number ◽

Experimental Group

The aim of the study was to assess the effects that a steps/day programme may have on body mass index (BMI) among primary education students (11.37±0.48 years). A six-week controlled trial with a follow-up was completed with an experimental group (N=66, pedometer + steps/day programme + reinforcement programme in their physical education (PE) marks + weekly follow-up in PE), and a control group (N=76). Omron HJ-152-E2 pedometers were used. Normoweight students complied with programme requirements to a greater extent than their overweight counterparts (72.7 vs 59.1%). The programmed minimum number of 12,000 steps/day for boys and 10,000 for girls was exceeded by 83% of boys and 60% of girls. The differences in the number of steps/day between boys (14,274) and girls (10,626) were significant across all the measured periods (p<.05). The results show that the teenagers who complied with the programme requirements reduced their BMI significantly after the intervention (p<.001) and this reduction persisted for six weeks after the programme (p<.001). In conclusion, the six-week programme of 12,000 steps/day for boys and 10,000 for girls, jointly with a reinforcement programme in their PE marks and weekly follow-up by their PE teacher, reduces BMI significantly in 11-12-year-old schoolchildren. Monitored steps/day programmes in the PE curriculum increase out-of-school physical activity and reduce BMI in 11-12-year-old schoolchildren.

Download Full-text

Bizzy Break! The Effect of a Classroom-Based Activity Break on In-School Physical Activity Levels of Primary School Children

Pediatric Exercise Science ◽

10.1123/pes.25.2.300 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 25 (2) ◽

pp. 300-307 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Elaine Murtagh ◽

Maureen Mulvihill ◽

Oonagh Markey

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Primary School ◽

School Children ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Control Group ◽

Step Counts ◽

Significant Difference

The school has been identified as a key setting to promote physical activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a classroom-based activity break on in-school step counts of primary school children. Data for 90 children (49 boys, 41 girls, 9.3 ± 1.4 years) from three Irish primary schools is presented. In each school one class was randomly assigned as the intervention group and another as controls. Children’s step counts were measured for five consecutive days during school hours at baseline and follow-up. Teachers of the intervention classes led a 10 min activity break in the classroom each day (Bizzy Break!). Mean daily in-school steps for the intervention at baseline and follow-up were 5351 and 5054. Corresponding values for the control group were 5469 and 4246. There was a significant difference in the change in daily steps from baseline to follow-up between groups (p < .05). There was no evidence that girls and boys responded differently to the intervention (p > .05). Children participating in a daily 10 min classroom-based activity break undertake more physical activity during school hours than controls.

Download Full-text

Piano-accompanied solfège reading experiences of preservice music teachers

Research Studies in Music Education ◽

10.1177/1321103x19871078 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1321103X1987107

Author(s):

Elif Guven

Keyword(s):

Music Teachers ◽

Control Group ◽

Reading Practices ◽

Control Groups ◽

Plot Analysis ◽

Experimental Implementation ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control ◽

Experimental Group

This study examines how piano-accompanied solfège reading practices of preservice music teachers ( N = 28) affect their performance on their musical hearing, reading, and writing (MHRW) classes. A pretest–posttest design with control groups was employed. The data were analyzed by 2 × 2 split-plot analysis of variance (ANOVA) and one-way ANOVA. Consequently, a significant difference was not found between the MHRW performance scores of the experimental and control groups. An analysis of mean performance scores revealed that the scores received by the control group were higher than those of the experimental group after the practice. Follow-up interviews that were held with 14 students after the experimental implementation revealed that students believed piano-accompanied courses were more useful, and they felt more comfortable with piano accompaniment. Although MHRW performance scores indicated that piano-accompanied solfège reading practices did not have a significant effect on preservice music teachers’ MHRW performances, it helped them participate in courses more enthusiastically.

Download Full-text

Effectiveness of Hold Relax Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Technique in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Bioscience Biotechnology Research Communications ◽

10.21786/bbrc/14.4.80 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 1919-1923

Author(s):

Mohammad Miraj

Keyword(s):

Muscle Strength ◽

Range Of Motion ◽

Knee Replacement ◽

Conventional Treatment ◽

Mean Difference ◽

Control Group ◽

Bilateral Knee ◽

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation ◽

Total Knee ◽

Experimental Group

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is a popular flexibility training, which involves stretching and contraction of the target muscle group. PNF stretching is effective among athletes for improving passive range of motion, flexibility, and performance. Patients who undergo total knee replacement surgeries exhibit pain, swelling, decreased range of motion, muscle weakness, and stiffness. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the hold relax PNF technique to improve the balance and muscle strength in subjects with a bilateral knee replacement. Sixty four patients were selected based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. The patients were allocated into two groups by random allocation. The experimental group A (n=32) received the Hold Relax PNF technique with conventional treatment whereas, the control group B (n=32) received only conventional treatment as a part of the Home Exercise Program (HEP). Outcome measures used for evaluation included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Manual Muscle Testing (MMT), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) Score for measuring pain, muscle strength, and balance respectively. Students t-test showed significant differences between variables mean scores from two groups after three weeks of intervention. There was a statistical significant (t(32) = 2.38, p = 0.02) change in the mean scores of VAS in the experimental group (mean difference pre-post=3.19) as compared to control group ( mean difference pre -post=3.19) with Cohen’s d = 2.744588. Similarly for MMT(t(32) = 0.415, p = 0.005) and BBS scores (t(32) = 2.628, p = 0.035). The result of the study suggests that the Hold Relax PNF technique is more effective than conventional treatment alone in decreasing pain as well as increasing balance and muscle strength in bilateral knee replacement patients.

Download Full-text

Quantifying Withdrawal of Consent, Loss to Follow-Up, Early Drug Discontinuation, and Censoring in Oncology Trials

Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network ◽

10.6004/jnccn.2021.7015 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Brooke E. Wilson ◽

Michelle B. Nadler ◽

Alexandra Desnoyers ◽

Eitan Amir

Keyword(s):

Censored Data ◽

Control Group ◽

Drug Discontinuation ◽

Open Label ◽

Loss To Follow Up ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Early Drug

Background: Censoring due to early drug discontinuation (EDD) or withdrawal of consent or loss to follow-up (WCLFU) can result in postrandomization bias. In oncology, censoring rules vary with no defined standards. In this study, we sought to describe the planned handling and transparency of censoring data in oncology trials supporting FDA approval and to compare EDD and WCLFU in experimental and control arms. Methods: We searched FDA archives to identify solid tumor drug approvals and their associated trials between 2015 and 2019, and extracted the planned handling and reporting of censored data. We compared the proportion of WCLFU and EDD between the experimental and control arms by using generalized estimating equations, and performed logistic regression to identify trial characteristics associated with WCLFU occurring more frequently in the control group. Results: Censoring rules were defined adequately in 48 (59%) of 81 included studies. Only 14 (17%) reported proportions of censored participants clearly. The proportion of WCLFU was higher in the control group than in the experimental group (mean, 3.9% vs 2.5%; β-coefficient, −2.2; 95% CI, −3.1 to −1.3; P<.001). EDD was numerically higher in the experimental arm in 61% of studies, but there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of EDD between the experimental and control groups (mean, 21.6% vs 19.9%, respectively; β-coefficient, 0.27; 95% CI, −0.32 to 0.87; P=.37). The proportion of EDD due to adverse effects (AEs) was higher in the experimental group (mean, 13.2% vs 8.5%; β-coefficient, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.57–2.45; P=.002). WCLFU was higher in the control group in studies with an active control group (odds ratio [OR], 10.1; P<.001) and in open label studies (OR, 3.00; P=.08). Conclusions: There are significant differences in WCLFU and EDD for AEs between the experimental and control arms in oncology trials. This may introduce postrandomization bias. Trials should improve the reporting and handling of censored data so that clinicians and patients are fully informed regarding the expected benefits of a treatment.

Download Full-text

Apparent growth paradox of Staphylococcus epidermidis in response to extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation exposure

10.1101/2021.03.06.434218 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dyaan Malik ◽

Esmeralda Pineda ◽

Deyvis Mejia Zambrana

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Epidermidis ◽

Colony Formation ◽

Human Microbiome ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Petri Dish ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Control Group ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Experimental Group

AbstractStaphylococcus epidermidis is a normal part of the human microbiome; however, it is an opportunistic pathogen and can cause infections when the delicate balance of this microbiome is disrupted. Furthermore, infections caused by this bacterium can be hard to treat as a result of antibiotic resistance and biofilm production. This experiment aimed to determine whether electromagnetic field radiation (ELF-EMF) could be a deterrent of bacterial growth, as an alternative treatment to antibiotics. A non-pathogenic strain of S. epidermidis was used for experimentation, which took place in a school laboratory setting. The experimental group was exposed to ELF-EMF, while the control group did not receive the ELF-EMF treatment. The number of bacterial colonies, represented as colony forming units (CFUs) and area of random colonies were calculated to determine the effect of this treatment. There was no dramatic difference of colony formation on days 0, 1, and 2 of the four day period of ELF-EMF exposure. However, colony formation for days 3 and 4 showed a significant difference between the control and the experimental groups, as the experimental group had a significantly higher CFU count than the control. The average CFU count for day 3 in the control group was 420.6 and 1,097.4 for the experimental group (p<0.0001, t=12.9803). On the final day of the experimentation (Day 4) the average CFU count for the control group was 424.6 and 896.4 for the experimental group (p<0.0001, t=5.8926). The area for five randomly chosen colonies from each petri dish was calculated on the fourth day of experimentation. The area for the experimental group was significantly lower than that control (p<0.0001, with t=6.8659). The average area for the control group was 1.3249 mm2 and a lower average of 0.6375mm2 for the experimental group. These results demonstrate that the ELF-EMF treatment had an inhibitory effect on the area growth of S. epidermidis, but not on the colony-forming ability of S. epidermidis. This suggests that ELF-EMF influences the means by which the bacterium S. epidermidis grows.

Download Full-text

Effect of manual reduction and indirect decompression on thoracolumbar burst fracture: a comparison study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-90414/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jian Huang ◽

Limin Zhou ◽

Zhaodong Yan ◽

Zongbo Zhou ◽

Xuejian Gou

Keyword(s):

Burst Fracture ◽

Wedge Angle ◽

Control Group ◽

Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture ◽

Manual Reduction ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Indirect Decompression ◽

The Difference ◽

Experimental Group

Abstract Study designRetrospective cohort study.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of manual reduction and indirect decompression on thoracolumbar burst fracture.Methods60 patients with thoracolumbar burst fracture who were hospitalized from January 2018 to October 2019 were selected and divided into experimental group (33 cases) and control group (27 cases) according to different treatment methods. The experimental group was treated with manual reduction and indirect decompression, while the control group was not treated with manual reduction. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded. VAS score was used to evaluate the improvement of pain. The anterior height of injured vertebra, wedge angle of injured vertebral body, encroachment ratio of injured vertebral canal were used to evaluate spinal canal decompression and fracture reduction. JOA score was used to evaluate the improvement of spinal function.ResultsThere was no significant difference in operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups. Compared with the control group, the VAS score and the wedge angle of injured vertebral body of the experimental group on 3 days after operation and the last follow-up were significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. The ratio of anterior height of injured vertebra of the experimental group on 3 days after operation and the last follow-up were significantly higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. The difference of the encroachment ratio of injured vertebral canal between preoperation and 3 days after operation was significantly higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. The bladder function of JOA on 3 days after operation of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. And the rest aspect of JOA on 3 days after operation and last follow-up of the experimental group were no significant difference Compared with the control group.ConclusionManipulative reduction and indirect decompression can obtain better clinical effect in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures.

Download Full-text