Use of cervical traction for managing neck pain: A cross-sectional survey of physiotherapists in India.

BACKGROUND: Neck pain remains the fourth leading cause of disability and work loss, and a multimodal treatment approach is effective in reducing neck pain and disability. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the use of cervical traction for managing neck pain by Physiotherapists in India, including how and when the traction is used, the modes and parameters of traction, any additional interventions given with traction, and the influence of professional demographic characteristics in decision making in traction usage. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. METHODOLOGY: A random sample of approximately 2500 musculoskeletal physiotherapists was surveyed, and the data was presented in a descriptive form. Chi-square analyses were used to identify the association between responders' qualifications and traction usage. RESULTS: From the total physiotherapist approached 18.52% (n = 463) responses were obtained, and 62% (n = 287) respondents reported that they would use traction in their clinical practice. Out of 92.3% of responders indicated using traction for radiculopathy, 78.7% of respondents used traction for patients with neck pain without radiculopathy. It is used as a combination therapy by 58.8% for radiculopathy and 52.2% for stiffness. There was no association between the responder's qualification and traction usage (χ2 = 0.707, p = 0.40). Traction is used in combination with other physiotherapeutic techniques. CONCLUSION: Traction use was consistent with the proposed criteria identifying patients likely to benefit. However, disregarding current guidelines, physiotherapists also use traction for non-radicular neck pain. Various traction delivery modes and parameters were used within a comprehensive plan of care incorporating multiple interventions.

Ability of functional performance assessments to discriminate athletes with and without chronic ankle instability : a case-control study.

Background: The decline in motor function associated with chronic ankle instability (CAI) can be assessed using Functional Performance tests. Ankle muscular strength, endurance and range of motion (ROM) has been assessed in previous studies but functional activities such as sprinting and change of direction are less well studied in athletes with CAI. Hence the aim of this study was to determine how sprint, change of direction, ankle isometric strength, endurance and ROM measures may be associated with discriminate athletes with and without CAI. Methods: One hundred and six participants (CAI: n = 53 or no CAI: n = 53) provided informed consent to participate in this study. Participants performed three functional performance tests, (30-m sprint test, Modified Illinois change of direction test (MICODT)) and change of direction test. Range of motion for dorsiflexion was measured using weight bearing lunge test and inversion, eversion and plantarflexion using Saunders® digital inclinometer. Strength was assessed using Baseline® hand-held dynamometer for plantarflexors, dorsiflexors, invertors and evertors. Muscular endurance was assessed by single heel raise test and Modified single heel raise test. Between-group comparisons utilised Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U-tests, with a number of unique variable and multivariable binomial logistic regression performed to determine which performance measures may discriminate participants with CAI. Results: The CAI participants performed significantly worse in the three functional performance tests as well as multiple measures of ankle ROM, isometric strength and muscular endurance (p < 0.008). While several measures of ROM (plantarflexion and dorsiflexion), strength (inversion and eversion) and both muscular endurance tests were significantly associated with CAI in the univariable analysis, the strongest association was the functional performance tests, especially MICDOT time (odds ratio (95% CI): 0.06 [0.02-0.17], sensitivity 94.3%, specificity 88.7%). Multivariable regression analyses indicated that performance across the functional performance tests were more strongly associated with CAI than any ankle ROM, muscular strength or endurance test. Further, the inclusion of the best ankle range of motion, strength or muscular endurance tests did not significantly improve upon the association of the MICDOT with CAI. Conclusions: Chronic ankle instability in athletic populations appears to be highly associated with declines in functional performance and to a somewhat lesser extent, ankle range of motion, strength and muscle endurance measures. This may suggest that optimal rehabilitation for athletes with CAI may require a greater focus on improving sprinting speed and change of direction ability in the mid to latter stages of rehabilitation, with regular assessments of these functional performance tests necessary to guide the progression and overload of this training.

Proportion and distribution of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders and its association with disability in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional INTRODUCTION: Globally, diabetes is a leading cause of disability with an increased prevalence rate in the past three decades. Chronic diabetes has been shown to affect collagenous tissue which often leads to subsequent musculoskeletal complications. Despite increasing prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, the proportion and distribution of types of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders resulting in disabilities is poorly understood. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This cross-sectional study aims to gather data on the prevalence, proportion and distribution of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders among individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Further, this study examines the relationship between common upper extremity disorders and the resulting disability among individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. METHODS: 170 individuals diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus were recruited at a tertiary care hospital. Routine upper extremity assessments were performed to identify the presence of Frozen Shoulder (FS), Limited Joint Mobility (LJM), Trigger Finger, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), and Dupuytren's Contracture. Disability was measured using the Disabilities of arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, Tukey's test, and Pearson's test were used to examine the prevalence, proportion and distribution of musculoskeletal disorders and disabilities among individuals with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. RESULTS: 83(48.9%) participants had one or a combination of multiple musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity. The proportion of LJM, FS, CTS, Trigger Finger, and Dupuytren's Contracture were n = 46(27.1%); n = 43(25.3%); n = 16(9.4%); n = 8(4.7%); n = 5(2.9%) respectively. Disability scores on the DASH were 25.8 ± 14.5, 10.3 ± 11.9, and 10.6 ± 10.4 respectively for individuals with FS, LJM and Trigger Finger. DASH scores were highest in individuals with both CTS and FS, 29.8 ± 19.3. Duration of diabetes was significantly associated (r = 0 .19; P < .01) with the disability scores on DASH. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in people with type 2 Diabetes mellitus remains high despite advances in medical management over the last two decades. The overall prevalence of hand disorders (LJM, CTS, Dupuytren's contracture, Trigger Finger) was higher than shoulder disorders (FS), e.g. frozen shoulder. People with a diabetes that had a diagnosed upper extremity conditon had more upper extremity disability, than those with diabetes but no diagnosed hand condition, Disability was highest for frozen shoulder and lowest for Dupuytren's diagnoses. Carpal tunnel syndrome was the most disabling hand condition. People with diabetes should be screened for upper extremity diagnoses that could limit their function. Poeple with disability resulting from hand disorders was lower than the shoulder disorders. A combination of hand and shoulder disorders resulted in greater disability.

Myofascial release versus Mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides' immediate and short-term effects on pain, function, and mobility in non-specific low back pain.

BACKGROUND: Myofascial release (MFR) and Mulligan Sustained Natural Apophyseal Glides (SNAGs) are manual therapy techniques routinely practiced in the management of non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). As a solo intervention or along with other therapies, both methods have reported positive results for individuals with NSLBP. However, which technique improves NSLBP-related pain, restricted range of motion (ROM) and disability, warrants further research. OBJECTIVE: To study the comparative effects of MFR and SNAGs on pain, disability, functional ability, and lumbar ROM in NSLBP. METHOD: A parallel-group study was conducted at tertiary care hospitals. Sixty-five Sub-acute or chronic NSLBP patients were allocated to receive strengthening exercises along with either MFR (n = 33) or SNAGs (n = 32) for six treatment sessions over one week. An independent assessor evaluated outcome measures such as the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Patient-Specific Function Scale (PSFS), and ROM at baseline, immediate (after 1st treatment), and short-term (post-sixth day of the intervention). The Modified Oswestry disability index (MODI) was assessed at baseline and short-term. RESULTS: Within-group analysis found clinically and statistically significant (p < 0.05) changes for VAS and PSFS at immediate and short-term for both the groups. The lumbar extension also showed improvement immediately and in the short-term. Improvement in Lumbar flexion was seen only in the SNAGs group over the short-term. A statistically significant improvement was seen for MODI in both the groups but was not clinically significant in the MFR group. The analysis observed no statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the groups at both the immediate and short-term. CONCLUSIONS: Pain and restricted function associated with NSLBP can be improved using SNAGs or MFR, along with strengthening exercises. For limited lumbar flexion ROM, Mulligan SNAGs have a better outcome than MFR over the short-term. Hence, both manual therapy techniques can be incorporated along with exercises for immediate and short-term management of sub-acute to chronic NSLBP.Clinical Trial Registration. CTRI/2018/12/016787 (http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/).

Effect of muscle energy technique with and without strain-counterstrain technique in acute low back pain - A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Muscle energy technique (MET) and strain-counterstrain (SCS) technique are found to be effective as a sole treatment of acute low back pain (LBP), but the combined effect of these two techniques has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the added effect of SCS to MET in acute LBP patients. METHODS: In this trial, 50 patients were randomly allocated to MET or MET-SCS group to receive the assigned two treatment sessions for two consecutive days. Oswestry disability index (ODI) and Roland Morris disability questionnaire (RMDQ), visual analogue scale (VAS), lumbar range of motion (ROM) were recorded at baseline, after first and second session. RESULTS: All the outcome measures showed statistically significant ( p < 0.05 ) improvement in both the groups after second session. Between the groups, analysis showed no statistically significant difference ( p > 0.05 ) after the first or second session. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement after second treatment sessions was noted in pain, ROM, and disability in both the groups, but immediate effect was seen only on pain intensity after first treatment session. When compared between the groups, no added effect of SCS to MET was found in reducing pain and disability and increasing lumbar ROM in acute LBP patients.