Inter-rater and Intra-rater Reliability of a Mobile App Method to Measure Lumbar Lordosis.

Background Measuring the exact quantitative values of lordotic curves is a vital factor in clinical settings to prevent musculoskeletal deformities in the future. Existing lordotic assessment methods are very diverse, expensive, inaccurate, and not handy, and their availability cannot be maintained in every clinic setup. Aim The purpose of this research was to study the reliability of a mobile app as a feasible method to measure lumbar lordosis angle using a lateral view radiograph. Methodology A lateral view low back region radiograph of 58 participants was taken based on the criteria, and the experienced physiotherapists uploaded the X-ray to the mobile app and measured the lordotic angles with the support of machine learning algorithms. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the average and dispersion of the data of the lumbar lordosis angle measured using the mobile app method (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, IBM Corp., Version 23, Armonk, NY)). Results Associations between and within raters were assessed using the Karl Pearson coefficient of correlation (1.000). Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were determined by using Cronbach's alpha (.966) and the split-half method. The internal consistency of the mobile app was found to be good. Conclusions Based on our findings, we conclude that the mobile app method is reliable and useful in measuring lumbar lordosis objectively with less effort. Since the app is handy on smartphones, physiotherapists can conduct an objective lumbar lordosis assessment in clinical settings.

Effect of six-week short-duration deep breathing on young adults with chronic ankle instability-a pilot randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is the most common injury in youth sports, which leads to psychological stress from doubting their performance. Cost effective and easy to access tool to reduce the stress among this target group are desired. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of adding on intervention with short-duration deep breathing (SDDB) alongside with conventional physiotherapy (CP) among young adults with chronic ankle instability (CAI). METHODS: Total of 30 CAI participants attended physiotherapy, who were randomly assigned into control and experimental groups. The participants in the experimental group received combined intervention (SDDB + CP), and the control group received CP for 6 weeks. The effectiveness of interventions was assessed at 3 intervals with a battery of questionnaires (Visual Analog Score, Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire) at the end of week 3, week 6, and week 12 as follow-up. A two-way repeated measures of ANOVA was applied to report the statistical significance at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The results showed a better improvement in pain, balance, happiness, and mindfulness attention among participants in the experimental group, with a significant improvement in mindful attention over the time point as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings provide insight into incorporating SDDB additions to the existing CP for better CAI management. Breathing techniques that improve attention and happiness play a vital role in CAI, which recommends the biopsychosocial approach in chronic injury rehabilitation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials using Clinical Trials Registry under ID number NCT04812158 retrospectively registered on 23/03/2021.

Study of EEG alpha wave response on the effects of video-guided deep breathing on pain rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Athletes with chronic ankle pain (CAP) are more inclined to suffer from physical and psychological pain depending on the severity of the injuries, which might trigger the powerless feeling on future sports participation. Therefore, an efficient and simple method is useful to integrate into conventional physiotherapy (CP) for maintaining mental wellness. OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to verify the effects and progress of video-guided deep breathing (DB) integrated into CP through study on the changes of alpha waves and pain scale. METHODS: Alpha waves were recorded using an electroencephalogram (EEG) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) to assess pain intensity before and after the intervention (6 weeks). Thirty CAP participants were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups: group A for video-guided DB integration into their CP and group B for CP. The effects of pre and post intervention were analyzed using a paired t-test with statistical significance set at p< 0.05. RESULTS: Profound results from the research have shown that the participants who received both the DB+CP revealed a significant increase in alpha wave (p< 0.05) at occipital region. CONCLUSION: The significant result reveals an increase in alpha waves in the occipital region after 6 weeks and indicates that the video-guided DB with a smartphone application is able to produce a change in CAP participants. This supports the DB integration to the CP for altering the pain perception.

Preliminary study on changes of brainwaves for musculoskeletal pain among collegiate athletes.

BACKGROUND: Brainwaves studies on pain are gaining more attention in recent years. However, the target group in a similar study on collegiate athletes with musculoskeletal pain is still under explore. OBJECTIVE: The objective is to investigate the differences of the brainwaves response and its association with pain interference of the collegiate athletes with and without musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: Collegiate athletes (n= 49) were recruited and categorized into pain group (PG) (n= 25) and no-pain group (NPG) (n= 24). Brainwaves were recorded for 2 minutes with eyes closed in a resting state using EEG. Pain intensity and pain interference were documented using visual analogue scale and brief pain inventory, respectively. Independent t-test was used to compare brainwaves of PG and NPG, and Spearman's correlation was used to find the association between brain waves and pain interference. RESULTS: Findings showed a significant decrease (p< 0.05) in brain waves in PG on left temporal regions as compared to NPG. Frontal beta, theta, and gamma waves were found to be negatively correlated with participants' pain interference. CONCLUSION: This outcome potentially contributes EEG as an alternative non-invasive tool for an objective pain assessment method in health care technology to aid in the rehabilitation process.

Preditores de videogames para dispositivos móveis na dor do músculo esquelético entre estudantes universitários em Selangor, Malásia / Predictors of Mobile Video Gaming on Musculoskeletal Pain among University Students in Selangor, Malaysia

OBJETIVOS: Jogar videogames em dispositivos móveis tem aumentado rapidamente entre estudantes universitários, mais do que antes da pandemia do COVID-19. Isso é muito preocupante, pois pode desencadear vários problemas, como dores musculoesqueléticas e distúrbios de jogo. Vários estudos semelhantes foram realizados em vários países, mas limitados na Malásia. O presente estudo tem como objetivo investigar o efeito dos videogames móveis na dor musculoesquelética entre estudantes universitários em Selangor, Malásia. PARTICIPANTES E MÉTODOS: Este estudo foi conduzido online usando um questionário online auto-relatado por meio do Formulário Google e enviado a estudantes universitários em Selangor, Malásia. O vício em jogos dos participantes foi medido por meio do questionário Ten Item Internet Gaming Disorder test (IGDT-10) e a prevalência de dor musculoesquelética foi avaliada pelo Modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (MNMQ). RESULTADOS: A prevalência de Transtorno de Jogos na Internet entre estudantes universitários em Selangor, Malásia, é de 1,8% (n = 3). A região do pescoço (74,2%) foi a região do corpo mais comumente relatada com dor musculoesquelética, seguida pela região dos ombros (60,7%), região lombar (55,8%) e região superior das costas (50,9%). Houve associação significativa entre a posição corporal durante o videogame móvel (p = 0,002) e a dor musculoesquelética na região lombar. CONCLUSÃO: De acordo com os resultados deste estudo, a prevalência de Transtorno de Jogos na Internet entre estudantes universitários era baixa e não viciados em jogos no bloqueio Covid-19. Também descobrimos que os participantes que se sentaram enquanto jogavam videogames para celular tinham maior probabilidade de desenvolver dor lombar.

INTRODUCTION: Mobile video gaming among university students has increased rapidly, more than before the COVID-19 pandemic. This is very concerning as this could spark various problems, such as musculoskeletal pain and gaming disorders. OBJECTIVES: The present study is to identify the predictors of mobile video gaming on musculoskeletal pain among university students in Selangor, Malaysia. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted online using a self-reported online questionnaire via Google Form and sent to university students in Selangor, Malaysia. Participants' gaming addiction was measured using the Ten Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10) questionnaire, and the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was assessed by the Modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (MNMQ). The data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. A descriptive and binomial linear regression test was used to predict the variables. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, and odds ratios were calculated with confidence intervals of 95%. RESULTS: The prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder among university students in Selangor, Malaysia is 1.8% (n=3). The neck region (74.2%) was the most commonly reported body region with musculoskeletal pain, followed by the shoulder region (60.7 %), lower back region (55.8 %), and upper back region (50.9 %). The body position was the only predictor of mobile video gaming with musculoskeletal pain (p = 0.002) in the lower back region. CONCLUSION: According to the findings of this study, the prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) among university students was low and not addicted to gaming in the Covid-19 lockdown. We also found that participants who sat while playing mobile video games were more likely to develop low back pain. However, one of the limiting factors could be prolonged sitting in virtual classes during the lockdown, which causes low back pain.

Understanding upper body playing-related musculoskeletal disorders among piano and non-piano players using a photogrammetry.

CONCLUSION: The obtained results conclude piano players are highly prone to the risk of developing PRMSD in the upper body. RESULTS: The findings showed piano players have a higher NDI, lower CVA, and RSP when compared with the non-piano players at a statistically significant level of p-value <0.05. OBJECTIVE: Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMSD) are a common problem for the pianist. The poor upper body ergonomics influences the natural positioning of the neck and shoulders, which involves forward head posture (FHP) and rounded shoulder posture (RSP). This misaligned position could produce a sensation of pain over the upper body, which affects the piano player and computer users with similar ergonomic posture. Recently, photogrammetry methods are commonly applied in a clinical setting to assess posture. The goal of this research is to compare the upper body playing-related muscu-loskeletal disorders between the piano and the non-piano players by applying photogrammetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This causal-comparative study includes 70 participants with 35 piano and 35 non-piano players. The participant's FHP was assessed using a digitized photo to record the Craniovertebral angle (CVA) with the support of Kinovea software. Besides, digital Vernier Calliper used to assess the scapular index on the RSP and Neck disability indices (NDI) used to measure neck pain and functional disability of the participants.

Risk factors for lower extremity injuries in young badminton players / Fatores de risco para lesões de extremidade inferior em jovens jogadores de badminton

AIMS: Based on the limited evidence available about the intrinsic factors causing lower extremity injuries among Malaysian badminton players, this study was aimed to determine the relationship of demographic and physical characteristics to lower extremity injuries in young badminton players. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included badminton players between 14 and 24 years of age, categorized into case and control groups. Participants diagnosed with lower limb injuries were designated as cases, and those with no reported injuries were designated as controls. Personal information including demographic data, level of athlete and injury history was collected using a questionnaire. Independent t-test was used to analyze the differences between intrinsic characteristics in cases and controls. Pearson's χ2 was applied to evaluate the association between risk factors and general lower limb injuries, knee injuries and ankle injuries, with 95% confidence interval (CI). A p value of ≤0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 106 young badminton players (83 males, 23 females) were recruited, of whom 42 participants were allocated as the case group, and 64 participants were allocated as the control group. A total of 60 lower extremity injuries were reported among the 42 players of the case group. The overall mean age of the sample was 18.7±5 years (minimum 14 years and maximum 24 years). Mean age of the participants in the case group was 16.92±2.99 years. The most common injuries reported were ankle joint injuries, followed by knee and hip injuries. Participants of the younger age group (14-19 years old) were found to have a higher risk for lower extremity injures compared to those of the older age group (20-24 years old) (odds ratio [OR], 3.39; 95%CI, 1.15-10.01; p=0.023). Increased true limb length discrepancy was identified among the participants with lower extremity injuries (OR, 4.57, 95%CI, 1.2-17.24; p=0.016) and this discrepancy was strongly associated with ankle injuries (OR, 7.25; 95%CI, 1.85-28.57; p=0.002). There was no significant relationship between lower extremity injuries and gender, limb dominance or Q-angle. CONCLUSIONS: Lower extremity injuries in young badminton players were predominantly located in ankle and knee joints. Younger age and increase in true limb length discrepancy were identified as risk factors for lower extremity injuries in the study sample.

OBJETIVOS: Com base na limitada evidência disponível sobre os fatores intrínsecos que causam lesões de extremidade inferior entre os jogadores de badminton da Malásia, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar as relações de características demográficas e físicas com lesões nas extremidades inferiores em jovens jogadores de badminton. MÉTODOS: Um estudo transversal incluiu jogadores de badminton entre 14 e 24 anos de idade, categorizados em grupos de casos e controles. Os participantes diagnosticados com lesões dos membros inferiores foram designados como casos, e aqueles sem lesões relatadas foram designados como controles. Informações pessoais, incluindo dados demográficos, nível de atleta e histórico de lesões foram coletadas usando um questionário. O teste t independente foi utilizado para analisar as diferenças entre características intrínsecas em casos e controles. O χ2 de Pearson foi aplicado para avaliar a associação entre fatores de risco e lesões de membro inferior em geral, lesões no joelho e lesões no tornozelo, com intervalo de confiança (IC) de 95%. Um valor de p ≤0,05 foi considerado como significativo. RESULTADOS: Um total de 106 jovens jogadores de badminton (83 do gênero masculino e 23 do gênero feminino) foram recrutados, dos quais 42 participantes foram alocados no grupo de casos e 64 participantes foram alocados no grupo controle. Um total de 60 lesões nas extremidades inferiores foram relatadas entre os 42 jogadores do grupo de casos. A média de idade da amostra total foi de 18,7±5 anos (mínima 14 anos e máxima 24 anos). A média de idade dos participantes no grupo de casos foi de 16,92±2,99 anos. As lesões mais comumente relatadas foram as localizadas na articulação do tornozelo, seguidas das lesões de joelho e de quadril. Os participantes da faixa etária mais jovem (14-19 anos de idade) apresentaram maior risco de lesões nas extremidades inferiores em comparação com os de faixa etária mais velha (20-24 anos de idade) (odds ratio [OR], 3.39; 95% CI, 1,15-10,01; p=0,023). Maior discrepância verdadeira no comprimento dos membros inferiores foi identificada entre os participantes com lesões nas extremidades inferiores (OR, 4,57, IC 95%, 1,2-17,24; p=0,016) e esta discrepância foi fortemente associada a lesões no tornozelo (OR, 7,25; IC95%, 1,85 -28,57; p=0,002). Não houve relações significativas entre lesões das extremidades inferiores e gênero, dominância dos membros ou ângulo Q. CONCLUSÕES: As lesões das extremidades inferiores em jovens jogadores de badminton foram predominantemente localizadas nas articulações do tornozelo e do joelho. A faixa etária mais jovem e o aumento da discrepância verdadeira no comprimento dos membros foram identificados como fatores de risco para lesões das extremidades inferiores na amostra estudada.