Prevalence of positive modified scapular assistance test in patients with shoulder pain with and without scapular dyskinesis: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Scapular dyskinesis (SD) is defined as an altered position of the scapula or altered motion patterns and their relationship with shoulder pain (SP) is still under debate. The modified scapular assistance test (mSAT) modifies scapular kinematics and is used to determine the impact of scapular dyskinesis in shoulder pain. However, data about the relationship between SD and the result of mSAT is scarce. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to establish the frequency of positive mSAT in patients with SP and compare the prevalence in those with and without SD. As a secondary objective, we compare changes in pain intensity during the mSAT in patients with a positive test between those with and without SD. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Adult patients with a diagnosis of SP and with pain ≥2 during anterior flexion were included. The mSAT, scapular dyskinesis test (SDT), and shoulder function were assessed. RESULTS: The study was conducted between August 2018 and May 2022 and included 70 patients. The prevalence of SDT was 54.29%. No statistically significant associations were detected when assessing the relation between the presence of mSAT and SDT (p-value 0.83). When comparing pain response during the mSAT in patients with a positive test, no differences were seen between patients with SD and patients without SD (p-value 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of positive mSAT results was equal between individuals with and without SD. These findings suggest that the presence or absence of SD in individuals with SP was independent of the mSAT result. The mSAT should not be used solely for the assessment of SD in clinical practice nor be influenced by the SDT result. More research is needed to determine if the result of this test could inform prognosis and guide treatment choices.

Standard measurement error and minimal detectable change of the Back-PAQ ArgSpan questionnaire: Secondary analysis.

BACKGROUND: Negative attitudes and beliefs about back pain in patients with low back pain (LBP) are associated with high levels of pain and negatively influence clinical outcome. The Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) was developed to assess back beliefs of patients and healthcare professionals. The minimal detectable change (MDC) is defined as the smallest amount of change that can be detected not due to inherent variation or "noise" in the measure. The MDC values at 68%, 90% and 95% confidence levels of the Back-PAQ ArgSpan are unknown. OBJECTIVE: to calculate standard error measurement (SEM) and MDC to confirm the feasibility of Back-PAQ ArgSpan as a reliable outcome measure in clinical and research settings. STUDY DESIGN: a secondary analysis was carried out using a subgroup of data from the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Argentine version of the Back PAQ. METHOD: SEM was calculated (SD × âˆš1 - ICC) and MDC as (SEM × z-value × âˆš2). MDC was calculated as percentage as well. RESULTS: the SEM was 5.16 points. The MDC68, MDC90 and MDC95 of the Back-PAQ were 7.30, 12 and 14.3 points, respectively. The percentages of MDC68, MDC90 and MDC95 of the Back-PAQ were 6.7%, 11.0% and 13.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that the Back-PAQ ArgSpan is a reliable and interpretable measurement tool. When assessing a patient, a change in the score in the Back-PAQ ArgSpan over 15 points shows a true change at 95% confidence level.

Spanish translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Argentine version of the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: low back pain (LBP) is the main cause of years lived with disability worldwide. Psychosocial factors have been shown to be good predictors of persistent LBP. Within these, unhelpful beliefs about the back seem to be important in the development and chronicity of the symptoms. The Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) is an instrument that explores beliefs about the back that has been validated for people with and without back pain and healthcare professionals. However, until now, it has not been translated and validated for the Argentine population. OBJECTIVE: translate into Spanish, cross-cultural adapt and validate the Back-PAQ for the Argentine population with and without back pain. STUDY DESIGN: study of diagnostic accuracy/assessment scale. METHODS: the study was carried out in three consecutive phases: translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation. We included Argentinians aged 18 years or more. We used the Back-PAQ, modified Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (mFABQ) and the Global Rating of Change (GROC) scale to assess the psychometric properties. RESULTS: three hundred and seventy-two participants were included for the analysis. The time taken to answer and score the questionnaire was 5.6 and 1.6 min, respectively. Neither a ceiling nor a floor effect was observed. Internal consistency was 0.76. One hundred and eighty-six participants were considered stable. Test-retest reliability was 0.90. A weak correlation (0.33) was found between the Back-PAQ and the mFABQ. CONCLUSION: the Argentine version of the Back-PAQ is a viable, reliable and valid tool for the assessment of the back beliefs of the Argentine population.