Effects of kinesiotaping and exercise program on patients with obesity-induced coccydynia: a randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of kinesiotaping and a designed exercise program versus sham kinesiotaping and the same exercise program on pain, range of motion, and activities of daily living in obese patients suffering from coccydynia. DESIGN: A double-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatient, Cairo University hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty patients with coccydynia randomized equally into kinesiotape plus exercise and sham kinesiotape plus exercise groups. INTERVENTION: The kinesiotape was worn for three days and replaced for three weeks. Each patient practiced exercises for three weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: All patients were examined by visual analogue scale (VAS) for rating pain, Modified Modified Schober Test (MMST), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). All outcomes were measured at baseline, three weeks postintervention, and four weeks follow-up. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between groups at baseline (P < 0.05), but there were statistically significant differences between groups for pain score, MMST, and ODI at post and follow-up data in favor of the kinesiotape group (P < 0.001). For the three weeks postintervention, mean (SD) for pain score, MMST, and ODI was 33.07 ± 3.8, 6.6 ± 0.7, and 8.7 ± 2.1 in the study group and 39.9 ± 4.7, 5.8 ± 1.4, and 14.4 ± 2.7 in the control group, respectively. For the four weeks follow-up, mean (SD) for pain score, MMST, and ODI was 32.2 ± 3.4, 7.13 ± 0.6, and 7.2 ± 1.8 in the study group and 40.9 ± 4.4, 6.6 ± 0.75, and 13 ± 2 in the control group, respectively. CONCLUSION: Experimental kinesiotape intervention and exercise program provided significant improvements in pain, range of motion, and disability. It is suggested as an adjunctive therapy in treating obese patients with coccydynia.

Effects of Ultrasound, Laser and Exercises on Temporomandibular Joint Pain and Trismus Following Head and Neck Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of low intensity ultrasound (LIUS), traditional exercise therapy (TET), low level laser therapy (LLLT) and TET on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and trismus following recovery from head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS: Sixty participants following, who had experienced HNC, were randomly allocated to three groups of 20 people each. Each group received different therapy. Group A received LIUS and TET; group B received LLLT and TET; while group C received TET. All 60 participants were evaluated under the visual analog scale (VAS), the University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire (UW-QOL) and the Vernier caliper scale (VCS) at the beginning of the therapies and after 4 weeks. RESULTS: ANOVA test revealed significant improvements across all three groups with outcomes of p<0.05. The results of the UW-QOL questionnaire showed a significant difference between groups A, B and C in favor of group A (p<0.05). The VAS results showed a more improvement in group A as compared to group B (p<0.05), while there was no statistical difference between groups B and C (p>0.05). The VCS results showed more improvement for the individuals in group B as compared to those in group C (p<0.05), while there was minimal difference between groups A and B (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The LIUS and TET are more effective than LLLT and/or TET in reducing TMJ pain and trismus following HNC.