Efficacy of telerehabilitation exercise in patients with chronic neck pain: a protocol for a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study is to investigate if telerehabilitation is just as effective as the same face-to-face exercise program in patients with chronic neck pain (NP). 140 participants will participate in this non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. Primary outcomes will be pain intensity and disability, and secondary outcomes will be kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, fear avoidance beliefs, anxiety and depression symptoms, self-efficacy for pain and global perceived effect. It will be collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months after intervention. The analysis of non-inferiority will be calculated by mixed linear models considering the non-inferiority margin. The results of this clinical trial will be able to overcome the barriers that physiotherapists face for the success of their therapies. In addition, it may reduce the high demands and public health costs with NP. Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-6VBSMB). Clinical Trial Registration: REBEC (Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials) RBR-6VBSMB (ClinicalTrials.gov).

What is this article about? This study aims to compare the effect of face-to-face and telerehabilitation treatment for chronic neck pain, since it is the third condition that causes most disability in the world among musculoskeletal conditions. In addition, because its prevalence occurs at an economically active age, it generates a drop in productivity and absenteeism at work. Due to the high public health expenses with chronic neck pain, telerehabilitation is a tool with great potential for reducing waiting lists and barriers to therapy success (transport, time, money). What do the results of the study mean? This is the first clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of telerehabilitation exercise in patients with chronic neck pain and the results will be able to overcome the barriers that physiotherapists face for the success of their therapies. In addition, it may reduce the high demands and public health costs with neck pain and may help patients experience less pain and disability and become more self-sufficient in managing their chronic condition.

Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease Have Lower Bone Mineral Density Compared to Older Adults Without Dementia: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis of Observational Studies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The literature has associated bone mineral density (BMD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of the present systematic review was to investigate BMD in older adults with AD compared with older adults with no dementia. METHODS: Searches were performed in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases from inception to May 2022. Observational studies that compared BMD in the populations of interest were included. Methodical quality (risk of bias) was appraised using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated for meta-analyses. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Five studies were included, involving a total of 1772 older adults (373 with AD and 1399 with no dementia). A first meta-analysis compared 207 older adults with AD and 1243 with no dementia for BMD in the femoral neck. The results showed lower BMD in the AD groups (SMD =-1.52; 95% CI, -2.61 to -0.42; P = .007, low quality of evidence). A second meta-analysis considering different sites of the body (whole body, trunk, femur, and lumbar spine) also showed lower BMD in older adults with AD compared with the group with no dementia (SMD =-0.98; 95% CI, -1.91 to -0.05; P = .04, low quality of evidence). Newcastle-Ottawa Scale scores ranged from 7 to 9, indicating low risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: Bone mineral density is lower in older adults with AD than in older adults with no dementia, especially in the femoral neck. These results suggest that older adults with AD may be at greater risk of developing osteopenia and osteoporosis. Current clinical practice guidelines should be amended for screening frequency and methodology for this particular cohort. Further studies are needed to confirm whether older people with AD have lower BMD in other sites of the body.

Effectiveness of physical exercise at improving functional capacity in older adults living with Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of physical exercise at improving functional capacity in older adults living with Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Medline, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Lilacs, and PEDro were searched from inception until January 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported functional capacity outcomes were included. The evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Thirteen RCTs were included, involving 811 older adults living with AD. Multimodal exercise (ME), aerobic exercise (AE), and resistance exercise (RE) were used. The interventions were mainly supervised by caregivers. The evidence was low and with effect for activities of daily living (ADLs), moderate and with no effect for mobility and very low and with no effect for muscle strength, postural balance and flexibility after treatment with ME, moderate and with no effect for cardiorespiratory function and ADLs after treatment with AE. It was not possible to synthesize any type of evidence for RE. CONCLUSIONS: Multimodal exercise promotes improvements in functional capacity (ADLs). Therefore, the practice of physical exercise can be recommended for older adults living with AD. The involvement of the caregiver in the physical exercises should also be considered, as it could enhance the benefits of exercise for these older adults.Implications for rehabilitationHealthcare providers with clinical knowledge regarding physical exercise should promote, prescribe and support the daily practice of physical exercises for older adults living with Alzheimer's disease (AD).The involvement of caregivers in home-based physical exercise programs should be considered, as it could enhance the benefits of such programs for these older adults.It is important to consider the degree of cognitive impairment in older adults living with AD when outlining goals for the improvement in functional capacity through physical exercise.Multimodal exercise involving aerobic training, postural balance, muscle strengthening, and flexibility is capable of promoting an improvement in functional capacity (activities of daily living) for these older adults.

Reliability and Validity of Clinical Tests for Measuring Strength or Endurance of Cervical Muscles: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability and validity of clinical tests for measuring cervical muscle strength or endurance in participants with and without neck pain. DATA SOURCE: Systematic review and meta-analysis on reliability and validity. Literature search was conducted on January 28, 2020, using 5 databases: MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus. STUDY SELECTION: We included studies that investigated the reliability or validity of clinical tests for measuring cervical muscle strength or endurance in participants with nonspecific chronic neck pain, with or without irradiation, or healthy participants. We included only those that were viable for daily practice and of low cost. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted as follows: (1) author and year of publication, (2) demographic values and health condition, (3) reported clinical tests, (4) inclusion and exclusion criteria, (5) description of test, (6) interrater reliability, and (7) intrarater reliability. For validity studies we also extracted the (8) reference method and (9) validity estimates. DATA SYNTHESIS: Methodological quality was assessed with the Quality Appraisal of Diagnostic Reliability and the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies. Data on reliability and validity were extracted from included articles and then analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-one studies were included. Cervical flexor and extensor endurance test, craniocervical flexion test (CCFT), AND cervical muscle strength using a handheld dynamometer (HHD) showed moderate to good intra- and interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.64-0.90). Concurrent validity was measured by only 2 studies, which do not provide adequate evidence for a recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: The cervical flexor and extensor endurance tests, CCFT, and HHD for measuring cervical strength presented an acceptable interrater and intrarater reliability.

The Effect of Priming on Outcomes of Task-Oriented Training for the Upper Extremity in Chronic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background. Priming results in a type of implicit memory that prepares the brain for a more plastic response, thereby changing behavior. New evidence in neurorehabilitation points to the use of priming interventions to optimize functional gains of the upper extremity in poststroke individuals. Objective. To determine the effects of priming on task-oriented training on upper extremity outcomes (body function and activity) in chronic stroke. Methods. The PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE, and PEDro databases were searched in October 2019. Outcome data were pooled into categories of measures considering the International Classification Functional (ICF) classifications of body function and activity. Means and standard deviations for each group were used to determine group effect sizes by calculating mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals via a fixed effects model. Heterogeneity among the included studies for each factor evaluated was measured using the I2 statistic. Results. Thirty-six studies with 814 patients undergoing various types of task-oriented training were included in the analysis. Of these studies, 17 were associated with stimulation priming, 12 with sensory priming, 4 with movement priming, and 3 with action observation priming. Stimulation priming showed moderate-quality evidence of body function. Only the Wolf Motor Function Test (time) in the activity domain showed low-quality evidence. However, gains in motor function and in use of extremity members were measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UE-FMA). Regarding sensory priming, we found moderate-quality evidence and effect size for UE-FMA, corresponding to the body function domain (MD 4.77, 95% CI 3.25-6.29, Z = 6.15, P < .0001), and for the Action Research Arm Test, corresponding to the activity domain (MD 7.47, 95% CI 4.52-10.42, Z = 4.96, P < .0001). Despite the low-quality evidence, we found an effect size (MD 8.64, 95% CI 10.85-16.43, Z = 2.17, P = .003) in movement priming. Evidence for action observation priming was inconclusive. Conclusion. Combining priming and task-oriented training for the upper extremities of chronic stroke patients can be a promising intervention strategy. Studies that identify which priming techniques combined with task-oriented training for upper extremity function in chronic stroke yield effective outcomes in each ICF domain are needed and may be beneficial for the recovery of upper extremities poststroke.

Processo de tradução, propriedades de medida e classificação de acordo a CIF dos instrumentos de avaliação pós-AVE disponíveis em Português falado no Brasil / Translation process, measurement properties and classification according to ICF of evaluation instruments post-Stroke available in Portuguese spoken in Brazil

Diversos instrumentos desenvolvidos em países estrangeiros têm sido propostos para avaliar diferentes aspectos de indivíduos pós-acidente vascular encefálico (AVE). A identificação dos instrumentos de medida utilizados nesta população nos conceitos da CIF permite uma abordagem sistêmica do indivíduo. Este estudo objetivou realizar uma revisão sistemática de instrumentos para avaliação pós-AVE que passaram pelo processo de tradução e adaptação para a língua portuguesa, caracterizá-los nos conceitos da CIF e identificar suas propriedades de medida. Dois autores realizaram, de forma sistemática, as etapas de seleção dos estudos elegíveis. A busca se fez pela exploração dos bancos de dados Medline via Ovid, Cinahl via EBSCO, Scielo e Lilacs. A busca resultou em 562 títulos, reduzidos a 22 artigos elegíveis, entre os quais foram identificados 19 instrumentos de avaliação, seis destes classificados como funções e estruturas corporais (FEC), um classificado dentro de FEC e atividade, oito como atividade e quatro como participação. Apenas em 4 estudos foram observadas todas as etapas do processo de tradução. A confiabilidade foi testada em todos os instrumentos, enquanto apenas 4 avaliaram alguma forma de validade e 4 avaliaram efeito piso/teto. Sugere-se a realização de futuros estudos com o objetivo de submeter estes instrumentos à avaliação das propriedades que ainda não foram avaliadas. (AU)

Many instruments developed in foreign countries have been proposed to evaluate different aspects of patients post-stroke. The identification measuring instruments already used in the population with cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in the concepts of the ICF provides a systemic approach of patients. The purpose of the study was to perform a systematic review of instruments for post-stroke evaluation that went through the process of translation and adaptation into Portuguese, featuring instruments in accordance with the concepts of the ICF and identify its psychometric properties. Two authors performed, systematically, the steps for selection of eligible studies. The databases searched were: Medline via Ovid, Cinahl via EBSCO, Scielo and Lilacs. We selected 562 titles and reduced to 22 eligible studies, in which 19 instruments were identified, six classified as structure and body function (SBF), one as SBF and activity, and eight as activity and four as participation. Only in four studies all the steps of the translation process were identified. Reliability was the psychometric property tested in all instruments, while only 4 have evaluated some type of validity and other four the floor/ceiling effects. Further studies are suggested in order to submit these instruments to evaluation of properties that have not yet been evaluated. (AU)

Assessment of cross-cultural adaptations and measurement properties of self-report outcome measures in Portuguese relevant to temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review / Evaluación de las adaptaciones transculturales y propiedades de medida de cuestionarios en lengua portuguesa relacionados con trastornos temporomandibulares: una revisión sistemática / Avaliação das adaptações transculturais e propriedades de medida de questionários em língua portuguesa relacionados às desordens temporomandibulares: uma revisão sistemática

The aim of this study was to identify, through a systematic review, which questionnaires used to assess temporomandibular (TMD) disorders are available in the Portuguese language, describing and analyzing the procedures used to translate and adapt the questionnaire into Portuguese, as well their measurement properties. Systematic searches were performed in five electronic databases (MEDLINE by PubMed, Embase, CINAHL by EBSCO, SciELO and LILACS). All studies were analyzed according to the criteria of quality guidelines for the procedures for cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties. There were 1.418, of which only six were eligible. Manual search retrieved two additional articles and a book chapter, totaling nine eligible studies. Four instruments were translated/adapted into Portuguese: The Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders: Axis II (RDC/TMD); the Fonseca Questionnaire and Anamnestic Index; the Questionnaire from the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (QAADO); and Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire (MFIQ), but none of these questionnaires where fully submitted to the steps for translation and adaptation recommended by the followed guidelines and none of the questionnaires had all measurement properties tested. The RDC/TMD and tehe MFIQ are the best available questionnaires in Portuguese to assess TMD, as were those with the most measurement properties acceptable results tested.

El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar, por medio de una revisión sistemática, los cuestionarios que evalúan los trastornos temporomandibulares (TTM) disponible en portugués, además de describir y analizar los procedimientos de traducción y adaptación al portugués de los mismos y sus respectivas propiedades de medida. Fueron realizadas búsquedas sistemáticas en cinco bases de datos (MEDLINE vía PubMed, Embase, CINAHL a través de EBSCO, SciELO y LILACS). Se analizaron todos los estudios de acuerdo a los criterios de calidad de directrices para los procedimientos de adaptación transcultural y propiedades de medida. Fueron encontrados 1.418 estudios, siendo que solo 6 fueron considerados elegibles. Fueron incluidos en búsqueda manual dos artículos y un capítulo de libro, totalizando nueve estudios. Cuatro instrumentos fueron traducidos/adaptados al portugués: Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD), Questionário e Índice Anamnésico de Fonseca, Questionário da Academia Americana de Dor Orofacia (QAADO) y Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire (MFIQ), pero ninguno de estos llevó a cabo plenamente las etapas de traducción y análisis de las propiedades de medida. El RDC/TMD y el MFIQ fueron considerados los instrumentos más adecuados, ya que fueron los que presentaron más propiedades de medida apropiadamente examinadas.

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar, por meio de uma revisão sistemática, os questionários que avaliam as desordens temporomandibulares (DTM) disponíveis em português, bem como descrever e analisar os procedimentos de tradução e adaptação para a língua portuguesa dos mesmos e suas respectivas propriedades de medida. Foram realizadas buscas sistematizadas em cinco bases de dados (MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, CINAHL via EBSCO, SciELO e LILACS). Todos os estudos foram analisados de acordo com os critérios de qualidade de diretrizes para os procedimentos de adaptação transcultural e propriedades de medida. Foram encontrados 1.418 estudos, sendo que apenas 6 foram considerados elegíveis. Foram incluídos em busca manual dois artigos e um capítulo de livro, totalizando nove estudos. Quatro instrumentos foram traduzidos/adaptados para a língua portuguesa: Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD), Questionário e Índice Anamnésico de Fonseca, Questionário da Academia Americana de Dor Orofacia (QAADO) e Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire (MFIQ), porém nenhum desses realizou completamente as etapas de tradução ou análise das propriedades de medida. O RDC/TMD e o MFIQ foram considerados os instrumentos mais adequados, pois foram os que apresentaram mais propriedades de medida apropriadamente testadas.

Estimulacao eletrica neuromuscular do tibial anterior nao altera a morfologia dos musculos soleo(antagonista) e extensor digital longo(sinergista) do rato / Neuromuscular electrical stimulation of tibialis anterior do not change the morphology of soleus(antagonistic) and extensor digitorum longus(synergistic) muscles of rat

A estimulacao eletrica neuromuscular(EENM) e um recurso fisioterapico muito utilizado para produzir fortalecimento e hipertofia muscular. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os efeitos morfologicos da EENM na musculatura sinergista e antagonista ao musculo diretamente estimulado. O musculo tibial anterior(TA) direito de seis ratos (Wistar)foi submetido a eletroestimulacao e os musculos extensor digital longo(EDL) e soleo, sinergista e antagonista ao TA, repectivamente, foram analisados. A EENM foi realizada em uma frequencia de 52 Hz., com ciclo ON-OFF na proporcao de 1/1, rampa de subida de trens de pulso de 2,2 seg. e intensidade de aproximadamente 0,5 mA. Foram produzidas 20 contracoes em cada sessao, 3 vezes por semana, durante 8 semanas. Posteriormente os animais foram anestesiados,e os musculos EDL e soleo direito e esquerdo foram removidos, pesados, congelados, seccionados e corados com Azul de Toluidina, para avaliacao morfologica das fibras musculares. Estudo previo, realizado no TA diretamente estimulado, nao revelou alteracoes morfologicas significativas no peso, area media das fibras e incidencia de sinais de lesao no EDL e no soleo, quando comparados com os musculos da pata controle nao estimulada. Esses resultados indicam que o protocolo utilizado para EENM, nao produziu alteracoes morfologicas significantes nos musculos EDL(sinergista) e soleo(antagonista) apos estimulacao do TA