Extracorporeal shock-wave therapy for the treatment of non-calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the short, intermediate, and long-term effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on pain intensity and shoulder function in individuals with non-calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy. DESIGN: The MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and EMBASE were searched from inception up to June 2023. We included randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of ESWT on pain intensity and shoulder function. RESULTS: Nine studies were included with a total sample of 543 individuals. ESWT was superior to sham ESWT in improving pain intensity at short-term follow-up (SMD = -0.29, 95% CI -0.57 to -0.01). ESWT was not superior to sham ESWT in improving pain intensity at intermediate-term and long-term follow-ups (p > 0.05). ESWT was not superior to other treatments in improving pain intensity at short-term and intermediate-term follow-ups (p > 0.05). ESWT was not superior to sham ESWT and other treatments in improving shoulder function at short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term follow-ups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Moderate-certainty evidence indicated that ESWT showed small improvement in shoulder pain over sham ESWT at short-term follow-up. In addition, ESWT was not superior to sham ESWT in improving function and it was not superior to other treatments in improving shoulder pain and function.

Core stability, shoulder peak torque and function in throwing athletes with and without shoulder pain.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared core stability, shoulder isokinetic peak torque and shoulder function in throwers with and without shoulder pain. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: Throwing athletes. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty healthy athletes and 21 with shoulder pain were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Endurance time of the trunk, the modified star excursion balance test, isokinetic peak torque of internal and external rotation of the shoulder, questionnaires, level of satisfaction with the throwing arm and active range of motion. RESULTS: The symptomatic athletes presented with shorter endurance time for the trunk lateral flexors (P < .05), and decreased reach distance for both limbs in the posteromedial direction (P < .05) and for takeoff limb in the posterolateral direction (P = .04), and smaller composite score for both limbs (P < .05) during star excursion balance test as compared to the healthy ones. No significant differences between groups were found for peak torque of internal and external rotation of the shoulder. Athletes with shoulder pain demonstrated more shoulder disability and a lower level of satisfaction with the throwing arm (P = .000). Range of motion was not different between groups for shoulder internal and external rotation. CONCLUSION: Throwing athletes with shoulder pain have lower core stability and shoulder function compared to healthy athletes.

Moving what is seen: arm visibility modulates infants' manual preference.

Effect of arm visibility on immediate manual preference was evaluated in 5-month-old infants on the task of reaching for a toy. Manual preference was assessed under full vision, and then in consecutive intervals in which vision of the preferred arm was occluded. Results showed that preferred arm visual occlusion led to reduced frequency of its use, with weakened persistence of that effect in the ensuing reestablishment of full vision. These results reveal that visual contact with the arms modulates their selection to perform reaching movements.

Visibilidade dos braços afeta a preferência manual em bebês / Arms visibility affects manual preference in infants

Um aspecto de interesse sobre a formação da preferência manual humana em idades precoces é a extensão em que ela é afetada por informações aferentes. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o efeito da oclusão visual do braço preferido sobre a preferência manual e desempenho motor em bebês. Participaram cinco bebês com cinco meses de idade, que realizaram alcances com visão plena ou oclusão visual do braço preferido. O desempenho motor foi avaliado por meio de medidas cinemáticas. Os resultados indicaram que a oclusão visual induziu redução da frequência de alcances unimanuais com o braço ocluído durante e imediatamente após a oclusão visual. Oclusão visual não alterou o desempenho motor. Estes resultados indicam que a formação da preferência manual durante o desenvolvimento motor é afetada pela disponibilidade de informação visual dos braços, embora os bebês pareçam ter pouca capacidade de usar a visão para controle motor.

An interesting aspect about formation of human manual preference in early ages is the extent to which it is affected by afferent information. This study aimed at investigating the effect of visual occlusion of the preferred arm on manual preference and motor performance in infants. Five 5-month-old infants performed reaching movements under full vision or occlusion of their preferred arm. Motor performance was assessed through kinematic measures. Results indicated that visual occlusion led to reduction of frequency of unimanual reaches using the visually occluded arm. Visual occlusion did not impair motor performance. These results indicate that formation of manual preference during motor development is affected by availability of visual afference of the arms, although infants seem to have reduced capacity to use vision for motor control.