Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics
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J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Nov 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialHigh-Force Versus Low-Force Lumbar Traction in Acute Lumbar Sciatica Due to Disc Herniation: A Preliminary Randomized Trial.
This study compared the effects of high-force versus low-force lumbar traction in the treatment of acute lumbar sciatica secondary to disc herniation. ⋯ For this preliminary study, patients with acute lumbar sciatica secondary to disc herniation who received 2 weeks of lumbar traction reported reduced radicular pain and functional impairment and improved well-being regardless of the traction force group to which they were assigned. The effects of the traction treatment were independent of the initial level of medication and appeared to be maintained at the 2-week follow-up.
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J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Nov 2016
Interrater Reliability in the Clinical Evaluation of Myofascial Trigger Points in Three Ankle Muscles.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate interrater reliability in the diagnosis of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the tibialis anterior, peroneus brevis, and extensor digitorum longus muscles. ⋯ Three blinded raters were able to reach acceptable pairwise interrater agreement (percentage of agreement value ≥70%) for the presence or absence of MTrPs and LTR in the tibialis anterior, as well as for nodules in taut bands, referred pain, and the jump sign for the extensor digitorum longus. The peroneus brevis showed a wide percentage of agreement value, ranging from 31% to 82%. The results of this study showed that expert raters can agree, with slight-to-moderate concordance, with regard to the clinical testing of muscle trigger points by direct palpation of the 3 muscles studied: the tibialis anterior, the extensor digitorum longus, and the peroneus brevis. Interrater reliability seems to be muscle dependent, especially with regard to the depth of the muscle.
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J Manipulative Physiol Ther · Nov 2016
Musculoskeletal Dysfunctions in Patients With Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Preliminary Descriptive Survey.
The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal dysfunctions based on a standardized clinical examination of patients with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) who were referred to a specialized tertiary care center for laparoscopic examination. In addition, we stratified levels of self-reported pelvic pain, self-rated health, education, and work status based on musculoskeletal dysfunction status. ⋯ In this sample of CPP patients, 51% were categorized as having a musculoskeletal dysfunction. Overall, CPP patients were similar with respect to certain characteristics, such as age, body mass index, and pain level, regardless of their classification; however, patients with musculoskeletal dysfunction tended to report more pain in the front and back of the lower limbs.