Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy
-
To assess the reproducibility and validity of the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in men and women with obesity in order to facilitate evaluation of treatment outcome. ⋯ The 6MWT showed good reproducibility and known group validity and can be recommended for evaluating walking ability in subjects with obesity. For individual evaluation, however, an improved walking distance of at least 80 m was required to make the difference clinically significant. Despite shorter walking distance the obese participants performed heavier work than the lean.
-
Low back pain is common among Brazilians, especially affecting those who are working. Psychosocial factors, such as the health locus of control, are associated with low back pain prognoses. Although the multidimensional health locus of control questionnaire is widely employed in individuals with low back pain, a Brazilian-Portuguese version is not yet available. The aim of the present study was to translate and adapt the multidimensional health locus of control (MHLC) questionnaire, and to investigate its psychometric properties in a Brazilian population with non-specific chronic low back pain. ⋯ The Brazilian-Portuguese version of the MHLC questionnaire has acceptable measurement properties similar to that observed with the original English language version.
-
Many women suffer from back pain and experience activity limitation post-partum. To our knowledge the physiological factors and physiotherapy related to back pain post-partum have received limited evaluation and the effectiveness of specific physiotherapeutic approaches to exercise should be tested. In addition, there has been limited research on kinesiophobia in women with back pain post-partum. The purpose of the current study was to test the influence of specific trunk muscle training on pain, activity limitation and kinesiophobia in 10 subjects with back pain post-partum. ⋯ Individual specific deep muscle training of the transversus abdominus and multifidus muscles reduced pain and activity limitation in women with back pain post-partum. Further research is needed to determine more precisely how kinesiophobia affects women with back pain post-partum.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effectiveness of a home exercise programme in low back pain: a randomized five-year follow-up study.
Therapeutic exercise has been shown to be beneficial in decreasing pain and in increasing functioning in patients with chronic low back pain. However, longitudinal follow-up studies are small in number, and often limited in the numbers of subjects due to drop-outs. In addition there is a shortage of real control groups in most cases. The purpose of the present study was to describe long-term changes in intensity of low back pain and in functioning for two study groups five years after undertaking a home exercise programme. ⋯ The present randomized study indicates that supervised, controlled home exercises lead to reduced low back pain, and that positive effects were preserved over five years.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Is mechanical pain threshold after transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) increased locally and unilaterally? A randomized placebo-controlled trial in healthy subjects.
It is not fully understood how transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) intensity affects mechanical pain threshold. ⋯ TENS administered at a strong but comfortable non-painful stimulation intensity increases mechanical pain threshold ipsi-laterally in healthy subjects, whereas TENS administered at sensory threshold intensity does not. TENS may be ineffective if electrodes are placed contralaterally or distant to the pain site and if stimulation intensity levels are not titrated to subjective strong levels. Further clinical trials are needed to clarify if these findings may also be generalized to populations of chronic pain sufferers.