Journal of rehabilitation medicine : official journal of the UEMS European Board of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
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Comparative Study
Effects of training frequency on lumbar extension strength in patients recovering from lumbar dyscectomy.
To determine the effects of lumbar extension exercise on strength, disability index, and pain scores in patients after lumbar discectomy surgery. ⋯ Lumbar extension strength and disability index improve with training frequencies of once and twice per week, while back and leg pain improve with a training frequency of twice per week. The clinical importance of these improvements is questionable, as the scores were already very low after the discectomy and the magnitude of absolute improvements were small.
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Comparative Study
Reduced pressure pain thresholds in response to exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome but not in chronic low back pain: an experimental study.
The aims of this study were to examine: (i) baseline pressure pain thresholds in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and those with chronic low back pain compared with healthy subjects; (ii) the change in mean pain threshold in response to exercise; and (iii) associations with exercise-induced increase in nitric oxide. ⋯ The results suggest hyperalgesia and abnormal central pain processing during submaximal aerobic exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome, but not in chronic low back pain. Nitric oxide appeared to be unrelated to pain processing.
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Case Reports
Restoration of walking function in an individual with chronic complete (AIS A) spinal cord injury.
The prognosis for further recovery of motor function 2 years after complete spinal cord injury is poor. This case report describes recovery of walking function in an a 33-year old man two years post T7 spinal cord injury American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A following intensive physical therapy and robotic locomotor training. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is the first report of an individual with chronic spinal cord injury American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A improving in over-ground walking ability following intensive physical therapy and robotic locomotor training. The presence of a neurophysiologically discomplete lesion probably permitted training of operational neural pathways and enabled the development of useful voluntary movement.
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Comparative Study
Increased interstitial concentrations of pyruvate and lactate in the trapezius muscle of patients with fibromyalgia: a microdialysis study.
The aim of this study was to compare the interstitial concentrations of pyruvate, lactate and glutamate in the trapezius muscle between patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and healthy controls. ⋯ Different mechanisms that may increase pyruvate and lactate in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome are discussed. Improved understanding of peripheral muscle alterations in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome could lead to mechanism-based rehabilitation.
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To assess the factor structure of the Chinese version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK). ⋯ The TSK appears to have utility in Chinese chronic pain populations. Elucidation of the TSK's psychometrics properties in other Chinese/Asian pain populations with different diagnoses and presentations of pain problems is warranted.