Kazim Capaci

A comparison of muscle training methods in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

This study sought to compare the efficacy of isokinetic and progressive resistive exercise (PRE) programs in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Forty-four patients with bilateral knee OA were included in the study. The patients in Group 1 (n=21) performed isokinetic exercises and the patients in Group 2 (n=18) performed a PRE program. Disease severity, pain, walking time, WOMAC, Lequesne index, AIMS2 and SF36 were compared before and after the treatments. All the patients were evaluated via a Cybex isokinetic device before and after treatment. Disease severity, pain, Lequesne, WOMAC and walking time improved with treatment in both groups. In SF36 and AIMS2 assessments, pain and social evaluation parameters in the PRE group showed better improvement. On isokinetic assessment flexor and extensor peak torque and peak torque body weight values improved significantly in both groups compared to pretreatment measurements. When the assessed parameters were taken into account no statistical significant difference was observed between the two groups. Our conclusions were that isokinetic and PRE programs are efficient in the treatment of knee OA; no statistically significant differences could be found between the two programs; and the PRE program, as it is cheaper, more easily performed and efficient, may be preferable for the treatment of knee OA.

Comparison of isokinetic exercise versus standard exercise training in patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled study

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of an isokinetic exercise programme and a standard exercise programme in patients with chronic low back pain in terms of pain, mobility, disability, psychological status and muscle strength. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Setting: An outpatient rehabilitation clinic. Subjects: A total of 40 patients with low back pain were included in the study. Interventions: Patients with low back pain were randomly allocated into group 1 (n=20, isokinetic exercises) and group 2 (n=20, standard exercise). Main measures: Outcome measures included a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, fingertip-to-floor test for spinal mobility, Modified Oswestry Low Back Disability Questionnaire (MOLBDQ), Beck Depression Inventory and isokinetic muscle testing. Results: The isokinetic and standard exercise groups demonstrated significant improvement in the VAS, fingertip-to-floor test, MOLBDQ, Beck Depression Inventory scores, and muscle strength compared with the baseline that persisted until the end of the first month (P<0.05). Comparison of both exercise groups in terms of these parameters obtained at the end of the treatment and at the first month after treatment showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: Isokinetic and standard exercise programmes have an equal effect in the treatment of low back pain, with no statistically significant difference found between the two programmes. The standard exercise programme was easily performed and had a low cost, making it the preferred option for exercise.

Comparison of the effects of amitriptyline and paroxetine in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome

AbstractThe aim of this study is to research the efficiency and the side effects of paroxetine, which is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), and to compare it with amitriptyline, whose efficiency in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is well known. The 40 FMS-diagnosed patients that were involved in the research were separated into two groups randomly. The patients within the first group were given paroxetine tablets (for the first weeks 20 mg/day, later 40 mg/day); those within the second group were given amitriptyline drage (for the first two weeks 10 mg/day, later 20 mg/day). The treatment continued for two months. All of the patients were evaluated by a physician, who was not aware of the therapy options, in the 2nd, 4th and 8th weeks with regard to fatigue, morning stiffness, sleep disturbances, paraesthesia, headaches, tender point count and score, severity of global pain, Beck depression index, global efficiency and tolerance according to the patient and the physicians judgments. It is obse...

Musculoskeletal pain in elite competitive male swimmers

AbstractMusculoskeletal problems that interfere with effective training is serious and may result in decreased performance in the swimming athlete. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in our competitive male swimmers, and to investigate the relationship between stroke style and musculoskeletal pain. It was found that 23 of the 38 competitive male swimmers examined reported musculoskeletal pain in this study: 13 had shoulder pain, 7 had low back pain, and 3 had knee pain. Ten swimmers with pain never stopped training, and only one swimmer had to stop swimming for a period of one month. Knee pain was observed only in breaststrokers, but back pain from all strokes. Shoulder pain was not seen in breaststrokers; this pain instead occurred frequently in free-stylers. Injuries leading to pain may be acute or caused by repeated microtraumas, eventually leading to an overuse injury. Corrections of factors contributing to overuse injuries should be properly treated so that...

Prevalence of symptomatic knee, hand and hip osteoarthritis among individuals 40 years or older: a study conducted in İzmir city

OBJECTIVE This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of symptomatic knee, hand and hip osteoarthritis among men and women at or over 40 years of age, living in the Bayraklı Adalet district of İzmir. METHODS The study included a sample size of 522 people calculated using the Epi Info™ software. Demographic information, weight, height and body mass index were recorded. Patients were physically examined for evidence of osteoarthritis, such as joint tenderness, range of motion deficiency, deformity, 1st carpometacarpal joint involvement and Heberdens and/or Bouchards nodes. One hundred and ninety-one individuals were suspected of having knee/hand/hip osteoarthritis and 152 of these were called in for radiographs. RESULTS The prevalence of symptomatic knee, hand and hip osteoarthritis of adults aged ≥40 years was 20.9%, 2.8% and 1.0%, respectively. Symptomatic knee and hand osteoarthritis was significantly higher among women (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between two genders regarding symptomatic hip osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION Knee osteoarthritis is frequent in the region in which the study was conducted. An effective health policy regarding osteoarthritis can be created following further studies with larger samples representing the entire country.

Longitudinal study of bone loss in chronic spinal cord injury patients.

[Purpose] This prospective longitudinal study evaluated the changes in bone metabolism markers and bone mineral density of spinal cord injury patients over 3 years. We also assessed the relationships among the bone mineral density, bone metabolism, and clinical data of spinal cord injury patients. [Subjects and Methods] We assessed the clinical data (i.e., immobilization due to surgery, neurological status, neurological level, and extent of lesion) in 20 spinal cord injury patients. Bone mineral density, and hormonal and biochemical markers of the patients were measured at 0, 6, 12, and 36 months. [Results] Femoral neck T score decreased significantly at 36 months (p < 0.05). Among the hormonal markers, parathyroid hormone and vitamin D were significantly elevated, while bone turnover markers (i.e., deoxypyridinoline and osteocalcin) were significantly decreased at 12 and 36 months (p < 0.05). [Conclusion] Bone mineral density of the femoral neck decreases significantly during the long-term follow-up of patients with spinal cord injury due to osteoporosis. This could be due to changes in hormonal and bone turnover markers.