Lucia Bertozzi

Evaluation of Two Preventive Interventions for Reducing Musculoskeletal Complaints in Operators of Video Display Terminals

Background and Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a preventive ergonomic intervention, which was provided by physical therapists, on spinal and upper-extremity work-related posture and symptom complaints of workers who use video display terminals (VDT). Subjects Two hundred employees who spent at least 20 hours per week at a VDT were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group E received the ergonomic intervention and an informative brochure, and group I received only the brochure. Methods Both groups were evaluated at the beginning of the study and at a follow-up 5 months later. The following tools were used: a pain drawing and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method to assess spinal and upper-extremity work-related posture. Results Group E had a lower REBA score and reduced lower back, neck, and shoulder symptoms compared with group I. Discussion and Conclusion The results suggest that a personalized preventive ergonomic intervention can improve spinal and upper-extremity work-related posture and musculoskeletal symptoms for workers who use VDTs.

Effect of Therapeutic Exercise on Pain and Disability in the Management of Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Background Given the prevalence of chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNSNP) internationally, attention has increasingly been paid in recent years to evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic exercise (TE) in the management of this condition. Purpose The purpose of this study was to conduct a current review of randomized controlled trials concerning the effect of TE on pain and disability among people with CNSNP, perform a meta-analysis, and summarize current understanding. Data Sources Data were obtained from MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases from their inception to August 2012. Reference lists of relevant literature reviews also were tracked. Study Selection All published randomized trials without any restriction regarding time of publication or language were considered for inclusion. Study participants had to be symptomatic adults with only CNSNP. Data Extraction Two reviewers independently selected the studies, conducted the quality assessment, and extracted the results. Data were pooled in a meta-analysis using a random-effects model. Data Synthesis Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Therapeutic exercise proved to have medium and significant short-term and intermediate-term effects on pain (g=−0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]=−0.86 to −0.20, and g=−0.45, 95% CI=−0.82 to −0.07, respectively) and medium but not significant short-term and intermediate-term effects on disability (g=−0.39, 95% CI=−0.86 to 0.07, and g=−0.46, 95% CI=−1.00 to −0.08, respectively). Limitations Only one study investigated the effect of TE on pain and disability at follow-up longer than 6 months after intervention. Conclusions Consistent with other reviews, the results support the use of TE in the management of CNSNP. In particular, a significant overall effect size was found supporting TE for its effect on pain in both the short and intermediate terms.

Effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention on work-related posture and low back pain in video display terminal operators: A 3 year cross-over trial

UNLABELLED This study investigated the effectiveness of a workstation ergonomic intervention for work-related posture and low back pain (LBP) in Video Display Terminal (VDT) workers. 100 VDT workers were selected to receive the ergonomic intervention, whereas 100 were assigned to a control group. The two groups were then crossed-over after 30 months from baseline. Follow-ups were repeated at 5, 12, and 30 months from baseline and then at 6 months following crossover. OUTCOMES Work-related posture and LBP point-prevalence using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment method and a Pain Drawing, respectively. The ergonomic intervention at the workstation improved work-related posture and was effective in reducing LBP point-prevalence both in the first study period and after crossover, and these effects persisted for at least 30 months. In conclusion, our findings contribute to the evidence that individualized ergonomic interventions may be able to improve work-related posture and reduce LBP for VDT workers.

Investigation of the effect of conservative interventions in thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a current review of randomized controlled trials regarding the effect of conservative interventions on pain and function in people with thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA), perform a meta-analysis of the findings and summarize current knowledge. Method: Data were obtained from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro and CENTRAL databases from their inception to May 2014. Reference lists of relevant literature reviews were also searched. All published randomized trials without restrictions to time of publication or language were considered for inclusion. Study subjects were symptomatic adults with thumb CMC OA. Two reviewers independently selected studies, conducted quality assessment and extracted results. Data were pooled in a meta-analysis, when possible, using a random-effects model. Quality of the body evidence was assessed using GRADE approach. Results: Sixteen RCTs involving 1145 participants met the inclusion criteria. Twelve were of high quality (PEDro score > 6). We found moderate quality evidence that manual therapy and therapeutic exercise combined with manual therapy improve pain in thumb CMC OA at short- and intermediate-term follow-up, and from low to moderate quality evidences that magneto therapy improves pain and function at short-term follow-up. Orthoses (splints) were found to improve function at long-term follow-up and pinch strength at short-term follow-up. Finally, we found from very low to low-quality evidence that other conservative interventions provide no significant improvement in pain and in function at short- and long-term follow-up. Conclusions: Some of the commonly performed conservative interventions performed in therapy have evidence to support their use to improve hand function and decrease hand pain. Additional research is required to determine the efficacy of other therapeutic interventions that are performed with patients with thumb CMC OA. Implications for Rehabilitation Manual therapy and exercise are an effective means of improving pain and function at short-term follow-up by patients with thumb CMC OA. Magneto therapy, manual therapy, manual therapy and exercise and Orthoses (splints) were found to have clinically significant results. Very few of the included studies showed a clinically significant effect size in favor of treatment.

Effect of Taping on Spinal Pain and Disability: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Background Taping is a widely used therapeutic tool for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, nevertheless its effectiveness is still uncertain. Purpose The purpose of this study was to conduct a current review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the effects of elastic and nonelastic taping on spinal pain and disability. Data Sources MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched. Study Selection All published RCTs on symptomatic adults with a diagnosis of specific or nonspecific spinal pain, myofascial pain syndrome, or whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) were considered. Data Extraction Two reviewers independently selected the studies and extracted the results. The quality of individual studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the evidence was assessed using GRADE criteria. Data Synthesis Eight RCTs were included. Meta-analysis of 4 RCTs on low back pain demonstrated that elastic taping does not significantly reduce pain or disability immediately posttreatment, with a standardized mean difference of −0.31 (95% confidence interval=−0.64, 0.02) and −0.23 (95% confidence interval=−0.49, 0.03), respectively. Results from single trials indicated that both elastic and nonelastic taping are not better than placebo or no treatment on spinal disability. Positive results were found only for elastic taping and only for short-term pain reduction in WAD or specific neck pain. Generally, the effect sizes were very small or not clinically relevant, and all results were supported by low-quality evidence. Limitations The paucity of studies does not permit us to draw any final conclusions. Conclusion Although different types of taping were investigated, the results of this systematic review did not show any firm support for their effectiveness.

Minimal Clinically Important Difference of Grip and Pinch Strength in Women With Thumb Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis When Compared to Healthy Subjects

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to compare grip and pinch strength between women with carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA) between affected and unaffected sides of the body in patients or dominant and nondominant sides in healthy subjects. The secondary aim was to establish the cutoff value scores for the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for grip strength, tip, and tripod pinch. Design: A prospective case-control study. Methods: One hundred ten women participated in the study. The CMC OA group consisted of 57 patients, and the control group consisted of 53 healthy subjects. Grip strength, tip, and tripod pinch were assessed bilaterally. The two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine the differences between sides of the body and between the groups. Findings: The post hoc analysis indicated that the patients in the CMC OA group indicated statistically significant lower scores on the grip and pinch strength (all, p < .001). The MCID from baseline score in this patient population was 0.84 kg for grip, 0.33 kg for tip, and 0.35 kg for tripod pinch for the affected right arm and 1.12 kg for grip, 0.23 kg for tip, and 0.30 kg for tripod pinch for the unaffected left side. Conclusions: Women with CMC OA have significantly decreased grip strength, tip, and tripod pinch as compared to their healthy counterparts and may experience functional consequences because of this limitation. Clinical Relevance: Our study established the MCID for grip and pinch strength for individuals with CMC OA and their healthy counterparts.

Is there a relationship between psychological stress or anxiety and chronic nonspecific neck-arm pain in adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE To systematically review and analyze the research evidence linking stress or anxiety to chronic nonspecific neck-arm pain (NSNAP) in adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Data were obtained from Pubmed, Scopus, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and The Cochrane library database from their inception to July 2015. Two authors independently conducted the searches, extracted data, and completed methodological quality assessments. The methodological quality of the cohort and case-control studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, whilst the quality of the Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) was evaluated using the PEDro scale. RESULTS Twenty-eight studies involving 39,166 participants met the inclusion criteria. Four studies, including 5 pair-wise comparisons, were included in the meta-analysis: Three were cohort studies and 1 was a cross-sectional study. The meta-analysis outcome demonstrated a relationship between chronic NSNAP and psychological stress. The estimate odds ratio for all studies combined was 2.33 (95% CI, 1.04-5.18; p=0.039). A high heterogeneity of the findings appeared (Q=28.94, I2=86% p=0.00). CONCLUSION This study shows that there is a strong relationship between stress and chronic NSNAP. Despite this finding, we cannot support that stress is a risk factor for chronic NSNAP due to the low quality of the results according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). It was not possible to make a quantitative analysis comparing the relationship between anxiety and chronic NSNAP. However, according to the qualitative analysis there is a strong relationship between anxiety and chronic NSNAP.

Effect of an Exercise Programme for the Prevention of Back and Neck Pain in Poultry Slaughterhouse Workers

The objectives of this study were to determine the effectiveness of a programme of prevention exercises conducted in a corporate environment in poultry industry slaughterers suffering from musculoskeletal disorders. Forty workers, 70% female (mean ± SD age: 44.4 ± 8.4 years) were consecutively, in an alternative way, assigned to one of two groups receiving either set of 10 sessions (experimental or control group). The experimental group followed an exercise programme for a period of five weeks and a protocol of home exercises. The control group performed the exercise protocol only at home. The Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) to measure disability, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the Pain Drawing to measure pain were used as outcome evaluations. A significant effect of time interaction (all P <0.001 and; F = 40.673; F = 33.907 and F = 25.447) existed for lumbar VAS, RMDQ and ODI immediately after the intervention (all P < 0.006). No significant group effect or group-by-time interaction was detected for any of them, which suggests that both groups improved in the same way. This study shows that a programme of prevention exercises may have a positive effect in improving musculoskeletal disorders of slaughterhouse workers. Pain decreased in the lumbar region, and there was an almost significant reduction in disability.

Methods for the assessment of neuromotor capacity in non-specific low back pain: Validity and applicability in everyday clinical practice

BACKGROUND Physiotherapists and clinicians require methods that can be used in everyday practice for measuring proprioception of the trunk in individuals with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). OBJECTIVE Our objective was to conduct a systematic literature review of methods used for assessment of proprioception of the trunk in individuals with non-specific low back pain. METHOD Data were obtained from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro and CENTRAL databases from their inception to December 2011. Reference lists of the selected reviews were hand searched for other potentially relevant studies. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies proprioception of the trunk in individuals with low back pain were selected. Thirty-six studies satisfied the selection criteria and were included in this review. RESULTS Two reviewers independently selected the studies, conducted the quality assessment, and extracted data from each study. The Strobe scale was used to evaluate the scientific rigor of each selected study. CONCLUSIONS This systematic review covered all the relevant literature, but none of the included studies offered a valid, reliable and feasible method to assess neuromotor capacity in everyday physiotherapy clinical practice.

Effectiveness of neuromuscular taping on painful hemiplegic shoulder: a randomised clinical trial

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this trial was to investigate changes in pain, the range of motion (ROM) and spasticity in people with painful hemiplegic shoulder (PHS) after the application of an upper limb neuromuscular taping (NMT). Methods: We conducted a randomised clinical trial. The study included 32 people, 31% female (mean ± SD age: 66 ± 9 years), with PHS after stroke with pain at rest and during functional movements. The experimental group received the application of NMT and a standard physical therapy programme (SPTP), whereas the control group received SPTP. The groups received four 45-minute long sessions over four weeks. The VAS, ROM and spasticity were assessed before and after the intervention with follow-up at four weeks. Results: The experimental group had a greater reduction in pain compared to the control group at the end of the intervention, as well as at one month after the intervention (p < 0.001; all the group differences were greater than 4.5 cm, which is greater than the minimal clinically important difference of 2.0 cm). The experimental group had a significantly higher (i.e. better) ROM, by 30.0°, than the control group in shoulder flexion (95% CI: 37.3–22.7) at 4 weeks and by 24.8° (95% CI: 32.1–17.6) at 8 weeks as well as in abduction by 30.6° (95% CI: 37.5–23.7) at 4 weeks and 25.1° (95% CI: 33.8–16.3) at 8 weeks. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that NMT decreases pain and increases the ROM in subjects with shoulder pain after a stroke. Implications for Rehabilitation Painful hemiplegic shoulder is a frequent complication after stroke with negative impacts on functional activities and on quality of life of people, moreover restricts rehabilitation intervention. Neuromuscular taping is a technique introduced by David Blow for the treatment of neuromuscoloskeletal problems. This study shows the reduction of pain and the improvement of range of motion after the application of an upper limb neuromuscular taping. Rehabilitation professionals who are involved in the management of painful hemiplegic shoulder may like to consider the benefits that neuromuscular taping can produce on upper limb.