Marcelo Cardoso de Souza

Sensory deficits in ipsilesional upper-extremity in chronic stroke patients

Objective To investigate somatosensory deficits in the ipsilesional wrist and hand in chronic stroke patients and correlate these deficits with contralesional sensorimotor dysfunctions, functional testing, laterality and handedness.Methods Fifty subjects (twenty-two healthy volunteers and twenty-eight stroke patients) underwent evaluation with Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments, the sensory and motor Fugl-Meyer Assessment, the Nottingham Sensory Assessment in both wrists and hands and functional tests.Results Twenty-five patients had sensory changes in the wrist and hand contralateral to the stroke, and eighteen patients (64%) had sensory deficits in the ipsilesional wrist and hand. The most significant ipsilesional sensory loss was observed in the left-handed patients. We found that the patients with brain damage in the right hemisphere had better scores for ipsilesional tactile sensation.Conclusions A reduction in ipsilesional conscious proprioception, tactile or thermal sensation was found in stroke subjects. Right hemisphere damage and right-handed subjects had better scores in ipsilesional tactile sensation.

Experience with women with fibromyalgia who practice zumba. Case reports

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Different types of exercises are being used for the treatment of fibromyalgia, such as aerobic, resistance, flexibility exercises and body awareness therapy, but there is strong evidence that the gold standard for the nonpharmacological treatment of this disease is the aerobic exercise. The objective of this study was to collect reports of patients with fibromyalgia who practiced three months of dance (Zumba) and had to stop dancing for three months due to the recess of the academic activity at the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017. CASE REPORTS: This is a qualitative study about the experience of 16 women with fibromyalgia, who participated in Zumba class for three months in 2016. The reports were collected when they resumed their dance activities in March 2017. Therefore, the patients remained with no intervention for three months, during the academic recess. The patients wrote their reports on a sheet of paper, answering three questions. According to the reports, we noticed that Zumba brought several benefits for these patients, such as pain relief, improved sleep quality, selfesteem and physical performance. CONCLUSION: Based on patients’ reports we can conclude that Zumba, as a three-month intervention, produced positive effects in improving pain, functional capacity, and quality of life of women with fibromyalgia.

Osteoarthritis of the hands and muscle strengthening exercises: na integrative update and review of the literature

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis of the hands is a highly prevalent disease that can lead to significant deformity and disability. The therapeutic approach in the management of osteoarthritis of the hands is based on pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. However, none of these treatments demonstrated a reduction of joint damage, and it presents itself in a purely symptomatic way. Yet, expert practitioners strongly recommend and use hand muscle strengthening in patients with hand osteoarthritis, but there is no consensus for such conduct. The objective of the study was to review the concepts about hand osteoarthritis as well as to bring the current evidence on muscle strengthening as a non-pharmacological treatment for this disease. CONTENTS: The study reviewed the United States National Library of Medicine database (Pubmed). The words used were: hand osteoarthritis, exercises, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. We included 5 articles in English, published in the last 10 years, focused on muscle strengthening exercises for osteoarthritis patients. CONCLUSION: There is no consensus, nor a more effective exercise protocol, although exercises and physiotherapy are still recommended. We suggest conducting randomized controlled clinical trials to improve the evidence on this subject.

Sarcopenia, nutritional status and functionality in elderly women living in the community

Objective: to evaluate the relationship between sarcopenia, functional capacity and nutritional status among elderly women living in the community. Method: an observational, cross-sectional study was performed with 100 elderly women aged over 60 years. A questionnaire containing identification and socioeconomic data and information relating to the practice of physical activity was applied, while anthropometric and body composition Palavras-chave: Envelhecimento. Avaliação Nutricional. Teste de caminhada. Sarcopenia. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562018021.170181

Quality of life and self-esteem of women who practice Pilates

Introduction: The Pilates Method has been excelled as an activity that values the functional capacity, coordination, strength, balance and cooperates for the well-being of those who practice it. Objective: This study evaluated the quality of life and self-esteem of women practicing the Pilates method. Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study with a sample of 60 women, 30 practitioners of the method (Pilates group) and 30 non-practitioners (control group). For data collection were applied a socio-demographic data sheet and two other instruments: the SF-36, a generic quality of life questionnaire and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, an instrument for measuring self-esteem. Results: Participated in the study 60 women, divided into Pilates group and control group. The groups were considered statistically similar with respect to age, schooling, marital status, work, housing and BMI. Regarding quality of life, there were only statistically significant differences between the groups for the general health domain (p≤0.001) and emotional aspects (p=0.001) with better results for the Pilates group. For the self-esteem, there was no statistical difference between the groups (p=0.05). Conclusion: Women who practice Pilates present some aspects of quality of life (general health and emotional aspects) in superiority to those who do not practice it.

Pain evaluation in workers of the textile industry

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O grande problema na saude do trabalhador nos dias atuais e o conjunto de afeccoes que afetam o sistema musculoesqueletico. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a dor, sua intensidade e regiao anatomica mais acometida de um grupo de trabalhadores da industria textil. METODOS: A pesquisa e caracterizada como um estudo transversal com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. Foi utilizada uma ficha de avaliacao fisioterapeutica, e a escala analogica visual para avaliar a dor. Um total de 26 trabalhadores foi avaliado. RESULTADOS: De acordo com a avaliacao, pode-se inferir que 88% (n=23) dos individuos sofriam de alguma queixa de dor. A intensidade da dor variou entre 2 e 8 com media de 4,8±2,4. A regiao que obteve maior intensidade na dor foi a dos ombros (EAV=6,6), seguido pela regiao lombar e cervical (EAV=6), a regiao de menor intensidade de dor foi o punho (EAV=5). CONCLUSAO: O presente estudo mostrou que grande parcela dos trabalhadores apresentaram dores ocupacionais. A regiao com maior incidencia de queixas foi a coluna lombar e a maior intensidade de dor referida foi a regiao dos ombros.

Impacto de um programa de três meses de exercícios resistidos para idosos com osteoartrite de joelhos, da comunidade de Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Objetivo: avaliar o impacto de um programa de tres meses de exercicios resistidos na dor e funcionalidade de idosos com osteoartrite de joelhos, da cidade de Santa Cruz, RN. Metodo: estudo quase experimental, com 13 idosos com diagnostico medico de osteoartrite de joelhos, que realizaram um programa de exercicios resistidos duas vezes por semana, durante 12 semanas. A dor, forca muscular, funcionalidade, qualidade de vida e satisfacao do paciente foram avaliadas atraves dos instrumentos: Escala visual analogica de dor, Teste de uma repeticao maxima (1RM), questionario The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Teste Timed Up and Go, Teste de caminhada de seis minutos, questionario Short Form (36) Health Survey e escala Likert. Teste t pareado e ANOVA de medidas repetidas foram utilizados para analise estatistica. Resultados: a media de idade dos pacientes foi de 62,0 (±10,0) anos. Ao final do estudo, os idosos melhoraram a dor, aumentaram a forca muscular, ficaram mais funcionais e melhoraram alguns dominios da qualidade de vida. Conclusao: os exercicios resistidos foram efetivos e seguros na melhora da dor, forca muscular, funcionalidade e qualidade de vida, no grupo estudado. Idosos da comunidade devem ser encorajados a realizar musculacao terapeutica supervisionada.

Avaliação da satisfação dos usuários no serviço de fisioterapia

Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the satisfaction of patients followed in Physical Therapy Methods : It is a cross-sectional descriptive observational research with quantitative and qualitative approach. Two questionnaires (MedRisk and instrument for measuring patient satisfaction with physical therapy in the public health system) were applied in 100 patients. Dimensions were evaluated related to therapist, patient relationship, consultation marking, physical environment, access physical structure and global items. Results : The sample was characterized by female users of predominance, with 2 School graduate and family income between one and three minimum wages. Most were answered in orthopedics, neurology and rheumatology. Of the total 45 aplicas objective questions in 42 prevailed at the maximum score. Conclusion : Through the analysis, it was found that the patients mostly were satisfied with the service offered.