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Health Technology Assessment... Oct 2023Tendinopathy is a common, painful and functionally limiting condition, primarily managed conservatively using exercise therapy.
BACKGROUND
Tendinopathy is a common, painful and functionally limiting condition, primarily managed conservatively using exercise therapy.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
(i) What exercise interventions have been reported in the literature for which tendinopathies? (ii) What outcomes have been reported in studies investigating exercise interventions for tendinopathy? (iii) Which exercise interventions are most effective across all tendinopathies? (iv) Does type/location of tendinopathy or other specific covariates affect which are the most effective exercise therapies? (v) How feasible and acceptable are exercise interventions for tendinopathies?
METHODS
A scoping review mapped exercise interventions for tendinopathies and outcomes reported to date (questions i and ii). Thereafter, two contingent systematic review workstreams were conducted. The first investigated a large number of studies and was split into three efficacy reviews that quantified and compared efficacy across different interventions (question iii), and investigated the influence of a range of potential moderators (question iv). The second was a convergent segregated mixed-method review (question v). Searches for studies published from 1998 were conducted in library databases ( = 9), trial registries ( = 6), grey literature databases ( = 5) and Google Scholar. Scoping review searches were completed on 28 April 2020 with efficacy and mixed-method search updates conducted on 19 January 2021 and 29 March 2021.
RESULTS
- 555 included studies identified a range of exercise interventions and outcomes across a range of tendinopathies, most commonly Achilles, patellar, lateral elbow and rotator cuff-related shoulder pain. Strengthening exercise was most common, with flexibility exercise used primarily in the upper limb. Disability was the most common outcome measured in Achilles, patellar and rotator cuff-related shoulder pain; physical function capacity was most common in lateral elbow tendinopathy. - 204 studies provided evidence that exercise therapy is safe and beneficial, and that patients are generally satisfied with treatment outcome and perceive the improvement to be substantial. In the context of generally low and very low-quality evidence, results identified that: (1) the shoulder may benefit more from flexibility (effect size = 0.18 [95% CrI 0.07 to 0.29]) and proprioception (effect size = 0.16 [95% CrI -1.8 to 0.32]); (2) when performing strengthening exercise it may be most beneficial to combine concentric and eccentric modes (effect size = 0.48 [95% CrI -0.13 to 1.1]; and (3) exercise may be most beneficial when combined with another conservative modality (e.g. injection or electro-therapy increasing effect size by ≈0.1 to 0.3). - 94 studies (11 qualitative) provided evidence that exercise interventions for tendinopathy can largely be considered feasible and acceptable, and that several important factors should be considered when prescribing exercise for tendinopathy, including an awareness of potential barriers to and facilitators of engaging with exercise, patients' and providers' prior experience and beliefs, and the importance of patient education, self-management and the patient-healthcare professional relationship.
LIMITATIONS
Despite a large body of literature on exercise for tendinopathy, there are methodological and reporting limitations that influenced the recommendations that could be made.
CONCLUSION
The findings provide some support for the use of exercise combined with another conservative modality; flexibility and proprioception exercise for the shoulder; and a combination of eccentric and concentric strengthening exercise across tendinopathies. However, the findings must be interpreted within the context of the quality of the available evidence.
FUTURE WORK
There is an urgent need for high-quality efficacy, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and qualitative research that is adequately reported, using common terminology, definitions and outcomes.
STUDY REGISTRATION
This project is registered as DOI: 10.11124/JBIES-20-00175 (scoping review); PROSPERO CRD 42020168187 (efficacy reviews); https://osf.io/preprints/sportrxiv/y7sk6/ (efficacy review 1); https://osf.io/preprints/sportrxiv/eyxgk/ (efficacy review 2); https://osf.io/preprints/sportrxiv/mx5pv/ (efficacy review 3); PROSPERO CRD42020164641 (mixed-method review).
FUNDING
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HTA programme and will be published in full in HTA Journal; Vol. 27, No. 24. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
Topics: Humans; Shoulder Pain; Feasibility Studies; Exercise Therapy; Tendinopathy; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37929629
DOI: 10.3310/TFWS2748 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Oct 2023Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. It is frequently accompanied by high levels of persistent pain, as well as substantial... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. It is frequently accompanied by high levels of persistent pain, as well as substantial impairments in function and functional capacity. This review aims to systematically analyze the changes in proprioception and related mechanoreceptors in OA patients.
METHODS
Studies from September 2013 to September 2023 were identified by conducting searches on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus electronic databases following the PRISMA statement. One reviewer independently assessed and screened the literature, extracted the data, and graded the studies. The body of evidence underwent an evaluation and grading process using the ROBINS-I tool, which was specifically designed to assess the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions. Results were summarized using descriptive methods.
RESULTS
A search through 37 studies yielded 14 clinical studies that were ultimately included. The primary focus of the studies was on the knee joint, particularly the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The studies found that PCL in OA patients had impaired proprioceptive accuracy, possibly due to changes in mechanoreceptors (Ruffini, Pacini, and Golgi Mazzoni corpuscles). This suggests that dysfunctional articular mechanoreceptors, especially in severe cases of OA, may contribute to reduced proprioception. Dynamic stabilometry also identified significant proprioceptive deficits in patients with knee articular cartilage lesions, underscoring the impact of such lesions on knee proprioception.
CONCLUSIONS
Literature data have shown that proprioceptive accuracy may play an important role in OA, particularly in the knee PCL and cartilage. However, the role of proprioception and related mechanoreceptors needs to be further clarified. Future studies focusing on the relationship between proprioception, OA disease, and symptoms, considering age and gender differences, and exploring OA joints other than the knee should be conducted to improve clinical and surgical outcomes in cases where proprioception and mechanoreceptors are impaired in OA patients.
PubMed: 37892761
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12206623 -
Journal of Neuroengineering and... Oct 2023Motor impairments are very common in neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Noninvasive brain stimulation could influence the motor function of patients. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation on balance and gait in patients with multiple sclerosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
BACKGROUND
Motor impairments are very common in neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Noninvasive brain stimulation could influence the motor function of patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on balance and gait ability in patients with multiple sclerosis. Additionally, a secondary aim was to compare the influence of the stimulation location of tDCS on current effectiveness.
METHODS
A search was conducted for randomized controlled trials published up to May 2023 comparing the application of tDCS versus a sham or control group. The primary outcome variables were balance and gait ability.
RESULTS
Eleven studies were included in the qualitative analysis, and ten were included in the quantitative analysis, which included 230 patients with multiple sclerosis. The average effect of tDCS on gait functionality was superior to that of the control group (SMD = -0.71; 95% CI, -1.05 to -0.37). However, the overall results of the tDCS vs. sham effect on static balance did not show significant differences between groups (MD = 1.26, 95% CI, -1.31 to 3.82). No significant differences were found when different locations of tDCS were compared.
CONCLUSIONS
These results reveal that tDCS is an effective treatment for improving gait ability with a low quality of evidence. However, the application of tDCS has no effect on static balance in patients with multiple sclerosis with very low quality of evidence. Similarly, there seems to be no difference regarding the stimulation area with tDCS.
Topics: Humans; Gait; Multiple Sclerosis; Postural Balance; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Treatment Outcome; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37875941
DOI: 10.1186/s12984-023-01266-w -
Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair Oct 2023We aimed to identify key aspects of the learning dynamics of proprioception training including: 1) specificity to the training type, 2) acquisition of proprioceptive... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to identify key aspects of the learning dynamics of proprioception training including: 1) specificity to the training type, 2) acquisition of proprioceptive skills, 3) retention of learning effects, and 4) transfer to different proprioceptive skills.
METHODS
We performed a systematic literature search using the database (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PEDro). The inclusion criteria required adult participants who underwent any training program that could enhance proprioceptive function, and at least 1 quantitative assessment of proprioception before and after the intervention. We analyzed within-group changes to quantify the effectiveness of an intervention.
RESULTS
In total, 106 studies with 343 participant-outcome groups were included. Proprioception-specific training resulted in large effect sizes with a mean improvement of 23.4 to 42.6%, nonspecific training resulted in medium effect sizes with 12.3 to 22% improvement, and no training resulted in small effect sizes with 5.0 to 8.9% improvement. Single-session training exhibited significant proprioceptive improvement immediately (10 studies). For training interventions with a midway evaluation (4 studies), trained groups improved by approximately 70% of their final value at the midway point. Proprioceptive improvements were largely maintained at a delayed follow-up of at least 1 week (12 studies). Finally, improvements in 1 assessment were significantly correlated with improvements in another assessment (10 studies).
CONCLUSIONS
Proprioceptive learning appears to exhibit several features similar to motor learning, including specificity to the training type, 2 time constant learning curves, good retention, and improvements that are correlated between different assessments, suggesting a possible, common mechanism for the transfer of training.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Proprioception; Learning
PubMed: 37864458
DOI: 10.1177/15459683231207354 -
BMC Sports Science, Medicine &... Oct 2023Taping is a common technique used to address proprioceptive deficits in both healthy and patient population groups. Although there is increasing interest in taping to...
Taping is a common technique used to address proprioceptive deficits in both healthy and patient population groups. Although there is increasing interest in taping to address proprioceptive deficits, little is known about its effects on the kinetic aspects of proprioception as measured by force sense accuracy. To address this gap in the literature, the present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of taping on force sense accuracy. A search for relevant literature was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across seven databases and one register. Eleven studies with 279 participants were included in the review out of 7362 records. In the between-group analyses, we found a significant improvement in absolute (p < 0.01) and relative (p = 0.01) force sense accuracy with taping compared to no comparator. Likewise, a significant improvement in absolute (p = 0.01) force sense accuracy was also observed with taping compared to placebo tape. In the within group analysis, this reduction in the absolute (p = 0.11) force sense accuracy was not significant. Additional exploratory subgroup analyses revealed between group improvement in force sense accuracy in both healthy individuals and individuals affected by medial epicondylitis. The findings of this meta-analysis should be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of studies and a lack of blinded randomized controlled trials, which may impact the generalizability of the results. More high-quality research is needed to confirm the overall effect of taping on force sense accuracy.
PubMed: 37864268
DOI: 10.1186/s13102-023-00740-1 -
Behavior Research Methods Apr 2024Facial neuromuscular electrical stimulation (fNMES), which allows for the non-invasive and physiologically sound activation of facial muscles, has great potential for... (Review)
Review
Application of facial neuromuscular electrical stimulation (fNMES) in psychophysiological research: Practical recommendations based on a systematic review of the literature.
Facial neuromuscular electrical stimulation (fNMES), which allows for the non-invasive and physiologically sound activation of facial muscles, has great potential for investigating fundamental questions in psychology and neuroscience, such as the role of proprioceptive facial feedback in emotion induction and emotion recognition, and may serve for clinical applications, such as alleviating symptoms of depression. However, despite illustrious origins in the 19th-century work of Duchenne de Boulogne, the practical application of fNMES remains largely unknown to today's researchers in psychology. In addition, published studies vary dramatically in the stimulation parameters used, such as stimulation frequency, amplitude, duration, and electrode size, and in the way they reported them. Because fNMES parameters impact the comfort and safety of volunteers, as well as its physiological (and psychological) effects, it is of paramount importance to establish recommendations of good practice and to ensure studies can be better compared and integrated. Here, we provide an introduction to fNMES, systematically review the existing literature focusing on the stimulation parameters used, and offer recommendations on how to safely and reliably deliver fNMES and on how to report the fNMES parameters to allow better cross-study comparison. In addition, we provide a free webpage, to easily visualise fNMES parameters and verify their safety based on current density. As an example of a potential application, we focus on the use of fNMES for the investigation of the facial feedback hypothesis.
Topics: Humans; Facial Muscles; Electric Stimulation; Psychophysiology; Emotions
PubMed: 37864116
DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02262-7 -
Current Neurology and Neuroscience... Nov 2023This review aims to explore which cognitive domain is more closely associated with which type of balance (static or dynamic). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
This review aims to explore which cognitive domain is more closely associated with which type of balance (static or dynamic).
RESENT FINDING
Based on recent reviews, inhibitory control, a part of cognition, plays a crucial role in balance performance. Previous reviews report significant links between cognition, mobility, and physical function in older adults. However, evidence regarding the relationship between cognition and balance scores remains inconclusive. The strength of association between cognition and balance appears to be domain-specific and task-specific. Executive function exhibits the strongest correlation with balance, while episodic memory shows a small link with dynamic balance. Processing speed and global cognition demonstrate moderate correlations. Additionally, there is a slight association between cognitive domains and static balance. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and develop targeted interventions for managing balance-related concerns that are domain-specific and task-specific.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Cognition; Health Status; Postural Balance; Processing Speed
PubMed: 37856048
DOI: 10.1007/s11910-023-01305-y -
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Oct 2023Dual-task training has been a popular intervention for individuals with balance impairments. However, the effects of dual-task training on chronic ankle instability... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Dual-task training has been a popular intervention for individuals with balance impairments. However, the effects of dual-task training on chronic ankle instability (CAI) have not been comprehensively analyzed and reliable clinical evidence is scarce. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of dual-task training on postural stability and functional ability in individuals with CAI.
METHODS
PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were researched from inception to November 2022. This study was conducted by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two reviewers assessed the studies for inclusion and extracted data. The Cochrane Risk of Bias list was used to assess the risk of bias in included studies. Mean differences (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated with the RevMan 5.3 software.
RESULTS
A total of 7 randomized controlled trials with 192 CAI met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis results showed that compared with the control group, dual-task training significantly improved the Y-balance test (MD = 1.60, 95% CI: -0.00 to 3.21, P = 0.050) and reduced COP-area (MD = - 0.94, 95% CI: -1.62 to - 0.26, P = 0.007) in individuals with CAI. However, there is no significant difference between dual-task training and the control group on COP-velocity (MD = - 0.26, 95% CI: -0.70 to 0.17, P = 0.240), hop test (MD = - 0.20, 95% CI: -0.66 to 0.26, P = 0.386) and BESS (MD = - 1.24, 95% CI: -2.95 to 0.48, P = 0.157) in individuals with CAI.
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis showed that dual-task training may be effective in improving static and dynamic postural stability. However, more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to verify the short and long-term effectiveness of dual-task training on CAI.
Topics: Humans; Ankle; Ankle Joint; Physical Therapy Modalities; Joint Instability; Activities of Daily Living; Postural Balance
PubMed: 37833685
DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06944-3 -
Integrative Cancer Therapies 2023This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects the risk of falls and physical function in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects the risk of falls and physical function in patients with cancer.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted in the CINAHL, Scopus, and PubMed databases for articles published from January 1950 to April 2022. Seven review authors retrieved studies using predetermined eligibility criteria, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality.
RESULTS
Nine studies were included in the analysis. Patients with CIPN had a significantly higher risk of falls than those without CIPN (risk ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.18-1.62). Patients with CIPN had lower grip strength (standardized mean difference [SMD] =-0.42, 95% CIs = -0.70 to -0.14, = .003), longer chair stand time (SMD = 0.56, 95% CIs = -0.01 to 1.17, = .05), worse timed up and go test time (SMD = 0.79, 95% CIs = 0.41 to 1.17, < .0001), and lower mean Fullerton Advanced Balance scale score (SMD = -0.81, 95% CIs = -1.27 to -0.36, = .005) than patients without CIPN. There were no significant differences in gait speed ( = .38) or Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale score ( = .09) between patients with and without CIPN.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that patients with CIPN are prone to falls and impaired balance function and muscle strength.
Topics: Humans; Antineoplastic Agents; Postural Balance; Time and Motion Studies; Neoplasms; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
PubMed: 37822238
DOI: 10.1177/15347354231185110 -
PloS One 2023Tai Chi is good for improving the physical fitness of older adults. But few studies have reported the effects of Tai Chi on the postural balance and quality of life of...
BACKGROUND
Tai Chi is good for improving the physical fitness of older adults. But few studies have reported the effects of Tai Chi on the postural balance and quality of life of older adults with gait disorders.
OBJECTIVE
This review aimed to assess the influence of tai chi on postural stability and quality of life in older adults with abnormal gait.
METHOD
According to the literature retrieval principles, the works published from the inception date to May 2023 were retrieved, including the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. Subsequently, literature screening and quality assessment were performed.
RESULTS
A total of 16 randomized controlled trials were included in this study, Tai Chi intervention can affect populations with Parkinson's disease (PD), no exercise, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), chronic stroke, sedentary, fear of falling, or history of falling. Postural instability is associated with balance, gait, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Motor Subscale 3 (UPDRS III), mobility, lower body strength, and falls. Only two articles looked at quality of life. The Yang style is the most commonly used in the intervention. Nonetheless, most studies were performed on female participants, hence, more research on older male populations is needed.
CONCLUSION
Tai Chi intervention benefits postural balance in patients with gait disorders. 12 weeks is the most common intervention period for patients with gait disorders. The frequency of intervention is seven articles twice a week, and the intervention time is about 60 minutes. The Tai Chi intervention methods in this study involve Yang Style, Sun Style, Taoist Tai Chi, and Health Qigong Tai Chi, but the Yang Style Tai Chi intervention is the most widely used.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Aged; Tai Ji; Quality of Life; Fear; Gait; Postural Balance; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37768953
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287035