Effects of Arthroscopic Surgery and Non-Surgical Therapy on Hip Contact Forces in Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome.

Introduction: We compared the 12-months effects of arthroscopic surgery and physiotherapist-led care for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome on the time-varying magnitude of hip contact force and muscle contributions to hip contact force during walking.

Methods: Secondary analysis was performed on thirty-seven individuals with FAI syndrome who received biomechanical assessment before and 12-months following either arthroscopic surgery (n = 17) or physiotherapist-led care (Personalised Hip Therapy, PHT) (n = 20). At both time points, three-dimensional whole-body motions, ground reaction forces, and surface electromyograms (n = 14) were acquired during overground walking.

Relationship between number of different lower-limb resistance exercises prescribed in a program and exercise outcomes in people with knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review with meta-regression.

Objective: Determine whether there is a relationship between the number of different lower-limb resistance exercises prescribed in a program and outcomes for people with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: Systematic review with meta-regression. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, and Embase up to 4th January 2024.

Exploring the Perceived Difficulty and Importance of Lower Limb Physical Activities for People With and Without Osteoarthritis: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Background: Many outcome measures used in lower-limb osteoarthritis (OA) present ceiling effects. This compromises the ability of those measures to accurately assess people with higher levels of physical function. Understanding of the difficulty and importance of physical activities would enable the inclusion of challenging and meaningful activities in new outcome measures.

The efficacy of high load-volume exercise versus low load-volume exercise for rotator cuff tendinopathy: A pilot and feasibility trial.

Background: The most effective exercise variables for rotator cuff tendinopathy are unknown.

Objective: Determine feasibility of a fully powered trial comparing high load-volume versus low load-volume exercise for adults with rotator cuff tendinopathy.

Design: Two arm, multi-centre pilot and feasibility randomised controlled trial.

An unsupervised online Tai Chi program for people with knee osteoarthritis ("My Joint Tai Chi"): Study protocol for the RETREAT randomised controlled trial.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading contributor to global disability, with exercise proven to be an effective treatment. Tai Chi is a recommended type of exercise, but it is primarily done in person which imposes an accessibility issue. This study aims to evaluate the effects of an online unsupervised program, when provided with online educational information and exercise adherence support, on changes in knee pain and physical function, when compared to online education control for people with knee OA.

Development of a 12-Week Unsupervised Online Tai Chi Program for People With Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a leading contributor to global disability. While evidence supports the effectiveness of Tai Chi in improving symptoms for people with hip/knee osteoarthritis, access to in-person Tai Chi classes may be difficult for many people. An unsupervised online Tai Chi intervention for people with osteoarthritis can help overcome accessibility barriers.

'It's especially good just to know that you're not the only one': a qualitative study exploring experiences with online peer support programmes for the Fragile X community.

Background: Accessing peer support can be difficult for people with, or carers of people with, inherited intellectual disabilities. One way to improve access is to provide services online, yet few studies have explored people's experiences with online peer support programmes. We aimed to explore experiences with such programmes for communities affected by fragile X-associated conditions.

The control group matters: Pain, physical function and strength improvements relative to the comparator intervention in knee and hip osteoarthritis.

Background: In knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA), the mechanism for resistance exercise improving clinical outcomes and the dose-response between strength and clinical outcomes are unknown; in part due to inconsistent trial designs across studies.

Purpose: To determine whether the effects of resistance exercise interventions on pain and function differ based on comparator group; and whether there is an association between improvements in lower extremity strength with improvements in pain and function in knee and hip OA.

Methods: We searched 6 databases (inception to January 28 2023,) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing land-based, resistance exercise-only interventions with no intervention or any other intervention.

Understanding Negative and Positive Feelings About Telerehabilitation in People With Chronic Knee Pain: A Mixed-Methods Study.

To explore (1) initial feelings of people with knee osteoarthritis who are unexpectedly offered telerehabilitation, and (2) if their experiences met their expectations, and their willingness to use telerehabilitation in the future. Mixed-methods study of 122 people with knee osteoarthritis who were randomized to receive physiotherapist-delivered telerehabilitation in a clinical trial. At enrollment in the trial, participants were unaware care would be delivered via telerehabilitation.

Osteoarthritis Year In Review 2024: Rehabilitation and outcomes.

This Year in Review presents key highlights from recent research relating to osteoarthritis rehabilitation and its outcomes, defined as any non-pharmacological and non-surgical treatment that aims to improve osteoarthritis symptoms at any joint. Three databases (Medline, Embase, and CINAHL Plus) were searched between 1 March 2023 to 12 March 2024. Relevant studies were chosen based on the predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria, perceived clinical importance, quality, controversy in the field, or personal interest, and organised into four overarching themes (with 1-5 sub-themes each).

People with short symptom duration of knee osteoarthritis benefit more from exercise therapy than people with longer symptom duration: An individual participant data meta-analysis from the OA trial bank.

Objective: To investigate whether duration of knee symptoms influenced the magnitude of the effect of exercise therapy compared to non-exercise control interventions on pain and physical function in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Method: We undertook an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis utilising IPD stored within the OA Trial Bank from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing exercise to non-exercise control interventions among people with knee OA. IPD from RCTs were analysed to determine the treatment effect by considering both study-level and individual-level covariates in the multilevel regression model.

Physical activity and depression symptoms in people with osteoarthritis-related pain: A cross-sectional study.

Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of chronic pain and is associated with high rates of depression. Physical activity reduces depression symptoms and pain levels. It remains unknown if physical activity is associated with lower symptoms of depression irrespective of pain levels in individuals with osteoarthritis.

Exploring Experiences of People With Knee Osteoarthritis Who Received a Physiotherapist-Delivered Dietary Weight Loss and Exercise Intervention: A Mixed Methods Study.

Objective: Explore the experiences of people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who received a very low energy diet (VLED) and exercise program from a physiotherapist.

Methods: Mixed methods study involving questionnaires (n = 42) and semistructured interviews (n = 22) with randomized control trial participants with knee OA who had received a 6-month physiotherapist-delivered VLED weight loss and exercise intervention. Questionnaires measured participant satisfaction and perceptions about physiotherapist's skills/knowledge in delivery of the dietary intervention (measured on 5-7 point Likert scales).

Associations between static foot posture, dynamic in-shoe plantar foot forces and knee pain in people with medial knee osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional exploratory study.

Objective: To investigate relationships between static foot posture, dynamic plantar foot forces and knee pain in people with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Design: Data from 164 participants with symptomatic, moderate to severe radiographic medial knee OA were analysed. Knee pain was self-reported using a numerical rating scale (NRS; scores 0-10; higher scores worse) and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score pain subscale (KOOS; scores 0-100; lower scores worse).

Squatting biomechanics following physiotherapist-led care or hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: a secondary analysis from a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) can cause hip pain and chondrolabral damage that may be managed non-operatively or surgically. Squatting motions require large degrees of hip flexion and underpin many daily and sporting tasks but may cause hip impingement and provoke pain. Differential effects of physiotherapist-led care and arthroscopy on biomechanics during squatting have not been examined previously.

Pre-exercise and acute movement-evoked pain trajectories during a 24-week outdoor walking program for knee osteoarthritis (WALK).

Objectives: Exploring (1) pre-exercise and acute movement-evoked pain (AMEP) during an outdoor walking program in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA); and (2) comparing baseline physical performance and AMEP flares initiated by walking between participants with either a higher or lower attendance rate.

Methods: Individuals with knee OA were prescribed a 24-week walking program, including one unsupervised walk and two supervised walk classes per week. Participants self-reported knee pain on a numerical rating scale (NRS; 0-10) before and after each supervised class.

Alternative models to support weight loss in chronic musculoskeletal conditions: effectiveness of a physiotherapist-delivered intensive diet programme for knee osteoarthritis, the POWER randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine if physiotherapists can deliver a clinically effective very low energy diet (VLED) supplementary to exercise in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and overweight or obesity.

Methods: 88 participants with knee OA and body mass index (BMI) >27 kg/m were randomised to either intervention (n=42: VLED including two daily meal replacement products supplementary to control) or control (n=46: exercise). Both interventions were delivered by unblinded physiotherapists via six videoconference sessions over 6 months.

Telerehabilitation consultations with a physiotherapist for chronic knee pain versus in-person consultations in Australia: the PEAK non-inferiority randomised controlled trial.

Background: Telerehabilitation whether perceived as less effective than in-person care for musculoskeletal problems. We aimed to determine if physiotherapy video conferencing consultations were non-inferior to in-person consultations for chronic knee pain.

Methods: In this non-inferiority randomised controlled trial, we recruited primary care physiotherapists from 27 Australian clinics.

Evaluation of Patient-Facing Mobile Apps to Support Physiotherapy Care: Systematic Review.

Background: Mobile health interventions delivered through mobile apps are increasingly used in physiotherapy care. This may be because of the potential of apps to facilitate changes in behavior, which is central to the aims of care delivered by physiotherapists. A benefit of using apps is their ability to incorporate behavior change techniques (BCTs) that can optimize the effectiveness of physiotherapeutic interventions.