Application and utility of a clinical framework for spinally referred neck-arm pain: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study protocol.

Background: The clinical presentation of neck-arm pain is heterogeneous with varying underlying pain types (nociceptive/neuropathic/mixed) and pain mechanisms (peripheral/central sensitization). A mechanism-based clinical framework for spinally referred pain has been proposed, which classifies into (1) somatic pain, (2) neural mechanosensitivity, (3) radicular pain, (4) radiculopathy and mixed pain presentations. This study aims to (i) investigate the application of the clinical framework in patients with neck-arm pain, (ii) determine their somatosensory, clinical and psychosocial profile and (iii) observe their clinical course over time.

[The Management of Mid-Portion Achilles Tendinopathy from a Physiotherapeutic Point of View: A Systematic Review].

Tendinopathy of the mid-portion of the Achilles tendon is common in athletes and non-athletes. From a physiotherapeutic view, calf muscle training is the most recommended kind of treatment. However, there is no current systematic review evaluating the efficacy of physiotherapy in due consideration of the entire spectrum of therapeutic options.