Healthcare providers perspective of chronic pain management in persons with traumatic spinal cord injury accessing the public system in a region of South Africa.

Purpose: Persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (PWTSCI) have expressed a lack of education from healthcare providers and poor shared-decision making between providers and clients. The aim was to explore the healthcare providers' perspective on factors influencing the optimal management of chronic pain.

Methods: Healthcare providers were recruited from two institutions at tertiary healthcare level.

Incidence and etiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in Rwanda: a prospective population-based study.

Background: Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is not only a life-threatening but also life changing event that happens suddenly, the effects extends beyond the TSCI survivors to include their families. In Rwanda to the best knowledge of authors, there is no published information on the epidemiology of TSCI. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the incidence rate, etiology and injury characteristics of TSCI.

Guidelines for chronic pain in adult spinal cord injury population: Scoping review.

Background: Chronic pain among survivors of spinal cord injury (SCI) hurts physical and mental health. Persons with SCI have demonstrated dissatisfaction with the management of their chronic pain.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify existing clinical practice guidelines for chronic pain in the SCI population.

"Could a subset of joint mobility tests define generalized joint hypermobility?": A descriptive observational inception study.

Background: Generalized joint hypermobility is an inherited collagen phenotype based on clinical assessments of joint mobility. However, there is no international consensus to define generalized joint hypermobility, both considering which joint mobility tests should be included and limits for joint hypermobility.

Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to identify a subset of joint mobility tests to define generalized joint hypermobility.

The interrelationship between pain, life satisfaction and mental health in adults with traumatic spinal cord injury, in the context of a developing country.

Study Design: Cross-sectional, analytical study design using a conveneient sampling strategy.

Objectives: To examine the interrelationship between pain, life satisfaction and indices of negative mental well-being amongst the traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) population.

Setting: Western Cape Rehabilitation Center in Cape Town, South Africa.

Summarizing the effects of different exercise types in chronic neck pain - a systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews.

Background: To date, no consensus exists as to whether one exercise type is more effective than another in chronic neck pain. This systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews aimed to summarize the literature on the effect of various exercise types used in chronic neck pain and to assess the certainty of the evidence.

Methods: We searched the databases Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, SportDiscus, and Web of Science (Core Collection) for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on adults between 18 and 70 years with chronic neck pain lasting ≥ 12 weeks which investigated the effects of exercises on pain and disability.

Generalized joint hypermobility and the risk of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain: Is body mass index of importance?-A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) affects approximately 50% of pregnant women. The mechanisms are multifactorial but not fully understood. Women with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) may be vulnerable to load in the pelvic joints during pregnancy.

Early Intervention with a Compression Sleeve in Mild Breast Cancer-Related Arm Lymphedema: A 12-Month Prospective Observational Study.

Background: In our previous randomized controlled trial (RCT), the progression/no progression of mild breast cancer-related arm lymphedema (BCRL) was examined among women randomized to a compression group (CG) with a compression sleeve (compression class (ccl) 1) or not (NCG) for 6 months. In the present prospective study, BCRL in the CG and NCG was followed for 12 months.

Methods: At the end of the RCT, 33 women with mild BCRL were eligible in the CG and 37 in the NCG.

Impact on Health-Related quality of life after wearing compression garment or not for six months in women with mild breast cancer-related arm lymphedema. A cross-sectional study.

Background: Women with mild breast cancer-related arm lymphedema (BCRAL) mostly receive treatment with compression garments and instructions in self-care to prevent the progression of lymphedema. However, wearing a compression garment may be experienced as negative and may affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL) more than the lymphedema itself. The aim of this study was to investigate if there is a difference in lymphedema-specific HRQOL, between women with mild BCRAL wearing compression garments or not for 6 months.

Exploration of the Experiences of Persons in the Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Population in Relation to Chronic Pain Management.

Chronic pain amongst individuals with traumatic and nontraumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) has high prevalence rates, with severe impact on the activities of daily living, mood, sleep and quality of life. This study aimed to explore the experiences and challenges of chronic pain management amongst the traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) population in the Western Cape region of South Africa. A qualitative descriptive approach was chosen for the study, in which 13 individuals living with TSCI were purposively recruited and interviewed telephonically.

Summarizing the effects of different exercise types in chronic low back pain - a systematic review of systematic reviews.

Background: In chronic LBP (CLBP), guideline-endorsed treatment is to stay active, return to normal activity, and to exercise. Several reviews on various exercise types used in CLBP have been published. We aimed to identify systematic reviews of common exercise types used in CLBP, to appraise their quality, and to summarize and compare their effect on pain and disability.

Early intervention with compression garments prevents progression in mild breast cancer-related arm lymphedema: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Early diagnosis and compression treatment are important to prevent progression in breast cancer-related arm lymphedema (BCRAL). However, some mild BCRAL can be reversible, and therefore, compression treatment may not be needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion of women with mild BCRAL showing progression/no progression of lymphedema after treatment with or without compression garments, differences in changes of lymphedema relative volume (LRV), local tissue water and subjective symptoms during 6 months.

Tissue Dielectric Constant and Water Displacement Method Can Detect Changes of Mild Breast Cancer-Related Arm Lymphedema.

Most commonly, volume measurements are used to evaluate the effect of lymphedema treatment, but as the accumulation of lymph fluid can be local, this method may not always be the best. Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) can be applied to identify local lymphedema changes, but has not been used before when evaluating treatment in mild arm lymphedema. Thus, the overall aim of this study was to examine if TDC and water displacement method (WDM) can measure changes in mild breast cancer-related lymphedema during the 6-month standard treatment.

A core outcome set for research and clinical practice in women with pelvic girdle pain: PGP-COS.

Background: Inconsistent reporting of outcomes in clinical trials of women with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) hinders comparison of findings and the reliability of evidence synthesis. A core outcome set (COS) can address this issue as it defines a minimum set of outcomes that should be reported in all clinical trials on the condition. The aim of this study was to develop a consensus-based COS for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in PGP during pregnancy and postpartum for use in research and clinical practice.

Validity of the self-reported five-part questionnaire as an assessment of generalized joint hypermobility in early pregnancy.

Background: The assessment of generalized joint hypermobility is difficult due to differences in classification methods and in the performance of joint mobility assessment. The primary aim was to evaluate the validity of the self-reported five-part questionnaire, 5PQ, for identifying generalized joint hypermobility using the Beighton score as reference test. The secondary aim was to describe how joint angles measured in degrees included in the Beighton score varied in different cut-off levels in the self-reported 5PQ and the Beighton score.

The Association of Self-Reported Generalized Joint Hypermobility with pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is common during pregnancy but the causes remain poorly understood. Generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) is an inherited trait, with joint mobility beyond normal limits and is assumed to be related with PGP. The aim of this project was to study the association between self-reported GJH and the presence of PGP during pregnancy.

Fear-avoidance beliefs: A predictor for postpartum lumbopelvic pain.

Objective: To evaluate potential prognostic factors of self-reported lumbopelvic pain 6 months postpartum for pregnant women with and without lumbopelvic pain.

Methods: Questionnaires were answered at gestational weeks 34-37 and again at 6 months postpartum. Psychosocial determinants and lumbopelvic pain symptoms were investigated using a visual analogue scale to assess pain intensity, and further using the Disability Rating Index, the Nottingham Health Profile, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire.

Palpation of Increased Skin and Subcutaneous Thickness, Tissue Dielectric Constant, and Water Displacement Method for Diagnosis of Early Mild Arm Lymphedema.

Early diagnosis of mild lymphedema and treatment are important to prevent its progress. The tissue dielectric constant (TDC), measuring local tissue water in the skin and upper subcutis, has neither been related to the water displacement method (WDM) nor been used to diagnose mild arm lymphedema in patients at risk. Our aims were to evaluate TDC and WDM in combination with palpation, examine the association between TDC and WDM measurements, and compare lymphedema-related factors.

Secondary medical complications after traumatic spinal cord injury in Stockholm, Sweden: Towards developing prevention strategies.

Objectives: (i) To determine the prevalence of secondary complications after traumatic spinal cord injury during acute care and rehabilitation; (ii) to investigate whether associations exist between level and completeness of injury and the development of common complications; and (iii) to assess whether associations exist between secondary complications and return-to-work 1 year after injury.

Design And Participants: A prospective, population-based study, including all newly-injured persons with traumatic spinal cord injury for an 18-month period.

Methods: The International Spinal Cord Injury Core Data Set was used to capture injury characteristics, as well as associated injuries and neurological severity.

Protocol for the development of a core outcome set for pelvic girdle pain, including methods for measuring the outcomes: the PGP-COS study.

Background: Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) is an important cause of disability and economic cost worldwide. There is a need for effective preventative and management strategies. Emerging studies measure a variety of outcomes rendering synthesis and translation to clinical practice difficult.

Inter- and intra-rater reliability for measurement of range of motion in joints included in three hypermobility assessment methods.

Background: Comparisons across studies of generalized joint hypermobility are often difficult since there are several classification methods and methodological differences in the performance exist. The Beighton score is most commonly used and has been tested for inter- and intra-rater reliability. The Contompasis score and the Hospital del Mar criteria have not yet been evaluated for reliability.

Strengthening Health Systems for Persons With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in South Africa and Sweden: A Protocol for a Longitudinal Study of Processes and Outcomes.

The provision of specialized care in a time-sensitive manner has shown to be crucial for survival and recovery of functioning after a traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). However, little is known about the provision of TSCI care in different international contexts; information which is required for strengthening policy and practice. The overarching aim of this study will be to explore health care processes and outcomes of TSCI care in South Africa and Sweden.

Anatomical landmarks of the intra-pelvic side-wall as sources of pain in women with and without pregnancy-related chronic pelvic pain after childbirth: a descriptive study.

Background: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) affects 15-24% of women and can have a devastating impact on quality of life. Laparoscopy is often used in the investigation, although in one third of the examinations there is no visible pathology and the women may be dismissed without further investigation. Also, the contribution of skeletal, muscular, periosteal and ligamentous tissues to CPP remains to be further elucidated.

Structured feedback on students' concept maps: the proverbial path to learning?

Background: Good conceptual knowledge is an essential requirement for health professions students, in that they are required to apply concepts learned in the classroom to a variety of different contexts. However, the use of traditional methods of assessment limits the educator's ability to correct students' conceptual knowledge prior to altering the educational context. Concept mapping (CM) is an educational tool for evaluating conceptual knowledge, but little is known about its use in facilitating the development of richer knowledge frameworks.

Incidence, aetiology and injury characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injury in Stockholm, Sweden: A prospective, population-based update.

Objectives: To update the incidence rate, aetiology and injury characteristics of acutely-injured adults with traumatic spinal cord injury in Stockholm, Sweden, using international standards of reporting.

Study Design: Prospective, (regional) population-based observation.

Subjects: Forty-nine consecutively enrolled individuals.