The effect of foam rolling on local and distant pain sensitivity assessed with pressure pain thresholds in healthy participants and musculoskeletal pain patients: A systematic review.

Introduction: The self-treatment with a foam roller is a popular form of myofascial release, although the underlying mechanisms, particularly on pain sensitivity, remain unclear. It is hypothesized that the hypoalgesic local effects are probably due to changes in fascial and muscle tissue, whereas remote effects may be influenced by central endogenous pain modulation. This systematic review aimed to quantify the difference between local and remote hypoalgesic effects of the foam rolling intervention.

An Experimental and Clinical Physiological Signal Dataset for Automated Pain Recognition.

Access to large amounts of data is essential for successful machine learning research. However, there is insufficient data for many applications, as data collection is often challenging and time-consuming. The same applies to automated pain recognition, where algorithms aim to learn associations between a level of pain and behavioural or physiological responses.

Individualized Physiotherapy of Upper Body Functional Movement Disorder - Two Illustrative Cases.

Background: Information on specialist physiotherapeutic treatment for functional movement disorders is scarce. Previous studies focussed on functional gait disorders and availability of descriptions of the practical application especially for other body regions is very limited.

Cases: We present two illustrative cases, demonstrating the key elements of physiotherapy for the treatment of functional movement disorders beyond gait difficulties.

Identifying the risk of exercises, recommended by an artificial intelligence for patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) impact people globally, cause occupational illness and reduce productivity. Exercise therapy is the gold standard treatment for MSDs and can be provided by physiotherapists and/or also via mobile apps. Apart from the obvious differences between physiotherapists and mobile apps regarding communication, empathy and physical touch, mobile apps potentially offer less personalized exercises.

Guidelines for the development and validation of patient-reported outcome measures: a scoping review.

Objective: The objectives of this scoping review were to provide an overview of existing guidelines for the development and validation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), review them for comprehensiveness and clarity and provide recommendations for their use based on the goals of the instrument developers.

Design: Scoping review.

Methods: A literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo and Google Scholar up to 2 June 2023 to identify guidelines for the development and validation of PROMs.

Effectiveness of digital and analog learning methods for learning anatomical structures in physiotherapy education.

Background: According to the German Physiotherapy Education and Qualification Regulations, teaching of anatomical structures is one of the fundamental subjects of physiotherapy education. Besides exhibits and models, anatomy atlases are usually used as teaching and learning tools. These are available in both analog form such as printed books or in digital form as a mobile application.

Therapeutic Patient Education as Part of the Physiotherapy Management of Adults with Headache: A Scoping Review.

Purpose Of Review: Physiotherapy interventions for headache mostly include exercise and manual therapy. Yet, the complex nature of headache, sometimes characterized by symptoms of facilitated central pain mechanisms, demands an individualized approach in which therapeutic patient education could be supportive. This scoping review aimed to summarize the position of therapeutic patient education within the physiotherapy management of adults with headache.

Body Image Measured via the Fremantle Awareness Questionnaire in Individuals With and Without Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Research suggests that pain negatively affects body image, and body image may also influence reported pain levels. This review aims to summarize the literature on differences in body image distortion between individuals with pain compared to pain-free individuals. The review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement and an a priori preregistered protocol.

Standardization of key performance indicators and metrics for investigational drug services: Consensus recommendations among IDS specialists.

Purpose: There are currently no consensus guidelines on establishing metrics for investigational drug services (IDS). Because of the complexity of research protocols, it remains difficult for sites to track pharmacy productivity and create a baseline for IDS growth within the institution, as well as to perform benchmarking with peer institutions. The goal of this study was to help establish practical guidance for IDS metrics and site utility as applicable.

Clinical reasoning skills of German and Dutch manual therapists: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Reflective clinical reasoning (CR) is believed to play a crucial role in achieving an efficient therapy process, supported by evidence-based approaches that improve patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CR process of German manual therapists (MTs) using the CR skills of Dutch MTs as a reference.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the CR process and diagnostic ability of German MTs.

Spatial summation of pain is associated with pain expectations: Results from a home-based paradigm.

The purpose of this study was to reproduce the previously observed spatial summation of pain effect (SSp) using non-laboratory procedures and commercial equipment. An additional aim was to explore the association between expectations and SSp. The Cold Pressor Task (CPT) was used to induce SSp.

Consensus on the definition and assessment of external validity of randomized controlled trials: A Delphi study.

External validity is an important parameter that needs to be considered for decision making in health research, but no widely accepted measurement tool for the assessment of external validity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exists. One of the most limiting factors for creating such a tool is probably the substantial heterogeneity and lack of consensus in this field. The objective of this study was to reach consensus on a definition of external validity and on criteria to assess the external validity of RCTs included in systematic reviews.

Association between central sensitization, pain sensitivity and balance control in patients with migraine.

Background: Balance alterations are prevalent among pain conditions, including migraine. The mechanisms explaining the association between pain and balance are unclear, as well as whether levels of pain sensitivity correlate with impaired balance. Our aim was therefore to investigate the association between balance, central sensitization symptoms and pain sensitivity in patients with migraine.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and measurement proprieties of the German version of the Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC-12).

Background: Cutaneous allodynia is highly prevalent among migraineurs and is associated with a poor prognosis. The Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC-12) is a comprehensive questionnaire to identify the presence and severity of allodynia. Our aim was to translate and adapt the ASC-12 to German and evaluate its measurement properties.

Trajectories and contributing factors of neural compensation in healthy and pathological aging.

Neural degeneration is a hallmark of healthy aging and can be associated with specific cognitive impairments. However, neural degeneration per se is not matched by unremitting declines in cognitive abilities. Instead, middle-aged and older adults typically maintain surprisingly high levels of cognitive functioning, suggesting that the human brain can adapt to structural degeneration by neural compensation.

Physical Therapist Interventions to Reduce Headache Intensity, Frequency, and Duration in Patients With Cervicogenic Headache: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of physical therapist interventions on the intensity, frequency, and duration of headaches, as well as on the quality of life of patients with cervicogenic headache.

Methods: The following databases were searched up to October 2022: Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of physical therapist interventions on adults with cervicogenic headache were included.

Objective Measurement of Subjective Pain Perception with Autonomic Body Reactions in Healthy Subjects and Chronic Back Pain Patients: An Experimental Heat Pain Study.

Multiple attempts to quantify pain objectively using single measures of physiological body responses have been performed in the past, but the variability across participants reduces the usefulness of such methods. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate whether combining multiple autonomic parameters is more appropriate to quantify the perceived pain intensity of healthy subjects (HSs) and chronic back pain patients (CBPPs) during experimental heat pain stimulation. HS and CBPP received different heat pain stimuli adjusted for individual pain tolerance via a CE-certified thermode.

How do non-specific back pain patients think about their adherence to physiotherapy, and what strategies do physiotherapists use to facilitate adherence? A focus group interview study.

Background: Long-term effectiveness of physiotherapy (PT) for low back pain (LBP) depends on the adherence of patients. Objectives: (1) Identify aspects associated with the adherence of patients with LBP to physiotherapy, and (2) identify factors to facilitate adherence of patients with LBP to PT.

Method: Focus group interviews were conducted with 10 patients with LBP ( = 10, 5 women) and 11 physiotherapists (5 women) from Germany and Switzerland, treating patients with LBP.

Inter- and intra-rater-reliability of a clinical framework for spine-related neck-arm pain.

Objective: A mechanism-based clinical framework for spine-related pain differentiates (i) somatic referred pain, ii) heightened nerve mechanosensitivity, iii) radicular pain, iv) radiculopathy and mixed-pain. This study aimed to determine the reliability of proposed framework.

Method: Fifty-one people with unilateral spine-related neck-arm pain were assessed and categorized by examiner-1.

Differential Effects of Thermal Stimuli in Eliciting Temporal Contrast Enhancement: A Psychophysical Study.

Offset analgesia (OA) is observed when pain relief is disproportional to the reduction of noxious input and is based on temporal contrast enhancement (TCE). This phenomenon is believed to reflect the function of the inhibitory pain modulatory system. However, the mechanisms contributing to this phenomenon remain poorly understood, with previous research focusing primarily on painful stimuli and not generalizing to nonpainful stimuli.

Which aspects facilitate the adherence of patients with low back pain to physiotherapy? A Delphi study.

Background: The effectiveness of physiotherapy to reduce low back pain depends on patient adherence to treatment. Facilitators and barriers to patient adherence are multifactorial and include patient and therapist-related factors. This Delphi study aimed to identify an expert consensus on aspects facilitating the adherence of patients with back pain to physiotherapy.