Reliability of Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) and Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) in Participants with and without Chronic Shoulder Pain.

The objectives of this study were to estimate the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) and Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) in healthy participants and patients with chronic shoulder pain. Additionally, the Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) and Smallest Detectable Change (SDC) were calculated. Thirty-one healthy volunteers and twenty patients with chronic shoulder pain were assessed using the PPT and CPM by two raters, with a 24 h interval between sessions.

The effects of green exercise on the mental and physical health of people with chronic conditions: a systematic review.

Green exercise, defined as physical activity in natural settings, shows promise for enhancing exercise participation and improving health. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness of green exercise in people with chronic conditions. Seven electronic databases were searched and of the 7801 screened articles, 14 trials met the inclusion criteria.

Pole Dancing-Specific Muscle Strength: Development and Reliability of a Novel Assessment Protocol.

Background: Pole dancing is a physically demanding sport that combines dance and acrobatic movements on a vertical pole. Despite its highly growing popularity, there is currently limited research in the field. The aim of this study was to create and evaluate a strength assessment protocol for athletes in pole dancing, with a specific focus on functional positions on the pole.

Corrigendum: Quality of life and quality of education among physiotherapy students in Europe.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.

Quality of life and quality of education among physiotherapy students in Europe.

Background: The study of physiotherapy is challenging and can affect the students' well-being and quality of life. The aim of this study was to describe and compare factors that could affect well-being among students across Europe.

Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire survey, students of bachelor's physiotherapy programs from 23 European faculties, from 8 countries, were interviewed on mental health and stress burden, sleep quality, dietary habits, and physical activity.

Facilitators and barriers of empathetic behaviour in physiotherapy clinical practice: A qualitative focus group study.

Background: Empathy is an essential competence of a person-centered approach, and a recognisable ability for providing physiotherapy quality healthcare. Empathetic communication enhances the improvement of patient outcomes and their experience of treatment.

Objective: The aim of the study was to present further insights considering facilitators and barriers of an empathetic communication between patients and physiotherapists.

Clinical reasoning using ChatGPT: Is it beyond credibility for physiotherapists use?

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are gaining popularity in healthcare. OpenAI released ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. ChatGPT is a language model that comprehends and generates human language, providing instant data analysis and recommendations.

Virtual Reality-Based Exercise Therapy for Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aimed to identify interventions utilizing virtual-reality-based exercise therapy in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Searches were conducted in four databases using descriptors related to virtual reality, exercise, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Two reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of the studies to assess eligibility, with a third author resolving any discrepancies.

Psychometric properties of quantitative sensory testing in healthy and patients with shoulder pain: A systematic review.

Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is a psychophysical battery of various tests developed to quantify the subjects' self-reported sensory experience. Although the use of QST is valuable for the clinical assessment of pain, standard evaluation protocols have not yet been established. This systematic review aimed to investigate the level of evidence for the psychometric properties of QST in healthy and patients with shoulder pain.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the spa therapy checklist (SPAC) in Greek.

The importance of spa therapy is growing worldwide, with care practitioners paying more attention to how this intervention can alleviate various health issues. Multiple studies have been performed and reported on the efficiency of balneotherapy, creating a need to understand the quality of the information in the existing studies and how they can inform practitioners in promoting evidence-based practice. The SPAC assessment tool describes and assesses the quality of reports of interventional trials in balneotherapy.

In the Shoulder or in the Brain? Behavioral, Psychosocial and Cognitive Characteristics of Unilateral Chronic Shoulder Pain with Symptoms of Central Sensitization.

The recognition of central sensitization (CS) is crucial, as it determines the results of rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to examine associations between CS and catastrophizing, functionality, disability, illness perceptions, kinesiophobia, anxiety, and depression in people with chronic shoulder pain (SP). In this cross-sectional study, 64 patients with unilateral chronic SP completed a few questionnaires including the Central Sensitization Inventory, the Oxford Shoulder Score, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and the “arm endurance” test.

Novel Software for Pain Drawing Analysis.

Introduction Pain drawings (PDs) are an important component of the assessment of a patient with pain. Although analog pain drawings (APDs), such as pen-on-paper drawings, have been extensively used in clinical assessment and clinical research, there is a lack of digital pain drawing (DPD) software that would be able to quantify and analyze the digital pain distribution obtained by the patients. The aim of this work is to describe a method that can quantify the extent and location of pain through novel custom-built software able to analyze data from the digital pain drawings obtained from the patients.

Validity and reliability of the Greek version of modified Baecke questionnaire.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to translate and investigate the validity and reliability of the modified Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire (mBQ) in the Greek adult population.

Study Design: This is a cross-cultural study.

Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation of the mBQ was performed according to official guidelines.

Cross-cultural validation of the Oxford Elbow Score and Mayo Elbow Performance Score in Greek.

Background: Oxford Elbow Score (OES) and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) are two of the most commonly used instruments for the functional assessment of elbow joint. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally validate the OES and MEPS into Greek language and examine their convergent validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability and floor and ceiling effects.

Methods: The two instruments were translated into Greek with the back translation method.

University Students Perception of Online Education: Is Engagement Enough?

Background: Universities have halted non-essential services, with many restricting campus-based teaching, and continuing courses through online resources, including (controversially) lab-work. Such technologically enhanced approaches have been proven to have high levels of engagement among university students.

Objective: This study focuses on the perception of quality of online learning by first-year university students, between two semesters, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cross-cultural validation of the start back screening tool in a Greek low back pain sample.

Background: Keele STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST) is a popular 9-item prognostic recovery questionnaire for low back pain (LBP) with validation studies in several cultural settings, but not Greek.

Objectives: The cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the SBST into Greek among LBP and LBP-associated leg pain patients.

Methods: A five-stage forward-backward translation procedure developed the Greek SBST.

Health-related Quality of Life in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Down Syndrome.

Introduction: Measuring health- related quality of life (HRQoL) is very important for children with developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Down syndrome (DS). However, no HRQoL studies found in the literature for the differences between children with ASD and children with DS.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine HRQoL in children with ASD and children with DS.

Cross-cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Greek Version of the Central Sensitization Inventory.

Objectives: Recent studies support the opinion that central sensitization (CS) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of many chronic pain conditions. CS refers to hyperexcitability of the central nervous system, which can result in pain hypersensitivity and other somatosensory symptoms. Recognition of CS-related symptomology is crucial in chronic pain evaluation and rehabilitation.

Respiratory dysfunction in patients with chronic neck pain: What is the current evidence?

Respiratory function of patients with neck pain has not been given much consideration in usual clinical practice. The problem has however been highlighted occasionally by renown clinical scientists and recently there is a growing interest in the investigation of respiratory function in this clinical population. The aim of this review is to critically present the emerging evidence and discuss the similarities and differences observed.

Do psychological states associate with pain and disability in chronic neck pain patients?

Background: Chronic neck pain is one of the most usual neuromusculoskeletal pain conditions which can lead patients to chronic disability. Similarly to other pain conditions, the changed psychological status of these patients is believed to be associated with their pain condition and disability. However, the association between the psychological status of patients with idiopathic neck pain and their pain intensity and disability is minimally explored.

Reliability of the chin tuck neck flexion test for assessing endurance of short neck flexors in healthy individuals.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine of the intra-rater reliability of the chin tuck neck flexion (CTNF) test for assessing the endurance of neck flexors.

Materials And Methods: The study was performed at the Cardiorespiratory laboratory of the Physiotherapy Department, School of Health and Caring Professions, TEI Lamia, Greece. Twenty healthy volunteers (males/females: 9/11, age: 22.

Pulmonary function of patients with chronic neck pain: a spirometry study.

Background: Chronic neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal pain conditions experienced by many people during their lives. Although patients with neck pain are managed predominantly as musculoskeletal patients, there are indications that they also have poor pulmonary function. The aim of this study was to examine whether patients with chronic neck pain have spirometric abnormalities and whether neck pain problems and psychological states are associated with these abnormalities.

Hypocapnia in patients with chronic neck pain: association with pain, muscle function, and psychologic states.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with chronic neck pain have changes in their transcutaneous partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PtcCO2) and whether other physical and psychologic parameters are associated.

Design: In this cross-sectional study, 45 patients with chronic idiopathic neck pain and 45 healthy sex-, age-, height-, and weight-matched controls were voluntarily recruited. The participants' neck muscle strength, endurance of the deep neck flexors, neck range of movement, forward head posture, psychologic states (anxiety, depression, kinesiophobia, and catastrophizing), disability, and pain were assessed.

Respiratory weakness in patients with chronic neck pain.

Respiratory muscle strength is one parameter that is currently proposed to be affected in patients with chronic neck pain. This study was aimed at examining whether patients with chronic neck pain have reduced respiratory strength and with which neck pain problems their respiratory strength is associated. In this controlled cross-sectional study, 45 patients with chronic neck pain and 45 healthy well-matched controls were recruited.

The assessment of the cervical spine. Part 2: strength and endurance/fatigue.

Quantitative documentation of physical deficits such as muscle strength and endurance/fatigue in the cervical spine may provide objective information, not only helping the diagnostic procedures, but also monitoring rehabilitation progress and documenting permanent impairments. The reliable and valid evaluation of muscle strength and endurance both in clinical and research environments are a difficult task since there are many factors that could affect the assessment procedure and the obtained values. The aim of the second part of this critical review is to identify the factors influencing the assessment of strength and endurance/fatigue of the muscles in the cervical spine.