Low back pain frequency and the related risk factors in nurses and caregivers.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the frequency of low back pain and the relationship between low back pain and personal and occupational risk factors in hospital employees.

Methods: The study sample consisted of 270 nurses and 189 caregivers working in a university hospital. Demographic characteristics, low back pain history, and low back pain risk factors were queried by self-report questionnaires.

Environmental characteristics of older people attending physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinics.

Objective: A residential environment refers to the physical and social characteristics in a neighbourhood. The physical characteristics include interior housing qualities, exterior neighbourhood characteristics, and the accessibility of essential facilities and services outside the neighbourhood. Older adults especially may be vulnerable to the negative impacts of the residential environment.

Nerve conduction study and gastrocnemius H reflex response in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background And Purpose: We aimed to evaluate nerve conduction studies and gastrocnemius H reflex responses in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and compared to the healthy adult subjects.

Methods: Twenty-six RA patients and twenty-two healthy adult subjects were included in the study. The nerve conduction study (NCS) findings and bilateral gastrocnemius H reflex responses were evaluated in all the groups.

Psychological status and patient-assessed health instruments in ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: Determination of the relationships between disease and psychological status in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is needed for clinical assessment and management, as well as selection and monitoring of AS patients for biological therapy.

Objective: The study aimed to describe associations between self-reported health status and psychological factors in AS patients and to compare the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R) profiles of the AS patients and the control subjects.

Methods: Disease status was determined through the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), and the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI).

The effect(s) of a six-week home-based exercise program on the respiratory muscle and functional status in ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, inflammatory rheumatic disease. Involvement of costovertebral and costotransverse joints results in rigidity of the chest wall and inability to expand the chest fully on inspiration. Also significant reduction in exercise capacity in the AS patients was reported.

Biering-Sorensen test scores in coal miners.

Objectives: Biering-Sorensen test is an isometric back endurance test. Biering-Sorensen test scores have varied in different cultural and occupational groups. The aims of this study were to collect normative data on Biering-Sorensen holding times, to determine the discriminative ability of the Biering-Sorensen test in Turkish coal miners, and to examine the association between Biering-Sorensen test result and functional disability.

Is osteoporosis generalized or localized to central skeleton in ankylosing spondylitis?

Background: Osteoporosis at the lumbar spine and at the femur is a well-established complication in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but the exact mechanism and the distribution of osteoporosis are not known absolutely.

Objective: To determine whether the osteoporosis is generalized or localized to central skeleton and to examine the relation between bone mineral density (BMD) and disease activity and radiologic progression in patients with AS.

Methods: In this study, 26 patients with AS and 33 healthy controls matched for age and sex were recruited to the study.

A new modification of KAFO for assistance in knee extension.

In this paper, a dynamic knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) extension assisted with elastic support, has been described which contributes to stance phase stability and swing phase freedom. The temporal distance factors including velocity, cadence, stride length, and clinical gait assessment score (CGAS) with bare foot and orthosis have been documented. The orthosis enables walking without fully immobilizing the knee.

Coexistence of fibromyalgia, temporomandibular disorder, and masticatory myofascial pain syndromes.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of fibromyalgia (FM) with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and masticatory myofascial pain (MMP). Thirty-one consecutive women diagnosed as having FM according to American College of Rheumatology criteria and 21 consecutive women diagnosed as having TMD were included in this prospective study. All patients were examined by a dentist and a physiatrist to identify the coexistence of FM and TMD.

Does hyaluronan affect inflammatory cytokines in knee osteoarthritis?

Our aim was to investigate the effects of hyaluronan on inflammatory cytokines in the synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis. The study was single blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized. We administered hyaluronan to 22 patients in the study group and placebo to 19 in the control group.