A DELPHI STUDY OF RISK FACTORS FOR ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY- OPINIONS OF WORLD TENDON EXPERTS.

Background And Purpose: Achilles tendinopathy can be a debilitating chronic condition for both active and inactive individuals. The identification of risk facors is important both in preventing but also treating tendinopathy, many factors have been proposed but there is a lack of primary epidemiological data. The purpose of this study was to develop a statement of expert consensus on risk factors for Achilles tendinopathy in active and sedentary patient populations to inform a primary epidemiological study.

The Automatic Detection of Chronic Pain-Related Expression: Requirements, Challenges and the Multimodal Dataset.

Pain-related emotions are a major barrier to effective self rehabilitation in chronic pain. Automated coaching systems capable of detecting these emotions are a potential solution. This paper lays the foundation for the development of such systems by making three contributions.

Recommendations to facilitate the ideal fit note: are they achievable in practice?

Background: Although the UK fit note has been broadly welcomed as a tool to facilitate return to work, difficulties and uncertainties have resulted in wide variation in its use. Agreement on what constitutes the 'ideal' fit note from the perspective of all stakeholders is needed to inform best practice. A recent Delphi study conducted by the authors reached consensus on 67 recommendations for best practice in fit note use for employed patients.

WHY ARE ECCENTRIC EXERCISES EFFECTIVE FOR ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY?

Unlabelled: Achilles Tendinopathy is a complex problem, with the most common conservative treatment being eccentric exercises. Despite multiple studies assessing this treatment regime little is known about the mechanism of effect. This lack of understanding may be hindering therapeutic care and preventing optimal rehabilitation.

Cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and psychometric testing of the Roland-Morris disability questionnaire into modern standard Arabic.

Study Design: Cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and psychometric testing.

Objective: To cross-culturally translate and adapt the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) into Modern Standard Arabic and examine its validity with Arabic-speaking patients with low back pain (LBP).

Summary Of Background Data: The English RMDQ is valid, reliable, and commonly used to assess LBP disability in clinical practice and research.

Implementation fidelity of self-administered transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with chronic back pain: an observational study.

Objectives: The efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief has not been reliably established. Inconclusive findings could be due to inadequate TENS delivery and inappropriate outcome assessment. Electronic monitoring devices were used to determine patient compliance with a TENS intervention and outcome assessment protocol, to record pain scores before, during, and after TENS, and measure electrical output settings.

Communicating with employers: experiences of occupational therapists treating people with musculoskeletal conditions.

Purpose: Many employed people with musculoskeletal conditions rely on healthcare practitioners, including occupational therapists, for work-related advice and support. Good communication between healthcare practitioners and employers is considered vital in facilitating work retention and return to work. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of occupational therapists in communicating with patients' employers.

Validation of two novel electronic devices to time-link transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and pain report in patients with chronic back pain.

Objectives: The analgesic effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is uncertain. Negative findings, interpreted as ineffectiveness, might be due to poor methodological quality. Monitoring is necessary to differentiate between ineffectiveness and low implementation fidelity.

Individual work support for employed patients with low back pain: a randomized controlled pilot trial.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of individual work support for employed patients with low back pain.

Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial of a 16-week vocational intervention with six-month follow-up.

Setting: Community/outpatient.

Structural characterization and oligomerization of the TssL protein, a component shared by bacterial type VI and type IVb secretion systems.

The Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a macromolecular system distributed in Gram-negative bacteria, responsible for the secretion of effector proteins into target cells. The T6SS has a broad versatility as it can target both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. It is therefore involved in host pathogenesis or killing neighboring bacterial cells to colonize a new niche.

The cost effectiveness of NHS physiotherapy support for occupational health (OH) services.

Background: Musculoskeletal pain is detrimental to quality of life (QOL) and disruptive to activities of daily living. It also places a major economic burden on healthcare systems and wider society. In 2006, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) established a three tiered self-referral Occupational Health Physiotherapy Pilot Project (OHPPP) comprising: 1.

Early identification and management of psychological risk factors ("yellow flags") in patients with low back pain: a reappraisal.

Originally the term "yellow flags" was used to describe psychosocial prognostic factors for the development of disability following the onset of musculoskeletal pain. The identification of yellow flags through early screening was expected to prompt the application of intervention guidelines to achieve secondary prevention. In recent conceptualizations of yellow flags, it has been suggested that their range of applicability should be confined primarily to psychological risk factors to differentiate them from other risk factors, such as social and environmental variables.

Beliefs about back pain: results of a population survey of working age adults.

Background: Beliefs about low back pain (LBP) have been widely studied. Research supports the importance of attitudes and beliefs in the development of disability. However, public opinions about LBP have been the subject of few studies to date and more research into public attitudes has been advocated to inform future public health initiatives.

Low back pain patients' experiences of work modifications; a qualitative study.

Background: Research indicates that work modifications can reduce sickness absence and work disability due to low back pain. However, there are few studies that have described modified work from the perspective of patients. A greater understanding of their experiences may inform future workplace management of employees with this condition.

Staying at work with back pain: patients' experiences of work-related help received from GPs and other clinicians. A qualitative study.

Background: Low back pain commonly affects work ability, but little is known about the work-related help and advice that patients receive from GPs and other clinicians. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of employed people with back pain and their perceptions of how GPs and other clinicians have addressed their work difficulties.

Methods: A qualitative approach with thematic analysis was used.

Investigating decisions to absent from work with low back pain: a study combining patient and GP factors.

Background: Determinants of who is and who is not sick-listed following an initial consultation for LBP have received little attention. Both patient and practitioner factors are suggested to be predictive but the interaction has not been investigated.

Aims: To investigate patient and GP factors which determine sickness certification for low back pain.

What concerns workers with low back pain? Findings of a qualitative study of patients referred for rehabilitation.

Introduction: Health and workplace strategies to address work loss and sickness absence due to low back pain are urgently required. A better understanding of the experiences of those struggling to stay at work with back pain may help clinicians and employers with their treatment and management approaches.

Methods: A qualitative approach using thematic analysis was used.

Test-retest reliability of the pain attitudes and beliefs scale and sensitivity to change in a general practitioner population.

Background: Costs of compensated work loss for low back pain have risen dramatically. Current healthcare management of this condition may contribute to this trend. Researchers are currently investigating the degree to which healthcare practitioners' attitudes and beliefs may influence their patient management.

Conformational analysis of PEt3 and P(OMe)3 in metal complexes.

The conformations of the archetypal acyclic phosphorus ligands PEt(3) and P(OMe)(3) are classified on the basis of the observation that torsions about the P-C (or P-O) bonds show favoured conformations lying close to gauche (+/-60 degrees) or anti values (180 degrees). Analysis of the symmetry of the conformation space defined by the three M-P-X-C (X = CH(2) or O) torsion angles (t(1-3)) implies the existence of seven unique conformer types (A (aaa), B (g(+)g(+)g(+)), C (ag(+)g(+)), D (aag(+)), E (g(-)ag(+)), F (ag(-)g(+)), G (g(-)g(+)g(+)) and their symmetry equivalents) arising from the combinations of g(-), g(+) and a torsions. These conformers are observed in 1972 M-PEt(3) and 735 M-P(OMe)(3) fragments from crystal structures of metal complexes in the CSD following the popularity sequence: F > C >> D > B > G > E >> A for M-PEt(3); and: C > D > F >> E >> A, B, G.

Work problems due to low back pain: what do GPs do? A questionnaire survey.

Background: Low back pain can affect work ability and remains a main cause of sickness absence. In the UK the GP is usually the first contact for patients seeking health care. The UK government intends that the GP will continue to be responsible for sickness certification and work advice.

General practitioner sickness absence certification for low back pain is not directly associated with beliefs about back pain.

Recent research has demonstrated a relationship between healthcare practitioner beliefs about low back pain and recommendations about activity, work restrictions and work absence. None of the research to date has looked at the relationship between practitioner beliefs and actual behaviour. This study investigated the internal consistency of the pain attitudes and beliefs scale (PABS) and if general practitioner (GP) beliefs about back pain were more predictive of sickness certification for non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) than a general predisposition to sick certify patients with other non-specific conditions (common mental illness and non-specific upper respiratory disorders).

Active exercise, education, and cognitive behavioral therapy for persistent disabling low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Study Design: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine 1) whether, among patients with persistent disabling low back pain (LBP), a group program of exercise and education using a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach, reduces pain and disability over a subsequent 12-month period; 2) the cost-effectiveness of the intervention; and 3) whether a priori preference for type of treatment influences outcome.

Summary Of Background Data: There is evidence that both exercise and CBT delivered in specialist settings is effective in improving LBP.