Background: Population ageing is a worldwide phenomenon that has recently challenged public healthcare systems. The knowledge of the burden of chronic musculoskeletal disorders in elders is still limited, particularly in the developing world. This systematic review aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal disorders in elderly Brazilians.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in five electronic databases (from inception to January 2012) and completed by additional searches in reference lists. Two review authors independently selected the eligible studies and extracted data on participants' characteristics and rates of chronic musculoskeletal disorders. One review author extracted methodological quality data. We performed a critical synthesis of the results, which were grouped into the diagnoses "chronic musculoskeletal pain" or "specific musculoskeletal diagnoses".
Results: Twenty five studies reporting on a total of 116,091 elderly Brazilians were included. Eight studies (32%) were of high methodological quality. There was a large variation in the measure of prevalence used by individual studies and in their definition of chronic pain. Prevalence estimates reached 86% for chronic musculoskeletal pain in any location. Studies investigating multiple pain sites found the lower limb and the spine to be the most prevalent complaints (50% each). Arthritis and rheumatism (including osteoarthritis) were the most prevalent specific musculoskeletal diagnoses (9% to 40%), followed by herniated disc (6% to 27%).
Conclusions: Despite the growth of the elderly population worldwide, high-quality research on the burden of chronic musculoskeletal disorders in the elderly is still scarce. Future healthcare research focusing on this age group should be a priority in developing countries since their public healthcare systems are not yet fully prepared to accommodate the needs of an aging population.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-13-82 | DOI Listing |
J Multidiscip Healthc
January 2025
Program of Physical Therapy, Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia.
Background: Background: Strain-Counterstrain (SCS) therapy is a manual therapeutic technique used to treat myofascial pain by addressing tender points through passive positioning. Despite anecdotal evidence, limited peer-reviewed research supports its efficacy in chronic low back pain (LBP). This study evaluates the effects of SCS combined with exercise on pain severity, lumbar range of motion (ROM), and functional disability in patients with chronic LBP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pain Res
January 2025
Sword Health, Inc, Draper, Utah, USA.
Background: Obesity is a known risk factor and aggravator of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. The rising prevalence of obesity calls for scalable solutions to address MSK conditions in this population, given their complex clinical profile and barriers to accessing care.
Purpose: To evaluate the engagement and clinical outcomes of a fully remote digital care program in patients with MSK conditions, focusing on those with and without comorbid obesity.
Lancet
January 2025
Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet Herne, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
Axial spondyloarthritis manifests as a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the sacroiliac joints and spine. Although chronic back pain and spinal stiffness are typical initial symptoms, peripheral (ie, enthesitis, arthritis, and dactylitis) and extra-musculoskeletal (ie, uveitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis) manifestations are also common. Timely and accurate diagnosis is challenging and relies on identifying a clinical pattern with a combination of clinical, laboratory (HLA-B27 positivity), and imaging findings (eg, structural damage on pelvic radiographs and bone marrow oedema on MRI of the sacroiliac joints).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGeroscience
January 2025
Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an age-related chronic inflammatory disease which may include accelerated biological ageing processes in its pathogenesis. To determine if increased biological age is associated with risk of RA and/or is present once disease is established. We used DNA methylation to compare biological age (epigenetic age) of immune cells in adults at risk of RA and those with confirmed RA, including twins discordant for RA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMil Med
January 2025
Keller Army Community Hospital Division 1 Sports Physical Therapy Fellowship, Baylor University, West Point, NY 10996, USA.
Introduction: Shoulder stabilization surgery is common among military personnel, causing severe acute postoperative pain that may contribute to the development of chronic pain, thereby reducing military readiness. Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) has shown promise as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for acute postoperative pain. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of BFA combined with standard physical therapy on pain, self-reported mood, self-reported improvement, and medication use in patients after shoulder stabilization surgery.
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