Foi realizado um estudo da correlação entre diferentes métodos de avaliação funcional do nervo ciático de ratos após lesão por esmagamento. Foram empregados no estudo 25 ratos da linhagem Wistar, de peso médio em torno de 250 g, submetidos a esmagamento controlado do nervo e avaliados por dois métodos convencionais para obtenção do índice funcional do ciático (IFC), baseados respectivamente na medida manual e computadorizada de parâmetros das impressões das pegadas dos animais, e por um novo método desenvolvido pelos autores, baseado na filmagem das pegadas e medida dos mesmos parâmetros, no 1º, 7º, 14º e 21º dias de pós-operatório, sendo feita a comparação com os valores obtidos no pré-operatório e entre os diferentes métodos nos vários períodos. Os resultados mostraram que o método da medida dos parâmetros pela filmagem das pegadas permite melhor visualização da pata acometida pela lesão do nervo e que este método se correlaciona com positivamente com os convencionais, já a partir da primeira semana de pós-operatório, desde que seja empregada a mesma fórmula para o cálculo do IFC.
Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compressive neuropathy, frequently seen in women. Conservative treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome focuses on control of symptoms and the nervous path, due to the possibility of double compression. Objective: To assess whether a protocol with emphasis on motor control techniques, including segmental cervical stabilization and neural mobilization, has better results in mechanical reorganization and reduction of symptoms when compared with classic therapeutic exercise techniques in the conservative treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods: This pilot study was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, involving 11 women with an average age of 54 (± 6) years, allocated to either a classical kinesiotherapy group (CG) or experimental group (EG). The intervention spanned 12 weeks, with assessments prior to and following therapy, using the monofilament test, handgrip dynamometer, and BCTQ, DASH, and PRWE questionnaires. All normally distributed data was analysed with Student's T-tests. Results: Both groups exhibited an increase in grip strength and relief of symptoms with improved functionality. There was a significant reduction in sensitivity noted in the CG group, and a significant increase in grip strength observed in the EG group. Conclusion: The experimental protocol group exhibited better results in mechanical reorganization, reflected in increased strength, sensitivity, and improved functionality, when compared to the group with conventional therapeutic exercise, but without the same symptomatic reduction.
With the occurrence of pandemics, such as COVID-19, which lead to social isolation, there is a need for home rehabilitation procedures without the direct supervision of health professionals. The great difficulty of treatment at home is the cost of the conventional equipment and the need for specialized labor to operate it. Thus, this paper aimed to develop serious games to assist health professionals in the physiotherapy of patients with spinal pain for clinical and home applications. Serious games integrate serious aspects such as teaching, rehabilitation, and information with the playful and interactive elements of video games. Despite the positive indication and benefits of physiotherapy for cases of chronic spinal pain, the long treatment time, social isolation due to pandemics, and lack of motivation to use traditional methods are some of the main causes of therapeutic failure. Using Unity 3D (version 2019.4.24f1) software and a personal computer with a webcam, we developed aesthetically pleasing, smooth, and attractive games, while maintaining the essence of seriousness that is required for rehabilitation. The serious games, controlled using OpenPose (version v1.0.0alpha-1.5.0) software, were tested with a healthy volunteer. The findings demonstrated that the proposed games can be used as a playful tool to motivate patients during physiotherapy and to reduce cases of treatment abandonment, including at home.
Background/AimsWe evaluated the efficacy of using virtual reality with specific games for vestibular rehabilitation to treat patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.MethodsThe Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC Scale), Dizziness Handicap Inventory, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Berg Balance Scale, Balancim, Romberg and Dix-Hallpike tests were used to evaluate 10 participants (5 males and 5 females; mean age 38.5 ± 14.7 years) with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, who played 3 specific games of Nintendo Wii console (Snowboard Slalom, Tightrope Walk, Rhythm Parade) for 10 minutes twice a week for 4 weeks.ResultsThe intervention resulted in significant increases in Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale score (d de Cohen >0.50), decreases in Dizziness Handicap Inventory (P<0.05 in t test for all dimensions and total score) and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (P<0.05 in Wilcoxon test for all dimensions and total score), and improvement in balance shown on Romberg test, Berg Balance Scale (P<0.05 in t test for all dimensions and total score) and Balancim (d de Cohen >0.80).ConclusionsVirtual reality with the selected games seemed to be effective on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo treatment, improving scores of tests and scales used in the assessment.
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