This study compares the effects of electromyographic-biofeedback (EMG-BF)-guided isometric quadriceps strengthening with patellar taping and isometric exercise alone in patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) among young adult male athletes. Sixty young adult male athletes with PFPS participated in the study. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: (1) EMG-BF-guided isometric exercise training with patellar taping (experimental group, n = 30), and (2) sham EMG-BF training with an isometric exercise program (control group, n = 30). Participants conducted their respective exercise programs for five days per week across four weeks. Study outcomes were pain (measured by the visual analog scale), functional disability (measured by the Kujala Anterior Knee Pain scale), and quadriceps strength (measured by an ISOMOVE dynamometer). Measurements were taken at baseline, Week 2, Week 4, and during a follow-up at Week 6. The experimental group demonstrated significantly lower VAS score at Weeks 2 and 4 compared to that of the control group (p = 0.008 and 0.0005, respectively). The score remained significantly lower at the Week 6 follow-up compared to the control group (p = 0.0005). There were no differences in knee function at Weeks 2 and 4 between the two groups (p = 0.086 and 0.171, respectively); however, the experimental group showed significantly better knee function at Week 6 compared to the control group (p = 0.002). There were no differences in quadriceps strength at Week 2 between the two groups (p = 0.259); however, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher quadriceps strength at Weeks 4 and 6 compared to the control group (p = 0.0008). Four weeks of EMG-BF supplementation training with patellar taping demonstrated significant improvements in pain intensity, functional disability, and quadriceps muscle strength in young adult male athletes with PFPS.

The goal of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy and acceptability of telerehabilitation in physical therapy (PT) and parental acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic in children. In 2021, an electronic search of academic articles was performed using databases such as Embase, PubMed and Scopus. One-hundred and one articles did not satisfy the eligibility criteria after deleting duplicates and reviewing abstracts, while 16 papers did not meet eligibility after reviewing complete texts. Hence, full texts for 13 articles were retrieved, which were incorporated in the review. All these studies were observational studies assessing the effectiveness and acceptability of telerehabilitation in PT required for diverse conditions in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. All included studies revealed a positive effect of telerehabilitation in PT during the COVID-19 pandemic in children with different conditions. Moreover, the included studies revealed that both rehabilitation professionals and parents or caregivers of children were satisfied with the telerehabilitation services provided remotely. Thus, telerehabilitation appears to be a suitable and convenient strategy to offer remote services to children in need but cannot visit in person due to COVID-19. The existing evidence shows that telerehabilitation can be considered effective for children who need PT for any health condition mainly during the pandemic. However, due to the dearth of studies in this area, exploring this topic is recommended mostly in low-middle-income countries with poor access to health care services and limited resources.

Background: This study examined the effects of smartphones addiction on cervical posture, and compared the cervical range of motion (ROM) between addicted and non-addicted boys and girls 8 to 13 years of age.Methods: Twenty-four boys and 26 girls were assigned to 2 groups; addicted group (score > 32, n=32) and non-addicted group (score ≤ to 32, n=18). Craniovertebral Angle (CVA) was assessed using side view photographs, forward head posture (FHP) was measured using ImageJ 64 software, and cervical ROM in each direction was measured using a cervical (CROM) device.Results: A forward multiple regression showed that addiction score and body mass index (BMI) were significant predictors of CVA (R2 =0.31, p<0.001). Twenty-three percent of the variability in CVA was related to addiction score. A forward logistic regression showed that addiction to smartphone use and BMI were significant predictors of having FHP, and participants who were addicted were more than four times as likely to have FHP than those who were not: Odds Ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence interval (CI)=4.5 (1.2, 10.7), p= 0.03. A significant reduction was found in mean cervical angle in addicted versus non-addicted boys (49.4±6.7 vs. 55.5±7.6,η2=0.5, p=0.03) and girls (47.3±6.3 vs. 52.9±6.1,η2=0.9, p=0.02). A significantly more limited cervical ROM found in most neck movements in addicted participants with FHP compared to participants without FHP. Conclusion:Children who are addicted to smartphones may develop faulty habitual posture due to constant neck flexion downward, which may place them at high risk of spine abnormalities.

The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the short-term effects of resisted sprint and plyometric training on sprint performance together with lower limb physiological and functional performance in collegiate football players. Ninety collegiate football players participated in this three-arm, parallel group randomized controlled trial study. Participants were randomly divided into a control group and two experimental groups: resisted sprint training (RST) (n = 30), plyometric training (PT) (n = 30), and a control group (n = 30). Participants received their respective training program for six weeks on alternate days. The primary outcome measures were a knee extensor strength test (measured by an ISOMOVE dynamometer), a sprint test and a single leg triple hop test. Measurements were taken at baseline and after 6 weeks post-training. Participants, caregivers, and those assigning the outcomes were blinded to the group assignment. A mixed design analysis of variance was used to compare between groups, within-group and the interaction between time and group. A within-group analysis revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05) when compared to the baseline with the 6 weeks post-intervention scores for all the outcomes including STN (RST: d = 1.63; PT: d = 2.38; Control: d = 2.26), ST (RST: d = 1.21; PT: d = 1.36; Control: d = 0.38), and SLTHT (RST: d = 0.76; PT: d = 0.61; Control: d = 0.18). A sub-group analysis demonstrated an increase in strength in the plyometric training group (95% CI 14.73 to 15.09, p = 0.00), an increase in the single leg triple hop test in the resisted sprint training group (95% CI 516.41 to 538.4, p = 0.05), and the sprint test was also improved in both experimental groups (95% CI 8.54 to 8.82, p = 0.00). Our findings suggest that, during a short-term training period, RST or PT training are equally capable of enhancing the neuromechanical capacities of collegiate football players. No adverse events were reported by the participants.

Background: The shortening of the pectoralis minor muscle (PMi-M) and weakening of the lower trapezius muscle (LTr-M) affect scapular movement, resulting in the development of a rounded shoulder posture and reduction in the shoulder flexion range of motion (SFROM). Objective: This study evaluated the combined effect of LTr-M strengthening and PMi-M stretching on correcting the rounded shoulder postures and SFROM among young Saudi females. Methods: This study was based on a two-arm parallel-group repeated measures randomized comparative design. A total of sixty female participants with rounded shoulder postures were recruited and randomly allocated into groups 1 and 2 (n = 30/group). Each group performed supervised PMi-M stretching; however, group 2 performed a combination of LTr-M strengthening and PMi-M stretching. The outcomes, including rounded shoulder posture and SFROM, were assessed using the pectoralis minor length test (PMLT) and universal goniometer. A repeated measure ANOVA was used to compare the differences within-group and between-group for the outcomes measures at one-week (baseline) pre-intervention, two weeks, and three -weeks post-intervention. The significance level was set at q > 2.00 and p < 0.05 for all respective statistical analyses. Results: The within-group comparison revealed significant improvements (q > 2.00) in the outcomes of PMLT and SFROM when comparing their post-intervention scores to the baseline scores. The between-group comparison revealed a significant and an insignificant (q < 2.00) difference in the outcomes of PMLT and SFROM, respectively when comparing their scores at the second- and third-week post-intervention. Furthermore, the effect size of the intervention suggests an advantage of group 2 over group 1 in increasing the resting length of the PMi-M only among young Saudi females. Conclusions: The combined effect of LTr-M strengthening and PMi-M stretching was more beneficial than PMi-M stretching alone in correcting the rounded shoulder posture among young Saudi females by increasing PMi-M resting length. However, it could not yield a differential improvement in the SFROM outcome among them.