The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of a smartphone-based application developed for photographic-based goniometry, DrGoniometer (DrG), by comparing its measurement of the knee joint angle with that made by a universal goniometer (UG). Joint goniometry is a common mode of clinical assessment used in many disciplines, in particular in rehabilitation. One validated method is photographic-based goniometry, but the procedure is usually complex: the image has to be downloaded from the camera to a computer and then edited using dedicated software. This disadvantage may be overcome by the new generation of mobile phones (smartphones) that have computer-like functionality and an integrated digital camera. This validation study was carried out under two different controlled conditions: (i) with the participant to measure in a fixed position and (ii) with a battery of pictures to assess. In the first part, four raters performed repeated measurements with DrG and UG at different knee joint angles. Then, 10 other raters measured the knee at different flexion angles ranging 20-145° on a battery of 35 pictures taken in a clinical setting. The results showed that inter-rater and intra-rater correlations were always more than 0.958. Agreement with the UG showed a width of 18.2° [95% limits of agreement (LoA)=-7.5/+10.7°] and 14.1° (LoA=-6.6/+7.5°). In conclusion, DrG seems to be a reliable method for measuring knee joint angle. This mHealth application can be an alternative/additional method of goniometry, easier to use than other photographic-based goniometric assessments. Further studies are required to assess its reliability for the measurement of other joints.

Introduction. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It is the main cause of chronic musculoskeletal pain and disability among the elderly population. Aim. This is a pilot, randomized clinical study about the effect of high intensity laser therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (OA of the knee). Material and Method. 72 patients (aged between 39 and 83 years) with (clinically and radiographically proved) OA of the knee were included in the study. They were randomized in two groups: therapeutic (test) one (n = 37, 65,11 ± 1,40 (mean ± SD) years old; patients were treated with HILT) and control group (n = 35, 64,71 ± 1,98; patients receive sham laser). Both groups had seven sessions of treatment. VAS and dolorimetry were used for assessment of pain before and after the therapy. Pedobarometric analysis (static and dynamic) was used to assess comparatively the contact surface area and maximum pressure under the heel. Results. Pain levels measured by VAS and dolorimetry decreased significantly in the therapeutic group after seven days of treatment (p< 0,001). Conclusion. The results after seven days of treatment show more intensive and cumulative effect after the application of high intensity laser therapy in comparison to sham laser. This is the reason why HILT can be a method of choice in the treatment of gonarthrosis.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is a treatment of choice in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of radial shock wave therapy (RSWT) on muscle spasticity of plantar flexor muscles in children with cerebral palsy. This was an open, controlled, observational study with one placebo treatment session, followed 4 weeks later by one active treatment session. Procedures and measurements were performed on inpatients of the Physical and Rehabilitation department of the Medical University Hospital, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Twenty-five children, mean age 4.84±3.11 years, with spastic diplegia and hemiplegia participated in the study. They received a single session of RSWT to the plantar flexors of the foot. The following clinical methods were used for outcome assessment before, after, and 2 and 4 weeks later: passive range of motion, Modified Ashworth Scale. Baropodometric measurements were performed before and after the placebo and active session. After placebo application, no changes measured by clinical or instrumental methods were found. After RSWT, a significant increase in passive range of motion was observed: 47.00±2.29° versus 33.25±2.20° (P<0.001), which persisted at the second (46.87±2.08°, P<0.001) and fourth week (44.12±1.93°, P<0.001) after treatment. The Modified Ashworth Scale score decreased from 2.77 to 2.00 points (P<0.001), which persisted at the second (mean 2.05±0.07 points, P<0.001) and fourth week (2.15±0.76 points, P<0.001) after treatment. Baropodometric measurement showed a significant increase in the contact plantar surface area of the affected foot (from 81.32±6.14 to 101.58±5.41 cm, P<0.001) and in heel pressure (from 50.47±6.61 to 75.17±3.42 N/cm, P<0.001). There is a significant reduction in the spasticity of plantar flexor muscles in children with cerebral palsy after a single session of RSWT and this improvement remains at the 4-week follow-up.

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Introduction: Lateral epicondylitis, or “tennis elbow”, is a relatively common disorder. Various therapeutic modalities have been tried in an attempt to manage the disorder but neither the conservative methods nor the surgical options have proved to be benefi cial so far. During the past decade in the USA and European countries and the past several years in Bulgaria, the shock wave therapy (focused and radial) has been introduced as a method of choice in the treatment of chronic tendynopathies. The AIM of the present study was to make quantitative assessment of the effect of radial shockwave therapy in patients with lateral epicondylitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 16 patients with lateral epicondylitis (9 males, 7 females, mean age 47.2 ± 2.3 yrs) of mean duration of 15.06 ± 4.06 months. We used the BTL-5000 radial shockwave therapy equipment and performed 5 procedures (one per week). The total number of shocks was 2500, the pressure was 2 Bars: 1500 shocks of 5 Hz frequency followed by 500 shocks of 10 Hz frequency were applied locally on the lateral epicondyle and 500 shocks of 2 Bar pressure and 5 Hz frequency were applied along the muscles near the insertion. The patients were evaluated 5 times: before treatment, immediately after the end of treatment and at 3, 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Pain was assessed at rest, on palpation and by the Thomsen test using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE) questionnaire was used to assess the patients‘ pain, functional condition and limitations in performing specifi c activities, as well as for the overall self evaluation. RESULTS: We found signifi cant difference (p < 0.05) between the mean pain scores (at rest, on palpation and by Thomsen test) before treatment and these scores obtained immediately after treatment, the decrease sustained at 3, 6 and 12 months. VAS showed decrease from 3.75 ± 0.49 before therapy to 2.44 ± 0.39 after treatment, to 1.94 ± 0.46 at 3 months and to 0.69 ± 0.38 at one year at rest, from 7.44 ± 0.38 before therapy to 4.69 ± 0.51 after treatment, to 3.56 ± 0.40 at 3 months and 1.46 ± 0.56 at one year at palpation, and from 5.87 ± 0.46 before therapy to 3.5 ± 0.29 after it, to 2.5 ± 0.40 at 3 months and 1 ± 0.38 at one year in the Thomsen test. The pain, function and the total score as assessed on the patient-rated scale (PRTEE) also showed statistically signifi cant improvement (p < 0.05) after completion of therapy and over the whole follow-up. Total score decreased from 56.75 ± 2.34 before therapy to 39.38 ± 3.96 after treatment, to 27.53 ± 3.7 at 3 months and to 13.69 ± 4.48 at one year. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this preliminary study we could recommend the radial shock wave therapy in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis of more than 6 months‘ duration if the condition is recalcitrant to other conservative methods of treatment.