We aimed to examine systematically the available evidence on risk factors of low back pain (LBP) in athletes. We performed search without language restriction in PubMed, Ovid, Google Scholar, Scopus, and CINAHL. Longitudinal studies that examined possible risk factors of LBP in athletes were included in this systematic review. Based on methodological quality of studies, a best-evidence synthesis was conducted. Seven longitudinal studies were included, four of which had high methodological quality. Results showed that previous LBP, decreased lumbar flexion, and decreased lumbar extension are positively associated with LBP. There was moderate evidence for hip flexor tightness and high body weight as a risk factor. We found insufficient evidence for association between forward bending, previous injury, and amount of training per week, active years, age, and sex with LBP. In conclusion this study would provide a list of risk factors for LBP in athletes, though it showed a strong evidence for only a few including decrease lumbar flexion or extension, previous LBP, and high body weight. This review indicated a high heterogeneity of study characteristics including assessed risk factors and statistical techniques might limit the quality of evidence.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified package of exercise therapy combined with relaxation on pain intensity, range of motion (ROM), anxiety, and quality of life (QoL) in office workers with chronic lower back pain. In this clinical trial, 72 office workers aged 20 to 50 years with chronic low back pain were randomized to one of four groups including; group 1, exercise therapy; group 2, psychotherapy (relaxation therapy); group 3, modified protocol (exercise therapy followed by relaxation therapy); group 4, control group (no intervention). Participants exercised 3 times weekly for 6 weeks for 40–45 min of exercise/relaxation. Pain intensity, ROM, anxiety, and QoL were evaluated at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after the end of the intervention. Results showed significant decreases in pain intensity and anxiety in the three experimental groups compared to the control group. The three intervention groups indicated a significant decrease in pain intensity and anxiety after 6 and 12 weeks. ROM significantly improved in the exercise therapy and the modified protocol over time (after 6 and 12 weeks). A significant difference in QoL was found between the groups, with the greatest improvement found in the psychotherapy and modified protocol groups. This therapeutic package (including exercise movements and psychological interventions) was found to have a superior effect on pain intensity, ROM, anxiety, and QoL after 6 and 12 weeks compared to other interventions (only exercise and psychotherapy).

The purpose of this review was to determine the current evidence-base for the efficacy of kinesiotaping in patients with osteoarthritis. Searching was undertaken using MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) from 2007 to 2018. The target terms included within our search criteria were "kinesiotape," "osteoarthrites," "knee pain," "adults," and "geriatric." Current findings indicate that kinesiotaping can be considered a useful method for decreasing pain without any side effects in patients with osteoarthritis. The search yielded 1,062 articles and finally seven studies met inclusion criteria. However, there are a limited number of appropriately powered, robustly designed studies. Further research is required to fully understand the short-and longer-term impact of kinesotaping in patients with osteoarthritis.

Background: Stroke causes multi-joint gait deficits, so a major objective of post-stroke rehabilitation is to regain normal gait function. Design and Setting: A case series completed at a neuroscience institute. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the concurrent impact of functional electrical stimulation (FES) during treadmill walking on gait speed, knee extensors spasticity and ankle plantar flexors spasticity in post-stroke survivors. Participants: Six post-stroke survivors with altered gait patterns and ankle plantar flexors spasticity (4=male; age 56.8 ± 4.8 years; Body Mass Index (BMI) 26.2 ±4.3; since onset of stroke: 30.8 ±10.4 months; side of hemiplegia [L/R]: 3:3) were recruited. Intervention: Nine treatment sessions using FES bilaterally while walking on a treadmill. Main Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measures included the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), 10-m walking test, gait speed, and Functional ambulation category (FAC). Secondary outcome measures included the Step Length Test (SLT), and active range of motion (ROM) of the affected ankle and the knee. Measurements were taken at baseline (T0), at the end of last treatment (T1), and one month after the final treatment session (T2). Results: The TUG, 10-m walking test, gait speed, FAC, active ROM, and SLT all significantly improved following treatment (P<0.05), while ankle plantar flexors spasticity (P=0. 135), and knee extensors spasticity (P=0.368) did not show any significant decrease. Conclusions: A short duration of bilateral FES in conjugation with treadmill walking contributed to significant improvement in gait speed, functional mobility, functional ambulation, range of motion and step length in post-stroke survivors. In contrast, no significant decrease were identified in the spasticity of the ankle plantar flexors and knee extensors muscles.

BACKGROUND: Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, rehabilitation facilities have become less accessible for patients with a stroke. Lack of early, intensive rehabilitation misses the opportunity for recovery during the critical time window of endogenous plasticity and improvement post-stroke. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this commentary was to highlighting the benefits of telework and telerehabilitation programs for workers with a stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Relevant publications regarding the management of individuals with a stroke, telerehabilitation and teleworking in the setting of COVID-19 were reviewed. RESULTS: Previous studies showed that telerehabilitation can effectively provide an alternate method of promoting recovery for patients with a stroke. With the physical distancing precautions in place for mitigating viral spread, teleworking can also provide a method for long term recovery and improvements in quality of life after a stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this commentary addresses the benefits of physically distant, safe and effective alternatives to support individuals who live with a stroke during COVID-19 pandemic.

The FAC is a common clinical assessment scale which has been shown to have reliability (k=0.95) and validity (specificity: 78%) in patients post stroke [1]. The FAC includes 6 functional levels: "0" (nonfunctional ambulator) indicates a patient who is not able to walk at all or needs the help of 2 therapists. Level of "1" (ambulator, dependent on physical assistance) indicates a patient who requires continuous manual contact to support body weight as well as to maintain balance or to assist coordination. "2" (ambulator, dependent on physical assistance) indicates a patient who requires intermittent or continuous light touch to assist balance or coordination. "3" (ambulator, dependent on supervision) indicates a patient who can ambulate on level surface without manual contact of another person but requires stand by guarding of one person either for safety or for verbal cueing. "4" (ambulator, independent, level surface only) indicates a patient who can ambulate independently on level surface but requires supervision to negotiate (eg, stairs, inclines, nonlevel surfaces)."5" (ambulator, independent) indicates a patient who can walk everywhere independently, including stairs [2]. Gait speedThe 10-m walk test was used to evaluate gait speed. Patients were asked to walk as fast as they safely could and the time was measured for the intermediate 6 meters. Start and stop procedure of timing were synchronized passing the toes of the leading foot beyond the 2-meter and 8-meter mark [3]. This gait speed measurement has been found to be highly reliable [4]. Tests were carried out three times and the best performance was used for data analysis.

Background: The Comprehensive Lower limb Amputee Socket Survey (CLASS) is a self-reported measure developed to assess prosthetic socket fit in individuals with lower limb amputation. Objective: To assess the reliability and validity of the Persian version of the CLASS. Study Design: Cross-sectional and repeated-measures. Methods: We evaluated the translation and back translation of the CLASS and made the required changes according to expert committee feedback. Then, we recruited 124 participants with unilateral lower limb amputation (89.5% men). Internal consistency was analyzed with Cronbach’s alpha and test–retest reliability using intra-class correlation coefficients. Convergent construct validity was assessed by comparing the CLASS scores with the Persian version of the Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scales (TAPES) scores. In addition, known groups construct validity was assessed by comparing CLASS scores between groups with different causes and levels of amputation. Results: Cronbach’s alpha coefficient represented a very good internal consistency for all domains of the Persian CLASS (ranged from 0.86 to 0.92). The intra-class correlation coefficient for test–retest reliability for the Persian CLASS was good to excellent (ranged from 0.73 to 0.97). There was a significant correlation between the subscales of the Persian CLASS and satisfaction subscales of the Persian TAPES ( p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the Persian CLASS scores by cause or level of amputation. Conclusion: The Persian CLASS is a reliable and valid measure for evaluating prosthetic socket fit.

Routinely, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) curves that progress beyond 40° in skeletally immature adolescents require surgery. However, some adolescents with AIS and their parents utterly refuse surgery and insist on wearing a brace. Debate continues regarding the appropriateness of bracing for AIS curves exceeding 40° in patients who have rejected surgical intervention. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to review the literature on the effectiveness of bracing and its predictive factors in largermagnitude AIS curves ≥40°. This study replicated the search strategy used by the PICOS system for formulating study questions, which include consideration of the patient/population (P), intervention (I), comparison (C), outcome (O), and study design (S). The search was conducted up to January 2022 in the following bibliographic online databases only in the English language: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. Two assessors reviewed the articles for qualification. Eligible studies were assessed for risk of bias at the study level using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The effect size across the studies was determined using standardized mean differences (Cohen's d) and 95% confidence intervals for the meta-analysis. Among the eight included moderate quality studies, evidence of potential publication bias (p<0.05) for the trials included was found in the Cobb angle outcome. Results obtained through meta-analysis indicated that the effectiveness of bracing in controlling Cobb angle progression in curves ≥40° is significantly positive. Additionally, initial curve severity, Risser stage, in-brace curve correction, curve type, and apical vertebral rotation were considered risk factors associated with brace effectiveness. This systematic review revealed that bracing could alter the normal course of AIS curves ≥40° in patients refusing posterior spinal fusion (PSF). However, the suggested course for patients refusing PSF remains unclear because of the significant heterogeneity in the risk factors associated with bracing failure.