Afsaneh Seifolahi; Tahere Rezaeian; Zahra Mosallanezhad; Sedigheh Sadat Naimi
Volume 23, Issue 2 , 2021
Abstract
Background: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the most frequent causes of chronic musculoskeletal pain which is characterized by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). Hence, it is of crucial importance to identify practical approaches for the treatment of these points. Upper trapezius muscle (UT) ...
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Background: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the most frequent causes of chronic musculoskeletal pain which is characterized by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). Hence, it is of crucial importance to identify practical approaches for the treatment of these points. Upper trapezius muscle (UT) is highly susceptible to the development of MTrPs that are commonly resulted from overuse and micro-trauma.
Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the effects of dry needling (DN) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) regarding the reduction of pain and muscle thickness and improvement of the range of motion (ROM) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in patients with latent MTrPs (LTrPs) in their UT muscles.
Methods: In total, 60 patients with LTrPs in UT muscle participated in this randomized clinical trial. The subjects were randomly divided into two treatment groups of DN and LLLT. The PPT was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) and algometer while ROM and muscle thickness were assessed using goniometer and ultrasonography, respectively. It should be noted that the variables were evaluated before the first and after the sixth sessions. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests.
Results: Based on the results, the VAS and muscle thickness significantly reduced, while the PPT and cervical ROM increased in both groups after treatment (P<0.001). The independent t-test revealed a statistically significant improvement in the DN group in terms of PPT (9.9-14.17, P=0.009) and ROM (37.33-42.67, p=0.005), compared to the LLLT group. Nevertheless, no significant difference was found between the two groups regarding VAS and muscle thickness variables (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The DN and LLLT effectively improved symptoms in the UT muscles of patients with LTrPs. However, the DN was more effective in the improvement of ROM and PPT variables.
Soulmaz Rahbar; Sedigheh Sadat Naimi; Asghar Reza Soltani; Abbas Rahimi; Alireza Akbarzadeh Baghban; Vahid Rashedi; Hossein Moein Tavakkoli
Volume 19, Issue 7 , July 2017, , Pages 1-9
Abstract
Background: Diabetes is a cosmopolitan health problem worldwide, especially in Asia. It is a metabolic disorder originating from insulin secretion deficiency, insulin performance or both. When both factors are involved, abnormal complications may result. Exercise training plays an important role in controlling ...
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Background: Diabetes is a cosmopolitan health problem worldwide, especially in Asia. It is a metabolic disorder originating from insulin secretion deficiency, insulin performance or both. When both factors are involved, abnormal complications may result. Exercise training plays an important role in controlling diabetic parameters, including biomechanical variables.Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of exercise on biochemical parameters in patients with diabetes.Methods: This study was a randomized control trial. A total of 30 volunteers met the inclusion criteria and were randomly divided to 2 groups, aerobic and control, by block randomization method. This study was performed during May to October 2016 in Iran. The intervention protocol included 24 sessions (8 weeks) of aerobic exercise on the treadmill with zero slope, 3 days per week for 30 minutes per session. Intensity of training protocol was 50% to 70% maximum heart rate. Measurements of biochemical parameters were done before and after the 24 sessionsResults: There were no significant differences in anthropometric, gender, age, diabetic history, cardiac ejection fraction, and biochemical variables (P > 0.05). After 8 weeks, results were as follows: fasting blood glucose (FBS) (130.92 (45.43) Mg/dL), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (6.62 (1.52) percent), cholesterol (150.62 (24.07) Mg/dL), triglyceride (119.62 (39.18) Mg/dL), Low density lipoprotein (LDL) (77.23 (26.73) Mg/dL), and very low density of lipoprotein (VLDL) (23.92 (7.90) Mg/dL); these were significantly reduced in the training group (P < 0.05), yet, not in the control group. Alternatively, high density lipoprotein (HDL) remained unchanged in the aerobic group (47.85 (17.83) Mg/dL) while it was increased in the control group (42.07 (8.86) Mg/dL). Also, C-reactive protein (CRP)) 2.43 (1.03) Mg/L) and microalbumin (12.32 (1.21) Mg) values didn’t change between the 2 groups.Conclusions: Eight weeks of aerobic exercise was shown to be effective in controlling biochemical parameters. However, longer training duration is needed in order to modify CRP.
Zahra Ebrahimabadi; Sedigheh Sadat Naimi; Abbas Rahimi; Heydar Sadeghi; Seyed Majid Hosseini; Alireza Akbarzadeh Baghban; Syed Asadullah Arsalan
Volume 19, Issue 3 , March 2017, , Pages 1-8
Abstract
Background: Providing a clear picture of neuromuscular control mechanisms and deficits in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) requires further investigation. Gait initiation (GI) is a perfect task to evaluate concurrent open-loop (planned GI) and closedloop (unplanned GI) neuromuscular control ...
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Background: Providing a clear picture of neuromuscular control mechanisms and deficits in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) requires further investigation. Gait initiation (GI) is a perfect task to evaluate concurrent open-loop (planned GI) and closedloop (unplanned GI) neuromuscular control mechanisms in patients with CAI.Objectives: The current study aimed at evaluating neuromuscular control mechanisms via assessment of the center of pressure (COP) displacements during planned and unplanned GI in patients with CAI and healthy individuals.Methods: It was a case-control study. Twenty-two subjects with unilateral CAI and 22 healthy subjects stood on a force plate and initiated gait with maximal velocity under 2 conditions: i) planned (initiated gait after hearing the “all set” signal, when subjects felt ready to walk) and ii) unplanned (initiated gait “as soon as possible” after hearing acoustic signal). The COP parameters were assessed during the preparatory and the execution phase of GI.Results: The peak COP displacement toward swing leg decreased significantly, with P value = 0.003, in the preparatory phase of GI under planned and unplanned conditions in patients with CAI (0.028 ± 0.002) in comparison with the control group (0.038 ± 0.002). Forward velocity of the COP displacement increased in CAI patients (0.026±0.003) compared with the control group (0.018 ± 0.002) in the execution phase of GI, with P value = 0.039.Conclusions: According to the findings of the current study, both open-loop and closed-loop neuromuscular control mechanisms altered in patients with CAI.