Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among United Arab Emirates schoolteachers: an examination of physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and their association with physical activity among schoolteachers in the United Arab Emirates. METHODS: This observational cross-sectional study involved 209 schoolteachers (aged 20-60) with a minimum of two years of experience. Data, including demographics (gender, age), Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for WMSD prevalence and pain sites, and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) for physical activity levels, were collected. Six schools were visited for data collection, with consent from school heads and participants. Schedules were tailored to participant availability, allowing up to three attempts for participation. Non-respondents were identified after three unsuccessful attempts. RESULTS: Of the total 206 participants, 149 were female, while the remaining 57 were male. Age distribution analysis revealed that 18% of individuals were within the 20 to 30 years range, 26.2% fell within the 30 to 40 years, and 36.9% had 40 to 50 years age brackets. The responses were obtained in Arabic (90%) and English (10%). The study identified a high prevalence (71.4%) of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) in UAE schoolteachers, with neck pain being the most common (74.3%). Major risk factors included age, workload, and low physical activity. The data was normally distributed, and Pearson's Correlation test revealed weak positive correlation (r: 0.14), but statistically significant (p value = 0.04) between WMSD and PA, indicating that it was a contributing factor but other factors beyond PA influenced WMSD prevalence in this cohort. The findings of the study are based on certain limitations such as cross-sectional design and convenient sampling which could have potential selection bias and affect generalizability of the results. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest the need to promote physical activity and reduce workload for teachers, considering their age and gender. Additionally, there is a need to raise awareness regarding ergonomics and the importance of taking short breaks for stretching or physical movement to enhance the overall well-being of schoolteachers in the UAE and similar contexts. Diverse prevalence rates across different body areas underscore the necessity for individualized treatments.

A comprehensive survey on the beliefs, perceptions, and clinical manifestations of pre and post Covid-19 vaccinations among physiotherapy students in the United Arab Emirates.

The World Health Organization has defined Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) as an infectious pandemic, caused by a newly discovered SARS-CoV-2 virus. Students relied heavily on the internet, social media, parents, and friends, in addition to medical advice for information on its presentation, complications, prevention, and management. It is evident from the literature that healthcare professionals including students who play an important role in the healthcare system may be lacking important information on COVID-19 vaccinations. Thus, the study aims to identify and compare the pre-post covid-19 vaccination-related essential information among Physical Therapy university students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among physiotherapy university students in the United Arab Emirates using a self-administrated structured questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised three sections covering beliefs, perceptions, and clinical manifestations of the pre- and post-COVID- 19 vaccination. The survey was shared with more than 300 students through email and social platforms during the time between January 2022 till December 2022. Most of the physiotherapy students believed the vaccines to be safe (71.3%) due to multiple reasons while others did not believe in the effectiveness of the vaccine (28.7%). Some students did report unusual symptoms (painful periods, hair loss, forgetfulness) after the vaccine (10%). Similar findings were reported for family members as well (14%). Students had a positive perception of the vaccine and reported willingness to take it even if not mandatory (68%). Some students did believe in the safety of the vaccine due to multiple reasons while some did not due to fear of long-term side effects and personal choices. The finding of the study could be useful to create confidence as well as awareness among physiotherapy students as they are often invited to aid during medical pandemics such as Covid 19. Also, higher rates of vaccination among healthcare professionals will impart higher acceptance in the medical organization due to safety guidelines. This could also help to counsel other students against fear and apprehension towards the vaccination of such kind in the future.

Exercise modulates the immune system in cardiorespiratory disease patients: Implications for clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cardiorespiratory problems often suffer from systemic inflammation. Stress due to the disease and continuous inflammation can undermine the success of the rehabilitation program. OBJECTIVE: This review has been undertaken primarily to understand the effectiveness of exercise training on the immune system in individuals undergoing cardiorespiratory rehabilitation and its implications for further management during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Assessors analyzed related studies identified in the MEDLINE, PROQUEST, PUBMED, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Physiotherapy Evidence, and Science Direct databases. The studies were divided into groups focused on the effect of exercise on blood leukocytes, the anti-inflammatory effect, and the role of nutrition and exercise in resolving inflammation. RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies were included in this review. The number of studies included in each section was as follows: the effects of exercise training on leukocytes in cardiorespiratory conditions (n = 8), anti-inflammatory effect (n = 6), and the role of nutrition and exercise in resolving inflammation (n = 14). The bias risk assessment showed poor internal validity; most included studies were assigned no and unclear descriptors. CONCLUSIONS: Substantive evidence is presented that emphasizes the role of moderate-intensity exercise in boosting the immune system in patients with cardiorespiratory diseases. Exercise has anti-inflammatory effects that are vital for overall well-being and resolving longstanding inflammation. Individuals with an active lifestyle had a better pathogen immune response than more sedentary individuals. Our findings highlight the current need to investigate the long-term effects of cardiorespiratory rehabilitation programs.

Assessment Battery for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (ABCD): Preliminary report of tool development and clinical application.

PURPOSE: Development of an easy to use tool for the assessment of Developmental Coordination Disorder that is applicable to Indian children. METHODS: The steps for instrument development were followed stringently. In order to ensure the robustness of the tool, psychometric properties were determined with 127 children attending various schools. The Winsteps program was used to analyze data for a Rasch model analysis. RESULTS: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (KMO) analysis showed an acceptable limit. The real item separation reliability of 4.84 demonstrates that the items of this tool create a well-defined variable. CONCLUSION: This study met the objectives that it attempted to. The final tool consists of two versions- the Assessment Battery for Children with coordination Disorder-Short Version (ABCD-SV) consisting of 12 items, and the ABCD-FV consisting of 20 items. ABCD fulfills criterion A and B of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

Prevalence of developmental coordination disorder among mainstream school children in India.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of DCD in children between ages of 6-15 years attending mainstream schools in a school district in southern India using criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). METHODS: A total of 2282 children, were screened with Kannada version of DCDQ'07. All the children who were identified as probable. DCD cases were defined by using inclusion (Criteria A, B and C) and exclusion criteria (D) of DSM-5 which are ascertained by specific tests. RESULTS: Nineteen (0.8%) children were identified as DCD with girls (1.1%) affected more than boys (0.5%) at confidence interval of 95%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of DCD using DSM-5 criteria is found to be 0.8% in Southern India. Girls were twice affected than boys.