Cutaneous temperature and pressure pain threshold in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoarthritis is a common disease in which skin temperature may be included among the pathophysiological factors. Thermography allows the mapping of cutaneous temperature and may be employed in the investigation of osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate cutaneous temperature of the lower limbs, as well as to verify its association with pressure pain thresholds in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This case series study was conducted with individuals of both genders aged 48-77 years with unilateral knee osteoarthritis. Volunteers underwent thermographic evaluation by an infrared sensor (FLIR T650SC). The anterior region of the thigh and leg and the knee area were evaluated. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were evaluated by algometry (Pain Diagnostics, Great Neck, USA) at the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, and patellar tendon. Data analysis was conducted with the statistical package SPSS v.24 for Windows. Comparisons between affected and unaffected sides were made by paired Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test, and associations between variables were assessed by Pearson or Spearman's correlation coefficient. In all cases, the significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Eleven volunteers (63.1 ±9.5 years) participated in this study. When comparing cutaneous temperature, only the region of the knee showed a significant difference between sides (p = 0.02). There were no differences between affected and unaffected knees regarding pain tolerance (PPT) at all sites evaluated. There were also no significant associations between the study variables. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with knee osteoarthritis presented a higher temperature of the affected knee, but this was not associated with pressure pain thresholds.

The Immediate Effect of Exercising in a Virtual Reality Treadmill (C-Mill) on Skin Temperature of a Man with Lower Limb Amputation.

Background: In amputees, exercising can impact the distribution of body temperature. The aim of this case report is to verify the acute effect of exercising in C-Mill on the temperature distribution in the lower limbs of a man with unilateral transfemoral amputation. Materials and Methods: The thigh and legs of a man with left distal transfemoral amputation were evaluated by thermography (infrared sensor FLIR T650sc) before and after a single 30-minute exercise session performed in a virtual reality treadmill device (C-Mill). Results: The thermographic evaluation showed a difference in temperature between the thighs both before and after the intervention. However, there was a decrease in asymmetry, which went from 4.0°C to 3.1°C in the anterior view and from 5.3°C to 2.9°C in the posterior view, after the intervention. Conclusion: Thermography allowed us to assess the difference in temperature in the lower limbs. Even though the temperature discrepancy has decreased after the single exercise session using the C-Mill, this difference persisted.

Results from the International Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey: The Lived Experience of People with Spinal Cord Injury in South-Eastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of spinal cord injury in Brazil is increasing. It is important to understand more about how individuals are living with spinal cord injury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study of individuals with spinal cord injury in south-eastern Brazil. SUBJECTS: A questionnaire with 125 questions was applied to individuals diagnosed with spinal cord injury. Participants were recruited by survey team from 2 rehabilitation centres (both in south-eastern Brazil) that treat persons diagnosed with SCI. Personal characteristics, associated health conditions, quality of life, work status, environmental factors, and other functioning-related aspects were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 201 individuals participated in the survey. Of these, 79% were male, mean age 44 years, 60% were considered paraplegic, and the major causes of impairment were firearm injuries and road traffic accidents. Spasticity was the most frequently reported health condition, followed by neuropathic pain. 50% of subjects did not report any difficulty with participation in activities of daily living. However, only approximately 10% of subjects returned to work after spinal trauma. Their quality of life is reported 44% as good. CONCLUSION: Most people with spinal cord injury in south-eastern Brazil are male and paraplegic, health problems and spasticity is considered their most problematic health condition. Although they report having a good quality of life, they still encounter disabling environmental barriers that make their life more difficult, such as poor accessibility of public spaces, and only a small proportion (10%) returned to work after their injury. This study provides an initial overview of the lived experience of people with spinal cord injury in south-eastern Brazil and should serve as a starting point for future research on this population.

Gamification in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This study is a narrative review aiming at evaluating the current literature of the last 5 years on gamification and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. The article search involved the following MeSH terms at PubMed: "gamification," "exergaming," and "rehabilitation." Original studies in English language were included. RECENT FINDINGS: After careful analysis of the search results, 17 articles were included in this review. The use of games for rehabilitation was investigated in musculoskeletal rehabilitation conditions such as shoulder surgery, impingement syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, low back pain, fibromyalgia, fracture, and ligament reconstruction. Results were similar or superior to conventional physical therapy or home-based exercises, with the additional benefit of improving motivation to the exercise program. Improvements in quality of life and perceived health status were also observed. The cost-effectiveness of this type of technology was also mentioned as an advantage of exergames in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Studies involving gamification in musculoskeletal rehabilitation stress the potential of this resource in several aspects of physical fitness, health, and quality of life, also improving motivation and adherence to the exercise treatment.

Body temperature and esthesia in individuals with stroke.

Patients with sequelae of stroke commonly report somatosensory losses. It is believed that body temperature may be associated with tactile sensibility and sensorimotor recovery of these patients. Demonstrate the associations among tactile sensibility, cutaneous temperature, subjective temperature perception, and sensorimotor recovery of patients with stroke sequelae. 86 patients with stroke sequelae were included. Patients had standardized regions of interest (ROIs) assessed with infrared thermography (FLIR T650SC) and monofilaments esthesiometry, and global motor recovery was evaluated with Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). The presence of self-reported perception of temperature difference was used to divide the participants into two groups of 43 patients, and correlation tests were applied to establish correlations among variables. There is no clinically relevant association between tactile sensibility and cutaneous temperature of the foot, regardless of the subjective sensation of temperature changes. Sensorimotor recovery evaluated by FMA is associated with the difference of sensibility between both sides of the body (p < 0.001), as well as with the difference of tactile sensibility (p < 0.001). A clinically significant association between the difference of cutaneous temperature and tactile sensibility was not found, regardless of the presence or absence of subjective perception of such temperature difference. However, sensorimotor recovery is correlated with cutaneous temperature differences and tactile sensibility.

Robot-Assisted Therapy and Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for Motor Recovery in Stroke: Results From a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult disability, and up to 80% of stroke survivors undergo upper extremity motor dysfunction. Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) and Robot-Assisted Therapy (RT) are used for upper limb stroke rehabilitation. Although CIMT and RT are different techniques, both are beneficial; however, their results must be compared. The objective is to establish the difference between RT and CIMT after a rehabilitation program for chronic stroke patients. Method: This is a randomized clinical trial, registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID number NCT02700061), in which patients with stroke received sessions of RT or CIMT protocol, combined with a conventional rehabilitation program for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was measured by Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Limb (FMA-UL). Activities of daily living were also assessed. Results: Fifty one patients with mild to moderate upper limb impairment were enrolled in this trial, 25 women and 26 men, mean age of 60,02 years old (SD 14,48), with 6 to 36 months after stroke onset. Function significantly improved regardless of the treatment group. However, no statistical difference was found between both groups as p-values of the median change of function measured by WMFT and FMA were 0.293 and 0.187, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that Robotic Therapy (RT) was not different from Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) regardless of the analyzed variables. There was an overall upper limb function, motor recovery, functionality, and activities of daily living improvement regardless of the interventions. At last, the combination of both techniques should be considered in future studies.

Rehabilitation of patients after COVID-19 recovery: An experience at the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Institute and Lucy Montoro Rehabilitation Institute.

OBJECTIVES: As patients recovering from the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) present with physical, respiratory, cognitive, nutritional, and swallowing-related impairments and mental health complications, their rehabilitation needs are complex. This study aimed to describe the demographic, clinical, and functional status after the discharge of COVID-19 survivors who underwent intensive multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation at the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Institute of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School General Hospital and Lucy Montoro Rehabilitation Institute. We determined the most important factors related to the length of inpatient rehabilitation treatment and present the functional outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective study based on electronic medical records. In addition to the severity of COVID-19 and length of hospital stay for the management of COVID-19 and comorbidities, we collected sociodemographic data including age, sex, height, and weight. Functional assessments were performed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM); Short Physical Performance Battery; Montreal Cognitive Assessment; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; Revised Impact of Events Scale; bioelectrical impedance; Functional Oral Intake Scale; oropharyngeal dysphagia classification; and nutritional assessment. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in FIM before and after inpatient rehabilitation treatment (p<0.0001). Muscle strength and walking capacity were significantly improved (p<0.01). The most important factors related to the length of inpatient rehabilitation treatment were improvement in FIM scores (Spearman's r=0.71) and gain in lean mass (Spearman's r=0.79). CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation of patients after COVID-19 recovery improves their functional status and should be considered in the post-acute phase for selected patients with COVID-19.

Comparison of sensitivity and plantar cutaneous temperature of patients with stroke and Diabetes Mellitus: A pilot case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Stroke combined with Diabetes Mellitus may cause sensibility and vascular alterations. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sensitivity and plantar cutaneous temperature of clinically controlled patients with stroke and DM are different from those of patients with stroke only. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional case-control study. The volunteers were assessed for sensitivity by monofilament esthesiometry in their plantar region, and for temperature by infrared thermal imaging. The data was presented as means and standard deviations and comparisons were conducted with the Mann-Whitney statistical test, with statistical significance set at p< 0.05. RESULTS: Five cases and 11 controls were included according to the eligibility and pairing criteria. There were no discrepancies between the plegic and contralateral sides regarding temperature and sensibility of both cases and controls. However, in the control group, there was an observable tendency for different temperatures between the plegic and the contralateral sides, with p< 0.05 in most of the comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that the cases and controls have different plantar sensibility nor different plantar temperature on their plegic and contralateral sides. However, significant temperature discrepancies between both plegic and contralateral sides were observed in the control group.

Geotherapy combined with kinesiotherapy is efficient in reducing pain in patients with osteoarthritis.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with osteoarthritis (OA) suffer from a degenerative disease that causes several physical disabilities and pain. Despite the few studies involving exercise combined with geotherapy (a therapy using poultices made from earth materials such as clay or mud) for patients with OA, this subject is still under debate, as effect of the earth material remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare pain, joint stiffness and disability in patients who underwent kinesiotherapy (K) or geotherapy combined with kinesiotherapy (GK). METHOD: This was a clinical randomized single-blinded prospective study, in which 48 individuals participated. Volunteers were evaluated for pain perception, pressure pain tolerance thresholds, and responded to questionnaires about pain, joint stiffness and physical disability (WOMAC) and about symptoms and disability (Lequesne Algofunctional Index). Patients in K group underwent 15 twice-weekly sessions of kinesiotherapy consisting of stretching and strengthening exercises for lower limbs. GK patients received a poultice of powder dolomite mixed with hot water on the knees for 25 min before each of the 15 sessions of the same kinesiotherapy program. RESULTS: Both interventions were effective in reducing pain, joint stiffness and physical disability (p < 0.001), and in increasing pressure pain thresholds (p < 0.05); however, patients who underwent GK presented a more pronounced reduction in pain perception (p = 0.006) than those in K group. They also exhibited more tolerance to pain in all sites evaluated. CONCLUSION: Both interventions were effective in reducing pain, joint stiffness and physical disability, but GK produced significantly better results in pain perception.

Efficacy of an exercise program combined with lifestyle education in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Therapeutic exercise and lifestyle changes (LS) are usually recommended for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). OBJECTIVES: to compare the impact of an exercise program vs. exercise program plus LS education in individuals with knee OA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-blind randomized clinical trial with individuals of both sexes with clinical and radiological diagnosis of knee OA. Participants received the treatment 2 times/week for 8 weeks. Therapeutic exercise involved warm-up, flexibility, muscle strengthening, balance and proprioception. The exercise plus lifestyle education group (ELG) also participated in 8 sessions of lectures and discussion on disease self-management and healthy LS. Participants were assessed for pain intensity (visual analog scale), lifestyle, symptoms and physical disability (WOMAC) and pressure pain tolerance threshold (PPT). RESULTS: Sample consisted of 39 participants, divided into exercise group (EG, n=17) and ELG (n=22). Groups were homogeneous regarding regarding age, weight, height, initial pain perception (VAS) and gender predominance age and body mass index. After the interventions, reduction in pain perception and increase in PPT was observed in both groups. Despite the improvement in LS of both groups, only ELG exhibited a significant reduction in pain assessed by WOMAC. Therapeutic exercise programs may produce pain relief, but no improvements were observed in joint stiffness and funcionality.

Lifestyle and Pain in Women With Knee Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the main cause of pain and disability in the elderly. The disease leads to chronic musculoskeletal pain, characterized by an abnormal excitability of pain conduction pathways, and lifestyle may interfere in this pathophysiological aspect. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare perceived pain, pressure pain threshold, and lifestyle of adult and elderly women with and without knee OA. A total of 143 women were recruited and divided into 2 groups: OA (n = 68) and control (n = 75). Volunteers were evaluated for pressure pain tolerance (algometry in vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles), perceived pain (visual analogue scale) and lifestyle (FANTASTIC questionnaire). Patients with OA of the present study presented higher weight (P = .001) and body mass index (P < .001) than controls. Results also revealed less tolerance to pressure pain (P < .001) and higher pain perception (P < .001) in patients with OA. OA group scored significantly lower in lifestyle questionnaire than controls (P = .03). Patients with OA in the present study who presented lifestyle scores below median presented significantly higher values of pain perception than the ones above it (P = .03). In conclusion, patients with OA present more sensitivity to pain, more perceived pain, and worse lifestyle than healthy individuals.

Acute Effect of Robotic Therapy (G-EO System™) on the Lower Limb Temperature Distribution of a Patient with Stroke Sequelae.

Robotic therapy has been gaining prominence in poststroke rehabilitation programs. An example of these devices is the G-EO System™, which simulates gait as well as other more complexes standards of gait such as the steps on stairs. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies that apply thermography as a tool to evaluate stroke patients who undertook rehabilitation programs with the aid of robotic devices. The patient IWPS undergoes sequelae of hemorrhagic stroke for 19 months and consequently hemiplegia, had scores of 93 points in the Fugl-Meyer scale, is undertaking a physical rehabilitation program for six months, has no complaints of discomfort due to thermic sensitivity imbalances between the plegic and the contralateral sides, and voluntarily reports that he realizes functionality improvements especially, according to his perception, due to the aid of the robotic therapy in his gait training with the G-EO System™. The thermographic images were captured by an infrared sensor FLIR T650SC. By analyzing the temperature differences between both hemispheres of the body, before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after a robotic therapy for gait training, we observed that the values firstly increased immediately after the training, but after the 30-minute rest an important thermoregulation was achieved.

Superficial temperature and pain tolerance in patients with chronic low back pain.

INTRODUCTION: Low back pain is a common and very prevalent disease and can impose limitations that negatively impact patients. The objective of this study was to verify and compare the association between lumbar superficial temperature and pressure pain tolerance thresholds in individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain and healthy controls. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study involving 38 individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain and 19 healthy controls. Volunteers underwent thermographic (infrared sensor), pain perception (visual analog scale), and pressure pain tolerance thresholds (algometry) evaluations in the right and left paravertebral muscles and L4-L5 ligament. RESULTS: A lower tolerance to pressure pain was found in patients compared to controls at all evaluated sites (p ≤ 0.003). Superficial temperature was significantly higher in the sites evaluated in the low back pain group (p < 0.001). In patients with low back pain, pain perception was weakly and inversely correlated with pressure pain tolerance (r = -0.31; p = 0.05) and moderately correlated to the temperature of the evaluated sites (r = 0.51 to 0.59, p ≤ 0.001). Also, an inverse and weak to moderate association was observed between pressure pain tolerance thresholds and temperature in patients only (r = -0.36 to -0.49; p ≤ 0.02). CONCLUSION: Individuals with low back pain have lower pressure pain tolerance thresholds and higher superficial temperature in the lumbar region when compared to healthy individuals. The associations observed show that the higher the pain perception, the lower the pain tolerance and the higher the superficial temperature in the lumbar region. Also, the higher the temperature, the lower the pain tolerance.

Body temperature of healthy men evaluated by thermography: A study of reproducibility.

BACKGROUND: Thermography is a safe, painless, and efficient method for checking the temperature of the skin. OBJECTIVE: Was to assess the pattern of skin temperature of healthy men, as well as to verify the reproducibility of the method. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 30 men evaluated by thermography in two moments by using an infrared camera (FLIR +T650SC®). The skin temperature of 24 regions of interest (ROI) was measured. RESULTS: The mean difference in temperature of 10 ROIs in the two evaluations was not statistically significant. The comparisons of the ΔTsk between the right and left sides by the two evaluations showed no differences. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) between the two moments of evaluation were statistically significant, where the dorsal measurements (Left forearm and Right dorsal arm) showed poor correlations and the others ranged from moderate to strong. Greater reproducibility was confirmed for ventral and dorsal hand ROIs; however, they presented the highest coefficient of variation (9% and 8%). CONCLUSION: There is a similarity between the temperatures of the ROIs and the reproducibility in 22 of the 24 ROIs varies from moderate to strong, showing that thermography is a reproducible method in healthy men.

Utilização da algometria e termografia infravermelha como instrumentos de avaliação da dor: uma revisão sistemática / Use of algometry and infrared thermography as tools for pain evaluation: a systematic review

Infrared thermography is a technique used for complementary diagnosis of pain, through the presentation of thermal images with an infrared sensor that assesses body surface temperature. Pressure algometry is an objective method that seeks to quantify pain at specific points. Both techniques have been employed for diagnostic purposes. Objective: To review the literature on publications that addressed the use of thermography and algometry in combination as an assessment tool in studies of evaluation of pain. Method: This was a systematic review conducted on Pubmed, Bireme and Scielo databases, using the following descriptors: "thermography" AND "pain threshold", and "thermography" AND "pain tolerance", without limitation of publication date, in English and Portuguese, in September 2020. Eligibility criteria for the studies were: use of thermography in combination with algometry in aimed at the outcome of temperature variation in chronic painful processes in humans. Results: The search resulted in thirty-two studies, and after abstract analysis, twenty-two were excluded for not meeting inclusion criteria. The remaining ten were read in full and made up the present review. Conclusion: Although few studies have employed both techniques in the same diagnostic assessment method, the use of algometry and thermography in combination may provide objective measures of subjective symptoms, which can bring a great contribution to the diagnostic accuracy and clinical monitoring of patients affected by painful processes.

A termografia infravermelha é uma técnica utilizada para diagnóstico complementar da dor, através da apresentação de imagens térmicas com uma câmera infravermelha que mensura a temperatura da superfície do corpo. A algometria de pressão é um método objetivo que busca quantificar a dor em pontos determinados. Ambas as técnicas vem sido empregadas para finalidades diagnósticas. Objetivo: Revisar a literatura acerca das publicações que abordaram a utilização da termografia e algometria em conjunto como instrumentos de avaliação da dor. Método: Trata-se de uma revisão sistemática nas bases de dados Pubmed, Bireme e Scielo utilizando os seguintes descritores: "thermography" AND "pain threshold", e "termografia" AND "tolerância à dor", sem limitação por data de publicação, em inglês e português, no mês de setembro de 2022. Os critérios de elegibilidade para os estudos foram: utilização da termografia em conjunto com a algometria na busca do desfecho variação da temperatura em processos dolorosos crônicos em seres humanos. Resultados: A busca resultou em trinta e dois estudos, e após a análise dos resumos, vinte e dois foram excluídos por não preencherem os critérios de inclusão, restando dez que foram lidos na íntegra e que compuseram a presente revisão. Conclusão: Apesar da algometria e termografia se apresentarem como técnicas pragmaticamente válidas no estudo da dor, esta revisão mostrou que poucos estudos incluíram em seu desenho a combinação destas técnicas como instrumentos de avaliação.

Cutaneous temperature sensitivity alteration in subjects with chronic stroke sequelae - pharmacological perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Stroke can result in body temperature sensitivity changes. This study analyzed abnormal temperature perception of patients with stroke and the use of vasoactive drugs. METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective study was carried out consisting of 100 patients (55.6±12.9 years old), from both genres, with either hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke, with unilateral hemiplegia or hemiparesis. Subjects had axillary temperature and different temperature sensitivities of the limbs measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). Information on the use of medical drugs was collected in clinical records. RESULTS: In total, 64 patients reported body temperature alterations, and 62 patients stated they feel cold in the affected side. They reported 6.12±2.44 cm alteration for the upper limb and 6.72±2.44 cm for the lower limb in the VAS. Some 86 different drugs were identified in the 85 medical records available. There was a prevalence of a group of drugs formed by the ß-blockers, dopamine agonists, dopamine reuptake Inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and another group formed by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the subjects reported a sensation of cold in the affected limbs. The ß-blockers, dopamine agonists, dopamine reuptake inhibitors, and TCAs seem to be related to this sensation, however, due to the number of uncontrolled variables that may be related to these drugs and the possible role of nitric oxide, it was not possible to establish precise relations regarding the use of a specific group of drugs and the cold sensation in the affected limbs, as reported by the patients.

Evaluation of body temperature in individuals with stroke.

BACKGROUND: A stroke can cause alterations in thermal sensitivity. OBJECTIVE: to verify the conditions of body temperature in hemiplegic patients after stroke as compared to healthy individuals, as well as establish relations between thermal sensitivity and gender, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), plegic side, time after stroke, reports of thermal alterations and the motricity of patients with stroke sequelae. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 100 patients (55.6±13 years) with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke sequelae with unilateral hemiparesis and thirty healthy subjects (55±12.9 years). Individuals with nervous peripheral lesions, diabetes, peripheral vascular diseases or tumors were not included in this study. The volunteers underwent axillary temperature evaluations with the use of a cutaneous thermometer and evaluations of cutaneous temperature of hands and feet as measured by infrared thermography captured by an infrared sensor (ThermaCAMTM SC 500-FLIR Systems). The mean temperature (°C) was analyzed with the SigmaStat 3.5 statistical package. RESULTS: The results have shown that healthy individuals have similar temperatures on either side of the body. The hemiplegic subjects presented a lower temperature on the plegic side and compared to the healthy subjects, both feet of the hemiparetic individuals were colder. The results have also shown that age, body mass index, and the time after stroke have no influence on the alterations in temperature. Regarding the paretic side, individuals with hemiplegia on the right side (right foot) had a lower temperature than those affected on the left side. Motricity was not related to any difference in temperature between the limbs and the reports of temperature differences had no relation with the actual differences found in the study. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy individuals have temperature symmetry between between sides of the body, while individuals with stroke sequelae present lower temperature in the paretic side, especially on their feet.

Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy for disabling pain due to severe primary knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) for disabling pain due to primary knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Randomized, placebo-controlled trial (level of evidence, 1). SUBJECTS: A total of 105 women with disabling pain due to primary knee osteoarthritis lasting for a mean of 103 months (range 3-480 months). METHODS: Patients received either rESWT (3 sessions, each one week apart, 2,000 rESWT impulses per session, positive energy flux density 0.10-0.16 mJ/mm2) or placebo treatment. Primary outcome measure was pain on movement 3 months after the final treatment session. Secondary outcomes were pain, stiffness and limitations in physical function on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) Index and the level of tolerance to pressure over muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin at both the treated and the untreated side at 1 week and 3 months follow-up examinations. RESULTS: Compared with placebo treatment, rESWT led to a statistically significant improvement only in mean WOMAC scores for pain and a few of the pressure measurements. CONCLUSION: rESWT, as performed in the present study, is not efficient for treating patients with disabling pain due to primary knee osteoarthritis. Published data indicate that substantially higher energy flux densities are necessary for treatment success in this condition.

The influence of physical fitness on pressure pain threshold of elderly women.

Several factors may influence pressure pain threshold (PPT), including physical fitness. However, only a few authors have studied this relationship. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between muscle strength, functional capacity (ability to perform physical work and activities of daily living) and PPT in elderly women. This observational cross-sectional study involved 75 healthy women aged between 60 and 75 years. Volunteers underwent an evaluation consisting of anthropometry, functional capacity, muscle strength and PPT assessment by algometry in the following muscles: biceps brachii, flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radialis, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and gluteus maximus. Mean age of the 75 volunteers was 66.8 ± 4.6 years old. No significant correlations were found between handgrip or elbow flexion strength and PPT in the upper limb muscles evaluated. The same was observed regarding functional capacity, lower limbs strength and PPT in lower limb muscles. Functional capacity and muscle strength did not correlate with PPT in healthy elderly women.

Study of the relation between body weight and functional limitations and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of the body weight in functional capacity and pain of adult and elderly individuals with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: The sample consisted of 107 adult and elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis divided into two groups (adequate weight/adiposity and excessive weight/adiposity) according to body mass index and percent of body fat mass, assessed by electric bioimpedance. Subjects were evaluated for functional mobility (Timed Up and Go Test), pain, stiffness and function (Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index - WOMAC), pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale - VAS) and pressure pain tolerance threshold (algometry in vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles). Data were analyzed with Statistical Package of the Social Sciences, version 22 for Windows. Comparisons between groups were made through Student's t test, with significance level set at 5%. RESULTS: There was predominance of females in the sample (81.3%), and mean age was 61.8±10.1 years. When dividing the sample by both body mass index and adiposity, 89.7% of them had weight/adiposity excess, and 59.8% were obese. There was no difference between groups regarding age, pain intensity, pressure pain tolerance threshold, functional mobility, stiffness and function. However, pain (WOMAC) was higher (p=0.05) in the group of patients with weight or adiposity excess, and pain perception according to VAS was worse in the group of obese patients (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: Excessive weight had negative impact in patients with osteoarthritis, increasing pain assessed by WOMAC or VAS, although no differences were observed in functionality and pressure pain tolerance.