Impact of Lymphedema on Foot-Health-Related Quality of Life: A Case-Control Investigation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the foot-health-related quality of life in individuals with versus without lower-limb lymphedema. METHODS: A case-control study was carried out in an academic clinic in Lisbon, Portugal. Eighty participants (40 controls and 40 with lymphedema) were included in the study. The researchers examined sociodemographic and clinical data and foot-health-related quality of life in both groups. In the group with lymphedema, lower-limb lymphedema was also characterized. RESULTS: Individuals with lower-limb lymphedema had significantly lower scores on all dimensions of the Foot Health Status Questionnaire in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with lower-limb lymphedema appear to have a poorer foot-health-related quality of life than the general population.

The implications of the foot health status in Parkinson patients: A case-control study.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects both health of the feet, as to gait patterns. This study aimed to find out about foot problems and their impact on self-perceived quality of life and related to foot health in Parkinson's patients compared to a group of healthy subjects and to measure it with Spanish Podiatry Health Questionnaire (PHQ-S). It is about a case-control study in a sample of Parkinson's patients n = 62, healthy controls n = 62. The PHQ-S was reported, it describes perception the subject has in each of podiatric 6 dimensions consulted, assessing appreciation of health status of interviewee's feet and a self-rated the foot health score on the visual analog scale (VAS). There were statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in the dimensions that assessed problems with walking and moving, nail trimming, concern feet state, and affectation of quality of life related foot health. Regarding the self-perception of state of their feet, Parkinson's patients perceive a worse state of health of their feet than healthy subjects. The mean value was 4.8 (SD 2.2) for Parkinson's patients and 3.8 (SD 2.3) for healthy subjects. In conclusion, patients with PD have problems in walking or moving, foot pain, difficulties in foot hygiene and in cutting for their nails, as well as the concern they suffer from deterioration in state of their feet affect them and decrease their quality of life. Podiatric problems in Parkinson's patients have a great impact in reducing quality of life related to foot health.

The implications of diabetic foot health-related with quality of life: A retrospective case control investigation.

BACKGROUND: The diabetes people show a significant presence of foot health problems are usually all over the world, causing in big economic effects for these persons, their families and world population OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research is to evaluate and relate the impact of foot health associated with the quality of life (QoL) in a group of people with and without diabetes MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 150 persons of a mean age of 71.45 ± 11.93 years came to a foot and ankle specialist outpatient center. Self-reported data were medical records where persons'with and without diabetes was evaluated. All findings obtained was compared with scores quality of life using the tool Foot Health Status Questionnaire, spanish version RESULTS: The diabetes group revealed a reduction of QoL linked to overall health and to foot health in particular. Differences among both groups were analyzed by means of a independent Student's t-test samples, displaying a p-value lower than 0.05 statistically significant for the domains of foot pain, foot function footwear and social capacity CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes people recorded a negative influence on the QoL related with foot health, that seems to be linked with the presence of chronic disease in diabetes people.

Efficacy of Bracing on Thoracic Kyphotic Angle and Functionality in Women with Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review.

Background and purpose: Osteoporotic hyperkyphosis is associated with adverse outcomes, such as fatigue, back pain, or reduced back extensor strength, with a negative impact on functionality and quality of life. The purpose of this review is to assess the effectiveness of spinal orthosis on these adverse effects. Methods: A systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines was performed. Inclusion criteria were (1) women with osteoporosis; (2) randomized controlled trials only; and (3) type of intervention: spinal bracing. Exclusion criteria were (1) article not written in English; (2) full-text not available; and (3) no kyphosis assessment. Quality-of-life variables such as back pain, functional variables such as back extensor strength, and osteoporotic-related variables such as lumbar spine bone mineral density were extracted and recorded before and after the intervention. The characteristics of the intervention programs were also extracted and recorded. The characteristics of studies, interventions, and participants are summarized in a table. Then, the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) was used to assess the quality of the studies. Results and Discussion: Four randomized controlled trials with a low risk of bias were included (n = 326 women with osteoporosis, aged 51-93 years). Interventions consisting of wearing a dynamic hyperextension orthosis for at least two hours per day for six months improved functionality, mobility, back extensor strength, respiratory function, and reduced the thoracic kyphosis angle. Conclusions: Spinal orthosis, especially dynamic hyperextension braces, seems effective in improving the adverse outcomes of osteoporotic hyperkyphosis. It does not seem necessary to wear the orthosis during all daily activities.

Impact of Footwear and Foot Deformities in patients with Parkinson's disease: A Case-Series Study.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common and complex neurological problem. Gait abnormalities are frequent in PD patients, and this increases the risk of falls. However, little is known about foot deformities and footwear in this vulnerable population. Here we investigate whether patients with PD use an appropriate shoe size and know if they have foot deformities or alterations. Methodology: A study of a series of observational descriptive cases in a convenience sample (n = 53 patients) diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. One trained investigator evaluated foot and ankle health. The footwear and foot measurements were obtained using a Brannock device. Results: The podiatric examination and footwear examination detected a high presence of podiatric pathologies and inappropriate footwear. This has a negative impact on the quality of life of these patients. Conclusions: This research detected an elevated number of people with foot deformities or alterations. Moreover, a high proportion of participants with PD wear inadequate footwear (in length, width, or both).

Social factors and quality of life aspects on frailty syndrome in community-dwelling older adults: the VERISAÚDE study.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a multidimensional clinical geriatric syndrome that may be reversed in its early stages. Most studies have paid attention to its physical or phenotypic boundaries, however, little is known about the social aspects surrounding this geriatric syndrome. The study examined the relationship between socio-demographic factors, social resources, quality of life and frailty in older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included a representative sample (n = 749) of adults aged ≥65 years enrolled in forty-three senior centers located in North-West Spain. Socio-demographic data, social resources by the Older Americans Resources and Services Scale, quality of life by the World Health Organization's Quality of Life measure-brief version (WHOQOL-BREF), and frailty status diagnosed by the Frailty phenotype were measured. RESULTS: Female gender, age older than 75 years, single marital status, a poor quality of life, and low scores in the physical health domain of the WHOQOL-BREF were the main determinants of being non-robust. Together, these variables explained 24.4% of the variance. Age between 80 and 89 years, and a poor quality of life were the main determinants for non-robust men, whilst the physical health domain of the WHOQOL-BREF was the single main determinant for women. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found evidence that physical frailty is associated with social determinants and several quality of life domains. More research on this understudied topic is needed to avoid healthcare expenditures and improve the quality of life of non-robust elders.

Nutritional determinants of frailty in older adults: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that affects multiple domains of human functioning. A variety of problems contributes to the development of this syndrome; poor nutritional status is an important determinant of this condition. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine recent evidence regarding the association between nutritional status and frailty syndrome in older adults. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus electronic databases were searched using specific key words, for observational papers that were published during the period from 2005 to February 2017 and that studied the association or relationship between nutritional status and frailty in older adults. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement was followed to assess the quality of the included articles. RESULTS: Of the 2042 studies found, nineteen met the inclusion criteria. Of these studies, five provided data on micronutrients and frailty, and reported that frailty syndrome is associated with low intakes of specific micronutrients. Five studies provided data on macronutrients and frailty, and among those studies, four revealed that a higher protein intake was associated with a lower risk of frailty. Three studies examined the relationship between diet quality and frailty, and showed that the quality of the diet is inversely associated with the risk of being frail. Two studies provided data on the antioxidant capacity of the diet and frailty, and reported that a high dietary antioxidant capacity is associated with a lower risk of developing frailty. Finally, seven studies evaluated the relationship between scores on both the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and the MNA-SF (Short Form) and frailty, and revealed an association between malnutrition and/or the risk of malnutrition and frailty. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review confirms the importance of both quantitative (energy intake) and qualitative (nutrient quality) factors of nutrition in the development of frailty syndrome in older adults. However, more longitudinal studies on this topic are required to further understand the potential role of nutrition in the prevention, postponement, or even reversion of frailty syndrome.

Caregiver's distress related to the patient's neuropsychiatric symptoms as a function of the care-setting.

Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and correlation between its intensity and caregiver distress were evaluated as a function of the care-setting in a cross-sectional study including 72 patient-caregiver dyads. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory and the Caregiver Distress Scale were administered. The most prevalent symptoms were: in the formal care-setting, agitation/aggression and depression/dysphoria (42.4%), and in the informal care-setting, aberrant motor behavior (59.0%). While changes in appetite and eating behaviors, depression/dysphoria and irritability/lability were more prevalent in the formal care-setting (p < .0001, p = .011, p = .021), aberrant motor behavior was more prevalent in the informal care-setting (p = .007). NPS were positively correlated with caregiver distress. High patients' scores in hallucinations, sleep and night-time disturbances, anxiety, and aberrant motor behavior were the best predictors of professional caregiver's distress. Agitation/aggression, delusions, disinhibition, apathy/indifference, depression/dysphoria, and elation/euphoria were the best predictors of informal caregiver's distress. Findings may have important clinical implications.

Alterations in microglial phenotype and hippocampal neuronal function in transgenic mice with astrocyte-targeted production of interleukin-10.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a cytokine classically linked with anti-inflammatory and protective functions in the central nervous system (CNS) in different neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory conditions. In order to study the specific role of local CNS produced IL-10, we have created a new transgenic mouse line with astrocyte-targeted production of IL-10 (GFAP-IL10Tg). In the present study, the effects of local CNS IL-10 production on microglia, astrocytes and neuronal connectivity under basal conditions were investigated using immunohistochemistry, molecular biology techniques, electrophysiology and behavioural studies. Our results showed that, in GFAP-IL10Tg animals, microglia displayed an increase in density and a specific activated phenotype characterised by morphological changes in specific areas of the brain including the hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum that correlated with the level of transgene expressed IL-10 mRNA. Distinctively, in the hippocampus, microglial cells adopted an elongated morphology following the same direction as the dendrites of pyramidal neurons. Moreover, this IL-10-induced microglial phenotype showed increased expression of certain molecules including Iba1, CD11b, CD16/32 and F4/80 markers, "de novo" expression of CD150 and no detectable levels of either CD206 or MHCII. To evaluate whether this specific activated microglial phenotype was associated with changes in neuronal activity, the electrophysiological properties of pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus (CA3-CA1) were analysed in vivo. We found a lower excitability of the CA3-CA1 synapses and absence of long-term potentiation (LTP) in GFAP-IL10Tg mice. This study is the first description of a transgenic mouse with astrocyte-targeted production of the cytokine IL-10. The findings indicate that IL-10 induces a specific activated microglial phenotype concomitant with changes in hippocampal LTP responses. This transgenic animal will be a very useful tool to study IL-10 functions in the CNS, not only under basal conditions, but also after different experimental lesions or induced diseases.

Effects of physical exercise interventions in frail older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Low physical activity has been shown to be one of the most common components of frailty, and interventions have been considered to prevent or reverse this syndrome. The purpose of this systematic review of randomized, controlled trials is to examine the exercise interventions to manage frailty in older people. METHODS: The PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched using specific keywords and Medical Subject Headings for randomized, controlled trials published during the period of 2003-2015, which enrolled frail older adults in an exercise intervention program. Studies where frailty had been defined were included in the review. A narrative synthesis approach was performed to examine the results. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro scale) was used to assess the methodological quality of the selected studies. RESULTS: Of 507 articles, nine papers met the inclusion criteria. Of these, six included multi-component exercise interventions (aerobic and resistance training not coexisting in the intervention), one included physical comprehensive training, and two included exercises based on strength training. All nine of these trials included a control group receiving no treatment, maintaining their habitual lifestyle or using a home-based low level exercise program. Five investigated the effects of exercise on falls, and among them, three found a positive impact of exercise interventions on this parameter. Six trials reported the effects of exercise training on several aspects of mobility, and among them, four showed enhancements in several measurements of this outcome. Three trials focused on the effects of exercise intervention on balance performance, and one demonstrated enhanced balance. Four trials investigated functional ability, and two showed positive results after the intervention. Seven trials investigated the effects of exercise intervention on muscle strength, and five of them reported increases; three trials investigated the effects of exercise training on body composition, finding improvements in this parameter in two of them; finally, one trial investigated the effects of exercise on frailty using Fried's criteria and found an improvement in this measurement. Exercise interventions have demonstrated improvement in different outcome measurements in frail older adults, however, there were large differences between studies with regard to effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review suggested that frail older adults seemed to benefit from exercise interventions, although the optimal program remains unclear. More studies of this topic and with frail populations are needed to select the most favorable exercise program.

Risk Factors of High Burden Caregivers of Dementia Patients Institutionalized at Day-Care Centres.

We examined which variables are associated with day care centres utilization among caregivers of dementia patients. A cross-sectional analysis of socio-demographic variables, relationship with caring and psychological aspects was conducted in 58 informal caregivers with intense burden. 58.6 % used day care assistance and 41.4 % did not. The results showed the importance of the commitment between the caregiver and their family and friends. The use of day care services is independent of the age, gender, educational level, marital status, occupation and relationship with the patient. However, in the multivariate analysis the provision of help by families and friends predicted the use of day care assistance. The bivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between depressive symptoms and self-rated health with day care attendance. Screening the help provision from families and friends in caregivers of dementia patients with intense burden would be relevant to design interventions which delay their institutionalization and reduce costs.

The relationship of kinesiophobia in patients with lymphedema: a case-control investigation.

Introduction: Kinesiophobia and lymphedema appear to be related conditions, and it is important to understand this relationship, as many of the symptoms and comorbidities presented by individuals with lower limb lymphedema are prevented and treated through movement, thus constituting kinesiophobia as a barrier to intervention. The objective of this study is, therefore, to evaluate and analyze the kinesiophobic beliefs reported by individuals with and without lower limb lymphedema, regarding the agreement, severity and differences found, and to establish levels of kinesiophobia. Methods: A case-control study with a total sample of 80 participants (40 with lower limb lymphedema and 40 without) was performed. Both groups (with and without lymphedema) were characterized anthropologically, sociodemographically, and clinically. In the case group, lymphedema was evaluated. Participants in both groups completed the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia - 13 items (TSK-13). Results: Individuals with lower limb lymphedema had higher TSK-13 scores than their matched group without lymphedema. The items belonging to the activity avoidance subscale had the highest agreement and score in both groups. Differences between groups were mainly established for items belonging to the somatic focus subscale, showing that individuals with lower limb lymphedema have kinesiophobic beliefs related to the perceived severity of their lymphedema. The prevalence of kinesiophobia was increased in both groups, but the severity was mild. Conclusions: Considering the apparent tendency of people with lower limb lymphedema to present kinesiophobia and movement-limiting beliefs regarding the condition, greater attention should be paid to its assessment, prevention and treatment from a multidisciplinary and multimodal perspective, which takes into account the multiplicity of factors inherent to kinesiophobia and lymphedema and thus reduce their impact on the management of lymphedema.

Synergistic effects of applying static magnetic fields and diazepam to improve EEG abnormalities in the pilocarpine epilepsy rat model.

The lithium-pilocarpine rat model is a well-known model of temporal epilepsy. Recently we found that transcranial static magnetic stimulation (tSMS) delay and reduce the signs of EEG in this model. We aim to test the effect of combining the therapeutic action of tSMS and diazepam, a drug used to treat status epilepticus. We induce epilepsy in 12 Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were classified as "magnet" when a magnetic neodymium cylinder was placed over the skull or "control" when a stainless-steel replica was used. Diazepam was injected 60-min after the second doses of pilocarpine injection. We found a reduction in the number of spikes/minute for magnet condition compared with sham condition, reaching significance at 60 min after diazepam injection. The Root-Mean-Square shown a significant reduction in magnet animals compared with those receiving diazepam (Tukey's-test 30 and 60 min after diazepam injection, p < 0.01; 40 and 50 min after diazepam injection, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the power spectrum analysis shown a reduction in delta, theta, alpha and beta bands, on the diazepam + magnet animals compared to the diazepam + sham group. Analysis of high-frequency oscillations revealed an increased in the ripples due to pilocarpine being reduced by diazepam. Our results demonstrate that application of tSMS previously to diazepam potentiates the effect of the drug by reducing the electroencephalographic pattern associated with epileptiform discharges. We suggest a new synergistic cooperation between pharmacology and neuromodulation as a future treatment for epilepsy.

Parenting profiles: motivation toward health-oriented physical activity and intention to be physically active.

INTRODUCTION: Parents influence their sons' and daughters' interest in practicing and maintaining physical activity through parenting patterns. OBJECTIVE: To identify perceived parenting style profiles and examine whether the participants differed in their motivation toward health-oriented physical activity and the intention to be physically active. METHOD: A sample of 296 participants completed a series of self-report measures and a latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed. RESULTS: Two profiles emerged as the most suitable: profile (a) with average scores in parenting variables, and profile (b) with high scores in parenting variables. The results revealed significant differences in integrated regulation and in amotivation, reporting higher scores for profile (b) in the parenting variables love/affection, hostility/aggression, and indifference/neglect, and average in undifferentiated/rejection and control. CONCLUSION: The combination of perceived parenting style variables in the profiles seems to influence people's motivation toward health-oriented physical activity. As such, it is crucial to understand parenting from a multivariate approach, mostly in interventions to adjust parenting styles to the most suitable combination.

Influence of parental involvement and parenting styles in children's active lifestyle: a systematic review.

Background: Parents influence their children's lifestyles through modeling and support, which modifies how children approach physical activity. As such, this systematic review aims to know the influence of parental involvement in children's active lifestyles and the influence of parenting styles on children's practice and motivation towards physical activity. Methodology: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ResearchGate, and Web of Science databases were searched from 15 July 2022 to 30 August 2022. The publication date of the included manuscripts was between November 2012 and January 2021. The methodological quality of the studies was analyzed using the Scale for Evaluating Scientific Articles in Social and Human Science. Furthermore, it was utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020. Results: The sample of the 10 included studies (in which different self-report measures were administered) was 1,957 children and their parents. In one study, parental involvement across limits decreased sedentary behaviours. In another, parent-child co-participation in physical activity improved participation in it. In one study, democratic parents predicted moderate-vigorous physical activity. In another, authoritarian styles were associated with sports practice. In another, permissive styles were associated with the worst physical activity practice. In one study, permissive parents were not significantly related to physical activity. In another, negligent parents were negatively associated with sports practice. In two studies, parenting styles were not associated with physical activity. In a study, the autonomy support of permissive parents and the structure of democratic parents is related to autonomous motivations. The coercive control of authoritarian parents and the lack of structure of negligent parents are related to non-self-determined motivations or amotivation. Conclusions: Parental involvement contributes to children's participation in physical activity. There is no unanimity in the results obtained in parenting styles and the practice of physical activity. Democratic and permissive styles are associated with self-determined motivations, as opposed to negligent and authoritarian ones. The results obtained have been extracted from studies where different self-report measures are administered, so it would be advisable to continue researching this subject.

Depressive symptoms and their severity in a sample with lymphedema: a case-control investigation.

Objectives: Depression is a condition that can be associated with other illnesses, especially chronic illnesses. Lower limb lymphedema is a chronic, disabling condition that can affect the quality of life and be related to psychological and psychosocial factors that interfere with people's lives. This study aims to characterize and analyze the depressive symptoms and their severity reported by people with lower limb lymphedema and compare them with a matched group without lymphedema. Methods: A case-control study was carried out (n = 80) with participants divided into a case group (40 people with lower limb lymphedema) and a control group (40 people without lower limb lymphedema). Both groups were anthropometrically, sociodemographically, and clinically characterized. In the case group, a characterization of lymphedema was performed. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Results: Individuals with lower limb lymphedema have higher BDI-II scores than the matched group without lymphedema. Somatic depressive symptoms were, in general, the most reported and the ones with the highest scores. The depressive symptoms most reported by the case group were tiredness or fatigue, loss of energy, and changes in sleeping. Tiredness or fatigue, loss of energy, and loss of interest in sex were the most severe depressive symptoms reported by individuals with lower limb lymphedema. Conclusion: Considering the apparent tendency to depression, greater attention should be given to the mental health of people with lower limb lymphedema.

Muscle Quality Assessment by Ultrasound Imaging of the Intrinsic Foot Muscles in Individuals with and without Plantar Fasciitis: A Case-Control Study.

Objective: The primary aim of the present study was to compare the echo intensity (EI) and echovariation (EV) of the intrinsic foot muscles (IFMs) between individuals with and without plantar fasciitis (PF), using ultrasound imaging. The secondary objective was to study the intra-rater reliability of the echotexture variables. Methods: A case−control study was conducted with 64 participants, who were divided into the following two groups: A, the PF group (n = 32); B, the healthy group (n = 32). Results: The comparison between the two groups did not identify significant differences (p > 0.05) between the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), quadratus plantae (QP) and abductor hallucis brevis (AHB) variables for the EI and EV. Moreover, excellent intra-rater reliability was reported for the following ultrasound imaging EI variables: ABH (ICC = 0.951), FHB (ICC = 0.949), FDB (ICC = 0.981) and QP (ICC = 0.984). Conclusions: The muscle quality assessment using the EI and EV variables did not identify differences in the FHB, FDB, AHB and QP muscles between individuals with and without PF through USI evaluation. The reliability of all the IFM measurements was reported to be excellent.

Impact of Chronic Foot Pain Related Quality of Life: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic foot pain (CFP) is a widespread condition worldwide; however, few studies that relate CFP and foot health-related quality of life have been reported. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the impact of foot health and health in general in a sample of adult people with CFP compared with a control group. STUDY DESIGN: This study was designed as a retrospective case-control study. SETTING: Podiatric section of a care center. METHODS: Two hundred adults were included in the study. Patients were divided into CFP patient (n = 100) and control groups (n = 100). All of them regularly attended a private podiatric clinic to take care of their foot health. Self-reported data and medical histories for people with and without CFP were evaluated. All findings were compared with quality of life (QoL) scores based on the Foot Health Status Questionnaire, Spanish version. RESULTS: Adults with CFP (compared to the control group) showed reductions in QoL linked to overall health and foot health in particular and were statistically significant with respect to several domains: (1) foot pain, (2) foot function, (3) general health, and (4) physical activity. These differ-ences were evaluated with a t-test for independent samples, and statistical significance was consid-ered a P value of P < 0.05. LIMITATIONS: The study was not a randomized controlled trial. Although primary outcome data were self-reported, the assessor was not blinded. CONCLUSIONS: CFP patients, regardless of gender, recorded a negative influence on QoL-related foot health that seems to be linked with the presence of this chronic condition.

Hyperthermia-Induced Changes in EEG of Anesthetized Mice Subjected to Passive Heat Exposure.

Currently, the role of hypothermia in electroencephalography (EEG) is well-established. However, few studies have investigated the effect of hyperthermia on EEG, an important physiological parameter governing brain function. The aim of this work was to determine how neuronal activity in anesthetized mice is affected when the temperature rises above the physiological threshold mandatory to maintain the normal body functions. In this study, a temperature-elevation protocol, from 37 to 42°C, was applied to four female mice of 2-3 months old while EEG was recorded simultaneously. We found that hyperthermia reduces EEG amplitude by 4.36% when rising from 37 to 38 degrees and by 24.33% when it is increased to 42 degrees. Likewise, increasing the body temperature produces a very large impact on the EEG spectral parameters, reducing the frequency power at the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands. Our results show that hyperthermia has a global effect on the EEG, being able to change the electrical activity of the brain.

Influence of unstable shoes on women with lumbopelvic postpartum pain: randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Back pain is a normal symptom during pregnancy and is expected to become worse beyond the first three months after childbirth. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of wearing unstable shoes instead of conventional shoes, regarding pain intensity, low back mobility and stability, among women with lumbopelvic pain (LPP) during the postpartum period. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective, single-blinded, randomized clinical trial conducted at a podiatry and physiotherapy clinical center. METHODS: A nine-week program of wearing either unstable shoes (A) or conventional shoes (B) was implemented. The following outcomes were measured in three assessments: pain intensity, using a visual analogue scale (VAS); low-back mobility, using a modified Schober test; and stability, using a pressure platform. RESULTS: The lateral stability speed, anterior stability speed and anterior center of pressure (COP) showed significant (P < 0.05) decreases in the unstable shoes group after nine weeks, in relation to the conventional group. Intra-group measurements showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in VAS between the second and third assessments and between the first and third assessments in both groups. Intra-group evaluations also showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in the lateral stability speed and anterior stability speed. CONCLUSIONS: Unstable shoes were effective in decreasing the pain intensity at five and nine weeks in women with postpartum LPP. In addition, their use produced decreases in lateral stability speed, anterior stability speed and anterior COP at nine weeks.