Effects of Diathermy on Pain in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

(1) Background: The main characteristic of fibromyalgia (FM) is generalized musculoskeletal pain. This may be accompanied by muscle and joint stiffness, sleep and mood disorders, anxiety and depression, cognitive dysfunction, and chronic fatigue. It is endemic in developed countries, with a higher prevalence among women than men, and its etiology is still unknown. Diagnosis is made based on chronic generalized pain and through the presence of tender points. The objective of this study was to analyze the efficacy of diathermy on pain in patients with fibromyalgia. (2) Methods: A single, blind, randomized experimental study was developed with a sample of 31 participants. Measurements were taken and recorded at three different intervals using the following measurement tools: the pressure pain threshold (PPT) at the tender points (TP) of the right and left trochanteric prominence with an algometer, the pain measurement scale, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the sleep quality index (PSQI, Pittsburgh), the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-S), and the scale for anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Sociodemographic data were collected through Google Forms (age, height, weight, Body Mass Index). The intervention took place twice weekly across four weeks of sessions. (3) Results: Statistically significant results were obtained in the right and left trochanter PPT, as well as for anxiety and fatigue in the experimental group. The results obtained show that this treatment has managed to improve the quality of sleep, the impact of disease, chronic fatigue, and anxiety in patients with FM. (4) Conclusions: Diathermy is a tool that can help reduce pain. It can also improve the baseline levels of chronic fatigue, anxiety, the impact of the disease, and sleep quality in patients with fibromyalgia.

Physical Activity Levels, Eating Habits, and Well-Being Measures in Students of Healthcare Degrees in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: When the first cases of COVID-19 (caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus infection) were discovered, exceptional norms to fight the spread of the virus were established by applying movement restrictions (lockdown) in many countries. These unprecedented norms led to sedentary behaviours and less healthy diets which could persist for much longer after lockdown. The aim of this study was to analyse the physical activity, eating habits, self-perceived well-being, and toxic habits, as well as the perceived changes of these habits with respect to the pre-pandemic period, in a population of university students in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A single-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted in a population of university students of healthcare degrees. A total of 961 students (639 (66.5%) women and 322 (33.5%) men) signed the informed consent and completed the questionnaire. The study was conducted through an anonymous survey, which was voluntarily self-completed by the students on an online platform. The questionnaire was based on the Spanish Health Survey and it was divided into six main parts: demographic and anthropometric characteristics, physical activity, eating habits, well-being measures (sleeping habits, health state, and stress), toxic habits, and perception of the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the variables described. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that, during the second year of the pandemic, statistically significant dependence was identified for those students that showed higher levels of physical activity with greater perceived physical activity (p < 0.05), healthier eating habits (p < 0.05), and a better self-perceived health state (p < 0.05), with respect to the 12 months before the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, there was a negative correlation between the sedentary students and greater perceived physical activity (p < 0.05). With regard to toxic habits and physical activity, a significant correlation was only detected between sedentary behaviour and cocaine consumption (p < 0.05). Analysing eating habits, it was observed that the students who smoked, consumed alcohol, and binge drank had low adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p < 0.05). In addition, those students with high stress levels slept less than 7 h (p < 0.05).

Toxic Habits and Well-Being Measures in Spanish Healthcare University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Unhealthy lifestyles are strongly entrenched in healthcare universities and have sometimes been linked to stress or lack of sleep. This study investigated the prevalence of toxic habits (smoking, patterns of harmful alcohol use, and illicit drug use), stress levels, perceived health status, and sleep duration and assessed the connections between toxic habits and said well-being measures, as well as healthcare students' perception of the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on these health-related behaviors. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, healthcare students from Alfonso X University (Spain) completed a health survey composed of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), self-perceived health status, and the number of hours of sleep. RESULTS: A total of 997 healthcare students completed the survey, of which 982 were analyzed. Being a smoker (32.2%) was associated with worse health status and insufficient sleep. Risk drinkers (33.2%) were associated with being female, and the consumption of cannabinoids (6.7%), with being male. These three toxic habits were related to each other. High levels of stress (28.2%) were correlated with worse ratings in the perception of health status (29.2%) and with insufficient sleep (45.8%), and all of them were associated with the female sex. Respectively, 49.3% and 44.2% of students recognized a worsening in their perception of stress and their sleep habits during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Healthcare universities must carry out health promotion programs for stress management, sleep habits, and unhealthy lifestyles.