Vojta Therapy in Neuromotor Development of Pediatrics Patients with Periventricular Leukomalacia: Case Series.

Background and Objectives: Vojta therapy is used by physiotherapists and is based on stimulation through peripheral pressure that leads to the activation of involuntary motor response patterns, thus triggering patterns of reflex locomotion, hence also called reflex locomotion therapy. Objective: To analyze the changes produced by Vojta therapy in the evolution of infant motor development in patients with maturational delay due to periventricular leukomalacia. Materials and methods: One session of Vojta Therapy per week for eleven months, patients' neuromotor development was evaluated through the Denver II Test and the Baleys Scale. Results: A clinically significant increase in the development of the patients is observed. Conclusions: Neuromotor development seems to generate an adequate progression in the motor area.

Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Kinesio Taping Tightness in Mechanical Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the best technique for applying Kinesio Taping (KT), and the theory supporting that skin convolutions may explain its efficacy has recently been challenged. OBJECTIVE: To compare the immediate and short-term effectiveness of KT tightness on mechanosensitivity and spinal mobility in nonspecific low back pain (LBP), and to observe the influence of gender in the outcome measures. DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: University-based clinical research center. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 75 individuals with a mean age of 33 years (±7.4 years), 60% female and 40% male, with nonspecific LBP were recruited and randomly assigned to 1 of the following study groups: standard KT tension (n = 26), increased KT tension (n = 25), and no KT tension (n = 24). INTERVENTIONS: All participants received a two I-strip taping over the paravertebral muscles for 24 hours. Paper-off tension (15%-25% of the available stretch) was used in the standard KT group, which was increased to 40% in the increased KT tension group. The rest of participants received a taping procedure with no KT tension. Measurements were taken at baseline, immediately after the taping, 24 hours after the taping, and after KT removal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome included pressure pain thresholds over the erector spinae and gluteus medius muscles. The secondary outcome was lumbar mobility (assessed with a digital inclinometer, and back-saver sit-and-reach, finger-to-floor, and sit-and-reach tests). RESULTS: In the between-groups analysis of the mean score changes after baseline assessment, no significant differences were found for any of the outcome measures (P > .05) except the left back-saver sit-and-reach test (P = .03). A statistically significant interaction group × gender × time was observed only for mechanosensitivity values (P = .02 for the gluteus and P = .01 for the erector spinae). CONCLUSION: KT tightness does not seem to influence pain sensitivity and lumbar mobility in chronic LBP in either the immediate or short term. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Changes in body balance and functional performance following whole-body vibration training in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an 8-week exercise programme supplemented with whole-body vibration improves body balance and dynamic strength in women with fibromyalgia. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. PATIENTS: Forty-six participants diagnosed with fibromyalgia. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to: (i) an exercise training group with whole-body vibration (n = 15), which performed twice-weekly exercise sessions (aerobic exercise, strengthening and flexibility) combined with 3 whole-body vibration training sessions a week (bilateral squats: 6-9 sets of 30 s with 45-s recovery between sets; and unilateral squat: 4-7 sets of 30 s, 30 Hz-4 mm); (ii) an exercise group (n = 15) with the same combined exercise therapy; and (iii) a usual-care control group (n = 16). RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements in the Medio-Lateral Stability Index and Medio-Lateral Mean Deflection with open eyes were found in the whole-body vibration exercise group compared with the control group. Non-significant effects were found for lower-limb physical function. CONCLUSION: The results show that a traditional exercise programme, supplemented with whole-body vibration training, improved balance in women with fibromyalgia. This may represent a key factor for falls prevention in this patient group.

Effect of whole-body vibration exercise on balance in women with fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 6-week "usual care" exercise program supplemented with whole-body vibration (WBV) to improve balance and strength in women with fibromyalgia (FM). DESIGN: This was a randomized controlled study. SETTINGS: The setting was a physical therapy department in an academic setting. SUBJECTS: The subjects were 30 postmenopausal women with FM (age: 59±7.90 years). INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomized into one of two groups: an experimental group (EG: n=15), which combined exercise training (2 days a week) with 3 days of WBV, and a control group (CG: n=15), who performed the same exercise training program (2 days a week) but without WBV. OUTCOME MEASURES: Balance and muscle strength were measured at baseline and after the 6-week intervention. RESULTS: Significant differences were found (p<0.05) between the study groups for the Medio-Lateral Stability Index (MLSI), when patients were assessed with their eyes open and closed. The effect size of the improvement was large with eyes closed (R2=0.260) and moderate when the eyes were open (R2=0.047). However, no significant differences were found (p>0.05) between the study groups for other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Women with FM may increase their MLSI by engaging in a 6-week traditional exercise program with supplementary WBV. This may have implications for falls prevention in this patient group.