Does graded motor imagery benefit individuals with knee pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate how Graded Motor Imagery (GMI) may be used in those with knee pain, if individuals with knee pain present with a central nervous system (CNS) processing deficit, and if GMI is associated with improved outcomes. METHODS: An electronic database search was conducted of PubMed, SPORTDiscus, CINHAL, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Sports Medicine Education Index using keywords related to GMI and knee pain. This review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Out of the 13,224 studies reviewed, 14 studies were included that used GMI for knee pain. Effect sizes were reported with standardized mean differences (SMD). RESULTS: Individuals with knee osteoarthritis demonstrated poor performance with correctly identifying images of left or right knees, and GMI improved performance. In contrast, individuals with an anterior cruciate ligament injury demonstrated no evidence of CNS processing deficit and mixed outcomes with GMI. Meta-analysis was limited to individuals post total knee arthroplasty showing low certainty that GMI can improve quadriceps force production [SMD 0.64 (0.07,1.22)], but evidence of no effect to reduce pain or improve Timed up and Go performance and self-reported function. CONCLUSIONS: Graded motor imagery may be an effective intervention for individuals with knee osteoarthritis. However, there was limited evidence that GMI was effective for an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Functional connectivity patterns are altered by low back pain and cause different responses to sham and real dry needling therapies: a systematic review of fMRI studies.

BACKGROUND: There is a relationship between low back pain (LBP) and central nervous system dysfunction. Needling therapies (e.g. acupuncture, dry needling) are proposed to impact the nervous system, however their specific influence is unclear. PURPOSE: Determine how needling therapies alter functional connectivity and LBP as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). METHODS: Databases were searched following PRISMA guidelines. Studies using fMRI on individuals with LBP receiving dry needling or acupuncture compared to control or sham treatments were included. RESULTS: Eight studies were included, all of which used acupuncture. The quality of studies ranged from good (n = 6) to excellent (n = 2). After acupuncture, individuals with LBP demonstrated significant functional connectivity changes across several networks, notably the salience, somatomotor, default mode network (DMN) and limbic networks. A meta-analysis demonstrated evidence of no effect to potential small effect of acupuncture in reducing LBP (SMD -0.28; 95% CI: -0.70, 0.13). CONCLUSION: Needling therapies, like acupuncture, may have a central effect on patients beyond the local tissue effects, reducing patients' pain and disability due to alterations in neural processing, including the DMN, and potentially other central nervous system effects. The meta-analysis should be interpreted with caution due to the narrow focus and confined sample used.