Analysis of Different Lymphedema Assessment Tools in Women with Breast Cancer After Mastectomy.

Background: Lymphedema is a common complication after mastectomy in women with breast cancer. Several methods have been described to assess and diagnose lymphedema, one of the most studied being the perimeter and ultrasonography. However, the reliability of these methods and the correlation between them are still controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability of cytometry and ultrasound imaging in the assessment of lymphedema after mastectomy in women with breast cancer and to study the correlation between them. Methods and Results: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 29 women with mastectomy after breast cancer. Lymphedema in the arm was measured both with cytometry and ultrasonography. Reliability was calculated with intraclass correlation coefficient. The correlation between the two methods was carried out with the Pearson correlation coefficient. Both cytometry (M1: α = 0.999, ICC = 0.996; M2=: α = 0.998, ICC = 0.994) and ultrasonography (M1: α = 0.992, ICC = 0.976; M2=: α = 0.991, ICC = 0.973) are reliable methods to assess lymphedema in the arm. No significant correlation was found between them (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Cytometry and ultrasonography appear to be adequate for the measurement of edema in women with breast cancer after mastectomy. However, for an accurate measurement of lymphedema, these measurements should not be used interchangeably.

Effects of Muscle Strength Training in Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in males. Treatment options cause a series of side effects that can lead to a deterioration in the physical and quality of life of patients, such as musculoskeletal changes, atrophy or muscle weakness, due to the testosterone suppression. Scientific evidence has shown that exercise mitigates the side effects induced by cancer treatment. This study aimed to analyse the effects of muscular strength work on the organism of patients with prostate cancer in the treatment phase. MATERIAL AND METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Medline, Web of Science and PEDro databases were searched in January 2022. The Medical Subject Headings "resistance training", "prostatic neoplasms", "strength training" and "prostate cancer" were used. RESULTS: A total of 13 articles were analysed. In all of them, statistically significant changes were found in strength, physical performance, muscle mass and cardiovascular and respiratory health after the implementation of a strength exercise program. Other variables did not achieve the expected changes. CONCLUSIONS: A strength exercise program improves strength, physical performance, muscle mass and cardiovascular health in patients with prostate cancer. However, whether it improves other parameters, such as body fat, power, bone density and quality of life, is unclear.

Is the Absence of Manual Lymphatic Drainage-Based Treatment in Lymphedema after Breast Cancer Harmful? A Randomized Crossover Study.

(1) Background: Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD), included within the complex decongestive therapy, as a therapy for the treatment of lymphedema has raised controversy about its benefits for lymphedema after breast cancer. The aim of this research is to test the effects of MLD on lymphedema after breast cancer during the treatment maintenance phase. (2) Methods: A randomized, single-blinded, controlled crossover trial was conducted to analyze the effects of a manual lymphatic drainage intervention compared to a control group without MLD intervention for the treatment of lymphedema. Arm volume measured by circumference measurement, subcutaneous tissue thickness measured by ultrasound, and the sensation of pain, heaviness, and swelling were evaluated as outcome measures. (3) Results: For the control group, an increase in volume was found in some of the circumference and subcutaneous tissue thickness measurements, in addition to a worsening of arm pain, swelling and heaviness. (4) Conclusion: The absence of treatment based on MLD in lymphedema after breast cancer worsens volume measurements, as well as arm heaviness. Therefore, it would be advisable to carry out this type of therapy as part of the maintenance treatment for lymphedema in breast cancer.

Ultrasonographic Changes of Abdominal Muscles in Subjects with and without Chronic Low Back Pain.

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent disfunction in the spine, affecting both women and men. The implication of the abdominal muscles in this disfunction has been studied, including wrong breathing patterns or inactivity of this area. However, there is a lack of studies examining changes in thickness of abdominal with ultrasonography. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze the differences in the thickness of abdominal muscles at rest and during breathing between subjects with and without CLBP. A total of 72 subjects were divided in two groups: participants with CLBP (n = 36) and participants without CLBP (n = 36). In both groups, the thickness of the four abdominal muscles was measured and compared at rest and during breathing with ultrasonography. In TrA and IO there were no significant differences between groups, but those subjects with CLBP increased the muscle thickness more than participants without pain during breathing. In EO there were no differences in muscle thickness between groups and between rest and breathing. In RA, subjects with CLBP showed less muscle thickness than subjects without pain during breathing, but no changes were found at rest. In conclusion, the deepest abdominal muscles, TrA and IO, appear to increase their thickness and RA appear to decrease more in subjects with CLBP, in comparison with healthy participants.

How Do the Abdominal Muscles Change during Hypopressive Exercise?

Background and objective: Prior studies have reported an activation of abdominal muscles during hypopressive exercises in women with pelvic floor disfunction. However, no previous research analyzed the effects of hypopressive exercise on abdominal muscles in healthy populations to understand the normal biomechanics of this area. The aim of this study was to examine the thickness of abdominal muscles at rest and during hypopressive exercise in supine and standing positions with ultrasound imaging in healthy adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 99 healthy university students. The thickness of the abdominal muscles at rest and during hypopressive exercise was assessed with ultrasound imaging in supine and standing positions. Results: During hypopressive exercise, there was a significant increase in the muscle thickness of transversus abdominis (p < 0.001) and internal oblique (p < 0.001) in supine and standing positions. External oblique only increased its thickness significantly in the standing position (p < 0.001) and rectus abdominis did not change during the hypopressive exercise in any position (p > 0.05). In conclusion, hypopressive exercises seem to increase the thickness of the deepest and most stabilized muscles such as transversus abdominis and internal oblique. Conclusions: These findings should be considered for future interventions with hypopressive exercises in healthy subjects.

Are There Any Differences in Abdominal Activation between Women and Men during Hypopressive Exercises?

This study analyzes the effects of hypopressive exercises on the abdominal thickness of healthy subjects and compares the performance between women and men. We conducted a transversal observational study in 98 subjects (63% women). The muscle thickness is analyzed in transversus abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique, and rectus abdominis with ultrasound imaging at rest and during the hypopressive exercise (HE) in supine and standing position. Comparisons between rest and hypopressive exercise are carried out in the two different positions and between women and men. In the supine position, there is a significant activation of the transversus abdominis and internal oblique during hypopressive exercise (p < 0.001), and it is similar in both sexes, the external oblique is only activated significantly by men (p < 0.001) and rectus abdominis had no significant activation (p > 0.05). Our results show that standing transversus abdominis and external oblique significantly increased their thickness during HE with higher effects in men. Internal oblique also increased significantly, but with higher effects in women, and rectus abdominis had no significant increase. Men had similar effects to women during HE, with an activation of the deepest abdominal muscles. The unequal anatomy and the position could explain the different results obtained between the sexes.

Early 3-month treatment with comprehensive physical therapy program restores continence in urinary incontinence patients after radical prostatectomy: A randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: The objective of this study is to ascertain whether an early three-month treatment with electrotherapy and biofeedback restores continence in urinary incontinence patients after radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: Design: The study performed a randomized, controlled trial of parallel and open groups. Configuration: Secondary care, urology department of a university hospital complex. PARTICIPANTS: Patients sent for RP due to prostate cancer (n = 60), 47 patients finally completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: The treatment group (TG) received physiotherapy consisting of electrotherapy and biofeedback, 3 days a week for 3 months, while the control group (CG) received no specific treatment. Both groups received a guide to perform pelvic floor exercises at home. The measurement instruments used were the 1- and 24-hour pad tests and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short-Form. The recording method used was a micturition (urinary) diary. RESULTS: The results of the 1-hour pad test (PT) show statistically significant differences between groups at 3 months (P = .001) and 6 months (P = .001), in favor of those in the TG. Sixty-four percent of patients in the TG recovered continence as against 9.1% in the CG after 3 months in the 1-hour PT, in line with the objective of this study. CONCLUSIONS: An early physiotherapy program helps RP patients with urinary incontinence recover continence after 3 months. Moreover, they lead a better quality life.

Eficacia del ácido hialurónico en el tratamiento de las enfermedades articulares

Introducción: El ácido hialurónico (AH) es un polímero lineal con un elevado peso molecular que se encuentra en gran abundancia en el líquido sinovial, y le proporciona sus propiedades viscoelásticas. La viscosuplementación consiste en administrar inyecciones intraarticulares de soluciones viscoelásticas de hialuronato con el objetivo de restaurar las propiedades elásticas y viscosas del líquido sinovial y así reconstruir la homeostasis alterada en distintas estructuras enfermas como la articulación osteoartrósica. Objetivo: La finalidad de esta revisión es conocer la eficacia del tratamiento por vía intraarticular con ácido hialurónico en las enfermedades articulares. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo una revisión sistematizada de la bibliografía en las bases de datos Medline, Scopus y PubMed durante los meses de febrero y marzo de 2018. Los términos de búsqueda empleados fueron "Hyaluronic Acid" y "Joint Diseases". Se obtuvieron 2 414 resultados, y se seleccionaron 12 artículos atendiendo a los criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Resultados: De los 12 artículos seleccionados, 8 son estudios prospectivos, 3 son ensayos clínicos y 1 es un estudio observacional. La mayoría de ellos busca valorar la eficacia del ácido hialurónico en el dolor y la funcionalidad en diferentes enfermedades como son la osteoartritis de rodilla, de cadera, de tobillo o de la articulación temporo-mandibular (ATM); el síndrome de choque fémoroacetabular y en la artroscopia tanto de la muñeca como de la rodilla. Conclusiones: Las inyecciones de ácido hialurónico por vía intrarticular parecen ser un tratamiento beneficioso para aliviar el dolor y mejorar la funcionalidad que se observa en diferentes enfermedades articulares, pero estos efectos no son permanentes. Sería interesante realizar en el futuro investigaciones controladas para poder estipular las dosis y los pesos moleculares más adecuados y observar también los efectos a largo plazo.

Introduction: Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear polymer with high molecular weight that is found in great abundance in the synovial fluid and provides it with its viscoelastic properties. Viscosupplementation consists in the intrarticular administration of injections of viscoelastic hyaluronate solutions to restore the elastic and viscous properties of the synovial fluid and thus repair the altered homeostasis in different pathological structures such as the osteoarthritic joint. Objective: The purpose of this review is to know the efficacy of treatment with intrarticular administration of hyaluronic acid in joint diseases. Methods: A systematic review of the bibliography was carried out in the databases Medline, Scopus and PubMed, during the months of February and March 2018. The search terms used were Hyaluronic Acid and Joint Diseases. We obtained 2414 results and selected 12 articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Of the 12 articles selected, eight are prospective studies, 3 are clinical trials and 1 is an observational study. Most of them aimed at assessing the effectiveness of AH in pain and functionality in different diseases such as osteoarthritis of the knee (OA), hip, ankle or temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the femoroacetabular shock syndrome and in both wrist and knee arthroscopy. Conclusions: Intrarticular injections of AH seem to be a beneficial treatment to relieve pain and improve functionality in different joint diseases, but these effects are not permanent. It would be interesting to conduct future controlled research in order to determine the most appropriate doses and molecular weights, and also to observe the long-term effects.