Reference values for the SF-36 in Canadian injured workers undergoing rehabilitation.

PURPOSE: The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) is a widely used measure of health-related quality of life and normative reference values have been published for the general population of several countries. Since injured workers often experience pain, disability and other health challenges, we evaluated SF-36 reference values for Canadian workers' compensation claimants undergoing rehabilitation. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional design. Data were gathered as part of a study aimed at developing a tool for selecting rehabilitation programs. Data were available on a wide variety of measures, including the SF-36. We calculated age- and sex-adjusted reference values, and stratified analyses based on type of rehabilitation, employment status and diagnostic group. RESULTS: Data were available on 5,622 claimants undergoing rehabilitation. Claimants reported significant limitations on all SF-36 scales, but were especially limited on the Role Emotional and Bodily Pain scales (~3 standard deviations below typical Canadian norms). Unemployed, middle-aged claimants undergoing chronic pain programs reported the lowest health status, but SF-36 scores varied minimally across diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: Claimant scores on the SF-36 were below population norms across all health scales and differed depending on age, employment status and type of rehabilitation. These data will be useful for assessing the health status of injured workers and evaluating the effect of rehabilitation interventions.

Physical activity levels among undergraduate students at the College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh: A prevalence study.

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior pose significant health concerns, particularly among young adults like college students. However, little research exists on the attitudes towards physical activity among Saudi Arabian healthcare students. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of physical activity and determine the reason for being physically inactive among students and interns across all programs in the College of Applied Medical Sciences (CAMS) at King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between March and May 2023. CAMS students aged 18 and above, fluent in Arabic or English, and willing to participate were included. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to measure physical activity. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Out of 433 respondents, 377 met the inclusion criteria (response rate: 89.3%). Physical activity prevalence was 54.60%, with walking being the most common activity (42.70%). Lack of time was the primary reason for inactivity (51.40%). On average, students engaged in 1.5 hours/day of vigorous-intensity activities and 1.3 hours/day of vigorous-intensity sports and fitness activities at work. Sedentary behavior, characterized by continuous sitting, averaged 5.37 hours per day. Approximately half of CAMS students are physically active, while 20% rely solely on short walks due to time constraints, limited activity hours, or sedentary habits. A lack of time was cited as the primary reason for inactivity by most students. Future research should focus on strategies to enhance physical activity among healthcare students. In addition, academicians and policymakers should propose time-efficient initiatives that accommodate the demanding and busy schedules of healthcare students.

The Severity of Pain and Comorbidities Significantly Impact the Dependency on Activities of Daily Living among Musculoskeletal Patients in Jizan, Saudi Arabia.

Limited research has been carried out on the effects of pain, comorbidity, and impaired function in musculoskeletal patients in Jizan, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 115 patients (aged ≥ 55 years) with physician-diagnosed musculoskeletal conditions in Jizan to investigate the association between pain severity, comorbidities, and dependence on activities of daily living (ADLs). Self-reported questionnaires were used to collect data on pain, comorbidities, and physical function measured by ADLs. In ADLs, participants were categorized as dependent (n = 36) or independent (n = 79). Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the predictors of dependence. The results showed that higher pain severity (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21-2.38, p = 0.002) and a greater number of comorbidities (adjusted OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.06-2.17, p = 0.021) were independently associated with dependence in ADLs. These associations remained significant even after controlling for covariates. This study concluded that patients with musculoskeletal conditions in Jizan who experience high levels of pain and comorbidities are at risk of dependence on basic daily activities. Therefore, addressing pain and comorbidities is crucial for maintaining independence and improving quality of life. Personalized rehabilitation programs are needed to manage these conditions in this region.

Foot Function Index for Arabic-speaking patients (FFI-Ar): translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation study.

BACKGROUND: Foot Function Index (FFI) is a valid and reliable outcome measure, which is widely used to measure the foot and ankle functional level and disorders. Until now, no validated Arabic version of the FFI is available. This study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this project was to translate and adapt the FFI into Arabic and to evaluate its psychometric properties of validity and reliability. METHODS: The study consisted of two phases. The first phase was the translation and cultural adaptation of the FFI to Arabic. The next phase involved, testing the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the FFI on a sample of 50 consecutive participants which included internal consistency, test-retest reliability, floor and ceiling effects and construct validity. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was 38 ± 12.94 years. Both the genders were evenly enrolled with 50% of the participants as male and 50% as female. Majority of them complained of plantar fasciopathy (32%) followed by pes planus (22%) and ankle sprain (18%). The scores of FFI-Ar were normally distributed, confirmed by a significant Shapiro-Wilk test. The mean value of FFI-Ar total score was 47.73 ± 19.85. There were no floor or ceiling effects seen in any of the subscales and total score. The internal consistency was good with the Cronbach's alpha value of 0.882, 0.936 and 0.850 for the pain, disability and activity limitation subscales, respectively. The reproducibility of the FFI-Ar was analysed by intra-class correlation coefficient which revealed good to excellent test-retest reliability. A significant correlation was found between FFI-Ar and SF-36 and numeric rating scale (NRS) confirming its construct validity. CONCLUSION: The FFI-Arabic version showed good validity and reliability in patients with foot and ankle problems. This tool can be used in usual practice and research for analysing foot and ankle disorders in Arabic-speaking people.

Isokinetic trunk muscle performance in adolescents with different body mass indices.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the isokinetic performance for the peak torque and average power of the spinal flexor and extensor muscles in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. The study also analyses the differences between the trunk muscle peak torque and average power with body mass index (BMI). METHOD: The peak torque and average power of the trunk flexor and extensor muscles were measured in 180 adolescents (aged 12-18 years). The participants were classified into four groups according to BMI. The Biodex isokinetic dynamometer in concentric mode at speeds of 60° and 120°/sec was used for assessment. RESULTS: One-way multivariate analysis of variance MANOVA results demonstrated a significant difference in trunk muscle peak torque and average power with different BMI (F = 14.692, p = 0.0005). A Pearson's correlation analysis demonstrated a significantly negative correlation between weight and peak torque of trunk flexors and extensors (r = - 0.43, p = 0.0001; r = -0.31, p = 0.007, respectively). Finally, the results showed a negative correlation between weight and average power of trunk flexors and extensors (r = -0.54, p = 0.0001; r = -0.31, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: In this study, overweight and obese adolescents are found to be correlated with decreased trunk muscle torque and power. Thus, therapeutic interventions for overweight and obese adolescents, along with exercise training programmes, may help improve muscle performance including peak torque and power. Finally, these measures may enhance the quality of life of such adolescents.

Functional outcomes of kinesio taping versus standard orthotics in the management of shin splint.

BACKGROUND: Exercise-related or lower-limb overuse injury characterized by pain located between the knee and the ankle that occurs during activity is commonly referred to as shin splint. Hyperpronation is considered the ultimate culprit in the development of overuse injuries such as shin splint. This study endeavors to compare the functional outcomes of the most commonly used anti-pronation techniques, kinesio taping and standard orthotics. METHODS: A total of 40 subjects (mean age, 24.16±2.6 years) with symptoms of shin splint participated in the current study. These subjects were randomly allocated to two groups (N.=20) and underwent anti-pronation kinesio taping and standard orthotics, respectively. The functional outcomes were assessed using the navicular drop test, visual analog scale, and hop distance. RESULTS: The kinesio taping intervention group showed significant improvements in pain and hop distance compared to the standard orthotics intervention group, whereas an insignificant intergroup difference was observed for the navicular drop test. Patients in both groups benefited, but the response to kinesio taping was better than that to orthotics. CONCLUSIONS: Kinesio taping played a vital role in improving functional outcomes compared to orthotics by reducing pain and improving functional activity in patients with shin splint; however, navicular drop correction did not occur using either intervention.