Importance of heat therapy in the treatment of pain in the daily clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain includes a wide variety of causes and conditions. Despite the heterogeneity of MSK pain, it is possible to identify some common clinical features and treatments. Heat therapy (HT) is one of the most common and could be a suitable non-pharmacological approach. OBJECTIVE: To obtain a European overview on the use of non-pharmacological approaches and the role of heat therapy in the treatment of MSK pain. METHODS: Through a two-cycle Delphi-like method, an international board of experts reached a consensus on 13 questions for a survey to healthcare professionals who provide direct patient care. Between November 2021 and January 2022, the resulting web survey was distributed to professionals with the collaboration of ten European scientific societies and associations. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed on collected data. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-two answers were validated. Most of the respondents had extensive professional experience. Participants were widely distributed throughout Europe. HT is administered to about 50% of patients, with a higher percentage administered to those affected by low back pain (92%) and neck pain (84%). The choice of exogenous HT is based on both personal clinical experience and scientific evidence. HT is primarily chosen due to its relaxation effect, high safety profile and enhancement of tissue perfusion. The use of HT is recommended by 86.5% of respondents. CONCLUSION: Experts indicate that exogenous HT represents a valid therapeutic choice and is widely used in Europe. Patients should be informed about the use of heat therapy as a valuable self-management therapy option.

Comparison between three different endurance tests in professional soccer players.

The aims of this study were (a) to assess and correlate interval shuttle run test (ISRT) performance, maximum oxygen uptake (V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max), running economy (RE), running velocity at the first rise in blood lactate concentrations above baseline (vLT) and running velocity at 4 mmol·L(-1) blood lactate concentration (v4) in professional soccer players and (b) to investigate whether a correlation exists between the respective results of time to exhaustion (T(lim)) from continuous and intermittent endurance tests, respectively. Eleven male professional field soccer players (mean ± SD: age 23.8 ± 3.0 years, V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max 58.2 ± 4.9 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) completed a continuous Incremental Test with lactate measurements to determine vLT and v4, a continuous Ramp Test with gas exchange analysis to determine V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max and RE, and an intermittent ISRT to determine intermittent endurance capacity during the first week of preseason preparation. There were significant correlations between ISRT performance and V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max (r = 0.70, p < 0.05), and between T(lim) in both continuous endurance tests (r = 0.89, p < 0.01). Between all other variables no significant correlations were found overall (best r = 0.60, p > 0.05). The assessment of all values of V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max, RE, vLT, and v4 should be included when investigating aerobic endurance performance among groups or over time in professional soccer players. Although V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max, RE, vLT, and v4 have been regarded as important factors of aerobic performance in endurance related sports, the present data revealed that V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max was the only factor, which correlated with intermittent endurance capacity in professional soccer players. Hence, V[Combining Dot Above]O(2)max should be increased through soccer-specific training interventions including universal agility components. The T(lim) in continuous and intermittent endurance tests differs and is therefore an independent endurance performance factor in professional soccer players.