ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential effectiveness of myofascial release compared to passive muscle stretching and to a control group in modulating pain intensity and health status in adults diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A preliminary randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted, consisting of eight weekly sessions. The participants were divided into three groups: myofascial release group (RG = 13), a muscle stretching group (SG = 13), and a control group (CG = 12), which received advice from a rheumatologist. The outcomes measured were the visual analogue pain scale (VAS), the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) (representing health status), and the number of painful areas. Univariate analyzes of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed at baseline, after 4 weeks (during treatment), after 8 weeks (post-treatment), and after 12 weeks (follow-up). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) were included as covariates. Clinical trial registration number: NCT: 03408496. RESULTS: After eight weeks, the RG showed lower VAS scores compared to the CG (mean difference 95% CI: -5.10 to -1.26) and the SG (mean difference 95% CI: -4.9 to -0.23) with no difference between the SG and the CG. The total FIQ score for the RG was lower than the CG after 4 weeks (95% CI: -49.92 to -5.61), and 8 weeks (mean difference 95% CI: -52.72 to -15.73), although there was no difference between the RG and SG, as well as between the SG and CG, at both time points. The number of painful body areas was similar in all groups at the four time points. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results suggest that the RG possibly showed greater improvements in pain intensity and health status compared to the CG, and possibly greater improvements in pain intensity compared to the SG.
Myofascial release in fibromyalgia may potentially have greater improvements on pain modulation and health status when compared to medical counseling.Myofascial release, when compared to stretching, may potentially offer greater improvement in pain modulation in fibromyalgia.Myofascial release was not effective in decreasing the number of painful body areas of patients with fibromyalgia.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The multifidus muscle plays a major role in the growth and postural control of children. Therefore, the reference values of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the lumbar multifidus muscle represent an important tool for assessing muscle development and the early monitoring of musculoskeletal disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to provide percentile scores for the CSA of the lumbar multifidus muscle in eutrophic children aged 5 to 10 years. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, observational study, involving 736 children. An anthropometric assessment was conducted and ultrasound (US) imaging was used to assess the CSA of the lumbar (vertebral level L5) multifidus muscle. The CSA was expressed as percentile scores. RESULTS: The CSA in the boys ranged from 1.8 cm2 to 5.3 cm2 and in girls from 1.9 cm2 to 5.9 cm. The CSA in the 50th percentile scores of both sexes was 3.4 cm2. There was an increase in the CSA between 5 and 7 years old in both sexes. The CSA presented a greater variance in girls than in boys. After 8 years of age, the multifidus CSA increased in girls and decreased in boys. CONCLUSION: The present study has provided percentile scores for the CSA of the lumbar multifidus muscle for eutrophic children aged 5 to 10 years. An increase was observed of the CSA of the multifidus muscle between the ages of 5 and 7 years and there were no differences in the CSA percentiles in relation to sex. An increase in the CSA after 8 years of age was only observed in the girls.