Efficacy of an exercise program combined with lifestyle education in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Therapeutic exercise and lifestyle changes (LS) are usually recommended for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). OBJECTIVES: to compare the impact of an exercise program vs. exercise program plus LS education in individuals with knee OA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-blind randomized clinical trial with individuals of both sexes with clinical and radiological diagnosis of knee OA. Participants received the treatment 2 times/week for 8 weeks. Therapeutic exercise involved warm-up, flexibility, muscle strengthening, balance and proprioception. The exercise plus lifestyle education group (ELG) also participated in 8 sessions of lectures and discussion on disease self-management and healthy LS. Participants were assessed for pain intensity (visual analog scale), lifestyle, symptoms and physical disability (WOMAC) and pressure pain tolerance threshold (PPT). RESULTS: Sample consisted of 39 participants, divided into exercise group (EG, n=17) and ELG (n=22). Groups were homogeneous regarding regarding age, weight, height, initial pain perception (VAS) and gender predominance age and body mass index. After the interventions, reduction in pain perception and increase in PPT was observed in both groups. Despite the improvement in LS of both groups, only ELG exhibited a significant reduction in pain assessed by WOMAC. Therapeutic exercise programs may produce pain relief, but no improvements were observed in joint stiffness and funcionality.

Lifestyle and Pain in Women With Knee Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the main cause of pain and disability in the elderly. The disease leads to chronic musculoskeletal pain, characterized by an abnormal excitability of pain conduction pathways, and lifestyle may interfere in this pathophysiological aspect. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare perceived pain, pressure pain threshold, and lifestyle of adult and elderly women with and without knee OA. A total of 143 women were recruited and divided into 2 groups: OA (n = 68) and control (n = 75). Volunteers were evaluated for pressure pain tolerance (algometry in vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles), perceived pain (visual analogue scale) and lifestyle (FANTASTIC questionnaire). Patients with OA of the present study presented higher weight (P = .001) and body mass index (P < .001) than controls. Results also revealed less tolerance to pressure pain (P < .001) and higher pain perception (P < .001) in patients with OA. OA group scored significantly lower in lifestyle questionnaire than controls (P = .03). Patients with OA in the present study who presented lifestyle scores below median presented significantly higher values of pain perception than the ones above it (P = .03). In conclusion, patients with OA present more sensitivity to pain, more perceived pain, and worse lifestyle than healthy individuals.

Superficial temperature and pain tolerance in patients with chronic low back pain.

INTRODUCTION: Low back pain is a common and very prevalent disease and can impose limitations that negatively impact patients. The objective of this study was to verify and compare the association between lumbar superficial temperature and pressure pain tolerance thresholds in individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain and healthy controls. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study involving 38 individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain and 19 healthy controls. Volunteers underwent thermographic (infrared sensor), pain perception (visual analog scale), and pressure pain tolerance thresholds (algometry) evaluations in the right and left paravertebral muscles and L4-L5 ligament. RESULTS: A lower tolerance to pressure pain was found in patients compared to controls at all evaluated sites (p ≤ 0.003). Superficial temperature was significantly higher in the sites evaluated in the low back pain group (p < 0.001). In patients with low back pain, pain perception was weakly and inversely correlated with pressure pain tolerance (r = -0.31; p = 0.05) and moderately correlated to the temperature of the evaluated sites (r = 0.51 to 0.59, p ≤ 0.001). Also, an inverse and weak to moderate association was observed between pressure pain tolerance thresholds and temperature in patients only (r = -0.36 to -0.49; p ≤ 0.02). CONCLUSION: Individuals with low back pain have lower pressure pain tolerance thresholds and higher superficial temperature in the lumbar region when compared to healthy individuals. The associations observed show that the higher the pain perception, the lower the pain tolerance and the higher the superficial temperature in the lumbar region. Also, the higher the temperature, the lower the pain tolerance.

Limiar de tolerância de dor à pressão, estilo de vida, força muscular e capacidade funcional em idosas com sarcopenia / Pressure pain threshold, lifestyle, muscle strength and functional capacity in elderly women with sarcopenia

Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto desta condição sobre a força muscular, capacidade funcional, estilo de vida e limiar de tolerância de dor à pressão. Métodos: Idosas consideradas saudáveis (n = 75) de 60 a 75 anos (66,8 ± 4,6 anos) foram estudadas em um desenho observacional e transversal. Foram excluídas as que apresentavam dor maior do que 4 na Escala Visual Analógica (EVA) e que utilizavam medicação analgésica e/ou anti-inflamatória. A composição corporal e a presença de sarcopenia foram avaliadas por meio de impedância bioelétrica. Foram constituídos dois grupos: CO - grupo controle (n = 51) e SARC - grupo sarcopenia (n = 24, índice de massa muscular menor que 6,86 kg/m2). Resultados: A capacidade funcional foi determinada pelo Teste de Caminhada de 6 minutos (TC6min), e a força de preensão manual e de flexão dos cotovelos por dinamometria. O estilo de vida foi avaliado pelo questionário FANTASTICO. O limitar de tolerância à dor foi determinado por algometria. Os dados foram analisados por meio do teste t de Student (p < 0,05). CO e SARC não diferiram quanto à idade, percentual de gordura corporal, estilo de vida, TC6min, força de flexão dos cotovelos e em praticamente todos os pontos analisados pela algometria. Entretanto, foram verificadas diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos em relação à força de preensão manual e na algometria da inserção direita do bíceps braquial. Conclusão: Idosas com significante redução de massa muscular não exibem prejuízos em relação à funcionalidade e sensação de dor muscular e tendínea, provavelmente por uma condição pré-sarcopênica

Objective: The present study sought to assess the impact of this condition on muscle strength, functional capacity, lifestyle, and the pressure pain threshold. Methods: Elderly people considered healthy (n = 75) aged 60-75 years (66.8 ± 4.6 years) were studied in an observational and cross-sectional design. Those who registered pain above 4 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and used analgesic and/or anti-inflammatory medication were excluded from the study. Body composition and presence of sarcopenia were evaluated by bioelectric impedance. Two groups were formed: CO - control group (n = 51) and SARC - sarcopenic group (n = 24, muscle mass index less than 6.86 kg/m2). Results: Functional capacity was determined by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT); handgrip strength and elbow flexion strength were both determined by dynamometry. Lifestyle was assessed by the FANTASTIC questionnaire. The pressure pain threshold was determined by algometry. Data were analyzed using the Student's t-test (p < 0.05). CO and SARC did not differ regarding age, body fat percentage, lifestyle, 6MWT, elbow flexion strength, or in algometry measurements at almost any point. However, statistically significant differences between groups were found regarding handgrip strength and algometry in the right insertion of the biceps. Conclusion: Elderly women with significant reduction of muscle mass do not present impairments in functionality or in the sensation of muscle and tendon pain, probably due to a pre-sarcopenic condition