Comparative effectiveness of cervical vs thoracic spinal-thrust manipulation for care of cervicogenic headache: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is ample evidence supporting the use of different manipulative therapy techniques for Cervicogenic Headache (CgH). However, no technique can be singled as the best available treatment for patients with CgH. Therefore, the objective of the study is to find and compare the clinical effects of cervical spine over thoracic spine manipulation and conventional physiotherapy in patients with CgH. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: It is a prospective, randomized controlled study conducted between July 2020 and January 2023 at the University hospital. N = 96 eligible patients with CgH were selected based on selection criteria and they were divided into cervical spine manipulation (CSM; n = 32), thoracic spine manipulation (TSM; n = 32) and conventional physiotherapy (CPT; n = 32) groups, and received the respective treatment for four weeks. Primary (CgH frequency) and secondary CgH pain intensity, CgH disability, neck pain frequency, neck pain intensity, neck pain threshold, cervical flexion rotation test (CFRT), neck disability index (NDI) and quality of life (QoL) scores were measured. The effects of treatment at various intervals were analyzed using a 3 × 4 linear mixed model analysis (LMM), with treatment group (cervical spine manipulation, thoracic spine manipulation, and conventional physiotherapy) and time intervals (baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months), and the statistical significance level was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The reports of the CSM, TSM and CPT groups were compared between the groups. Four weeks following treatment CSM group showed more significant changes in primary (CgH frequency) and secondary (CgH pain intensity, CgH disability, neck pain frequency, pain intensity, pain threshold, CFRT, NDI and QoL) than the TSM and CPT groups (p = 0.001). The same gradual improvement was seen in the CSM group when compared to TSM and CPT groups (p = 0.001) in the above variables at 8 weeks and 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: The reports of the current randomized clinical study found that CSM resulted in significantly better improvements in pain parameters (intensity, frequency and threshold) functional disability and quality of life in patients with CgH than thoracic spine manipulation and conventional physiotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registration: CTRI/2020/06/026092 trial was registered prospectively on 24/06/2020.

Additional Effect of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy with Lidocaine Injection on Clinical and MRI Findings in Frozen Shoulder: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Frozen shoulder is a very common musculoskeletal condition and the evidence related to the additional effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) with intra-articular (IA) lidocaine injection in individuals with frozen shoulder is rare. Therefore, this study aims to compare and investigate the additional effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) with intra-articular (IA) lidocaine injection in a frozen shoulder. METHODS: Sixty eligible participants with frozen shoulder were included and the active group (n = 30, age 52.12 ± 5.2 years) received a lidocaine injection (1% lidocaine (Xylocaine) and 2cc (80 mg) methylprednisolone acetate) with active ESWT (3.5 bar air pressure and 2000 pulses with an energy flux density (EFD) » 0.16 mJ/mm2) three sessions a week for 4 weeks. The placebo group (n = 30, age 53.56 ± 5.5 years) received lidocaine injection with placebo treatment (a special head that blocked the shock waves) three sessions a week for 4 weeks. Both groups received progressive resistance exercises (PRE) to the shoulder muscles. The primary outcome was pain intensity, measured with the visual analogue scale. The other outcome measures were the thickness of the coracohumeral ligament (CHL) measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), abduction, and lateral rotation range of motion (ROM), functional disability, kinesiophobia, depression status, and quality of life. Participants were assessed at baseline, after 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: The post-intervention at 4 weeks showed an improvement of 2.0 (CI 95% 1.71-2.28) in the active group compared to the placebo group. Similar effects were noted after 8 weeks (2.2) (CI 95% 1.91-2.48) and at the 6-month (1.9) (CI 95% 1.61-2.18) follow-up. Similar improvements were also found in the thickness of the CHL ligament (0.6) (CI 95% 0.46-0.73), abduction and lateral rotation (ROM) (- 23.6) (CI 95% - 27.47 to -19.72), (- 18.10) (CI 95% - 19.72 to - 16.47), functional disability (16.2) (CI 95% 14.85-17.54), kinesiophobia (11.0 (CI 95% 10.21-11.98), depression status (4.4) (CI 95% 4.03-4.76) and quality of life (0.9) (CI 95% 0.79-1.00) (p = 0.001) at the 6-month follow-up period, where mean estimates and their confidence intervals all included worthwhile effects. There were no adverse reactions or side effects noted in either the active or placebo groups during and after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that the addition of extracorporeal shockwave therapy after intra-articular lidocaine injection improves pain, functional disability, range of motion, kinesiophobia, depression status, and quality of life in people with frozen shoulder. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://ctri.nic.in , identifier; CTRI/2020/04/024834 prospectively registered on 24/04/2020.

Effects of Virtual Reality Exercises versus Isokinetic Exercises in comparison with Conventional Exercises on the Imaging Findings and Inflammatory Biomarker Changes in Soccer Players with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is the most common musculoskeletal problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of advanced physiotherapeutic exercise programs on imaging findings and inflammatory biomarkers in soccer players with CNLBP. In total, 60 CNLBP participants were divided into virtual reality exercise (VRE; n = 20), isokinetic exercise (IKE; n = 20), and conventional exercise (n = 20) groups. Pain intensity, imaging findings (muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle thickness), and changes in inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6) were measured at baseline and after four weeks. After four weeks of intervention, there was a significant improvement (p = 0.001) in pain intensity for the VRE vs. IKE (0.7; CI 95% 0.38 to 1.07) and VRE vs. conventional (3.0 CI 95% 2.68 to 3.31) groups. The IKE group showed a greater number of significant changes in muscle CSA and muscle thickness than the other two groups (p < 0.001). Moreover, the VRE group showed significant improvement in inflammatory biomarker measures compared with the other two groups (p < 0.001). In CNLBP, virtual and isokinetic exercises had equal effects on reducing pain intensity. Isokinetic exercise is beneficial in increasing the muscle CSA and thickness, and virtual exercises are helpful for attenuating the inflammation process in soccer players with CNLBP.