Preoperative Rehabilitation Enhances Mental and Physical Well-Being in Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Injured Individuals: A Mixed Methods Study.

CONTEXT: Rehabilitation after an anterior cruciate ligament injury is recommended to be started soon after the injury. When surgery is required, research supports the delivery of physiotherapy before anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (prehabilitation) to optimize recovery and positive outcomes. Individuals attending prehabilitation have never been questioned regarding their adherence to prehabilitation, perception of utility in meeting needs, upcoming events, or anticipated recovery goals. DESIGN: Mixed methods cross-sectional study: Methods: 25 individuals before anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (43% of eligible individuals from 12 clinics during the delivery period) were surveyed on their mindset and recovery expectancies. Semistructured interviews conducted in 9 of 25 participants assessed their lived experience of prehabilitation. RESULTS: Participants reported that preventing a reinjury (96% of responses) and feeling confident during daily activities about their knee (92%) were the higher rating expectations at this stage of their treatment course. Three themes were developed from the interviews and analyses. (1) Participants reported that prehabilitation was a period full of challenges with memories of the injury and uncertainties. (2) They viewed prehabilitation as a step to move forward by finding support and self-motivating. (3) They believed that prehabilitation would have positive impacts on the treatment outcomes. Participants were confident that prehabilitation would accelerate the recovery of muscle volume (88%) and strength (84%). CONCLUSION: Participants had positive experiences of prehabilitation, aligning with the findings on functional outcomes in the existing literature on prehabilitation.

Validity and Reliability of 3-D Ultrasound Imaging to Measure Hamstring Muscle and Tendon Volumes.

OBJECTIVE: The validity and reliability of 3-D ultrasound (US) in estimation of muscle and tendon volume was assessed in a very limited number of muscles that can be easily immersed. The objective of the present study was to assess the validity and reliability of muscle volume measurements for all hamstring muscle heads and gracilis (GR), as well as tendon volume for the semitendinosus (ST) and GR using freehand 3-D US. METHODS: Three-dimensional US acquisitions were performed for 13 participants in two distinct sessions on separate days, in addition to one session dedicated to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Volumes of ST, semimembranosus (SM), biceps femoris short (BFsh) and long (BFlh) heads, and GR muscles and from the tendon from semitendinosus (STtd) and gracilis (GRtd) were collected. RESULTS: The bias and the 95% confidence intervals of 3-D US compared with MRI ranged from -1.9 mL (-0.8%) to 1.2 mL (1.0%) for muscle volume and from 0.01 mL (0.2%) to -0.03 mL (-2.6%) for tendon volume. For muscle volume assessed using 3-D US, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ranged from 0.98 (GR) to 1.00, and coefficients of variation (CV) from 1.1% (SM) to 3.4% (BFsh). For tendon volume, ICCs were 0.99, and CVs between 3.2% (STtd) and 3.4% (GRtd). CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional US can provide a valid and reliable inter-day measurement of hamstrings and GR for both muscle and tendon volumes. In the future, this technique could be used as an outcome for strengthening interventions and potentially in clinical environments.

Echocardiography is a good way to diagnose and monitor type 1 cardiorenal syndrome in ICU.

BACKGROUND: Type-one cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is defined by acute decompensated heart failure leading to secondary acute kidney injury. No study evaluates the reliability of transthoracic echocardiography as a help tool for diagnosis and optimization of CRS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess echocardiographic parameters in patients with CRS in the Intensive Care Unit. METHODS: We conducted an observational, prospective, single-center study in the ICU department of a general hospital. Patients admitted in the ICU and presenting with type 1 CRS were included. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed at baseline and at day end after treatment by the same trained operator for the same patients. We report various echocardiographic indices at these two timepoints. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included. At baseline 96.3% of patients had signs of congestion (IVC dilation >2 cm), 76% had an altered S-wave (<11.5 cm/s), 72.73% had an altered TAPSE (<17 mm), 85.19% had an elevated RV/LV diameter ratio (>0.6). Between baseline and D end, IVC size and, the number of patients with an elevated RV/LV diameter ratio significantly decreased. Weight decreased, whereas natriuresis significantly increased, and the amount of vasopressors support decreased. Diuresis, and S-wave velocity showed non-significant changes. CONCLUSIONS: Main echocardiographic findings at baseline in patients with type 1 CRS consist of a right ventricular dysfunction associated an IVC dilation. We report that weight, RV/LV diameter ratio, and IVC diameter might constitute good follow-up parameters to monitor treatment response.