Vibration of the Whole Foot Soles Surface Using an Inexpensive Portable Device to Investigate Age-Related Alterations of Postural Control.

Background: Standing on a foam surface is used to investigate how aging affect the ability to keep balance when somatosensory inputs from feet soles become unreliable. However, since standing on foam also affects the efficacy of postural adjustments, the respective contributions of sensory and motor components are impossible to separate. This study tested the hypothesis that these components can be untangled by comparing changes of center of pressure (CoP) parameters induced by standing on a foam pad vs. a novel vibration (VIB) platform developed by our team and targeting feet soles' mechanoreceptors. Methods: Bipedal postural control of young (n = 20) and healthy elders (n = 20) was assessed while standing barefoot on a force platform through 3 randomized conditions: (1) Baseline (BL); (2) VIB; and (3) Foam. CoP Amplitude and Velocity in the antero-posterior/medio-lateral (AP/ML) directions and COP Surface were compared between conditions and groups. Findings: Both VIB and Foam increased CoP parameters compared to BL, but Foam had a significantly greater impact than VIB for both groups. Young and Old participants significantly differed for all three Conditions. However, when correcting for BL levels of postural performance, VIB-related increase of COP parameters was no longer different between groups, conversely to Foam. Interpretation: Although both VIB and Foam highlighted age-related differences of postural control, their combined use revealed that "motor" and "sensory" components are differently affected by aging, the latter being relatively unaltered, at least in healthy/active elders. The combined used of these methods could provide relevant knowledge to better understand and manage postural impairments in the aging population.

Association Between Physical Activity, Weight Loss, Anxiety, and Lumbopelvic Pain in Postpartum Women.

OBJECTIVE: Lumbopelvic pain (LBPP) affects 45% to 81% of pregnant women, and 25% to 43% of these women report persistent LBPP beyond 3 months after giving birth. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of physical activity, weight status, anxiety, and evolution of LBPP symptoms in postpartum women. METHODS: This was a prospective observational cohort study with 3 time-point assessments: baseline (T0), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T6). Women with persistent LBPP 3 to 12 months after delivery were recruited. At each time point, pain disability was assessed with the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), physical activity with Fitbit Flex monitors, and anxiety with the French-Canadian version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Weight was recorded using a standardized method. Pain intensity (numerical rating scale, 0-100) and frequency were assessed using a standardized text message on a weekly basis throughout the study. RESULTS: Thirty-two women were included (time postpartum: 6.6 ± 2.0 months; maternal age: 28.3 ± 3.8 years; body weight: 72.9 ± 19.1 kg), and 27 completed the T6 follow-up. Disability, pain intensity, and pain frequency improved at T6 (P < .001). Participants lost a mean of 1.9 ± 4.5 kg at T6, and this weight loss was correlated with reduction in LBPP intensity (r = 0.479, P = .011) and LBPP frequency (r = 0.386, P = .047), Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire score (r = 0.554, P = .003), and ODI score (r = 0.494, P = .009). Improvement in ODI score at T6 was correlated with the number of inactive minutes at T3 (r = -0.453, P = .026) and T6 (r = -0.457, P = .019), and with daily steps at T6 (r = 0.512, P = .006). CONCLUSION: Weight loss is associated with positive LBPP symptom evolution beyond 3 months postpartum, and physical activity is associated with reduction in pain disability.

Comparing neck extensor muscle function in asymptomatic Canadian adults and adults with tension-type headache: a cross-sectional study.

AIM: To further the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying tension-type headache (TTH) by comparing the endurance and strength of neck extensor muscles under acute muscle fatigue in participants with TTH and asymptomatic participants. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of neck extensor muscle performance. Asymptomatic participants and participants with TTH were recruited via social media platforms and from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières community and employees. A total of 44 participants with TTH and 40 asymptomatic participants took part in an isometric neck extensor endurance task performed at 60% of their maximum voluntary contraction. Inclusion criteria for the headache group were to be older than 18 years old and to fulfil the International Headache Society classification's criteria for either frequent episodic or chronic TTH. Clinical (self-efficacy, anxiety, neck disability and kinesiophobia) and physical parameters (neck extensors maximum voluntary contraction, endurance time, muscle fatigue) as well as characteristics of headache episodes (intensity, frequency and associated disability) were collected for all participants. Surface electromyography was used to document upper trapezius, splenius capitis and sternocleidomastoids muscle activity and muscle fatigue. RESULTS: Both groups displayed similar neck extensor muscle endurance capacity with a mean difference of 6.2 s (p>0.05) in favour of the control group (control=68.1±32.3; TTH=61.9±20.1). Similarly, participants in the headache group showed comparable neck extensor muscle strength (95.9±30.4 N) to the control group (111.3±38.7 N). Among participants with TTH, those scoring as severely incapacitated by headaches were the ones with higher neck-related disability (F[1,44]=10.77; p=0.002), the more frequent headache episodes (F[1,44]=6.70; p=0.01) and higher maximum headache intensity (F[1,44]=10.81; p=0.002). CONCLUSION: A fatigue task consisting of isometric neck extension cannot efficiently differentiate participants with TTH from asymptomatic participants.

Validation of the French-Canadian Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: Pain in the pelvic girdle area is commonly reported during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and its impact on quality of life is considerable. The Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ), developed in 2011 in Norway, is the only condition-specific tool assessing pelvic girdle pain-related symptoms and disability. The questionnaire was recently translated and adapted for the French-Canadian population. The objective of this study was to assess the measurement properties of the previously translated French-Canadian PGQ. METHODS: Eighty-two women with pelvic girdle pain were included in this validation study. The French-Canadian PGQ, pain intensity Numeric Rating Scale, and Oswestry Disability Index were completed by participants at baseline, 48 hours later, and 3 to 6 months later to assess test-retest reliability, construct validity, responsiveness, floor and ceiling effects, and internal consistency. RESULTS: Reliability analyses indicated an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.841 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.750-0.901) for the global score. Construct validity analyses indicated a Spearman rank correlation coefficient of 0.696 with the Oswestry Disability Index. Responsiveness analyses identified an effect size of 0.908 (95% CI 0.434-1.644) and an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.823 (95% CI 0.692-0.953). There was no floor or ceiling effect, and internal consistency analyses indicated a Cronbach α of .933 for the activity subscale and .673 for the symptom subscale. CONCLUSION: Overall, the French-Canadian version of the PGQ is reliable, valid, and responsive, suggesting that it can be implemented in both research and clinical settings to assess functional limitations in pregnant and postpartum women.

Effectiveness of preventive and treatment interventions for primary headaches in the workplace: A systematic review of the literature.

Aim The purpose of this systematic literature review is to assess the benefits of workplace-based occupational therapies and interventions, including acute and preventive medication, on headache intensity and frequency, related disability as well as work-related outcomes. Methods A search of the literature was conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane library, CINAHL and Embase using terms related to headache, workplace and occupational health. The Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias assessment tool was used on individual studies to assess internal validity and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system was applied to studies by clinical outcome and used to rate quality of evidence. Results Fifteen articles were included in the systematic review. None of them were classified as low risk of bias according to the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. This systematic review found preliminary low-quality evidence suggesting that exercise and acupuncture can reduce workers' headache pain intensity, frequency and related disability. Conclusion Although this systematic review provided preliminary low evidence in favour of work-based intervention, studies with more rigorous designs and methodologies are needed to provide further evidence of the effectiveness of workplace-based headache management strategies.

Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire for the French-Canadian Population.

OBJECTIVE: The Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ) is the only condition-specific tool assessing activity limitations and symptoms for those with pelvic girdle pain (PGP). It is simple to administer and can be used in research and clinical settings during pregnancy and postpartum periods; however, there currently is no version for the French-Canadian population. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the PGQ for the French-Canadian population. METHODS: The French-Canadian translation and adaptation of the PGQ was completed following a 4-stage approach: (1) forward translation, (2) synthesis, (3) expert committee review, and (4) testing of the prefinal version of the questionnaire. The testing stage was conducted with a cohort of 34 women, aged 18 to 45 years, who experienced PGP over the span of pregnancy or during the first year postpartum. RESULTS: The global understanding of the PGP concept was rated as either "Fair" (41.2%) or "Good" (32.4%) by the majority of participants, which led to the consensual decision to add an illustration of the pelvic girdle region to the final version of the French-Canadian PGQ. Only 1 item ("Has your leg/have your legs given way?") was reported as unclear by 12 participants (35.3%). The expert committee unanimously agreed to add a brief explanation of the term "given way" to the final version to ensure proper understanding of the question. CONCLUSIONS: The current study yielded a satisfactory French-Canadian translation of the PGQ.