Comparison of muscle activity in school students while carrying backpacks and trolley bags.

BACKGROUND: Trolley bags have gained popularity among students, but there is limited research comparing them to backpack-style school bags. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare how carrying a backpack versus a trolley bag affects the activity of trunk and lower limb muscles in secondary school students. METHODS: Electromyographic activity was measured in 25 students (13.4±1.1 years) as they walked on level ground and up/down stairs while carrying both types of bags. The activity of the gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, semitendinosus, rectus femoris, lumbar erector spinae, and rectus abdominis muscles was assessed on both the dominant and non-dominant sides. RESULTS: The study found significantly reduced muscle activation in most of the targeted muscles when walking on level ground with the trolley bag and when going up/down stairs with the backpack. CONCLUSIONS: Lifting a trolley bag depends on the slope of the walking surface and is more efficient on level ground, while carrying a backpack is more efficient when going up and down stairs. Since it is not practical to switch bags when encountering stairs in schools, a bag with a mixed model design incorporating features of both trolley and backpack may be more beneficial and practical for students to use. Students, parents, and teachers should be aware of the injury risks associated with carrying different types of bags.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among information technology professionals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: This study was done to see the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among information technology (IT) professionals in Saudi Arabia, the risk factors associated with them, their consequences, and to propose some preventive measures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-administered online questionnaire that included questions on the demographic data, job nature, medical history, work-related pain after joining information technology profession and distribution and severity of pain was sent to 250 information technology professionals working in Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Out of 250, 202 (81%) IT professionals participated in the study. At least 62 (32%) reported that they have developed some type of musculoskeletal pain after joining their profession and 38 (61%) respondents further reported that it was so severe that they had to seek some sort of treatment for their pain. On the Visual Analog Scale ranging 0-10, 14 (23%) respondents reported that their worst ever pain was >7. Despite lower representation 67% of the females reported to develop work-related pain. CONCLUSIONS: Development of work-related musculoskeletal pain among information technology professionals has been shown to affect their activities of daily living. It may even force them to change their work setting or reduce working hours. Information technology sector has rapidly grown in Saudi Arabia in the recent times and there is no data on the incidence or prevalence of such disorders among them. Role of ergonomics and counseling should be emphasized during their training that help them work effectively and efficiently. A similar large-scale study should be conducted to see the effect of lifestyle related to COVID-19 on the lives of working population especially IT professionals. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):397-406.

Influence of different jaw positions on dynamic balance using Y-balance test.

BACKGROUND: Jaw sensory-motor system has been shown to affect static balance of the body. It would be interesting to know whether it can influence dynamic balance as well. The objective of this study is to examine the influence of different jaw positions on dynamic balance using the Y-balance test. METHODS: Eighty healthy male participants aged 20-35 years were invited to participate in this study. Dynamic balance was measured by the Y-balance test in three directions (anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral) for each leg separately in three jaw positions: resting jaw (control), open-jaw, and clenched jaw. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in reach distances between the different jaw positions except in the posterolateral direction. In comparison with resting jaw position, reach distance was significantly higher in open-jaw position for the right leg and in clenched and open-jaw positions for the left leg in the posterolateral direction. CONCLUSIONS: Although various studies have shown direct or indirect influence of jaw sensory-motor system on static postural control, results of this study point to limited relation with dynamic postural control among healthy subjects. However, it supports the potential of the jaw sensory-motor system to affect motor control during functional tasks in patients with postural instability or similar disorders.

Patient satisfaction with outpatient physical therapy in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction (PS) is a key measure of the quality and outcome of healthcare systems which reflects patients' experiences. The purpose of this study was to assess overall PS with outpatient physical therapy (PT) care in Saudi Arabia and identify associated characteristics and components. METHODS: Four hundred patients who received PT treatment during 2017 were invited to participate in this study. The MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Care (MRPS) was used to assess PS. RESULTS: The average age of 358 (90%) respondents was 38.1 (SD 12.7) years, and a majority (77%) of them were female. At least 76% respondents reported feeling better after PT treatment, while the mean global satisfaction score of all respondents as per the MRPS was 3.56, indicating high satisfaction. CONCLUSION: PT is still at an early stage of development in Saudi Arabia and is an integral part of the healthcare sector. PS is the key to identify areas for improvement and provide high quality healthcare to the public.

Test-retest reliability, validity, and minimum detectable change of visual analog, numerical rating, and verbal rating scales for measurement of osteoarthritic knee pain.

OBJECTIVE: Several scales are commonly used for assessing pain intensity. Among them, the numerical rating scale (NRS), visual analog scale (VAS), and verbal rating scale (VRS) are often used in clinical practice. However, no study has performed psychometric analyses of their reliability and validity in the measurement of osteoarthritic (OA) pain. Therefore, the present study examined the test-retest reliability, validity, and minimum detectable change (MDC) of the VAS, NRS, and VRS for the measurement of OA knee pain. In addition, the correlations of VAS, NRS, and VRS with demographic variables were evaluated. METHODS: The study included 121 subjects (65 women, 56 men; aged 40-80 years) with OA of the knee. Test-retest reliability of the VAS, NRS, and VRS was assessed during two consecutive visits in a 24 h interval. The validity was tested using Pearson's correlation coefficients between the baseline scores of VAS, NRS, and VRS and the demographic variables (age, body mass index [BMI], sex, and OA grade). The standard error of measurement (SEM) and the MDC were calculated to assess statistically meaningful changes. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficients of the VAS, NRS, and VRS were 0.97, 0.95, and 0.93, respectively. VAS, NRS, and VRS were significantly related to demographic variables (age, BMI, sex, and OA grade). The SEM of VAS, NRS, and VRS was 0.03, 0.48, and 0.21, respectively. The MDC of VAS, NRS, and VRS was 0.08, 1.33, and 0.58, respectively. CONCLUSION: All the three scales had excellent test-retest reliability. However, the VAS was the most reliable, with the smallest errors in the measurement of OA knee pain.

Comparison of the effect of pre- and post-operative physical therapy versus post-operative physical therapy alone on pain and recovery of function after total knee arthroplasty.

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of pre-operative and post-operative physical therapy versus post-operative physical therapy alone on pain and recovery of function after total knee arthroplasty. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty patients (18 males and 32 females) ranging in age from 48 to 80 years (mean 63.28, SD 9.44) participated in a 6-week two-arm randomized rater-blinded trial. One group received pre- and post-operative physical therapy whereas the other group received only post-operative physical therapy. Pain and function were measured with a visual analogue scale and a lower extremity functional scale at baseline (pre-operative) as well as week 3 and week 6 post-operative. [Results] The differences in pain intensity and functional score at week 3 and week 6 post-operative remained statistically insignificant between the two groups. [Conclusion] The reduction of pain and recovery of function was similar in subjects who received pre- and post-operative physical therapy and those who received only post-operative physical therapy after total knee arthroplasty. Additional pre-operative physical therapy did not bring about any further improvement in pain intensity or recovery of function after total knee arthroplasty.

The psychometric properties of an Arabic numeric pain rating scale for measuring osteoarthritis knee pain.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to translate the numeric rating scale (NRS) into Arabic and to evaluate the test-retest reliability and convergent validity of an Arabic Numeric Pain Rating Scale (ANPRS) for measuring pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. METHODS: The English version of the NRS was translated into Arabic as per the translation process guidelines for patient-rated outcome scales. One hundred twenty-one consecutive patients with OA of the knee who had experienced pain for more than 6 months were asked to report their pain levels on the ANPRS, visual analogue scale (VAS), and verbal rating scale (VRS). A second assessment was performed 48 h after the first to assess test-retest reliability. The test-retest reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1). The convergent validity was assessed using Spearman rank correlation coefficient. In addition, the minimum detectable change (MDC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were also assessed. RESULTS: The repeatability of ANPRS was good to excellent (ICC 0.89). The SEM and MDC were 0.71 and 1.96, respectively. Significant correlations were found with the VAS and VRS scores (p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The Arabic numeric pain rating scale is a valid and reliable scale for measuring pain levels in OA of the knee. Implications for Rehabilitation The Arabic Numeric Pain Rating Scale (ANPRS) is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, with psychometric properties in agreement with other widely used scales. The ANPRS is well correlated with the VAS and NRS scores in patients with OA of the knee. The ANPRS appears to measure pain intensity similar to the VAS, NRS, and VRS and may provide additional advantages to Arab populations, as Arabic numbers are easily understood by this population.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the reduced Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis index in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: We adapted the reduced Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index for the Arabic language and tested its metric properties in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one consecutive patients who were referred for physiotherapy to the outpatient department were asked to answer the Arabic version of the reduced WOMAC index (ArWOMAC). After the completion of the ArWOMAC, the intensity of knee pain and general health status were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the 12-item short form health survey (SF-12), respectively. A second assessment was performed at least 48 h after the first session to assess test-retest reliability. The test-retest reliability was quantified using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess the internal consistency of the Arabic questionnaire. The construct validity was assessed using Spearman rank correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The total ArWOMAC scale and pain and function subscales were internally consistent with Cronbach's coefficient alpha of 0.91, 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. Test-retest reliability was good to excellent with ICC of 0.91, 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. SF-12 and VAS score significantly correlated with ArWOMAC index (p < 0.01), which support the construct validity. The standard error of measurement (SEM) of the total scale was 2.94, based on repeated measurements for test-retest. The minimum detectable change based on the SEM for test-retest was 8.15. CONCLUSIONS: The ArWOMAC index is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating the severity of knee OA, with metric properties in agreement with the original version. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Although, the reduced WOMAC index has been clinically utilized within the Saudi population, the Arabic version of this instrument is not validated for an Arab population to measure lower limb functional disability caused by OA. The Arabic version of reduced WOMAC (ArWOMAC) index is a reliable and valid scale to measure lower limb functional disability in patients with knee OA. The ArWOMAC index could be suitable in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries where the language, culture and the life style are similar.

Physical therapy education in Saudi Arabia.

[Purpose] To review the physical therapy educational program model, professional curriculum, and gender representation at major universities, as well as the quality and scope of physical therapy practice in Saudi Arabia. [Methods] Information regarding course curriculum, gender representation, and the quality and scope of physical therapy practice was collected from six universities in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Physical Therapy Association, and the Saudi Health Commission. [Results] The first bachelor's degree course of physical therapy was started in Saudi Arabia more than 30 years ago. In the last 10 years, the number of universities offering a bachelor's degree in physical therapy has risen from 6 to 16, of which 14 are governmental and two are private. The 5- to 6 year bachelor's degree program in physiotherapy includes an internship and preparatory prerequisite courses. Postgraduate study in physical therapy was introduced in 2000. Most universities offer segregated physical therapy courses for male and female students. [Conclusion] The enrollment of students in physical therapy programs in Saudi Arabia is gradually increasing. There are many opportunities to extend the scope of practice and contribute to the health needs of the Arab population and international communities.

Effect of deep cervical flexor muscles training using pressure biofeedback on pain and disability of school teachers with neck pain.

[Purpose] The job of secondary school teachers involves a lot of head down posture as frequent reading, assignment correction, computer use and writing on a board put them at risk of developing occupational related neck pain. Available studies of neck pain experienced by teachers are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine whether training of deep cervical flexor muscles with pressure biofeedback has any significant advantage over conventional training for pain and disability experienced by school teachers with neck pain. [Subjects] Thirty teachers aged 25-45 years with neck pain and poor craniocervical flexion test participated in this study. [Methods] A pretest posttest experimental group design was used in which experimental group has received training with pressure biofeedback and conventional exercises while control group received conventional exercises only. Measurements of dependent variables were taken at baseline, and after 2 and 4 weeks of training. Pain intensity was assessed using a numeric pain rating scale and functional disability was assessed using the neck disability index. [Results] The data analysis revealed that there was significant improvement in pain and disability in both the groups and the results were better in the experimental group. [Conclusion] Addition of pressure biofeedback for deep cervical flexor muscles training gave a better result than conventional exercises alone. Feedback helps motor learning which is the set of processes associated with practice or experience leading to permanent changes in ability to respond.