vahid mazloum

Athletes involved in sports requiring frequent cutting and pivoting movements are at increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. This study investigates the effectiveness of neuromuscular warm-up exercises, including strength, balance, plyometric, and core stability training, in reducing ACL injury risk.

A total of 30 adolescent male basketball players (age = 13-18 years) were randomly assigned to either the control group (n=15; age = 15.66±1.7 years, height = 172.7±9.6 cm, weight = 66.74±11.2 kg) or the neuromuscular training (NMT) group (n=15; age = 14.73±0.70 years, height = 174.0±6.7 cm, weight = 64.79±10.8 kg). The NMT group performed a structured injury prevention warm-up program three times a week for eight weeks before regular basketball training (20 min), while the control group followed their usual basketball practice. Measurements of knee proprioception (including specific motion directions), knee valgus and flexion torque, trunk endurance via the Biering-Sorenson test, and isometric strength of various muscle groups were taken pre- and post-intervention.

Significant improvements in isometric strength were observed in all assessed muscle groups in the NMT group (P<0.05); however, no significant changes were found in knee valgus, flexion torque, trunk endurance, or knee proprioception (P>0.05).

While the NMT protocol significantly improves isometric muscle strength in adolescent male basketball players, it does not show a direct effect on other ACL injury risk factors. Therefore, incorporating NMT into training routines may support strength development but should be combined with other targeted interventions to reduce ACL injury risk more effectively.

High prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in Iran and the subsequent disability have resulted in representing multifarious non-aggressive interventions with distinct influences on the disease. The aim of this study was to review previous domestic studies about the effects of conservative therapeutic options on patients with knee OA.

Using search engines involving IranMedex, MedLib, ISC, Google Scholar, Magiran, SID, rehabilitation, and medical journals based on defined keywords, 98 Persian language articles were found, and 37 studies were finally included in our study after applying the exclusion criteria. The type of study, the pattern of choosing subjects, patient information, the measurements, interventions, and the results were exploited from each article, and the physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale was administrated to evaluate the studies.

Based on analysis of PEDro scale results (Mean±SD for articles score: 5.89±1.29), the quality of most articles was as fair and good. The focus of conservative treatments was on exercise therapy methods, assistive devices, and physical therapy management. From a clinical perspective, the evidence indicates the appropriate effects of such treatment choices on alleviating pain, enhancing function, and improving quality of life in individuals with knee OA.

Most conservative methods can reduce pain, and improve quality of life and physical performance in patients with knee OA. However, further high-quality studies with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-ups are required to determine whether knee OA can be managed by conservative methods.

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common diseases that professional athletes could suffer from and may be caused by a decrease in strength of the core muscles; and trunk flexor and spine extensor muscles endurance or spine malalignment. The aim of this study was to compare the strength of core muscles, endurance of trunk flexor and spine extensor muscles, lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis in taekwondo athletes with/without LBP.

Thirty adolescents-youth male taekwondo athletes (15 people with and 15 without LBP) participated in the study. The endurance of the trunk flexor muscles, the endurance of the spinal extensor muscles, the strength of the core muscles were assessed with the trunk flexion test at an angle of 60 degrees, the modified Biering-Sorenson test, pressure biofeedback, respectively. Kyphosis and spinal lordosis was also assessed with a flexible ruler.

There was a difference between athletes with LBP and with lordosis and kyphosis with those without LBP and without lordosis and kyphosis. There was also a difference between athletes with and without LBP in the strength of the core muscles and the endurance of the trunk flexor and extensor muscles.

It is recommended to develop the strength of the core muscles as well as the endurance of trunk flexor and extensor muscles in order to prevent and eliminate LBP in Taekwondo athletes. It is also necessary to pay attention to spinal malalignments such as kyphosis and lordosis and eliminate them to reduce LBP.

Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a common disorder associated with substantial morbidity. Different methods of rehabilitation are used to manage chronic myofascial neck pain.

The present study aims to assess the effects of dry needling (DN), manual therapy (MT) and Kinesio Taping® (KT) methods on the treatment of patients with chronic myofascial neck pain.

Thirty-nine individuals (mean ± standard deviation (SD): Age 35 ± 10.1 years; height 178.6 ± 7.5 cm; body mass 86.9 ± 7.7 kg) out of 57 patients (age range: 18 - 55 years) were included in the current single-blinded randomized clinical trial. The subjects were assigned into 3 groups (N = 13 subjects in each group) including DN, MT, and KT. Pain intensity, pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), neck disability index (NDI), and cervical spine range of motion (CROM) in different directions were evaluated by self-reported questionnaires and cervical goniometer at baseline and following 5 treatment sessions. Following the evaluation of the normal distribution of variables by Shapiro-Wilk test, the paired-samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data.

Pain intensity and catasrophizing, neck disability, and CROM in all directions significantly improved following the 3 interventions (P < 0.05). The score changes in CROM for rotation to right and left in MT group were significantly greater than those of the other 2 groups (P < 0.001). Comparisons of changes in scores of other variables between the 3 groups revealed no significant differences (P > 0.05).

It is assumed that DN, MT, and KT can improve pain and neck disability and increase CROM in patients with myofascial CNP. The MT techniques are more effective in increasing CROM for rotation compared to the other 2 methods.