Physical Treatments Journal
Volume:12 Issue: 1, Winter 2022

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the most common type of scoliosis and the most complex deformity of the spine. The promising results of Schroth and Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS), among other methods of exercise therapy, have attracted the attention of many researchers and therapists. However, there is still vague evidence of their effectiveness and their superiority. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of Schroth and SEAS exercises on correcting AIS.

Searching was conducted in databases, including Cochrane, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 2005 to December 2021 using keywords related to AIS. Inclusion criteria were the papers using Schroth and SEAS exercises as an intervention. The PEDro scale was used for evaluating the quality of the papers.

Ten papers with an average PEDro score of 6.2 were licensed to enter the study. Five Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) and one Clinical Controlled Trial (CCT) reported a significant reduction in Cobb Angle (CA) (greater than 5°) using the Schroth method (moderate). Moreover, two CCTs and one RCT indicated a significant reduction in CA (greater than 5°) using the SEAS method (limited). However, no paper was found for choosing superiority between Schroth and SEAS (no evidence).

Although there is limited to moderate evidence in the studies, it seems that both Schroth and SEAS exercises were effective in improving AIS, which was more prominent in the study of the Schroth method. Nevertheless, accessing high-quality papers is necessary for achieving more accurate results in the future.

Higher loading rates have been associated with injuries, plantar fasciitis, tibia bone stress injuries, knee osteoarthritis, and patellofemoral pain (PFP). The aim of this study is to evaluate the loading rate in PFP patients compared to healthy individuals during weight bearing tasks.

Search strategy was conducted in databases: Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar. The outcome measuring: loading rate were during weight bearing tasks. The quality of the studies was evaluated by Down and Black index and it was divided into three groups: low quality (LQ), medium quality (MQ) and high quality (HQ). The standardized mean difference between PFP patients and healthy individuals was used to calculate the effect size.

Seven articles were included of that 4 studies was HQ and 3 MQ were classified. The no significant difference between PFP patients and healthy individuals in the loading rate (p=0.52) ; But strong evidence with medium effect size (SMD=0.50; 95% CI=[-1.01 to 2.00]) indicates a tendency to increase loading rates in PFP patients compared to healthy individuals.

The compensatory mechanism in PFP patients, decrease of active shock absorption which finally leads to higher loading rates that can have effect on the tibiofemoral joint that correlating to the development of pain and knee osteoarthritis.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a remarkable health crisis that enforced most people to stay at home and quarantine for a period of time and seems to be having negative impacts on physical activity and mental health worldwide. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a deficit in social interaction characteristics, relationships, and stereotyped behaviors. This study examined Iranian parents’ perceptions of physical activity for their children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In this study, an explanatory qualitative methodology was used and data were collected via semi-structured phone interviews. The samples included 40 Iranian parents (aged 25-50 years) who had children with ASD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 Edition (DSM-5) criteria (aged 7-12 years). 

The results showed that the parents observed their children’s physical activity to decrease greatly than before the pandemic. Parents experienced weight gain, increased anxiety, increased stereotypic behaviors, and decreased orderliness, communicative interactions, and social skills. The parents stated that, when their children were more active before the COVID-19 pandemic, they were more cheerful, more adaptable, and communicated more verbally. Parents believed that physical activities have positive effects on the development of their children’s physical health and behavior. They also reported some barriers to their children’s participation in physical activity. 

Participating in daily physical activity and support from parents were consequential factors in the promotion of their physical and behavioral health and the development of their independent performance and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal problems. Various complications, such as disability, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, stress, decreased sexual function and Quality of Life (QoL) are associated with chronic low back pain.The aim of this study was to compare the relationship between demographic, physical fitness, health status, socio-economic indicators, and sexual function indicators on the QoL of women with chronic non-specific low back pain.

The present cross-sectional study was performed in 2020 in the private center of Cyrus Physiotherapy in Tehran, Iran. Thirty married women with non-specific chronic low back pain who were sexually active and living in Tehran were included in the study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. At first, the goals and process of the study were explained to them and they were given written consent to participate in the study. Then demographic information was recorded and pain, sexual function, and QoL were measured using relevant tools. SPSS software v. 22 was used for statistical tests. Pearson correlation test was used to examine the relationship between the above variables.

The Mean±SD age of participants was 38.6±7.48 years. Pearson correlation coefficient showed no statistically significant relationship between the QoL with age (r=-0.172, P=0.364), the number of children (r=-0.166, P=0.382), pain intensity (r=-0.181, P=0.339) and regular exercise (r=-0.159, P=0.402), but there was a statistcally significant relationship between QoL with body mass index (r=-0.406, P=0.026), sexual function score (r=0.379, P=0.039), general health status (r=0.436, P=0.026), education level (r=0.463, P=0.010), and physical fitness status (r=-0.406, P=0.026).

In women with chronic non-specific back pain participating in the present study, the lower the body mass index, the higher the level of education and sexual function score, the better overall health and physical fitness status, the better the QoL. However, the results of this study did not confirm the relationships between QoL and age, number of children, pain intensity, and regular exercise. Improving education, health status, fitness status, body mass index, and sexual  function index help improve QoL.

This investigation aimed to compare the effect of neuromuscular, strength, and combined training on dynamic balance and sports performance, including power, sprint, and agility in female basketball players.

In this semi-experimental study, 42 female professional basketball players (age: 19-25 years) were assigned to three groups of Neuromuscular (NM), Strength (ST), and Combined training (CM), and one control group. The Multivariate Analysis of the Variance (MANOVA) was used to compare between-groups data. Dynamic balance and performance measurements (vertical jump, agility, and sprint) of athletes were assessed before and after six weeks of intervention by Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), Sargent vertical jump device, Shuttle Run device, and sprint 27-meter test. 

Results of the MANOVA showed all between-group differences for dynamic balance, sprint, and agility were only significant between the control group and NM, ST, and CM groups (P≤0.05). In addition, the CM group was significantly different compared to the NM and ST groups (P≤0.05). Balance and high jump within-group differences showed a significant increase in the NM, ST, and CM groups in the high jump variable (P≤0.05). For sprint and agility, within-group results showed a significant decrease in the NM, ST, and CM groups (P≤0.05). Besides, the larger effect size was seen in the combined group for all variables.

It seems that neuromuscular, strength, and combined training is similarly effective in improving the balance and functional performance of female basketball athletes and there is not a significant difference between them.

Many non-pharmaceutical methods have been proposed for the treatment of non-specific chronic low back pain (NCLBP), including online exercise at home (OEH), hydrotherapy, and physiotherapy approaches that have shown significant effects. Nevertheless, there are ambiguities in choosing the best option. Therefore, the present study was designed to compare these methods.

This randomized clinical trial included 60 patients with NCLBP (25-45 yrs). After selection, they were randomly divided into three groups (20 patients in each) of OEH (including core stability exercises and education), hydrotherapy, and physiotherapy (including hot pack, ultrasound, and TENS), and then, received interventions for 12 weeks. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain before and after treatment. The ANOCOVA and paired t-test were used to analyze the data and a significant level of P<0.05.

The results showed that all three treatments used in this study had a significant effect (P<0.05) on reducing the pain intensity of the patients after the intervention. There was no significant difference between the three treatments in reducing pain; however, the OEH method could reduce the pain to a greater extent (32.79%).

Although the present study reaffirms the effectiveness of all three treatment approaches, no significant differences were found in the selection of the best option. However, depending on the patient’s condition, one of these methods can be selected. Therefore, we introduce hydrotherapy, and physiotherapy methods for the elderly, severe pain and disability, and OEH as an available method to save money, and time and, most importantly, prevent the COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively our society and resulted in numerous deaths. It has had an effect on every facet of health care delivery. Rules, regulations, and payment policies were changed to allow extensive use of telecommunications technology in lieu of inperson clinical visits to protect health care personnel and patients throughout the country from the risk of disease transmission. Telerehabilitation (TR) is equally effective in delivering specific health, medical, and rehabilitation expertise from worldclass medical centers to homes and small clinics throughout metropolitan regions.Maintaining social distance and self-isolation during the worldwide coronavirus epidemic requires online courses, films with exercise instructions, or individual online consultations.