Short term sensory and vascular responses to physical agent modalities and exercise in healthy volunteers and patients with distal radius fracture.

Currently, there is weak evidence on the effectiveness of different rehabilitation regimens following distal radius fracture (DRF). This thesis evaluated sensory and vascular effects of exercise, thermal and ultrasound interventions that can be used in the mobilization phase (cast removal) after DRF. Methods This thesis includes 3 studies. The first study compared responses to Immersion in Cold water Evaluation (ICE) in the DRF and uninjured hands. Skin blood flow (Sbf), skin temperature (temp.) and sensory perception thresholds (sPT) at 2000Hz for A –beta fibres and at 5 Hz for C fibres were obtained before, immediately after ICE and 10 min later. The second study assessed Sbf, temp., and sPT before and after 3 conditions: control, 1 MHz continuous and 3 MHz pulsed US in healthy subjects. The third study assessed Sbf and sPT before and after 3 conditions: control, 5 min of high intensity and low intensity hand exercises in healthy subjects. Differences in these were analyzed using General Linear Models. Results In the DRF hand, Sbf increased (Mean Difference (MD) = -42.2 A.U.) immediately, at 1 min (MD= -35 A.U.), and 10 min after ICE (MD= -1 A.U.). There was a decrease in temp. for the index and little fingers immediately after ICE (MD=9. 9 & 9.1 o C) and these did not return to baseline by 10 min (MD= 4.4 & 4 o C). ICE had no effect on sPT at 5 Hz (p\u3e0.05). There was no difference between the DRF and uninjured hand on all measures(p\u3e0.05) except for the sPT at 2000Hz, which remained high on the DRF side for up to 10 min( MD= -1.8 m. A.). Both pulsed and continuous US caused small to moderate reductions in Sbf (MD= 2.8 A.U. & 3.9 A.U.), temp. (MD = 2.5 0 C & 1.1 0 C) and sPT at 5 Hz (MD=1.3 m. A. & 1 m. A.). US had no effect on sPT at 2000Hz (p\u3e0.05). Both type of exercises were insufficient to alter Sbf and sPT at 2000Hz and 5 Hz (p\u3e0.05). Conclusions Normal thermo-physiological responses were observed after ICE in both hands. A-beta fibres on the DRF side became less sensitive after ICE. Minor changes can occur in Sbf, temp., and sPT at 5 Hz following 3 to 5 min exposure to US in healthy subjects. Hand grip exercises had minimal impact on Sbf or sPT in healthy subjects. The changes seen with ICE and US are presumed to help with tissue healing and pain modulation which needs further investigation

Hot stone massage therapy - mechanisms of the influence on the human organism of selected methods of use

A stone massage as a relaxing treatment combines the benefits of a relaxing massage, aromatherapy, thermotherapy and acupressure. The stone massage is a form of impact on the body which uses mechanical stimuli, the pressure on the tissue in order to induce physiological reactions. Therapeutic effects of stones was used hundreds years ago in the Far East. Women from that area applied hot stones on the stomach to reduce menstrual pain and other ailments. The 90's of XX century is a time of rebirth of hot stone massage, which first became popular in the United States of America. A modern hot stone massage is a treatment which perfectly complements physiotherapeutic activity which goal is the restoration of the damaged organs. What is more, it is also applied in wellness clinics, accelerating recreational processes, thus increasing the body's ability to exercise. It is worth mentioning that exist several methods of stone massage: dynamic massage, contrastive static and dynamic massage (several varieties) and static massage (energetic). More and more often, the customers enjoy also a foot and a facial massage

C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions?

Low intensity, non-noxious, stimulation of cutaneous somatosensory nerves has been shown to trigger oxytocin release and is associated with increased social motivation, plus reduced physiological and behavioural reactivity to stressors. However, to date, little attention has been paid to the specific nature of the mechanosensory nerves which mediate these effects. In recent years, the neuroscientific study of human skin nerves (microneurography studies on single peripheral nerve fibres) has led to the identification and characterisation of a class of touch sensitive nerve fibres named C-tactile afferents. Neither itch nor pain receptive, these unmyelinated, low threshold mechanoreceptors, found only in hairy skin, respond optimally to low force/velocity stroking touch. Notably, the speed of stroking which c-tactile afferents fire most strongly to is also that which people perceive to be most pleasant. The social touch hypothesis posits that this system of nerves has evolved in mammals to signal the rewarding value of physical contact in nurturing and social interactions. In support of this hypothesis, in this paper we review the evidence that cutaneous stimulation directly targeted to optimally activate c-tactile afferents reduces physiological arousal, carries a positive affective value and, under healthy conditions, inhibits responses to painful stimuli. These effects mirror those, we also review, which have been reported following endogenous release and exogenous administration of oxytocin. Taken together this suggests C-tactile afferent stimulation may mediate oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions

A Calibrated Method of Massage Therapy Decreases Systolic Blood Pressure Concomitant With Changes in Heart Rate Variability in Male Rats.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to develop a method for applying calibrated manual massage pressures by using commonly available, inexpensive sphygmomanometer parts and validate the use of this approach as a quantitative method of applying massage therapy to rodents.MethodsMassage pressures were monitored by using a modified neonatal blood pressure (BP) cuff attached to an aneroid gauge. Lightly anesthetized rats were stroked on the ventral abdomen for 5 minutes at pressures of 20 mm Hg and 40 mm Hg. Blood pressure was monitored noninvasively for 20 minutes following massage therapy at 5-minute intervals. Interexaminer reliability was assessed by applying 20 mm Hg and 40 mm Hg pressures to a digital scale in the presence or absence of the pressure gauge.ResultsWith the use of this method, we observed good interexaminer reliability, with intraclass coefficients of 0.989 versus 0.624 in blinded controls. In Long-Evans rats, systolic BP dropped by an average of 9.86% ± 0.27% following application of 40 mm Hg massage pressure. Similar effects were seen following 20 mm Hg pressure (6.52% ± 1.7%), although latency to effect was greater than at 40 mm Hg. Sprague-Dawley rats behaved similarly to Long-Evans rats. Low-frequency/high-frequency ratio, a widely-used index of autonomic tone in cardiovascular regulation, showed a significant increase within 5 minutes after 40 mm Hg massage pressure was applied.ConclusionsThe calibrated massage method was shown to be a reproducible method for applying massage pressures in rodents and lowering BP

Biomedical musculoskeletal applications of infrared thermal imaging on arm and forearm: A systematic review

Infrared thermal imaging (IRT) has been a target of research for biomedical musculoskeletal applications, due to the possible association of the physiological data that it provides, through skin temperature measurement, with pathological states. The aim of this systematic review is to acquaint the outcomes of the biomedical application of IRT in arm and forearm evaluation and its future perspectives of research. During the literature review, 926 articles were identified using the search engines PubMed and Scopus, and 10 articles were retrieved from other sources. After screening the abstracts and applying the eligibility criteria on those which were fully accessible, 33 articles were included in the review. It can be observed that IRT has the potential to provide physiological information on the arm and forearm, showing potential to serve as an aid in various pathologies and health situations. Future studies and challenges are identified and proposed, facilitating the improvement and acceptance of the application of IRT in the assessment of arm and forearm’ health status.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The effect of light massage on blood pressure and mean arterial pressure in tuberculosis patients

Tuberculosis is still a significant problem in the health sector, including the side effects of its treatment. Side effects include indigestion, nausea, joint pain, dizziness, reddish urine, itching, redness of the skin, liver disorders, joint pain, and vascular disorders such as paresthesia and even hypertension. Light massage is a massage therapy in the form of gentle movements on the soft tissues of the body, including rubbing and rubbing movements. This skin stimulus will provide a sense of comfort, relax tension in muscles and improve blood circulation. This study aimed to determine the effect of light massage therapy on blood pressure and mean atrial pressure (MAP) in tuberculosis patients. This study used a experimental design, pre-post control group design. The sample size of this study was 60 respondents. The sampling technique used was simple random. The results showed that most respondents were female (56.7%) with active phase treatment 76.7% in the intervention group and 73.4% in the control group. There was a significant difference in systolic blood pressure and MAP (p <0.05), and there was no significant difference in diastolic blood pressure between the intervention and control groups (p> 0.05). Light massage can reduce systolic blood pressure and MAP. Further research is needed to increase the duration and frequency of light massage intervention

The Effect of Astym Treatment on Muscle Performance

Purpose: Astym treatment is a manual therapy intervention that stimulates tissue regeneration and treats pain, limited mobility, and muscle weakness associated with musculoskeletal pathology. The purpose of this study was to determine if Astym treatment administered to the lower extremity would result in an immediate change of maximal force output during a unilateral isometric squat test among individuals with a lower extremity injury. Methods: Forty-five subjects (14males; 31females) aged between 18-65 years participated in this study. The subjects were randomized into 3 treatment groups: 1) Control group - received no treatment 2) Placebo group - received a sham Astym treatment 3) Astym treatment group- received Astym treatment to the lower extremity. After familiarization to the operations of a computerized leg press machine, a baseline measure of maximal force output (pre-test) was determined by the average of 3 trials with a 30 second rest period between the trials. The subjects then received the designated treatment intervention. Immediately following the treatment intervention the subjects were retested (post-test) using identical testing procedures by an investigator who was blinded to the treatment intervention received by the subjects. The percent change of maximal force output from pre-test to post-test measures was compared using a one-way analysis of variance with alpha set at 0.05. A Tukey\u27s post-hoc analysis determined the statistical differences between the groups. Results: The treatment intervention had a significant effect on the percent change of maximal force output [F(2,42) = 7.91, p = 0.001]. Tukey\u27s post hoc analysis demonstrated that the percent change of maximal force output was significantly greater in the Astym group (15+18%change) compared to the placebo (-6+11%change) and control (-1+17%change) groups. No significant difference (p=0.68) was noted between the control and placebo groups. Conclusions: Astym treatment to the involved lower extremity increased maximum force output during an isometric squat test immediately following treatment. The results of this study suggest that Astym treatment can be used as an intervention for the immediate improvement of muscle performance for patients presenting with muscular weakness caused by a lower extremity musculoskeletal injury

Anatomy And Neurobiology Of Pain

This chapter examines some of the basic human anatomy and neurobiology related to the perception of pain. In this context we will discuss how the nervous, endocrine, and musculoskeletal/fascial systems all contribute to our experience of this important sensation. We will look at some of the pathologic changes that occur when short-term pain becomes a long-term problem, and how stress can exacerbate pain perception. Finally, we will discuss how manual therapies may access peripheral nervous system structures in order to address some of the factors that can contribute to chronic pain patterns