Effect of Myofascial Therapy on Pain and Functionality of the Upper Extremities in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

(1) Objective: The purpose was to analyze the effectiveness of myofascial therapy on musculoskeletal pain and functionality of the upper extremities in female breast cancer survivors, and to evaluate the changes in range of motion, quality of life, and mood state of these patients. (2) Methods: Systematic searches were performed on the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Databases for articles published until October 2020, in order to identify randomized controlled trials which analyzed the effectiveness of myofascial therapy as compared to a control group, passive treatment, placebo, or another intervention, and allowed co-interventions on female breast cancer survivors. Two reviewers examined the sources individually, calculated the risk of bias and extracted the data (PROSPERO number CRD42020215823). (3) Results: A total of eight RCTs were included. The results suggested that myofascial therapy does not have a greater statistically significant immediate effect on pain intensity (SMD: -0.15; 95% CI -0.48, 0.19), functionality (SMD: -0.17; 95% CI -0.43, 0.09) and range of motion in flexion (SMD: 0.30; 95% CI -0.13, 0.74) than an inactive, passive treatment or another intervention. However, a statistically significant result was observed for the abduction shoulder in favor of the experimental group (SMD: 0.46; 95% CI 0.05, 0.87; p = 0.03). (4) Conclusion: In general, although we found greater overall effects in support of the intervention with myofascial therapy than other control groups/types of interventions, the subgroup analysis revealed inconsistent results supporting myofascial therapy applied to breast cancer survivors

Investigación científica y práctica basada en la evidencia. Desarrollo de competencias en Grado y Postgrado de Ciencias de la Salud

Es una necesidad que los profesionales de la salud egresen con competencias básicas en materia de investigación científica y que en la formación postgrado alcancen un mayor nivel de desarrollo en dichas competencias, para asegurar unos cuidados de la salud basados en la mejor evidencia disponible y disminuir la variabilidad de la práctica clínica, aumentando con ello la seguridad del paciente. El objetivo general de este proyecto es: Diseñar y concretar herramientas para la mejora docente, analizando las propuestas surgidas en la práctica. Como objetivos específicos se plantean: Desarrollar instrumentos adecuados para la evaluación de la adquisición de competencias. Facilitar un instrumento de seguimiento de cada experiencia de innovación docente, que permita realizar una autoevaluación del grado de cumplimiento de objetivos y de la satisfacción de los agentes implicados. Potenciar las tutorías de orientación como actividad docente. Para alcanzar esos objetivos se diseña un proyecto de innovación consistente en la simulación en el aula de las fases de la investigación científica: búsqueda de información, diseño de proyectos, recogida de datos, análisis de datos, redacción del informe de investigación y revisión por pares del mismo. En primer año de desarrollo se diseñan los instrumentos para la redacción del informe y la revisión por pares y se implanta en las asignaturas de los posgrados oficiales de Máster en sexología y Máster en Ciencias de la Enfermería. El desarrollo de la experiencia de innovación docente ha permitido al alumno adquirir la competencia, “haciendo”. Esto es, diseñando, entre los alumnos de cada asignatura, desde el principio un proyecto de investigación y siguiendo todo el proceso metodológico para llevarlo a cabo y publicar los resultados

Influence of Craniosacral Therapy on Anxiety, Depression and Quality of Life in Patients with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is considered as a combination of physical, psychological and social disabilities. The causes of pathologic mechanism underlying fibromyalgia are unknown, but fibromyalgia may lead to reduced quality of life. The objective of this study was to analyze the repercussions of craniosacral therapy on depression, anxiety and quality of life in fibromyalgia patients with painful symptoms. An experimental, double-blind longitudinal clinical trial design was undertaken. Eighty-four patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to an intervention group (craniosacral therapy) or placebo group (simulated treatment with disconnected ultrasound). The treatment period was 25 weeks. Anxiety, pain, sleep quality, depression and quality of life were determined at baseline and at 10 minutes, 6 months and 1-year post-treatment. State anxiety and trait anxiety, pain, quality of life and Pittsburgh sleep quality index were significantly higher in the intervention versus placebo group after the treatment period and at the 6-month follow-up. However, at the 1-year follow-up, the groups only differed in the Pittsburgh sleep quality index. Approaching fibromyalgia by means of craniosacral therapy contributes to improving anxiety and quality of life levels in these patients

The Efficacy of Strength Exercises for Reducing the Symptoms of Menopause: A Systematic Review

Background: The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether strength exercises improve the symptoms of menopause and to provide an update on the most recent scientific evidence on the type and regimen of exercise that help reduce the symptoms. Methods: An electronic search of scientific databases was performed from 2015 to 2022. Randomized clinical trials that analyzed the effects of strength exercises versus other types of interventions, considering all the outcome measures of interest, were included in this review. Results: We found 5964 potential articles. After applying the selection criteria, we selected 12 of the articles. The studies compared strength exercises versus other therapies or compared strength exercises versus no intervention in one of the groups. The results showed improvements in the strength of the legs and pelvic floor, physical activity, bone density, metabolic and hormonal changes, heart rate and blood pressure and a change in hot flashes. Conclusions: There is evidence that strength exercises can be beneficial for improving strength, physical activity, bone density and hormonal and metabolic levels. In terms of the appropriate type of strength training, the evidence is still unclear given that the same benefits are achieved by various types of exercises

Hydrotherapy for the Treatment of Pain in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating neurological disease. Several studies have reported that complementary and alternative therapies can have positive effects against pain in these patients. Objective. The objective was to investigate the effectiveness of an Ai-Chi aquatic exercise program against pain and other symptoms in MS patients. Methods. In this randomized controlled trial, 73 MS patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group for a 20-week treatment program. The experimental group underwent 40 sessions of Ai-Chi exercise in swimming pool and the control group 40 sessions of abdominal breathing and contraction-relaxation exercises in therapy room. Outcome variables were pain, disability, spasm, depression, fatigue, and autonomy, which were assessed before the intervention and immediately and at 4 and 10 weeks after the last treatment session. Results. The experimental group showed a significant (P < 0.028) and clinically relevant decrease in pain intensity versus baseline, with an immediate posttreatment reduction in median visual analogue scale scores of 50% that was maintained for up to 10 weeks. Significant improvements were also observed in spasm, fatigue, disability, and autonomy. Conclusion. According to these findings, an Ai-Chi aquatic exercise program improves pain, spasms, disability, fatigue, depression, and autonomy in MS patients

Efeitos da simulação etletrocardiográfica en ambiente web sobre as estratégias e estilos de aprendizagem

OBJETIVOIdentificar associações entre o uso da simulação eletrocardiográfica na internet e os estilos e estratégias de aprendizagem dos estudantes de graduação em enfermagem.MÉTODODesenho descritivo-correlacional com avaliação pré e pós-teste num único grupo. A amostra do estudo incluiu 246 estudantes que frequentavam a disciplina de Suporte Básico e Avançado de Vida.RESULTADOSNão foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre gêneros em qualquer das dimensões dos estilos e estratégias de aprendizagem. Após introdução da simulação eletrocardiográfica recorrendo à internet, encontraram-se diferenças estatisticamente significativas em algumas das pontuações dos itens dos estilos de aprendizagem teórico (pOBJETIVOIdentificar asociaciones entre el uso de la simulación electrocardiográfica en la internet y los estilos y estrategias de aprendizaje de los estudiantes de graduación en enfermería.MÉTODODiseño descriptivo-correlacional con evaluación pré y post prueba en un solo grupo. La muestra del estudio incluyó a 246 estudiantes que acudían a la asignatura de Soporte Básico y Avanzado de Vida.RESULTADOSNo fueron encontradas diferencias significativas entre géneros en cualquiera de las dimensiones de los estilos y estrategias de aprendizaje. Después de la introducción de la simulación electrocardiográfica recurriendo a la web, fueron encontradas diferencias estadísticamente significativas en algunas de las puntuaciones de los ítems de los estilos de aprendizaje teórico (pOBJECTIVETo identify the association between the use of web simulation electrocardiography and the learning approaches, strategies and styles of nursing degree students.METHODA descriptive and correlational design with a one-group pretest-posttest measurement was used. The study sample included 246 students in a Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support nursing class of nursing degree.RESULTSNo significant differences between genders were found in any dimension of learning styles and approaches to learning. After the introduction of web simulation electrocardiography, significant differences were found in some item scores of learning styles: theorist (p < 0.040), pragmatic (p < 0.010) and approaches to learning.CONCLUSIONThe use of a web electrocardiogram (ECG) simulation is associated with the development of active and reflexive learning styles, improving motivation and a deep approach in nursing students

Benefits of Massage-Myofascial Release Therapy on Pain, Anxiety, Quality of Sleep, Depression, and Quality of Life in Patients with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by generalized pain, joint rigidity, intense fatigue, sleep alterations, headache, spastic colon, craniomandibular dysfunction, anxiety, and depression. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether massage-myofascial release therapy can improve pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed. Seventy-four fibromyalgia patients were randomly assigned to experimental (massage-myofascial release therapy) and placebo (sham treatment with disconnected magnotherapy device) groups. The intervention period was 20 weeks. Pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life were determined at baseline, after the last treatment session, and at 1 month and 6 months. Immediately after treatment and at 1 month, anxiety levels, quality of sleep, pain, and quality of life were improved in the experimental group over the placebo group. However, at 6 months postintervention, there were only significant differences in the quality of sleep index. Myofascial release techniques improved pain and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia

Effect of adding interferential current stimulation to exercise on outcomes in primary care patients with chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: To evaluate the effect of adding interferential current stimulation to exercise on pain, disability, psychological status and range of motion in patients with neck pain. Design: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Setting: Primary care physiotherapy units. Subjects: A total of 84 patients diagnosed with non-specific mechanical neck pain. This sample was divided into two groups randomly: experimental (n = 42) versus control group (n = 42). Interventions: Patients in both groups had a supervised therapeutic exercise programme, with the experimental group having additional interferential current stimulation treatment. Main measures: The main measures used were intensity of neck pain according to the Visual Analogue Scale; the degree of disability according to the Neck Disability Index and the CORE Outcome Measure; anxiety and depression levels according to the Goldberg scale; apprehension as measured by the Personal Psychological Apprehension scale; and the range of motion of the cervical spine. The sample was evaluated at baseline and posttreatment (10 sessions/two weeks). Results: Statistically significant differences between groups at posttreatment were observed for Visual Analogue Scale (2.73 ± 1.24 vs 4.99 ± 1.56), Neck Disability Index scores (10.60 ± 4.77 vs 18.45 ± 9.04), CORE Outcome Measure scores (19.18 ± 9.99 vs 35.12 ± 13.36), Goldberg total score (6.17 ± 4.27 vs 7.90 ± 4.87), Goldberg Anxiety subscale, Personal Psychological Apprehension Scale scores (28.17 ± 9.61 vs 26.29 ± 11.14) and active and passive right rotation. Conclusions: Adding interferential current stimulation to exercise resulted in better immediate outcome across a range of measures