Prevalence of myofascial dysfunction in patients with low back pain

Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence of myofascial dysfunction in patients with low back pain, which is the area most frequently afflicted, and to quantify the pain threshold for these evaluations using an algometer. Method: We evaluated 70 patients with a history of chronic low back pain in search of trigger points that would elicit the patient’s pain. The muscles tested were the quadratus lumborum, iliopsoas, gluteus maximus, medius, minimus, and piriformis. The prevalence of myofascial dysfunction was determined by the percentage of patients with trigger points. The pain threshold was determined by the average of three assessments of pressure for each trigger point. Results: The results showed that 90% of patients had myofascial dysfunction, 76% of whom had trigger points in the quadratus lumborum, 69% in the gluteus medius, 56% in the piriformis, 40% in the gluteus minimus, 31% in the iliopsoas, and 29% in the gluteus maximus. The pressure pain threshold of the quadratus lumborum was 1.71 kg/cm2, 2.39 kg/cm2 for the gluteus medius, 2.34 kg/cm2 for the piriformis, 2.58 kg/cm2 for the gluteus minimus, 2.11 kg/cm2 for the iliopsoas and 2.19 kg/cm2 for the gluteus maximus. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate the high prevalence of this disorder and suggest that it deserves specific attention in the treatment of low back pain in patients with chronic pain.Objetivo: Examinar a prevalência da disfunção miofascial em indivíduos com dor lombar e quantificar limiar de dor destes através do algômetro. Método: Foram avaliados 70 indivíduos com idade média de 48 (± 11,76) com história de dor lombar crônica, sendo investigada a presença de pontos-gatilho nos músculos: quadrado lombar, iliopsoas, glúteos máximo, médio e mínimo, e piriforme. A prevalência foi determinada pela porcentagem de indivíduos com pontos gatilhos presentes e o limiar de dor foi determinado pela média de três avaliações de pressão de cada ponto-gatilho. Resultados: Demonstraram que 90% dos indivíduos apresentaram disfunção miofascial, dentre eles, 76% no músculo quadrado lombar, 69% no glúteo médio, 56% no piriforme, 40% no glúteo mínimo, 31% no íliopsoas e 29% no glúteo máximo. O limiar de dor por pressão dos músculos quadrado lombar foi de 1,71 Kg/cm2, de 2,39 Kg/cm2 para o glúteo médio, de 2,34 Kg/cm2 para o piriforme, de 2,58 Kg/cm2 para o glúteo mínimo, de 2,11 Kg/cm2 para o iliopsoas e de 2,19 Kg/cm2 para o glúteo máximo. Conclusão: Na amostra analisada, os dados deste estudo demonstram a grande prevalência desta disfunção e sugere que a mesma merece atenção específica no tratamento da lombalgia em indivíduos com dor crônica

12 item Allodynia Symptom Checklist/Brasil: cross-cultural adaptation, internal consistency and reproducibility

Since there was no Portuguese questionnaire to evaluate cutaneous allodynia, which has been pointed out as a risk factor of migraine, we aimed to perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the 12 item Allodynia Symptom Checklist for the Brazilian population and to test its measurement properties. It consisted in six stages: translation, synthesis, back translation, revision by a specialist committee, pretest and submission the documents to the committee. In the pretest stage, the questionnaire was applied to 30 migraineurs of both sexes, who had some difficulty in understanding it. Thus, a second version was applied to 30 additional subjects, with no difficulties being reported. The mean filling out time was 3'36", and the internal consistency was 0.76. To test reproducibility, 15 other subjects filled out the questionnaire at two different times, it was classified as moderate (weighted kappa=0.58). We made available to Brazilian population an easy, quick and reliable questionnaire.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao de Apoio ao Ensino, Pesquisa e Assistencia of HCFMRP (FAEPA)Fundacao de Apoio ao Ensino, Pesquisa e Assistencia of HCFMRP (FAEPA

Additional sensory information reduces body sway of individuals with anterior cruciate ligament injury

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the additional sensory information could improve postural control in individuals with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Twenty-eight individuals with unilateral ACL injury (mean age 23.6, 26 males, 2 females) and 28 healthy young control subjects (mean age 22.1 years, 26 males, 2 females) participated in this study. Postural control was evaluated with subjects single-leg standing on a force platform with eyes closed under two sensory conditions: normal sensory information and light touch to a stationary bar (applied force below 1 N). Three trials of 30 5 were performed in each single-leg stance and in each sensory condition. Mean sway amplitude and predominant frequency of center of pressure were calculated for both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. Individuals with ACL injury showed greater mean sway amplitude than healthy control individuals even though the predominant frequency was similar for both groups. Additional sensory information improved postural control performance in individuals with ACL injury and healthy control, with a greater effect observed for the ACL group. Based on these results, we suggest that reduction in postural control performance in individuals with ACL injury would be due to the reduction of sensory information provided by the ACL, but when sensory information is enhanced, postural control performance improves. These results have implications for novel approaches to improve stability in individuals with ACL injury. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[2003/13719-1

ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC AMPLITUDE RATIO OF SERRATUS ANTERIOR AND UPPER TRAPEZIUS MUSCLES DURING MODIFIED PUSH-UPS AND BENCH PRESS EXERCISES

Imbalance and weakness of the serratus anterior and upper trapezius force couple have been described in patients with shoulder dysfunction. There is interest in identifying exercises that selectively activate these muscles and including it in rehabilitation protocols. This study aims to verify the UT/SA electromyographic (EMG) amplitude ratio, performed in different upper limb exercises and on two bases of support. Twelve healthy men were tested (average age = 22.8 +/- 3.1 years), and surface EMG was recorded from the upper trapezius and serratus anterior using single differential surface electrodes. Volunteers performed isometric contractions over a stable base of support and on a Swiss ball during the wall push-up (WP), bench press (BP), and push-up (PU) exercises. All SEMG data are reported as a percentage of root mean square or integral of linear envelope from the maximal value obtained in one of three maximal voluntary contractions for each muscle studied. A linear mixed-effect model was performed to compare UT/SA ratio values. The WP, BP, and PU exercises showed UT/SA ratio mean +/- SD values of 0.69 +/- 0.72, 0.14 +/- 0.12, and 0.39 +/- 0.37 for stable surfaces, respectively, whereas for unstable surfaces, the values were 0.73 +/- 0.67, 0.43 +/- 0.39, and 0.32 +/- 0.30. The results demonstrate that UT/SA ratio was influenced by the exercises and by the upper limb base of support. The practical application is to show that BP on a stable surface is the exercise preferred over WP and PU on either surfaces for serratus anterior muscle training in patients with imbalance between the UT/SA force couple or serratus anterior weakness.The State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)The National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq

Interictal Photophobia and Phonophobia Are Related to the Presence of Aura and High Frequency of Attacks in Patients with Migraine

Background: Despite that photophobia and phonophobia are well-known symptoms related to migraine, it is unclear whether they affect daily life activities during the headache-free period. Objective: To evaluate the interictal photophobia/phonophobia intensity during daily activities in migraineurs and non-headache individuals. Methods: Women with migraine without aura (MoA, n = 30), migraine with aura (MA, n = 30), chronic migraine (CM, n = 30) and without headache (CG, n = 30) reported the photophobia and phonophobia intensity during daily activities using a Likert scale ranging from 0 (no discomfort) to 10 (maximum discomfort). Results: The migraine groups reported higher intensity of interictal photophobia and phonophobia than CG during “driving” and “social situations”, respectively (p < 0.05). MA and CM groups presented higher intensity of phonophobia than CG, hearing sounds in everyday situations and listening to conversations in noisy places (p < 0.05). Also, the MA group presented higher interictal phonophobia than the CG to keep concentration in noisy places (p < 0.05). Weak positive correlations were observed between the intensity of both photophobia and phonophobia with migraine intensity, frequency of migraine and frequency of aura (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Interictally, the intensity of photophobia and phonophobia reported during daily activities is higher in patients with migraine, especially those with aura and chronic migraine, than in non-headache subjects

Electromyographic Analysis of Paravertebral Muscles in Patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis

Study Design. Prospective clinical electromyographic study in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis and control group. Objective. To evaluate electromyographic amplitude from erector spinae muscles of patients with idiopathic scoliosis in comparison with control volunteers without spinal deformities. Summary of Background Data. Previous studies have indicated an increased electromyographic activity in paravertebral muscles in the convex side of the scoliotic curvature. However, in previous studies there is the absence or poor description of methods used, and some studies were conducted before the recording and processing recommendations for surface electromyographic signals had been described. Methods. Thirty individuals, matched by sex, age, and body mass index, were divided into two groups: scoliosis and control. The electric activity of the erector spinae muscles was determined by surface electromyography on both sides of the three levels of spine: T8, L2, and L5. Results. Normalized electromyographic amplitudes of erector spinae muscles, in the convex and concave sides of the apex region of the scoliotic curve in the thoracic and lumbar regions, were not significantly different. Also, there was no significant difference between the muscles of these regions when the scoliosis group was compared with the control group. The erector spinae muscle at the L5 level, representing the lower vertebral limit of the lumbar scoliotic curve, had significantly higher electromyographic activity on the convex side. However, the same alteration was shown in the control group homologous muscle (on the left side). Conclusion. Erector spinae muscles on the convex and concave sides at the curvature apex in patients with idiopathic scoliosis and small magnitude of curves did not show significant differences in electromyographic amplitude. Future studies should evaluate whether intragroup activation differences, at the L5 level in 80% of the maximum voluntary isometric contractions with predominance of the left side of the vertebral column, have any relation to the condition.FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[2003/13717-9

Comparison between the reliability levels of manual palpation and pressure pain threshold in children who reported orofacial pain

The aim of this study was to compare the intra-and inter-rater reliability of pressure pain threshold (PPT) and manual palpation (MP) of orofacial structures in symptomatic and symptom-free children for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Fourteen children reporting pain in masticatory muscles or the temporomandibular joint and 16 symptom-free children were randomly assessed on three different occasions: by rater-1 in the first and third session and by rater-2 in the second session. The trained raters applied algometry and MP as recommended by the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD. Intraclass correlation coefficients and the Kappa statistic were used to assess the levels of reliability of PPT and MP, respectively. Excellent intra-and inter-rater reliability levels were observed for PPT values at most of the examined sites for symptom-free children and excellent and moderate reliability levels for children reporting pain. For MP, moderate and poor intra-rater and inter-rater reliability levels were observed for most sites in both groups. Algometry showed higher reliability levels for both groups of children and is recommended for pain assessment in children in association with MP. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved