Distant Healing Techniques and Distant Intercessory Prayer – A Tentative Scientific Conciliation

Currently there is a lack of a universally accepted theory that would constitute the base for the DH paradigm, and some fundamental issues about the mechanisms of DH remain non-responded. Even so, there is sparse documentation that intentions of one person can remotely influence mental and body functions of another person. With the available data, it becomes difficult to formulate an opinion about the validity of such techniques in healthcare. The question of DH may be put under the frame "Is the glass half empty or half full?". People who look at the issue of DH and see a half empty glass usually raise these points: Scientific evidence of benefit is poor, from scarce studies, many of them with methodological limitations; There is a lack of a coherent theory aligned to the ordinary reality based upon Newtonian science; Practical obstacles for healthcare include high variability of outcomes and low relevance of clinical effects. People who look at the issue of DH and see a half full glass usually raise these points: the positive results from some serious and well designed researches may indicate a possible hidden reality; emerging understanding of the mind and its non-local properties may explain the gap of distance; commitment to the patients\u27 claims for a humanistic, comprehensive and integrative healthcare. We may cite two poles of ignorance and the balanced position related to the discussion of DH. The first pole is the obstinate skepticism (arrogant and prejudiced attachment to materialism), that denies the full half. The opposite pole is the naive mysticism (unrealistic trust on paranormal potentialities), that denies the empty half. The balanced position is called here the option for the open-minded scientificism. Some opportunities of advancement in this field would arise from these points: new and adequate research designs complying with limitations of the phenomenon; the progressive consolidation of a new, post-materialist scientific paradigm; optimizing the efficacy of the phenomenon knowing better its interfering factors

The Continuum of Mind-Body Interplay—From Placebo Effect to Unexplained Cures

Mind and body are components of the same entity, with many relations of great importance to health and disease. The next medical frontier will be to answer what are all the mind and body relations, and how it can be explored in clinical practice. In the present manuscript, the authors collected elements that could collaborate to such advancement. The first challenge is to identify how diverse mind-body phenomena, apparently different, may share common grounds, as different manifestations from a unique self-healing mechanism. The range of such spectrum goes from the underestimated placebo effect to the unexplained cure of serious diseases. In such continuum of common and uncommon phenomena regarding mind-body interactions, small daily wonders may be found in the placebo effect and spirituality in health; unusual special marvels may be found in altered states of consciousness; and great rare miracles may be found in trance states and unexplained cures. Some informal mind-body interventions may have the potential to support the clinical treatment and they could be prescribed by every clinician. Finally, the advancement of the self-healing concept could lead to a better clinical exploration of such natural hidden potential

O fisiatra trata do quê?

A Fisiatria é talvez a especialidade médica que mais traga para o centro da atenção a integração biopsicossocial do ser humano. Além de se preocupar com a doença, preocupa-se também com o modo como esta doença impede o indivíduo de ser uma pessoa completa. Talvez a Fisiatria tenha sido uma revolução entre as especialidades médicas. Ela trouxe um conceito tão inovador que, mesmo passadas tantas décadas, ainda tentam delimitar exatamente qual o campo de atuação da Fisiatria. Ela talvez dê oportunidade de se exercer a medicina de uma forma mais espiritualizada. O problema do esclarecimento da população e da classe médica sobre a Fisiatria exige nosso empenho paciente e desprovido de irritação diante da desinformação.Physiatry is perhaps the medical specialty which most focus on the bio-psycho-social integration of the human being. Besides concerning the disease, concerns also with how this disease detains the individual in being a complete person. Perhaps Physiatry has been a revolution among medical specialties. It introduced such an innovator concept that, even past so many decades, still is tried to exactly delimitate the action field of Physiatry. Maybe Physiatry is the opportunity to exert Medicine in one of the most spiritualized ways. The problem of informing the population and the medical colleagues about Physiatry asks for our patient dedication in facing misinformation

Muscle strength analysis of hip and knee stabilizers in individuals with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

A Síndrome da Dor Femoropatelar é uma das desordens mais frequentes do joelho, caracterizada por dor anterior no joelho, que se agrava com atividades que aumentam as forças compressivas na articulação. Alterações no padrão de força muscular do quadríceps ou da musculatura estabilizadora do quadril poderiam alterar a biomecânica da articulação femoropatelar e, assim, aumentar o estresse articular e exacerbar sintomas de dor. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a força da musculatura de quadril e joelho em mulheres com e sem tal síndrome. Participaram deste estudo 45 voluntárias, sendo 20 sem e 25 com a Síndrome da Dor Femoropatelar. A força isométrica dos músculos flexores e extensores de joelho, abdutores, adutores, flexores, extensores, rotadores laterais e mediais do quadril foi avaliada por uma célula de carga adaptada. Mulheres com Síndrome da Dor Femoropatelar apresentaram redução de 22% da força dos rotadores mediais de quadril e 23% dos extensores de joelho, em comparação àquelas sem a Síndrome da Dor Femoropatelar. Não foram observadas diferenças na força isométrica entre os outros grupos musculares. Portanto, os dados deste trabalho reforçam que a musculatura quadricipital e os rotadores mediais do quadril são os mais comprometidos em indivíduos com Síndrome da Dor Femoropatelar.El Síndrome de Dolor Patelofemoral es uno de los trastornos más frecuentes de la rodilla, caracterizado por dolor anterior en la rodilla, que se agrava con actividades que aumentan las fuerzas compresivas en la articulación. Alteraciones en el estándar de fuerza muscular del cuádriceps o de la musculatura estabilizadora del cuadril podrían cambiar la biomecánica de la articulación patelofemoral y así aumentar el estrés articular y exacerbar los síntomas de dolor. El objetivo de eso estudio fue relacionar la fuerza de la musculatura del cuadril y de la rodilla en mujeres con y sin el síndrome. Eso estudio incluyó 45 voluntarias, 20 sin y 25 con el Síndrome de Dolor Patelofemoral. La fuerza isométrica de los músculos flexores y extensores de la rodilla, abductores, aductores, flexores, extensores, rotadores laterales y mediales del cuadril fue evaluada por una célula de carga ajustada. Mujeres con el Síndrome de Dolor Patelofemoral presentaron reducción del 22% de la fuerza de los rotadores mediales de cuadril y un 23% de los extensores de la rodilla, cuando comparadas con las sin el Síndrome de Dolor Patelofemoral. No fueron observadas diferencias en la fuerza isométrica entre los otros grupos musculares. Por lo tanto, los datos de eso trabajo resaltan que la musculatura quadricipital y los rotadores mediales del cuadril son los más comprometidos en sujetos con el Síndrome de Dolor Patelofemoral.The Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome is one of the most common disorders of the knee, characterized by pain in the frontal part of the knee, which is worsened by activities that increase compressive forces on the joint. Alterations in the muscle strength of the quadriceps and hip stabilizer muscles can change patellar biomechanics, increasing joint stress and exacerbating pain symptoms. The aim of the study was to compare the strength of the hip and knee stabilizing muscles of women without and with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. The study included 45 women, 20 volunteers without the syndrome and 25 with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. Using an isometric dynamometer, the strength of the knee flexors and extensors, hip abductors and adductors, hip external rotators, medial rotators, hip flexors and hip extensors was evaluated. Women with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome had 22% less strength of the internal rotators and 23% less strength of the knee extensors compared to healthy ones. As for the other muscle groups assessed, no differences were found. Therefore, the present study emphasizes that the quadriceps muscles are still the most affected muscle in individuals with the Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome