Pain and physical functioning in neuropathic pain: a systematic review of psychometric properties of various outcome measures

INTRODUCTION: A range of outcome measures across various domains are used to evaluate change following an intervention in clinical trials on chronic neuropathic pain (NeP). However, to capture a real change in the variable of interest, the psychometric properties of a particular measure should demonstrate appropriate methodological quality. Various outcome measures in the domains of pain and physical functioning have been used in the literature for NeP, for which individual properties (eg, reliability/validity) have been reported. To date, there is no definitive synthesis of evidence on the psychometric properties of those outcome measures; thus, the aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the methodological quality [COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines] of studies that evaluated psychometric properties of pain and physical functioning outcome measures used for NeP. METHODS: Specific MeSH/keywords related to 3 areas (pain and/or physical functioning, psychometric properties, and NeP) were used to retrieve relevant studies (English language) in key electronic databases (MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus, AMED, and Web of Science) from database inception-July 2012. Articles retrieval/screening and quality analysis (COSMIN) were carried out by 2 independent reviewers. RESULTS: Twenty-four pain and thirty-seven physical functioning outcome measures were identified, varying in methodological quality from poor-excellent. CONCLUSION: Although a variety of pain and physical functioning outcome measures have been reported in the literature, few have demonstrate methodologically strong psychometric properties. Thus, future research is required to further investigate the psychometric properties of existing pain and physical functioning outcome measures used for clinical and research purposes

Effectiveness of a treadmill-based aerobic exercise intervention on pain, daily functioning, and quality of life in women with primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a treadmill-based aerobic exercise intervention on pain and associated symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: Seventy women with primary dysmenorrhea were included in the study. The experimental group underwent supervised aerobic training for 4 weeks followed by unsupervised home exercise for the next 6 months. The control group continued usual care. The primary outcome was pain. Secondary outcomes included quality of life (QoL), daily functioning, and sleep. Results: After the 4-week training, compared to the control group exercise significantly improved primary outcomes pain quality (mean difference (MD) -1.9, 95% CI 3.8 to -0.04, p < 0.05), and intensity (MD -4.7, 95% CI -9.3 to -0.09, p < 0.05), but not present pain. Significant effects were also reported for pain interference (MD -1.7, 95% CI -3.4 to -0.02, p < 0.05) at 4 weeks; the other outcomes did not significantly differ between groups at this time. During the follow-up period of 7-months, the effect on pain improved to 22 mm (95% CI 18 to 25). Significant benefits of exercise were maintained up to 7-months for present pain, QoL and daily functioning. Conclusion: Exercise has significant effects on primary dysmenorrhea-related pain, QoL and function

Balance assessment in Multiple Sclerosis and cerebellar ataxia: rationale, protocol and demographic data

A core set of standardized balance measures are required for use in rehabilitation among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and cerebellar ataxia. An earlier systematic review and Delphi survey identified the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Posture and Gait sub-component of the International Co-operative Ataxia Rating Scale (PG of ICARS) and the gait, sitting and stance sub-components of the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA Bal) as suitable balance measures. This study aims to estimate the reliability, validity and interpretability of these measures. This study will recruit 60 participants with multiple sclerosis with secondary cerebellar involvement across four centres in New Zealand and the United States of America. Participants will be assessed and videotaped performing the BBS, TUG, SARA Bal and PG of ICARS by trained physiotherapists. Barthel Index, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Disease duration, ICARS and SARA will also be assessed to determine validity. A second assessment to determine reliability will be conducted by assessors watching the video-recording. Data collection is in progress, 44 samples have been collected and the demographic data are presented. The findings of this study will recommend a core set of reliable, valid and interpretable measures that are suitable for clinical practice and research for the assessment of balance among adults with MS and cerebellar ataxia. Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) and cut-off scores to predict the use of assistive walking device will be established

Review of the mathematical foundations of data fusion techniques in surface metrology

The recent proliferation of engineered surfaces, including freeform and structured surfaces, is challenging current metrology techniques. Measurement using multiple sensors has been proposed to achieve enhanced benefits, mainly in terms of spatial frequency bandwidth, which a single sensor cannot provide. When using data from different sensors, a process of data fusion is required and there is much active research in this area. In this paper, current data fusion methods and applications are reviewed, with a focus on the mathematical foundations of the subject. Common research questions in the fusion of surface metrology data are raised and potential fusion algorithms are discussed

Social media for physiotherapy clinics: considerations in creating a Facebook page

Social media websites play a prominent role in modern society, and the most popular of these websites is Facebook. Increasingly, physiotherapy clinics have begun to utilize Facebook in order to create pages to publicize their services. There are many factors to consider in the planning, implementing, and maintenance of Facebook pages for physiotherapy clinics, including ethical and privacy issues. The primary purpose of creating a page must be clearly defined, with dedicated clinicians given adequate time to manage the page. This technical article discusses these factors and summarizes the experiences at the University of Otago, New Zealand, in creating a Facebook page for the physiotherapy clinic and provides suggestions for physiotherapy clinicians in operating a Facebook page

Validating the Cambridge Protocol: Reliability of Hip Muscle Strength Measurements Using a Motorized Dynamometer and Electromyography

Background: Muscle weakness is common after injury in athletes and in the presence of hip pathology. It will cause abnormal hip biomechanics and can predict future injury. However, objective measurement of hip muscle strength is difficult to perform accurately and reliably. Therefore, it is challenging to determine when an athlete has returned to preinjury levels of strength. In addition, there is currently no standardized method of obtaining measurements, which prevents the data being compared or shared between research centers. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to comprehensively assess the inter- and intraobserver reliability of our standardized muscle strength measurement protocol. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Level of Evidence: Level 3, inception cohort study. Methods: A total of 16 healthy male volunteers (age = 28.3 ± 7.9 years) were recruited. Those with a previous history of hip injuries or disorders were excluded. These volunteers underwent strength testing according to the Cambridge Protocol on 4 separate occasions, performed by 2 independent assessors. Maximal voluntary contractions, fatigue torque fluctuations, and electromyography measurements were recorded. Intra- and interobserver reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Good-to-excellent correlation was seen for both intra- and interobserver reliability across almost all hip movements for maximal contractions: ICC ranged 0.78 to 0.93 and 0.78 to 0.96, respectively. The standard error of the mean for all hip movements was also extremely low at 2% to 3%. Conclusion: The Cambridge Protocol is a highly reliable method for objective measurement of hip muscle strength. We recommend future studies use this protocol, or the principles underpinning it, to enable data sharing and comparison across different studies. Clinical Relevance: This is a description and analysis of hip muscle strength measurement. If widely used, it will allow for accurate and objective strength assessment and closer monitoring of hip injuries and pathology