Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Background The association between the radiographic and clinical findings of shoulder pain is unclear and it is not fully understood how plain film radiographs of the shoulder influence the suspected clinical diagnosis and conservative management of shoulder pain at the Chiropractic Day Clinic (CDC) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Previous research at the CDC reported that plain film radiographs did not significantly influence the suspected clinical diagnosis and conservation management of the lumbar spine and knee conditions. This study was conducted in order to determine if a similar trend was observed for plain film radiographs of the shoulder and the suspected clinical diagnosis and conservative management of shoulder pain. Objectives Objective 1: To determine the association between the suspected clinical diagnosis and radiographic diagnosis of shoulder pain. Objective 2: To describe the type of incidental radiographic findings in the selected plain film radiographs of the shoulder. Objective 3: To determine the proportion of change in the suspected clinical diagnosis and the conservative management of shoulder after obtaining the radiographic report. Method The archives of the CDC at the Durban University of Technology were searched for plain film radiographs of the shoulder and corresponding patients’ records from 4 April 1992 to 19 September 2011. These were collected, examined and evaluated, and the relevant data was extracted. Statistical analysis included the use of percentages, mean, standard deviation, range and frequency counts for the descriptive objectives. The suspected clinical diagnoses were categorized into groups (trauma, mechanical conditions, muscular or tendon dysfunction, capsular syndromes, neurological conditions, arthritides and other). These were then constructed using two-by-two tables for the absence or presence of radiographic diagnoses versus the suspected clinical diagnosis. The McNemars chi square test was used to determine any association between the radiographic and suspected clinical diagnosis. Results The mean age of the patients whose clinical and plain film radiographic records were examined was 43.5 years, with 53.7% male and 46.3% female patients. It was not possible to find an association between the suspected clinical and radiographic diagnoses as the categories were too different for statistical testing to be done. Thirty one (57.4%) plain film radiographs were requested at the first consultation. In 53.7% (29/54 radiographs) of cases, no specific suspected clinical diagnosis was given and “suspected pathology” was the reason given for referral. Of the 54 patients, 21 had a change in the suspected clinical diagnosis; however, in many of these cases (13/21) it was not a direct result of the radiographic findings. A wide range of treatments were used both before and after plain film radiographs, including soft tissue therapy, manipulation and electrotherapy. There was no significant change in the frequency of use of any of the modalities post-radiographs. Conclusion The reasons provided for ordering plain film radiographs were sometimes vague or even invalid. Although there was a change in 21 of the 54 suspected clinical diagnoses it was not conclusively as a result of the radiographic findings. The management of shoulder complaints did not change appreciatively following plain film radiographs. These findings suggest that the current use of plain film radiographs in the clinical and management context at the CDC needs to be reviewed. / M

Lateral hip pain (LHP), characterised by non-specific symptoms in the region of the greater trochanter, is a condition frequently encountered by physiotherapists and other health professionals. However, the pathogenesis of LHP is not well understood. Although pathology of the gluteal tendons and their associated bursae have long been implicated in the cause of this problem, trochanteric bursitis has emerged as the primary clinical diagnosis. In order to determine a differential diagnosis, clinicians are reliant on information collated from the patient history and physical examination, yet the validity of many of the tests used to diagnose LHP has not been established. Abnormalities of the gluteal bursae may give rise to LHP and therefore to ensure precision of clinical assessment and treatment techniques, knowledge of bursal morphology is essential. However, a review of the literature revealed that there are no complete morphological accounts of all the bursae in this area. Therefore, the main purposes of this study were (a) to determine the morphology of the bursae associated with the greater trochanter and (b) to examine the physiotherapy and radiological diagnoses of LHP, and the validity of selected tests used in the diagnosis of LHP. In the anatomical study, the bursae deep to each of the layered gluteal tendons were examined in 21 embalmed human hips (9 male, 12 female; mean age 79 years, SD 9.4 years) using macro-dissection and histological techniques. Morphological associations, size, positions and histological characteristics of the bursae were recorded. A total of 121 bursae were identified in ten different locations, with an average of six bursae per hip. Variation was evident, but it was typical that at least two bursae were found deep to gluteus maximus (GMax) and the fascia lata, and gluteus medius (GMed). In approximately two-thirds of specimens a single bursa was situated deep to the tendon of gluteus minimus (GMin). All of these bursae demonstrated a synovial lining, which was predominantly areolar in type. This study revealed that numerous bursae are intimately associated with the greater trochanter, and provides new morphological detail which is of significance when considering clinical and biomechanical models of LHP. A clinical study was undertaken whereby 40 consecutive patients (37 female, 3 male; mean age 54.4 years, SD 9.5 years) with unilateral LHP were recruited prospectively. Each eligible participant underwent a standardised physiotherapy assessment followed by a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging study of the pelvis and both hips. The MR images were analysed in random order by three radiologists blinded to clinical findings and symptomatic side, and the intra-and inter-observer reliability for image analysis was examined using the kappa statistic. To determine the validity of selected clinical tests as evaluated against MR imaging, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated, and the chi-squared test was used to determine association. As demonstrated by MR imaging, GMed tendon pathology, bursitis, osteoarthritis (OA) and gluteal muscle atrophy are all associated with the report of LHP. Interestingly, these various pathologies were identified in asymptomatic as well as symptomatic limbs. However, while bursitis was equally prevalent in symptomatic and asymptomatic hips, GMed tendon pathology and OA were observed more frequently on the symptomatic side. Furthermore, muscle atrophy which predominantly affected GMin, was specific to symptomatic hips. Large variation was evident in the strength of agreement between radiologists and there was little agreement between physiotherapy and radiological diagnoses of pathology. Physiotherapists frequently diagnosed trochanteric bursitis as a cause of LHP and while palpation was identified as the most provocative test for reproducing patients complaint of LHP, it was not shown to be a valid technique. Instead, the outcomes pertaining to the validity of the clinical tests indicate that attention should be focused towards the assessment and treatment of gluteal tendon pathology. The two tests that appeared to be most useful for diagnosing gluteal tendon pathology were pain reproduction with passive hip abduction and resisted testing of GMed and GMin. While these findings demonstrate that various pathologies are associated with the report of LHP, they also highlight some problems associated with the use of MR imaging as a reference standard. Before further clinical validation studies of LHP are undertaken in larger populations, it is recommended that verification of MR imaging outcomes are performed against surgical and histological findings.

No description available.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Johannesburg 2017. / Neck pain is one of the most common debilitating musculoskeletal complaints seen in physiotherapy practice. It is often associated with headache, upper back and shoulder/arm pain (cervico-brachial pain) and such patients are more disabled than patients with neck pain only. Cervico-brachial pain syndrome is an upper quarter pain syndrome in which neural tissue sensitivity to mechanical stimulus is thought to play a role. Neuropathic pain is a problem associated with and prevalent in neck and arm pain. Psychosocial factors, such as fear-avoidance beliefs and catastrophising, have been shown to play an important role in treatment outcomes. Neural mobilisation (NM) is often used to influence the neural structures in conditions with signs of neural involvement or neural mechano-sensitivity. It seems reasonable to use neural mobilisation in cervico-brachial pain as neural structures play an important role in this condition The optimal treatment intervention for cervico-brachial pain is yet to be established. The prevalence of cervico-brachial pain in a South African population is also unknown. Aims of the study The aims of the study were to: i. To establish the prevalence of cervico-brachial pain in patients being seen in physiotherapy practices in Pretoria, South Africa. ii. To establish the effect of neural mobilisation on the pain, function and quality of life of patients with acute and sub-acute cervico-brachial pain. iii. To establish the influence of high catastrophising scores and neuropathic pain on treatment outcomes. iv. To establish the effect of demographic factors on the pain, function and quality of life of patients with cervico-brachial pain. Methods Research Question 1. A retrospective survey of physiotherapy patient records dated 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011 was conducted. The prevalence of patients with neck pain in relation to other musculoskeletal complaints was calculated and expressed as a percentage. Symptoms recorded included the following; headache, dizziness, pins and needles, feeling of weakness, other sensations, more than one symptom and pain in other area/s. Based on body charts, areas of pain were coded as neck pain only, pain in the shoulder, shoulder and upper arm, shoulder to elbow, lower arm, hand, neck and arm up to wrist, neck and arm including hand. Research Questions 2, 3 and 4 A single blind randomised clinical trial was conducted to establish the effect of neural mobilisation on cervico-brachial pain. The intervention group (IG) received cervical and thoracic mobilisation exercises, advice and NM. The usual care (UC) had the same treatment without NM. Outcomes were assessed at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. The Numerical Pain Rating Scale was used to determine the effect of NM on pain. The Patient Specific Functional Scale was used to determine the effect of NM on function and the EuroQual5 instrument was used to establish the effect of NM on the quality of life. At 6 weeks the Global Rating of Change was administered to measure patient’s perception of recovery. The Neuropathic Diagnostic Questionnaire (DN4) was used to classify patients with neuropathic pain and the Pain Catastrophising Scale to identify catastrophisers. Results and Discussion Prevalence of neck and radiating arm pain in physiotherapy private practice, Pretoria South Africa The prevalence of neck pain in private physiotherapy practices in Pretoria, SA is high (46.4% of the total musculoskeletal complaints) with radiating arm pain (52.2% of neck pain population) and pain in other areas (22.6% of neck pain population) being commonly associated with neck pain. Furthermore, other symptoms such as headache (25.4% of the neck pain population) and paraesthesia (11.2%) are also frequently present. Neck pain is multi-faceted and this has implications for its management. Future studies with a bigger, representative population sample are needed to establish the prevalence of neck pain in SA. The effect of neural mobilisation on cervico-brachial pain All patients improved significantly in terms of pain, function and quality of life over the 12-month period. However, the IG had significantly less pain than the UC group at 6 months (p=0.03 95% CI 0.96 - 2.03) and this difference was more pronounced in patients with neuropathic pain (IG 2.91 95%CI 1.74 - 4.08 and CG 5.5 95% CI 3.45 - 7.55 p=0.01). There were no significant differences between groups in terms of function or quality of life. Patients with neuropathic pain had significantly more pain at 6 months (positive neuropathic pain 3.71 95%CI 2.57 – 4.84; negative neuropathic pain 1.44 95% CI 0.93 – 1.96 p=0.0001) and 12 months (positive neuropathic pain 3.23 95% CI 1.74 – 4.71; negative neuropathic pain 1.38 95% CI 0.88 – 1.91 p=0.01) compared to those without neuropathic pain. At 12 months function was also negatively affected by the presence of neuropathic pain (positive neuropathic pain 23.91 95%CI 20.96 – 26.86; negative neuropathic pain 27.15 95% CI 25.95 – 28.36 p=0.04). It did not have an effect on quality of life. Catastrophisers had more pain at 6 months (catastrophisers 4.25 95% CI -1.90 – 10.40; non-catastrophisers 1.70 95% CI 1.22 – 2.17 p=0.02) and 12 months (catastrophisers 3.56 95% CI 1.10 – 6.02) compared to non-catastrophisers (1.47 95% CI 0.96 – 1.99 p=0.02). There was no difference in their function at any time, however at baseline they reported a lower quality of life (Catastrophisers 61.96 95% CI 52.04 – 71.87; non-catastrophisers 75.79 95% CI 71.91 – 79.66 p=0.002). Conclusion The addition of NM to cervical and thoracic mobilisation, exercises and advice to stay active, in the management of cervico-brachial pain, resulted in less pain at 6-month follow-up. For patients with neuropathic pain the positive effect was more pronounced. Adding NM as an adjunct to usual care is effective to improve pain for patients with cervico-brachial pain especially for those with a neuropathic pain component. The presence of neuropathic pain and catastrophising resulted in poor pain-related outcomes. / MT2017

No description available.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of standardized criteria for diagnosing rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP). OBJECTIVE: To identify the most relevant clinical descriptors for diagnosing RCRSP. METHODS: A Delphi study was conducted through use of an international physical therapists expert panel. A 3-round Delphi survey involving an international panel of physical therapists experts with extensive clinical, teaching, and research experience was conducted. A search query was performed in Web of Science, along with a manual search, to find the experts. The first round was composed of items obtained from a previous pilot Delphi study along with new items proposed by the experts. Participants were asked to rate items across six clinical domains using a five-point Likert scale. An Aiken's Validity Index ≥ 0.7 was considered indicative of group consensus. RESULTS: Fifteen experts participated in the Delphi survey. After the three rounds, consensus was reached on 18 clinical descriptors: 10 items were included in the "subjective examination" domain, 1 item was included in the "patient-reported outcome measures" domain, 3 items in the "diagnostic examination" domain, 2 items in the "physical examination" domain", and 2 items in the "functional tests" domain. No items reached consensus within the "special tests" domain. The reproduction of symptoms in relation to the application of load, the performance of overhead activities, and the need of active and resisted movement assessment were some of the results with greatest consensus. CONCLUSION: In this Delphi study, a total of 18 clinical descriptors across six clinical domains were agreed upon for diagnosing RCRSP.

Um conjunto de evidências sugere que a síndrome da congestão pélvica está associada às varizes pélvicas. A congestão pélvica é explicada em muitos casos pela insuficiência das veias ovarianas em drenar o fluxo venoso dos ovários. No presente estudo, realizou-se a avaliação clínica e técnica do tratamento endovascular percutâneo na síndrome da congestão pélvica através da técnica de embolização. Foram tratadas 113 mulheres, das quais 100 foram acompanhadas pelo período de um ano e a análise dos resultados foi baseada nessa amostra. Os resultados clínicos foram baseados na avaliação da sintomatologia durante o período de acompanhamento, com a utilização da escala visual analógica. A avaliação técnica baseou-se no sucesso da realização dos procedimentos e na avaliação das complicações. As pacientes selecionadas com diagnóstico clínico da síndrome foram submetidas ao estudo angiográfico que revelou insuficiência das veias ovarianas previamente ao tratamento por embolização. Obteve-se sucesso técnico em todos os casos, caracterizado pela possibilidade de realização do cateterismo seletivo das veias ovarianas e ilíacas internas com embolização das mesmas. A remissão total dos sintomas foi observada em 37 pacientes (32.7%) e parcial em 63 pacientes (55.4%). Foi observado significativo alívio dos sintomas (p < 0,001), confirmados pela redução dos valores obtidos através da escala analógica visual. A principal complicação foi a migração do agente embolizante metálico, no entanto, com resolução endovascular de todos os casos e sem repercussão clínica. O tratamento endovascular das varizes pélvicas por meio da embolização apresentou resultados satisfatórios em relação aos sintomas apresentados e mostrou-se como método seguro e com baixos índices de complicação. / A great body of evidence suggests that the pelvic congestion syndrome is associated to female varicocile. Pelvic congestion is explained in many cases by ovarian and internal iliac vein insufficiency. The endpoint of the study was the measurement of clinical outcomes and technical success of transcatheter embolotherapy in order to obtain relief of symptoms. The treatment group included 113 patients but only 100 were submitted for a follow up period. We had initial technical success rate of the ovarian and internal iliac vein embolization in all cases. It was used a visual analog scale (VAS) during the 12 months follow up period. The selected patients with the diagnosis of the syndrome were submitted to an angiographic evaluation to reveal ovaric and internal iliac vein insufficiency previous embolization. The technical success was determined by the ability to successfully embolize the ovarian and internal ilac varices and the clinical evaluation by the improvement of symptoms after the following period. A total relief of symptoms was observed in 37 patients (32.7%) and partial relief in 63 (55.4%). Nevertheless, it was seen an important general relief of every symptom (p < 0.001), as well a reduction of the values. The main complication was coil distal embolization, nevertheless, all of them were solved by endovascular approach without clinical repercussion. The transcatheter embolotherapy of the pelvic congestion syndrome provides significant symptomatic improvement, initial technical success and showed no significant long-term complications.

Um conjunto de evidências sugere que a síndrome da congestão pélvica está associada às varizes pélvicas. A congestão pélvica é explicada em muitos casos pela insuficiência das veias ovarianas em drenar o fluxo venoso dos ovários. No presente estudo, realizou-se a avaliação clínica e técnica do tratamento endovascular percutâneo na síndrome da congestão pélvica através da técnica de embolização. Foram tratadas 113 mulheres, das quais 100 foram acompanhadas pelo período de um ano e a análise dos resultados foi baseada nessa amostra. Os resultados clínicos foram baseados na avaliação da sintomatologia durante o período de acompanhamento, com a utilização da escala visual analógica. A avaliação técnica baseou-se no sucesso da realização dos procedimentos e na avaliação das complicações. As pacientes selecionadas com diagnóstico clínico da síndrome foram submetidas ao estudo angiográfico que revelou insuficiência das veias ovarianas previamente ao tratamento por embolização. Obteve-se sucesso técnico em todos os casos, caracterizado pela possibilidade de realização do cateterismo seletivo das veias ovarianas e ilíacas internas com embolização das mesmas. A remissão total dos sintomas foi observada em 37 pacientes (32.7%) e parcial em 63 pacientes (55.4%). Foi observado significativo alívio dos sintomas (p < 0,001), confirmados pela redução dos valores obtidos através da escala analógica visual. A principal complicação foi a migração do agente embolizante metálico, no entanto, com resolução endovascular de todos os casos e sem repercussão clínica. O tratamento endovascular das varizes pélvicas por meio da embolização apresentou resultados satisfatórios em relação aos sintomas apresentados e mostrou-se como método seguro e com baixos índices de complicação. / A great body of evidence suggests that the pelvic congestion syndrome is associated to female varicocile. Pelvic congestion is explained in many cases by ovarian and internal iliac vein insufficiency. The endpoint of the study was the measurement of clinical outcomes and technical success of transcatheter embolotherapy in order to obtain relief of symptoms. The treatment group included 113 patients but only 100 were submitted for a follow up period. We had initial technical success rate of the ovarian and internal iliac vein embolization in all cases. It was used a visual analog scale (VAS) during the 12 months follow up period. The selected patients with the diagnosis of the syndrome were submitted to an angiographic evaluation to reveal ovaric and internal iliac vein insufficiency previous embolization. The technical success was determined by the ability to successfully embolize the ovarian and internal ilac varices and the clinical evaluation by the improvement of symptoms after the following period. A total relief of symptoms was observed in 37 patients (32.7%) and partial relief in 63 (55.4%). Nevertheless, it was seen an important general relief of every symptom (p < 0.001), as well a reduction of the values. The main complication was coil distal embolization, nevertheless, all of them were solved by endovascular approach without clinical repercussion. The transcatheter embolotherapy of the pelvic congestion syndrome provides significant symptomatic improvement, initial technical success and showed no significant long-term complications.

No / A significant number of people in the UK experience chronic pain, resulting in high levels of suffering and reduced quality of life. Management of chronic pain is complex, time consuming and not always successful. Good communication between patients and healthcare professionals is essential to ensure realistic treatment plans and outcomes can be negotiated. Accurate assessment is also key, and nurses play a fundamental role in ensuring patients with chronic pain receive the most appropriate care.