ژاله حیدری

The physical and hormonal changes occur in pregnant women, which may cause skeletal and muscular discomforts and back and pelvic pain. If the pelvic muscles mechanism is damaged, pelvic joints may have less stability, and the joint is more exposed to shearing force. As a result of this condition, the activity pattern of these muscles of the lumbar region may change, increased muscle activity compensates for the anterior forces, and bending moments may occur, especially when the abdomen volume is increased. In previous studies, the activity of pelvic muscles in the test of active straight leg raise (ASLR) was evaluated in pregnant women without using a pelvic belt. These belts are strapped at the level of the pelvic ring and do not fully support the lumbar region. The lumbar-pelvic belt can extend below the lower angle of the scapula, completely covering the lumbar region and supporting the waist and pelvis simultaneously. As a result, the whole body acts as a unit compared to a pelvic belt. The present study aims to compare the effect of the lumbar-pelvic belt with the pelvic belt in the activity of the pelvic muscles during the ASLR test of the lower limb in pregnant women with back and pelvic pain.

This was a clinical trial study on 48 pregnant women with pregnancy-related back and pelvic pain referred to the Kawsar Specialized and Subspecialty Clinic in Arak City, Iran. The sampling method was convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion. All participants completed the written consent form, and then they were randomly divided into three groups: lumbar-pelvic belt (14 women), pelvic belt (14 women), and control (20 women). First, a demographic questionnaire was completed by the participants. Then the pelvic muscles’ muscle activity was evaluated using surface electromyography during the ASLR test at the beginning of the study and then three weeks later. Covariance analysis was used in SPSS version 26 software for data analysis, and the significance level was considered 0.05.

After three weeks of using the devices, the activity of the right rectus femoris, left rectus femoris, right biceps femoris, and left biceps femoris muscles decreased in both groups who used the belts and increased in the control group during the ASLR test. The activity of the right biceps femoris and left biceps femoris muscles in the lumbar-pelvic belt group was significantly reduced compared to the pelvic belt group (P<0.001). Although the activity level of the right rectus femoris and left rectus femoris muscles in the lumbar-pelvic belt group decreased more than the pelvic belt group, this decrease was not statistically significant.

The activity of the rectus femoris and biceps femoris muscles during the ASLR test decreased in both groups using the pelvic belts and increased in the control group after three weeks. This finding shows the effect of both pelvic belts on improving pelvic muscle activity. However, the lumbar-pelvic belt had a greater impact on improving the activity of the biceps femoris muscles than the pelvic belt during the ASLR test.

Aims: The war leads to a lot of physical damage. The most common level of amputation is the upper limb, cutting off at the below elbow. The aim of this study was to investigate satisfaction of veterans with trans-radial amputations from myoelectric prosthesis and prosthetic services referring to Kowsar orthotics and prosthetics center in Tehran.
Instrument and This descriptive study was carried out among 59 veterans with trans-radial amputations referring to Kowsar orthotics and prosthetics center between 2001-2016, who received myoelectric prosthesis or prosthetic services. Orthotics Prosthetics Users Survey (OPUS) was used to assess the satisfaction of prosthesis and prosthetic services. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 software with one way ANOVA and Pearson correlation.
Findings: Overall satisfaction was 66.66%, satisfaction with prosthesis was 44.48%, and satisfaction with services was 88.84%. The most satisfaction in the device section was related to the ease of wearing the prosthesis and the lowest, with the cost of purchasing and maintaining the prosthesis by the individual. In the service sector, the highest satisfaction was related to the politeness and respect of the staff and the lowest, related to the coordination of the clinic staff with the therapists and doctors. The age, side of the amputation and duration of use had no significant effect on overall satisfaction, satisfaction with the device and the services.
Overall satisfaction level, satisfaction of prosthesis and received services of veterans with trans-radial amputations referring Kowsar orthotics and prosthetics center in Tehran from myoelectric prosthesis is desirable. The age, side of the amputation and duration of use of the prosthesis have no effect on satisfaction with the prosthesis and received services.

Aims: That the services should be presented suitably tailored to the status of individuals is of high importance in health needs assessment. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life, satisfaction with life, and satisfaction with orthopedic shoes among veterans with lower extremities length discrepancy receiving services and not-receiving services after two years of follow-up.
This descriptive study was conducted among veterans with lower extremities difference in West Azarbaijan Province, Iran in 2014 and followed-up in 2016. A total of 76 veterans were selected by purposeful sampling, 48 of whom received prescriptive services (group 1) and 28 of whom received no services (group 2). The research tools were a Quality of Life Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and a researcher-made satisfaction with orthopedic shoes questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20, using Chi-square, independent t-test, dependent t-test, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney U test.
Findings: Of veterans, 76.6% who had received orthopedic shoes were satisfied. In group 1, the difference of the evaluation of 2014 and 2016 was significant in mental health and physical health, but it was not significant in the overall score of quality of life, while in group 2, the overall quality of life score decreased significantly. The two groups did not have a significant difference in life satisfaction.
Most veterans who use orthopedic shoes are highly satisfied. Veterans who received services after a two year follow-up have higher levels of physical health, mental health, and quality of life compared with the veterans who did not use the services. The two groups do not differ in their levels of satisfaction with life.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders that due to different factors such as hormonal changes can cause mental distress and decreased quality of life. A review of the studies conducted in Iran shows the lack of attention to the quality of life in these patients as a big challenge. Therefore, this study was performed with aim to assess the effect of some polycystic ovary syndrome-related hormones on quality of life in these women.
This cross-sectional study was performed on 60 women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome referred to Shiraz Shahid Motahari clinic in 2012. PCOSQ questionnaire was used to assess the patient's quality of life. To evaluate the effect of PCOS on FSH, testosterone and estradiol, 10 ml blood samples were taken from the participants on days 3-5 of the menstrual cycle. Serum levels of hormones were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and electroimmunoassay (EIA). Data was analyzed by SPSS software (version 18) and chi-square, Pearson correlation, t-test and Three-Way ANOVA.
P Menstrual disorders obtained lowest mean score in the areas of PCOSQ that indicates the most important concern of patients, and the areas including weight, infertility, emotional disorders, and hirsutism were the next weakest areas, respectively. In the evaluation of relationship between various measured parameters with different areas of quality of life, inverse significant correlation was found only between testosterone and emotional area (P=0.049, r=-0.355) and no significant relation was observed in other cases (P>0.05).
Regarding inverse significant correlation between testosterone and emotional area of quality of life, it is recommended that based on the hormonal changes of testosterone, special attention be paid to this dimension of quality of life and appropriate educational and counselling sessions be designed and implemented.