Physical Treatments Journal
Volume:11 Issue: 2, Spring 2021

SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the betacoronavirus genus that primarily targets the human respiratory system and causes pneumonia-like symptoms. This article aims to review neuromuscular problems in patients with COVID-19 based on the available evidence and possible consequences.

This narrative review study gathered the related and newest studies published (without time limitation) about the neurological impairment of the coronavirus. 

The studies showed that the patients with COVID-19 show a variety of respiratory symptoms and neuromuscular and neurological symptoms. The neurological symptoms associated with the underlying disease include headache, dizziness, disturbance of consciousness, ataxia, manifestations of epilepsy, stroke, peripheral nerve injury (like hypoadomia, hyposemia, neuralgia). The findings of this review study also reveal that there are a variety of neuromuscular symptoms in the affected patients. Besides, some specific changes in these symptoms have occurred since the emergence of this epidemic.

Neurologists should pay more attention to the possible signs of direct and indirect involvement of the nervous system and its lasting effects, which might have been ignored in the acute phase of the disease.

People with asthma often have sedentary lifestyles and are less physically, mentally, and cardio-respiratory prepared than their peers. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of selected Yoga exercises on thoracic spine alignment and respiratory capacity indices in children with asthma.

The present research is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. For this purpose, 30 children with mild asthma were included in the study purposefully and voluntarily. The subjects were randomly divided into a control group (15 people with mean [SD] age: 11.40 [ 2.13] years) and an experimental group (15 people with mean [SD] age: 10.60 [1.76] years). Written informed consent was obtained from the parents of the children. Flexible ruler and spirometry were used to evaluate the curvature of the thoracic spine and respiratory capacity, respectively. To analyze the results of this study, we used a dependent t test and analysis of covariance at a significance level of P<0.05.

The present study results showed a significant difference between the thoracic spine curvature (P = 0.001) and increased respiratory capacity (P = 0.001).

Breathing exercises and asanas of Yoga positively influence the extensor muscles of the chest and improve lung function and postural misalignment in children with asthma. Therefore, therapists, coaches, and exercise teachers are recommended to use Yoga exercises to improve the physical, postural, and respiratory indices of children with asthma.

The present study aimed to investigate the flexibility of the ankle and knee joints and to determine its relationship with balance, motor function, and risk of falling in visually impaired individuals.

The sample consisted of 32 blind males, 20-30 years old. They were selected by the purposeful sampling method. We used modified stork tests, tendon gait, and Berg balance scale to evaluate their balance. The Tinetti test was used to evaluate motor performance and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test to assess the risk of falling. The SLR test and Lunge test were used to assess the range of motion of the knee and ankle joint, respectively. This study was conducted in the men’s dormitories of Tehran University in the fall of 2019. The obtained data were normalized using the Shapiro-Wilk test and Pearson correlation coefficient at the significant level of 0.05 to investigate the relationship between the variables.

The results of the Pearson correlation test showed a significant relationship between balance (P=0.001), motor function (P=0.002), and TUG fall risk test (P=0.010) (ankle motor restriction). On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between balance (P=0.002), motor function (P=0.001), and TUG fall risk test (P=0.003) with hamstring flexibility test (knee motor restriction). 

Given the significant relationship between the range of motion of the lower limbs with balance and motor function, the use of stretching exercises can be an influential factor in increasing the range of motion of the ankle and knee in blind people, which improves balance, motor function, and reduced risk of falling in blindness.

The shoulder joint is one of the most commonly injured joints in sports and may lead to disability, especially in the upper extremities of overhead players (handball, volleyball, softball, and swimming).

This research is a causal-comparative study. After the approval of the Ethics Committee of the Medical University of Tehran, this study was conducted on 120 overhead athletes (Mean±SD height: 1.69±0.07 m, Mean±SD weight: 63.54±7.79 kg, Mean±SD age: 21.96±2.94 years, Mean±SD body mass index: 22.11±2.32 kg/m2). The inclusion criteria were elite female players in overhead sports with at least three years of experience in one of these sports (handball, volleyball, softball, and swimming). Samples with a history of surgery or cervical nerve problems, fractures in the shoulder area, and inflammatory joint disease were excluded from the study. The demographic information was obtained through a researcher-made questionnaire, and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire was used to measure the degree of upper limb disability in daily activities.

In comparison between the study groups, a significant difference was observed between the dependent variable (DASH) and the research groups (F=6.067, df=3, P=0.002, Eta=0.342). Using the Bonferroni post hoc tests, the difference between volleyball and softball (P=0.44), volleyball and swimming (P=0.009), and handball and swimming players (P=0.022) were reported. In the next step, BMI characteristics, weekly training hours, and the number of training sessions per week were entered into the data analysis process as covariate variables (F=8.099, df=0.3, P=0.000, Eta=0.432). The Bonferroni post hoc test indicates the difference between volleyball and swimming athletes (P=0.001) and handball and swimming (P=0.002).

The present study results indicate a high rate of upper limb disability in elite women athletes. The present study results showed no difference between volleyball and handball due to the nature of these two disciplines and handball, softball, and swimming.

It is essential to maintain dynamic stability during walking to perform daily tasks independently. The present study aimed at comparing the spatiotemporal parameters and the values of the vertical Ground Reaction Force (vGRF) as well as determining the time to reach them in ankle-sprain coper and healthy athletes during the stance phase of gait.

A total of 28 female university athletes were recruited in this cross-sectional study and assigned into two groups: ankle-sprain coper (n=14) and healthy control (n=14). The gait cycle analysis was then performed on a 10-m path, and the information related to the stance phase was recorded by a foot scanning device. The spatiotemporal parameters (gait line and contact time) and the values of the vGRF along with the time to reach them were subsequently obtained from each test. The repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was additionally used to analyze the data (P≤0.05).

The study results revealed no differences between the injured and the healthy feet in the ankle-sprain coper group in any of the variables (P>0.05). As well, the spatiotemporal gait cycle parameters between the ankle-sprain coper group and the healthy controls were not significantly different (P>0.05). However, significant differences were observed between the ankle-sprain coper and healthy controls in terms of the variables of the vGRF in the mid-stance (F=5.25, P=0.03) and the time to reach the second peak of the vGRF (F=9.13, P=0.006). 

The spatiotemporal gait parameters were not significantly different between the ankle-sprain coper and the control groups, but the vGRF in the ankle-sprain coper was greater than that in the control group. With regard to the correlation between the reduction in the vGRF and the secondary injury, it is recommended to pay much attention to this point in rehabilitation programs following the first injury in female athletes.

A valid and reliable tool that could measure patient satisfaction with physical therapy care for Persian-speaking patients will improve communication and enhance the involvement of people in research on health care quality and disparities. We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version Physical Therapy Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PTPSQ). 

In this cross-sectional study, a prospective validation study design was adopted. In this methodological study, 297 patients from several physiotherapy centers in Kerman City, Iran, were evaluated using the PTPSQ. After the seventh session, a demographic questionnaire, visual analog scale, and the global rating of change were also answered by the participants (time point 1). The psychometric evaluation included factor analysis, divergent validity, convergent validity, and analysis of floor and ceiling effects. Reproducibility and internal consistency were investigated in this regard. To assess the test-retest reliability, 40 participants (randomly selected) completed the PTPSQ, again 24 to 48 hours later (time point 2). This research project was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. SPSS v. 24 was used for statistical analysis.

The interclass correlation coefficient was in the range of 0.80-0.94 with the Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.92. The standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and coefficient of variation for the questionnaire were 5.14, 14.39, and 0.21, respectively. Factor analysis revealed the 3-factor model. The relationship between the PTPSQ scores and the patient satisfaction index was relatively good (>0.40). 

Our results showed strong psychometric properties of the PTPSQ. Thus, we recommended its use in the Persian-speaking population.

Anthropometric indices such as body mass index, Waist Circumference (WC), Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR), and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) are used to identify adolescent obesity and overweight because of their easiness, safety, and accuracy of measurement. This study aimed to evaluate the anthropometric indices in predicting overweight/obesity in male students.

In this descriptive-analytical study, 162 male students of Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar City, Iran, were selected by a simple stratified-random sampling method. The checkerboard and New York test were used to check for musculoskeletal abnormalities. Body composition indices, including height, weight, body mass index, WC, hip circumference, WHR, and WHtR, were measured. The obtained data were analyzed by ANOVA test and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC).

Mean values WC, WHR, the WHtR in different groups of body mass index were significantly different. The area under the curve for WC (P=0.001), WHR (P=0.001), and WHtR (P=0.001) had a significant difference, too. 

The present study showed that the area under the curve for WHR has better detective ability for overweight and obesity than other variables such as WC and WHtR.