Physical Exercise in Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A Scoping Review.

: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a rare post-infectious, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system that can manifest in multiple distinct forms. It significantly impacts patients' quality of life, causing both short-term and long-term impairments, including reduced strength, respiratory deficits, functional limitations, decreased endurance, and increased fatigue. This scoping review aimed to assess the impact of physical activity on strength, functional independence, and fatigue in patients with GBS, as well as to identify effective types of physical activity for rehabilitation programs.

Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality on Upper-Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative rehabilitation tool increasingly used in stroke rehabilitation. Fully immersive VR is a type of VR that closely simulates real-life scenarios, providing a high level of immersion, and has shown promising results in improving rehabilitation functions. This study aimed to assess the effect of immersive VR-based therapy for stroke patients on the upper extremities, activities of daily living (ADLs), and pain reduction and its acceptability and side effects.

Physiotherapy Screening for Referral of a Patient with Peripheral Arterial Disease Masquerading as Sciatica: A Case Report.

Many causes potentially underline pain in the lower extremities, presenting a real challenge for primary care clinicians in the recognition of the source of the patient's complaints. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is defined as a total or partial blockage of the vessels that supply blood from the heart to the periphery. PAD of the lower extremities may masquerade as lumbosacral radiculopathy (LSR)-a common source of leg pain.

Recognition of Prodromal Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy Presenting with Neck Pain as Primary Complaint: Findings from a Rare Case Report in Direct Access Physiotherapy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Neck pain (NP) is the second most common musculoskeletal disorder. Spinal cysts (SCs) are cystic dilatations of the synovial sheaths in joints and tendons. SCs are extremely rare in the cervical spine.

Physiotherapy Screening for Referral of a Patient with Patent Foramen Ovale Presenting with Neck Pain as Primary Complaint: A Case Report.

Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder encountered by physiotherapists. However, it may be the early manifestation of more alarming conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases mimicking musculoskeletal pain. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a congenital heart defect consisting of a small opening between the right and the left atrium.

More than one third of clinical practice guidelines on low back pain overlap in AGREE II appraisals. Research wasted?

Background: Systematic reviews can apply the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II tool to critically appraise clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for treating low back pain (LBP); however, when appraisals differ in CPG quality rating, stakeholders, clinicians, and policy-makers will find it difficult to discern a unique judgement of CPG quality. We wanted to determine the proportion of overlapping CPGs for LBP in appraisals that applied AGREE II. We also compared inter-rater reliability and variability across appraisals.

Balance control in unstable sitting in individuals with an acute episode of low back pain.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is associated with altered postural control, mostly observed at later stages in the LBP trajectory. It is unclear whether postural control differs in the acute phase of LBP.

Research Question: Is postural control different in the acute phase of LBP (<2 weeks) and do differences depend on pain intensity, psychological features and/or availability of vision to control posture?

Methods: Cross-sectional study design.

Combined Motor and Cognitive Rehabilitation: The Impact on Motor Performance in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a neurodegenerative disease leading to Alzheimer's disease or dementia, is often associated with physical complaints. Combined physical and cognitive training (PCT) has been investigated to see the effects on cognitive function, but its impact on motor functions and activities of daily living has not been explored yet. The combination of physical and cognitive training may be a valuable non-pharmacological intervention that could preserve motor function and quality of life (QoL).

Prevalence and associated factors of COVID-19 across Italian regions: a secondary analysis from a national survey on physiotherapists.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) broke out in China in December 2019 and now is a pandemic all around the world. In Italy, Northern regions were hit the hardest during the first wave. We aim to explore the prevalence and the exposure characteristics of physiotherapists (PTs) working in different Italian regions during the first wave of COVID-19.

Feasibility of a standardized protocol for respiratory training with intermitted positive pressure breathing ventilator application in dysphonia and dysarthria.

Background: Brain damage can affect several functions related to speech production leading to dysphonia and dysarthria. Most rehabilitation treatments focus on articulation training rather than on pneumophonic coordination and respiratory muscle strength. Respiratory training using an intermitted positive pressure breathing (IPPB) ventilator can be used for this last purpose; no agreement on a standard protocol has been reached to date.

Developing, Implementing, and Applying Novel Techniques During Systematic Reviews of Primary Space Medicine Data.

The Aerospace Medicine Systematic Review Group was set up in 2016 to facilitate high quality and transparent synthesis of primary data to enable evidence-based practice. The group identified many research methods specific to space medicine that need consideration for systematic review methods. The group has developed space medicine specific methods to address this and trialed usage of these methods across seven published systematic reviews.

The Spread of COVID-19 Among 15,000 Physical Therapists in Italy: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence, personal- and work-related exposures, and signs and symptoms among physical therapists during the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Italy.

Methods: This cross-sectional, survey-based study collected demographic and exposure data from physical therapists from April to May 2020. All physical therapists working in inpatient and outpatient care in Italy were eligible.

Cohort profile: why do people keep hurting their back?

Objective: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most disabling and costly conditions worldwide. It remains unclear why many individuals experience persistent and recurrent symptoms after an acute episode whereas others do not. A longitudinal cohort study was established to address this problem.

Physiological Profile Assessment of Posture in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Peers.

A sound postural system requires sensorimotor integration. Evidence suggests that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present sensorimotor integration impairments. The Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) can be used to evaluate postural capacity assessing five physiological subsets (i.

Differences in Rehabilitation Needs after Stroke: A Similarity Analysis on the ICF Core Set for Stroke.

: Successful rehabilitation is associated with physical, psychological, environmental, social, and personal factors based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. The influence of age has been suggested as crucial personal factors that may affect rehabilitation needs in post-stroke survivors. The aim of this study was to investigate the qualifiers of the ICF core set for stroke to detect differences in rehabilitation needs and goals between older (O, >65 years old) and younger (Y, ≤65 years old,) post-stroke individuals.

Non-invasive current stimulation in vision recovery: a review of the literature.

Background: Around 253 million people worldwide suffer from irreversible visual damage. Numerous studies have been carried out in order to unveil the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) as a useful tool for rehabilitation for different visual conditions and pathologies.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to 1) examine the current evidence of ES efficacy for the treatment of visual pathologies and 2) define the corresponding degree of the recommendation of different ES techniques.

Parameters Influencing Tracheostomy Decannulation in Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation after severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI).

 Tracheostomy weaning in patients who suffered a severe acquired brain injury is often a challenge and decannulation failures are not uncommon.  Our study objective is to describe the decannulation failure rate in patients undergoing rehabilitation following a severe acquired brain injury (sABI); to describe the factors associated with a successful tube weaning.  We conduct a retrospective analysis of charts, consecutively retrieved considering a 3-year window.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with blindsight rehabilitation for the treatment of homonymous hemianopia: a report of two-cases.

[Purpose] Homonymous hemianopia is one of the most common symptoms following neurologic damage leading to impairments of functional abilities and activities of daily living. There are two main types of restorative rehabilitation in hemianopia: "border training" which involves exercising vision at the edge of the damaged visual field, and "blindsight training," which is based on exercising the unconscious perceptual functions deep inside the blind hemifield. Only border effects have been shown to be facilitated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Ultrasonography of the shoulder: asymptomatic findings from working-age women in the general population.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of abnormal shoulder ultrasonographic findings in a sample of asymptomatic women. [Subjects and Methods] A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study was performed. We recruited 305 women (aged 18-56 years).

Reliability of the gross motor function classification system and the manual ability classification system in children with cerebral palsy in Tanzania.

Objectives: Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) are broadly studied in high-income countries, but data concerning their functioning are lacking in developing countries. Therefore, we analyzed their reliability and sensitivity to change in children with cerebral palsy in Tanzania.

Methods: GMFCS and MACS are two ordinal grading systems used to assess motor functions while observing children's performances.

Distal pain and carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis among cashiers: a longitudinal study.

Objective: To estimate in a longitudinal study the yearly incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a cohort of women working as cashiers.

Method: A total of 198 cashiers, belonging to a cohort investigated in 2011-2012 for arm pain, were screened for re-assessment in 2015 (at least 40 months from the first examination), and 156 women had complete demographic, personal and working data allowing to be included in this study. On the basis of self- and clinician-administered questionnaires investigating the presence of CTS, all symptomatic patients underwent clinical and neurophysiological [nerve conduction studies (NCS) of median and ulnar nerves] assessments.