Hyperbaric oxygen therapy does not affect recovery from delayed onset muscle soreness. Treatment of exercise-induced muscle injury via hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Randomized controlled study of ultrasound therapy in the management of acute lateral ligament sprains of the ankle joint. Effect of a novel insole on the subtalar joint of patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee. Various treatment techniques on signs and symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness. A randomized sham-controlled trial of a neurodynamic technique in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Home based exercise therapy for older patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial. Modified constraint-induced therapy in chronic stroke: results of a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Effects of a self-management arthritis programme with an added exercise component for osteoarthritic knee: randomized controlled trial.
This study investigated whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improves recovery after exercise-induced muscle injury.
                Healthy male subjects (N = 24) were randomly assigned to either a placebo group or a HBOT group. Subjects were tested for maximal isometric strength (preexercise) of their right elbow flexors. Each subject then completed a high-force eccentric workout of the elbow flexor muscle group to induce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). On the seven successive days after this workout, the subjects were exposed to a hyperbaric environment of 2.5 ATA for 60 min, inspiring either a normoxic mixture (P(I)O2 = 0.2 ATA; placebo group) or a hyperoxic gas mixture (P(I)O2 = 2.5 ATA; HBOT group). Before the eccentric workout and daily for the next 10 d, measurements were obtained regarding: maximal isometric muscle strength of the elbow flexor muscles, right upper arm circumferences, and rating of the perceived muscle soreness.
                Isometric strength decreased significantly from preexercise levels of 25.1 +/- 3.8 kp to postexercise levels of 12.0 +/- 4.6 kp, for the HBOT group, and from 24.6 +/- 3.4 kp to 12.5 +/- 3.7 kp, respectively, for the placebo group. Over the 10-d recovery period, there was no difference in the rate of recovery of muscle strength between the two groups. Perceived soreness peaked at about 48 h after exercise with no difference between groups. Also, the exercise-induced increases in arm circumference were similar in the two groups.
                These results indicate that HBOT is not an effective therapy for the treatment of DOMS. This study examined the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) in the treatment of exercise-induced muscle injury.
                21 college-aged male volunteers were assigned to three groups: control, immediate HBO (iHBO), and delayed HBO (dHBO). All subjects performed 6 sets (10 repetitions per set) of eccentric repetitions with a load equivalent to 120% of their concentric maximum. HBO treatments consisted of 100-min exposure to 2.5 ATA and 100% oxygen with intermittent breathing of ambient air (30 min at 100% O2, 5 min at 20.93% O2). HBO treatments began either 2 (iHBO) or 24 h (dHBO) postexercise and were administered daily through day 4 postexercise. Forearm flexor cross-sectional area (CSA) and T2 relaxation time via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were assessed at baseline, 2, 7, and 15 d postinjury. Isometric strength and rating of perceived soreness of the forearm flexors were assessed at baseline, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 15 d postinjury. Serum creatine kinase (CK) was assessed on day 0 and on days 1, 2, 7, and 15 postinjury.
                Mean baseline CSA values were: 2016.3, 1888.5, and 1972.2 mm2 for control, iHBO, and dHBO, respectively. All groups showed significant increases in CSA in response to injury (21% at 2 d, 18% at 7 d) (P < 0.0001), but there were no significant differences between groups (P = 0.438). Mean baseline T2 relaxation times were: 26.18, 26.28, and 27.43 msec for control, iHBO, and dHBO, respectively. Significant increases in T2 relaxation time were observed for all groups (64% at 2 d, 66% at 7 d, and 28% at 15 d) (P < 0.0001), but there were no significant differences between groups (P = 0.692). Isometric strength (P < 0.0001), serum CK levels (P = 0.0007), and rating of perceived soreness (P < 0.0001) also indicated significant muscle injury for all groups, but there were no differences between groups (P = 0.459, P = 0.943, and P = 0.448, respectively).
                These results suggest that hyperbaric oxygen therapy was not effective in the treatment of exercise-induced muscle injury as indicated by the markers evaluated. To determine the efficacy of a fixed dose of ultrasound energy to treat acute lateral ligament sprains of the ankle joint.
                Double-blind randomised controlled trial.
                Accident and Emergency department of University Teaching Hospital.
                Patients presenting at Accident and Emergency with ankle injuries.
                Ultrasound or placebo, and Tubigrip.
                Pain measured with visual analogue scales, swelling using a tape measure, range of movement using a fluid-filled goniometer, and weight bearing using two scales simultaneously.
                Patients in both groups improved symptomatically. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in any outcome measure. Within groups, statistically significant differences were detected in pain perceived, and range of movement (dorsiflexion).
                At the dose and duration used, ultrasound therapy is no better than placebo in the management of lateral ligament injuries. To assess the efficacy of a lateral wedge insole with elastic strapping of the subtalar joint for conservative treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
                The efficacy of a novel insole with elastic subtalar strapping and a traditional shoe insert wedge insole was compared. Ninety female outpatients with OA of the knee were treated with wedge insoles for 8 weeks. Randomization was performed according to birth date. Standing radiographs with unilateral insole use were used to analyze the femorotibial and talar tilt angles for each patient with and without their respective insole. Visual analog scale (VAS) score for subjective knee pain at the final assessment was compared with that at baseline in both groups.
                Participants wearing the elastically strapped insole (n = 46) had significantly decreased femorotibial angle (p < 0.0001) and talar tilt angle (p = 0.005) and significantly improved VAS pain score (p = 0.045) in comparison with baseline assessments. These significant differences were not found in the group with the inserted insole (n = 44).
                The novel strapped insole leads to valgus angulation of the talus, resulting in correction of the femorotibial angle in patients with knee OA with varus deformity, and may have a therapeutic effect similar to that of high tibial osteotomy. Eccentric activities are an important component of physical conditioning and everyday activities. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can result from strenuous eccentric tasks and can be a limiting factor in motor performance for several days after exercise. An efficacious method of treatment for DOMS would enhance athletic performance and hasten the return to activities of daily living. The purpose of this study was to identify a treatment method which could assist in the recovery of DOMS. In the selection of treatment methods, emphasis was directed toward treatments that could be rendered independently by an individual, therefore making the treatment valuable to an athletic trainer in team setting. DOMS was induced in 70 untrained volunteers via 15 sets of 15 eccentric contractions of the forearm extensor muscles on a Lido isokinetic dynamometer. All subjects performed a pilot exercise bout for a minimum of 9 weeks before data collection to assure that DOMS would be produced. Data were collected on 15 dependent variables: active and passive wrist flexion and extension, forearm girth, limb volume, visual analogue pain scale, muscle soreness index, isometric strength, concentric and eccentric wrist total work, concentric and eccentric angle of peak torque. Data were collected on six occasions: pre- and post-induced DOMS, 20 minutes after treatment, and 24, 48, and 72 hours after treatment. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 7 groups (6 treatment and 1 control). Treatments included a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, high velocity concentric muscle contractions on an upper extremity ergometer, ice massage, 10-minute static stretching, topical Amica montana ointment, and sublingual A. montana pellets. A 7 x 6 ANOVA with repeated measures on time was performed on the delta values of each of the 15 dependent variables. Significant main effects (p < .05) were found for all of the dependent variables on time only. There were no significant differences between treatments. Therefore, we conclude that none of the treatments were effective in abating the signs and symptoms of DOMS. In fact, the NSAID and A. montana treatments appeared to impede recovery of muscle function. Randomized, controlled trial.
                To assess the believability of a novel sham intervention for a neurodynamic technique (NDT) in participants with signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Additionally, we wished to assess a potential mechanism of NDT (hypoalgesia) and to compare outcomes related to clinical pain and upper extremity disability between NDT and a sham intervention.
                Preliminary evidence suggests that NDT is effective in the treatment of CTS. A sham-controlled study is lacking from the literature and could provide insight to the efficacy of NDT, as well as the corresponding mechanisms.
                Participants with signs and symptoms consistent with CTS provided baseline measures of expectation, clinical pain intensity, upper extremity disability, and experimental pain sensitivity. Participants were then randomly assigned to receive either a NDT known to anatomically stress the median nerve or a sham technique intended to minimize stress to the median nerve. Following brief exposure to the assigned technique, expectation was reassessed to observe for group-dependent changes. Participants received the assigned intervention over 3 weeks. Additionally, all participants received a prefabricated wrist splint for their involved hands, with instructions to sleep in the splint and to wear it during painful activities when awake. Following 3 weeks of the assigned intervention and splint wear, baseline measures were reassessed and participants were asked which intervention they believed they had received.
                Forty females agreed to participate. Expectations for pain relief and perceived group assignment were similar between the groups. Within-session decreases in clinical pain intensity and pressure pain sensitivity were observed independent of group assignment. Reduction of temporal summation was observed only in participants receiving NDT. Significant improvements in clinical pain intensity and upper extremity disability were observed at 3 weeks, independent of group assignment.
                The sham intervention was successful in blinding the participants. Immediate changes in pain sensitivity and intensity and 3-week changes in clinical pain intensity and upper extremity disability associated with NDT were equivalent to a sham intervention to which the participants were adequately blinded. Conversely, reduction of temporal summation was only observed in participants receiving the NDT, suggesting the potential of a favorable neurophysiological effect. This 8 week randomized, double blind clinical trial compared the effect of a combined home based progressive exercise program and treatment with the nonsteroidal medication oxaprozin to treatment with oxaprozin alone on pain and physical functioning in older community dwelling patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis (OA).
                Efficacy variables measured before and after 8 weeks included (1) pain using the Western Ontario McMaster (WOMAC) pain, physical disability, and stiffness subscales and a 10 point visual analog scale (VAS) before and after self-paced walking (SPW) and stepping (SPS) functional tasks; (2) physical function using the time to complete a self-paced 40 m walk (SPW) and 20 cycles of 2 steps (SPS): (3) physical activity level using the Physical Activity Scale for Elderly (PASE); (4) clinical measures of knee functioning (range of motion). One hundred seventy-nine men and women (mean age 74 +/- 6 yrs) with radiographic evidence of mild/moderate medial compartment OA were randomized to either a progressive home based knee exercise program (n = 88) or a control program (n = 89). All patients were given oxaprozin 1,200 mg per os daily.
                We observed significant reduction from baseline in activity related pain (VAS); and improvement in SPW and SPS test time, passive range of motion, and PASE after 8 weeks in both groups. These changes were significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the exercise versus sham group.
                Addition of a progressive exercise program to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory therapy in patients with knee OA can improve measures of activity and activity related pain more than medication alone. This single-blinded randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of a reimbursable, outpatient, modified constraint-induced therapy (mCIT) protocol (half-hour therapy sessions occurring 3 days per week in which subjects used the more affected arm combined with less affected arm restriction 5 days per week for 5 hours; both of these regimens were administered during a 10-week period) with that of a time-matched exercise program for the more affected arm or a no-treatment control regimen.
                Thirty-five subjects with chronic stroke participated in the study.
                The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Motor Recovery After Stroke (FM), and Motor Activity Log (MAL) were administered to the subjects.
                After intervention, significant differences were observed on the ARAT and MAL Amount of Use and Quality of Movement scales, all in favor of the mCIT group.
                The data affirm previous findings suggesting that this reimbursable, outpatient protocol increases more affected arm use and function. Magnitude of changes was consistent with those reported in more intense protocols, such as constraint-induced therapy. This paper is a report of a study to assess the effect of an adapted arthritis self-management programme with an added focus on exercise practice among osteoarthritic knee sufferers.
                Osteoarthritis of the knee is a major source of loss of function in older people. Previous studies have found self-management programmes to be effective in increasing arthritis self-efficacy and in mastery of self-management practice.
                A randomized control trial was carried out from December 2002 to May 2003 and 120 participants (65.9%, including 67 in intervention group and 53 in control group) completed the 16-week postintervention assessments. Outcome measures included arthritis self-efficacy, use of self-management techniques, pain intensity and daily activity.
                At 16 weeks, there was a 'statistically' significant improvement in the arthritis self-efficacy level (P <or= 0.001), in most of the self-management skills, i.e. use of cold and hot compresses, in two of three joint protective practices (P <or= 0.001; P = 0.01), an increase in the duration of light exercise practice (P <or= 0.001), reduction of current arthritis pain (P <or= 0.001) and in the ability to perform daily activities (P <or= 0.001) among the intervention group but not for the control group (P-range from 0.04 to 0.95). One joint protective practice showed a statistically significant increase in both groups (P <or= 0.001).
                Our findings add to evidence showing short-term beneficial effects of self-efficacy theory in education programmes. Self-efficacy theory has great potential for empowering sufferers of chronic conditions to live with their illness.
There was insufficient evidence from comparisons tested within randomised controlled trials to establish the effects of HBOT on ankle sprain or acute knee ligament injury, or on experimentally induced DOMS. There was some evidence that HBOT may increase interim pain in DOMS. Any future use of HBOT for these injuries would need to have been preceded by carefully conducted randomised controlled trials which have demonstrated effectiveness.