Refine
Year of publication
- 2020 (4) (remove)
Document Type
- Article (4)
Language
- English (4)
Has Fulltext
- yes (4)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (4)
Keywords
- Body temperature (1)
- Child health (1)
- Database searching (1)
- Fibromyalgia (1)
- Metaanalysis (1)
- Pain management (1)
- Peer review (1)
- Preventive medicine (1)
- Questionnaires (1)
- Sensory processing (1)
Institute
Aging is a one-way process associated with profound structural and functional changes in the organism. Indeed, the neuromuscular system undergoes a wide remodeling, which involves muscles, fascia, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. As a result, intrinsic features of tissues, as well as their functional and structural coupling, are affected and a decline in overall physical performance occurs. Evidence from the scientific literature demonstrates that senescence is associated with increased stiffness and reduced elasticity of fascia, as well as loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and regenerative potential. The interaction between muscular and fascial structures is also weakened. As for the nervous system, aging leads to motor cortex atrophy, reduced motor cortical excitability, and plasticity, thus leading to accumulation of denervated muscle fibers. As a result, the magnitude of force generated by the neuromuscular apparatus, its transmission along the myofascial chain, joint mobility, and movement coordination are impaired. In this review, we summarize the evidence about the deleterious effect of aging on skeletal muscle, fascial tissue, and the nervous system. In particular, we address the structural and functional changes occurring within and between these tissues and discuss the effect of inflammation in aging. From the clinical perspective, this article outlines promising approaches for analyzing the composition and the viscoelastic properties of skeletal muscle, such as ultrasonography and elastography, which could be applied for a better understanding of musculoskeletal modifications occurring with aging. Moreover, we describe the use of tissue manipulation techniques, such as massage, traction, mobilization as well as acupuncture, dry needling, and nerve block, to enhance fascial repair.
Physical exercise has been shown to alter sensory functions, such as sensory detection or perceived pain. However, most contributing studies rely on the assessment of single thresholds, and a systematic testing of the sensory system is missing. This randomised, controlled cross-over study aims to determine the sensory phenotype of healthy young participants and to assess if sub-maximal endurance exercise can impact it. We investigated the effects of a single bout of sub-maximal running exercise (30 min at 80% heart rate reserve) compared to a resting control in 20 healthy participants. The sensory profile was assessed applying quantitative sensory testing (QST) according to the protocol of the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain. QST comprises a broad spectrum of thermal and mechanical detection and pain thresholds. It was applied to the forehead of study participants prior and immediately after the intervention. Time between cross-over sessions was one week. Sub-maximal endurance exercise did not significantly alter thermal or mechanical sensory function (time × group analysis) in terms of detection and pain thresholds. The sensory phenotypes did not indicate any clinically meaningful deviation of sensory function. The alteration of sensory thresholds needs to be carefully interpreted, and only systematic testing allows an improved understanding of mechanism. In this context, sub-maximal endurance exercise is not followed by a change of thermal and mechanical sensory function at the forehead in healthy volunteers.
When sports are part of a person’s profession or education, their careers are often handicapped by pain, a complex physical and mental state that may already occur at lower career stages. This study was designed to assess the occurrence of pain among sports students and the prevalence of relevant contributing psychosocial co-factors. Exploratory cross-sectional study surveying students at 89 sports faculties of universities in the DACH region using the German Sports Pain Questionnaire. It includes several validated surveys related to pain occurrence in different body regions, injuries, pain diagnoses and pain intensity, depression, anxiety, stress, self-compassion, analgesic and alcohol consumption, as well as sleep quality, health-related quality of life and impairments of quality of life by pain. A total of 865 sports students gave consent to participate in the study, and 664 participants (78%; 23.3 ± 2.84 years, 60% female, 40% male) completed the full survey. More than half of the students (53%; n = 403) showed current pain in 2-5 regions of the body, while subjective pain tolerance was enhanced. General injuries or accidents, medically and self-diagnosed pain diagnoses during the last eight weeks were reported by 30%. A current pain intensity ≥ 3 NRS was prevalent in 28% (n = 205), which correlated with increased pain-related biopsychosocial scores. Sports students had increased scores for depression, anxiety and stress, and self-compassion was reduced (compared to age-controlled national reference data, sports students head increased scores). The mean weekly training workload was 5-7 hours. Analgesics and alcohol consumption was increased, 61% reported insomnia. Across sports students, pain and biopsychosocial burden seem significantly increased when compared to other students and age-controlled cohorts. The data implies the need of giving greater importance to pain management at least from the time of sports studies in order to prevent pain and health risks in sports.
Background: WATSU (portmanteau word: water and shiatsu) is a form of passive hydrotherapy in chest-deep thermoneutral water (35°C = 95°F = 308.15 K). It combines elements of myofascial stretching, joint mobilization, massage, and shiatsu and is reported to be used to address physical and mental issues. The objective of this systematic review (PROSPERO Registration No. CRD42016029347) and the meta-analyses was to assess the applications, indications, and the effects of WATSU to form a basis for further studies.
Methods: A search for "WATSU OR watershiatsu OR (water AND shiatsu)" was conducted without any restrictions in 32 databases. Peer reviewed original articles addressing WATSU as a stand-alone hydrotherapy were assessed for risk of bias. Quantitative data of effects on pain, physical function, and mental issues were processed in random model meta-analyses with subgroup analyses by study design. Effect sizes were expressed as Hedges's g (± 95% confidence intervals).
Results: Of 1,906 unique citations, 27 articles regardless of study design were assessed for risk of bias. WATSU has been applied to individuals of all ages. Indications covered acute (e.g. pregnancy related low back pain) and chronic conditions (e.g. cerebral palsy) with beneficial effects of WATSU regarding e.g. relaxation or sleep quality. Meta-analyses suggest beneficial effect sizes of WATSU on pain (overall Hedges’s g = -0.71, 95% CI = -0.91 to -0.51), physical function (overall Hedges’s g = -0.76, 95% CI = -1.08 to -0.44), and mental issues (overall Hedges’s g = -0.68, 95% CI = -1.02 to -0.35).
Conclusion: Various applications, indications and beneficial effects of WATSU were identified. The grade of this evidence is estimated to be low to moderate at the best. To strengthen the findings of this study, high-quality RCTs are needed.