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• Anodal tDCS over M1 reduces pain in people with chronic CHIKV arthralgia. • tDCS may provide functional benefits in chronic CHIKV arthralgia. • tDCS is an easy to use and low-cost intervention that could be used for arthralgia. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a globally prevalent pathogen, with outbreaks occurring in tropical regions. Chronic pain is the main symptom reported and is associated with decreased mobility and disability. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is emerging as a new therapeutic tool for chronic arthralgia. To evaluate the effectiveness of 10 consecutive sessions of anodal tDCS on pain (primary outcome) in participants with chronic CHIKV arthralgia. Secondary outcomes included functional status, quality of life, and mood. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 30 participants with chronic CHIKV arthralgia were randomly assigned to receive either active (n = 15) or sham (n = 15) tDCS. The active group received 10 consecutive sessions of tDCS over M1 using the C3/Fp2 montage (2 mA for 20 min). Visual analog scale of pain (VAS), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), short-form 36 health survey (SF-36), pain catastrophizing scale, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAS), timed up and go (TUG) test, lumbar dynamometry, 30-s arm curl and 2-min step test were assessed at baseline, day 10 and at 2 follow-up visits. There was a significant interaction between group and time on pain (p = 0.03; effect size 95 % CI 0.9 (-1.67 to -0.16), with a significant time interaction (p = 0.0001). There was no interaction between time and group for the 2-minute step test (p = 0.18), but the groups differed significantly at day 10 (p = 0.01), first follow-up (p = 0.01) and second follow-up (p = 0.03). HAQ and SF-36 improved but not significantly. There was no significant improvement in mental health, and physical tests. tDCS appears to be a promising intervention for reducing pain in participants with chronic CHIKV arthralgia, although further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential long-term benefits. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC): RBR-245rh7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The physical treatment of low back pain includes a wide range of non-specific and specific physical activity. • The value of physical activity in acute or subacute low back pain has not been demonstrated. • General exercise, more specific interventions and multidisciplinary functional restoration programs reduce pain and improve physical function in patients with chronic low back pain. • The optimal delivery of physical activity in terms of modalities, quantity and intensity of the intervention, supervision, and setting is not well defined. Non-specific low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide. Physical activity is an integral part of LBP treatment. To critically review available evidence regarding the efficacy of physical activity for people with LBP. Up to date critical narrative review of the efficacy of physical activity for the managment LBP. The process of article selection was unsystematic; articles were selected based on authors' expertise, self-knowledge and reflective practice. Therapeutic physical activity for LBP includes a wide range of non-specific and specific activities. The efficacy of physical activity on pain and activity limitations has been widely assessed. In acute and subacute LBP, exercise did not reduce pain compared to no exercise. In chronic low back pain (CLBP), exercise reduced pain at the earliest follow-up compared with no exercise. In a recent systematic review, exercise improved function both at the end of treatment and in the long-term compared with usual care. Exercice also reduced work disability in the long-term. We were unable to establish a clear hierarchy between different exercise modalities. Multidisciplinary functional programs consistently improved pain and function in the short- and long-term compared with usual care and physiotherapy and improved the long-term likelihood of returning to work compared to non-multidisciplinary programs. Physical activity of all types is an effective treatment for CLBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]