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Background: This report involves the first publication describing a case of parietal abdominal pain due to lower limb length discrepancy., Case Presentation: A Caucasian male patient in his 50s was referred to our rehabilitation department with chronic abdominal pain that began in childhood. This chronic pain was associated with episodes of acute pain that were partially relieved by grade 3 analgesics. The patient was unable to sit for long periods, had recently lost his job, and was unable to participate in recreational activities with his children. Investigations revealed contracture and hypertrophy of the external oblique muscle and an limb length discrepancy of 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) in the left lower limb. The patient was effectively treated with a heel raise, physiotherapy, intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin, and lidocaine. The patient achieved the therapeutic goals of returning to work, and reducing analgesic use., Conclusions: Structural misbalances, as may be caused by lower leg discrepancy, may trigger muscular compensations and pain. Complete anamnesis and clinical examination must not be trivialized and may reveal previously ignored information leading to a proper diagnosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The characteristics of optimal virtual pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) for individuals with post-COVID syndrome (PCS) have not been identified. This study aimed to assess the feasibility, safety, and satisfaction associated with a virtual PR program with the exercise component delivered through group or self-directed sessions., Methods: Adults with PCS-respiratory symptoms were randomly assigned to the video conference (PR VC ) or self-directed (PR SD ) group and completed an exercise program (aerobic, strengthening, and breathing exercises) three times/week for eight weeks. PR VC sessions were led by a physiotherapist via Zoom, whereas the PR SD group exercised individually following a pre-recorded video. Both groups received personalized exercise recommendations, education related to the condition, and a weekly follow up call. Satisfaction was assessed through a patient survey. Lung function, dyspnea, fatigue, sit-to-stand capacity, health-related quality of life, and participation were assessed pre- and post-PR., Results: Fourteen PCS individuals (49 ± 9 years, 86% females) completed 83% of the sessions. All participants were satisfied with information provided by the therapist and frequency of data submission, whereas most were satisfied with the frequency and duration of exercise sessions (88% in PR VC and 83% in PR SD ). A higher proportion of participants in the PR VC (88%) were satisfied with the level of difficulty of exercises compared with the PR SD (67%), and 84% of the sample reported a positive impact of the program on their health. No adverse events were reported. Significant changes in sit-to-stand capacity (p = 0.012, Cohen's r = 0.67) and questions related to fatigue (p = 0.027, Cohen's r = 0.58), neurocognitive (p = 0.045, Cohen's r = 0.53), and autonomic (p = 0.024, Cohen's r = 0.60) domains of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire short-form were also found between groups., Conclusion: Virtual PR with exercises delivered via video conference or pre-recorded video were feasible, safe, and well-received by individuals with PCS., Trial Registration: NCT05003271 (first posted: 12/08/2021)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: To assess the effect of an interprofessional educational activity on professional skills, attitudes, and perceived challenges toward obesity management among front-line healthcare providers., Methods: A one-day interprofessional obesity education activity was organized for healthcare providers across various disciplines. All participants were invited to complete an anonymous survey pre- and post-event, and at six-month post-event. The survey was created based on a comprehensive list of perceived skills, professional attitudes and challenges toward obesity intervention compiled from existing literature., Results: Sixty-seven healthcare providers completed the survey pre- and post-event. Participants reported increases in professional skills such as their ability to assess weight (p = 0.04), to address weight management issues (p < 0.001), to teach/motivate patients toward physical activity (p < 0.001) and healthy eating practices (p = 0.001), to use behavior modification techniques (p < 0.001), and to deal with family issues (p < 0.001). Professional attitudes: practitioners felt more educated/competent in obesity management (P < 0.001), learned where to refer patients (p < 0.001), were more comfortable in discussing obesity in managing obesity (p < 0.001), were less likely to avoid the topic (p = 0.004) and felt less frustrated with the low success rate (p = 0.030). Enhancement in professional attitudes remained 6 months after the event. Improvements were mainly associated with male gender, younger age, fewer years of professional practice and healthcare professionals other than physicians. No statistically significant changes in perceived challenges were found after the educational event., Conclusion: Results of this study showed that this interprofessional learning activity contributed to the improvement of professional skills and attitudes of front-line healthcare providers caring for those who are obese or at risk for obesity. The positive results of this interprofessional learning activity aligns with the training needs identified by healthcare practitioners in previous studies, and suggest that this design and content could be used to guide future educational programming in the care of obese people.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the associations of elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) with change in muscle strength in patients with established knee osteoarthritis (OA), at 2 years., Methods: Data from 186 patients with knee OA were gathered at baseline and at 2-year follow-up. CRP (in milligrams per liter) and ESR (in millimeters per hour) were measured in serum from patients' blood. Strength of quadriceps and hamstrings muscles was assessed by using an isokinetic dynamometer. The association of inflammatory markers with change in knee muscle strength was analyzed by using uni- and multi-variate linear regression models., Results: Patients with elevated CRP values at both baseline and 2-year follow-up exhibited a lower increase in knee muscle strength for a period of 2 years (β = -0.22; P = 0.01) compared with the group with non-elevated levels at both times of assessment. The association persisted after adjustment for relevant confounders. Elevated ESR values at both times of assessment were not significantly associated with change in knee muscle strength (β = -0.05; P = 0.49)., Conclusions: Our results indicate that elevated CRP values are related to a lower gain in muscle strength over time in patients with established knee OA. Although the mechanism to explain this relationship is not fully elucidated, these results suggest inflammation as a relevant factor influencing muscle strength in this group of patients.