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Chronic wound-associated pain negatively impacts the quality of life of individuals and their families. To date, little research exists that has explored collectively how individuals describe wound pain, strategies they use to manage pain, and the perceived effectiveness of such strategies. Therefore, qualitative, semi-structured interviews were carried out between June and August 2021 with 13 individuals to gain a deeper understand of the experience and impact of chronic wound-associated pain in this population. Data were analyzed following Braun and Clarke's approach for reflexive thematic analysis using MAXQdA®. Two themes and subthemes were identified. Theme 1 reflects participants' characterization of pain and how wound-associated pain affected their daily life and how they learned to accept it. Participants felt functionally impaired. In theme 2, participants described how they accepted to live with such a pain even though they received support to manage their chronic wound-associated pain, especially during the dressing-changes. Patients depended on their health care professionals and family support networks to cope with the pain. Coping with pain is exhausting contributing to poorer quality of life. Health care professionals should be aware of wound-associated pain during dressing changes. Patients recommended the need for further research on dressings and not drugs to manage pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of Pilates on falls risk, fear of falling, postural balance, functional mobility, spatiotemporal gait parameters, mobility and physical activity in older adults. Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Sixty-one older adults, mean age 70.08 (SD = 5.51) were randomly allocated into a Pilates group (PG, n = 29) or control group (CG, n = 32). Intervention comprised a 12-week Pilates program, with exercises performed twice a week and supplementary exercises at home. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), was used to screen cognition. Primary outcomes: Fear of falling, postural balance (force platform), gait velocity (electronic walkway). Secondary outcomes: Functional mobility, mobility, physical activity, and spatiotemporal parameters of gait. Statistical analysis was carried out using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Covariates were adjusted. Positive effects were found for time effects: Time Up and Go (TUG), anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions of balance, cadence, (stance, step and double support time). The step and double support time showed significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.05). Interaction between time and groups was found for FRT. Age was a significant factor in TUG, FRT, postural balance for AP under open eyes conditions. Health status was significant for ML in eyes open condition. Gait was significant for age, height and health status. Effects of 12 weeks of Pilates intervention on functional mobility, mobility, postural balance and spatiotemporal gait parameters were identified. Further trials of a longer duration are warranted to determine the effectiveness of Pilates on falls prevention. • Falls are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. • Advancing age is associated with decreased balance control and deterioration of motor skills, which affects walking ability. • A 12-week Pilates program, with supplementary home-based exercises may reduce the risk of falls in older adults. • Positive effects on functional mobility, postural balance and spatiotemporal gait parameters were found after 12-week program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the effectiveness of Pilates exercises on falls risk factors. Prospective cohort, pre-test post-test study. Participants were selected using convenience and snowballing sampling. Pilates classes were held twice weekly for six weeks (1-h sessions) with a supplementary home programme. A test of cognitive function, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), was employed to determine eligibility for inclusion. The following fall-predictor variable measures were employed: the 16 item Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), the short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Functional Reach Test (FRT), the Timed Up and Go (TUG), the GAITRite® system, Platform FOOTWORKpro. Multivariate analysis ANOVA with time as within subject factor was used to test for differences between pre and post-test scores adjusted for the factor Pilates. twenty-seven participants completed the study, mean age = 70.4 (SD = 4.5). After adjusting for the effect of the factor Pilates "previous experience or no previous experience of Pilates", statistically significant differences were identified in the following domains: The TUG (p < 0.001), FRT (p < 0.001), velocity, swing and stance time and the Mediolateral sway (p < 0.05). A significant difference was found between pre and post-test for anteroposterior sway in those with experience of Pilates (p < 0.05) and interaction between time and Pilates experience in Physical Activity (p < 0.05). Findings suggest that functional mobility, mobility, spatiotemporal parameters of gait, postural balance and physical activity improved in healthy older adults after 6 weeks of Pilates with a supplementary home programme. • Six weeks of Pilates improved postural control thus reducing falls risk as observed by a decrease in mediolateral sway. • Pilates improved the temporal parameters of gait and functional mobility in healthy older adults. • Physical activity had a significant impact on balance improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, research into interventions to promote wound healing has been led by scientists, clinicians, industry and academics, each with their own particular area of interest. However, the real experts in this area are the people who live with wounds and their families and heretofore their voice has not influenced or shaped the research agenda. This event aimed to seek patient and carer involvement as experts due to their lived experience in wounds through a partnership approach to identify research priorities and address a lack of patient and carer involvement in wound care research. A roundtable discussion format guided by the Scottish Health Council Participation Toolkit Supporting Patient Focus and Public Involvement in NHS Scotland was utilised. The Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public 2 – Short Form (GRIPP2-SF) guided the reporting process. Key areas for future research were identified and included; Patients and carers prioritised the establishment of support groups and the development of educational resources. Research priorities that emerged included understanding the impact of wounds, pain management, addressing educational needs and quantifying the financial burden on patients and carers of living with a wound. A key conclusion from this roundtable was that patients and their carers expressed a strong interest in further wound care related public and patient involvement events and identified areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to improve peripheral neural transmission would have significant therapeutic potential in medicine. A technology of this kind could be used to restore and/or enhance sensory function in individuals with depressed sensory function, such as older adults or patients with peripheral neuropathies. The goal of this study was to investigate if a new paradigm of subsensory electrical noise stimulation enhances somatosensory function. Vibration (50 Hz) was applied with a Neurothesiometer to the plantar aspect of the foot in the presence or absence of subsensory electrical noise (1/f type). The noise was applied at a proximal site, on a defined region of the tibial nerve path above the ankle. Vibration perception thresholds (VPT) of younger adults were measured in control and experimental conditions, in the absence or presence of noise respectively. An improvement of ~16% in VPT was found in the presence of noise. These are the first data to demonstrate that modulation of axonal transmission with externally applied electrical noise improves perception of tactile stimuli in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of tactile sensory function is common with aging and can lead to numbness and difficulty with balance and gait. In previous work we found that subsensory electrical noise stimulation (SENS) applied to the tibial nerve improved tactile perception in the soles of the feet of healthy adults. In this work we aimed to determine if SENS remained effective in an older adult population with significant levels of sensory loss. Older adult subjects ( N = 8, female = 4, aged 65–80) had SENS applied via surface electrodes placed proximally to the medial and lateral malleoli. Vibration perception thresholds (VPTs) were assessed in six conditions, two control conditions (no SENS) and four SENS conditions (zero mean ± 15 µA, 30 µA, 45 µA and 60 µA SD). VPT was assessed at three sites on the plantar aspect of the foot. Vibration perception was significantly improved in the presence of ± 30 µA SENS and by 16.2 ± 2.4% (mean ± s.e.m.) when optimised for each subject. The improvement in perception was similar across all VPT test sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]