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Introduction: Patients presenting to direct access physiotherapists may present with a serious pathology that mimics a musculoskeletal condition. Recognition of atypical clinical patterns allows for referral to an appropriate provider when a serious pathology is present. This case report details a patient with a pulmonary pathology who presented to a physiotherapist with a complaint of neck and chest pain following medical consultations., Case Presentation: A 29-year-old amateur volleyball player arrived at the physiotherapist's clinic five days after experiencing the onset of neck pain. She complained of pain on the right side, which extended to the trapezius, as well as occasional discomfort in the lower lateral and anterior chest. The patient noted that the pain worsened when lying supine or on her left side, and during coughing. After developing symptoms resembling a cold, she sought care at two different emergency clinics where physicians diagnosed seasonal flu and an unrelated muscle strain. Despite treatment, the pain persisted, accompanied by fever and general weakness, disrupting her sleep. Following a review of a medical history and a physical examination, musculoskeletal causes of pain appeared unlikely, prompting consideration of a pulmonary pathology. Referral to a specialist was deemed necessary., Conclusion: This case report highlights the importance of screening for serious pathology in direct access physiotherapy, irrespective of a prior physician consultation.

Introduction: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) causes significant pain, disability, and costs among patients. It is paramount that healthcare professionals have an updated knowledge of its characteristics and Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs)., Objectives: To determine the knowledge, adherence to CPGs, and confidence of Italian physiotherapists in managing patients with FMS, explore barriers to the implementation of CPG' recommendations, compare groups' adherence to CPGs, and determine which variables explained most of the participants' knowledge., Methods: The survey was administered via social media and newsletter (i.e., Italian Association of Physiotherapists, AIFI) to Italian practicing physiotherapists. The protocol of this work was prospectively registered in the Open Science Framework., Results: Total replies were 398. Italian physiotherapists showed a good knowledge of FMS and adherence to CPGs. Ninety-one percent reported a medium or lower confidence in managing patients with FMS. Sixty-seven percent judged their knowledge of CPGs as poor or very poor. The remaining 33% mentioned patients' psychosocial aspects, multidisciplinary relationships, and lack of training on communication strategies as the main barriers to the implementation of CPGs. Being an Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapist (OMPT) resulted in a better adherence to CPGs on 11/14 items. Knowledge scores were correlated (r = 0.244) with being an OMPT (Stand β = 0.123) and years of professional activity (Stand β = -0.126)., Conclusions: Although Italian physiotherapists demonstrated a good knowledge of FMS and reported a good adherence to CPGs' recommendations, they may still experience barriers to the implementation of evidence-based management strategies., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of cognitive functional therapy (CFT) in reducing disability and pain compared to other interventions in chronic spinal pain patients., Methods: Five databases were queried to October 2023 for retrieving randomized controlled trials (RCTs), including patients with chronic spinal pain and administering CFT. Primary outcomes were disability and pain. Secondary outcomes included psychological factors, quality-of-life, patient satisfaction and adverse events. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment (Cochrane RoB 2.0), and evidence certainty (GRADE approach). Random-effect models were used for meta-analyses. Clinical relevance was assessed with the Smallest Worthwhile Effect., Results: Eight RCTs (N = 1228) for chronic low back pain (CLBP), one (N = 72) for chronic neck pain (CNP) were included. Compared to other conservative interventions, CFT may reduce disability (MD: -9.41; 95%CI: -12.56, -6.27) and pain (MD: -1.59; 95%CI: -2.33, -0.85 for CLBP) at short-term follow-up with probable to possible clinical relevance in CLBP and with low and very low evidence certainty, respectively. Similar results, with larger effect sizes, were observed for CFT compared to any unstructured or unsupervised minimal care treatments. Efficacy persisted in longer-term follow-ups, except for comparison with other conservative interventions. The CNP study showed positive results for CFT. Evidence certainty was low to very low. Sparse evidence was found for secondary outcomes., Conclusion: CFT may offer clinically relevant benefits for CLBP, although the evidence remains mainly of low to very low certainty. Well-conducted studies, particularly in CNP and other spinal pain conditions are needed to strengthen these findings., Registration: PROSPERO CRD42023482667., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Purpose: To cross-culturally adapt the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) into Italian and study its classic psychometric properties in subjects with shoulder pain (SP)., Materials and Methods: The PSFS was translated into Italian and administered to 109 SP subjects. Acceptability (time to administer, floor and ceiling effects), reliability (internal consistency [Cronbach's alpha], test-retest reliability [Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC)], and measurement error [Standard Error of Measurement (SEM), Minimal Detectable Change, (MDC)]), were assessed. Moreover, construct validity was investigated through a-priori hypothesis testing, comparing the PSFS with the Disability of the Shoulder, Arm and Hand (DASH) scale, 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Numeric Pain Rating scale (NPRS)., Results: The PSFS was successfully adapted into Italian, and its acceptability was satisfied. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.925), and test-retest reliability was good (ICC = 0.866, 95% CI = 0.749-0.931). A SEM of 0.7 points and an MDC of 1.9 points were obtained. We observed moderate evidence for construct validity, with 4/6 correlations between other measures being respected., Conclusion: This study provided reliability and validity of the PSFS in a sample of Italian SP subjects. Future studies should assess the responsiveness of using the PSFS as an outcome measure to capture clinical changes after treatment.

Background: Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It is also the main cause of the limitation of activities and absence from work in much of the world and a cause of great economic burden. The greatest percentage of low back pain is classified as nonspecific (i.e. not attributable to a defined pathology), while the others may concern specific pathologies of the lumbar region or suggest pathologies of non-musculoskeletal origin. Consequently, evaluating any signs and symptoms mimicking musculoskeletal conditions is crucial., Case Description: This case report describes a 64-year-old female patient who first presented to the physiotherapist with two weeks of low back pain, complaining of a different clinical presentation than the previous episodes. The patient's pain started spontaneously and was located in the lumbar region over a diffuse area. Symptoms were constant throughout the day and did not change with movement. Based on the examination findings, the physiotherapist decided to make an urgent referral to the patient's General Practitioner., Outcomes: Following ultrasound examination and Computed Tomography scan, an 8.5 cm mass was confirmed in the abdominal region. It was surgically removed, and a histological diagnosis of Low-grade Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasm (LAMN) was made., Conclusion: The physiotherapist's evaluation and decision-making process was fundamental in the patient's referral due to suspected pathology not within the scope of practice. This revealed a rare condition, which, according to the existing literature, is usually diagnosed in the event of collateral imaging findings or upon presentation of complex and/or emergency clinical pictures.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease characterized by balance and gait impairment, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and diminished quality of life. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as an effective intervention for managing these symptoms., Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of remotely supervised tDCS (RS-tDCS) applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, in conjunction with a telerehabilitation (TR) program, on motor (balance and gait), cognitive (executive functions), and participation outcomes (fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life) in persons with MS (pwMS)., Methods: In this multicenter interventional randomized controlled trial, pwMS were randomly assigned to: TR with active tDCS (TR RS-AtDCS, n = 20) or TR with sham tDCS (TR RS-StDCS, n = 21). Two additional groups of historical controls were represented by comparable TR (TR, n = 35) or usual care (UC, n = 35). The TR RS-tDCS program comprised a 6 weeks of rehabilitation intervention delivered through a hybrid mix model TR, five sessions a week each lasting 45 min with additional 20 min of tDCS during the first week., Results: The subjects underwent to TR treatments (TR; TR RS-AtDCS; TR RS-StDCS) exhibited post-treatment improvements compared to UC group in Mini-BESTest global score (p = 0.013, T0 vs T1 ̶ UC group: p = 0.429, TR groups: p < 0.001), anterior postural control (p = 0.028, T0 vs T1 ̶ UC group: p = 0.860, TR groups: p < 0.001), and dynamic walking (p = 0.010, T0 vs T1 ̶ UC group: p = 0.269, TR groups: p = 0.012). The TR RS-AtDCS group showed improvement in the 12-item MSWS (p = 0.006) and STAI-Y (p = 0.032) compared to UC, TR and TR RS-StDCS., Conclusions: This study underscores the benefits of TR in addressing motor challenges (balance and gait) among pwMS. The incorporation of RS-tDCS positively impacted on participants' perceived walking difficulties and reduced anxiety. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive evaluation of motor, quality of life, and emotional outcomes within home-based interventions. These findings highlight the potential of combined interventions to enhance well-being in pwMS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: In 2008, a Working Group of the Italian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (SIMFER) published the first minimum protocol for assessing stroke patients (PMIC) to define functional needs and outcomes. The recent PMIC revision (PMIC2020) introduces a document for all rehabilitation settings, incorporating updated measurement tools., Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the PMIC2020 feasibility and administration time (AT) in post-stroke inpatients and to examine the influence of demographic and clinical variables on AT., Design: Multicenter prospective observational study., Setting: Eight Italian rehabilitation centers for post-acute inpatients., Population: Adult patients consecutively admitted to rehabilitation after ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke, reporting the first event or recurrence, with a modified Barthel Index (mBI)<75 points, without cognitive impairment and clinical instability., Methods: PMIC2020 was administered at admission (T0) and discharge (T1), recording AT of each section/ tool. A feasibility questionnaire was administered to assessors. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of demographics and clinical variables on AT., Results: One hundred fifty-one subjects were enrolled at T0 and 139 at T1; the mean±SD AT (seconds) was 1634±401 at T0 and 1087±360 at T1 (P<0.001). National Institute of Health-Stroke Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination required the highest AT. All but two scales had significantly lower AT at T1 (P<0.05). Severe disability (as measured by mBI) was associated with higher AT than either complete or minimal/absent disability. The feasibility questionnaire showed good PMIC2020 appraisal by assessors without relevant critical issues., Conclusions: PMIC2020 was feasible in post-acute inpatient rehabilitation settings. No relevant critical issue was raised by users. Even though more comprehensive than PMIC, PMIC2020 required only slightly more AT (27 minutes at T0 and 18 minutes at T1, on average); more AT was needed to assess patients with severe disability., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: The study has immediate transferability for the National Health Service, as PMIC2020 can be routinely implemented in clinical practice and research to assess stroke patients' needs and outcomes. The updated measures allow more immediate comparisons with international data on stroke rehabilitation. Future research should investigate the PMIC2020 feasibility in other rehabilitation settings and its relevance in predicting stroke rehabilitation needs and outcomes.

Background: The Box and Block Test (BBT) is an essential and widely used test in rehabilitation for the assessment of gross unilateral manual dexterity. Although it is a valid, simple, and ecological instrument, it does not provide a quantitative measure of the upper limb trajectories during the test., Research Question: The study introduces a new motion-capture-based method (using ecological Inertial Measurement Units - IMUs) to evaluate upper body kinematics while performing a targeted version of BBT (tBBT)., Methods: This observational study compares data from 35 healthy subjects, 35 subjects with Parkinson's disease, and 35 post-stroke individuals to evaluate upper limb kinematics during tBBT quantitatively. Seven IMUs were placed on the trunk, head, and upper limb of each subject. The joint angles and kinematic scores were calculated and analyzed. Motor task execution time and kinematic scores were statistically correlated with clinical assessment measures. Kruskal-Wallis between groups test and Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc were used., Results: The statistics revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among the three groups. The analyzed joint angles highlight various compensatory strategies in neurological subjects, such as using the trunk to complete a motor task instead of the shoulder and using the wrist instead of the elbow, along with differences in movement fluidity (DimensionLess-Jerk, p<0.05). A positive correlation was found between kinematics and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Limb (r=0.7344; p<0.01), and a negative correlation between kinematics and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (r=-0.5286; p<0.01)., Significance: The quantitative assessments of joint kinematics correlated to clinical assessments could guarantee a new method of assessment of the upper limb in subjects with motor deficits. This would allow to capture new insight into the characteristics of the subject's disability, with implications for the choice of a personalized rehabilitation treatment focused on the motor recovery of the upper limb., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Physiotherapists (PTs) play a crucial role in managing individuals with Frozen Shoulder (FS), frequently being the first healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of this condition., Aim: This study aimed to compare the beliefs, expectations, and perspectives of individuals with FS with the knowledge, skills, and strategies of PTs, highlighting similarities and differences., Method: This study adhered to the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). From May 1st to August 1st, 2023, a two-part survey was conducted involving PTs and individuals diagnosed with FS. The survey focused on comparing key areas such as clinical assessment, patient education, treatment expectations, and the psychological aspects of the patient-clinician relationship., Results: A total of 501 PTs and 110 subjects with FS participated in the survey. Most PTs showed proficiency in FS pathoanatomical conditions and were also attentive to psychological aspects (88.4%), describing the pathology evolution in three or two stages (68.2%). They also highlighted the importance of patient education (89.6%) and recognized the potential benefits of a multiprofessional collaboration in managing FS (82.2%). Reassurance was reported as a priority by 32.3% of PTs. Subjects with FS expressed a preference for PTs who are both expert and empathetic (73.6%). Regarding their understanding of FS, 29.09% of subjects reported receiving a three-phase explanation, while 26.36% felt inadequately informed. Nearly half of the subjects (49.09%) anticipated being managed independently by a PT, with 93.64% prioritizing the improvement of their range of motion., Conclusion: This study revealed a general agreement between subjects with FS and PTs regarding aspects of the therapeutic relationship, patient education, pathology management, compliance and motivation strategies, and pain management preferences. However, significant differences emerged concerning the perception of physiotherapy effectiveness, primary treatment goals, subjects' priorities, and the importance of psychological assessment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The prevalence and cost of musculoskeletal diseases increased dramatically over the past few decades. Therefore, several institutions have begun to re-evaluate the quality of their musculoskeletal educational paths. However, current standardized questionnaires inadequately assess musculoskeletal knowledge, and other musculoskeletal-specific exams have limitations in implementation. The musculoskeletal 30-question multiple choice questionnaire (MSK-30) was proposed as a new tool for assessing basic musculoskeletal knowledge., Aim: To analyse basic musculoskeletal knowledge in a sample of Italian physiotherapists by administering the MSK-30 questionnaire., Methods: After a transcultural adaptation process, the MSK-30 was developed and administered to Italian physiotherapists to assess their musculoskeletal knowledge. Participants were invited to participate in the survey via the SurveyMonkey link. Mann-Whitney test and the Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction were used to observe the differences between groups in the MSK-30 scores., Results: Four hundred-fourteen (n=414) physiotherapists participated in the survey. The median MSK-30 value was higher in physiotherapists who attended the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists postgraduate certification than in those who attended unstructured postgraduate training in musculoskeletal condition or in those who had not completed any postgraduate training in this field (p<0.001)., Conclusions: This work demonstrates significant differences in the management of musculoskeletal disorders between those with specific postgraduate university education and those without. The findings can contribute to the advancement of the physiotherapy profession in Italy. Authors recommend further research with more robust methodologies to deeper understand this topic. Musculoskeletal conditions will continue to represent a significant portion of primary care visits, and future generations of physiotherapists must be prepared to address this challenge., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Stroke, a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, manifests as motor, speech language, and cognitive impairments, necessitating customized rehabilitation strategies. In this context, telerehabilitation (TR) strategies have emerged as promising solutions. In a multi-center longitudinal pilot study, we explored the effects of a multi-domain TR program, comprising physiotherapy, speech therapy, and neuropsychological treatments. In total, 84 stroke survivors (74 analyzed) received 20 tailored sessions per domain, addressing individual impairments and customized to their specific needs. Positive correlations were found between initial motor function, cognitive status, independence in activities of daily living (ADLs), and motor function improvement after TR. A lower initial health-related quality of life (HRQoL) perception hindered progress, but improved ADL independence and overall health status, and reduced depression correlated with a better QoL. Furthermore, post-treatment improvements were observed in the entire sample in terms of fine motor skills, upper-limb functionality, balance, independence, and cognitive impairment. This multi-modal approach shows promise in enhancing stroke rehabilitation and highlights the potential of TR in addressing the complex needs of stroke survivors through a comprehensive support and interdisciplinary collaboration, personalized for each individual's needs.

Background: The implementation of regular prolonged, and effective rehabilitation in people with Parkinson's disease is essential for ensuring a good quality of life. However, the continuity of rehabilitation care may find barriers related to economic, geographic, and social issues. In these scenarios, telerehabilitation could be a possible solution to guarantee the continuity of care., Aim: To investigate the efficacy of non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation on postural stability in people with Parkinson's disease, compared to at-home self-administered structured conventional motor activities., Design: Multicenter randomized controlled trial., Setting: Five rehabilitation hospitals of the Italian Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Network., Population: Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease., Methods: Ninety-seven participants were randomized into two groups: 49 in the telerehabilitation group (non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation) and 48 in the control group (at-home self-administered structured conventional motor activities). Both treatments lasted 30 sessions (3-5 days/week for, 6-10 weeks). Static and dynamic balance, gait, and functional motor outcomes were registered before and after the treatments., Results: All participants improved the outcomes at the end of the treatments. The primary outcome (mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test) registered a greater significant improvement in the telerehabilitation group than in the control group. The gait and endurance significantly improved in the telerehabilitation group only, with significant within-group and between-group differences., Conclusions: Our results showed that non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation is feasible, improves static and dynamic balance, and is a reasonably valuable alternative for reducing postural instability in people with Parkinson's disease., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: Non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation is an effective and well-tolerated modality of rehabilitation which may help to improve access and scale up rehabilitation services as suggested by the World Health Organization's Rehabilitation 2030 agenda.

Idiopathic chronic neck pain is a highly disabling musculoskeletal condition. Immersive virtual reality shows a promising efficacy in the treatment of chronic cervical pain through the mechanism of distraction from the pain. This case report describes the management of C.F., a fifty-seven-year-old woman, who suffered from neck pain for fifteen months. She had already undergone a cycle of physiotherapy treatments including education, manual therapy, and exercises, following international guidelines. The patient's poor compliance did not allow adherence to the exercise's prescription. Home exercise training through virtual reality was therefore proposed to the patient to improve her adherence to the treatment plan. The personalization of the treatment allowed the patient to resolve in a short time period her problem and return to live with her family peacefully.

Background: The literature on upper limb robot-assisted therapy showed that robot-measured metrics can simultaneously predict registered clinical outcomes. However, only a limited number of studies correlated pre-treatment kinematics with discharge motor recovery. Given the importance of predicting rehabilitation outcomes for optimizing physical therapy, a predictive model for motor recovery that incorporates multidirectional indicators of a patient's upper limb abilities is needed. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a predictive model for rehabilitation outcome at discharge (i.e., muscle strength assessed by the Motricity Index of the affected upper limb) based on multidirectional 2D robot-measured kinematics. Methods: Re-analysis of data from 66 subjects with subacute stroke who underwent upper limb robot-assisted therapy with an end-effector robot was performed. Two least squares error multiple linear regression models for outcome prediction were developed and differ in terms of validation procedure: the Split Sample Validation (SSV) model and the Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation (LOOCV) model. In both models, the outputs were the discharge Motricity Index of the affected upper limb and its sub-items assessing elbow flexion and shoulder abduction, while the inputs were the admission robot-measured metrics. Results: The extracted robot-measured features explained the 54% and 71% of the variance in clinical scores at discharge in the SSV and LOOCV validation procedures respectively. Normalized errors ranged from 22% to 35% in the SSV models and from 20% to 24% in the LOOCV models. In all models, the movement path error of the trajectories characterized by elbow flexion and shoulder extension was the significant predictor, and all correlations were significant. Conclusion: This study highlights that motor patterns assessed with multidirectional 2D robot-measured metrics are able to predict clinical evalutation of upper limb muscle strength and may be useful for clinicians to assess, manage, and program a more specific and appropriate rehabilitation in subacute stroke patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Goffredo, Proietti, Pournajaf, Galafate, Cioeta, Le Pera, Posteraro and Franceschini.)

Background: Telemedicine is an effective, widely used strategy in the field of cystic fibrosis management. The objective of this scoping review is to summarize and analyze the scientific literature with the special focus on the tools and the strategies used in patients with a chronic disease, such as cystic fibrosis., Methods: This scoping review will be performed in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. In this context, the planned scoping review is a research synthesis that will map the literature on the applications of telemedicine and telemonitoring to the management of cystic fibrosis, with the aim to identify key concepts in the research and work to be conducted that may impact clinical practice. Studies will be included if they meet the following population, concept, and context criteria: all patients with cystic fibrosis receiving treatment with the tools of telemedicine and telemonitoring. No study design, publication type, or data restrictions will be applied. MEDLINE, Scopus, CINHAL, Pedro, Embase, Web of Science, ACM Digital Library, Health Technology Assessment Database (HTA), and Cochrane Central will be searched up to September 2022., Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic. The results could add meaningful information for future research and, especially, for clinical practice, when implementing telerehabilitation in cystic fibrosis treatment. Furthermore, we expect that our work may identify possible knowledge gaps on the topic. The results of this research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be presented at relevant international scientific events, such as in congress or meetings.

(1) Background: In neurorehabilitation, Wearable Powered Exoskeletons (WPEs) enable intensive gait training even in individuals who are unable to maintain an upright position. The importance of WPEs is not only related to their impact on walking recovery, but also to the possibility of using them as assistive technology; however, WPE-assisted community ambulation has rarely been studied in terms of walking performance in real-life scenarios. (2) Methods: This study proposes the integration of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) system to analyze gait kinematics during real-life outdoor scenarios (regular, irregular terrains, and slopes) by comparing the ecological gait (no-WPE condition) and WPE-assisted gait in five able-bodied volunteers. The temporal parameters of gait and joint angles were calculated from data collected by a network of seven IMUs. (3) Results: The results showed that the WPE-assisted gait had less knee flexion in the stance phase and greater hip flexion in the swing phase. The different scenarios did not change the human-exoskeleton interaction: only the low-speed WPE-assisted gait was characterized by a longer double support phase. (4) Conclusions: The proposed IMU-based gait assessment protocol enabled quantification of the human-exoskeleton interaction in terms of gait kinematics and paved the way for the study of WPE-assisted community ambulation in stroke patients.