Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jun Seob Song, Yujiro Yamada, Ryo Kataoka, Vickie Wong, Robert W. Spitz, Zachary W. Bell, Jeremy P. Loenneke
Summary: A single bout of exercise can reduce pain sensitivity in healthy individuals, but exercise-induced hypoalgesia is often impaired in individuals with chronic pain. Existing literature suggests that training interventions may induce hypoalgesic adaptations, potentially driven by central nervous system and immune system factors, but further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Mark Johnson, Carole A. Paley, Gareth Jones, Matthew R. Mulvey, Priscilla G. Wittkopf
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in adults. The results showed that TENS could effectively reduce pain intensity and had a good safety profile. Compared to placebo and other treatments used as part of standard care, TENS was found to provide pain relief.
Article
Neurosciences
Yong-Hui Zhang, Yu-Chen Wang, Gong-Wei Hu, Xiao-Qin Ding, Xiao-Hua Shen, Hui Yang, Ji-Feng Rong, Xue-Qiang Wang
Summary: This study revealed significant gender differences in pressure pain threshold in post-stroke patients. Positive somatosensory signs for pressure stimuli, such as hypoalgesia and hyperalgesia, were frequently observed at the affected side but were not significantly influenced by gender. Patients with less pain, better motor functions, and ADL showed more equal PPTs between both sides, indicating bidirectional improvement caused by possible neural plasticity.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Education & Educational Research
Keith M. Smart
Summary: This article explores the concept of pain science and practice as a threshold concept in undergraduate and pre-registration physiotherapy education. It discusses the characteristics of threshold concepts and evaluates the merits and limitations of characterizing pain science and practice as such. The article invites further debate on the worthiness of this characterization based on epidemiological data and the impact of pain on physiotherapy education and practice.
BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION
(2023)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Stefanos Karanasios, Ioannis Lignos, Kosmas Kouvaras, Maria Moutzouri, George Gioftsos
Summary: Low-intensity exercise with blood flow restriction (LIE-BFR) has been proposed as an effective intervention to increase pain threshold. However, there is still a lack of systematic reviews on this topic. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of LIE-BFR on pain threshold compared to other interventions and explore how different applications may influence hypoalgesic response. Based on the included randomized controlled trials, LIE-BFR was found to significantly increase pain threshold compared to conventional exercise. However, further research is needed to examine its effectiveness in patients with pain symptoms.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Michael A. Wewege, Matthew D. Jones
Summary: Based on the analysis of multiple studies, aerobic exercise induces a large reduction in pain for healthy individuals, while dynamic resistance exercise induces a small reduction, and isometric exercise does not induce any reduction in pain. In individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain, isometric exercise also does not induce a reduction in pain. Further research is needed to explore the effects of aerobic and dynamic resistance exercise on chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Article
Sport Sciences
Jun Seob Song, Yujiro Yamada, Vickie Wong, Zachary W. Bell, Robert W. Spitz, Takashi Abe, Jeremy P. Loenneke
Summary: The study found that isometric handgrip exercise with or without blood flow restriction can induce exercise-induced hypoalgesia at both local and non-local sites. However, discomfort and changes in systolic blood pressure do not explain this response.
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Rehabilitation
Christian Bonello, Michael Girdwood, Keith De Souza, Nicola K. Trinder, Jeremy Lewis, Stephanie L. Lazarczuk, Jamie E. Gaida, Sean I. Docking, Ebonie K. Rio
Summary: This review investigated if exercise induced hypoalgesia (EIH) occurs following isometric muscle contraction in individuals with local musculoskeletal symptoms. Findings showed that while EIH was reported in some studies, there was no consistent data to support the superiority of isometric exercises over comparison interventions, and no consistent evidence for EIH following isometric exercise in people with musculoskeletal pain.
PHYSICAL THERAPY IN SPORT
(2021)
Review
Orthopedics
Andres Jung, Waclaw M. Adamczyk, Abdallah Ahmed, Lea van der Schalk, Matthias Poesl, Kerstin Luedtke, Tibor M. Szikszay
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of spinal manual therapy (SMT) on pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions and people who were pain free. The results showed no immediate or consistent hypoalgesic effects of SMT on PPTs in both groups. Further research is needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of spinal or supraspinal involvement in pain processing.
Article
Anesthesiology
Trudy Rebbeck, Aila Nica Bandong, Andrew Leaver, Carrie Ritchie, Nigel Armfield, Mohit Arora, Ian D. Cameron, Luke B. Connelly, Roy Daniell, Mark Gillett, Rodney Ingram, Jagnoor Jagnoor, Justin Kenardy, Geoffrey Mitchell, Kathryn Refshauge, Simone Scotti Requena, Sarah Robins, Michele Sterling
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a risk-stratified clinical pathway of care for acute whiplash injury. The results showed that risk-stratified care did not improve patient outcomes, and the current pathway is not recommended.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Marta Correyero-Leon, Rocio Llamas-Ramos, Javier Calvo-Rodrigo, Jorge Juan Alvarado-Omenat, Ines Llamas-Ramos
Summary: The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) in patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PD). The study will be a single-blind randomized clinical trial, with participants randomly assigned to either the experimental (TTNS) or placebo (simulated stimulation) group. Various measurements will be taken to assess pain intensity, duration, severity, impact on quality of life, as well as overall improvement and satisfaction.
Article
Rehabilitation
Jun Seob Song, Aldo Seffrin, Yujiro Yamada, Ryo Kataoka, William B. Hammert, Robert W. Spitz, Vickie Wong, Anna Kang, Jeremy P. Loenneke
Summary: Exercise-induced hypoalgesia refers to a reduction in pain sensitivity following exercise, which is impaired in aging and chronic pain. The effects of exercise training on exercise-induced hypoalgesia are not well understood, and further research is needed. Potential mechanisms and considerations for future research are discussed in this paper.
PHYSICAL THERAPY IN SPORT
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
S. Reichenbach, Peter Jueni, C. A. Hincapie, C. Schneider, D. N. Meli, R. Schuerch, S. Streit, C. Lucas, C. Mebes, A. W. S. Rutjes, B. R. da Costa
Summary: The effectiveness of TENS in relieving pain and improving physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis was compared to placebo TENS in this study. The results showed no difference between the two groups in terms of pain relief, and there were no significant differences in safety outcomes. Other treatment modalities should be considered for managing knee osteoarthritis pain and improving function.
OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Angela Notarnicola, Ilaria Ladisa, Paola Lanzilotta, Davide Bizzoca, Ilaria Covelli, Francesco Paolo Bianchi, Giuseppe Maccagnano, Giacomo Fari, Biagio Moretti
Summary: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of shock wave therapy versus therapeutic exercise, alone or in combination, in patients who did not respond to the initial treatment. The study found that both shock wave therapy and therapeutic exercise led to significant improvements in pain reduction, recovery from disability, and perception of recovery within 6 months. The combination of both therapies could be considered for patients who do not respond to a single treatment.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Biology
Yuan-Yuan Tsai, Wei-Ting Wu, Der-Sheng Han, Kamal Mezian, Vincenzo Ricci, Levent Ozcakar, Po-Cheng Hsu, Ke-Vin Chang
Summary: Neuropathic pain has a negative impact on patients' quality of life, and rTMS has been increasingly used as a safe and non-invasive technique for treating this condition. However, the mechanism of rTMS is not well understood, and its efficacy in neuropathic pain treatment lacks sufficient evidence due to inconsistent results in different settings/parameters.