This study aimed to compare the effects of dry needling (DN) versus placebo DN applied to the peroneus longus (PL) and tibialis anterior (TA) on neuromuscular control and static postural control in basketball players with chronic ankle instability (CAI). A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted. Thirty-two male and female basketball players with CAI were randomly assigned to receive either DN (n = 16) or placebo DN (n = 16). Pre-activation amplitudes of PL and TA were assessed with surface electromyography (EMG) during a dynamic landing test. Center of pressure (CoP) displacement and sway variability in anterior-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) directions were measured with a force platform during a single leg balance test (SLBT). Measures were obtained prior to a single DN intervention, immediately after, at 48 h, and 1 month after. The DN group displayed a significant increase in PL and TA pre-activation values, which were maintained 1 month later. Significant reductions in the ML and AP displacements and sway variability of CoP were found for the DN group. These results showed improvements in feedback/feed-forward strategies following DN, including enhanced neuromuscular control and static postural control, with the potential to become a convenient and accessible preventive treatment in CAI subjects.

This study aimed to determine the strategies used by women to adapt to the changes that affect the first sexual relations after childbirth. A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach used three data collection techniques (in-depth interviews, discussion groups, and online forums). Thirty-six women in the first six months postpartum participated in the study, from physiotherapy centers with maternal child specialties in several locations in Spain. Women with different types of delivery, presence or absence of perineal trauma during delivery, previous deliveries, and different types of breastfeeding were included. Among the strategies, closeness support and understanding were the ones that women used to adjust to the new situation, in order to improve the couple’s relationship, intimacy, and cope with the significant changes that appear in the first six months postpartum. Changes and adaptations in sexual practices become a tool for coping with a new sexuality, especially if it is affected by the presence of pain or discomfort associated with physical changes. Personal time facilitates emotional management and improvement of emotional changes related to the demands of motherhood. Accepting the changes that motherhood brings is critical to dealing with the new situation. Strategies used by postpartum women focus on acceptance, self-care, partner, couple time, personal time, and adapting encounters. The findings of this study are of interest to health professionals as they provide insight into how women cope with the changes that appear in the first six months postpartum. In this way, the findings will be able to transmit to couples the alternatives they can adopt before the resumption of sexual relations to improve satisfaction both as a couple and in terms of sexuality after childbirth.

Background: Knowledge regarding the long-term impact of invasive mechanical ventilation on the inspiratory muscles and functional outcomes in COVID-19 survivors is limited.Methods: In this single-centre prospective cohort study, we evaluated invasively ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia 3 and 6 months post-intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. Outcomes included: maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), ultrasound parameters for diaphragm function, 6-min walk distance (6MWD), dyspnoea and quality of life. We evaluated associations between MIP and duration of mechanical ventilation with follow-up outcomes.Results: 50 COVID-19 survivors discharged from ICU between 15 October 2020 and 1 April 2021 were enrolled. Overall, survivors showed a recovery trajectory over time. However, impaired MIP remained in 24 (48%) and 12 (24%) at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Diaphragm dysfunction was not observed. At 3 months, 23 (46%) had impaired functional capacityversus10 (20%) at 6 months. Dyspnoea persisted in 44 (88%) patients at 3 months and 38 (76%) at 6 months. Quality of life was slightly decreased at 3 months with further improvements at 6 months. MIP was correlated to 6MWD, 6MWD % predicted, dyspnoea across follow-up, and quality of life at 3 months. The duration of invasive ventilation was correlated with 6MWD and 6MWD % predicted.Conclusion: In invasively ventilated COVID-19 survivors, inspiratory muscle strength impairments persisted 6 months after ICU discharge, while maintaining normal diaphragm function. Decreased functional capacity, dyspnoea and slightly reduced health status were observed. Early screening of survivors is of utmost importance to identify those with impairments and at risk of delayed or incomplete recovery.

Background: The prevalence of back pain in adolescents is steadily increasing, with negative repercussions on students’ social and academic life. This study sought to improve the ergonomics and musculoskeletal health of adolescents in secondary school by implementing physiotherapy actions within the educational context. Methods: A qualitative collaborative action research approach was used, comprising 49 students, 9 teachers, 11 family members, and 9 physiotherapists. Workshops on ergonomics, stretching, and massage were held. Visual materials were developed to support the assimilation of the information given at the workshops. Data collection included field notes, reflexive diaries, in-depth interviews, and discussion groups. The data were analyzed using the Atlas.ti 6.0 program (Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany). Results: The presence of a physiotherapist in the school context facilitates the acquisition of healthy postural habits. All the adolescents perceived a decrease in back pain after undergoing the program. Conclusions: physiotherapy activities offer students new tools to decrease their back pain and improve their health.

Functioning, as described in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), increasingly raises interest in the world of child rehabilitation, especially because its application empowers patients and parents by not putting the emphasis on disability in terms of the medical diagnosis but on the person’s lived experience and the level of functioning that might be achieved. However, this requires the correct understanding and application of the ICF framework to overcome differences in the often locally used models or the understanding of disability, including mental aspects. To evaluate the level of accurate use and understanding of the ICF, a survey was performed on studies of aquatic activities in children aged 6–12 with developmental delay published between the years 2010 and 2020. In the evaluation, 92 articles were found that matched the initial keywords (aquatic activities and children with developmental delay). Surprisingly, 81 articles were excluded for not referring to the ICF model at all. The evaluation was performed by methodological critical reading according to the ICF reporting criteria. The conclusion of this review is that despite the rising awareness in the field of AA, the ICF is used inaccurately and often not according to the model’s biopsychosocial principles. For the ICF to become a guiding tool in evaluations and goal-setting for aquatic activity, the level of knowledge and understanding of the framework and language needs to be increased via curricula and studies on the effect of interventions on children with developmental delay. Even more so, the level of understanding on how to apply functioning among instructors and researchers working in the aquatic environment needs to be increased.

Cognitive impairment is frequent in elderly subjects. It is associated with motor impairment, a limitation in quality of life and frequently, institutionalization. The aim of this work is to test the efficacy of a therapeutic group program based on action-observation learning. Methods: a non-randomized controlled trial study was conducted. We included 40 patients with cognitive impairment from a nursing home who were categorized into mild and moderate cognitive impairment and divided separately into a control and experimental group. Experimental group performed a 4-week group work, in which each patient with mild cognitive impairment was paired with a patient with moderate cognitive impairment. Thus, patients with mild cognitive impairment observed a series of functional exercises performed by their peers and replicated them. Simultaneously, the patients with moderate cognitive impairment replicated the movement after observing it performed by a patient with mild cognitive impairment. The control group continued to receive their usual care at the center. The upper limb function, cognitive level and function in basic activities of human daily life were measured before and after the intervention and compared with the control group. Results: statistically significant differences were found in the functionality of basic activities of daily living, in the functionality of the upper limb and in the cognitive level in all patients in the experimental group regardless of the initial cognitive level. No statistically significant differences were found in the control group. Conclusions: the implementation of a group, peer-based, action-observation learning therapeutic program is effective in improving the basic activities of human daily life, cognitive level and upper limb functionality in patients with mild and moderate dementia.