Background: Virtual reality (VR) applied to patients with neck pain is a promising intervention to produce positive effects when used alone or combined with exercise. Therefore, the objective of this manuscript is to compare the effects of VR versus exercise treatment on pain intensity, conditioned pain modulation (CPM), temporal summation (TS) and functional and somatosensory outcomes in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain (NS-CNP). Methods: A single-blinded, randomized clinical trial was carried out. A total sample of 44 patients with NS-CNP was randomized into a VR treatment group or neck exercises group. The intervention consisted of two treatment sessions per week, for four weeks and eight sessions. Four measurement moments (at baseline, immediately, 1 month, and 3 months after intervention) were considered. Pain intensity, CPM, TS, functional and somatosensory outcomes were measured. Results: Statistically significant differences were revealed for time factor (F = 16.40, p < 0.01, η_p² = 0.28) and group*time interaction for kinesiophobia (F = 3.89, p = 0.01, η_p² = 0.08) showing post-hoc differences in favor of the VR group at 3 months (p < 0.05, d = 0.65). Significant effects were shown for time factor (p < 0.05) but not for the group*time interaction (p > 0.05) for pain intensity, rotation range of motion (ROM), Neck Disability Index, pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance beliefs, left side pressure pain threshold (PPT) and anxiety. Statistically significant differences were not found for time factor (p > 0.05) and neither in group*time interaction (p > 0.05) for CPM, TS, right side PPT, flexo-extension and lateral-flexion ROM. Conclusions: Kinesiophobia was the only outcome that showed differences between VR and exercise at 3 months. Nevertheless, pain intensity, CPM, TS, ROM, neck disability, pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance beliefs, PPT and anxiety did not show differences between both interventions.

Dry needling (DN) and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) are widely used techniques in the treatment of myofascial pain. To investigate the immediate and short-term effects of the combination of DN and PENS compared to DN alone on the upper trapezius muscle. This is a 72-hour follow-up single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Sixty-two volunteer patients with chronic myofascial neck pain with active Myofascial Trigger Points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius muscle were recruited. Randomization was performed, and 31 patients received DN treatment (DN group) and 31 received DN and PENS (DN+PENS group). The primary outcomes were neck disability index (NDI) and visual analog scale for pain for both post-needling soreness (PNS) and neck pain intensity (NPI). Pressure pain threshold (PPT) and cervical range of motion (CROM) were the secondary outcomes. We detected between-group differences in NPI and PNS in favor of the DN+PENS group immediately after treatment. No between-group differences in NDI were observed. PENS application after dry needling treatment is more effective than dry needling alone for decreasing soreness in the short term and improving neck pain intensity immediately in patients with myofascial chronic neck pain.

To assess the effectiveness of different dosages of local twitch responses (LTRs) elicited by deep dry needling (DDN) in relation to pain intensity, pressure pain threshold (PPT), cervical range of movement (CROM), and disability degree in cervical myofascial pain patients. A randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Eighty-four patients (21 males, 63 females; 27.18 ± 10.91 yrs) with cervical pain. DDN in active myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius. Patients were randomly divided into four groups: (a) no LTRs elicited, (b) four LTRs elicited, (c) six LTRs elicited, and (d) needling until no more LTRs were elicited. Pain intensity, PPT, CROM, and disability degree were assessed before treatment, post-immediate, 48 hrs, 72 hrs, and 1 wk after treatment. Significant differences were found in the time factor for all the variables (P < 0.005), but no significant changes were found in the group-time interaction (P > 0.05). DDN in the upper trapezius MTrP improved pain at a 1-wk follow-up, but improvements were not significantly different among DDN dosages. A higher number of patients with neck pain improvements superior to the moderate clinically important differences were observed when eliciting 6 LTRs and LTRs until exhaustion compared with not eliciting LTRs.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the main interventions to reduce the use of health resources, and it promotes a reduction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) costs. mHealth systems in COPD aim to improve adherence to maintenance programs after pulmonary rehabilitation by promoting the change in attitude and behavior necessary for patient involvement in the management of the disease. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of an integrated care plan based on an mHealth web-based platform (HappyAir) on adherence to a 1-year maintenance program applied after pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients. Methods: COPD patients from three hospitals were randomized to a control group or an intervention group (HappyAir group). Patients from both groups received an 8-week program of pulmonary rehabilitation and educational sessions about their illness. After completion of the process, only the HappyAir group completed an integrated care plan for 10 months, supervised by an mHealth system and therapeutic educator. The control group only underwent the scheduled check-ups. Adherence to the program was rated using a respiratory physiotherapy adherence self-report (CAP FISIO) questionnaire. Other variables analyzed were adherence to physical activity (Morisky-Green Test), quality of life (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, and EuroQOL-5D), exercise capacity (6-Minute Walk Test), and lung function. Results: In total, 44 patients were recruited and randomized in the control group (n=24) and HappyAir group (n=20). Eight patients dropped out for various reasons. The CAP FISIO questionnaire results showed an improvement in adherence during follow-up period for the HappyAir group, which was statistically different compared with the control group at 12 months (56.1 [SD 4.0] vs 44.0 [SD 13.6]; P=.004) after pulmonary rehabilitation. Conclusions: mHealth systems designed for COPD patients improve adherence to maintenance programs as long as they are accompanied by disease awareness and patient involvement in management. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04479930; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04479930

Objectives To investigate the effects of deep dry needling (DN) of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) of the masseter and temporalis on pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT), pain-free maximal jaw opening and temporomandibular disorder (TMD)-related disability in patients with sleep bruxism (SB) and myofascial TMD. Methods Seventeen subjects (11 women, 6 men) aged 39±13 years (range 23–66) diagnosed with SB and myofascial TMD were invited to participate in this prospective case series study. Each subject received a deep DN intervention in the masseter and temporalis MTrPs. Pain intensity, PPT, pain-free maximal jaw opening and TMD-related disability were assessed before treatment, immediately after treatment and at 1-week follow-up. Jaw disability was assessed using the jaw disability checklist (JDC) at baseline and 1 week post-treatment only. Results One-way analyses of variance showed significant improvements in pain intensity, PPT and jaw opening (p<0.001). Post-hoc analysis revealed significant differences between baseline and post-intervention follow-up time points in pain (immediate: Cohen's d=1.72, p<0.001; 1 week: d=3.24, p<0.001), jaw opening (immediate: d=0.77, p<0.001; 1 week: d=1.02, p<0.001) and PPT in the masseter (immediate: d=1.02, p<0.001; 1 week: d=1.64, p<0.001) and temporalis (immediate: d=0.91, p=0.006; 1 week: d=1.8, p<0.001). A dependent t-test showed a significant improvement in jaw functioning, reflected by a large reduction in 1-week JDC scores relative to baseline (d=3.15, p<0.001). Conclusions Deep DN of active MTrPs in the masseter and temporalis in patients with myofascial TMD and SB was associated with immediate and 1-week improvements in pain, sensitivity, jaw opening and TMD-related disability. Trial registration number NCT02587182; Results.