The health crisis caused by COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the provision of physiotherapists’ services during the pandemic. Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a major health problem and one of the most common causes of pain in the front of the knee in outpatients. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic physical exercise (TPE) program supervised by a physiotherapist using telematic channels in reducing pain and disability in a sample of 54 patients with PFPS in the Physiotherapy Service of the San José de la Rinconada Health Center (Seville). Subjects were evaluated pre- and post-intervention (4 weeks—12 treatment sessions). An analysis was made of perceived pain—using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the DN4 neuropathic pain questionnaire—and functional balance—through the Kujala Score test and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale. The supervised TPE program in patients with PFPS produced a reduction in pain: VAS F_{1, 52} = 8.68 (p = 0.005) η² = 0.14 and DN4: F_{1, 52} = 69.94 (p = 0.000) η² = 0.57; and in Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) disability: F_{1, 52} = 19.1 (p = 0.000) η² = 0.27 and KUJALA: F_{1, 52} = 60.28 (p = 0.000) η² = 0.54, which was statistically significant (p = 0.000 for p < 0.05). Hence, the TPE program presented was effective in reducing pain and disability in patients with PFPS.

Flying on fighter aircraft is the only human activity that exposes the body to acceleration levels for long periods of time. In this sense, the regular exposure to G forces has been related to a high incidence of flight-related neck pain. The aim is to evaluate flight pilots of the Spanish Air Force (instructors vs. students) diagnosed with flight-related neck pain from a biopsychosocial perspective. Eighteen fighter pilots with flight-related neck pain were divided into two groups: instructor fighter pilots (n = 7) and student fighter pilots (n = 11). The Neck Disability Index (NDI), Cervical Range of Motion (CRoM), Pain Pressure Threshold (PPT), cervical repositioning error, and myoelectric activity were evaluated. Cervical flexion, extension and left and right rotation showed a reduced range of motion in both groups with respect to the normative values of the healthy population. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups (p ≥ 05). The correlational analysis showed a strong association between the NDI and CRoM of the left rotation (β =−0.880, p = 0.002). The NDI also had a positive association with the pilot’s age (β = 1.353, p < 0.01) and the number of flight hours (β = 0.805, p = 0.003). In conclusion, the Cervical Range of Motion at the left rotation seems to determine the perceived degree of disability in both the instructors and students. This factor could be influenced by the number of flight hours and accumulated experience as an F-5 fighter pilot.

Interferential current therapy (ICT) is an electrotherapeutic intervention that combines the advantages of high permeability from middle frequency currents and efficient tissue stimulation from low frequency currents, delivering the maximum current with high tissue permeability. The aim was to evaluate the effects of ICT on heart rate variability (HRV) and on pain perception in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP). In the study, 49 patients with NSCLBP were randomly divided into an experimental (EG) and a sham group (SG). All participants received a single intervention, ICT, or simulated intervention. Outcome measures including baseline (sit-down position) and postintervention (prone position) pain, heart rate (HR), time domain parameter (rMSSD), diameters of the Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2), stress score (SS), and sympathetic/parasympathetic (S/PS) ratio were investigated. In both groups, significant statistical differences were found in perceived pain and in all HRV parameters except in HRmax. Between-group comparisons showed statistically significant differences in all variables except for HRmin and HRmean in favor of the experimental group. These changes reported an increase in parasympathetic activity (rMSSD) (p < 0.05) and a decrease in sympathetic activity (increase in SD2 and decrease in SS) (p < 0.001) and perceived pain (p < 0.001), with a greater size effect (η2 = 0.44) in favor of the experimental group. In conclusion, a single session of ICT can shift the autonomic balance towards increase parasympathetic dominance and decrease the sympathetic dominance and intensity of pain perceived by patients with NSCLBP.

Electrical currents are didactic contents widely applied in the training of physiotherapy students, but the treatment is considered a stressful situation for both the patient who receives it and the student who applies it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stress-associated autonomic response of physiotherapy students receiving interferential current by measuring and analysing heart rate variability. An observational case–control study was conducted. Ninety healthy male volunteers, all physiotherapy degree students, were enrolled while attending laboratory practice during the 2020–2021 academic year. Participants were randomly allocated to a sham electrotherapy group (44 subjects), in which heart rate variability was recorded for 10 min, both at rest and during the application of sham technique on the lower back (10 min), and an electrotherapy group (46 subjects), applying the same procedure with the electrical current flowing. Outcome measures included baseline (seated position) and postintervention (prone position) time domain parameter, diameters of the Poincaré plot 1 and 2, stress score, and sympathetic/parasympathetic ratio. The sham electrotherapy group exhibited significant increases in time domain parameter (p = 0.027) and diameters of the Poincaré plot 1 (p = 0.032), with a small effect size (d ≤ 0.5). The electrotherapy group exhibited significant increases in time domain parameter and diameters of the Poincaré plot 1 and 2 (p < 0.001) and decreases in the stress score and sympathetic/parasympathetic ratio (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (d > 0.8) other than for the time domain parameter (d = 0.42), indicating increased parasympathetic and decreased sympathetic activity. After interventions, there were significant differences between groups in diameters of the Poincaré plot 2 (p < 0.001), stress score (p = 0.01) and sympathetic/parasympathetic ratio (p = 0.003), with moderate effect size (d > 0.5). The application of the interferential current technique produces stress-associated autonomic response characterized by greater parasympathetic activity and decreased sympathetic activity. Further studies are needed to determine possible adverse effects.

Although consensus has been reached about the use of therapeutic exercise in patellofemoral pain syndrome, several techniques used worldwide such as radiofrequency diathermy could be useful as complementary therapy. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to compare the effects of adding radiofrequency diathermy to therapeutic exercises in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Fifty-six participants were randomly assigned either to radiofrequency diathermy plus therapeutic exercises group (n = 29) or therapeutic exercises group (n = 27). Both groups received the same therapeutic exercises, and the diathermy group additionally received monopolar dielectric diathermy for three weeks (5–3–2 weekly sessions). Data related to intensity of pain, probability of neuropathic pain, functionality, and range of movement of the knee were measured at baseline and three weeks after the intervention. Comparing pre-treatment and values obtained at the third week, significant improvements were found in intensity of pain, neuropathic pain, functionality, and range of motion in both groups (p < 0.05). The diathermy plus exercises group had significantly better intensity of pain than the control group at the end of the three weeks (p < 0.01). The addition of diathermy by emission of radiofrequency to the therapeutic knee exercise protocol is more effective than a therapeutic exercise protocol alone in the relief of intensity of pain in patients with patellofemoral pain in the immediate post-treatment follow-up compared with baseline scores.