The aim of this article was to investigate the knowledge, management, and clinical practice of Italian physiotherapists concerning patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). A national cross-sectional survey consisted of 24 questions was administered from December 2019 until February 2020. A Chi-squared independence test was run to study any difference between subgroups of the sample and responses to the questionnaire. Five hundred and eight respondents completed the survey. Most respondents (n = 225/508; 44.3%) are under 29 years old, female (n = 256/508; 50.4%) and have been working as physiotherapists for less than 5 years (n = 213/508; 41.9%). Most of respondents correctly knows about the cause (n = 455/508, 89.6%), main signs and symptoms of CTS (n = 415/508, 81.70%) and administer education, manual therapy, myofascial techniques and therapeutic exercises (n = 457/508, 89.88%). Three hundred and sixty-four (71.68%) respondents were aware of the influence of psychosocial factors on the patient’s outcomes. The survey showed greater adherence to evidences by physiotherapists holding a master’s degree. The results are mostly comparable with other surveys structured all over the world on the same topic. Italian physiotherapists management of the CTS was not always in line with current evidence. Interventions such as education, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, nerve and tendon glide techniques are widely used, while the orthotic is only offered by half of the sample.

Background: Scar impairments impose a significant economic burden and negatively impact an individual’s well-being and quality of life. However, there is a lack of standardization in physical therapy interventions for scar management. Objective: This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of studies addressing non-invasive physical therapy interventions for scar management. Methods: This scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Six databases were searched, and additional studies were retrieved through gray literature and the reference lists of included articles. All studies considering non-invasive physical therapy interventions for scar management were included. No restrictions were applied regarding time, context or publication type. Results were illustrated using descriptive statistics and summarized in an infographic. Results: Out of 13,419 initial records, 92 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most articles were narrative reviews (n = 41) followed by randomized controlled trials (RCT) (n = 18). The most reported interventions were pressure therapy (n = 41), physical therapy modalities (n = 37), silicone-based products (n = 29) and massage (n = 20). Conclusions: Scar management involves a wide range of physical interventions. However, research has predominantly focused on adults, particularly those with burns, with limited attention given to pediatric or non-adult populations. Furthermore, there is significant variability in the application parameters, scar localization and size. Examining the included study designs, most of the research presented reduced sample sizes and lacked control groups. Notably, almost half of the studies were based on expert opinions. Future high-quality research is needed to identify evidence-based interventions for the clinical management of scars.

Background Scar impairments impose a great economic burden and influence a subject’s well-being and quality of life. Despite that, physiotherapy interventions are poorly investigated. Objective of the study Provide a comprehensive overview of studies addressing physiotherapy and conservative non-invasive interventions for skin scar management, summarizing studies based on scar type, localization, patient’s characteristics (e.g., age), safety and tolerance of physical interventions. The realization of an infographic will assist clinicians and patients with scars’ management. Moreover, any knowledge gaps will be identified. Methods The review will be conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis. MEDLINE Central, PEDro, Embase, Cochrane Library and Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and CINAHL and grey literature (e.g., Google Scholar) will be searched for studies considering physical therapy interventions in scars management. Every study considering conservative non-invasive physiotherapy interventions for scar management will be included. This review will look at studies carried out in any context. Articles written in English or Italian will be considered. No temporal or publication type restrictions will be placed. Selection and extraction of data will be done by three reviewers independently, any discrepancies will be resolved by a fourth reviewer. The results will be illustrated using descriptive statistics and summarized in an infographic. Ethics and dissemination No ethics approval will be necessary.

Background To date, advances in the technological and medical fields have increased the application of virtual reality tools, smartphone apps, and computer-aided therapy in clinical and rehabilitation settings. These tools have been shown to enhance patient involvement and improve self-efficacy in their treatment pathways. However, in orthopaedic and rheumatology fields, studies remain limited, and comprehensive reviews providing an exhaustive overview are lacking. Objective The purpose of this Scoping Review is to provide a general overview of the use of virtual reality and computer aided equipment in musculoskeletal and rheumatological rehabilitation of the wrist and hand, outlining the main types of instruments used, how they are applied, describing any gaps in the literature and possible future developments on the use of VR and PC-aided treatments. Eligibility criteria This study will contain articles that included a population with hand and/or wrist deficits attributable to musculoskeletal and/or rheumatological pathologies or traumas and who undertook a rehabilitation programme focusing on virtual reality or computer aided devices. All studies with subjects suffering from neurological pathologies, such as stroke or Parkinson’s disease, will be excluded. Methods This scoping review will be carried out following the guidance of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Articles will be searched in databases such as PubMed (Medline), Cochrane central, Scopus, Pedro and CINHALcomplete from December 2024. Additional studies will be selected through grey literature, such as Google Scholar. Article selection and data mining will be done by three reviewers, while a fourth will resolve any discrepancies or disputes. No restrictions on type of publication will apply; only articles written since 2014 and written in Italian or English will be considered. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is unnecessary for this study.

Background: “Thumb injuries represent a significant concern in the context of sports, substantially affecting hand function, athletic performance, and return to sport. Despite the high incidence of conditions such as fractures, ligament injuries (e.g., ulnar collateral ligament tears), post-traumatic tenosynovitis (e.g., extensor pollicis longus [EPL] tendinopathy), joint capsule injuries (e.g., metacarpophalangeal dislocations), and De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, the scientific literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of the available evidence.” Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of studies addressing both traumatic and overuse-related thumb injuries in athletes, synthesizing data by sport type, injury mechanism, diagnosis, treatment (conservative or surgical), and return to sport outcomes. Additionally, gaps in existing literature and future research priorities will also be identified. An infographic will be developed to support clinicians, physical therapists, and athletes by translating the main findings into practical information regarding injury mechanisms, treatment strategies, and return-to-sport considerations. Methods: This scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the methodological framework outlined in the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. The databases PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PEDro will be searched for studies published from 2015 onwards, in English or Italian. In addition, Google Scholar will be consulted to identify relevant grey literature. Studies from any setting and involving athletes of all levels will be eligible for inclusion. One reviewer will screen all records and perform full data extraction. Two reviewers will independently check a randomly assigned subset of records to ensure reliability. A fourth reviewer will act as arbitrator and resolve any conflicts between reviewer 1, 2, and 3. Results will be illustrated using descriptive statistics and summarized in an infographic to facilitate clinical applicability. Ethics and Dissemination: This scoping review does not require ethics approval, as it involves the analysis of previously published data and does not include human participants. An infographic summarizing the main findings will be developed and shared with healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, and with athletes, to provide practical information on injury mechanisms, treatment strategies, and return-to-sport considerations related to thumb injuries. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant national and international conferences. Based on the findings, recommendations will be formulated to guide future research directions in this field.