This paper studies the concept of «social pain» and its relationship with physical pain. An in-depth review of its physiology has been carried out, including similarities and differences in processing with relation to physical pain, as well as the interactions between both processes. Social pain is defined as an unpleasant emotional experience which is triggered when the individual feels excluded or rejected by people or social groups with whom they wish have a relationship. This perceived situation produces the same feelings of suffering as that of physical pain. This kind of pain is processed in the same brain areas as physical pain in its affective dimension. It may be revived mentally, even though the interpersonal conflictive situation may have ended long ago. Both types of pain are sources of stress. The confluence of both situations in the same individual adds complications and more pressure to that which is already exerted separately by both stressing factors. This circumstance must be taken into account when dealing with patients with chronic pain.

Objectives: This study explored the experiences of second-grade children and their teachers who participated in a mind–body program to understand its impact on their development. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Student data were collected through seven focus groups, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with tutors in December 2021. Data analysis was performed following COREQ guidelines. Results: Three themes were generated: (1) competitiveness and restlessness in children: something needs to be done; (2) seeds sown and fruits harvested; and (3) it is necessary to advance from the occasional to the structural. Participants reported positive changes in areas of their development such as self-regulation, relaxation, attention capacity, and stress reduction. Improvements in interpersonal relationships and social skills were also observed. Conclusions: These improvements in emotional well-being and social skills highlight the importance of this type of intervention in the school environment.

Neck pain is a frequent health problem. Manual therapy (MT) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are recommended techniques for treatment of mechanical neck disorders (MND) in Spanish Public Primary Care Physiotherapy Services. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of MT versus TENS in active mobility and endurance in cervical subacute or chronic neck pain. Ninety patients with MND were randomly allocated to receive ten 30-min sessions of either MT or TENS, in a multi-centered study through 12 Primary Care Physiotherapy Units in the Madrid community. Active cervical range of motion (CD-ROM) and endurance (Palmer and Epler test) were evaluated pre- and post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up. A generalized linear model of repeated measures was constructed for the analysis of differences. Post-intervention MT yielded a significant improvement in active mobility and endurance in patients with subacute or chronic MND, and at 6-month follow-up the differences were only significant in endurance and in sagittal plane active mobility. In the TENS group, no significant improvement was detected. With regard to other variables, MT improved mobility and endurance more effectively than TENS at post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up in the sagittal plane. Only MT generated significant improvements in cervical mobility and endurance in the three movement planes.

Background: Stroke survivors experience significant alterations in their daily functionality that has a negative impact on their functionality, participation, and quality of life. Person-centered approaches in Physical Therapy interventions that are focused on functional and meaningful goals help to minimize the impact of the alterations. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a Physical Therapy intervention based on a goal-oriented approach with task-specific training for improving functionality, participation, and quality of life for people with Stroke. Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial will be developed. Adults over 50 years old diagnosed with Stroke over 6 months will be included in this study. Participants (n = 62) will be randomly allocated into two groups: The experimental group (n = 31) will receive 30 sessions, three per week during 10 weeks, of Physical Therapy sessions of goal-directed and task-specific training. The control group (n = 31) will follow the same intervention intensity of their usual Physical Therapy treatment. The primary outcome variables quality of life (NewsQol), participation (Ox-PAQ), and gait functionality (FAC) and the secondary outcome variables functional disability (BI), postural control (PASS), dynamic trunk balance (TIS), and functional goals (GAS) will be measured at baseline, after group interventions (10 weeks), and 6 months after the baseline. Statistical analyses will include repeated-measures ANOVA, Student’s t-test, or the Mann–Whitney U-test, with a 95% confidence interval and significance level of p < 0.05. Conclusion: Person-centered approaches in Physical Therapy interventions may yield better outcomes in functionality, participation, and quality of life for Stroke patients compared to standardized interventions. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06165666 (December 2023).

The aim of this study was to explore the experience of women who take care of their children in postpartum and who desire to be understood by society, with no judgements. For this purpose, a qualitative methodology was followed. In-depth interviews, discussion groups, and an online forum were used for data collection. The participants were Spanish women that had given birth in the past 6 months, and their partners. Healthcare specialists with experience in the topic were also included. Results showed three main categories: lack of priority, self-demand, and self-esteem changes. As a conclusion, the concept of motherhood needs to be redefined, as women feel that they are living under the pressure of being a “perfect mother”. It is important that mothers allow themselves to fail in reaching the imposed requirements. Simple acceptance of motherhood boundaries could help in this transition.

El 80% de las consultas médicas son por dolor, de las cuales el 30% se refieren a dolor crónico. Frecuentemente, los pacientes con dolor crónico son derivados a las Unidades de Fisioterapia para su tratamiento. Se utilizan diferentes técnicas y modalidades de tratamiento enfocadas a la disminución de la sintomatología. Los criterios de elección para el abordaje de estos procesos varían en base a la formación, especialización y experiencia profesional del fisioterapeuta. El dolor, considerado como un síntoma, es tratado desde un enfoque fundamentalmente biomédico con métodos mecanicistas, lo que lleva en ocasiones a un pobre resultado terapéutico. En la actualidad ya se cuenta con estudios suficientes que permiten entender la influencia de los factores psicosociales y emocionales sobre la percepción del dolor crónico y la importancia de tenerlos en cuenta en los abordajes terapéuticos. En este sentido, el modelo biopsicosocial propone un tratamiento integral del sujeto, lo que contribuye a aumentar la calidad de la atención fisioterapéutica, mejorando la eficacia de los tratamientos, los resultados clínicos y la gestión de los recursos. Los programas de Educación para la Salud que contemplan, además de los factores físicos y cognitivos, también factores emocionales a través de técnicas de reestructuración cognitiva, manejo de la atención, gestión de emociones y ejercicio terapéutico, proporcionan una herramienta muy valiosa al fisioterapeuta para el abordaje de estos procesos.