Poor sleep quality (SQ) negatively affects pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). As the level of economic development of a country determines its sanitary conditions, these can influence the sleep–pain relationship; therefore, it is relevant to generate evidence in the population with MSD in developing countries. This cross-sectional study sought to determine the effect of poor SQ on pain in Chilean individuals with MSD, controlling for sex and duration of pain (in months). Method: A total of 228 individuals were included. SQ was measured with the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), pain (intensity, interference and distress relative to pain) was measured with visual analog scales. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to analyze the effect of SQ on pain. Results: A high frequency of poor SQ was present in the studied group, and was more prevalent in women. The SEM model evidenced that poor SQ predicts greater pain. Sex influences sleep quality and pain, but not pain duration. Conclusions: These findings indicate that poor SQ predicts higher pain in MSD and that women exhibit worse SQ and more significant pain than men. Our findings support that SQ should be considered in the comprehensive approach to pain in individuals with MSD.

Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common complication that impairs function and quality of life (QoL). The comparative effectiveness of physical therapy interventions (PTIs) remains unclear. This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to identify the most effective PTIs for BCRL management. Methods: A systematic search of Medline/PubMed, LILACS, CENTRAL, PEDro, and CINAHL was conducted up to July 2024. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving women with BCRL, evaluating PTIs delivered alone or in combination. Primary outcomes were lymphedema volume, volume reduction, percentage reduction, QoL, and pain. Secondary outcomes included range of motion (ROM), grip strength, and adverse events. A frequentist NMA was performed, and certainty of evidence (CoE) was assessed using the GRADE approach. Results: Eighty-three RCTs were identified, of which twenty-six (1203 participants) were included in the NMA, assessing 23 PTIs. Based on moderate CoE, yoga was among the most effective interventions for improving QoL within 6 months compared to usual standard care (USC). The multimodal approach, with or without a home exercise program, showed intermediate benefits for external rotation and may also improve shoulder abduction (low to moderate CoE). No intervention demonstrated clear superiority over USC for other outcomes. Adverse events were reported with kinesiotaping and compression measures. Conclusions: The evidence supports yoga and multimodal programs as potential short-term strategies for improving QoL and shoulder mobility in women with BCRL. However, the predominance of low-to-very-low CoE underscores the need for individualized clinical decisions and future high-quality RCTs with standardized comparators, larger samples, and longer follow-up. The consistent use of standardized comparators will be crucial in improving network connectivity and enabling more robust and comprehensive comparisons across multiple interventions.

Cross-sectional, analytical study that examined the link between sleep quality (SQ) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in young athletes in a sports competition. SQ was measured through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and HRQOL through the SF36 v2 (SF36v2) short-form health survey in 71 young athletes (39 men; mean age 16.9, SD = 1.2 years; mean 6.5, SD = 3.2 years in sports and mean 10.8, SD = 3.3 hours of weekly training) on the day prior to a competition. When comparing the athletes according to SQ (poor SQ > 5 PSQI), significant differences were found (p < .05) in HRQOL in the domains bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional role and mental health, but not in the domains bodily function and physical role. Our results suggest poor SQ is associated with a worse perception of HRQOL in young athletes in competition. Key words: Sleep hygiene, mental health, quality of life, athletes, youth sports.