Background: The methods previously proposed in the literature to assess patients with rotator cuff related shoulder pain, based on special orthopedic tests to precisely identify the structure causing the shoulder symptoms have been recently challenged. This opens the possibility of a different way of physical examination. Objective: To analyze the differences in shoulder range of motion, strength and thoracic kyphosis between rotator cuff related shoulder pain patients and an asymptomatic group. Method: The protocol of the present research was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO) (registration number CRD42021258924). Database search of observational studies was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, WOS and CINHAL until July 2023, which assessed shoulder or neck neuro-musculoskeletal non-invasive physical examination compared to an asymptomatic group. Two investigators assessed eligibility and study quality. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the methodology quality. Results: Eight studies (N = 604) were selected for the quantitative analysis. Meta-analysis showed statistical differences with large effect for shoulder flexion (I2 = 91.7%, p < 0.01, HG = −1.30), external rotation (I2 = 83.2%, p < 0.01, HG = −1.16) and internal rotation range of motion (I2 = 0%, p < 0.01, HG = −1.32). Regarding to shoulder strength; only internal rotation strength showed statistical differences with small effect (I2 = 42.8%, p < 0.05, HG = −0.3). Conclusions: There is moderate to strong evidence that patients with rotator cuff related shoulder pain present less shoulder flexion, internal and external rotation range of motion and less internal rotation strength than asymptomatic individuals.

Orthognathic surgery (OS) can present many complications that affect patients’ rehabilitation. However, there have been no systematic reviews that assessed the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in the postsurgical rehabilitation of OS patients. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the effectiveness of physiotherapy after OS. The inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of patients who underwent OS and who received therapeutic interventions that included any physiotherapy modality. Temporomandibular joint disorders were excluded. After the filtering process, five RCTs were selected from the 1152 initially obtained (two had acceptable methodological quality; three had insufficient methodological quality). The results obtained showed that the effects of the physiotherapy interventions studied in this systematic review on the variables of range of motion, pain, edema and masticatory muscle strength were limited. Only laser therapy and LED showed a moderate level of evidence in the postoperative neurosensory rehabilitation of the inferior alveolar nerve compared with a placebo LED intervention.

Rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP) is a prevalent clinical presentation characterized by substantial diagnostic uncertainty. Some of this uncertainty relates to the involvement of the cervical and thoracic spine as a source of or contributing factor to RCRSP. Thirty-two RCRSP cases and thirty-two asymptomatic controls (AC), recruited from Hospital La Paz-Carlos III between March 2023 and September 2023, were matched for age, gender and hand dominance. Assessed variables included cervical, thoracic range of motion (ROM) and neck disability index (NDI). Independent t-tests were used to compare each of these measurements and multiple linear regression was used to examine the capacity of neck or psychosocial variables to predict the variability of the NDI. The RCRSP group had significantly reduced cervical rotation [RCRSP (111.14 ± 22.98); AC (130.23 ± 21.20), d = 0.86, p < 0.01] and flexo-extension ROM [RCRSP (112.47 ± 2.07); AC (128.5 ± 17.85), d = 0.80, p < 0.01] as well as thoracic spine flexion [RCRSP (33.02 ± 1.14); AC (34.14 ± 1.01), d = 1.04, p < 0.01], extension [RCRSP (28.63 ± 0.89); AC (27.37 ± 0.89), d = −1.40, p < 0.01], right rotation [RCRSP (40.53 ± 10.39); AC (54.45 ± 9.75), d = 1.38, p < 0.01], left rotation [RCRSP (39.00 ± 11.26); AC (54.10 ± 10.51), d = 1.39, p < 0.01] and a significantly increased NDI score [RCRSP (17.56 ± 7.25); AC (2.47 ± 3.25), d = −2.69, p < 0.01]. The variables best explaining neck disability were central sensitization index and SF-12 total score (adjusted R² = 0.75; p < 0.01). These results suggest that clinicians should assess cervical and thoracic spine mobility in patients with RCRSP.

Cluster Headache (CH) is a primary headache that causes severe pain. Some evidence suggests that central mechanisms might be involved. The objective of this study was (1) to compare hyperalgesia signs, temporal summation and conditioned pain modulation among episodic (ECH) and chronic CH (CCH) patients and controls, (2) to compare these factors between sides in the patient groups and (3) to compare the psychophysical variables between the groups. This cross-sectional study included 71 subjects divided into three groups (ECH, CCH and controls). Pressure pain thresholds, temporal summation, conditioned pain modulation and other psychosocial variables were measured. The ANOVA showed differences for all physical outcome measures (p < 0.05). Bonferroni post hoc analyses showed differences when comparing the patient groups with the healthy subjects (p < 0.05), with large effect sizes (d > 0.8). No differences between the patient groups were found for almost all the variables (p > 0.05). Significant differences for all the variables were detected when comparing the symptomatic and non-symptomatic sides in both the ECH and CCH groups (p < 0.05). The ECH and CCH groups showed mechanical hyperalgesia, increased temporal summation and impaired inhibitory mechanisms compared to the controls. Side-to-side differences were also detected within the patient groups. Patients with CCH had poorer sleep quality and quality of life than the controls.