Background: Cancer rehabilitation represents a series of measures adopted for the recovery of psychological, emotional, social, and financial functioning in the case of cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to identify the main elements of therapeutic management in the field of medical rehabilitation, as well as integrative, complementary medicine and holistic approaches that can be performed on the oncological patient. Methods: This systematic literature review follows the methodology outlined in the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis” (“PRISMA”) statement, which is an internationally recognized and widely accepted standard. Results: Active rehabilitative therapies offer therapeutic options for improving the functioning and quality of life of oncological patients; these therapies comprehensively address both the physical and psychological aspects of the disease. This review also includes the latest novelties and nanotechnologies applied in oncological rehabilitation, for example, drugs (or supplements) inspired by nature. Conclusions: Physical and rehabilitation medicine, mostly using stimulating therapeutic methods, was recently added to the list of contraindications in the management of oncological patients, both as an approach to the pathological concept itself and as an approach to the main clinical consequences and functional aspects of oncological therapies. Integrative, complementary medicine presents an important therapeutic resource in the case of oncological patients. Advanced studies are needed in the future to further ascertain the role of these therapies.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a common chronic disease that affects quality of life and increases public health costs. Knee osteoarthritis is a frequent form, marked by joint degeneration, pain, stiffness, and functional restrictions. Factors such as age, genetics, joint injuries, obesity, and vitamin D deficiency can affect knee osteoarthritis progression. While the exact link between vitamin D and osteoarthritis is still being studied, recent research indicates that low vitamin D levels might influence the articular cartilage’s structure and function, potentially accelerating osteoarthritis. This review aims to analyze the last decade of research on vitamin D’s role in osteoarthritis. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Relevant studies from the last ten years were included to evaluate the association between vitamin D levels and knee osteoarthritis. The inclusion criteria were studies examining the role of vitamin D in cartilage health and osteoarthritis progression and the potential clinical implications for disease management. Results: This review identified a variety of studies exploring the connection between vitamin D and osteoarthritis, with mixed findings. Conclusions: The relationship between vitamin D and knee osteoarthritis remains inconclusive, highlighting the need for further research. An updated evaluation of the literature is crucial for osteoarthritis management strategies and to potentially include vitamin D supplementation in therapeutic protocols.

Background and Objectives: Despite their high prevalence, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity remain underdiagnosed worldwide, significantly impacting the health and quality of life of aging individuals. Due to their multifactorial nature, the current management strategies do not address their underlying pathogenesis. This systematic review aims to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with sarcopenia and/or sarcopenic obesity in humans. Materials and Methods. This systematic literature review followed the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)” guidelines and the protocol registered in PROSPERO. Extensive research was performed in six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink) using keywords such as “sarcopenia”, “sarcopenic obesity”, “single nucleotide polymorphisms”, “SNPs”, and “genetic variants”. The Q-Genie and ROBINS-E tools were utilized to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: The final analysis included 12 studies, which were classified as good-quality according to the Q-Genie assessment and indicated a low to moderate risk of bias according to the ROBINS-E evaluation, collectively identifying 43 SNPs significantly associated with sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity. Specifically, 24 SNPs were linked to sarcopenia, while 19 were associated with sarcopenic obesity. Conclusions: Understanding the implications of SNPs provides valuable insights into individual susceptibility and the variability observed across populations, potentially leading to more targeted and effective diagnostic and treatment strategies. Advancing clinical practice requires ongoing research into the genetic aspects of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity.

The Baker cyst (BC), also known as the popliteal cyst or parameniscal cyst, is a fluid-filled sac that normally develops in the back of the knee, between the semimembranosus and medial head of the gastrocnemius. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy (10 days of treatment) that associates intermittent vacuum therapy (IVT) on the lower limbs in the treatment of the BC, respectively, in its size reduction. Sixty-five patients with knee osteoarthritis using Kellgren–Lawrence criteria and the presence of BC (ultrasonography evaluation), were divided into the Control and Vacuum groups. We collected the following features: sex, age, level of education, occupation, environment, body mass index, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Western Ontario, and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, the Functional Independence Measurement, the Fall Risk Score, and the Visual Analog Scale were recorded at baseline and after 10 days. Both groups are similar in terms of demographic features. Regarding the clinical functional parameters, the results elicit a statistically significant change in all parameters between admission and discharge, including the echo volume at BC. Physical medicine and rehabilitation increase the autonomy of patients with BC. Clinical-functional improvement begins in the first 10 days of complex rehabilitation treatment; it is statistically significant and is not different between the two groups, which brings an additional argument for the effectiveness of conservative therapy in the treatment of BC. Although IVT has not demonstrated its superiority over classical balneo-physical therapy, additional research, and long-term monitoring are needed to provide additional arguments regarding this aspect.

The trabecular bone score (TBS) is a recently developed instrument that performs gray-level bone texture measurements on dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images of the lumbar spine and thus captures data on trabecular microarchitec-ture. This paper highlights a review of the scientific literature, using PRISMA methodology. A low TBS value is associat-ed with an increase in both prevalent and incident fractures, which is partially independent of both clinical risk factors and areal BMD (aBMD) at the lumbar spine and proximal femur. TBS is related to bone microarchitecture and provides skeletal information that is not captured by standard bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. A low TBS value cor-relates with poor skeletal microstructure; an increased TBS value correlates with better skeletal microstructure. Based on these data, TBS at the lumbar spine is promising as an emerging technology that could become a valuable clinical tool in diagnosing osteopenia and osteoporosis and assessing fracture risk.

Background and Objectives: Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease, and its incidence increases with age, being particularly high in people over 70 years of age. For patients with this condition, medical rehabilitation can have a profound impact, helping to improve mobility, preserve functional autonomy, and enhance quality of life. Focal vibration stimulation is a promising, well-tolerated, and easy-to-apply method with potential to facilitate motor activity and support the motor learning process, making it also useful in gait reeducation for patients with various neurological conditions. This systematic review aims to analyze the existing scientific evidence on the effectiveness of focal muscle vibration therapy in managing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Materials and Methods: This systematic review of the literature was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and the protocol was registered in PROSPERO under the protocol registration number CRD420251120737. Searches were conducted in five databases (PubMed, PEDro, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Web of Science). The selection criteria targeted original clinical studies, published in English between 2010 and the present, that investigated focal muscle vibration therapy in patients with Parkinson’s disease and were fully available, excluding review papers, meta-analyses, books, and articles inaccessible in full text. Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: The results of the studies were interpreted individually for each study, and the main information was synthesized in a comparative table to facilitate analysis. The final analysis included five studies that investigated the effects of focal muscle vibration in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The results suggest that this form of stimulation may offer benefits for patients with gait disorders, improving balance and stability. Among the study’s limitations are the small number of included articles (n = 5) and the restriction to English-language publications, which may limit the applicability of the results. Conclusions: Given the promising results, focal muscle vibration therapy could represent a useful option in the management of Parkinson’s disease. Integrating this method into rehabilitation plans could bring significant functional benefits, but further studies are needed to confirm its long-term effectiveness and to establish standardized application protocols. No external funding was received for the conduct of this review.