Background/Objectives: This study aims to examine the effects of clinical exercise training on foot plantar pressure, the subtalar joint, and the gait cycle during pregnancy. Methods: The study was planned as a randomized, controlled, and single-blind study. Participants’ demographic information, obstetric evaluation, physical activity level, fall history, and pain evaluation were recorded. Foot plantar pressure, the subtalar joint, and the gait cycle were measured through pedobarography at Gait Laboratory. The control group was recommended walking. Clinical exercise training was given to the study group 2 days a week for eight weeks. Evaluations were made on day 0 and the day corresponding to the end of week 8. Results: The study was completed with 50 people in the study group (age: 29.7 ± 3.8 years) and 51 in the control group (age: 29.1 ± 6.1 years). As a result of the parametric and non-parametric tests performed before and after the exercise, it was observed that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in weight, BMI, pain score, static plantar pressure, dynamic plantar pressure, subtalar joint flexibility, duration of the walking period, and multistep walking speed (p < 0.01). The two groups had a significant difference only in the dominant midfoot plantar pressure (p > 0.05). Conclusions: According to our research, weight control and pain relief are observed in women who engage in clinical exercise in the second trimester of pregnancy; plantar pressure and subtalar joint flexibility are preserved, the walking period does not increase, and the multistep walking speed can be maintained after eight weeks.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the frequency of low back pain after calcaneal fractures treated with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) and the risk factors that cause this condition. Methods: Thirty-one patients (27 males and 4 females) who underwent surgery for a unilateral calcaneal fracture between 2016 and 2020 and had no complaints of low back pain before fracture surgery were included in the study. The patients were divided into 2 groups: those who developed low back pain after the operation and those who did not. Patients were evaluated with the Life Quality Short Form SF-36, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and American Orthopedic Foot-Ankle Association Score (AOFAS). Sanders’ fracture type, joint range of motion (ROM) measurements of injured and uninjured limbs, maximal isometric muscle strength measurements, balance on 1 leg with pedobarographic measurements, and walking time were evaluated. The obtained data were compared among the 2 groups. Results: Low back pain was observed in 71% of the patients and was detected after an average of 6 months from the operation. In ODI, 59.1% of the patients reported that low back pain limited their lives slightly. Patients with low back pain have lower AOFAS scores and worse SF-36 physical functionality than those without low back pain (P < .001, P=.016). Balance time on 1 foot in pedobarographic measurements, foot in ROM, ankle in ankle active, passive plantar flexion, inversion, active hip, passive internal, external rotation, muscle is the foot eversion force. In these measurements, the values of the injured side are intact. It was statistically significantly lower than the other side (interaction P < .1). Conclusion: Low back pain may occur after unilateral calcaneal fractures treated by ORIF. This may be caused by decreased angles of ankle dorsi and plantar flexion, foot inversion, hip abduction, and internal and external rotation. In the rehabilitation program, not only the ankle region but also the hip joint of the affected side should be included, and the kinetic chain that describes the interaction mechanism of the human body should not be forgotten. Level of Evidence: Level IV, Prognostic Study. Cite this article as: Bayraktar D, Özgürbüz C, Öztürk AM, Aktuğlu SK, Özkayın N. An investigation into the frequency and risk factors of low back pain following surgical treatment of isolated calcaneal fractures. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc., 2024;58(1):45-56.

Objective: The aim of our study is to examine the injury profiles of ballet dancers. Materials and Methods: Dancers of The State Opera and Ballet Directorate who volunteered for the study applied to Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Sports Medicine. Age, gender, height, body weight, education level and physical activities other than dance were recorded. Body fat ratio analysis was performed with the with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) (iDXA, GE Lunar, Madison, Wisconsin, USA). All the training program of the dancers was questioned in detail. The number of dance injuries diagnosed in the last year was recorded. The relationship between injury incidence and other physical parameters was examined. Results: Forty-four dancers who met the inclusion criteria were evaluated. Thirty-five participants reported being injured at least once in the past 12 months. The most injured areas were reported as lumbar, ankle, neck, shoulder and knee. Nearly 60% of the participants reported that they train more than two hours a day. There was a statistically significant relationship between pain, fatigue, and previous injury with injury profile (p0.05). Conclusion: While pain, fatigue, and incomplete healing of the previous injury are related with the injury profile, strengthening exercise, running and participating other sports activities do not have any impact.

Objectives: Altered body biomechanics during pregnancy can lead to balance impairments and an increased risk of falls. Clinical exercise interventions can help regulate these biomechanical changes. Methods: A total of 101 pregnant participants (exercise group: n = 50; control group: n = 51) were retrospectively analyzed over an 8-week follow-up period. Single-leg balance parameters, including AP sway, ML sway, total body sway, OSD, and center of pressure velocity and acceleration, were assessed considering limb dominance. Measurements were taken at baseline and week 8. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze time–group interactions, with significance set at p < 0.001. The biomechanical impacts of participant height and body mass on center of pressure dynamics were also considered. Results: The exercise group (EG) demonstrated significant improvements in all balance parameters compared to the control group (CG) (p < 0.001), except for non-dominant anterior-posterior (AP) sway (p = 0.512). In the EG, medio-lateral (ML) and AP sway of the non-dominant limb were minimized, whereas these parameters were significantly increased in the CG. Although both groups exhibited an increased one-leg stance duration (OSD), the improvement was more pronounced in the EG. The controlled improvements observed in the EG suggest a protective effect of exercise on balance, particularly in the dominant limb. Conclusions: Clinical exercise interventions during pregnancy enhance balance parameters, reduce fall risk, and improve functional mobility. These findings suggest that structured exercise programs not only support maternal well-being but also improve reactive balance control. Given the biomechanical changes throughout pregnancy, future studies should examine the center of pressure velocity, acceleration, and the influence of maternal anthropometrics on postural stability to refine exercise recommendations.

Aims: To examine the association between thyroid dysfunction and bleeding severity, anemia burden, and management outcomes in perimenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB).Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 742 perimenopausal women aged 40-55 years with AUB were evaluated between January 2014 and December 2024. Thyroid status was categorized as euthyroid, subclinical hypothyroidism, overt hypothyroidism, subclinical hyperthyroidism, or overt hyperthyroidism based on serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine levels. Severe AUB, anemia, and management outcomes (iron therapy, blood transfusion, and procedural interventions) were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographic and metabolic covariates. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to explore the standalone discriminatory performance of thyroid-stimulating hormone for severe AUB and moderate-to-severe anemia.Results: Thyroid dysfunction was identified in 29.4% of participants. Severe AUB and moderate-to-severe anemia were more frequent among women with subclinical and overt hypothyroidism. Thyroid dysfunction was independently associated with severe AUB (aOR 2.21; 95% CI 1.54-3.18), anemia (aOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.33-2.68), and escalation of care (aOR 1.97; 95% CI 1.28-3.02), as well as increased likelihood of iron therapy and blood transfusion. A thyroid-stimulating hormone threshold near 4.0 mIU/L showed moderate discrimination for severe AUB and anemia and should be interpreted as an exploratory risk-enrichment value rather than a definitive diagnostic or treatment cut-off.Conclusion: Thyroid dysfunction, particularly subclinical hypothyroidism, was independently associated with increased bleeding severity, anemia burden, and greater healthcare utilization in perimenopausal AUB. However, given the retrospective observational design, these findings do not establish causality.

Background & Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a crippling disease characterized by joint pains and joint stiffness. Kinesiotaping (KT) has been advocated to reduce local pressure and increase circulation, resulting in decreased pain in various conditions. We aimed to evaluate the acute effect of KT on pain, function, range of motion (ROM) and grip strength parameters in patients with rheumatoid hand. Methodology: A total of 34 patients, 27 women and 7 men, diagnosed with RA were included in our study. All patients were divided into two groups; Kinesiotape group (Group KT) and control group (Group C), each consisting of 17 patients. Subjective pain intensity by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), ROM by goniometer, functional evaluation with the Grip Skill Test, hand grip strength by dynamometer, and finger grip strength by pinchmeter were evaluated. The patients in the Group KT were taped with the mechanical correction method and the patients in the Group C were taped with tensionless I tape. Applications were made on both dominant and non-dominant hands. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54 ± 20 y. VAS score changes at the time of grasping were significant in both groups (P < 0.05), but Group KT was more effective for reducing pain and increasing grip strength. An increase was observed in the wrist and thumb metacarpophalangeal joint ROM in the Group KT (P < 0.05). No change was observed in the groups in hand grip strength and finger grip strength (P > 0.05). In the Grip Skill test, there was a significant difference after the application in both groups (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in between the groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Kinesiotaping applied in rheumatoid hand patients was found to be effective in increasing functionality and joint range of motion, as well as reducing pain during gripping. Abbreviations: KT – Kinesiotaping; RA – Rheumatoid arthritis; MCP – Metacarpophalangeal joint; ROM - Range of Motion; VAS - Visual Analog Scale Key words: Hand function; Hand deformities; Kinesiotape; Kinesiotaping; Rheumatoid arthritis; Range of Motion, Articular; Visual Analog Scale Citation: Çopuroğlu OB, Narin S, Bayraktar D, Özgül S, Vedat Inal V. Acute effect of kinesiotaping applied to the first finger of the patients with rheumatoid hand. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2022;26(6):236−242. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v27i2.2042 Received: Sep 06, 2022; Reviewed: Oct 09, 2022; Accepted: Oct 21, 2022