OBJECTIVE: This study has been conducted to examine the effects of posture, cervical region and oropharyngeal exercises in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). METHOD: Thirty patients with OSAS have been randomly divided into two gr

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a set of symptoms that negatively affect the daily life activities of the individual, leading to functional disability and significant loss of labor, especially in young adults. PFPS is usually due to weakness of the vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) resulting in abnormal patellar tracking and pain. Our study aims to compare the efficacy of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) on pain and lower extremity function in the treatment of PFPS with different electrophysical agents (EPAs). The study was designed as a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Forty-five people with PFPS (aged 25–45 years) were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups and a total of ten sessions of treatment were administered to all three groups for 2 weeks, 5 days a week. High-intensity laser (HILT) and exercise program were applied to group 1. Ultrasound (US), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and exercise program were applied to group 2. In group 3, US, interferential current (IFC), and exercise program were applied. Both groups underwent three evaluations: pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 12 weeks after treatment. Outcome measures included the visual analog scale for pain severity (VAS), knee flexion range of motion (FROM), Q angle, pain threshold, muscle strength of quadriceps and hamstring, Kujala patellofemoral scoring, lower extremity functional scale (LEFS), and Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). The ANOVA was used for comparing the data of the groups, and two-way repeated measure ANOVA was used to compare at the pre-post and post-intervention 3rd month. The LSD and Bonferroni post hoc tests were also used to identify the between-group differences. Groups 2 and 3 were statistically effective in pain and functionality (p < 0.05). Group 1 was found to be statistically more effective than other groups in reducing pain (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.000/0.000; p = 0.000), increasing knee flexion angle (95% CI, 127.524/135.809; p = 0.000), and increasing lower extremity function (95% CI, 75.970/79.362; p = 0.000). This study indicated that high-intensity laser therapy was found to be a more effective method in the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome after 3 months of follow-up compared to US-TENS combination and US-interferential current combination treatments. Also, HILT can be used as an effective method in combination with an appropriate exercise program including vastus medialis strengthening to reduce pain and increase functionality in the patients with PFPS.

Background: Menopause, a major transition in a woman’s life characterized by decline of estrogen and progesterone levels, is a hormonal shift associated with a range of symptoms that can adversely impact women’s quality of life, including vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats, and urogenital symptoms such as vaginal dryness and sexual dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Pilates exercises on menopausal symptoms and sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women. Methods: A total of 30 postmenopausal women, divided into a Pilates group and a control group, participated in this study. The Pilates group took part in an 8-week Pilates exercise program, while the control group received no exercise intervention, but attended menopause information sessions. The data were collected using the Menopause Rating Scale, the Menopausal-Specific Quality of Life scale, and the Female Sexual Function Index before and after the intervention. Body mass index was recorded, but not used in the primary analysis. Results: Post-intervention scores on the Menopause Rating Scale and Menopausal-Specific Quality of Life scales indicated better management of menopausal symptoms and an enhancement in the quality of life in the Pilates group. The Female Sexual Function Index scores in the Pilates group also improved, suggesting a positive impact of Pilates exercise program on sexual function. Taken together, the findings demonstrate the potential of Pilates exercises as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for alleviating menopausal symptoms, enhancing quality of life, and improving sexual function in postmenopausal women. Conclusion: This study suggests that regular Pilates exercises can be an effective non-pharmacological intervention to alleviate menopausal symptoms and improve sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women. The findings support the integration of Pilates into postmenopausal care strategies to enhance overall wellbeing among postmenopausal women.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate postural awareness and changes in posture and flexibility of students who took Clinical Pilates class as an elective course at the undergraduate level.Methods: The study conducted from 2013-2016 included 98 students who took Clinical Pilates class at the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Turkey. The flexibility levels of the study participants were measured before and after the Clinical Pilates education using finger-to-floor test and modified Schober