Knee osteoarthritis is a common and disabling disease. We aimed to examine the effect of low-level laser therapy in addition to routine physical therapy modalities (transcutaneous electrical stimulation, superficial heating modality of infrared, ultrasound, and exercise) on the functional status and pain in knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Low back pain that lasts longer than three months is called chronic low back pain. Chronic low back pain is among the most common problems in the world, causing severe disability and loss of employment in patients. Objective: To investigate the effect of pulse electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT) added to routine physical therapy on pain and functional status in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: This retrospective comparative study included 69 patients with chronic low back pain. The patients were divided into two groups: those who received lumbar transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, infrared, and ultrasound treatments, and those who additionally received PEMFT. The files of patients with chronic low back pain were reviewed, and those who had been evaluated using the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS) in terms of functional capacity and effects of low back pain and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain both before and after treatment were included in the study. Results: No significant difference was detected between the two groups’ pretreatment VAS and QBPDS scores (p > 0.05). The second-and-third measurement scores of both groups were significantly lower than their first-measurement VAS and QBPDS scores (p ˂ 0.001), but there was no significant difference between their second- and third-measurement scores (p > 0.05). According to the inter-group comparison of the VAS and QBPDS scores, the second and third-measurement scores of the PEMFT group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p ˂ 0.001). Conclusions: PEMFT seems to be able to alleviate pain intensity and ameliorate disability in patients with chronic low back pain. PEMFT can be considered an effective and safe option that can be added to routine physical therapy modalities for relieving chronic low back pain frequently encountered in clinical practice. Further studies validating the effectiveness of PEMFT could strengthen its position in the management of chronic low back pain.

Background: Various treatment methods are available for calcaneal spur, which can cause disability. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT) added to extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on pain and functional capacity in treating calcaneal spurs. Methods: Patients with calcaneal spurs who were recommended ESWT or ESWT+PEMFT and whose Foot Function Index (FFI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) values were available in their records were retrospectively analyzed. The two groups were ESWT (n=35) and ESWT+PEMFT (n=40). FFI and VAS scores were obtained from their records before treatment, after treatment, and in the third month after treatment. Results: The two groups were similar regarding their pre-treatment FFI and VAS scores. In intra-group evaluation, statistically significant decreases were found in terms of the FFI pain, disability, and activity limitation and VAS scores in both groups after treatment and in the third month after treatment compared to the pre-treatment period. In the comparison between the groups, the post-treatment and post-treatment third-month FFI pain, disability, and activity limitation and VAS scores were significantly lower in the PEMFT+ESWT group than the ESWT group (P<0.001). Conclusion: A calcaneal spur is a condition that can cause pain and functional limitation in patients. Various studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ESWT in the treatment of calcaneal spurs. In our study, we observed that PEMFT added to ESWT significantly improved the pain and functionality of the patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of PEMFT in calcaneal spurs.

Background: To evaluate the presence of type D personality and its association with metabolic syndrome (MetS), cardiovascular disease risk, and level of exercise in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Material and method: This cross-sectional study included patients with PsA (n = 84) and healthy controls (n = 74). Sociodemographic data, laboratory parameters, and disease-related parameters were recorded. We evaluated the presence of type D personality with the total 14 items of the type D Personality Scale, the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) indicating 10-year cardiovascular disease risk as low, moderate, and high, the presence of MetS, and physical activity levels by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Results: The median age of patients with PsA was 53.5 (17) years, 73.8% were female, and the disease duration was 7 (12) years. Compared to controls, patients with PsA exhibited higher FRS and increased frequency of MetS, type D personality, and its domains (social inhibition and negative affectivity) (p < 0.05 for all). Patients with type D personality had even a higher frequency of MetS and lower levels of moderate-intensity exercise than those without type D personality (p = 0.020 and p = 0.027). Patients with social inhibition had higher FRS, a higher frequency of MetS, and lower levels of moderate-intensity exercise (p < 0.05 for all) compared to those without social inhibition. MetS showed a significant positive correlation with social inhibition, waist circumference, and FRS (Spearman’s rho were 0.244, 0.444, and 0.555, respectively), and a negative correlation with IPAQ-SF total metabolic equivalent (Spearman’s rho was -0.214). Conclusion: Patients with type D personality and social inhibition had a higher frequency of MetS and low levels of moderate-intensity exercise, whereas patients with social inhibition had a higher FRS. It is essential to assess PsA patients’ cardiac risk factors, type D personality, and social inhibition, as well as provide exercise advice. Key Points•Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a prevelant rheumatologic disease that is frequently accompanied by comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).•It is crucial to evaluate patients with PsA for CVD risk factors.•Patients with type D personality demonstrate lower engagement in moderate-intensity exercise and a higher frequency of MetS. Socially inhibited PsA patients showed elevated Framingham Risk Scores and MetS rates, as well as reduced levels of moderate-intensity exercise.•Beyond assessing cardiac risk factors, it is important to assess personality traits and offer tailored exercise recommendations for comprehensive PsA management.