No abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease among the human population worldwide. OA causes functional impairment, leads to disability and poses serious socioeconomic burden. The rehabilitation offers a function-oriented method to reduce the disability using diverse interventions (kinesiotherapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, education, and pharmacotherapy). OA as a widespread disease among elderly patients is often treated by rehabilitation specialists and physiotherapists, however the results of rehabilitation are sometimes unsatisfactory. The understanding of molecular mechanisms activated by rehabilitation may enable the development of more effective rehabilitation procedures. Molecular biology methods may prove crucial in rehabilitation as the majority of rehabilitation procedures cannot be estimated in double-blinded placebo-controlled trials commonly used in pharmacotherapy. This article attempts to present and estimate the role of molecular biology in the development of modern rehabilitation. The role of clinicians in adequate molecular biology experimental design is also described.

The term “wellness” embraces a wide spectrum of methods that impact the human body by restoring its capabilities and functions, which were previously depleted as a result of increased physical and mental activities such, i.e. sport. Judging by the number of amateur, semi-professional, and professional sporting events at local and national levels, societies consider sports a major part of their everyday lives. A growing percentage of the population is exposing their bodies to various strains, which may result in fatigue, overtraining and injuries, and so the market demand for recovery-related services is on the rise. Therefore, this paper is an overview of the most important and the latest wellness systems and methods applied in today’s sport. They divide into three areas: pedagogical, psychological and medical-biological. Among the most popular treatments are: light radiation with infrared rays, cryotherapy, electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, ultrasound and laser therapy, as well as a sauna, paraffin compress, mud compress and brine baths. In a broader context, the paper also acknowledges the growing demand for better body recovery methods and the latest developments in the field of sport physiotherapy.