Background: This study was planned to evaluate the strength, proprioception, skill, coordination, and functional condition of the hand in individuals with psoriatic arthritis and to correlate disease activity with these parameters.Methods: Fifty-six individuals (psoriatic arthritis group, n = 36; control group, n = 20)were included in the study. Evaluations were performed of disease activity with Disease Activity Score 28; grip strength with a dynamometer and pinch strength with pinch gauge dynamometers; joint position sensation with a goniometer; finger skills with a mobile application; and coordination and skill of both hands with the Purdue Pegboard test. The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) was used for hand functional evaluation.Results: There was a significant difference between the grip and pinch strength of the psoriatic arthritis group and the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the joint position sense measurements and the mobile application scores between the groups (P > 0.05). Purdue Pegboard scores showed a significant difference only in both hands and assembly subsections (P < 0.05). With Disease Activity Score 28, significant correlations were found between grip and pinch strength, mobile application scores, Purdue Pegboard all subsections, and lefthand joint position sense average error amount, and between MHQ and grip and pinch strength. Conclusions:This study is the first to show that psoriatic arthritis has a negative effect especially on hand strength; grip strength decreases as disease severity increases and, skill, coordination, and functionality of hand deteriorate.

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Background/Aim: Graded motor imagery is an increasingly popular motion representation technique. However, treatment protocols for graded motor imagery vary depending on various diseases. This study aims to summarize the cases in which graded motor imagery therapy is used, study protocols, and outcome measures in studies. Methods: The literature search was done with Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus, and PEDro databases. The last search was carried out on September 13, 2022. A series-specific bias risk assessment tool was used with randomized, non-randomized, and case reports. All clinical studies that performed graded motor imagery, available in full text, describing their methods and findings, were included. The gender of the participants was not significant. The intervention was graded motor imagery. Outcome measures were mainly pain severity, other pain-related measures (e.g., pressure pain threshold, pain catastrophe), range of motion, strength, reaction time, kinesiophobia, neurophysiological measures, depression, function, or quality of life measures. Results: Complex regional pain syndrome, distal radius fracture, phantom limb pain, stroke, cancer, pathological pain (phantom pain after amputation, pain after brachial plexus avulsion), elbow stiffness, frozen shoulder, chronic shoulder pain, and osteoarthritis conditions were included. The intervention duration in the studies varies from 2 to 8 weeks. A common outcome measure could not be determined among studies. The pain was assessed in 15 studies, although different rating scales were used. Graded motor imagery resulted in a reduction in pain in 14 of the 15 studies. Conclusions: Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a general conclusion regarding the effect of the disease-specific intervention was not possible. Based on pain outcome, graded motor imagery effectively decreased pain severity in various painful conditions.

Background/Aim: There are conflicting results regarding the effect of motor and functional independence levels of disabled children on the burden of care. In addition, this burden, as well as musculoskeletal problems of pediatric caregivers, has not been examined in detail. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of motor and functional levels of the disabled child. Methods: The study was planned as a single-blind, multicenter, cross-sectional study. Children between ages 1-12 with physical disabilities from various problems, and 65 caregivers over the age of 18 who cared for them for at least 6 months, were included. Caregivers were divided into two groups, as per the BAKAS Caregiver Impact Scale score as high care burden (n = 33) or low care burden (n = 32). The motor level of the disabled child was determined by the Gross Motor Function Classification System, and the functional level of the Pediatric Functional Independence Measurement. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to evaluate musculoskeletal problems in caregivers. Results: There was no significant difference between the Gross Motor Function Classification System levels of children in groups (P > 0.05). The Pediatric Functional Independence Measurement scores of children in the high care burden group were significantly lower than those in the low care burden group (P < 0.05). According to a comparison of pain in parts of the body for 12 months, using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the percentage of pain in the neck, shoulder, back, elbow, hand, hip, and foot regions of caregivers was significantly higher in the group with a high care burden (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between percent of low back and knee pain in the last 12 months (P > 0.05). A weak positive correlation was found between the BAKAS Caregiver Impact scores and the Pediatric Functional Independence Measurement of children with disabilities (r = 0.26; P = 0.03). Conclusion: The lower functional level of the disabled child may cause an increase in caregiver burden of both the caregivers and musculoskeletal disorders.