Background/aims Children with cerebral palsy have poorer pulmonary function than average healthy people because they typically have decreased mobility of the chest wall, deviation of chest wall structure and weak respiratory muscles. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the incentive spirometer exercise on pulmonary functions in children with cerebral palsy, and the effects of the incentive spirometer exercise according to Gross Motor Function Classification System level. Methods A total of 50 patients with spastic cerebral palsy aged between 8 and 12 years were randomly divided into two groups: the study group and the control group. Both groups received a physiotherapy exercise programme with the aim of enhancing gross motor and respiratory function for 60 minutes a day, 3 days a week for 8 weeks. The study group received the additional incentive spirometer exercise. Both groups had pulmonary function testing before the study (baseline), halfway through the intervention (at 4 weeks) and then at the end of the intervention (after 8 weeks). Results Significant improvements in forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity and maximal mid-expiratory flow were found in the study group, but not in the control group. Conclusions The incentive spirometer exercise, along with physiotherapy exercises, are effective in improving pulmonary functions than physiotherapy exercises alone.

Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) have a significant impact on pediatric physical therapists but few studies have addressed the issue. The effects of WRMDs on productivity, quality of patient care and therapists' quality of life and long-term career plans are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of working with work-related musculoskeletal disorders on pediatric physical therapists. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 150 pediatric physical therapists. The questionnaire gathered demographic data as well as information on occurrence and consequences of musculoskeletal complaints in the previous 12 months. The response rate to the baseline questionnaire was 70.66%. Sixty five percent of the subjects who responded to the baseline questionnaire responded to the follow-up questionnaire. Ninety therapists (84.9%) had WRMDs; they noted substantial effects of work-related musculoskeletal disorders at work and in their career plans. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in pediatric physical therapists. This may affect their career plans. There is a need to plans to reduce the risk of injury.

(1) Background: Children spend a lot of time within schools. The school setting generally has many ergonomic hazards and reinforced behavior patterns which put children at greater risk of environmental hazards than adults during their critical developmental stages. (2) Objective: The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and detect spinal deformities amongst general and technical secondary school students. (3) Methods: A total of 418 students from the second grade of secondary school in Shaquira governorate, Egypt participated in this cross-sectional study. Each student in the study was screened via Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and had their upper limb posture measured via RULA (Rapid Upper Limb assessment), and the deviation in their thoracic curve was measured using a scoliometer. (4) Results: There was a prevalence of MSDs amongst students as there were 69.7% of general school students and 83.8% of the technical school students suffering from MSDs with a statistically significant difference between both technical and general school students in RULA score and musculoskeletal complaints, whereas there were non-statistical differences in the scoliometer scale in both general and technical education students. (5) Conclusions: Musculoskeletal problems are prevalent among Egyptian secondary school students, with higher prevalence between technical school students. Therefore, preventive measures and strategies are recommended to overcome the future complications of these musculoskeletal disorders.

Aim. to assess the impact of a 6-weeks high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) regimen on pain, disability, as well as autonomic balance in women with nonspecific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP). Materials and methods. Eighty females with mild to moderate NSCLBP, with ages of 18-65 years, were recruited from the physiotherapy department at King Fahd University Hospital, AlKhobar. They were assigned randomly into the control group (n = 40), which received standard regular physiotherapy, or the experimental group (n = 40), which received HIIE as well as conventional regular physiotherapy. Pre- and post-intervention (after 6 weeks) assessments included pain intensity via Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), disability via Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), as well as autonomic balance via heart rate variability (HRV) parameters & baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) Both at rest and in reaction to an orthostatic challenge. Results. Both groups experienced significant improvements in pain and disability, with the HIIE group experiencing a higher improvement in both variables. For the HRV parameters after 6 weeks of intervention, the control group had a statistically significant reduction in high frequency (HF), and in response to the orthostatic challenge, a significantly higher rise in the normalized low frequency (LFnu) compared to the baseline. BRS showed a significant reduction and heart rate recovery was significantly faster post-intervention in the HIIE group in the 2nd and 3rd minutes, compared to the baseline values. Conclusions. HIIE can be a valuable addition to NSCLBP patients’ exercise routines in practice, since adding HIIE to standard physiotherapy resulted in more reduction in pain, disability compared to conventional physiotherapy alone, with enhanced autonomic regulation after six weeks of treatment.