Study Design Clinical measurement study. Background Achilles tendinopathy is a prevalent sport-related injury. The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire is a widely used patient-reported outcome to assess the severity of symptoms for this injury. Objective To adapt the VISA-A questionnaire into Spanish and to assess its psychometric properties. Methods Cross-cultural adaptation was conducted according to recommended guidelines. The Spanish VISA-A (VISA-A-Sp) questionnaire was administered to 210 subjects: 70 healthy students, 70 active at-risk subjects (participating in running and jumping), and 70 patients diagnosed with Achilles tendinopathy. Participants were assessed at baseline and after 3 to 5 days. The injured subjects were also evaluated with a quality-of-life questionnaire (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36]) and at discharge. The final VISA-A-Sp was evaluated for reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Results Cronbach alpha for the VISA-A-Sp was greater than .8. The intraclass correlation coefficient (model 2,1) was 0.993 (95% confidence interval: 0.991, 0.995; P<.05). In the confirmatory factor analysis, a 1-factor solution obtained a relatively good fit. Subjects with Achilles tendinopathy scored significantly lower than the other 2 groups (P<.001). The VISA-A-Sp score within the Achilles tendinopathy group showed significant correlations with SF-36 physical components (Spearman rho>0.5, P<.001). The standard error of the measurement was 2.53, and the minimal detectable change at the 95% confidence level was 7 points. The responsiveness indicators included an effect size of 2.16 and a standardized response mean of 1.92. Conclusion The VISA-A-Sp showed satisfactory psychometric properties that were comparable to the original English-language version. Therefore, it can be recommended for use in clinical practice and research for assessing the severity of symptoms in Spanish-speaking athletes who suffer from Achilles tendinopathy. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(2):111-120. Epub 13 Dec 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.7402.

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The ReP pattern of the infraspinatus muscle coincides with the original pattern described by Travell and Simons, although the neck area should be questioned. The study found no significant differences in the ReP pattern by sex and when comparing MPal with DDN of MTrP of the infraspinatus muscle. DDN proved to be significantly easier than MPal in evoking an LTR.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the tips and the surface conditions of two types of needles with different quality and their possible alterations after performing different needling on human beings. A total of 160 needles from AguPunt brand were examined. Surface conditions (lumps and scratches) and tip of the needles after needling procedures in humans were tested using a JEOL JSM-6360LV microscopy device. Additionally, a group of physiotherapists assessed the use of both types of needles in clinical practice using a self-reported questionnaire. Both types of needles, after performing different needling on human beings, kept the needle tips well preserved although the dry needle (Type B) suffered very little deformation even touching the bone of the scapula 10 times versus acupuncture needle (Type A), which were deformed slightly. The surface conditions revealed irregularities and scratches in both types of needles but the tips of Type A suffered more damage after different procedures (Odds ratio = 0.04,95% CI:0.01–0.13, p < 0.001). The cellular tissue adhered to the surface was similar in both types of needles and the questionnaire about clinical practice of both types of needles showed that Type B seemed easier than Type A when the physical therapist penetrated the skin and when the needle went out the skin.

High levels of inflammatory markers have been associated with a greater deterioration of renal function and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. For its part, physical exercise has been shown to be beneficial in improving the functional, psychological, and inflammatory states of patients with chronic kidney failure (CKF) undergoing haemodialysis (HD) treatment, improving their health-related quality of life. In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been studied and described as an effective and safe tool that improves patients’ adherence to exercise programs. For these reasons, we propose to analyse the effect of VR exercise on the functional, psychological, and inflammatory states of patients on HD, as well as their levels of adherence to exercise, and compare them with static pedalling exercises. We will randomise 80 patients with CKF into two blind groups: an experimental group, which will carry out an intradialytic exercise program with non-immersive VR (n = 40), and a control group, which will exercise with a static pedal (n = 40). Functional capacity, inflammatory and phycological status, and exercise adherence will be analysed. Higher levels of adherence to exercise are expected in the VR group, which will have greater effects on the patients’ functional capacity and psychological and inflammatory status.