Purpose The aim of the present research is to evaluate the relationship between an X-ray-based method (i.e. the Raimondi method) and rasterstereography in the evaluation of vertebral rotation (VR) in a sample of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. Methods A total of 25 patients (9 males; mean age 14 ± 3 years; mean height 160.7 ± 11.9 cm; mean weight 52.4 ± 10.7 kg) were considered for the present analysis. The mean Cobb angle was 30°± 9°. The evaluation of VR on radiographs was made using the Raimondi method regolo (Marrapese Editore-Demi S.r.1., Rome). Rasterstereography was performed by means of Formetric 4D Ò (Diers International GmbH, Schlangenbad, Germany). Correlations between rasterstereographic and radiographic measurement of VR were calculated, both for the whole sample and for thoracic and lumbar spinal segments considered separately, as well as for subgroups of patients with a Cobb angle \30°and C30°using Spearman's correlation coefficient by rank (r s ). Results When applied to the entire spine, measurement of VR by means of the two methods highlighted a significant correlation in the whole group (r = 0.52; p \ 0.0001), as well as in the \30°Cobb (r = 0.47; p = 0.0001) and C30°Cobb (r = 0.42; p \ 0.0001) subgroups. A significant correlation was found also when lumbar and thoracic VR were considered as separated groups (r = 0.30, p = 0.024 and r = 0.47, p = 0.002, respectively).Conclusions Rasterstereographic evaluation of VR shows a good correlation with the Raimondi method, thereby confirming the possibility to use this non-invasive method for deformity assessment in AIS patients.

This provisional PDF corresponds to the article as it appeared upon acceptance.A copyedited and fully formatted version will be made available soon. The final version may contain major or minor changes. Subscription: Information about subscribing to Minerva Medica journals is online at:http://www.minervamedica.it/en/how-to-order-journals.php Reprints and permissions: For information about reprints and permissions send an email to:journals.dept@minervamedica.it -journals2.dept@minervamedica.it -journals6.dept@minervamedica.it EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA Abstract BACKGROUND: Peripheral facial nerve palsy (FNP) can have various causes, such as Bell's palsy or after surgery for acoustic neuroma. Rehabilitation is often required but there is no evidence that any rehabilitation approach is more efficacious than another.AIM: The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of neurocognitive-rehabilitative approach through mirror-therapy (MT) and motor-imagery (MI), integrated into the traditional rehabilitation with mime-therapy and myofascial-approach.DESIGN: This study was designed as a double-blind, randomized, controlled-trial. POPULATION: Twenty-two patients were randomized into two groups: mirror-therapy (N=11, MT and MI) and traditional-rehabilitative group (N=11, mime-therapy and a myofascial-approach). METHODS: Outcome assessments were performed before treatment (T0), after one month (T1=10 session, twice/week), after the second and third months (T2=10 twice/week + 5 of MT+MI one/week and T3=10 twice/week + 5 of MT+MI 1/week), and at the 4-week follow-up (T4=2 months follow-up).RESULTS: The analysis of the functional evaluations show that both groups experienced progressive improvement T0 to T3, with stabilization of the results at the follow-up. There was a significant difference in House-Brackmann-Scale scores between T0 and follow-up in favor of the experimental group. In terms of quality of life (FaCE scale), total scores and social function items improved in both groups from T0 to T3. The experimental group obtained better results with regard to quality of life and emotional depression. COPYRIGHT© EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICAThis document is

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Spa therapy is a heterogeneous collection of treatments and methods based on natural resources. It is often considered as an option in the common therapeutic approach to many musculoskeletal disorders, as well as respiratory, vascular, and dermatological disorders. The objective of this paper is to highlight possible interactions between rehabilitation and spa medicine in the field of musculoskeletal disorders, through an analysis of the scientific literature, in order to give the practitioner the ability to integrate good clinical practice in the field of rehabilitation through practical application involving spa therapies. The literature search was conducted using Medline, PEDro, Cochrane Database, and Google Scholar. Only studies published in English and works concerning the implementation of spa thermal treatment in neuro-musculoskeletal diseases were included. Specifically, the publications analyzed dealt with the treatment of diseases such as arthritis, rheumatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and low back pain through the use of thermal spa therapies. In conjunction with its widespread use in clinical practice, many studies in the literature suggest the effectiveness of crenobalneotherapy for a number of musculoskeletal disorders, generally those which are chronic and debilitating, finding significant clinical improvement both in terms of pain and functional limitations. Some of the guidelines formulated by national and international bodies on the treatment of specific diseases, such as the Italian Rheumatology Society (SIR) and the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) guidelines, recognize the value of thermal medicine as a complement, but not a replacement, for conventional therapy (pharmacological or not).

The most limited range of motion in infants with positional plagiocephaly was cervical active rotation which affected more than 90% of patients. Passive cervical rotations and lateral flexion were limited in more than 60% of patients.