Background:Increased external knee adduction moment during walking alters the joint biomechanics; which causes symptoms in chronic knee osteoarthritis patients.Aims:To assess additional effects of Retro-walking over conventional treatment on pain and disability in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic knee osteoarthritis.Materials and Methods:Thirty chronic knee osteoarthritis patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups. Group ‘A’ (7 men, 8 women) received conventional treatment. Group ‘B’ (8 men, 7 women) received conventional treatment and Retro-walking. Pain, assessed through visual analogue scale (VAS), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) were the primary outcomes and knee range of motion (ROM), hip abductor and extensor strength were secondary outcomes; measured pre-intervention, after 1 week and after 3 weeks of intervention.Results:Two factors analysis of variance for repeated measures was used for all outcomes. At the end of 3 weeks; WOMAC score showed highly significant difference within (P < 0.0001) and significant difference between groups (P = 0.040) also by Time × group interaction (P = 0.024), VAS showed highly significant difference within groups (P < 0.0001). Knee ROM showed significant difference within groups. Hip abductor and extensor strength showed significant difference by Time × group interaction (P < 0.05).Conclusion:Retrowalking is an effective adjunct to conventional treatment in decreasing disability in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

A 52-year-old postmenopausal female diagnosed with duct carcinoma of the left breast underwent modified radical mastectomy 2 years ago. She had completed six cycles of chemotherapy postsurgery and complained of significant fatigue and depression. Her fatigue score on Piper Fatigue Scale was 4.1 and depression score on Beck's Depression Inventory was 22. She had a poor 6-min walking distance and a reduced quality of life. She was given a structured yoga program for 40 min five times a week for 4 weeks. Results showed a marked reduction in fatigue and depression scores and improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness. Her quality of life also showed improvement after the structured yoga therapy. This case report highlights the benefits of yoga for reducing fatigue, depression, and improving the cardiorespiratory fitness and overall quality of life in a breast cancer survivor.

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INTRODUCTION: Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is commonly used to monitor the progression of respiratory diseases as it gives good information about the status of airways. A good amount of research is going across the world to establish a local prediction equation. The joint task force of the American thoracic society and European Respiratory Society has promoted research in this regard. In India, data derived from the Caucasian population are still used for PEFR. OBJECTIVE: To verify the relationship between PEF levels and the variables age, sex, anthropometric and body surface area, and establish the regression equation for young Indian adults. METHODS:  A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 15-25 years aged 1000 subjects from the Metropolitan region of Mumbai. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to understand the relation of anthropometric parameters and PEFR. Multivariate regression analysis was done for establishing a prediction equation (Alpha 5%).  RESULTS: Age and all anthropometric parameters were correlated with PEFR. The mean PEFR of the male population was 515 ml/sec, whereas, for females, it was 399 ml/sec, for PEFR highest correlation was observed with BSA (.696) followed by weight (.667), height (.630), age (.504) whereas BMI shown lowest correlation coefficient (.445). PEFR had the best significance with age, BSA, Height, and BMI. It had less significance with weight. In females, PEFR had the best significance with Height, weight, BMI, and Age. CONCLUSION: Gender-wise differences exist in PEFR. Hence gender-specific equations are needed for the estimation of PEFR.

Induction of general anesthesia impairs gas exchange in the lungs, persists postoperatively, and may contribute to significant post-operative morbidity and health care cost. Post-operative complications range from 17% to 88%. Various reasons leading to these complications are incisional pain, accumulation of secretion, reduced chest expansion. The purpose of this study was to compare combination of breathing exercise and inspiratory spirometry v/s breathing exercise & EzPAP® & breathing exercise. The total number of subjects included in the study were forty, twenty (20) in each group. The subjects were randomly assigned to each group. Subjects in both the groups were treated for five days post operatively. The outcome measures used in the study were peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), chest expansion, and pulse oximetry. Statistical analysis was done by using Wilcoxon sign ranked test for pre and post values of SpO2, PEFR & chest expansion for data which was not normally distributed. Mann Whitney U test was used to compare data between groups. Peak expiratory flow rates improved in both groups after treatment. Chest expansion improved on fifth post op day in both the groups. Pulse oximetry values improved in both groups, but in experimental group it was significant. Key words: Abdominal Surgery, Anesthesia, Saturation, Incentive spirometry, breathing exercise.