Abstract:Objective: The aim of our research was to determine the effect of Speleotherapy on the quality of life, anxiety and depression in patients with COPD. Design: Pilot study. Participants: The 128 patients with CPOD participated in the study (average age 64.05), examined during a spa treatment in a sanatoriums in the High Tatras. The experimental group (29 patients) completed spa treatment and Speleotherapy in the Belianska Cave. The control group (99 patients) completed a spa treatment without Speleotherapy. All patients were examined on admission and discharge, for an average 20-day treatment stay. Methods: They

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common chronic lung diseases today and is a serious health, economic and social problem. It is characterized by a progressively worsening airway obstruction leading to respiratory insufficiency, even to death. Co-morbid mental disorders such as depression and anxiety are very common in patients with this condition and are associated with increased morbidity. Although they generally impair quality of life, they are rarely examined in the context of the clinical treatment of such patients. Studies indicate that the prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms and anxiety is around 50%. This study deals with the prevalence of depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and gives an overview of the instruments used for assessing the extent of such depression. S Ú h R NChronická obštrukčná choroba pľúc patrí dnes medzi najčastejšie chronické pľúcne ochorenia a predstavuje závažný zdravotnícky, ekonomický a spoločenský problém ľudskej populácie. Jej základným znakom je progresívne sa zhoršujúca porucha priechodnosti dýchacích ciest, ktorá vedie k respiračnej insuficiencii, až k smrti. Komorbídne psychické poruchy ako depresia a úzkosť sa vyskytujú často a sú spájané so zvýšenou morbiditou. Celkovo zhoršujú kvalitu života, pričom nie sú plne preskúmané v klinickej liečbe pacientov. Existujúce štúdie poukazujú na výskyt klinicky významných príznakov depresie a úzkosti vo výške okolo 50 %. Nasledujúca práca sa zaoberá výskytom depresie u pacientov s chronickou obštrukčnou chorobou pľúc, ako aj prehľadom dotazníkov, ktorými sa hodnotí depresia v populácii.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) causes disability in daily life, and presents not only a health but also a socio-economic problem. New treatment options need to be tested and confirmed. OBJECTIVE: Compare the effect of the McKenzie method and spiral stabilization in patients with LBP. METHODS: Sixty patients with an average age of 47 years, which were included in our prospective, comparative study were randomly divided into two 30-member groups. One group exercised according to the McKenzie method (MDT), the other one according to the Spiral Stabilization Method (SPS). During the initial examination the Aberdeen Back Pain Scale was used to determine the degree of managing with daily activities and functionality, and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire was used to determine the degree of disability. Check- up was performed after 2 and 6 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: In both groups, there was a significant improvement in results after 2 and 6 weeks of treatment (p< 0.05). When comparing the effect of 2 and 6 weeks of treatment of both therapeutic procedures (MDT and SPS), the difference was insignificant (p> 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: None of these two treatment methods achieved better results, as they both have a comparable effect on reducing disability and improving the management of daily activities and physical functions. Therefore, both are equally effective in patients with LBP.

Accurate assessment of physical activity becomes essential in terms of health outcome and effectiveness of health-enhanced intervention programmes. This paper systematically describes and compares up-to-date methods to assess habitual physical activity and discusses main issues regarding the use and interpretation of data collected with these techniques in free-living conditions. A search strategy was employed using PubMed Central database with limits set to include articles from 2007 to 2017. Data were reviewed, extracted and assessed by two researchers, with disagreements being resolved by a third researcher, with their respective definition, usual applications, advantages, and shortcomings. It is concluded that no single current technique is able to quantify all aspects of physical activity under free-living conditions, requiring the use of complementary methods. A validated questionnaire is usually the preferred method in free-living conditions for population-based samples, but when measuring effects this should be combined with an objective measurement instruments. The choice of method depends predominantly on the aim of the measurement, and the availability of personnel, time and financial resources.Sažetak. Točna procjena tjelesne aktivnosti postaje neophodna u smislu zdravstvenog ishoda i učinkovitosti zdravstvenih intervencijskih programa. Rad sustavno opisuje i uspoređuje trenutne metode procjene uobičajene, svakodnevne, fizičke aktivnosti. Raspravlja o glavnim pitanjima vezanim uz korištenje i tumačenje podataka prikupljenih pomoću ovih tehnika u slobodnim životnim uvjetima. Upotrijebljena je strategija pretraživanja pomoću PubMed Central baze podataka, uključujući isključivo članke od 2007. do 2017. godine. Podatke s njihovom pojedinačnom definicijom, uobičajenom primjenom, prednostima i nedostatcima, izdvojila su, pregledala i procijenila dvojica istraživača. Postojala su određena neslaganja koja su riješena uključivanjem trećeg istraživača. Postignut je zaključak da niti jedna od suvremenih tehnika nije sposobna kvantificirati sve aspekte fizičke aktivnosti u uvjetima svakodnevnog života te se stoga razloga moraju koristiti komplementarne metode. Valjani upitnik obično je prioritetna metoda u uvjetima normalnog života populacijskih uzoraka, ali kod mjerenja efekata treba ga kombinirati s objektivnim instrumentima mjerenja. Odabir metode ovisi prije svega o cilju mjerenja i dostupnosti osobnih, vremenskih i financijskih izvora.

Echocardiographic operators using the most traditional right handed scanning are five times more likely to be at risk from the back pain and almost a half of them are reporting neck musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Painful posture leads to abnormal muscle contraction and a new pain. If the condition persists, it may cause organic disorders resulting in structural degenerative changes. The aim of this pilot study was to develop on the basis of the physiotherapeutic analysis of the postures of 50 echocardiographers while providing scanning of simple preventive interventions that can be self-performed at the work places. Practice in a wrong posture characterized by a lateral shift of the trunk in the frontal plane, kyphotic holding of the thoracic spine, elevation of one or both arms, and outpost of the head with extension of its joints can result in overload of muscular and skeletal neck segments with tissue damage and discs protrusion, causing long lasting MSD. Based on this, we have given the following recommendations. Firstly, it is about control of physiological posture that means to hold the torso upright with the correct position of the head, cervical spine and shoulders. It is not always possible to minimize lateral shift of the trunk in the frontal plane; therefore easy compensatory exercises are the most suitable. Secondly, simple relaxation exercises for the neck muscles performed in a defined position and direction and synchronized with breath are highly appropriate. They are quite effective for the restoring of the physiological length and tension of the muscles. Thirdly, a self performed massage is highly recommended additionally to reduce the increased muscle tension of the neck. It can be performed by one or two-handed spawning or kneading applications and resulting in an improving muscle blood supply, thus eliminating the pain that occurs on the basis of ischemia. The time required for the self-performing of the proposed preventive program does not exceed five minutes and it should be performed during the breaks between the examinations at least once per hour. The next step of our initiative will be a practical application of the recommended preventive interventions. Furthermore, a well-constructed study at a large sonographic population is to be considered to properly test a proposed preventive program to confirm if it will reduce the reported MSD to which echocardiographers are susceptible. KEYWORDS