No abstract

COVID-19 pandemic may lead to changes in stress, sleep, physical activity (PA), and pain intensity related to the pregnancy. The study aimed to investigate the perceived stress, quality of sleep, PA, and pain intensity of pregnant women who were advised to stay at home as much as they could to provide isolation during the pandemic. The study included 149 pregnant women between April and May 2020. Demographics were recorded; Perceived-Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) were performed. According to social isolation duration, 79.2% of the participants were in social isolation for more than 21 days. Self-reported anxiety level was severe for 65.8% of participants. The mean PPS score (±SD) was 26.98±8.26, PSQI score was 6.14±2.87, IPAQ-SF score was 466.1±1421.28, and NPRS score was 4.42±2.65. When the participants were classified and compared according to the trimester, no statistical significance was found in PPS, PSQI, IPAQ-SF, and NPRS scores (p> 0.05). The correlation was low between PPS-PSQI scores (r=0.291, p0.001); NPRS and PSQI scores (r=0.198, p=0.016). As a conclusion, pregnant women reported moderate stress level, poor sleep quality, very low PA level, and moderate pain intensity in the pandemic.

Background. Resistance-trained males aim to increase their overall health, strength and fitness level. Many resistance-trained males aiming to increase their strength neglect the muscles that stabilize the scapular and glenohumeral joints. The shoulder joint is among the most frequently injured areas in resistance-trained males. In addition, strength training displays different effects in young and old individuals. The study purpose was to investigate the effects of stability and mobility exercises on range of motion, posture and body awareness in resistance-trained males with shoulder immobility. Materials and methods.  Thirty-two resistance-trained males diagnosed with shoulder immobility were divided into two groups according to their age ranges (G1: Adult, G2: Young Adult).  The program consisting of mobility and stability exercises was applied 3 days a week for 8 weeks. The participants were evaluated with a universal goniometer, the New York Posture Rating, and the Body Awareness Questionnaire before and after the treatment lasting 8 weeks. Results. Following the 8-week treatment, improvements in body awareness and range of motion were observed in all participants (p≤0.05). There were improvements in the scores of the New York Posture Rating and Body Awareness Questionnaire in both groups, but they were not statistically significant (p≥0.05). Conclusions. An exercise program combining stability and mobility exercises was applied to resistance-trained males with shoulder immobility and it was observed to have positive effects on the range of motion of the joint, body awareness and posture. We are of the opinion that various types of exercise should be implemented when planning exercise programs.

Background: The stability provided by the trunk is needed for normal shoulder function. This is also related to balance. Objectives: To examine the postural stability and balance status of individuals with shoulder pain and the relations of these parameters to each other. In addition, to investigate the effects of conventional shoulder pain treatment on postural instability and balance parameters. Methods: Twenty patients with shoulder pain and twenty healthy individuals included in the study were assigned to the treatment (n = 20) and control group (n = 20). A conventional physiotherapy program was applied 3 times a week to individuals with shoulder pain in the treatment group for 8 weeks (24 sessions). Pain, shoulder range of motion, and balance were evaluated at the end of the program. Results: A statistically significant improvement was observed in the pre-and post-treatment values of pain and range of motion in the treatment group at the end of 8 weeks (P = 0.00; P = 0.02). In addition, statistically significant differences were found in all values in the results of the balance assessment between the groups, except for the dynamic balance scores of the medial-lateral balance (P = 0.014; P = 0.016). Conclusions: Postural stability and balance status of individuals with shoulder pain were evaluated, and no statistically significant difference was found between them and healthy individuals. It was observed that therapeutic agents applied in addition to exercise in individuals with shoulder pain prove to be a safe method that can be implemented to improve the parameters of pain, mobility, balance, and postural stability.

Background. Telerehabilitation used as an exercise method has become increasingly common in recent years. Various methods have been used to increase hamstring flexibility, but more research is required on the optimal program. The study purpose was to investigate the effect of hamstring stretching exercises given as telerehabilitation and home exercise program on hamstring flexibility. Materials and methods. Sixty-eight healthy adults were randomly assigned to two groups, namely telerehabilitation and home exercise. Exercises were performed for 8 weeks (4 sessions/week) in both groups. Active and passive range of motion (ROM), sit and reach test (SRT), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) were conducted in the pre- and post-intervention and after a 6-month period.  Results. At the end of 8 weeks, a significant improvement was observed in the SRT scores in both the telerehabilitation group (p = 0.001) and the home exercise group (p = 0.001). In addition, significant improvements were observed in the passive ROM measurements of both the telerehabilitation group (p = 0.005) and the home exercise group (p = 0.001). At the end of 8 weeks, the telerehabilitation group was found to be significantly superior to the home exercise group in the SRT results (p = 0.034). As for the long-term results, significant improvement was maintained in both SRT (p = 0.001) and passive ROM (p = 0.014) in the telerehabilitation group. Conclusions. Eight-week telerehabilitation and home exercise program was observed to have positive effects on passive and active ROM. The telerehabilitation method may prove to be more effective than the home exercise method in the long term.