Selin Aksungur

Objectives: The aims of the study were to assess the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with lumbar stabilization exercises on lumbar multifidus muscle thickness, disability, pain, depression, anxiety, and fear-avoidance beliefs in patients with chronic low back pain and to examine the correlation between ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar multifidus. Design: Forty patients aged 18–65 yrs were randomized into two groups: group 1: exercise and group 2: exercise + neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The participants underwent 15-session electrical stimulation and/or exercise (3 d/wk). All outcome measures assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 3 mos after. Multifidus cross-sectional area on magnetic resonance imaging was measured only at baseline. Results: Multifidus thickness increased, and pain decreased significantly in both groups, more prominent in group 2. Disability, depression, and fear-avoidance beliefs scores significantly decreased in both groups, while anxiety decreased only in group 1. Both magnetic resonance and ultrasound measurements demonstrated excellent interrater reliability and statistically significant correlations. Conclusions: Both groups improved in terms of pain, disability, psychological status, and muscle thickness. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation adjunct to lumbar stabilization exercises demonstrated enhanced effectiveness in increasing lumbar multifidus thickness.

This study aimed to assess the effects of kinesiotaping (KT) adjunct to physical therapy (PT) on proprioception, cervical range of motion (ROM), pain, disability, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL) in cervical spondylosis. Sixty-nine patients aged 50-70 years were randomized into three groups: PT, PT plus KT(PT+KT), PT plus sham-taping(PT+ST). All participants underwent standardized 15-session PT, 5 days/week. Additionally, group-II received KT, and group-III received ST 2 days/week for 3 weeks. Primary outcome was the cervical-joint-position-error-test (CJPET), with secondary outcomes active-cervical ROM, handgrip strength, Visual-Analogue-Scale (VAS), Douleur Neuropathique-4 Questions (DN4), Upper-Limb-Functional-Index (ULFI), Neck-Disability-Index (NDI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). CJPET for flexion improved in all groups (p < .05), with no significant intergroup differences (p > .05). ROM improved in all groups (p < .05), with significant intergroup differences in extension at both T1 (p = .006, eta squared = 0.125, medium effect size) and T2 (p = .022, eta squared = 0.086, medium effect size); revealing greater improvement for PT+KT and PT+ST compared to PT (p < .05).VAS, DN4, NDI, and SF-36 pain domain scores improved in all groups (p < .05). Handgrip strength increased in the nondominant hand in PT+KT and PT+ST (p = .021). No improvements were observed in HADS (p > .05). ULFI increased in PT (p = .043) and PT+ST (p = .005). KT adjunct to PT shows potential in improving proprioception, pain, and disability in cervical spondylosis. Further studies are needed to refine taping techniques and assess long-term effects.