The treatment of sports injuries traditionally has included the use of the PRICE principle (protection, rest, ice/cold, compression, and elevation), analgesics/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and, commonly, corticosteroids. Although NSAIDs, modalities, and corticosteroids may be helpful for short-term pain reduction and early recovery of function, they do not typically reverse the structural changes associated with degenerative conditions and may contribute to even worse long-term outcomes by potentially interfering with tissue healing. Regenerative interventions, including prolotherapy and extracorporeal shock wave therapy, recently have been used to treat refractory painful conditions such as chronic tendinopathies because of the potential of these interventions to facilitate tissue healing. The true utility of prolotherapy and regenerative medicine for sports injuries will become clearer as more high-quality research is published.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Athletic Injuries* ; Pain, Intractable ; Recovery of Function ; Regenerative Medicine* ; Shock* ; Sports* ; Tendinopathy ; Wound Healing

Ultrasound (US) imaging is an efficient, easy to use, rapid, dynamic, noninvasive, with rare side-effects and inexpensive tool allowing for facilitated diagnosis and management of the painful shoulder. It also has advantages over other imaging modalities in the evaluation of the postoperative shoulder for rotator cuff integrity and correct anchor and suture placement, as well as rotator cuff analysis following repair surgery. Early postoperative tendons frequently had a hypo- echoic echo texture and the absence of a fibrillar pattern, which might be misinterpreted as recurrent tears. however, these features often normalized into tendons with an increased echo texture and the reappearance of a fibrillar pattern at 6 months. Based on these sequential findings, the US findings within 3 months after surgery should be interpreted with caution to accurately understand and monitor the repaired tendon status.

Ultrasound (US) imaging is an efficient, easy to use, rapid, dynamic, noninvasive, with rare side-effects and inexpensive tool allowing for facilitated diagnosis and management of the painful shoulder. It also has advantages over other imaging modalities in the evaluation of the postoperative shoulder for rotator cuff integrity and correct anchor and suture placement, as well as rotator cuff analysis following repair surgery. Early postoperative tendons frequently had a hypo- echoic echo texture and the absence of a fibrillar pattern, which might be misinterpreted as recurrent tears. however, these features often normalized into tendons with an increased echo texture and the reappearance of a fibrillar pattern at 6 months. Based on these sequential findings, the US findings within 3 months after surgery should be interpreted with caution to accurately understand and monitor the repaired tendon status.

BACKGROUND: Fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms including yeast and molds. Many studies have focused on modifying bacterial growth, but few on fungal growth. Microcurrent electricity may stimulate fungal growth. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate effects of microcurrent electric stimulation on Trichophyton rubrum growth. METHODS: Standard-sized inoculums of T. rubrum derived from a spore suspension were applied to potato dextrose cornmeal agar (PDACC) plates, gently withdrawn with a sterile pipette, and were applied to twelve PDACC plates with a sterile spreader. Twelve Petri dishes were divided into four groups. The given amperage of electric current was 500 nA, 2 µA, and 4 µA in groups A, B, and C, respectively. No electric current was given in group D. RESULTS: In the first 48 hours, colonies only appeared in groups A and B (500 nA and 2 µA exposure). Colonies in group A (500 nA) were denser. Group C (4 µA) plates showed a barely visible film of fungus after 96 hours of incubation. Fungal growth became visible after 144 hours in the control group. CONCLUSION: Lower intensities of electric current caused faster fungal growth within the amperage range used in this study. Based on these results, further studies with a larger sample size, various fungal species, and various intensities of electric stimulation should be conducted.
Agar ; Electric Stimulation ; Electricity ; Fungi ; Glucose ; Sample Size ; Solanum tuberosum ; Spores ; Trichophyton* ; Yeasts

BACKGROUND: A large number of studies have been focused on bacterial growth but limited number of literature has been reported regarding modification of fungal growth. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate effects of low alternating current on Microsporum (M.) canis and Trichophyton (T.) tonsurans growth. METHODS: Inoculums of M. canis and T. tonsurans were applied to twenty-four PDACT (potato dextrose agar-corn meal-Tween 80) plates with a sterile spreader. Petri dishes were allocated into 8 groups according to the fungi species and the amperage delivered to these dishes. Group A, B, C and D were M. canis group and E, F, G, H were T. tonsurans group. The given amperage of electric current was 0.5 µA in group A and E, 2 µA in B and F, 4 µA in C and G. No electric current was given in group D and H. RESULTS: In groups A, B, and C the average time elapsed for colony appearances were 42 hours, 43.17 hours, and 40.5 hours respectively. The average time elapsed in the control group D was 88.67 hours. In groups E, F, and G the average time elapsed for colony appearances were 63.67 hours, 61.83 hours, and 64.17 hours respectively. The average time elapsed in the control group H was 90.60 hours. CONCLUSION With electric current, faster fungal growth was observed in the amperage range used in this study. Based on these results, we hypothesized that microcurrent helps the fungal growth.

Objective: We compared the regenerative effects of microcurrent therapy (MT) according to the type of electric current, which were direct current microcurrent therapy (DCMT) and alternating current microcurrent therapy (ACMT) on atrophied calf muscle in cast-immobilized rabbit. Methods: Rabbits were allocated into control group (sham MT), ACMT group, and DCMT group.Before starting treatment, right gastrocnemius (GCM) muscle was immobilized by cast for 2 weeks. Compound muscle action potential of tibial nerve in nerve conduction study, circumference of calf muscle using a ruler, and thickness of medial and lateral GCM muscle measured by ultrasound, cross sectional area (CSA), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) ratios (%) of muscle fibers were measured on the immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The mean atrophic changes (%) in right medial and lateral GCM muscle thickness, right calf circumference, and amplitude of CMAP of the right tibial nerve in ACMT group and DCMT group were significantly lower than those in control group, respectively (p＜0.05). The mean CSA (μm 2 ) of type I and type II and PCNA ratios (%) of medial and lateral GCM muscle fibers in ACMT group and DCMT group were significantly greater than those in control group, respectively (p＜0.05). There were no significant differences between the ACMT group and DCMT group at all parameters. Conclusion This study demonstrated that ACMT and DCMT showed better regeneration effect than sham MT. Microcurrent may be effective in regeneration of atrophied muscle regardless of the type of current.

Objective: We compared the regenerative effects of microcurrent therapy (MT) according to the type of electric current, which were direct current microcurrent therapy (DCMT) and alternating current microcurrent therapy (ACMT) on atrophied calf muscle in cast-immobilized rabbit. Methods: Rabbits were allocated into control group (sham MT), ACMT group, and DCMT group.Before starting treatment, right gastrocnemius (GCM) muscle was immobilized by cast for 2 weeks. Compound muscle action potential of tibial nerve in nerve conduction study, circumference of calf muscle using a ruler, and thickness of medial and lateral GCM muscle measured by ultrasound, cross sectional area (CSA), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) ratios (%) of muscle fibers were measured on the immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The mean atrophic changes (%) in right medial and lateral GCM muscle thickness, right calf circumference, and amplitude of CMAP of the right tibial nerve in ACMT group and DCMT group were significantly lower than those in control group, respectively (p＜0.05). The mean CSA (μm 2 ) of type I and type II and PCNA ratios (%) of medial and lateral GCM muscle fibers in ACMT group and DCMT group were significantly greater than those in control group, respectively (p＜0.05). There were no significant differences between the ACMT group and DCMT group at all parameters. Conclusion This study demonstrated that ACMT and DCMT showed better regeneration effect than sham MT. Microcurrent may be effective in regeneration of atrophied muscle regardless of the type of current.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate recognition of radiation hazard by physiatrists involving in procedure under the roentgen environment. METHOD: We did the recognition survey using 12-item self administrated questionnaire over 2 months in 2001. The questionnaires were sent to 613 physiatrists. Eighty-eight physiatrists of the 613 completed the questionnaires. RESULT: Eighty-three of 88 completed the questionnaires were performing their procedure under roentgen environment. The mean procedure time per week was 2.1 hours. Their common procedures doing under roentgen environment were as follows: swallowing videofluoroscopic study (60.2%), voiding cystourethrography (49.3%), arthrography (37.3%), epidurography 25.3%, and so on. 8.5 % of the 83 physiatric interventionists wore the radiation dosimeter and received regular assessment of radiation safety. 62.7% of the participants were wearing one piece apron, and 24.1% wore one piece apron and thyroid shield. Of the radiation related symptoms, fatigue was most common. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the special concern and education program to reduce radiation risk are required because of gradual increase of radiation exposure for physiatrists and lack about recognition of radiation exposure.
Arthrography ; Deglutition ; Education ; Fatigue ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thyroid Gland

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which Korean pain descriptors are frequently used in the patients with neuromusculoskeletal diseases and compare the frequency of Korean pain descriptor according to age, gender, pain pattern and intensity, and clinical diagnosis.METHOD: Two hundreds sixty nine patients with neuromusculoskeletal diseases were enrolled in this study. The patients were asked to fill out a pain questionnaire using Korean. The Korean pain descriptors were collected and classified according to neurophysiological mechanism. The frequency of Korean pain descriptor was analyzed by age, gender, pain pattern and intensity, and clinical diagnosis. They were divided into axial spine and peripheral joint pain group depending on the location of causal disease and shoulder pain descriptors were divided into intra-articular and bursa group.RESULTS: Among 24 Korean pain descriptors, ‘arida’ was the most common pain descriptor, followed by ‘ssusida’ and ‘jjireunda’. When the pain descriptors were classified according to neurophysiological mechanism, superficial somatic pain was the most common, followed by deep somatic pain. There was a significant difference in the frequency of the pain descriptor between axial spine and peripheral joint pain group (p=0.007). The pain descriptor ‘danggida’ was used significantly more in the patients with axial spine pain than peripheral joint pain (p=0.024). However, there was no significant difference in other factors.CONCLUSION: The patients with neuromusculoskeletal diseases expressed their pain using various Korean pain descriptors with stabbing nature and superficial somatic pain. Our results may be helpful to assess and develop a new Korean pain quality measure in the patients with neuromusculoskeletal diseases.
Arthralgia ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Methods ; Musculoskeletal Pain ; Neuralgia ; Nociceptive Pain ; Sensation ; Shoulder Pain ; Spine ; Subject Headings

BACKGROUND: Electric stimulation has been investigated for potential medical uses. Numerous articles have been published that focused on antimicrobial effects of electric current, but few studies have reported regarding modifications of fungal growth following exposure to electric current. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of low alternating current on the growth of Trichophyton rubrum. METHODS: In total, 35 plates inoculated with T. rubrum were allocated to one of the five treatment groups (groups A, B, C, D, or E). Fungal colonies in each group were treated with a different intensity of electric current (0.5 µA, 4 µA, 25 µA, 600 µA, or 900 µA) at a frequency of 8 Hz. The area of each fungal colony was measured every other day for 7 days to evaluate the effects on fungal growth. RESULTS: No experimental groups treated with electric current showed any statistically significant differences against the control groups. CONCLUSION Microcurrent did not show any detectable changes in the viability of the fungus. Our findings indicate that microcurrent may affect fungal seeding to the media rather than the growth rate. Unfortunately, there are limited studies on this topic, and further research is warranted to clarify the precise effect of electric stimulation on the activity of microorganisms.