Interventions such as supervised or individualised exercise therapy and self-management techniques may enhance exercise adherence .
BACKGROUND Chronic musculoskeletal pain ( CMP ) is a major health problem , accounting for approximately one-quarter of general practice ( GP ) consultations in the United Kingdom ( UK ) .
Exercise and physical activity is beneficial for the most common types of CMP , such as back and knee pain .
However , poor adherence to exercise and physical activity may limit long-term effectiveness .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of interventions to improve adherence to exercise and physical activity for people with chronic musculoskeletal pain .
Use of ultrasound to increase effectiveness of isokinetic exercise for knee osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of ultrasound ( US ) in isokinetic muscle strengthening exercises on functional status of patients with knee osteoarthritis ( OA ) . DESIGN Effectiveness of isokinetic muscle strengthening exercises for treatment of periarticular soft tissue disorders was compared with and without pulsed and continuous US . SETTING Outpatient exercise program in a Taiwan medical university hospital . PARTICIPANTS One hundred twenty subjects with bilateral knee OA ( Altman grade II ) . INTERVENTION Subjects were r and omized sequentially into 1 of 4 groups . Group I received isokinetic muscular strengthening exercises , group II received isokinetic exercise and continuous US , group III received isokinetic exercise and pulsed US treatment , and group IV was the control group . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Therapeutic effects of isokinetic exercise  were evaluated by changes in ambulation speed and the Lequesne index . In addition , changes in knee range of motion ( ROM ) , visual analog scale for pain , and muscle peak torques during knee flexion and extension were compared . Compliance in each group was recorded . RESULTS Each treated group had increased muscle peak torques and significantly reduced pain and disability after treatment and at follow-up . However , only patients in groups II and III had significant improvement in ROM and ambulation speed after treatment . Fewer participants in group III discontinued treatment due to knee pain during exercise . Patients in group III also showed the greatest increase in walking speed and decrease in disability after treatment and at follow-up . Gains in muscular strength in 60 degrees /s angular velocity peak torques were also noted in groups II and III . However , group III showed the greatest muscular strength gains with 180 degrees /s angular velocity peak torques after treatment and follow-up . CONCLUSIONS US treatment could increase the effectiveness of isokinetic exercise for functional improvement of knee OA , and pulsed ultrasound has a greater effect than continuous US
Interventions such as supervised or individualised exercise therapy and self-management techniques may enhance exercise adherence .
BACKGROUND Chronic musculoskeletal pain ( CMP ) is a major health problem , accounting for approximately one-quarter of general practice ( GP ) consultations in the United Kingdom ( UK ) .
Exercise and physical activity is beneficial for the most common types of CMP , such as back and knee pain .
However , poor adherence to exercise and physical activity may limit long-term effectiveness .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of interventions to improve adherence to exercise and physical activity for people with chronic musculoskeletal pain .