Kirsehir Merkez

This research aims to compare the daily living activities and upper extremity exercise capacity between individuals with high body mass index (BMI) and those with normal BMI. The study includes participants aged 18 to 65 years with either a BMI of 25 or greater or a BMI within the normal range. It focuses on understanding how body weight categories may affect physical functions and exercise capacity. Participants are grouped based on their BMI into high BMI and normal BMI groups. Those with high BMI have a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or higher, while those with normal BMI have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2. The study does not specify additional interventions but involves evaluating exercise capacity and daily living activities. During the study, researchers assess participants' upper extremity exercise capacity and their ability to perform daily living activities, both measured on the first day. Volunteers undergo tests to evaluate these physical functions. The study excludes individuals with uncontrolled medical conditions, serious diseases, or those unable to cooperate with testing to ensure participant safety and accurate results.

This research aims to compare levels of serum progranulin (PGRN) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) between patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and healthy individuals. It also seeks to explore the relationship between the use of TNF-α inhibitors and PGRN levels in those with AS. Ankylosing Spondylitis is a group of diseases characterized by inflammatory low back pain, sacroiliitis, joint inflammation, and eye inflammation, with PGRN potentially acting as a marker linked to disease activity. The study will include 80 patients aged 20 to 65 years diagnosed with AS according to ASAS 2009 criteria, along with 80 healthy controls of similar age. Both groups will be evaluated once, with blood samples taken to measure serum PGRN and TNF-α levels using the ELISA method. Researchers will also record clinical information such as age, gender, disease duration, medications, and various disease severity scores including BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI, ASQoL, ASDAS-CRP, ESR, and CRP. Participants will be assessed a single time during the study. Data collection will include medical history, clinical severity assessments, and laboratory blood tests. The main outcomes measured are differences in PGRN and TNF-α levels between AS patients and healthy controls, as well as how TNF-α inhibitor treatment relates to these levels. This one-time evaluation will help understand potential biomarkers in AS and their connection to treatment.

Researchers are examining knowledge about cardiovascular disease risk factors and healthy lifestyle behaviors in people with ankylosing spondylitis, a condition affecting the spine and joints. This study aims to fill a gap since no previous research has specifically assessed these factors in patients with this condition. The goal is to understand how well patients know about risks related to heart health and how they manage their lifestyle and physical activity. The study does not involve any treatments or interventions but focuses on evaluating participants' knowledge and behaviors related to cardiovascular health and physical activity. Participants will be asked questions that take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete, covering their understanding of heart disease risks and their lifestyle habits. Participants will be involved in answering questionnaires that assess their knowledge and behaviors. The main measurements include assessing understanding of cardiovascular risk factors and healthy lifestyle choices. This study includes adults aged 18 to 65 with ankylosing spondylitis and stable medication use. The information gathered will help better understand awareness and behaviors in this group, with no additional treatment or long-term follow-up involved.

Subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS) is a common cause of shoulder pain that limits movement and function, negatively affecting quality of life. This research aims to compare the effectiveness of physiotherapist-supervised rehabilitation to home exercise programs in people diagnosed with SAIS. The randomized controlled trial will include 63 participants diagnosed by a specialist and will explore which approach better manages symptoms and improves function. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: supervised rehabilitation, home exercise, or control. The supervised group will receive a structured physiotherapy program including pain management, stretching, range of motion, scapular stabilization, strengthening, and activity modification, delivered five days a week for four weeks. The home exercise group will be educated in a similar exercise program and perform it independently at home for four weeks. The control group will not receive treatment during the study but will be offered supervised rehabilitation after the final assessment. Assessments will take place at the start and end of the four-week period, measuring pain intensity, upper extremity function, shoulder range of motion, grip strength, sleep quality, and quality of life. Researchers will use various tools like the Visual Analog Scale for pain, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, goniometer, dynamometer, sleep quality scale, and WHOQOL-BREF. The study will provide insights into how these exercise approaches compare in managing SAIS.

Knee osteoarthritis is a long-term joint condition causing pain, disability, and reduced quality of life, with increasing social and health impacts worldwide. This research compares two treatments—genicular nerve block and physical therapy—to find the most suitable option for people with knee pain lasting more than three months. The study also examines how these treatments affect knee pain, mobility, function, and balance in patients aged 40 to 70 years with knee osteoarthritis. The study involves three groups of participants randomly assigned to different treatments. The first group receives a genicular nerve block, where a mixture of lidocaine and triamcinolone is injected into specific knee nerves using ultrasound guidance. The second group undergoes physical therapy including hotpack application, therapeutic ultrasound, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over 15 sessions. The third group, serving as a control, performs daily knee exercises for three weeks. Participants in the exercise group are asked to avoid using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during treatment. Participants will be assessed for knee pain and function using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and WOMAC index before treatment, at the end of treatment after three weeks, and again nine weeks later. Researchers will monitor changes in pain, mobility, functionality, and balance. The study includes various evaluations and aims to understand the longer-term benefits of these treatments, with a total follow-up of 12 weeks from the start of treatment.

Obesity is a widespread preventable health issue, commonly managed through diet control and exercise. This research aims to compare the effects of high intensity interval training and moderate intensity continuous training on weight loss, serum adipokine levels (omentin, leptin, adiponectin), body fat percentage, sleep quality, and quality of life in young women with obesity aged 18 to 45 years with a body mass index between 30 and 40 kg/m². Participants are randomly assigned to one of two exercise groups. One group performs high intensity interval training on an Ergoline bicycle ergometer for 45 minutes a day, five days a week, over eight weeks. This includes intervals at 80% to 100% of maximum heart rate with warm-up and cool-down periods. The other group performs moderate intensity continuous training on the same device for 30 minutes at 65% maximum heart rate, with warm-up and cool-down, also five days weekly for eight weeks. During the study, blood samples are collected at the start and end to measure serum adipokine levels. Anthropometric measurements and questionnaires about sleep and quality of life are completed. The blood analyses are conducted at the Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Biochemistry Laboratory. Data are analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. The primary outcome measured is serum adipokine levels after eight weeks of exercise.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of Mobilization with Movement (MWM) on pain, function, and joint position sense in people with rotator cuff lesions, a common cause of shoulder pain and movement difficulty. The study focuses on whether MWM can improve shoulder motor control and recovery by enhancing proprioception compared to conventional physiotherapy or no treatment. This randomized controlled trial includes adults aged 18 to 65 with diagnosed rotator cuff pathology and persistent shoulder pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: the MWM group, which receives a manual therapy combining sustained pain-free joint mobilization with active shoulder movements; the conventional physiotherapy group, which receives standard exercises and therapies excluding MWM; or a control group that does not receive treatment during the study period. Treatments are delivered by trained physiotherapists following standardized protocols, with sessions lasting about 20-30 minutes multiple times per week over the intervention period. Participants will be assessed before and after the 8-week intervention using the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire to measure functional disability. Pain intensity and shoulder joint position sense will also be evaluated using a laser pointer repositioning test. The study aims to determine if MWM provides greater benefits in reducing pain, improving function, and enhancing proprioceptive accuracy, contributing evidence for conservative rehabilitation strategies for rotator cuff lesions.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of adding core stabilization exercises to conventional physical therapy in patients aged 40 to 60 years with partial rotator cuff tears. This study focuses on individuals with partial supraspinatus tears, a common early-stage shoulder condition often caused by repetitive microtraumas, postural problems, and muscle imbalances. The study aims to assess improvements in pain, shoulder function, and clinical recovery, contributing to conservative rehabilitation methods. Participants will receive either core stabilization exercises or classic trunk and abdominal muscle strengthening exercises, both supervised by a physical therapist. The core stabilization program includes 35-minute sessions three times a week for four weeks, starting with teaching lumbar and pelvic neutral positions and progressing through three exercise levels. The classic strengthening program also consists of 35-minute sessions three times a week for four weeks, including Williams and McKenzie exercises. All participants will undergo conventional rehabilitation involving various shoulder motion and strengthening exercises, stretching, TENS, and cold packs. During the study, participants' pain levels will be measured using a Visual Analog Scale at the start, end of treatment (week 3), and after treatment (week 12). Physical examinations will include specific shoulder tests, and MRI confirmation of tears is required. The study monitors adherence and progress throughout the exercise sessions under therapist supervision, aiming to evaluate the impact of core stabilization on shoulder pain and function over the treatment and follow-up periods.

This research aims to compare the effects of basic and functional inspiratory muscle training combined with classical physiotherapy on pain, disability, and functionality in adults with non-specific chronic low back pain. Participants aged 18 to 65 with low back pain lasting at least 3 months and moderate pain levels will be included. The study evaluates how these different treatments impact pain intensity, disability, muscle strength, and muscle thickness over time. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. The first group receives classical physiotherapy alone, including hotpack, ultrasound, TENS, and basic exercises for 30 sessions over 10 weeks. The second group receives classical physiotherapy plus foundation inspiratory muscle training (IKE) face-to-face and additional home training twice daily, with exercise intensity adjusted weekly. The third group receives classical physiotherapy plus functional inspiratory muscle training (F-ICE), which includes foundation training for the first 4 weeks followed by resisted breathing exercises for 6 weeks, with similar home training and intensity adjustments. Throughout the study, assessments occur before treatment, after 30 sessions, and at 3, 6, and 12 months. Researchers measure pain intensity, disability, respiratory muscle strength, muscle thickness via ultrasound, aerobic capacity, flexibility, muscle endurance and strength, postural control, and quality of life. Participants complete questionnaires on physical activity, fear of movement, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression. Exercise adherence is monitored with diaries, and all these measures help evaluate the treatments' impacts and safety over one year.

Chronic nonspecific low back pain is a complex condition involving biomechanical, psychological, and neurocognitive factors such as fear of movement and pain catastrophizing, which contribute to ongoing pain and disability. This research evaluates the effects of combining virtual reality (VR)-supported pain neuroscience education with core stabilization exercises to address both cognitive and physical aspects of this condition. The goal is to improve pain, fear of movement, pain catastrophizing, functional status, and balance in adults with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Participants will receive either classical pain education with core stabilization exercises or VR-supported pain neuroscience education combined with these exercises. The VR program includes an introductory session with 20-30 minutes of interactive pain education modules during the first week, followed by weekly 10-15 minute VR reinforcement sessions for weeks 2 to 6, integrated with core exercises targeting muscles around the spine. The classical education group receives traditional verbal or brochure-based pain education alongside the same exercise protocol. Exercises focus on activating key muscles, posture control, stretching, and mobilization, performed in 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps with load adjustments based on tolerance. During the six-week study, participants will be monitored for changes in pain severity and functional status. Researchers will assess the impact on fear of movement, pain catastrophizing, and balance. The study includes evaluations through physical exercises, educational sessions, and use of VR technology to enhance motivation and cognitive understanding. This approach aims to provide a comprehensive rehabilitation program addressing both physical and psychological elements of chronic low back pain.