Arash Babaei-Ghazani

Iran University of Medical Sciences · Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Objective: This study was designed to compare the effects of shockwave therapy and corticosteroid injection in the treatment of piriformis syndrome. Methods and materials: In this randomized clinical trial, thirty-five patients with piriformis syndrome were randomly divided into two groups of 18 in the shockwave group and 17 in the corticosteroi...

Background: Neck pain is a common complaint seen amongst patients from all ages. When common causes of neck pain have been ruled out, it is important to investigate further. A careful physical exam can help identify the painful structures. An ultrasound of the area can also be helpful to identify possible structures involved. Neuromas can be treat...

Aim: The main assessment of this study is to analyze the efficiency of ultrasound-guided dextrose prolotherapy against corticosteroid injections for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Materials & methods: A total of 54 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were included. Patients who were assigned into the prolotherapy group were injected with...

Objectives: Neck roots lesions are among the etiologies of cervical and arm pain. A detailed patient evaluation could assist the diagnosis, reduce imaging requests, and promote the treatment of cervical pain. We tried to estimate the value of pronator teres reflex in C6 and C7 roots irritation. Methods: The present study comprises 118 participants,...

This systematic review evaluates the available evidence for extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) use in the treatment of medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane CENTRAL) database searches were performed without a time limit in August 2021. Two...

Background Photobiomodulation with low-intensity laser (LIL) and chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) can repair damaged muscle tissue, so the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of co-administration of these two factors on anal sphincter repair in rabbits. Methods Male rabbits were studied in 5 groups (n = 7): Control (intact), sphincterotomy,...

Purpose of Review: Shoulder ultrasound (US) examination is the most frequent US application in the musculoskeletal field. This review article critically analyzes the scientific literature concerning new horizons, pitfalls, and advantages in shoulder US and its translation to clinical practice. Recent Findings: Although, sonographic appearance of s...

Sonoelastography is a relatively new non-invasive imaging tool to assess the in vivo qualitative and quantitative biomechanical properties of various tissues. Two types of sonoelastography (SE) are commonly explored: strain and shear wave. Sonoelastography can be used in multiple medical subspecialties to assess pathological tissular changes by obt...

Design Chronic plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common cause of chronic heel pain, with different conventional treatment options. In this randomized clinical trial, the effect of ultrasound-guided injection of dextrose versus corticosteroid in chronic PF was evaluated and compared. Methods A total of 44 patients suffering from chronic PF who visited th...

Abstract Background In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of corticosteroid trigger point injection (TPI) versus extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on inferior trigger points in the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle. Methods In this single-blind randomized clinical trial, 54 low back pain patients with myofascial trigger points on QL m...

Background Regarding the increasing application of neuromusculoskeletal sonography among medical specialties, specifically physiatrists, this study aims to assess the knowledge and skill level of these specialists in neuromusculoskeletal sonography in Iran. Methods This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in 2018. The utilized questio...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate real-time elastosonography (RTE) to measure strain of the (para)laryngeal muscles in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) and healthy speakers. Study Design This is a cross-sectional study. Methods Ten patients with primary MTD (37.8 ± 10.53 years) and 10 healthy speakers (36...

Objective: Recently, ozone injection has been used to treat various musculoskeletal diseases. This study was performed to compare ultrasound-guided corticosteroid vs ozone injections in the treatment of Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Design: Forty patients with mild to moderate CTS were enrolled and randomly placed in one of the two groups of rec...

Background: This is an update of a Cochrane Review published in 2014. Chronic non-specific low back pain (LBP) has become one of the main causes of disability in the adult population around the world. Although therapeutic ultrasound is not recommended in recent clinical guidelines, it is frequently used by physiotherapists in the treatment of chro...

Purpose: To compare two common approaches for ultrasonography (US)-guided injection. Patients and methods: Sixty patients with mild-to-moderate CTS were included in this double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT). They received a single shot of corticosteroid injection through either the US-guided in-plane approach: radial or ulnar side. Par...

Abstract Background Anal sphincter injury leads to fecal incontinence. Based on the regenerative capability of laser and human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs), this study was designed to assess the effects of co-application of these therapies on anal sphincter recovery after injury. Design Male rabbits were assigned to equal groups (n = 7) incl...

Introduction: Ozone has been recently used as a safe alternative treatment in musculoskeletal disorders with fewer side effects than corticosteroids. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a single injection of ozone with that of a corticosteroid in the treatment of shoulder impingement. Design: 30 patients with shoulder pain and c...

Introduction: Lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow, causes significant pain and disability in the upper extremity. Conservative approaches include using thermal and electrical agents. The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of shortwave diathermy on pain, function and grip strength of patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis. A...

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the overall estimates of cross-sectional areas of the median nerve measured by ultrasonography in accordance with the electrodiagnostic classification of carpal tunnel syndrome severity. Design: MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase (Ovid), and Web of Science were searched for studies reporting the median ne...

Purpose: This study aimed to review and pool the current literature on intra-articular ozone injection in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Methods: A systematic review of three big databases was performed to identify all English-language randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy of intra-articular ozone injection vs a contr...

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the ultrasonographic reference values for diameters and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve between the two heads of the pronator teres muscle in healthy population as well as to correlate the findings with height, weight, sex and age. Methods Fifty-five healthy Caucasian volunteers (11...

Introduction/Background In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of topical Lavender (Lavendula stoechas) essential oil on pain intensity, isometric pinch strength, specific parameters of electro-diagnosis study (EDS), symptom severity and functional status of patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Material and method...

Introduction/Background To review the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and assess the comparative effectiveness of ultrasound-guided versus landmark-guided local corticosteroid injections in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Material and method RCTs from Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE (Ovid),...

Introduction/Background In this study the clinical effectiveness of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection “above” versus “below” the median nerve for treatment of patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was compared. Material and method This prospective randomized double-blind clinical trial included 44 patients with mild...

PurposeThe deep branch of the radial nerve (DBRN) enters the forearm as it passes under the arcade of Frohse. This is the most common entrapment site of the DBRN in the forearm. In this study, we investigated the ultrasonographic reference values for the diameters and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the DBRN at the level of the arcade of Frohse in a...

Objective: Plantar fasciitis (PF) is one of the most common causes of heel pain. The affected area is often close to the attachment of plantar fascia to calcaneus bone. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of ozone (O2-O3) injection to corticosteroid injection under ultrasound guidance for the treatment of chronic PF. Design: Ran...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic multifactorial disease characterized by progressive joint degeneration. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection with oxygen–ozone injection in patients with knee OA. This double-blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 62 patients with knee OA. The p...

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common musculoskeletal disorder. This study was designed to compare the effects of aerobic exercise plus acupuncture with acupuncture alone in treatment of patients with MPS. Sixty four patients (55 female and 9 male) with myofascial pain syndrome in their neck and shoulders participated in the study with mean ag...

Objective: In this study the clinical effectiveness of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection "above" versus "below" the median nerve for treatment of patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was compared. Design: This prospective randomized double-blind clinical trial included 44 patients with mild to moderate CTS. The su...

Purpose: Knee ligamentous trauma and the following pain is one of the most prevalent athletic injuries. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is one of the conservative approaches in controlling pain which is low cost, noninvasive, and safe with low complications. Our purpose was to study whether transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (T...

PurposeParkinson disease (PD) is one of the common causes of imbalance, and the balance assessment is necessary for treatment and rehabilitation of these patients. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) has been the main instrument used to evaluate balance impairment. The purpose of this study is to investigate reliability and validity of the Persian transla...

Abstract Background: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI), due to upper extremity and cervical trauma can impair hand function, as well as affect quality of life. Objectives: In this study we aimed to evaluate clinical symptoms and electrodiagnostic findings in traumatic upper extremity PNI. Methods: A total of 106 traumatic patients with upper extremit...

Objective: To review the literature and assess the comparative effectiveness of ultrasound-guided versus landmark-guided local corticosteroid injections in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Data sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE (Ovid), and Web of Science (from inception to 1 February 201...

Study design: Randomized controlled trial. Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper extremity. To date, no previous study has evaluated the efficacy of topical Lavendula stoechas (Lavender) oil in CTS patients. Purpose of the study: To investigate the effectiveness of topical Lavender ess...

Background: Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) are relatively common pathologies in clinical practice. PNIs are rare in the lower extremity but have worse prognosis than those in the upper extremity. Electrodiagnostic studies could help better understanding PNIs. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the distribution of lower extremity PNI in traumatic...

Background: Decreases in patellofemoral pain symptoms with bracing treatment have been established; but, the mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate and long-term effects of the patellar bracing on electromyography (EMG) activity of the Vastus Medialis (VM) and Lateralis (VL), Rectus Femoris, lateral Gas...

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. Local injection modalities are among treatment options in patients with resistant pain. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of local autologous whole blood compared with corticosteroid local injection in treatment of plantar fasciitis. In this randomized controlled multice...

Objective: This study intended to determine the extent to which Ultrasound could add to the effects of exercise and manual therapy in the rehabilitation treatment of primary adhesive capsulitis. Design: A pilot double blind randomized clinical trial was carried out on 50 patients suffering from primary adhesive capsulitis. Intervention included...

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and electrodiagnostic efficacy of ultrasound (US) guided vs. landmark (LM) guided steroid injections in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Methods: This randomized clinical trial included 47 patients (60 affected hands) with moderate CTS (30 hands in each group). All clinic...

Background: This study examined the effects of dry needling on chronic heel pain due to plantar fasciitis. Methods: During this single-blinded clinical trial, 20 eligible patients were randomized into two groups: A case group treated with dry needling and a control group. Patients' plantar pain severity, (using modified visual analog scale [VAS]...

Familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) type IV (FINNISH) is a rare clinical entity with challenging neuropathy and cosmetic deficits. Amyloidosis can affect peripheral sensory, motor, or autonomic nerves. Nerve lesions are induced by deposits of amyloid fibrils and treatment approaches for neuropathy are challenging. Involvement of cranial nerves an...

Introduction: Paraspinal, abdominal, and core muscles are playing the main role in lumbar disc herniation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of a 6 weeks exercise training protocol on pain relief in males and females with lumbar disc herniation. Methods: In this before-after trial study, 64 patients with lumbar disc herni...

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a neuropathy due to the compression of the median nerve. It is shown that gabapentin in high doses is effective in treatment of CTS patients. In this study we evaluated the efficacy of low doses of gabapentin in treatment of CTS patients. Ninety patients with CTS were randomly assigned to groups A, B and C. Gabapenti...

A 26-year-old female who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 5 years previously, developed multiple extra-articular cysts on shoulder and elbow. She referred to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department for musculoskeletal ultrasound guided intervention. RA cysts were resistance to previous blind injections and surgical resectio...

Introduction: This study aimed to test the reliability and validity of translated and adapted version of Western Ontario and McMaster (WOMAC) questionnaire in Persian language speaking patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Methods: 100 consecutive patients, attended 3 major referral rehabilitation centers at the northwest of Ir...

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the main cause of pain, physical impairment and chronic disability in older people. Electrotherapeutic modalities such as interferential therapy (IFT) and action potential simulation (APS) are used for the treatment of knee OA. In this study, we aim to evaluate the therapeutic effects of APS and IFT on knee OA. In this r...

Objectives: Balance and mobility impairments are common life-altering complications in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of a short-term virtual reality (VR)-based balance training program on the balance ability of patients with MS. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 30 patients...

Simultaneous bilateral complete tear of the biceps tendons is a rare clinical entity with challenging treatment approaches. Current diagnostic imaging of rupture of the biceps tendon has reverted to magnetic resonance imaging; however, in the recent years, sonography has been widely used in musculoskeletal practice. The authors present a case of si...

Every year in most earthquakes more than thousands of lives are lost, mainly in middle- and low-income countries. Disability and rehabilitation in third world countries could cause disastrous negative effect in living expense of families. So many preventable disabilities are result of these earthquakes and we hope reminding it will make a differenc...

Introduction: Physical modalities are performed by physiotherapists based on physiatrists’ orders, so the residents pay less attention to the need and importance of learning the practical modalities. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of teaching the practical aspects of modalities to residents of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation...

Recurrent lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of poor outcomes after lumbar discectomy surgery. Studies focused on risk factors of true recurrent disk herniation at the same level and side, are few. The aim of current study is to evaluate risk factors of recurrent disc herniation in Iranian population. We retrospectively reviewed 40 pati...

Introduction: The knee joint osteoarthritis is one of the most important causes of musculoskeletal pains and disability. Beside the medical treatments, rehabilitation and physiotherapy has a major role in reducing the pain and improving the function of patients with knee osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the Action Potenti...

Abstract Introduction: Anti-cancerous effects of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have been reported in different cancers. High expression of COX-2 has been demonstrated in various neoplasms such as colorectal, gastric, esophageal, breast, non-small cell lung cancers, and pre-neoplastic lesions such as colorectal adenomas and Barrett's esophagus...