Søren T. Skou

University of Southern Denmark | SDU · Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics

Introduction Exercise is an effective component in rehabilitation of a range of chronic conditions. There is a growing interest in the use of exercise-based nature interacted rehabilitation (EBNIR), but an overview of current evidence is missing. To provide an informed base for future work within this field of EBNIR, the objective of this scoping r...

Aim: The purpose of Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is to promote and reduce risk factors in the short and long term, however, the latter has, to date, been poorly evaluated. We explored characteristics associated with provision and outcomes of a long-term assessment in CR. Method: Data from the UK National Audit of CR between April 2015 and March 2...

Background: Personality traits are associated with pain-related beliefs and coping strategies, and different chronic conditions are linked through specific personality profiles. This highlights the importance of having valid and reliable measures of personality traits for use in clinical and research settings when assessing patients in chronic pai...

Objective: To compare the 3 and 12-month changes on pain, function and quality of life between online and onsite delivery of Good Life with Osteoarthritis in Denmark (GLA:D® ) in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design: Non-inferior comparison of individuals with knee OA receiving physiotherapist-supervised online (TeleGLA:D) or onsite...

Background Previous studies have found that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) often co-occurs with knee or hip OA and can impact treatment response. However, it is unclear what participant characteristics may be helpful in identifying individuals with these co-occurring conditions. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore characteristics ass...

Escape: Evaluation of a patient-centred biopsychosocial blended collaborative care pathway for the treatment of multimorbid elderly patients. Therapeutic area: Healthcare interventions for the management of older patients with multiple morbidities. Aims: Multi-morbidity treatment is an increasing challenge for healthcare systems in ageing soci...

Objective: To compare the effect of early surgery versus exercise and education on mechanical symptoms and other patient-reported outcomes in patients aged 18-40 years with a meniscal tear and self-reported mechanical knee symptoms. Methods: In a randomised controlled trial, 121 patients aged 18-40 years with a MRI-verified meniscal tear were ra...

Aims: To describe the one-week and 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the upper and lower extremities and consequences in relation to care seeking, leisure time activity, and work life in patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey including adults diagnosed with type 1 and 2 diabetes from two Danish second...

Objective: To develop sets of core and optional recommended domains for describing and evaluating Osteoarthritis Management Programs (OAMPs), with a focus on hip and knee OA. Design: We conducted a 3-round modified Delphi survey involving an international group of researchers, health professionals, health administrators and people with OA. In Ro...

Ageing populations and improved survival, have contributed to a rise in the number of people living with multimorbidity, raising issues related to polypharmacy, treatment burden, competing priorities and poor coordination of care. Self-management programs are increasingly included as an essential component of interventions to improve outcomes in th...

BACKGROUND Digital health interventions to manage chronic conditions have large potential. However, the benefits and harms are still questioned. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the benefits and harms of digital health interventions in promoting physical activity in people with chronic conditions. OBJECTIVE This sys...

Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of global disability. The understanding of the role of psychosocial factors in knee OA outcomes is still evolving particularly in an Asian context. The primary aim of this study is to explore psychosocial factors that prognosticate short and long-term clinical outcomes, productivity, and health...

Current physical activity interventions for individuals with Type 2 diabetes do not accommodate the needs of the individual in terms of content, time, and location. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an 8-week high intensity online physical exercise intervention combined with online group meetings and support...

Background Despite the great individual and societal burden associated with multimorbidity, little is known about how to effectively manage it. Objective The aim of this multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to investigate the 12-month effects of a personalized exercise therapy and self-management support program in addition to usual ca...

The primary objective of this systematic review is to determine the long-term burden of anterior cruciate ligament andmeniscal injury. The secondary objective is to determine the burden of living with radiographic and/orsymptomatic osteoarthritis, following anterior cruciate ligament and/or meniscal injury.

Background Exercise therapy is safe and effective in people with single conditions, but the feasibility in people with two or more conditions is unclear. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate the feasibility of exercise therapy and self-management in people with multimorbidity prior to a randomised, controlled trial (RCT). Methods This was a mixed-me...

Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of global disability. The understanding of the role of psychosocial factors in knee OA outcomes is still evolving particularly in an Asian context. The primary aim of this study is to explore psychosocial factors that prognosticate short and long-term clinical outcomes, productivity, and health...

Background: We aimed to identify important components of, and practical resources relevant for inclusion in, a toolkit to aid exercise delivery for people with hip/knee osteoarthritis. Method: An online international multi-disciplinary survey was conducted across 43 countries (139 clinicians, 44 people with hip/knee osteoarthritis and 135 osteoa...

Exercise therapy helps improve glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity and may be relevant in treating patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). This study describes the development of a 12-week exercise therapy program for patients with DFUs and the preliminary feasibility of the program focusing on the program's inclusion, adherence, and safet...

Background Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is often used to examine neurophysiology. We aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability and agreement of single pulse TMS in hospitalised acute ischemic stroke patients. Methods Thirty-one patients with first-time acute ischemic stroke (median age 72 (IQR 64-75), 35% females) underwent TMS m...

Background To our knowledge, there is no intervention which includes personalised exercise therapy and self-management support for people with multimorbidity, although these interventions may be as effective as for people with single chronic conditions. Therefore, we developed a novel intervention, including personalised exercise therapy and self-m...

Objectives Despite documented benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), attrition rates remain relatively high. Insights on patient perspectives concerning dropout during transition phases are deficient. This deeper understanding may help to inform on the perceived benefits and barriers in CR. This qualitative study explores the reasons why patients...

Objectives The main objective was to investigate 5-year outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis, randomised to one of two non-surgical treatments. Setting Two outpatient clinics. Participants At baseline, 100 patients with radiographic and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis not found eligible for knee replacement (KR) were included. Main exclu...

1.1.1 Background One in five patients experience chronic pain one year after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), highlighting the need for new treatment strategies to improve outcomes. The complexity of interventions for osteoarthritis (OA) and TKA patients requires a thorough development and evaluation process. This feasibility trial aimed to optimize...

In Dänemark ist es mit dem GLA:D®-Programm gelungen, wissenschaftlich belegte Empfehlungen für die Physiotherapie von Arthrose-Patienten erfolgreich in die klinische Praxis umzusetzen. Auch andere Länder haben das dänische Patientenmanagement in ihr Gesundheitssystem implementiert. So plant auch Deutschland das GLA:D® Programm einzuführen.

Menschen, die an Osteoarthritis leiden, sind oft verunsichert, ob sie weiter Sport treiben können. Manche fangen erst gar nicht damit an aus Angst, Sport würde mehr schaden als nutzen. Doch wer sich an bestimmte Regeln hält, kann vom Sporttreiben profitieren – auch Patienten mit Osteoarthritis.

The goal of the OPTIKNEE consensus is to improve knee and overall health, to prevent osteoarthritis (OA) after a traumatic knee injury. The consensus followed a seven-step hybrid process. Expert groups conducted 7 systematic reviews to synthesise the current evidence and inform recommendations on the burden of knee injuries; risk factors for post-t...

Objective: To study the influence of self-reported knee instability on changes in knee pain and gait speed following patient education and supervised exercise therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: We included patients enrolled in Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D®), an 8-week education and supervised neuromusc...

Introduction Persistent pain (PP) and long-term conditions are all associated with psychological well-being. Less is known about their associations with reduced psychological well-being when co-occurring. We investigated how PP and long-term physical and mental conditions relate to psychological well-being when occurring together. Method Data coll...

Objective People with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) can experience comorbid lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), but the impact on treatment outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between comorbid LSS symptoms and changes in pain, function, and quality of life following a patient education and exercise therapy program...

Introduction and aim: Low socioeconomic position (SEP) has been shown to be strongly associated with impaired lung cancer survival. Barriers related to receiving recommended treatment among patients with lung cancer with low SEP may include adverse health behaviour and limited physical and psychosocial resources influencing the ability to react on...

Health behavior transformation in women living with chronic pain supported by occupational therapists Main theme: "Designing transitions: are we ready for the unexpected?"

Objective: To determine levels of objectively measured physical activity (PA) and the proportion of adults with multimorbidity that adheres to PA guidelines. Methods: All studies, where PA was measured at baseline using an activity monitor in an adult (≥18 years) multimorbid (≥80% of the population had ≥2 chronic conditions) population. A system...

Objective Investigate change in physical activity following an 8-week education and exercise therapy program for patients with knee/hip osteoarthritis, focusing on those with low physical activity level. Furthermore, to evaluate associations between changes in pain intensity and physical activity. Method Data from the Good Life with osteoArthritis...

Objective To develop evidence-informed recommendations to support the delivery of best practice therapeutic exercise for people with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA). Design A multi-stage, evidence-informed, international multi-disciplinary consensus process that included: 1) a narrative literature review to synthesise existing evidence; 2) gen...

Background: Systematic reviews of exercise therapy for knee osteoarthritis (OA) have largely ignored the variability in comparator interventions. Objective: To assess how effect estimates of exercise therapy for knee OA as reported in randomized controlled trials vary depending on the comparator interventions. Methods: We followed the Cochrane...

Objective Determine the long-term health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL), work limitation, physical activity, health/economic cost and disease burden of traumatic ACL and/or meniscal injury. Findings will inform OPTIKNEE evidence-based consensus recommendations. Design Random-effects meta-analysis evaluated HRQoL (SF-36/SF-12/VR-12 Physical Compon...

Objectives To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of an occupational therapy lifestyle intervention for adults living with chronic pain. Design This one-group pre-post interventional study investigated the feasibility and outcomes of the Redesign Your Everyday Activities and Lifestyle with Occupational Therapy (REVEAL(OT)) intervention targeting...

Background: Severe physical inactivity (SPI) in patients with COPD is associated with a poor prognosis. It is unknown whether there is a link between SPI and systemic inflammation, and if systemic inflammation in SPI changes following pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Methods: A prospective, observational study of patients referred for at least 7 week...

Introduction The primary aim of this randomised controlled trial is to investigate the effectiveness of 3 months of progressive resistance training (PRT) compared to neuromuscular exercise (NEMEX) on functional performance in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Secondary aims are to investigate the effectiveness of exercise booster sessions (EBS...

Introduction: The aims of this cross-sectional study were to (1) describe habitual physical activity and adherence to WHO recommendations, and (2) investigate the association of comorbidity, obesity, stress, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among individuals with diabetes. Research desi...

Objective To investigate changes in opioid use after supervised exercise therapy and patient education among knee or hip osteoarthritis patients with chronic opioid use. Method In this cohort study, we linked data from the Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark register (GLA:D®; standardised treatment program for osteoarthritis; January 2013 to...

Background The evidence-based interventions of exercise and education have been strongly recommended as part of prominent clinical guidelines for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) for more than ten years. Despite the wealth of strong evidence that exists, implementation in practice is sub-optimal. This paper describes the key methodologies used in t...

Background The prevalence of low back pain increases with age and has a profound impact on physical and psychosocial health. With increasing age comes increasing comorbidity, and this also has pronounced health consequences. Whilst exercise is beneficial for a range of health conditions, trials of exercise for low back pain management often exclude...

Multimorbidity (two or more coexisting conditions in an individual) is a growing global challenge with substantial effects on individuals, carers and society. Multimorbidity occurs a decade earlier in socioeconomically deprived communities and is associated with premature death, poorer function and quality of life and increased health-care utilizat...

Objectives: To investigate whether adults with potential multiple social disadvantage have poorer outcomes following osteoarthritis management programme (OAMP) attendance and if so, what might determine this. Methods: Among consecutive knee OA attenders on the GLA:D® OAMP in Denmark we defined a group with potential 'intersectional disadvantage'...

Background Patients with hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) and shoulder complaints may suffer from symptoms related to shoulder instability, laxity, and hypermobility. It is currently unknown whether having a more complex clinical status with several diagnoses (i.e., anterior instability (AI), multidirectional instability (MDI), and/or symptoma...

Background: Healthy lifestyle is important to decrease health risks in individuals living with chronic pain. From an occupational therapy perspective, human health and lifestyle are linked to occupational engagement in meaningful everyday activities. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of including occupational engagement in chronic pa...

Background and purpose: Despite increased attention to and acceptance of fast-track procedures, there is a lack of studies concerning discharge on the day of surgery (DOS) following total knee arthroplasty (SD-TKA). We evaluated the feasibility of SD-TKA, and compared safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) between patients undergoing SD-TKA a...

Objectives To investigate the short-term effectiveness of high-load versus low-load strengthening exercise on self-reported function in patients with hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) and shoulder symptoms. Methods A superiority, parallel-group, randomised trial (balanced block randomisation, electronic concealment) including adult patients (n...

Objective: To estimate the benefits and harms of interventions with and without surgery for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Design: Intervention systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Literature search: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and CENTRAL, all up to January 7, 2021. Study selection crit...

Background Behavior change and exercise are considered critical for successful self-management in people with multimorbidity, however, little is known about people’s needs, experiences, and preferences. Purpose The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the perspectives of people living with multimorbidity, healthcare professionals, relativ...

Rationale: Moderate-to-severe asthma is associated with impaired asthma control and quality of life (QoL) despite access to specialist care and modern pharmacotherapy. Breathing exercises (BrEX) improve QoL in incompletely controlled mild asthma, but impact in moderate-to-severe asthma is unknown. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of b...

Aim To achieve effectiveness and reduce inequality in everyday cardiac rehabilitation, this study aims to compare individual patient characteristics along with completion rates to traditional and evolving modes of delivery in cardiac rehabilitation. Method Patients were included from the UK National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation (NACR) database....

Objective: Understand factors associated with pain intensity responder status following non-surgical hip OA intervention, according to sex. Methods: Data were from individuals with hip OA participating in the Danish GLA:D® 8-week education and exercise program. Factors captured at program entry: age, education, mental well-being, comorbidities,...