Russian Journal of Physiotherapy, Balneology and Rehabilitation

Pelotherapy has demonstrated high effectiveness in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with various conditions. Several groups of therapeutic peloids are distinguished depending on their origin. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the study of peat and sapropel peloids, whose main active components are humic, fulvic, and hymatomelanic acids, lignin, enzyme-like and hormone-like substances. In addition to the classical pelotherapy techniques with a pronounced thermal effect, non-thermal methods are becoming more common in clinical practice; they are significantly better tolerated by patients and have a minimal number of contraindications. Thin-layer peloid applications have been proven effective in the treatment of inflammatory and degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including rehabilitation of patients after spinal and joint surgery, in diseases of the digestive system, male and female reproductive system, skin disorders, and neurological diseases. Resource-saving techniques of pelotherapy significantly reduce the consumption of valuable natural therapeutic raw materials, enabling its application in both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings.

BACKGROUND: Various sources report that individuals with intellectual disabilities exhibit specific characteristics of motor development, manifested by reduced physical capacities, atypical development of movement patterns, and impaired locomotor functions. Viewing the body as an integrated whole, this study aimed to identify profiles of motor asymmetries from a tensegrity model perspective that are characteristic of individuals with intellectual disabilities and those with neurotypical development. This objective is relevant not only for physical parameters, but also for understanding how mental and intellectual domains influence the mechanisms of motor act execution.

AIM: To determine muscle asymmetry profiles in children with intellectual disabilities and their neurotypical peers from the tensegrity model perspective.

METHODS: The study was conducted in special and general education institutions in Yekaterinburg and involved 80 children aged 13 years: 40 with mild intellectual disabilities and 40 with neurotypical development. The Humac Norm biomechanical testing and rehabilitation system (CSMi Medical Solutions, USA) was used for assessment. The following muscle groups were examined: hip flexors and extensors, hip abductors and adductors, ankle flexors and extensors, shoulder flexors and extensors, and shoulder abductors and adductors. Muscle strength and endurance were assessed, and functional motor asymmetries were identified by comparing test results between limbs. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. For comparative analysis of the two groups, the Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric one-way ANOVA was used. Quantitative data were described using the median and the 1st and 3rd quartiles.

RESULTS: Comprehensive analysis in the group with intellectual disabilities revealed side asymmetry in hip flexors, hip abductors, shoulder adductors, and shoulder flexors and extensors. In individuals with neurotypical development, all side-deficit values were within the acceptable range (up to 20%) with no side asymmetry. The differences between groups were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: In children aged 13 years with intellectual disabilities, an asynchronous profile was identified in 62.5% of cases, a lateral profile in 22.5%, and a neurotypical profile in 15%. In neurotypical children, these profile types were observed in 12.5%, 15%, and 72.5% of cases, respectively. Intellectual impairment was associated with reduced muscle performance, which collectively forms the basis for targeted corrective interventions specific to physical development.

BACKGROUND: Combined facial skin injuries (CFSIs) result in a severe psychotraumatic cosmetic defect that requires correction. However, there are no controlled clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of comprehensive rehabilitation programs in this patient population.

AIM: The study aimed to assess changes in clinical, functional, and psychophysiological parameters and quality of life in patients with CFSI during comprehensive rehabilitation programs.

METHODS: A prospective, randomized, comparative clinical study was conducted from January 2024 to March 2025. Patients with consequences of combined facial skin injury (scarring and traumatic pigmentation) were randomized into two groups. In the treatment group, a comprehensive rehabilitation protocol was used (involving laser therapy and carboxytherapy). The control group received a standard rehabilitation regimen (including facial massage, phonophoresis with hyaluronidase, and methyluracil ointment). The primary endpoints were rehabilitation efficacy parameters, specifically the severity of scarring and pigmentation. Secondary endpoints included instrumental findings characterizing the affected skin (stiffness, texture, microcirculation, lymphatic flow), as well as psychophysiological parameters and quality of life.

RESULTS: The study included 74 patients (71 men and 3 women) aged 21–59 years. All participants completed the study, and no adverse events were reported. Rehabilitation efficacy was significantly higher in the treatment group (p <  0.001). Tissue stiffness in the affected area after rehabilitation was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (Me: 25.3 kPa vs. 30.9 kPa; p <  0.05). There were significant intergroup differences in skin texture, surface morphometry, pigmentation, hemoglobin level, and lymphatic flow, with the treatment group demonstrating the most favorable parameters. Psychophysiological parameters in the treatment group returned to normal or significantly improved, whereas in the control group they showed minimal improvement or mild deterioration. Furthermore, the treatment group achieved higher post-rehabilitation quality of life scores.

CONCLUSION: The proposed comprehensive rehabilitation protocol for patients with consequences of CFSI, combining two modes of high-intensity laser therapy with carboxytherapy, demonstrated high efficacy and produced significantly better outcomes than standard therapy.

BACKGROUND: Sensorimotor reactions reflect the interaction between sensory perception and motor responses, allowing assessment of central nervous system functional state, performance capacity, and cognitive characteristics. In children with intellectual disability, alterations in cortical neurodynamics are observed, which affect these processes. Therefore, analysis of sensorimotor reaction parameters and interhemispheric interaction, as well as evaluation of the effects of therapeutic physical training, is of particular relevance.

AIM: The work aimed to diagnose sensorimotor reactions and identify interhemispheric asymmetry in children with intellectual disability and their typically developing peers.

METHODS: The study was conducted in special education and general education institutions in Yekaterinburg. A total of 160 children participated, aged 12 years at study entry and 16 years at study completion. Participants were divided into four groups: two groups of children with intellectual disability (ID) and two groups of children with typical development (TD). Psychophysiological assessment of sensorimotor reactions was performed using the hardware–software complex NS-Psychotest (Neurosoft, Russia) and included tests of simple visual–motor reaction (SVMR), choice reaction, reaction to a moving object, and the tapping test. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. For the comparative analysis of significant differences between groups, the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance was used. Quantitative data are presented as median and first and third quartiles.

RESULTS: Assessment of sensorimotor reactions revealed inertia of nervous processes in children with intellectual disability, whereas children with typical development demonstrated a mobile or intermediate nervous system type. In the ID groups, the dominant hemisphere during SVMR was the left hemisphere, whereas during cognitive tasks it was the right; in the TD groups, the opposite pattern was observed. These findings reflect specific features of defect structure and hemispheric functioning. The differences between groups were significant.

CONCLUSION: The effect of therapeutic physical training in the experimental groups manifested at the fourth and fifth stages of diagnostics in tests involving cognitive load, whereas SVMR parameters remained unchanged. The hemispheric asymmetry coefficient determined differences between ID and TD groups across all tests. Over time analysis demonstrated a reduction in the asymmetry coefficient in the experimental groups, particularly among children with intellectual disability, confirming the effectiveness of the motor rehabilitation methodology.