The Impact of Petrissage on Functional Measures of High-Heeled Shoe Wearers

BackgroundMany women enjoy wearing high heels despite knowing they can harm their feet. Many uncomfortable conditions can originate from wearing this shoe, leading to biomechanical changes in ankle joints. Hence, the study is aimed to identify the effects of massage therapy in improving muscular flexibility among women wearing high heels. MethodologyForty female participants with chronic heel pain were included in the single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Participants were divided into Group-A (Stretching and deep heat) and Group-B (petrissage and deep heat). The treatment was performed for 4 weeks, 3 sessions/week in both groups. Foot function index and ankle dorsiflexion were recorded at baseline and after 4-weeks of intervention. ResultsForty female participants with a mean age of 28.23±6.24 were recruited. Both groups showed significant improvement in all three variables, i.e. Pain, disability, and ankle dorsiflexion. However, Group-B showed more significant results with mean differences of 1.80±2.22 and 4.1±6.7 (p<0.05) for pain and disability, respectively. A similar result was observed for ankle dorsiflexion in which a mean difference of 0.95±1.08 in the left and 1.25±1.12 in the right ankle was observed. ConclusionBoth treatment programs are highly effective in reducing pain, reducing disability, and improving ankle joint ROM. However, petrissage massage and deep heating were superior to superficial heat with static stretching for females with chronic heel pain.   DOI: https: //doi. Org/10.59564/amrj/01.01/006

Estimation of Tidal Energy Utilizing Different Harnessing Techniques Through Geographical Information System within Creek Area of Indus Delta, Sindh Province, Pakistan

The global energy demand is currently being met by depleting sources of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal, etc.). A deteriorating supply and an ever increasing demand have led to a major increase in fuel prices over this decade. Since fossil fuels are diminishing, the effect of this strong dependence is becoming an increasing concern. Energy services bolster the socio-economical development of a country, so a sustainable energy system is essential for the growth of a country’s economy. Regrettably, like many other countries, Pakistan is also facing worse energy crisis. Climate change and energy shortage drive Government of Pakistan to replace traditional sources of energy by alternative energy sources. Electricity generation by tidal sources has an important contribution in reducing environmental pollution, while on the other hand relatively less cost with inexhaustible and highly predictable energy source makes it further appealing. Pakistan has a 1000 kilometer coastline comprising of complex creek networks in Indus deltaic region of the Sindh province, which could be utilized for the installation of tidal plants. However there is no significant data analysis so far and the rationalize thinking, to utilized the freely and existing energy, has been made for this purpose. Therefore the major aim of this research is estimation of tidal energy resources utilizing different harnessing techniques through Geographical Information System (GIS) within the creek area of Indus delta. It is highlighted that there is no research conducted relative to the GIS method in tidal data (both tidal elevation and tidal current) of Sindh region. For this purpose different data sets are collected from different sources such as satellite imageries (Acquired from ESRI), tidal elevation data of six different locations and tidal current data of twelve different locations (Both acquired from Hydrography Department, Pakistan Navy) and incorporated into GIS environment to develop digitized layers and maps. Geostatistical Analysis tool is applied to analyze different interpolation methods to predict tidal data (both tidal elevation and tidal current) at un-observed locations and between these methods, Ordinary Kriging method is chosen for interpolation. Four models are compared for tidal elevation data : (i) Stable (ii) Circular (iii) Spherical and (iv)Exponential and four different models have been compared for tidal current data : (i) Stable (ii) Circular (iii) Exponential and (iv)K-Bessel . These models are compared, evaluated and cross-validated for selection of finest model for predictions of data at un-known locations. Power density maps are generated from selected model and based on these maps and suitable bathymetry three potential sites are selected for tidal range technology plants (Total estimated output power from these sites using VETT turbine is 358.29 MW) and thirteen site are selected for marine current technology farms (Total estimated output power from these sites using Verdant Power turbine is 2754.7MW).