AANEM Introduces PM&R Initiative With Muscle & Nerve

Muscle & Nerve, the official journal of AANEM, has announced an initiative to increase the number of articles written by and appealing to PM&R physicians. According to the Editor-in-Chief of Muscle & Nerve, Dr. Zachary Simmons, although PM&R physicians have always been a core part of AANEM membership, recent articles have been skewed towards neuromuscular neurologists and less towards PM&R. In response, the journal plans to broaden the range of acceptable articles to include those that have broader appeal but are still within the scope of Muscle & Nerve.

Leading the initiative are three senior PM&R physicians: Drs. Larry Robinson, Michael Munin, and Tom Miller, in collaboration with Dr. Simmons. The plan is to publish two special issues or supplements, featuring articles under two themes: Nerve Injuries and Neuropathic Pain and Multidisciplinary Management of Patients with Nerve and Muscle Disorders.

The proposed articles under the theme of Nerve Injuries and Neuropathic Pain cover a range of topics, including treatment and outcome of brachial plexus injuries, iatrogenic injuries to peripheral nerves, and sports-related nerve injuries. The articles should discuss the diagnosis and treatment of Myofascial Pain, neuropathic pain in nerve injuries, and nerve transfers for spinal cord traumatic injury.

Under the theme of Multidisciplinary Management of Patients with Nerve and Muscle Disorders, the articles will cover topics such as muscle ultrasound changes in spasticity disorders and techniques to localize botulinum toxin injections to improve outcomes, laryngeal EMG in the management of voice disorders, and pathophysiology and management of spastic gait disorders.

View full list of proposed special issues at the bottom of this article.

The journal encourages AANEM’s PM&R members to contribute to these special issues by recommending authors, expressing interest in writing articles themselves, and submitting original research articles that are included in the themes listed above. Send your ideas for topics and authors to zsimmons@psu.edu. Deadline for submissions is June 15.

The final decision on authors and topics will be made by the Editor-in-Chief and the three senior PM&R physicians. The initiative aligns with the AANEM's mission of serving all physicians with an interest and expertise in neuromuscular and musculoskeletal medicine.

Full List of Proposed Special Issues
 

Theme 1: Nerve Injuries and Neuropathic Pain

Proposed Articles:

· Direct surgical repair of traumatic nerve injuries: from animal models to clinical care. This article would summarize, for non-surgeons, the current status of direct surgical repair of injured nerves, including major techniques, types of nerve grafts and transfers, timing, outcomes, and new/investigational approaches to nerve grafting

· Treatment and outcome of brachial plexus injuries

· Iatrogenic injuries to peripheral nerves (including ICU-related nerve injuries)

· Peripheral nerve injuries in combat

· When imaging and EMG diverge in traumatic nerve injuries

· Sports Related Nerve Injuries

· Occupational Nerve Injuries

· Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in nerve injuries: non-procedural approaches. Could include medications, PT, biofeedback, psychology, mirror therapy, graded motor imagery, etc, but not neuromodulation.

· Treatment of Neuropathic pain in nerve injuries: procedural approaches (excluding neuromodulation). This would avoid focusing on specific surgical techniques and emphasize what non-surgeons can do, and when to refer to surgeons: Examples of topics to be covered would be localized nerve blocks, TMP RPNI

· Neuromodulation: SC stimulator, deep brain stimulation and DREZ etc etc )

· Nerve transfers for spinal cord traumatic injury

· Myofascial Pain: Diagnosis and treatment

Theme 2: Multidisciplinary Management of Patients With Nerve and Muscle Disorders

Proposed Articles:

· Neuralgic Amyotrophy—electrophysiological and ultrasound diagnosis, clinical examination findings, and treatment approaches.

· Muscle ultrasound changes in spasticity disorders and techniques to localize botulinum toxin injections to improve outcomes

· Laryngeal EMG in the management of voice disorders

· Lower limb musculoskeletal pain syndromes that mimic lumbosacral radiculopathy.

· Upper limb musculoskeletal pain syndromes that mimic cervical radiculopathy

· Hip girdle and lower extremity weakness in neuromuscular disorders: evaluation and management. This could include pelvic girdle weakness in myopathies and dystrophies, quadriceps weakness in inclusion body myositis, foot drop in distal myopathies and neuropathic disorders, falls, use of orthotics, bracing, and assistive devices to facilitate ambulation (cane, walker).

· Shoulder girdle and upper extremity weakness in neuromuscular disorders: evaluation and management. This could include scapular winging in some dystrophies, weakness of elbow flexion/extension in FSHD, wrist drop and finger extension weakness in distal myopathies including myotonic dystrophy, grip weakness in distal myopathies and in neuropathic disorders, use of UE bracing and assistive devices/adaptive equipment

· Wheelchair prescription and customized options to improve outcomes in patients with generalized weakness.

· Pathophysiology and management of spastic gait disorders

· Common Musculoskeletal impairments in Neuromuscular Disorders: evaluation and management: This could include scapular winging in FSHD, hand function in CMT, gluteus medius enthesopathy in myopathies, and other topics at the author’s discretion.