Introduction: Therapeutic ultrasound is a physical modality which is constantly expanding range of indications. Analgesic effect of ultrasound is still under discussion. Regardless the extensive application of pulsed ultrasound of low intensity, continuous ultrasound has a better analgesis effect, which is explained by its mechanism of action. Aims: The main research objective of this study was to determine the effect of continuous ultrasound to pain caused by degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system in the intensity and duration of ultrasound treatment. Other objectives are entailed determining the correlation between the degree of pain reduction with: location of pain, age, gender and body mass index (BMI). Material and methods: The study included 68 patients with chronic pain localized in the region of the spine or major joints of the extremities, depending on the localization of the degenerative changes. Patients are divided into two groups. The first group was treated with 10 applications of continuous ultrasound with frequency of 1 MHz, intensity 0.4 W/cm2 for 8 minutes, and the other group with 10 applications of ultrasound with frequency of 1 MHz, intensity 0.8 W/cm 2 for 4 minutes. Results and Discussion: Pain intensity was assessed before and after ultrasound therapy performed by subjective visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, numbered from 0-10, where 0 is the rating for the state of no pain, and 10 grades for severe pain. The average VAS improvement in the first group was 3.97, and 4.74 in second one. The results of F (1.66) = 2.93, p = 0.09 analysis of variance showed no significance difference between the average improvement of two groups. Correlation between the degree of pain reduction showed significance only with BMI, or that higher BMI is associated with a lower degree of pain reduction. The results of this study showed that application of continuous ultrasound in patients with chronic pain, caused by degenerative changes in the musculoskeletal system, led to a significant reduction in pain. Different intensity and duration of ultrasound application showed no significant effect on the degree of pain reduction. Body mass index showed significant negative correlation with the degree of pain reduction, but age, gender and location of pain did not show significant correlation.

Introduction: De Quervain᾽s disease is a stenosing tenosynovitis of common tendon sheath of abducktor policis longus and extensor policis brevis muscles. Due to the superficial positions it can easily lead tomechanical injuries of tendons and their sheaths. The disease more often affects women over 40 years old and people with certain professions who intensively use hand and fingers in their daily work. Pathologicalchanges consist of sheath᾽s fibrous layer thickening. The clinical condition develops gradually with the pain of varying intensity. It is localized above the radial styloid process and radiates from the back side of thethumb. The aim is to determine the efficacy of physical therapy at De Quervain᾽s disease.Methods: The study was conducted on 50 patients with De Quervain's disease who were reported to the CBR "Praxis" Sarajevo. With retrospective analysis the data was processed for the period from 01.01.2001. to 31.12.2011. year. Before the initiation of physical therapy assessment of functional status scored from 0 to 6 was performed. In the chronic phase physical therapy was performed, after which it underwent assessment of therapy success scores of 0-5. Criteria for inclusion in the study were patients with confirmed De Quervain's disease, patients of both sex and of all ages, and criterion for exclusion was non-compliance withtreatment protocols.Results: In the CBR "Praxis" with De Quervain᾽s disease total of 50 patients were treated in that period, of which 34 women and 16 men. 38% of respondents received a score of 4, while 56% of patients at the end oftreatment received a score of 5.Conslusion: Physical therapy and kinesiotherapeutical procedures have greatly contributed to the elimination of symptoms and consequences of De Quervainove disease.

Introduction: Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a strategy within community development for rehabilitation, equalizes opportunities and social integration of incapacitated people. This is a comprehensivestrategy of involving people with disabilities in their communities through the development program. CBR system provides for the people with disabilities equal access to treatment and rehabilitation, education, promotes health and healthy living, and also indicates the existence of other features that make these people become full members of society and the community in which they live and is currently used in over 90 countries around the world.Methods: Research was conducted in two CBRs (CBR-Kumrovec and CBR-Saraj Polje) in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation in the Sarajevo Canton. The study included and statistically treated 97patients during the period from 01.01.2008 to 31.12.2008 year.Results: In a study from the total number of respondents 65% were women, 35% male respondents, and the most represented were respondents of age group from 71-80 years - 40%. Of all diseases, the most represented were respondents with ICV, 43%.Conclusion: This type of treatment in the home conditions is providing necessary medical rehabilitation services by qualified physical therapists through a sufficiently long period for successful medical rehabilitation inthe natural environment of patients (home conditions), and the presence of family members who we can also educate for the enforcement of basic physical procedures and instruct them on the condition of the patientand his perspective.