JMIR Research Protocols

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction is associated with significant pain, disability, and altered postural control in adults. Manual therapies, including Mulligan mobilization, Maitland mobilization, high-velocity thrust (HVT), and muscle energy technique (MET), are routinely applied for the management of SIJ dysfunction. However, comparative evidence regarding their effects on pain, disability, and center-of-gravity (COG) displacement remains insufficient.

Top surgery refers to various gender-affirming surgical procedures involving breast or chest tissue. Existing research suggests top surgery improves physical, psychological, and social well-being in transgender and gender-diverse individuals (herein “trans”) who desire it. However, most studies have been retrospective, have not used validated outcome measures, and have excluded nonbinary individuals, limiting the robustness of the existing research.

Rehabilitation is beneficial for individuals with cancer across all phases of care, but access remains limited for many survivors, including individuals with melanoma. As new treatment strategies for melanoma are introduced, there is an opportunity to assess perioperative rehabilitation strategies for patients undergoing surgery during and after neoadjuvant treatment.

Patient and public involvement (PPI) is increasingly recognized as an important component of inclusive and patient-centered health research. However, the extent and nature of PPI in autoimmune and inflammatory ocular disease research remain unclear and inconsistently reported.

Preoperative anxiety is common among women undergoing breast cancer surgery and is associated with impaired subjective well-being as well as adverse perioperative outcomes, including increased postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, and higher analgesic requirements. While preliminary evidence suggests potential benefits of nonpharmacological interventions, including acupuncture, robust clinical evaluation of safe and feasible approaches in perioperative oncology is still needed. The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol, a standardized 5-point auricular approach, has been investigated for its potential stress-regulating effects in other clinical contexts but has not yet been systematically evaluated in perioperative breast cancer surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether NADA auricular acupressure, when added to standard preoperative care, reduces perioperative anxiety and pain in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer undergoing therapeutic surgery.

The widespread use of pesticides in agriculture raises concerns about exposure among populations living near treated fields. Environmental contamination may lead to prolonged pesticide exposure, with potential health effects, yet significant knowledge gaps remain regarding exposure levels and pathways in agricultural communities.

Individuals receiving long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) are often confined to their homes and have impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Despite technological advances, monitoring these individuals remains a challenge.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention is limited by the major challenge of low long-term adherence to effective lifestyle regimens. Arterial stiffness (measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [cfPWV]) and maximal cardiorespiratory fitness (measured by VOmax) are modifiable risk factors for CVD but require sustained lifestyle change. Wearable technology provides continuous measurement and offers a scalable platform to deliver health interventions. A combination of continuous monitoring with a wearable device and an AI-based coach personalized to individual data and preferences could be a powerful, low-barrier tool for achieving sustainable cardiovascular health benefits by directly addressing the adherence challenge.

Chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNSNP) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders worldwide. Its etiology is multifactorial, and it constitutes a leading cause of work absenteeism and a significant socioeconomic burden. Therapeutic exercise, strongly supported by scientific evidence, is considered the cornerstone physiotherapy intervention for its management. In recent years, electrical dry needling (EDN) has been increasingly applied in musculoskeletal disorders with the aim of modulating pain and improving function.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin diseases, associated with itching, sleep disturbance, and impaired quality of life. Structured patient education can improve disease outcomes, but in-person programs are often unavailable in rural or underserved areas. Digital interventions may help overcome these barriers; however, their efficacy compared with routine care has not been evaluated.

More than 5 million young adults in the United States meet criteria for cannabis use disorder (CUD), placing them at risk for adverse physical, psychiatric, and social outcomes. Most individuals with CUD do not receive treatment due to numerous barriers, including motivation, stigma, limited availability and accessibility of developmentally appropriate services, and competing demands for time and finances. A novel digital health intervention, Momentary Self-Monitoring and Feedback + Motivational Enhancement Therapy—Virtual (MOMENT-V), was developed and combines telehealth motivational enhancement therapy with mobile health ecological momentary intervention (EMI) to provide a fully remote brief intervention for CUD among young adults.

Depressive disorders are a leading cause of disability among women worldwide, yet existing interventions often fail to account for the biological and sociocultural factors shaping women’s risk and symptom presentation.