Physical Treatments Journal
Volume:4 Issue: 1, 2014

Muscle activation of the proximal parts is necessary for distal activities. In fact, proximal muscles provide stabilized and controlled base for distal parts activities. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine whether hand grip task can alert the activation of shoulder girdle muscles. A literature search was done in PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier, Ovid, CINAHL, Science Direct, ProQuest, Thompson, EMBASE and Medline databases for the period of 1970-2012. The keywords in this search were: hang grip, electromyography, and shoulder muscles. Using these keywords, 50 papers were found of which 17 papers met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Electromyography technique was used in most papers. The result of most studies showed that high static hand grip force increases the activity of some shoulder muscles, particularly the stabilizer muscles (rotator cuff). The results indicated that hand grip tasks can alert the activation of shoulder girdle muscles.

Postural balance deficit is one of the common post-stroke disabilities. Providing visual biofeedback while balance activities are performed is a way to improve postural balance disorders following stroke. But among the research published, there is incoherency about the positive effects of visual biofeedback therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using visual biofeedback as an adjunct to physical therapy exercises on recovery of postural balance of stroke patients. A total of thirty-one hemiplegic stroke patients were included in this study and randomly assigned into case and control groups. Both groups received four weeks conventional physical therapy interventions and balance training exercises. During balance training, the case group received visual biofeedback, whereas the control group did not receive visual information. Balance performance of stroke patients were examined quantitatively using the Equi-Test testing system and Biodex stability system, walking performance was evaluated by Timed Up and Go tests, and the patients were assessed using the modified Barthel index for activities of daily living. Data were collected before starting, during, and after completion of the rehabilitation program. Repeated measure analyses of variance were performed to evaluate rehabilitation effects and independent samples T tests were done to quantify the effects of visual biofeedback. No significant differences between the groups were detected in any of the outcome variables after completion of the program. Noticeable improvements were found in dynamic balance function, mobility, and activities of daily living of both groups, whereas no statistically significant improvements were found in static balance after rehabilitation. Both rehabilitation protocols created advances in the postural control system of stroke patients. Visual biofeedback balance training did not produce extra advantage for balance ability of participants who received this treatment program in comparison with those who were treated without visual biofeedback. The results showed that dynamical tasks scores and activitybased measures better than static balance measures reflect the recovery effects.

Individuals’ personal awareness and learning after spinal cord injury is one of the most important factors in patients’ confrontation with subsequent disabilities and new life style which affects their ultimate independence. This article is an abstracted result of a qualitative study on effective factors of independence among patients with spinal cord injury. This study adopts a phenomenological qualitative approach and chooses its research samples from individuals with spinal cord injury including four women and seven men with paraplegic and tetraplegic SCI who live in Tehran. The data gathered trough Indepth semi-structural interviews and interpreted using Coliazzi’s method. The data divided into 10 categories and 38 subcategories arranging in three general domains: the individual, familial and social. Knowledge and learning are important categories in the individual domain which includes five subcategories: Initial knowledge level, searching for information, learning from similar pattern, needs based learning, learning from experience and repetition. The research shows that the amount of information about the spinal cord injury before and learning more information after the injury influences on the sense of independence, and individuals who trying more to learn about their subsequent difficulties and needs are more successful in their future life.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of core stabilization exercises on low back pain and abdominal and back muscle endurance in patients with chronic low back pain caused by disc herniation.

For this purpose, 30 male and female patients with chronic low back pain due to disc herniation (age =48.55 ± 3.35) were divided into experimental and control groups (n=15). The experimental group underwent 8-weeks core stabilization exercises; whereas the control group received conventional treatment at the same time. Analysis of covariance test was used to analyze the data. VAS scale, trunk flexion endurance test, and modified Biering-Sorenson test were used to assess variables, abdominal muscle endurance and back muscle endurance, respectively.

Results showed that 8-weeks core stabilization exercises caused a significantly low back pain reduction (P=0.001) and a significant increase in abdominal muscle endurance (P=0.001) and back muscles endurance (P=0.001) in the experimental group compared to the control group.

According to the findings of the study, core stabilization exercises in improving low back pain, abdominal and back muscle endurance in patients with chronic low back pain caused by disc herniation have been effective. Hence, cautious prescription of core stabilization exercises for these patients would be beneficial.

Scoliosis is one of the most common spinal deformities that affect chest wall mechanics. Scoliosis results in ventilator disorders and respiratory muscle weakness. However, the mechanism of these disorders is still unknown. The main objective of this study was to identify the intensity of respiratory muscles activity in patients with idiopathic scoliosis compare with healthy individuals and determine the relationship between scoliosis degree and respiratory dysfunctions. In this study, 20 female patients with adult idiopathic scoliosis (mild, moderate) as well as 10 healthy matched individuals with characteristics of the patients were selected. Electromyography values were recorded through rest phase. In addition, the electromyography values of external intercostal muscles and diaphragm were recorded bilaterally. The RMS of concave and convex external intercostal muscles and concave diaphragm in patients with idiopathic scoliosis were reduced significantly relative to healthy individuals in rest (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.023).. There was a correlation between scoliosis degree and decrease in concave and convex intercostal muscle performances (P=0.001) but there was no correlation in diaphragm muscle. Respiratory muscle performance is drastically decreased in patients with adult idiopathic scoliosis. There was a relationship between scoliosis degree and respiratory dysfunction. This reduction has more observed in concave side and resulted in reduced physical capacity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hip and knee strength with knee valgus angle during drop jump in elite female athletes. Forty female athletes (mean ± SD age, 21.5 ± 1.99 years; height, 169.08 ± 8.25 cm; body mass, 61.05 ± 10.06 kg) participated in this study. Isometric hip and knee muscles strength were evaluated using standard clinical procedures and a handheld dynamometer. Knee valgus angle was assessed using a 6-camera motion analysis system during a drop jump task. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to determine the relationship between hip and knee muscles strength and knee valgus angle at initial contact (P≤0.05). Hip abductor strength and knee flexor-extensor ratio were found to be negatively correlated with knee valgus angle (r = –0.229, P = 0.04 and r = –0.446, P = 0.002, respectively). No relationship between measure of hip external rotation strength and knee valgus angle was observed (P = 0.39). Strength training of the hip and knee musculature may still need to be addressed in prevention programs, but it also should be combined with teaching proper.

The patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders of the knee joint. Hip muscles’ weakness is one of the reasons for PFPS occurrence. The aim of this study was to recognize the effective muscle group in prevention and treatment of patients with PFPS. This is a prospective and quasi-experimental study in which 30 participants (15 healthy/15 patients) who were aged between 18 and 38 years were recruited through nonprobability simple sampling. Exhaustion process of hip abductors and hip external rotator muscles was performed using Delorme method in separate sessions with a rest interval of at least 48 hours. Then, the parameters of pressure center were measured on the anterior, internalexternal plates using Force Plate System. Before the exhaustion process, parameters of the displacement length of the pressure center on the internal-external plate (P = 0.002) and the sum of the pressure center displacement length on the internal-external plate (P=0.052) were higher in the patients group. After the occurrence of fatigue in the abductor muscles of the control group, the sum of the pressure center displacement length on the internal-external plate (P = 00.1) and the velocity of the pressure center displacement length on the anterior plate (P = 0.001) and the internal-external plate (P = 0.016) were significantly increased. But in the patients group, all of the above mentioned parameters were decreased after fatigue in both the rotator muscles (P = 0.005, P = 0.054, P = 0.038) and the abductor muscles (P = 0.045, P = 0.005, P = 0.004). Before the induction of fatigue, patients had more postural swing than the control group. As the fatigue increased in the abductor and the external rotator muscles, the postural swing increased in the control group but decreased in the patients group. In healthy subjects, the fatigue of abductor muscles has a greater role in postural disturbance but there was no significant difference between the fatigue in abductor and rotator muscles in patients with PFPS.