Physical Treatments Journal
Volume:5 Issue: 3, Autumn2015

Over the past 20 years, the center of pressure (COP) has been commonly used as an index of postural stability in standing. While many studies investigated COP excursions in patients with knee osteoarthritis and healthy individuals, no comprehensive analysis of the differences in their postural sway pattern exists. The present study aimed to review the previously published studies concerning differences in COP pattern performance in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to healthy controls.
A literature search was performed on articles published from 1995 to 2014 using Elsevier, Science Direct, ProQuest, Google scholar, PubMed, and Medline databases. The search keywords were “knee Osteoarthritis”, “healthy people”, “postural stability”, “balance”, and “force plate”.
Five articles were selected according to the inclusion criteria of the study. There was a wide variation among studies in terms of methodology, sample size, and procedure. All available studies investigated postural control in patients with knee osteoarthritis. According to the results, 3 study showed that patients group reported more postural sway and less stability compared to healthy group with both eyes open and closed, especially with eyes closed. However, in 2 other studies, no difference was observed in the parameters of the balance between patients and healthy people. So that COP displacement was similar in patients compared to healthy people.
The results demonstrate that patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to healthy people show more postural instability. This difference was more pronounced under eyes closed condition. The possible mechanism in association with balance alteration can be pain inhibition, loss of proprioception, and muscle weakness.

Altered kinematics of the scapula or scapular dyskinesis (downward rotation, anterior tilt, and protraction) contribute to impingement syndrome by decreasing the subacromial space. Given the critical role of scapular position and movement in the function of the shoulder, the aim of this study was to compare scapular position and dyskinesis in individuals with and without rounded shoulder posture.
By employing the convenience sampling method, 21 individuals with rounded shoulder posture (11 females and 10 males; average age: 22.95 years) and 23 individuals without rounded shoulder posture (13 females and 10 males; average age: 22.43 years) were enrolled in this study through a case-control design.The scapular dyskinesis test was used to observe alterations in scapulohumeral rhythm in the sagittal and frontal planes of the arm. Also, the scapular position was examined according to the Kibler test. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21. We used the Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test to compare the differences between the two groups.
There were no differences in scapular dyskinesis between the two groups (P>0.05). The prevalence of subtle or obvious scapular dyskinesis in individuals with rounded shoulder posture was greater than those without rounded shoulder posture, but the difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, no significant difference was found in static scapular position (Kibler test) of the dominant and non-dominant sides between the two groups (P>0.05).
There were no significant differences in scapular position and scapular movement pattern between the individuals with and without rounded shoulder posture.

Regarding the high prevalence of low back pain in various communities and the need to determine an appropriate treatment plan for these patients, examining their functional limitation and disability level is of utmost importance. In this regard, one of the important indicators is Lumbar range of motion. Measurement of the range of motion is a common and appropriate method for determining the functional limitation of the spine and also to examine the effectiveness of various therapeutic interventions. This study was conducted with the purpose of examining the reliability of measuring lumbar range of motion using bubble inclinometer and tape measure.
This methodological study was performed on 20 healthy males (29–52 years old) and 13 male patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (30–58 years old) in 2015. The ranges of lumbar forward and backward and side bending were measured with bubble inclinometer and rotation with tape measure for both groups. Two measurements were conducted in one day with an interval of one hour to examine the within day reliability, and a third measurement was conducted one week later to examine the between days reliability. Statistical inference was made through calculation of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM). All data analysis was done by SPSS version 18.
The ICC and SEM values related to the within days and between days reliability were acceptable. The within day and between days ICC range were 0.770–0.982 and 0.835– 0.977, respectively. SEM range was 0.38–1.20. However, the results of the reliability values of between days measuring of extension in prone position, by using bubble inclinometer, in patients with slight low back pain were low (ICC=0.177 and SEM=5.35).
Results of the present study showed that measuring the lumbar range of motion with bubble inclinometer and tape measure (except measuring extension in prone position by using bubble inclinometer in patients with low back pain) was highly reliable. Therefore, these 2 non-invasive and reliable tools can be used to measure the lumbar range of motion and also to follow-up the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of sports activities on behavioral-emotional problems of students with intellectual disability.
Research method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest design and the control group. The study population consisted of all students with intellectual disability in Farashband City, Iran who were studying in 2013. The sample comprised 30 students with intellectual disability of Shoorideh School in Farashband City who were selected with convenience sampling method. They were randomly divided into 2 groups of 15 students as experimental and control groups. We used developmental behavior checklist as the instrument for measuring behavioralemotional problems. Before performing sports activities, teachers in both groups administered developmental behavior checklist as the pretest. Then experimental group was provided with the interventional program of sports activities for 24 sessions, 3 sessions per week, and each session lasted 60 minutes. The control group did not receive these sports activities. After performing the interventional program, teachers in both groups again filled developmental behavior checklist, this time as a posttest. Collected data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Data analysis was done by SPSS version 19.
The mean total score of behavioral-emotional problems and their subscales in the experimental group significantly reduced (P Sports activities are effective in improving behavioral-emotional problems of students with intellectual disability. Performing sports activities is recommended for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of behavioral-emotonal problems.

Given that weight and body mass index (BMI) are considered as modifiable factors in osteoporosis, the present study aimed to examine the relationship of weight and BMI with bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) at the femur and lumbar vertebrae in perimenopausal women.
In this descriptive-correlational study, we measured the bone density of the femur and lumbar vertebrae (L1-L4) of 40 women in perimenopause stage (Mean±SD age: 42.85±1.86 years; Mean±SD weight: 69.55±10.97 kg; Mean±SD height: 159.42±6.01 cm; and Mean±SD BMI: 27.60±4.04 kg/m2) using a bone densitometry system. The study data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Pearson correlation coefficient, and regression analysis, at 0.05 significance level. All analyses were performed using SPSS v. 21.
Women in the normal group were significantly different from women in the obese group with regard to BMD and BMC (P=0.001). Weight and BMI were positively correlated with BMD and BMC. Weight and BMI, together, could explain 42% and 37% of the variance of BMD and BMC at the lumbar vertebrae, respectively; and 70% and 63% of the variance of BMD and BMC at the total hip, respectively.
The results of the present study support the predictive role of weight and BMI in BMD and BMC. Therefore, future studies are suggested to examine other effective factors with larger samples.

This study aimed to assess the effect of Boston brace on trunk muscles length as well as lower limbs and trunk range of motion in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.
Five patients with idiopathic scoliosis with C shape curve and mean (SD) age, height, and weight of respectively 12.61(1.16) years, 1.53(0.08) m, and 35.6(6.1) kg participated in this study. Spatiotemporal parameters, range of motion of lower limbs and trunk, and muscle fiber length of erector spinae, internal and external oblique are the variables of this study. Qualysis motion analysis system and Kistler force plate was used to obtain and record raw data. Also, we used QTM and OpenSIM software to extract data. Statistics analysis was done by SPSS ver. 22 at the significance of 0.05.
Based on the results, trunk range of motion in sagittal plane decreased significantly (P=0.02), while pelvis range of motion in frontal plane increased significantly (P=0.006) during walking with brace. The changes in erector spinae and external oblique muscle fibers length were small and not significant (P>0.05).
Walking with brace decreases trunk range of motion in sagittal plane that can lead to change in erector spinae and external oblique muscles length. Thus, it is recommended that flexibility and rehabilitation of these muscles be considered. More studies are needed to assess these muscles weakness after a long time use of the brace.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of one intensive training session on the changes of beta-endorphin and serum cortisol levels of elite wrestlers.
In this quasi-experimental research with one group and pretest-posttest design, 16 elite wrestlers within the age range of 18 to 25 years were purposefully and selected and they voluntarily participated in the research. The subjects performed one session of intensive exercise with the intensity of 85% to 90% of maximum heart rate. The blood samples (5 mL) were collected two times. First it was taken 30 minutes before the exercise and second blood sample was taken immediately after exercise by one expert and two physicians. The data were analyzed by paired-samples t-test using SPSS 17 and α value was set at 0.05.
There was a significant difference between beta-endorphin levels of elite wrestlers before and immediately after the exercise session (P=0.024). The serum cortisol level also increased significantly during the test (P=0.048).
According to the findings of the study, beta-endorphin increase can make happy the athletes. Furthermore, the rise of cortisol level can increase the efficiency of immune system, boost the energy, maintain the body balance, and decrease the pain sensation.

This study aimed to examine the differences in the co-activation of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) using the co-contraction index (CI) in aquatic and land environments during a drop-landing task in active and non-active females.
In this casual-comparison study, 10 active and 10 non-active females volunteered to participate. The CI was calculated from recorded surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity of the RF and BF. To calculate CI, the amount of overlap between the linear envelopes of the agonist and antagonist muscles was found and divided by the number of data points. MathLab software (version 10) was used to process row data. Also, 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) assessed differences between groups and environments.
Results indicated that the CI was not affected by activity level in pre- and post-contact (P>0.05) while it was significantly higher (P Our findings show the differences in co-contraction of knee muscles between different environments. Our measure of co-contraction was lower in water compared to land, with no difference between the active and non-active groups. This may indicate that regardless of activity level, an aquatic environment may be an appropriate choice as an early phase in rehabilitation process.