Physical Treatments Journal
Volume:2 Issue: 1, 2012

Acquisition motor skill training in older adults are great importance. The main purpose of this study was to compare middle age and older adult’s implicit learning in serial reaction time task. A serial reaction time task by using software was applied for studying motor learning in 30 older and 30 middle age adults. In this task 4 squares with different colors appeared on the monitor and subjects were asked to press its defined key immediately after observing it. Subjects practiced 8 motor blocks (4 repeated blocks، then 2 random blocks and finally 2 repeated blocks) in 10 sequences for each block. Subjects were not provided with any explanation about the sequence of squares Block time that was dependent variable measured and Independent-samples t test and Repeated Measures ANOVA was used in this test. All subjects were right handed and no history of neurologic disease or musculoskeletal dysfunction. middle age groups performed significantly faster than the older adults (P<0. 05). Block time differences of second block with eight and tenth blocks (two next days) were significant and similar in both groups. Although performance level was significantly better for middle age than older group، learning and performance improvement that was significantly higher in older group and learning is relatively unaffected by age.

Falling is a common problem in elderly. Researches show that impairment of balance and postural control plays a major role in falling. It is suggested that there is a positive correlation between hip and ankle flexibility and falling in elderly. This study aimed to determine if there is a correlation between hip ankle flexibility and postural balance in elderly In this cross sectional study، 30 elderly (22men and 8 women) subjects (aged 71±7 yrs) were participated. The Berg Balance Scale and the range of motions of ankle dorsiflexion، passive hip extension، iliopsoas length were measured and the relationship between them was investigated. Results showed that the correlation between ankle dorsiflexion range of motion، passive hip extension and iliopsoas length with balance were direct and significant based on Pearson''s test (p<0. 05). There was no relationship between age and balance، but balance in men was better than women. It seems that there is a relationship between hip and ankle flexibility and balance in older people، and this index can be used as a criterion to predict falls in elderly people.

To assess the effectiveness of supervised stability training on clinical symptoms، range of motion and endurance of lumbar muscles in female patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Patients and A sample of convenience of 35 patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain were assigned to intervention group (n=18، age=26/88±8/4 mass= 57/42±8/6) and control group (n=17، age=25/23±8/9; mass=58/94±10/5). Patients performed stability programs continuously in ten days. Endurance of flexors، extensors and rotators trunk muscles and bilateral quadratus and multifidus muscles were measured with clinical tests. Range of motion and pain severity were assessed with schober test and visual analogue scale pre and post treatment respectively. Qualitative، anthropometric and quantitative variables revealed no significant differences in two groups before treatment. The results of paired t-test showed a significant difference in quadratus and multifidus muscles endurance and pain intensity in intervention group after treatment (p<0. 05). On the other hand، multifidus muscle endurance and pain intensity indicated significant differences between two groups after treatment (p<0. 05). Other variables in both groups didn’t reveal any significant differences. Ten days supervised stability training may be effective in tonic muscular function and pain relief in patients with non specific chronic low back pain.

To investigate the effectiveness of a controlled accelerated short-term lumbar stabilizing exercises on postural indices and limit of stability in patients with non specific chronic low back pain. A sample of convenience of 20 patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain participates in this pretest – posttest study. Postural control indices including Overall stability index (OSI)، Anterior-posterior stability index (APSI)، Mediolateral stability index (MLSI)، time and functional performance of limit of stability were recorded before and after stability training. All data were analyzed using paired t-test. The results of this study showed significant difference all variables except OSI and APSI in double leg eyes open situation. As well، in single leg standing position OSI and APSI with eyes open were significant (p<0/05). Also، time and functional performance of limit of stability were significant before and after treatment. (p<0/001) Controlled accelerated short-term lumbar stabilizing exercises during 10 sessions may improve postural balance and limit of stability in males with non specific chronic low back pain.

Although there is evidence for an association between forward head posture and scapular muscles role، few studies consider the issue how this relationship might be. Therefore، the purpose of this study was to compare contribution ratio of scapular muscle during arm abduction in subjects with and without forward head posture. 18 female (mean age 22. 6 years) with head forward posture and 14 healthy female (mean age 22. 1) that were students of Tehran University and matched based on variables such as weight، height، age، dominant of upper extremity، voluntarily participated. EMG activity of serratus anterior، upper and lower trapezius was recorded by surface electromyography during arm abduction. The normalized value of each muscle divided on the total of normalized muscle values to calculate contribution ratio. Paired t- test was used to compare EMG activities in each group. The comparison of the contribution ratio of each muscle shown a significant decrease in serratus anterior muscle activity ratio (p = 0 / 002) and a significant increase in upper trapezius muscle activity ratio (p = 0 / 008) in subjects with forward head posture. Reduced contribution of serratus anterior and increased contribution of upper trapezius in subjects with forward head posture confirm that this group muscles work as a force couple muscle. Also the result of this study provides support for the theory that forward head posture can alter scapular muscle activity.

Recently، whole body vibration exercise has been developed as a new modality in the field of physiotherapy. It has been suggested that this exercise increases muscle power and strength and improves muscular performance. This study was performed to investigate the short term effects of the vibration training on the maximal push up in non-athlete female students. In this case- control study، 112 non-athlete female students of university of social welfare and rehabilitation sciences were randomly assigned to a vibration training group (n=62) or a control (n=50) group. Everyone in the vibration training group was asked to do maximal push up test (first maximal push up test). Then after 30 minutes rest، the vibration training group trained three times of 60 seconds vibration training for shoulder girdle. After 30 minutes rest they repeated the push up test again (second maximal push up test). Subjects in control group had a 60 min rest after doing push up test and repeated the test again without vibration training. Independent T-test was used to analysis the data. results showed a significant increase in maximal push up in the experimental group after vibration training (P=0. 00)، but no significant difference was found in push up means of control group between pre-test and post-test (P=0. 61). Our finding suggests that vibration training can increase the push up performance. It is possible the vibration training can improve neuromuscular performance

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the general hyper mobility index with foot arch. Design: Descriptive Correlational Design Fifty healthy female students participated in the study and general hyper mobility and size of foot arch was measured. The results of the study showed that there was a significant relationship between the general hyper mobility and foot arch (r=0/249; p=0/05). The subjects with greater general hypermobility have lesser foot arch. The significant relationship between the general hyper mobility and foot arch may be due to ligament laxity.

Disorders of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and related structures have been implicated as a potential source of low back and buttock pain. Several types of motion palpation and pain provocation tests are used to evaluate patients suspected of having SIJ disorder. This study is a Descriptive- Correlational Design to investigate the relationship between single motion palpation and pain provocation tests in assessment of sacroiliac joint problems. 25 patients between the ages of 20 and 65 (mean age = 4310 years) participated. Three motion palpation tests (Sitting flexion test، Standing flexion test، Gillet test) and three pain provocation tests (FABER، Posterior shear، Resisted abduction test) were examined in both sides (left، right) in all subjects. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the relationship between results of the individual motion palpation and pain provocation tests. According to the results of Chi- square analysis، no significant relationship was found between the tested motion palpation and pain provocation tests. It seems that motion palpation tests assess the SIJ dysfunction and do not demonstrate the source of pain. Also provocative tests assessed SIJ pain which is not related to the reason of SIJ dysfunction.