Relationships among head posture, pain intensity, disability and deep cervical flexor muscle performance in subjects with postural neck pain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arun V. Subbarayalu, PhD

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Information Technology (IT professionals working with computers gradually develop forward head posture and, as a result, these professionals are susceptible to several neck disorders. This study intended to reveal the relationships between pain intensity, disability, head posture and deep cervical flexor (DCF muscle performance in patients with postural neck pain. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 84 IT professionals who were diagnosed with postural neck pain. The participants were recruited with a random sampling approach. A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS, the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ, the Modified Head Posture Spinal Curvature Instrument (MHPSCI, and the Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit were used to measure neck pain intensity, neck disability, head posture, and DCF muscle performance, respectively. Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a significantly strong positive relationship between the VAS and the NPQ (r = 0.734. The cranio-vertebral (CV angle was found to have a significantly negative correlation with the VAS (r = −0.536 and a weak negative correlation with the NPQ (r = −0.389. Conclusion: This study concluded that a smaller CV angle corresponded to greater neck pain intensity and disability. Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between CV angle and DCF muscle performance, indicating that head posture re-education through postural correction exercises would not completely correct the motor control deficits in DCF muscles. In addition, a suitable exercise regimen that exclusively targets the deep cervical flexor muscle to improve its endurance is warranted. Keywords: Craniovertebral angle, Disability deep cervical flexors muscle performance, Head posture, Postural neck pain

Biofeedback: Infant asthma Biofeedback: asma infantil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. J. Nombela

2010-09-01

Full Text Available

The present study is a revision of the different applications of biofeedback in infantile bronchial asthma. The technique may be used on its own (preferably in the motor area or in conjunction with other techniques such as hypnosis, relaxation, etc. However, it should be stated that previous work published in this field is difficult to interpret since results are inconclusive, it is, therefore, difficult to produce a scientific summary.

KEY WORDS: Biofeedback; infantile asthma; respiratory biofeedback.

Con este trabajo se pretende hacer una revisión sobre las distintas aplicaciones del biofeedback en el asma bronquial infantil, bien solo (preferentemente en el campo motriz o bien asociado a otras técnicas de hipnosis, relajación, etc. Aunque es necesario manifestar que la producción científica relacionada con el tema, hace que tenga una difícil valoración dado que sus resultados son no concluyentes y discutibles, lo cual dificulta la elaboración de un resumen científico.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Biofeedback; asma infantil; biofeedback respiratorio

EEG biofeedback

OpenAIRE

Dvořáček, Michael

2010-01-01

Vznik EEG aktivity v mozku, rozdělení EEG vln podle frekvence, způsob měření EEG, přístroje pro měření EEG. Dále popis biofeedback metody, její možnosti a návrh biofeedback her. Popis zpracování naměřených EEG signálů. EEG generation, brain rhythms, methods of recording EEG, EEG recorder. Description of biofeedback, potentialities of biofeedback, proposal of biofeedback games. Description of processing measured EEG signals. B

Haptic-Based Perception-Empathy Biofeedback Enhances Postural Motor Learning During High-Cognitive Load Task in Healthy Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasuda, Kazuhiro; Saichi, Kenta; Iwata, Hiroyasu

2018-01-01

Falls and fall-induced injuries are major global public health problems, and sensory input impairment in older adults results in significant limitations in feedback-type postural control. A haptic-based biofeedback (BF) system can be used for augmenting somatosensory input in older adults, and the application of this BF system can increase the objectivity of the feedback and encourage comparison with that provided by a trainer. Nevertheless, an optimal BF system that focuses on interpersonal feedback for balance training in older adults has not been proposed. Thus, we proposed a haptic-based perception-empathy BF system that provides information regarding the older adult's center-of-foot pressure pattern to the trainee and trainer for refining the motor learning effect. The first objective of this study was to examine the effect of this balance training regimen in healthy older adults performing a postural learning task. Second, this study aimed to determine whether BF training required high cognitive load to clarify its practicability in real-life settings. Twenty older adults were assigned to two groups: BF and control groups. Participants in both groups tried balance training in the single-leg stance while performing a cognitive task (i.e., serial subtraction task). Retention was tested 24 h later. Testing comprised balance performance measures (i.e., 95% confidence ellipse area and mean velocity of sway) and dual-task performance (number of responses and correct answers). Measurements of postural control using a force plate revealed that the stability of the single-leg stance was significantly lower in the BF group than in the control group during the balance task. The BF group retained the improvement in the 95% confidence ellipse area 24 h after the retention test. Results of dual-task performance during the balance task were not different between the two groups. These results confirmed the potential benefit of the proposed balance training regimen in

Haptic-Based Perception-Empathy Biofeedback Enhances Postural Motor Learning During High-Cognitive Load Task in Healthy Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuhiro Yasuda

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Falls and fall-induced injuries are major global public health problems, and sensory input impairment in older adults results in significant limitations in feedback-type postural control. A haptic-based biofeedback (BF system can be used for augmenting somatosensory input in older adults, and the application of this BF system can increase the objectivity of the feedback and encourage comparison with that provided by a trainer. Nevertheless, an optimal BF system that focuses on interpersonal feedback for balance training in older adults has not been proposed. Thus, we proposed a haptic-based perception-empathy BF system that provides information regarding the older adult's center-of-foot pressure pattern to the trainee and trainer for refining the motor learning effect. The first objective of this study was to examine the effect of this balance training regimen in healthy older adults performing a postural learning task. Second, this study aimed to determine whether BF training required high cognitive load to clarify its practicability in real-life settings. Twenty older adults were assigned to two groups: BF and control groups. Participants in both groups tried balance training in the single-leg stance while performing a cognitive task (i.e., serial subtraction task. Retention was tested 24 h later. Testing comprised balance performance measures (i.e., 95% confidence ellipse area and mean velocity of sway and dual-task performance (number of responses and correct answers. Measurements of postural control using a force plate revealed that the stability of the single-leg stance was significantly lower in the BF group than in the control group during the balance task. The BF group retained the improvement in the 95% confidence ellipse area 24 h after the retention test. Results of dual-task performance during the balance task were not different between the two groups. These results confirmed the potential benefit of the proposed balance training

Real-time biofeedback to target risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury: a technical report for injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Kevin R; DiCesare, Christopher A; Myer, Gregory D; Hewett, Timothy E

2015-05-20

Biofeedback training enables an athlete to alter biomechanical and physiological function by receiving biomechanical and physiological data concurrent with or immediately after a task. To compare the effects of 2 different modes of real-time biofeedback focused on reducing risk factors related to anterior cruciate ligament injury. Randomized crossover study design. Biomechanics laboratory and sports medicine center. Female high school soccer players (age 14.8 ± 1.0 y, height 162.6 ± 6.8 cm, mass 55.9 ± 7.0 kg; n = 4). A battery of kinetic- or kinematic-based real-time biofeedback during repetitive double-leg squats. Baseline and posttraining drop vertical jumps were collected to determine if either feedback method improved high injury risk landing mechanics. Maximum knee abduction moment and angle during the landing was significantly decreased after kinetic-focused biofeedback (P = .04). The reduced knee abduction moment during the drop vertical jumps after kinematic-focused biofeedback was not different (P = .2). Maximum knee abduction angle was significantly decreased after kinetic biofeedback (P < .01) but only showed a trend toward reduction after kinematic biofeedback (P = .08). The innovative biofeedback employed in the current study reduced knee abduction load and posture from baseline to posttraining during a drop vertical jump.

Efficacy of Nintendo Wii Training on Mechanical Leg Muscle Function and Postural Balance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jorgensen, Martin G; Laessoe, Uffe; Hendriksen, Carsten

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Older adults show increased risk of falling and major risk factors include impaired lower extremity muscle strength and postural balance. However, the potential positive effect of biofeedback-based Nintendo Wii training on muscle strength and postural balance in older adults is unknown....... METHODS: This randomized controlled trial examined postural balance and muscle strength in community-dwelling older adults (75±6 years) pre- and post-10 weeks of biofeedback-based Nintendo Wii training (WII, n = 28) or daily use of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer insoles (controls [CON], n = 30). Primary...... end points were maximal muscle strength (maximal voluntary contraction) and center of pressure velocity moment during bilateral static stance. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis with adjustment for age, sex, and baseline level showed that the WII group had higher maximal voluntary contraction...

Biofeedback: Its Uses in Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Doris B.

This paper begins by defining biofeedback and describing some of the major biofeedback machines. An historical perspective is provided of research literature on the relationship of biofeedback and learning. Biofeedback and relaxation are discussed and research is cited for the use of biofeedback techniques in relaxation training with children. Two…

A validation study using a modified version of Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients: Postural Stroke Study in Gothenburg (POSTGOT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danielsson Anna

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A modified version of Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS was created with some changes in the description of the items and clarifications in the manual (e.g. much help was defined as support from 2 persons. The aim of this validation study was to assess intrarater and interrater reliability using this modified version of PASS, at a stroke unit, for patients in the acute phase after their first event of stroke. Methods In the intrarater reliability study 114 patients and in the interrater reliability study 15 patients were examined twice with the test within one to 24 hours in the first week after stroke. Spearman's rank correlation, Kappa coefficients, Percentage Agreement and the newer rank-invariant methods; Relative Position, Relative Concentration and Relative rank Variance were used for the statistical analysis. Results For the intrarater reliability Spearman's rank correlations were 0.88-0.98 and k were 0.70-0.93 for the individual items. Small, statistically significant, differences were found for two items regarding Relative Position and for one item regarding Relative Concentration. There was no Relative rank Variance for any single item. For the interrater reliability, Spearman's rank correlations were 0.77-0.99 for individual items. For some items there was a possible, even if not proved, reliability problem regarding Relative Position and Relative Concentration. There was no Relative rank Variance for the single items, except for a small Relative rank Variance for one item. Conclusions The high intrarater and interrater reliability shown for the modified Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients, the Swedish version of Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients, with traditional and newer statistical analyses, particularly for assessments performed by the same rater, support the use of the Swedish version of Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients, in the acute stage after stroke both

Audio-Biofeedback training for posture and balance in Patients with Parkinson's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mirelman, Anat; Herman, Talia; Nicolai, Simone; Zijlstra, Agnes; Zijlstra, Wiebren; Becker, Clemens; Chiari, Lorenzo; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M.

2011-01-01

Background: Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) suffer from dysrhythmic and disturbed gait, impaired balance, and decreased postural responses. These alterations lead to falls, especially as the disease progresses. Based on the observation that postural control improved in patients with

A wearable biofeedback control system based body area network for freestyle swimming.

Science.gov (United States)

Rui Li; Zibo Cai; WeeSit Lee; Lai, Daniel T H

2016-08-01

Wearable posture measurement units are capable of enabling real-time performance evaluation and providing feedback to end users. This paper presents a wearable feedback prototype designed for freestyle swimming with focus on trunk rotation measurement. The system consists of a nine-degree-of-freedom inertial sensor, which is built in a central data collection and processing unit, and two vibration motors for delivering real-time feedback. Theses devices form a fundamental body area network (BAN). In the experiment setup, four recreational swimmers were asked to do two sets of 4 x 25m freestyle swimming without and with feedback provided respectively. Results showed that real-time biofeedback mechanism improves swimmers kinematic performance by an average of 4.5% reduction in session time. Swimmers can gradually adapt to feedback signals, and the biofeedback control system can be employed in swimmers daily training for fitness maintenance.

Young, healthy subjects can reduce the activity of calf muscles when provided with EMG biofeedback in upright stance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taian M. Vieira

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Recent evidence suggests the minimisation of muscular effort rather than of the size of bodily sway may be the primary, nervous system goal when regulating the human, standing posture. Different programs have been proposed for balance training; none however has been focused on the activation of postural muscles during standing. In this study we investigated the possibility of minimising the activation of the calf muscles during standing through biofeedback. By providing subjects with an audio signal that varied in amplitude and frequency with the amplitude of surface electromyograms (EMG recorded from different regions of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, we expected them to be able to minimise the level of muscle activation during standing without increasing the excursion of the centre of pressure (CoP. CoP data and surface EMG from gastrocnemii, soleus and tibialis anterior muscles were obtained from ten healthy participants while standing at ease and while standing with EMG biofeedback. Four sensitivities were used to test subjects’ responsiveness to the EMG biofeedback. Compared with standing at ease, the two most sensitive feedback conditions induced a decrease in plantar flexor activity (~15%; P<0.05 and an increase in tibialis anterior EMG (~10%; P<0.05. Furthermore, CoP mean position significantly shifted backward (~30 mm. In contrast, the use of less sensitive EMG biofeedback resulted in a significant decrease in EMG activity of ankle plantar flexors with a marginal increase in TA activity compared with standing at ease. These changes were not accompanied by greater CoP displacements or significant changes in mean CoP position. Key results revealed subjects were able to keep standing stability while reducing the activity of gastrocnemius and soleus without loading their tibialis anterior muscle when standing with EMG biofeedback. These results may therefore posit the basis for the development of training protocols aimed at

A Vibrotactile and Plantar Force Measurement-Based Biofeedback System: Paving the Way towards Wearable Balance-Improving Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Zong-Hao Ma

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Although biofeedback systems have been used to improve balance with success, they were confined to hospital training applications. Little attempt has been made to investigate the use of in-shoe plantar force measurement and wireless technology to turn hospital training biofeedback systems into wearable devices. This research developed a wearable biofeedback system which detects body sway by analyzing the plantar force and provides users with the corresponding haptic cues. The effects of this system were evaluated in thirty young and elderly subjects with simulated reduced foot sensation. Subjects performed a Romberg test under three conditions: (1 no socks, system turned-off; (2 wearing five layers of socks, system turned-off; (3 wearing five layers of socks, and system turned-on. Degree of body sway was investigated by computing the center of pressure (COP movement measured by a floor-mounted force platform. Plantar tactile sensation was evaluated using a monofilament test. Wearing multiple socks significantly decreased the plantar tactile sensory input (p < 0.05, and increased the COP parameters (p < 0.017, indicating increased postural sway. After turning on the biofeedback system, the COP parameters decreased significantly (p < 0.017. The positive results of this study should inspire future development of wearable plantar force-based biofeedback systems for improving balance in people with sensory deficits.

Incontinence Treatment: Biofeedback

Science.gov (United States)

... Treatment Lifestyle Changes Dietary Tips Medication Bowel Management Biofeedback Surgical Treatments Newer Treatment Options Tips on Finding ... Treatment Lifestyle Changes Dietary Tips Medication Bowel Management Biofeedback Surgical Treatments Newer Treatment Options Tips on Finding ...

Biofeedback-driven dialysis: where are we?

Science.gov (United States)

Santoro, Antonio; Ferramosca, Emiliana; Mancini, Elena

2008-01-01

The progressive increase in the mean age and the growing conditions of co-morbidity, especially of cardiovascular pathologies and diabetes, have significantly worsened the patients' clinical status and tolerance to the hemodialysis (HD) treatment. On the other hand, the demand for short treatment times enhances the risk for hemodynamic instability as well as for inadequate depuration. The traditional management of the dialysis session, setting of predefined treatment parameters, with active therapeutic interventions only in the event of complications, is definitely unsuitable for short-lasting treatments, often complicated by hemodynamic instability, especially in critical patients. The first step to improve the management of the dialysis session is the utilization of continuous and uninvasive monitoring systems for hemodynamic or biochemical parameters involved in the dialysis quality. Special sensors for the continuous measurement of blood volume, blood temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, electrolytes, have been realized throughout the last 10 years. As a second step, some of these devices have been implemented in the dialysis instrumentation, mainly with a view to preventing cardiocirculatory instability but also to control the dialysis efficiency (biofeedback control systems). The basic components of a biofeedback system are: the plant, the sensors, the actuators and the controller. The plant is the biological process that we need to control, while the sensors are the devices used for measuring the output variables. The actuators are the working arms of the controller. The controller is the mathematical model that continuously sets the measured output variable against the reference input and modifies the actuators in order to reduce any discrepancies. Yet, in practice there are a number of conceptual, physical and technological difficulties to be overcome. In particular, the behavior of what is to be controlled may be non-linear and time-varying, with

Recent developments in biofeedback for neuromotor rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Jiping

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract The original use of biofeedback to train single muscle activity in static positions or movement unrelated to function did not correlate well to motor function improvements in patients with central nervous system injuries. The concept of task-oriented repetitive training suggests that biofeedback therapy should be delivered during functionally related dynamic movement to optimize motor function improvement. Current, advanced technologies facilitate the design of novel biofeedback systems that possess diverse parameters, advanced cue display, and sophisticated control systems for use in task-oriented biofeedback. In light of these advancements, this article: (1 reviews early biofeedback studies and their conclusions; (2 presents recent developments in biofeedback technologies and their applications to task-oriented biofeedback interventions; and (3 discusses considerations regarding the therapeutic system design and the clinical application of task-oriented biofeedback therapy. This review should provide a framework to further broaden the application of task-oriented biofeedback therapy in neuromotor rehabilitation.

Biofeedback training effects on minimum toe clearance variability during treadmill walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Tirosh, Oren; Cambell, Amity; Begg, Rezaul K; Sparrow, W A

2013-08-01

A number of variability analysis techniques, including Poincaré plots and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) were used to investigate minimum toe clearance (MTC) control during walking. Ten young adults walked on a treadmill for 10 min at preferred speed in three conditions: (i) no-intervention baseline, (ii) with biofeedback of MTC within a target range, and (iii) no-biofeedback retention. Mean, median, standard deviation (SD), and inter quartile range of MTC during biofeedback (45.57 ± 11.65, 44.98 ± 11.57, 7.08 ± 2.61, 8.58 ± 2.77 mm, respectively) and retention (56.95 ± 20.31, 56.69 ± 20.94, 10.68 ± 5.41, 15.38 ± 10.19 mm) were significantly greater than baseline (30.77 ± 9.49, 30.51 ± 9.49, 3.04 ± 0.77, 3.66 ± 0.91 mm). Relative to baseline, skewness was reduced in biofeedback and retention but only significantly for retention (0.88 ± 0.51, 0.63 ± 0.55, and 0.40 ± 0.40, respectively). Baseline Poincaré measures (SD1 = 0.25, SD2 = 0.34) and DFA (α1 = 0.72 and α2 = 0.64) were lower than biofeedback (SD1 = 0.58, SD2 = 0.83, DFA α1 = 0.76 and α2 = 0.92) with significantly greater variability in retention compared to biofeedback only in the long-term SD2 and α2 analyses. Increased DFA longer-term correlations α2 in retention confirm that a novel gait pattern was acquired with a longer-term variability structure. Short- and long-term variability analyses were both useful in quantifying gait adaptations with biofeedback. The findings provide evidence that MTC can be modified with feedback, suggesting future applications in gait training procedures for impaired populations designed to reduce tripping risk.

Efficacy of Nintendo Wii training on mechanical leg muscle function and postural balance in community-dwelling older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jorgensen, Martin G; Laessoe, Uffe; Hendriksen, Carsten; Nielsen, Ole Bruno Faurholt; Aagaard, Per

2013-07-01

Older adults show increased risk of falling and major risk factors include impaired lower extremity muscle strength and postural balance. However, the potential positive effect of biofeedback-based Nintendo Wii training on muscle strength and postural balance in older adults is unknown. This randomized controlled trial examined postural balance and muscle strength in community-dwelling older adults (75±6 years) pre- and post-10 weeks of biofeedback-based Nintendo Wii training (WII, n = 28) or daily use of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer insoles (controls [CON], n = 30). Primary end points were maximal muscle strength (maximal voluntary contraction) and center of pressure velocity moment during bilateral static stance. Intention-to-treat analysis with adjustment for age, sex, and baseline level showed that the WII group had higher maximal voluntary contraction strength (18%) than the control group at follow up (between-group difference = 269 N, 95% CI = 122; 416, and p = .001). In contrast, the center of pressure velocity moment did not differ (1%) between WII and CON at follow-up (between-group difference = 0.23 mm(2)/s, 95% CI = -4.1; 4.6, and p = .92). For secondary end points, pre-to-post changes favoring the WII group were evident in the rate of force development (p = .03), Timed Up and Go test (p = .01), short Falls Efficacy Scale-International (p = .03), and 30-second repeated Chair Stand Test (p = .01). Finally, participants rated the Wii training highly motivating at 5 and 10 weeks into the intervention. Biofeedback-based Wii training led to marked improvements in maximal leg muscle strength (maximal voluntary contraction; rate of force development) and overall functional performance in community-dwelling older adults. Unexpectedly, static bilateral postural balance remained unaltered with Wii training. The high level of participant motivation suggests that biofeedback-based Wii exercise may ensure a high degree of compliance to home- and/or community

Biofeedback and Performance: An Update

Science.gov (United States)

1984-12-01

non-biofeedback meditation procedure; a single control was a group untrained in relaxation. It is not clear what instructions if any were given to...found in techniques to control motion sickness. Using a procedure they call " autogenic biofeedback training (AFT)", investigators at NASA (Cowings...and meditation in the treatment of generalized anxiety. Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Biofeedback Society of America, 187-189

21 CFR 882.5050 - Biofeedback device.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Biofeedback device. 882.5050 Section 882.5050 Food... DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Therapeutic Devices § 882.5050 Biofeedback device. (a) Identification. A biofeedback device is an instrument that provides a visual or auditory signal corresponding to...

Biofeedback for psychiatric disorders: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenberg, Poppy L A; David, Anthony S

2014-06-01

Biofeedback potentially provides non-invasive, effective psychophysiological interventions for psychiatric disorders. The encompassing purpose of this review was to establish how biofeedback interventions have been used to treat select psychiatric disorders [anxiety, autistic spectrum disorders, depression, dissociation, eating disorders, schizophrenia and psychoses] to date and provide a useful reference for consultation by clinicians and researchers planning to administer a biofeedback treatment. A systematic search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and WOK databases and hand searches in Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, and Journal of Neurotherapy, identified 227 articles; 63 of which are included within this review. Electroencephalographic neurofeedback constituted the most investigated modality (31.7%). Anxiety disorders were the most commonly treated (68.3%). Multi-modal biofeedback appeared most effective in significantly ameliorating symptoms, suggesting that targeting more than one physiological modality for bio-regulation increases therapeutic efficacy. Overall, 80.9% of articles reported some level of clinical amelioration related to biofeedback exposure, 65.0% to a statistically significant (p biofeedback interventions within mainstream psychiatry.

Does increased postural threat lead to more conscious control of posture?

Science.gov (United States)

Huffman, J L; Horslen, B C; Carpenter, M G; Adkin, A L

2009-11-01

Although it is well established that postural threat modifies postural control, little is known regarding the underlying mechanism(s) responsible for these changes. It is possible that changes in postural control under conditions of elevated postural threat result from a shift to a more conscious control of posture. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of elevated postural threat on conscious control of posture and to determine the relationship between conscious control and postural control measures. Forty-eight healthy young adults stood on a force plate at two different surface heights: ground level (LOW) and 3.2-m above ground level (HIGH). Centre of pressure measures calculated in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction were mean position (AP-MP), root mean square (AP-RMS) and mean power frequency (AP-MPF). A modified state-specific version of the Movement Specific Reinvestment Scale was used to measure conscious motor processing (CMP) and movement self-consciousness (MSC). Balance confidence, fear of falling, perceived stability, and perceived and actual anxiety indicators were also collected. A significant effect of postural threat was found for movement reinvestment as participants reported more conscious control and a greater concern about their posture at the HIGH height. Significant correlations between CMP and MSC with AP-MP were observed as participants who consciously controlled and were more concerned for their posture leaned further away from the platform edge. It is possible that changes in movement reinvestment can influence specific aspects of posture (leaning) but other aspects may be immune to these changes (amplitude and frequency).

Biofeedback and stuttering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Gordon

1981-11-01

Full Text Available Electromyographic biofeedback was used to reduce tension and enhance control of the speech associated muscles, resulting in a reduction of the frequency of stuttering. Five sessions were conducted over a course of three weeks. A mild, moderate and severe stutterer were assessed. A decrease in stuttering frequency was seen in each subject from pre to post biofeedback sessions on both a descriptive and an inferential level.

A wireless lingual feedback device to reduce overpressures in seated posture: a feasibility study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivier Chenu

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Pressure sores are localized injuries to the skin and underlying tissues and are mainly resulting from overpressure. Paraplegic peoples are particularly subjects to pressure sores because of long-time seated postures and sensory deprivation at the lower limbs.Here we report outcomes of a feasibility trial involving a biofeedback system aimed at reducing buttock overpressure whilst an individual is seated. The system consists of (1 pressure sensors, (2 a laptop coupling sensors and actuator (3 a wireless Tongue Display Unit (TDU consisting of a circuit embedded in a dental retainer with electrodes put in contact with the tongue. The principle consists in (1 detecting overpressures in people who are seated over long periods of time, (2 estimating a postural change that could reduce these overpressures and (3 communicating this change through directional information transmitted by the TDU.Twenty-four healthy subjects voluntarily participated in this study. Twelve healthy subjects initially formed the experimental group (EG and were seated on a chair with the wireless TDU inside their mouth. They were asked to follow TDU orders that were randomly spread throughout the session. They were evaluated during two experimental sessions during which 20 electro-stimulations were sent. Twelve other subjects, added retrospectively, formed the control group (CG. These subjects participated in one session of the same experiment without any biofeedback.Three dependent variables were computed: (1 the ability of subjects to reach target posture (EG versus CG, (2 high pressure reductions after a biofeedback (EG versus CG and (3 the level of these reductions relative to their initial values (EG only. Results show (1 that EG reached target postures in 90.2% of the trials, against 5,3% in the CG, (2 a significant reduction in overpressures in the EG compared to the CG and (3, for the EG, that the higher the initial pressures were, the more they were decreased

A Wireless Lingual Feedback Device to Reduce Overpressures in Seated Posture: A Feasibility Study

Science.gov (United States)

Chenu, Olivier; Vuillerme, Nicolas; Demongeot, Jacques; Payan, Yohan

2009-01-01

Background Pressure sores are localized injuries to the skin and underlying tissues and are mainly resulting from overpressure. Paraplegic peoples are particularly subjects to pressure sores because of long-time seated postures and sensory deprivation at the lower limbs. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we report outcomes of a feasibility trial involving a biofeedback system aimed at reducing buttock overpressure whilst an individual is seated. The system consists of (1) pressure sensors, (2) a laptop coupling sensors and actuator (3) a wireless Tongue Display Unit (TDU) consisting of a circuit embedded in a dental retainer with electrodes put in contact with the tongue. The principle consists in (1) detecting overpressures in people who are seated over long periods of time, (2) estimating a postural change that could reduce these overpressures and (3) communicating this change through directional information transmitted by the TDU.Twenty-four healthy subjects voluntarily participated in this study. Twelve healthy subjects initially formed the experimental group (EG) and were seated on a chair with the wireless TDU inside their mouth. They were asked to follow TDU orders that were randomly spread throughout the session. They were evaluated during two experimental sessions during which 20 electro-stimulations were sent. Twelve other subjects, added retrospectively, formed the control group (CG). These subjects participated in one session of the same experiment without any biofeedback.Three dependent variables were computed: (1) the ability of subjects to reach target posture (EG versus CG), (2) high pressure reductions after a biofeedback (EG versus CG) and (3) the level of these reductions relative to their initial values (EG only). Results show (1) that EG reached target postures in 90.2% of the trials, against 5,3% in the CG, (2) a significant reduction in overpressures in the EG compared to the CG and (3), for the EG, that the higher the initial pressures

Unipedal postural stability in nonathletes with core instability after intensive abdominal drawing-in maneuver.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Nam G; You, Joshua Sung H; Kim, Tae H; Choi, Bong S

2015-02-01

The exact neuromechanical nature and relative contribution of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) to postural instability warrants further investigation in uninjured and injured populations. To determine the effects of the ADIM on static core and unipedal postural stability in nonathletes with core instability. Controlled laboratory study. University research laboratory. A total of 19 nonathletes (4 women: age = 22.3 ± 1.3 years, height = 164.0 ± 1.7 cm, mass = 56.0 ± 4.6 kg; 15 men: age = 24.6 ± 2.8 years, height = 172.6 ± 4.7 cm, mass = 66.8 ± 7.6 kg) with core instability. Participants received ADIM training with visual feedback 20 minutes each day for 7 days each week over a 2-week period. Core instability was determined using a prone formal test and measured by a pressure biofeedback unit. Unipedal postural stability was determined by measuring the center-of-pressure sway and associated changes in the abdominal muscle-thickness ratios. Electromyographic activity was measured concurrently in the external oblique, erector spinae, gluteus medius, vastus medialis oblique, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius muscles. All participants initially were unable to complete the formal test. However, after the 2-week ADIM training period, all participants were able to reduce the pressure biofeedback unit by a range of 4 to 10 mm Hg from an initial 70 mm Hg and maintain it at 60 to 66 mm Hg with minimal activation of the external oblique (t(18) = 3.691, P = .002) and erector spinae (t(18) = 2.823, P = .01) muscles. Monitoring of the pressure biofeedback unit and other muscle activations confirmed that the correct muscle contraction defining the ADIM was accomplished. This core stabilization was well maintained in the unipedal-stance position, as evidenced by a decrease in the center-of-pressure sway measures (t(18) range, 3.953-5.775, P < .001), an increased muscle-thickness ratio for the transverse abdominis (t(18) = -2.327, P = .03), and a reduction in

Biofeedback for anismus in 15 sexually abused women.

Science.gov (United States)

Leroi, A M; Duval, V; Roussignol, C; Berkelmans, I; Peninque, P; Denis, P

1996-01-01

This work aimed to see whether (1) biofeedback is useful and (2) whether it needs to be combined with psychotherapy in sexually abused patients with anismus. Fifteen women aged 41.2 +/- 4.1 years who had experienced sexual abuse in childhood (9 cases) or adulthood (6 cases) and complained of symptoms of irritable bowel disease were studied. Anismus was recorded during anorectal manometry in all cases. Patients were free to choose biofeedback and/or group psychotherapy and/or individual psychotherapy. When necessary, psychoactive drugs were prescribed after a psychiatric evaluation. Initially all the patients chose biofeedback and none accepted psychotherapy. Eight patients accepted psychotherapy after several weeks of biofeedback. Thirteen patients completed the study: 5 treated by biofeedback alone, 5 with biofeedback and group therapy, and 3 with biofeedback and individual psychotherapy. Eight women recovered completely from their symptoms, only two of whom had had biofeedback without psychotherapy. Biofeedback alone was not always sufficient to cure abused patients, but was chose initially by all the patients. It could initially be a middle path between somatic treatment and psychotherapy, at a time when patients are not yet ready to undertake the latter.

Biofeedback for robotic gait rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colombo Gery

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Development and increasing acceptance of rehabilitation robots as well as advances in technology allow new forms of therapy for patients with neurological disorders. Robot-assisted gait therapy can increase the training duration and the intensity for the patients while reducing the physical strain for the therapist. Optimal training effects during gait therapy generally depend on appropriate feedback about performance. Compared to manual treadmill therapy, there is a loss of physical interaction between therapist and patient with robotic gait retraining. Thus, it is difficult for the therapist to assess the necessary feedback and instructions. The aim of this study was to define a biofeedback system for a gait training robot and test its usability in subjects without neurological disorders. Methods To provide an overview of biofeedback and motivation methods applied in gait rehabilitation, previous publications and results from our own research are reviewed. A biofeedback method is presented showing how a rehabilitation robot can assess the patients' performance and deliver augmented feedback. For validation, three subjects without neurological disorders walked in a rehabilitation robot for treadmill training. Several training parameters, such as body weight support and treadmill speed, were varied to assess the robustness of the biofeedback calculation to confounding factors. Results The biofeedback values correlated well with the different activity levels of the subjects. Changes in body weight support and treadmill velocity had a minor effect on the biofeedback values. The synchronization of the robot and the treadmill affected the biofeedback values describing the stance phase. Conclusion Robot-aided assessment and feedback can extend and improve robot-aided training devices. The presented method estimates the patients' gait performance with the use of the robot's existing sensors, and displays the resulting biofeedback

Biofeedback. Psychofysiologische en leertheoretische aspecten

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, Schelte Jan

1978-01-01

Het voornaamste uitgangspunt van deze studie was de gecompliceerdheid van biofeedback, waarin diverse psychologische en psychofysiologische processen een rol spelen. Het belang van theorie-ontwikkeling- ook ten behoeve van toepassingen van de biofeedback- werd uiteengezet en de nadruk lag dan ook op

Biofeedback training in chronic constipation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benninga, M. A.; Büller, H. A.; Taminiau, J. A.

1993-01-01

Twenty nine patients, aged 5-16 years, were studied to evaluate whether biofeedback training is effective in treating children with chronic constipation and encopresis; the clinical outcome at six weeks and 12 months was also evaluated. Patients received on average five biofeedback training

Audiovisual biofeedback improves diaphragm motion reproducibility in MRI

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Taeho; Pollock, Sean; Lee, Danny; O’Brien, Ricky; Keall, Paul

2012-01-01

Purpose: In lung radiotherapy, variations in cycle-to-cycle breathing results in four-dimensional computed tomography imaging artifacts, leading to inaccurate beam coverage and tumor targeting. In previous studies, the effect of audiovisual (AV) biofeedback on the external respiratory signal reproducibility has been investigated but the internal anatomy motion has not been fully studied. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that AV biofeedback improves diaphragm motion reproducibility of internal anatomy using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: To test the hypothesis 15 healthy human subjects were enrolled in an ethics-approved AV biofeedback study consisting of two imaging sessions spaced ∼1 week apart. Within each session MR images were acquired under free breathing and AV biofeedback conditions. The respiratory signal to the AV biofeedback system utilized optical monitoring of an external marker placed on the abdomen. Synchronously, serial thoracic 2D MR images were obtained to measure the diaphragm motion using a fast gradient-recalled-echo MR pulse sequence in both coronal and sagittal planes. The improvement in the diaphragm motion reproducibility using the AV biofeedback system was quantified by comparing cycle-to-cycle variability in displacement, respiratory period, and baseline drift. Additionally, the variation in improvement between the two sessions was also quantified. Results: The average root mean square error (RMSE) of diaphragm cycle-to-cycle displacement was reduced from 2.6 mm with free breathing to 1.6 mm (38% reduction) with the implementation of AV biofeedback (p-value biofeedback (p-value biofeedback (p-value = 0.012). The diaphragm motion reproducibility improvements with AV biofeedback were consistent with the abdominal motion reproducibility that was observed from the external marker motion variation. Conclusions: This study was the first to investigate the potential of AV biofeedback to improve the motion

Biofeedback training in chronic constipation.

Science.gov (United States)

Benninga, M A; Büller, H A; Taminiau, J A

1993-01-01

Twenty nine patients, aged 5-16 years, were studied to evaluate whether biofeedback training is effective in treating children with chronic constipation and encopresis; the clinical outcome at six weeks and 12 months was also evaluated. Patients received on average five biofeedback training sessions. The existence of external anal contraction or decreased rectal sensation in 16 (55%) and eight (27%) of the children, respectively was identified on manometry. After biofeedback training, 26 (90%) of the patients learned to relax the external anal sphincter; 18 (63%) normalised rectal sensation. The training resulted in a significant increase in defecation frequency and a significant decrease in encopresis. At six weeks, 16 (55%) of the patients were clinically symptom free. At follow up after 12 months the results were sustained. Only three patients showed a relapse within six months, of whom two were successfully treated with one extra training session. Biofeedback training might be a useful therapeutical approach in children with chronic constipation and encopresis. PMID:8434996

BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING AND TENSION-TYPE HEADACHE.

Science.gov (United States)

Šecić, Ana; Cvjeticanin, Timon; Kes, Vanja Bašić

2016-03-01

Biofeedback is a training method, which connects physiological and psychological processes in a person for the purposes of improving his/her physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. In biofeedback treatment, an active role of the patient is stressed for him/her to be able to actively control the physiological and emotional processes. The aim of biofeedback is to improve the conscious control of the individual's involuntary physiological activity. Research has shown that biofeedback, either applied alone or in combination with other behavioral therapies (techniques), is an effective treatment for various medical and psychological disorders, from headache and hypertension to temporomandibular and attention deficit disorders. More than 90% of adults experience headache once a year, which makes headache one of the most common symptoms and diagnoses in medicine. Tension-type headaches occur in at least 40% of the population and their impact on the health insurance costs and diminished productivity is significant. Studies have shown that clinical biofeedback training is effective in treating headaches. Moreover, the authors stress the need for additional research and further development of methodology for this kind of research.

Biofeedback: The Beat Goes On

Science.gov (United States)

Kater, Donna; Spires, Jeanette

1975-01-01

This article reviews some of the research applications of biofeedback techniques and suggests how these may be of use in counseling. The goals toward which biofeedback can be used are increased self-awareness, integration of the individual, and the freedom to make choices regarding states of consciousness. (SJL)

Audiovisual biofeedback improves motion prediction accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollock, Sean; Lee, Danny; Keall, Paul; Kim, Taeho

2013-04-01

The accuracy of motion prediction, utilized to overcome the system latency of motion management radiotherapy systems, is hampered by irregularities present in the patients' respiratory pattern. Audiovisual (AV) biofeedback has been shown to reduce respiratory irregularities. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that AV biofeedback improves the accuracy of motion prediction. An AV biofeedback system combined with real-time respiratory data acquisition and MR images were implemented in this project. One-dimensional respiratory data from (1) the abdominal wall (30 Hz) and (2) the thoracic diaphragm (5 Hz) were obtained from 15 healthy human subjects across 30 studies. The subjects were required to breathe with and without the guidance of AV biofeedback during each study. The obtained respiratory signals were then implemented in a kernel density estimation prediction algorithm. For each of the 30 studies, five different prediction times ranging from 50 to 1400 ms were tested (150 predictions performed). Prediction error was quantified as the root mean square error (RMSE); the RMSE was calculated from the difference between the real and predicted respiratory data. The statistical significance of the prediction results was determined by the Student's t-test. Prediction accuracy was considerably improved by the implementation of AV biofeedback. Of the 150 respiratory predictions performed, prediction accuracy was improved 69% (103/150) of the time for abdominal wall data, and 78% (117/150) of the time for diaphragm data. The average reduction in RMSE due to AV biofeedback over unguided respiration was 26% (p biofeedback improves prediction accuracy. This would result in increased efficiency of motion management techniques affected by system latencies used in radiotherapy.

Neck Vibration Proprioceptive Postural Response Intact in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy unlike Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Kammermeier

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP and late-stage idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD are neurodegenerative movement disorders resulting in different postural instability and falling symptoms. IPD falls occur usually forward in late stage, whereas PSP falls happen in early stages, mostly backward, unprovoked, and with high morbidity. Postural responses to sensory anteroposterior tilt illusion by bilateral dorsal neck vibration were probed in both groups versus healthy controls on a static recording posture platform. Three distinct anteroposterior body mass excursion peaks (P1–P3 were observed. 18 IPD subjects exhibited well-known excessive response amplitudes, whereas 21 PSP subjects’ responses remained unaltered to 22 control subjects. Neither IPD nor PSP showed response latency deficits, despite brainstem degeneration especially in PSP. The observed response patterns suggest that PSP brainstem pathology might spare the involved proprioceptive pathways and implies viability of neck vibration for possible biofeedback and augmentation therapy in PSP postural instability.

Intensive Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver After Unipedal Postural Stability in Nonathletes With Core Instability

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Nam G.; You, Joshua (Sung) H.; Kim, Tae H.; Choi, Bong S.

2015-01-01

Context: The exact neuromechanical nature and relative contribution of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) to postural instability warrants further investigation in uninjured and injured populations. Objective: To determine the effects of the ADIM on static core and unipedal postural stability in nonathletes with core instability. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: University research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 19 nonathletes (4 women: age = 22.3 ± 1.3 years, height = 164.0 ± 1.7 cm, mass = 56.0 ± 4.6 kg; 15 men: age = 24.6 ± 2.8 years, height = 172.6 ± 4.7 cm, mass = 66.8 ± 7.6 kg) with core instability. Intervention(s): Participants received ADIM training with visual feedback 20 minutes each day for 7 days each week over a 2-week period. Main Outcome Measures(s): Core instability was determined using a prone formal test and measured by a pressure biofeedback unit. Unipedal postural stability was determined by measuring the center-of-pressure sway and associated changes in the abdominal muscle-thickness ratios. Electromyographic activity was measured concurrently in the external oblique, erector spinae, gluteus medius, vastus medialis oblique, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius muscles. Results: All participants initially were unable to complete the formal test. However, after the 2-week ADIM training period, all participants were able to reduce the pressure biofeedback unit by a range of 4 to 10 mm Hg from an initial 70 mm Hg and maintain it at 60 to 66 mm Hg with minimal activation of the external oblique (t18 = 3.691, P = .002) and erector spinae (t18 = 2.823, P = .01) muscles. Monitoring of the pressure biofeedback unit and other muscle activations confirmed that the correct muscle contraction defining the ADIM was accomplished. This core stabilization was well maintained in the unipedal-stance position, as evidenced by a decrease in the center-of-pressure sway measures (t18 range, 3.953–5.775, P

Anismus and biofeedback: who benefits?

Science.gov (United States)

Siproudhis, L; Dautrème, S; Ropert, A; Briand, H; Renet, C; Beusnel, C; Juguet, F; Rabot, A F; Bretagne, J F; Gosselin, M

1995-06-01

Biofeedback is the main treatment for dyschezia in patients with anismus, but retraining may fail because of the frequent association of pelvirectal disorders with anismus. We set out to identify indices of biofeedback failure in the treatment of anismus. From May 1990 to May 1993, 27 patients (20 women and seven men; median age 46 years) with anismus in which dyschezia was not improved by laxative agents were enrolled in a biofeedback retraining programme. All patients underwent proctologic examination, anal manometry and defecography. Anismus was defined as an increase in anal pressure during attempted defecation in conjunction with an impairment of rectal emptying as assessed using an objective test (barium paste expulsion). Associated disorders were encountered frequently. These included abnormal perineal descent (22 cases), large rectocoele (12 cases), high-grade rectal prolapse (six cases), abnormally high anal canal pressures at rest (seven cases) and abnormal rectal response to inflation (20 cases). Anismus was the sole abnormality in 12 patients when perineal descent, low-grade prolapse and abnormal rectal sensations were not taken into account. Biofeedback retraining did not suppress dyschezia in 13 out of 27 patients. Neither associated disorders (rectocoele, rectal prolapse, abnormal perineal descent, anal pressure and abnormalities of rectal sensation) nor a relevant past history (hysterectomy, laxative abuse, use of antidepressive agents) were encountered more frequently in these 13 patients than in the other 14. The duration of symptoms before treatment was significantly longer in the group unresponsive to biofeedback retraining (81 +/- 61 compared with 33 +/- 34 months for the responsive group, P anismus is not mandatory because the failure of retraining (48%) is not related to the presence of associated pelvirectal disorders. (2) A long past history of dyschezia seems to provide an index of the failure of biofeedback retraining.

BIOFEEDBACK THERAPY FOR CONSTIPATION IN ADULTS

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Satish S.C.

2011-01-01

Dyssynergic defecation is common and affects up to one half of patients with chronic constipation. This acquired behavioral problem is due to the inability to coordinate the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles to evacuate stools. Today, it is possible to diagnose this problem and treat this effectively with biofeedback therapy, history, prospective stool diaries, and anorectal physiological tests. Several randomized controlled trails have demonstrated that biofeedback therapy using neuromuscular training and visual and verbal feedback is not only efficacious but superior to other modalities such as laxative or sham training. Also the symptom improvement is due a change in the underlying pathophysiology. Development of user friendly approaches to biofeedback therapy and use of home biofeedback programs will significantly enhance the adoption of this treatment by gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons in the future. Improved reimbursement for this proven and relatively inexpensive treatment will carry a significant impact on the problem. PMID:21382587

The biofeedback treatment for non-monosymptomatic enuresis nocturna.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebiloglu, Turgay; Ergin, Giray; Irkilata, Hasan Cem; Kibar, Yusuf

2016-01-01

Enuresis is a child older than 5 years wetting in discrete portions during sleep. It has two subgroups: monosymptomatic enuresis nocturna (MSEN) and non-monosymptomatic enuresis nocturna (NMSEN). In this research, we specifically aimed to examine the effect of biofeedback in NMSEN. We retrospectively analyzed the hospital records of 182 children with NMSEN who were refractory to urotherapy modifications and directed to biofeedback therapies between 2005 and 2010. Enuresis before and after biofeedback therapies was evaluated. One or less enuretic night in a month was defined as success. There were 118 (64%) girls and 64 (35%) boys. With biofeedback therapy, 117 of 182 patients recovered with a success rate of 64% (P Biofeedback therapy is an effective treatment option for the enuresis component of NMSEN with a 64% success rate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thoracic ROM measurement system with visual bio-feedback: system design and biofeedback evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ando, Takeshi; Kawamura, Kazuya; Fujitani, Junko; Koike, Tomokazu; Fujimoto, Masashi; Fujie, Masakatsu G

2011-01-01

Patients with diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) need to improve their thorax mobility. Thoracic ROM is one of the simplest and most useful indexes to evaluate the respiratory function. In this paper, we have proposed the prototype of a simple thoracic ROM measurement system with real-time visual bio-feedback in the chest expansion test. In this system, the thoracic ROM is measured using a wire-type linear encoder whose wire is wrapped around the thorax. In this paper, firstly, the repeatability and reliability of measured thoracic ROM was confirmed as a first report of the developed prototype. Secondly, we analyzed the effect of the bio-feedback system on the respiratory function. The result of the experiment showed that it was easier to maintain a large and stable thoracic ROM during deep breathing by using the real-time visual biofeedback system of the thoracic ROM.

Stress Management by Biofeedback

Science.gov (United States)

1997-01-01

In the 1980's, Dr. Patrick Doyle served on a project to train U.S. astronauts at Johnson Space Center in biofeedback techniques to control anxiety and hypertension. Traditional biofeedback concepts were found to be too mundane, repetitive and boring, so Doyle developed Bio-Games with more interesting and involved formats. The first product, Bio-Ball, is an interactive, multimedia baseball video game that is played by relaxing in order to hit the ball. Gradually the player is able to relax at will, and with practice is able to apply the skills to real-life situations. Doyle has since gone on to create a number of biofeedback games marketed by Creative MultiMedia Inc. including Bio-Golf, Clutch City, and Pachyderm. Stress-busting screen savers are also being marketed under the Buddies series. In addition to being used in the corporate world, Bio-Games have been recognized by the Starbright Foundation which focuses on improving the total hospital environments of critically injured and chronically-ill children.

Balance and steadiness correction of the upright posture of patients having withstood an ischemic stroke with the help of stabilographic rehabilitation training equipment with biofeedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bredikhina Y. P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The brain ischemic mortality rate in Russia occupies the third position. As a result, a recovery period after an ischemic stroke could undermine social and economic well-being of patients and their close relatives. One of the major consequences of a stroke includes the firm-motor defects. Their degree can be reduced with the help of rehabilitation measures intended to revive the motor function of paralyzed limbs and to train a patient to remain firm upright. A stabilographic rehabilitation training apparatus with biofeedback represents one of the variants of the posture training. This training in a playful way helps a patient to improve the balance and firmness indices of the upright position. This rehabilitation method improved considerably the patients’ clinical and stabilographic indices of the balance and firmness function in comparison with the patients whose programmes did not include this method. A patient could sense better that he/she was standing on the both lower limbs. The sensitivity in the lower limbs was intensifying or reviving. According to the additional stabilographic control tests, the total scatter of the pressure centre and the scatter in the sagittal plane, the rate of the pressure centre movement were decreasing; Romberg coefficient became normal.

Smartphone Applications Utilizing Biofeedback Can Aid Stress Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Dillon, Alison; Kelly, Mark; Robertson, Ian H.; Robertson, Deirdre A.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Stress is one of the leading global causes of disease and premature mortality. Despite this, interventions aimed at reducing stress have low adherence rates. The proliferation of mobile phone devices along with gaming-style applications allows for a unique opportunity to broaden the reach and appeal of stress-reduction interventions in modern society. We assessed the effectiveness of two smartphone applications games combined with biofeedback in reducing stress. Methods: We compared a control game to gaming-style smartphone applications combined with a skin conductance biofeedback device (the Pip). Fifty participants aged between 18 and 35 completed the Trier Social Stress Test. They were then randomly assigned to the intervention (biofeedback game) or control group (a non-biofeedback game) for thirty minutes. Perceived stress, heart rate and mood were measured before and after participants had played the games. Results: A mixed factorial ANOVA showed a significant interaction between time and game type in predicting perceived stress [F(1,48) = 14.19, p biofeedback intervention had significantly reduced stress compared to the control group. There was also a significant interaction between time and game in predicting heart rate [F(1,48) = 6.41, p biofeedback intervention showed significant reductions in heart rate compared to the control group. Discussion: This illustrates the potential for gaming-style smartphone applications combined with biofeedback as stress reduction interventions. PMID:27378963

Suitability of Smartphone Inertial Sensors for Real-Time Biofeedback Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kos, Anton; Tomažič, Sašo; Umek, Anton

2016-01-01

This article studies the suitability of smartphones with built-in inertial sensors for biofeedback applications. Biofeedback systems use various sensors to measure body functions and parameters. These sensor data are analyzed, and the results are communicated back to the user, who then tries to act on the feedback signals. Smartphone inertial sensors can be used to capture body movements in biomechanical biofeedback systems. These sensors exhibit various inaccuracies that induce significant angular and positional errors. We studied deterministic and random errors of smartphone accelerometers and gyroscopes, primarily focusing on their biases. Based on extensive measurements, we determined accelerometer and gyroscope noise models and bias variation ranges. Then, we compiled a table of predicted positional and angular errors under various biofeedback system operation conditions. We suggest several bias compensation options that are suitable for various examples of use in real-time biofeedback applications. Measurements within the developed experimental biofeedback application show that under certain conditions, even uncompensated sensors can be used for real-time biofeedback. For general use, especially for more demanding biofeedback applications, sensor biases should be compensated. We are convinced that real-time biofeedback systems based on smartphone inertial sensors are applicable to many similar examples in sports, healthcare, and other areas. PMID:26927125

Suitability of Smartphone Inertial Sensors for Real-Time Biofeedback Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kos, Anton; Tomažič, Sašo; Umek, Anton

2016-02-27

This article studies the suitability of smartphones with built-in inertial sensors for biofeedback applications. Biofeedback systems use various sensors to measure body functions and parameters. These sensor data are analyzed, and the results are communicated back to the user, who then tries to act on the feedback signals. Smartphone inertial sensors can be used to capture body movements in biomechanical biofeedback systems. These sensors exhibit various inaccuracies that induce significant angular and positional errors. We studied deterministic and random errors of smartphone accelerometers and gyroscopes, primarily focusing on their biases. Based on extensive measurements, we determined accelerometer and gyroscope noise models and bias variation ranges. Then, we compiled a table of predicted positional and angular errors under various biofeedback system operation conditions. We suggest several bias compensation options that are suitable for various examples of use in real-time biofeedback applications. Measurements within the developed experimental biofeedback application show that under certain conditions, even uncompensated sensors can be used for real-time biofeedback. For general use, especially for more demanding biofeedback applications, sensor biases should be compensated. We are convinced that real-time biofeedback systems based on smartphone inertial sensors are applicable to many similar examples in sports, healthcare, and other areas.

Biofeedback for psychiatric disorders: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoenberg, P.L.; David, A.S.

2014-01-01

Biofeedback potentially provides non-invasive, effective psychophysiological interventions for psychiatric disorders. The encompassing purpose of this review was to establish how biofeedback interventions have been used to treat select psychiatric disorders [anxiety, autistic spectrum disorders,

Biofeedback in the treatment of heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Michael G; Moravec, Christine S

2010-07-01

Biofeedback training can be used to reduce activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and increase activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). It is well established that hyperactivation of the SNS contributes to disease progression in chronic heart failure. It has been postulated that underactivation of the PNS may also play a role in heart failure pathophysiology. In addition to autonomic imbalance, a chronic inflammatory process is now recognized as being involved in heart failure progression, and recent work has established that activation of the inflammatory process may be attenuated by vagal nerve stimulation. By interfering with both autonomic imbalance and the inflammatory process, biofeedback-assisted stress management may be an effective treatment for patients with heart failure by improving clinical status and quality of life. Recent studies have suggested that biofeedback and stress management have a positive impact in patients with chronic heart failure, and patients with higher perceived control over their disease have been shown to have better quality of life. Our ongoing study of biofeedback-assisted stress management in the treatment of end-stage heart failure will also examine biologic end points in treated patients at the time of heart transplant, in order to assess the effects of biofeedback training on the cellular and molecular components of the failing heart. We hypothesize that the effects of biofeedback training will extend to remodeling the failing human heart, in addition to improving quality of life.

Using music as a signal for biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergstrom, Ilias; Seinfeld, Sofia; Arroyo-Palacios, Jorge; Slater, Mel; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V

2014-07-01

Studies on the potential benefits of conveying biofeedback stimulus using a musical signal have appeared in recent years with the intent of harnessing the strong effects that music listening may have on subjects. While results are encouraging, the fundamental question has yet to be addressed, of how combined music and biofeedback compares to the already established use of either of these elements separately. This experiment, involving young adults (N = 24), compared the effectiveness at modulating participants' states of physiological arousal of each of the following conditions: A) listening to pre-recorded music, B) sonification biofeedback of the heart rate, and C) an algorithmically modulated musical feedback signal conveying the subject's heart rate. Our hypothesis was that each of the conditions (A), (B) and (C) would differ from the other two in the extent to which it enables participants to increase and decrease their state of physiological arousal, with (C) being more effective than (B), and both more than (A). Several physiological measures and qualitative responses were recorded and analyzed. Results show that using musical biofeedback allowed participants to modulate their state of physiological arousal at least equally well as sonification biofeedback, and much better than just listening to music, as reflected in their heart rate measurements, controlling for respiration-rate. Our findings indicate that the known effects of music in modulating arousal can therefore be beneficially harnessed when designing a biofeedback protocol. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biofeedback & Bowel Disorders: Teaching Yourself to Live without the Problem

Science.gov (United States)

... Medications Tips on Finding a Doctor What is biofeedback? Biofeedback is a neuromuscular reeducation tool therapists can ... to coordinate two responses more effectively. How can biofeedback help? Bowel control is a bodily function that ...

Biofeedback in psychomotor training. Electrophysiological basis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bazanova, O M; Mernaya, E M; Shtark, M B

2009-06-01

The influences of individual musical practice and the same practice supplemented with biofeedback using electrophysiological markers for optimum music-performing activity were studied in 39 music students. Traditional technical practice produced increases in integral EMG power and decreases in alpha activity in most of the students with initially low maximum alpha activity peak frequencies. Similar practice but combined with individual sessions of alpha-EEG/EMG biofeedback were accompanied by increases in the frequency, bandwidth, and activation responses of EEG alpha rhythms in all subjects, along with decreases in EEG integral power. The efficacy of training with biofeedback and the ability to experience psychomotor learning depended on the initial individual characteristics of EEG alpha activity.

Biofeedback for anismus: has placebo effect been overlooked?

Science.gov (United States)

Meagher; Sun; Kennedy; Smart; Lubowski

1999-03-01

Multiple uncontrolled studies have concluded that biofeedback is successful in treating anismus. This study's objective was to assess the physiological effects of placebo and biofeedback treatment on patients with anismus and to correlate changes with clinical improvement. Twelve patients with symptoms and electrophysiological findings of anismus were studied. Initial assessment included a detailed history, symptom assessment by linear analogue scales, anorectal manometric and electrophysiological studies, colon transit scintigraphy, and scintigraphic proctography. Patients underwent 5 days of placebo treatment, followed 1 week later by re-assessment of symptoms and physiological studies. Five days of biofeedback was then given followed by another complete re-assessment 1 week later. A final interview was performed 2 months later. All assessments were by an independent observer who was not responsible for the treatments. Seven patients reported an overall improvement in symptoms following placebo treatment. A total of seven patients reported improvement following biofeedback, three of whom had already reported an improvement with placebo. One patient who reported improvement following placebo had worsening of symptoms following biofeedback. The only symptoms or tests which changed more with biofeedback than placebo were anal pressure and electromyographic activity on attempted defaecation in the left lateral position. There was no demonstrable correlation between change in symptoms and change in physiological tests. The scintigraphic 'ejection fraction' of the rectum was unchanged by treatment. Clinical improvement in previous studies may in part be due to placebo effect and observer bias. Improvement with biofeedback may be due to physiological changes which are not detected with conventional anorectal physiological tests.

3Mo: A Model for Music-Based Biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Maes, Pieter-Jan; Buhmann, Jeska; Leman, Marc

2016-01-01

In the domain of sports and motor rehabilitation, it is of major importance to regulate and control physiological processes and physical motion in most optimal ways. For that purpose, real-time auditory feedback of physiological and physical information based on sound signals, often termed "sonification," has been proven particularly useful. However, the use of music in biofeedback systems has been much less explored. In the current article, we assert that the use of music, and musical principles, can have a major added value, on top of mere sound signals, to the benefit of psychological and physical optimization of sports and motor rehabilitation tasks. In this article, we present the 3Mo model to describe three main functions of music that contribute to these benefits. These functions relate the power of music to Motivate, and to Monitor and Modify physiological and physical processes. The model brings together concepts and theories related to human sensorimotor interaction with music, and specifies the underlying psychological and physiological principles. This 3Mo model is intended to provide a conceptual framework that guides future research on musical biofeedback systems in the domain of sports and motor rehabilitation.

3Mo: A model for music-based biofeedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pieter-Jan Maes

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the domain of sports and motor rehabilitation, it is of major importance to regulate and control physiological processes and physical motion in most optimal ways. For that purpose, real-time auditory feedback of physiological and physical information based on sound signals, often termed `sonification’, has been proven particularly useful. However, the use of music in biofeedback systems has been much less explored. In the current article, we assert that the use of music, and musical principles, can have a major added value, with respect to mere sound signals, to the benefit of psychological and physical optimization of sports and motor rehabilitation tasks. In this article, we present the 3Mo model to describe three main functions of music that contribute to these benefits. These functions relate the power of music to Motivate, and to Monitor and Modify physiological and physical processes. The model brings together concepts and theories related to human sensorimotor interaction with music, and specifies the underlying psychological and physiological principles. This 3Mo model is intended to provide a conceptual framework that guides future research on musical biofeedback systems in the domain of sports and motor rehabilitation.

Exploring the role of self-efficacy in biofeedback video games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weerdmeester, J.W.; Rooij, M.M.J.W. van; Harris, O.; Smit, N.; Engels, R.C.M.E.; Granic, I.

2017-01-01

Biofeedback training and game-based biofeedback are increasingly used to improve mental health. When evaluating the effects of biofeedback however, the focus often lies solely on therapeutic outcomes. Meanwhile, it is known that psychological factors such as perceptions of competence, also known as

Biofeedback Training for Peak Performance in Sport - Case Study

OpenAIRE

Pop-Jordanova, Nada; Demerdzieva, Aneta

2017-01-01

The use of peripheral biofeedback and neurofeedback is growing rapidly in sport psychology. The aim is to lower competition stress, anxiety, and muscle tension.We present a case report concerned to biofeedback training in an athlete in preparation to Olympic Game competition. It is the first case in our region to prepare athlete with biofeedback modalities. Obtained results are very encouraging.

EMG Biofeedback Training Versus Systematic Desensitization for Test Anxiety Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, John L.; Cabianca, William A.

1978-01-01

Biofeedback training to reduce test anxiety among university students was investigated. Biofeedback training with systematic desensitization was compared to an automated systematic desensitization program not using EMG feedback. Biofeedback training is a useful technique for reducing test anxiety, but not necessarily more effective than systematic…

[Biofeedback effectiveness in patients with fecal incontinence].

Science.gov (United States)

Guerra-Mora, José Raúl; Buenrostro-Acebes, José María; Erciga-Vergara, Nancy; Zubieta-O'Farrill, Gregorio; Castillo-Calcáneo, Juan de Dios; Mosqueda, Maria Elena; Monroy-Argumedo, Montserrat; González-Alvarado, Carlos; Villanueva-Saenz, Eduardo

2015-01-01

Fecal incontinence is defined as an involuntary bowel movement through the anal canal in inadequate time and place. There are different types of therapies for the management of fecal incontinence, being biofeedback therapy one of the most effective techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate the necessary number of sessions of biofeedback electromyographyc therapy to achieve the maximum sphincteric complex contraction. Descriptive, retrospective and longitudinal study. 65 patients with fecal incontinence were included. Weekly electromyographyc biofeedback therapies were applied, with a maximum of 6, in which the sphincteric complex contraction was measured. A two ways Friedman analysis was made to determine the significant differences between the sessions. A total of 65 patients were evaluated for fecal incontinence. The values for pelvic floor contraction were significantly higher in the third session, and did not show any significant difference in posterior sessions. The maximum contraction of the sphicnteric complex was achieved in the third weekly biofeedback session, without any significant differences in the posterior sessions.

Heart rate variability biofeedback improves cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakakibara, Masahito; Hayano, Junichiro; Oikawa, Leo O; Katsamanis, Maria; Lehrer, Paul

2013-12-01

The present study was designed to examine the effect of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback on the cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep in daily life. Forty-five healthy young adults were randomly assigned to one of three groups: HRV biofeedback, Autogenic Training(AT), and no-treatment control. Participants in the HRV biofeedback were instructed to use a handheld HRV biofeedback device before their habitual bedtime, those in the AT were asked to listen to an audiotaped instruction before bedtime,and those in the control were asked to engage in their habitual activity before bedtime. Pulse wave signal during sleep at their own residences was measured continuously with a wrist watch-type transdermal photoelectric sensor for three time points. Baseline data were collected on the first night of measurements, followed by two successive nights for HRV biofeedback, AT, or control. Cardiorespiratory resting function was assessed quantitatively as the amplitude of high frequency(HF) component of pulse rate variability, a surrogate measure of respiratory sinus arrhythmia. HF component increased during sleep in the HRV biofeedback group,although it remained unchanged in the AT and control groups. These results suggest that HRV biofeedback before sleep may improve cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep.

Biofeedback-Based, Videogame Balance Training in Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Travers, Brittany G.; Mason, Andrea H.; Mrotek, Leigh Ann; Ellertson, Anthony; Dean, Douglas C., III; Engel, Courtney; Gomez, Andres; Dadalko, Olga I.; McLaughlin, Kristine

2018-01-01

The present study examined the effects of a visual-based biofeedback training on improving balance challenges in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twenty-nine youth with ASD (7-17 years) completed an intensive 6-week biofeedback-based videogame balance training. Participants exhibited training-related balance improvements that significantly…

[Biofeedback and drug-resistant epilepsy: back to an earlier treatment?].

Science.gov (United States)

Micoulaud-Franchi, J A; Lanteaume, L; Pallanca, O; Vion-Dury, J; Bartolomei, F

2014-03-01

Biofeedback is a complementary non-pharmacological and non-surgical therapeutic developed over the last thirty years in the management of drug-resistant epilepsy. Biofeedback allows learning cognitive and behavioral strategies via a psychophysiological feedback loop. Firstly, this paper describes the different types of biofeedback protocols used for the treatment of drug-refractory epilepsy and their physiological justifications. Secondly, this paper analyzes the evidence of effectiveness, from a medical point of view, on reducing the numbers of seizures, and from a neurophysiological point of view, on the changing brain activity. Electroencephalography (EEG) biofeedback (neurofeedback) protocol on sensorimotor rhythms (SMR) has been investigated in many studies, the main limitation being small sample sizes and lack of control groups. The newer neurofeedback protocol on slow cortical potential (SCP) and galvanic skin response (GSR) biofeedback protocols have been used in a smaller number of studies. But, these studies are more rigorous with larger sized samples, matched control groups, and attempts to control the placebo effect. These protocols also open the way for innovative neurophysiological researches and may predict a renewal of biofeedback techniques. Biofeedback would have legitimacy in the field of clinical drug-resistant epilepsy at the interface between therapeutic and clinical neurophysiology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Neurofeedback and biofeedback with 37 migraineurs: a clinical outcome study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lappin Martha S

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Traditional peripheral biofeedback has grade A evidence for effectively treating migraines. Two newer forms of neurobiofeedback, EEG biofeedback and hemoencephalography biofeedback were combined with thermal handwarming biofeedback to treat 37 migraineurs in a clinical outpatient setting. Methods 37 migraine patients underwent an average of 40 neurofeedback sessions combined with thermal biofeedback in an outpatient biofeedback clinic. All patients were on at least one type of medication for migraine; preventive, abortive or rescue. Patients kept daily headache diaries a minimum of two weeks prior to treatment and throughout treatment showing symptom frequency, severity, duration and medications used. Treatments were conducted an average of three times weekly over an average span of 6 months. Headache diaries were examined after treatment and a formal interview was conducted. After an average of 14.5 months following treatment, a formal interview was conducted in order to ascertain duration of treatment effects. Results Of the 37 migraine patients treated, 26 patients or 70% experienced at least a 50% reduction in the frequency of their headaches which was sustained on average 14.5 months after treatments were discontinued. Conclusions All combined neuro and biofeedback interventions were effective in reducing the frequency of migraines with clients using medication resulting in a more favorable outcome (70% experiencing at least a 50% reduction in headaches than just medications alone (50% experience a 50% reduction and that the effect size of our study involving three different types of biofeedback for migraine (1.09 was more robust than effect size of combined studies on thermal biofeedback alone for migraine (.5. These non-invasive interventions may show promise for treating treatment-refractory migraine and for preventing the progression from episodic to chronic migraine.

Neurofeedback and biofeedback with 37 migraineurs: a clinical outcome study

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Traditional peripheral biofeedback has grade A evidence for effectively treating migraines. Two newer forms of neurobiofeedback, EEG biofeedback and hemoencephalography biofeedback were combined with thermal handwarming biofeedback to treat 37 migraineurs in a clinical outpatient setting. Methods 37 migraine patients underwent an average of 40 neurofeedback sessions combined with thermal biofeedback in an outpatient biofeedback clinic. All patients were on at least one type of medication for migraine; preventive, abortive or rescue. Patients kept daily headache diaries a minimum of two weeks prior to treatment and throughout treatment showing symptom frequency, severity, duration and medications used. Treatments were conducted an average of three times weekly over an average span of 6 months. Headache diaries were examined after treatment and a formal interview was conducted. After an average of 14.5 months following treatment, a formal interview was conducted in order to ascertain duration of treatment effects. Results Of the 37 migraine patients treated, 26 patients or 70% experienced at least a 50% reduction in the frequency of their headaches which was sustained on average 14.5 months after treatments were discontinued. Conclusions All combined neuro and biofeedback interventions were effective in reducing the frequency of migraines with clients using medication resulting in a more favorable outcome (70% experiencing at least a 50% reduction in headaches) than just medications alone (50% experience a 50% reduction) and that the effect size of our study involving three different types of biofeedback for migraine (1.09) was more robust than effect size of combined studies on thermal biofeedback alone for migraine (.5). These non-invasive interventions may show promise for treating treatment-refractory migraine and for preventing the progression from episodic to chronic migraine. PMID:20205867

MODIFIED PATH METHODOLOGY FOR OBTAINING INTERVAL-SCALED POSTURAL ASSESSMENTS OF FARMWORKERS.

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, Emma B; Dropkin, Jonathan; Russell, Rebecca; Jenkins, Paul

2018-01-29

Agricultural workers perform tasks that frequently require awkward and extreme postures that are associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The PATH (Posture, Activity, Tools, Handling) system currently provides a sound methodology for quantifying workers' exposure to these awkward postures on an ordinal scale of measurement, which places restrictions on the choice of analytic methods. This study reports a modification of the PATH methodology that instead captures these postures as degrees of flexion, an interval-scaled measurement. Rather than making live observations in the field, as in PATH, the postural assessments were performed on photographs using ImageJ photo analysis software. Capturing the postures in photographs permitted more careful measurement of the degrees of flexion. The current PATH methodology requires that the observer in the field be trained in the use of PATH, whereas the single photographer used in this modification requires only sufficient training to maintain the proper camera angle. Ultimately, these interval-scale measurements could be combined with other quantitative measures, such as those produced by electromyograms (EMGs), to provide more sophisticated estimates of future risk for MSDs. Further, these data can provide a baseline from which the effects of interventions designed to reduce hazardous postures can be calculated with greater precision. Copyright© by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.

Microperimetric biofeedback training: fundamentals, strategies and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Vingolo, Enzo Maria; Napolitano, Giuseppe; Fragiotta, Serena

2018-01-01

Microperimetric biofeedback training (MBFT) is a visual rehabilitative strategy based on fixation stability improvement reinforcing or creating a new preferential fixation locus. The rationale consists in reeducating visual system to a new visual condition, promoting retina-brain transmission, and thus cortical plasticity. The use of MBFT found is major application in visual diseases involving central vision, but later it revealed promising functional outcomes even in myopia, inherited retinal degenerations and nystagmus. However, the use of microperimetric biofeedback is still limited due to poor knowledge of the procedure and inconsistent standards of practice, and thus an incipient skepticism on its efficacy. This review provides an overview of the rationale, current implications, procedures and future perspectives of microperimetric biofeedback training.

Differential Effects of Visual-Acoustic Biofeedback Intervention for Residual Speech Errors

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister Byun, Tara; Campbell, Heather

2016-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that the incorporation of visual biofeedback technologies may enhance response to treatment in individuals with residual speech errors. However, there is a need for controlled research systematically comparing biofeedback versus non-biofeedback intervention approaches. This study implemented a single-subject experimental design with a crossover component to investigate the relative efficacy of visual-acoustic biofeedback and traditional articulatory treatment for residual rhotic errors. Eleven child/adolescent participants received ten sessions of visual-acoustic biofeedback and 10 sessions of traditional treatment, with the order of biofeedback and traditional phases counterbalanced across participants. Probe measures eliciting untreated rhotic words were administered in at least three sessions prior to the start of treatment (baseline), between the two treatment phases (midpoint), and after treatment ended (maintenance), as well as before and after each treatment session. Perceptual accuracy of rhotic production was assessed by outside listeners in a blinded, randomized fashion. Results were analyzed using a combination of visual inspection of treatment trajectories, individual effect sizes, and logistic mixed-effects regression. Effect sizes and visual inspection revealed that participants could be divided into categories of strong responders (n = 4), mixed/moderate responders (n = 3), and non-responders (n = 4). Individual results did not reveal a reliable pattern of stronger performance in biofeedback versus traditional blocks, or vice versa. Moreover, biofeedback versus traditional treatment was not a significant predictor of accuracy in the logistic mixed-effects model examining all within-treatment word probes. However, the interaction between treatment condition and treatment order was significant: biofeedback was more effective than traditional treatment in the first phase of treatment, and traditional treatment was more effective

Biofeedback treatment for sleep bruxism: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lu-Fei; Long, Hu; Deng, Meng; Xu, Hui; Fang, Jie; Fan, Yi; Bai, Ding; Han, Xiang-Long

2014-05-01

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of any biofeedback treatment on sleep bruxism. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, ISI Web of Science, System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and PsycINFO up to October 2012 for randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials involving biofeedback treatment for sleep bruxism. Reference lists of relevant studies were hand searched. Quality assessment and data extraction were performed by two reviewers independently. Seven eligible studies involving 240 participants were finally included. Three of them had moderate risk of bias, and four had high risk of bias. In an electromyographic-measured sleep bruxism episode, meta-analysis showed no significant difference between contingent electrical stimulation and blank control (95% confidence interval = -12.33, 3.38, P = 0.26). Moreover, five studies reported electromyographic activity index. Due to the diversity of biofeedback modalities (auditory, electrical, and visual stimulus) and controls (splint, occlusal adjustment, etc.), these data were unable to be pooled, so only qualitative description was provided. In the current stage, there is no powerful evidence to support the use of biofeedback technology on sleep bruxism treatment. Contingent electrical stimulation which is defined as a kind of biofeedback modality shows no effect on reducing sleep bruxism episode compared with the no-treatment group. Although many studies support the efficacy of biofeedback treatment, more large sample-sized randomized controlled trials which adopt uniform outcome index are necessitated to verify its application.

Biofeedback treatment for Tourette syndrome: a preliminary randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagai, Yoko; Cavanna, Andrea E; Critchley, Hugo D; Stern, Jeremy J; Robertson, Mary M; Joyce, Eileen M

2014-03-01

To study the clinical effectiveness of biofeedback treatment in reducing tics in patients with Tourette syndrome. Despite advances in the pharmacologic treatment of patients with Tourette syndrome, many remain troubled by their tics, which may be resistant to multiple medications at tolerable doses. Electrodermal biofeedback is a noninvasive biobehavioral intervention that can be useful in managing neuropsychiatric and neurologic conditions. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of electrodermal biofeedback training in 21 patients with Tourette syndrome. After training the patients for 3 sessions a week over 4 weeks, we observed a significant reduction in tic frequency and improved indices of subjective well-being in both the active-biofeedback and sham-feedback (control) groups, but there was no difference between the groups in these measurements. Furthermore, the active-treatment group did not demonstrably learn to reduce their sympathetic electrodermal tone using biofeedback. Our findings indicate that this form of biofeedback training was unable to produce a clinical effect greater than placebo. The main confounding factor appeared to be the 30-minute duration of the training sessions, which made it difficult for patients to sustain a reduction in sympathetic tone when their tics themselves were generating competing phasic electrodermal arousal responses. Despite a negative finding in this study, electrodermal biofeedback training may have a role in managing tics if optimal training schedules can be identified.

Heart rate variability biofeedback reduces food cravings in high food cravers.

Science.gov (United States)

Meule, Adrian; Freund, Rebecca; Skirde, Ann Kathrin; Vögele, Claus; Kübler, Andrea

2012-12-01

Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback has been reported to increase HRV while decreasing symptoms in patients with mental disorders. In addition, associations between low HRV and lowered self-regulation were found in non-clinical samples, e.g., in individuals with strong chocolate cravings or unsuccessful dieting. The current study aimed at decreasing food cravings with HRV-biofeedback in individuals frequently experiencing such cravings. Participants (N = 56) with strong or low food cravings associated with a lack of control over eating were selected from the local community. Half of the participants with strong cravings (craving-biofeedback; n = 14) performed 12 sessions of HRV-biofeedback while the other half (craving-control; n = 14) and a group with low cravings (non-craving-control; n = 28) received no intervention. Subjective food cravings related to a lack of control over eating decreased from pre- to post-measurement in the craving-biofeedback group, but remained constant in the control groups. Moreover, only the craving-biofeedback group showed a decrease in eating and weight concerns. Although HRV-biofeedback was successful in reducing food cravings, this change was not accompanied by an increase in HRV. Instead, HRV decreased in the craving-control group. This study provides preliminary evidence that HRV-biofeedback could be beneficial for attenuating dysfunctional eating behavior although specific mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

The Effects of EEG Biofeedback Training on Hyperactive and/or Learning Disabled Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kassel, Steve

The literature review presents an explanation of biofeedback and a critical evaluation of the research pertaining to electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback training for the hyperactive and/or learning disabled child. Three hypotheses are examined: whether EEG biofeedback training is efficacious; whether EEG biofeedback training is more…

Design for relaxation during milk expression using biofeedback

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feijs, L.M.G.; Kierkels, J.G.T.; Marcus, A.

2013-01-01

Many women experience difficulty expressing milk using a breast pump. A negative influence upon their success is stress, hampering the milk ejection reflex. We explore biofeedback to enhance relaxation during milk expression. We discuss context, the principles of biofeedback and the design of an

Biofeedback monitoring-devices for astronauts in space environment

Science.gov (United States)

Rotondo, G.; Pancheri, P.; Monesi, F.; Grantaliano, G.; DePascalis, V.

After a reconsideration of the state-of-the-art in biofeedback research the implementation of biofeedback systems is envisioned as a countermeasure of stress for the psychoprophylaxis of the astronaut. A one-session experiment performed on two groups of subjects to assess the interference from EMG-feedback on the performance in a simultaneous psychomotor trial with a view to expanding biofeedback application is described. The results show that the experimental group performed in the same way as the control without feedback, but with less CNS activation. Some general conclusions are drawn from the advances in technology.

The internal-external respiratory motion correlation is unaffected by audiovisual biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Steel, Harry; Pollock, Sean; Lee, Danny; Keall, Paul; Kim, Taeho

2014-03-01

This study evaluated if an audiovisual (AV) biofeedback causes variation in the level of external and internal correlation due to its interactive intervention in natural breathing. The internal (diaphragm) and external (abdominal wall) respiratory motion signals of 15 healthy human subjects under AV biofeedback and free breathing (FB) were analyzed and measures of correlation and regularity taken. Regularity metrics (root mean square error and spectral power dispersion metric) were obtained and the correlation between these metrics and the internal and external correlation was investigated. For FB and AV biofeedback assisted breathing the mean correlations found between internal and external respiratory motion were 0.96±0.02 and 0.96±0.03, respectively. This means there is no evidence to suggest (p-value=0.88) any difference in the correlation between internal and external respiratory motion with the use of AV biofeedback. Our results confirmed the hypothesis that the internal-external correlation with AV biofeedback is the same as for free breathing. Should this correlation be maintained for patients, AV biofeedback can be implemented in the clinic with confidence as regularity improvements using AV biofeedback with an external signal will be reflected in increased internal motion regularity.

[Biofeedback in psychomotor training. Electrophysiological bases].

Science.gov (United States)

Bazanova, O M; Mernaia, E M; Shtark, M B

2008-05-01

Comparison of influence of usual musical practice and the same trainings but using biofeedback on electrophysiological and psychological markers of optimal psychomotor functioning in 39 students-musicians revealed that the obvious musical practice caused psychomotor pressure in most students (with initially low individual alpha peak frequency), whereas similar practice combined with an individualized session of alpha-EEG/EMG biofeedback was accompanied by increase of alpha-activity in all examinees and a decrease (reduction) of integrated EMG that indicated reaching of optimal psychomotor functioning. It appears that the psychomotor learning ability depends on the baseline individual alpha-activity. Individual alpha peak frequency was associated with fluency and efficiency of psychomotor performance, individual alpha band width--with plasticity and creativity, individual amount of alpha suppression in response to opening eyes--with the level of selfactualization. These alpha activity EEG indices correlated with efficiency of the biofeedback training.

EMG biofeedback of the abductor pollicis brevis in piano performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Montes, R; Bedmar, M; Sol Martin, M

1993-06-01

The aim of the present study was to apply EMG biofeedback as an auxiliary to piano teaching techniques. We studied the changes in integrated electromyographic activity, using the abductor pollicis brevis functioning as an agonist during the teaching of identical selective movements of piano playing in two groups, one with EMG biofeedback and the other following traditional method of instruction. The analysis of variance revealed an increase in the peak amplitude and the relaxation rate values for the biofeedback group. These results have implications for the application of piano playing techniques and reveal EMG biofeedback as an aid in the teaching of thumb attack with the abductor pollicis brevis as agonist.

A Cognitively Oriented Psychologist Looks at Bio-feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, Richard S.

1975-01-01

It is advocated that bio-feedback research be approached within the larger context of emotion and adaption and oriented to the wide variety of mediators that affect the reaction pattern, rather than be treated as a special or unique kind of process limited to the bio-feedback laboratory. (EH)

Haptic biofeedback for improving compliance with lower-extremity partial weight bearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Michael C; DeLuke, Levi; Buerba, Rafael A; Fan, Richard E; Zheng, Ying Jean; Leslie, Michael P; Baumgaertner, Michael R; Grauer, Jonathan N

2014-11-01

After lower-extremity orthopedic trauma and surgery, patients are often advised to restrict weight bearing on the affected limb. Conventional training methods are not effective at enabling patients to comply with recommendations for partial weight bearing. The current study assessed a novel method of using real-time haptic (vibratory/vibrotactile) biofeedback to improve compliance with instructions for partial weight bearing. Thirty healthy, asymptomatic participants were randomized into 1 of 3 groups: verbal instruction, bathroom scale training, and haptic biofeedback. Participants were instructed to restrict lower-extremity weight bearing in a walking boot with crutches to 25 lb, with an acceptable range of 15 to 35 lb. A custom weight bearing sensor and biofeedback system was attached to all participants, but only those in the haptic biofeedback group were given a vibrotactile signal if they exceeded the acceptable range. Weight bearing in all groups was measured with a separate validated commercial system. The verbal instruction group bore an average of 60.3±30.5 lb (mean±standard deviation). The bathroom scale group averaged 43.8±17.2 lb, whereas the haptic biofeedback group averaged 22.4±9.1 lb (Phaptic biofeedback group averaged 14.5±6.3% (Phaptic biofeedback to improve compliance with lower-extremity partial weight bearing, haptic biofeedback was superior to conventional physical therapy methods. Further studies in patients with clinical orthopedic trauma are warranted. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Pelvic floor dyssynergia: efficacy of biofeedback training.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadel Hak, Nabil; El-Hemaly, Mohamed; Hamdy, Emad; El-Raouf, Ahmed Abd; Atef, Ehab; Salah, Tarek; El-Hanafy, Ehab; Sultan, Ahmad; Haleem, Magdy; Hamed, Hala

2011-03-01

Paradoxical contraction of the pelvic floor during attempts to defaecate is described as pelvic floor dyssynergia (anismus). It is a behavioural disorder (no associated morphological or neurological abnormalities); consequently, biofeedback training has been recommended as a behavioural therapy for such a disorder. The aim of the present study was to evaluate long-term satisfaction of patients diagnosed with pelvic floor dyssynergia after biofeedback. Sixty patients (35 females and 25 males) with a mean age of 30±12years and a 4year duration of constipation were included. Forty-five patients had normal colonic transit and 15 patients had slow colonic transit. History, physical examination and barium enema were done to exclude constipation secondary to organic causes. Colonic and pelvic floor functions (colon-transit time, anorectal manometry, EMG and defaecography) were performed before and after biofeedback treatments. Patients were treated on a weekly basis with an average of (6±2) sessions. At the end of sessions, 55 out of 60 patients (91.6%) reported a subjectively overall improvement. Symptoms of dyschezia were reported less frequently after biofeedback. Age and gender were not predictive factors of outcome. No symptoms at initial assessment were predictive for patient's satisfaction but the only factor of predictive value was the diagnosis of anismus and the motivated patient who wanted to continue the sessions. Biofeedback remains a morbidity free, low-cost and effective outpatient therapy for well-motivated patients complaining of functional constipation and diagnosed as pelvic floor dyssynergia. Copyright © 2011 Arab Journal of Gastroenterology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Audiovisual Biofeedback Improves Cine–Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measured Lung Tumor Motion Consistency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Danny [Radiation Physics Laboratory, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sidney, NSW (Australia); Greer, Peter B. [School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Department of Radiation Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Ludbrook, Joanna; Arm, Jameen; Hunter, Perry [Department of Radiation Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Pollock, Sean; Makhija, Kuldeep; O' brien, Ricky T. [Radiation Physics Laboratory, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sidney, NSW (Australia); Kim, Taeho [Radiation Physics Laboratory, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sidney, NSW (Australia); Department of Radiation Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (United States); Keall, Paul, E-mail: paul.keall@sydney.edu.au [Radiation Physics Laboratory, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sidney, NSW (Australia)

2016-03-01

Purpose: To assess the impact of an audiovisual (AV) biofeedback on intra- and interfraction tumor motion for lung cancer patients. Methods and Materials: Lung tumor motion was investigated in 9 lung cancer patients who underwent a breathing training session with AV biofeedback before 2 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions. The breathing training session was performed to allow patients to become familiar with AV biofeedback, which uses a guiding wave customized for each patient according to a reference breathing pattern. In the first MRI session (pretreatment), 2-dimensional cine-MR images with (1) free breathing (FB) and (2) AV biofeedback were obtained, and the second MRI session was repeated within 3-6 weeks (mid-treatment). Lung tumors were directly measured from cine-MR images using an auto-segmentation technique; the centroid and outlier motions of the lung tumors were measured from the segmented tumors. Free breathing and AV biofeedback were compared using several metrics: intra- and interfraction tumor motion consistency in displacement and period, and the outlier motion ratio. Results: Compared with FB, AV biofeedback improved intrafraction tumor motion consistency by 34% in displacement (P=.019) and by 73% in period (P<.001). Compared with FB, AV biofeedback improved interfraction tumor motion consistency by 42% in displacement (P<.046) and by 74% in period (P=.005). Compared with FB, AV biofeedback reduced the outlier motion ratio by 21% (P<.001). Conclusions: These results demonstrated that AV biofeedback significantly improved intra- and interfraction lung tumor motion consistency for lung cancer patients. These results demonstrate that AV biofeedback can facilitate consistent tumor motion, which is advantageous toward achieving more accurate medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures.

Audiovisual Biofeedback Improves Cine–Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measured Lung Tumor Motion Consistency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Danny; Greer, Peter B.; Ludbrook, Joanna; Arm, Jameen; Hunter, Perry; Pollock, Sean; Makhija, Kuldeep; O'brien, Ricky T.; Kim, Taeho; Keall, Paul

2016-01-01

Purpose: To assess the impact of an audiovisual (AV) biofeedback on intra- and interfraction tumor motion for lung cancer patients. Methods and Materials: Lung tumor motion was investigated in 9 lung cancer patients who underwent a breathing training session with AV biofeedback before 2 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions. The breathing training session was performed to allow patients to become familiar with AV biofeedback, which uses a guiding wave customized for each patient according to a reference breathing pattern. In the first MRI session (pretreatment), 2-dimensional cine-MR images with (1) free breathing (FB) and (2) AV biofeedback were obtained, and the second MRI session was repeated within 3-6 weeks (mid-treatment). Lung tumors were directly measured from cine-MR images using an auto-segmentation technique; the centroid and outlier motions of the lung tumors were measured from the segmented tumors. Free breathing and AV biofeedback were compared using several metrics: intra- and interfraction tumor motion consistency in displacement and period, and the outlier motion ratio. Results: Compared with FB, AV biofeedback improved intrafraction tumor motion consistency by 34% in displacement (P=.019) and by 73% in period (P<.001). Compared with FB, AV biofeedback improved interfraction tumor motion consistency by 42% in displacement (P<.046) and by 74% in period (P=.005). Compared with FB, AV biofeedback reduced the outlier motion ratio by 21% (P<.001). Conclusions: These results demonstrated that AV biofeedback significantly improved intra- and interfraction lung tumor motion consistency for lung cancer patients. These results demonstrate that AV biofeedback can facilitate consistent tumor motion, which is advantageous toward achieving more accurate medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures.

Biofeedback no tratamento de transtornos relacionados ao estresse e à ansiedade: uma revisão crítica Biofeedback en el tratamiento de trastornos relacionados con el estrés y la ansiedad: una revisión crítica Biofeedback in the treatment of stress and anxiety-related disorders: a critical review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo da Costa Padovani

2013-04-01

Full Text Available O treinamento em biofeedback tem sido utilizado para o tratamento de diferentes quadros clínicos e para a prevenção/alívio de sintomas relacionados ao estresse/ansiedade. Este trabalho analisou a literatura de 2008 a 2012 sobre o tema "biofeedback, estresse e ansiedade" publicada nas bases MEDLINE, LILACS e Web of Sciences, utilizando como palavras-chave "biofeedback", "anxiety", "stress", "psychology" e "biofeedback training". Os resultados demonstram que técnicas de biofeedback são eficazes no manejo do estresse/ansiedade nas diferentes populações estudadas. Entretanto, todos os estudos encontrados foram realizados fora do Brasil, o que sugere que técnicas de biofeedback como ferramenta terapêutica não tem sido utilizadas no país, por algum motivo que merece ser melhor investigado.El entrenamiento con biofeedback se ha utilizado para el tratamiento de diferentes manifestaciones clínicas y para la prevención y alivio de síntomas relacionados con el estrés/ansiedad. Este estudio analizó la literatura desde 2008 hasta 2012 sobre el tema "biofeedback, estrés y ansiedad", publicada en MEDLINE, LILACS y Web of Sciences, utilizando como palabras clave "biofeedback", "anxiety", "stress", "psychology" y "biofeedback training". Los resultados demuestran que técnicas de biofeedback son eficaces para el tratamiento del estrés y la ansiedad en diferentes poblaciones. Sin embargo, todos los estudios encontrados se realizaron fuera de Brasil, un indicador de que el biofeedback como herramienta terapéutica no ha sido utilizado en el país por una razón que debe investigarse más a fondo.Biofeedback training has been utilized for the treatment of different pathological conditions, in particular those related to stress/anxiety. This study reviews the scientific literature from 2008 to 2012 about the subject "biofeedback, stress and anxiety", published in MEDLINE, LILACS and Web of Sciences, using as keywords "biofeedback", "anxiety

Differential Biofeedback Intervention in Moderating Inhibited Performance in Soccer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soumendra Saha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Performance excellence in soccer crucially depends on mental toughness or more specifically the aspect of emotional flexibility and hardiness of the player. Since indices of projective evaluations can reveal hidden emotional crises and internal conflicts, psychobiological evaluations could substantiate with the inner emotionality revealed to provide etiological information related to performance hindrances in soccer. Present study was carried out to identify the efficacy of skin conductance (Sc biofeedback in regulation of sudomotor nerve activity (SNA and of electromyography (EMG biofeedback in regulation of peak torque and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC in modification of performance catastrophe in soccer. All of them were assessed with autonomic measures (SNA and Sc amplitude; electromyography evaluation of emotionality and MVC revealed through EMG. Forty National-selection group soccer players of Malaysia were randomly categorized into four groups (Gr. A, N = 10, no-intervention control group; Gr. B (who received Sc biofeedback training; Gr. C (received EMG biofeedback intervention and Gr. D (players who received combined training of Sc and EMG biofeedback intervention. Players of intervention groups received their respective trainings for 12 weeks (15 min.s /day for 3 days/ week. Post-intervention analyses revealed marked improvement in the soccer players who received Sc and EMG biofeedback intervention, and the combined biofeedback training was evident as most efficient intervention technique in modulating emotionality as well as muscle potentiality. Analysis of variance and repeated measure of ANOVA were done to observe shared aetiology in the form of direct, inverse and supportive relationships between psychobiological and emotional indices related to performance crises in soccer. Comprehensive understanding of the confounding relationships between subjective feelings emotionality and corroborative psychobiological indices as

Improving biofeedback for the treatment of fecal incontinence in women: implementation of a standardized multi-site manometric biofeedback protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Markland, A D; Jelovsek, J E; Whitehead, W E; Newman, D K; Andy, U U; Dyer, K; Harm-Ernandes, I; Cichowski, S; McCormick, J; Rardin, C; Sutkin, G; Shaffer, A; Meikle, S

2017-01-01

Standardized training and clinical protocols using biofeedback for the treatment of fecal incontinence (FI) are important for clinical care. Our primary aims were to develop, implement, and evaluate adherence to a standardized protocol for manometric biofeedback to treat FI. In a Pelvic Floor Disorders Network (PFDN) trial, participants were enrolled from eight PFDN clinical centers across the United States. A team of clinical and equipment experts developed biofeedback software on a novel tablet computer platform for conducting standardized anorectal manometry with separate manometric biofeedback protocols for improving anorectal muscle strength, sensation, and urge resistance. The training protocol also included education on bowel function, anal sphincter exercises, and bowel diary monitoring. Study interventionists completed online training prior to attending a centralized, standardized certification course. For the certification, expert trainers assessed the ability of the interventionists to perform the protocol components for a paid volunteer who acted as a standardized patient. Postcertification, the trainers audited interventionists during trial implementation to improve protocol adherence. Twenty-four interventionists attended the in-person training and certification, including 46% advanced practice registered nurses (11/24), 50% (12/24) physical therapists, and 4% physician assistants (1/24). Trainers performed audio audits for 88% (21/24), representing 84 audited visits. All certified interventionists met or exceeded the prespecified 80% pass rate for the audit process, with an average passing rate of 93%. A biofeedback protocol can be successfully imparted to experienced pelvic floor health care providers from various disciplines. Our process promoted high adherence to a standard protocol and is applicable to many clinical settings. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A psychoengineering paradigm for the neurocognitive mechanisms of biofeedback and neurofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaume, A; Vialatte, A; Mora-Sánchez, A; Ramdani, C; Vialatte, F B

2016-09-01

We believe that the missing keystone to design effective and efficient biofeedback and neurofeedback protocols is a comprehensive model of the mechanisms of feedback learning. In this manuscript we review the learning models in behavioral, developmental and cognitive psychology, and derive a synthetic model of the psychological perspective on biofeedback. We afterwards review the neural correlates of feedback learning mechanisms, and present a general neuroscience model of biofeedback. We subsequently show how biomedical engineering principles can be applied to design efficient feedback protocols. We finally present an integrative psychoengineering model of the feedback learning processes, and provide new guidelines for the efficient design of biofeedback and neurofeedback protocols. We identify five key properties, (1) perceptibility=can the subject perceive the biosignal?, (2) autonomy=can the subject regulate by himself?, (3) mastery=degree of control over the biosignal, (4) motivation=rewards system of the biofeedback, and (5) learnability=possibility of learning. We conclude with guidelines for the investigation and promotion of these properties in biofeedback protocols. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence and biofeedback in first-person perspective computer games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grimshaw-Aagaard, Mark Nicholas

2019-01-01

. Following the line taken by presence theorists, I differentiate between immersion, an objective measure such that computer game technology can be less or more immersive, and presence, a subjective, human response to that technology. The third section looks at current possibilities for biofeedback...... in relation to sound design for first-person perspective computer games; in line with the first section, biofeedback devices are treated as an immersive technology. I close the chapter by suggesting ways in which sound design in such games might make use of biofeedback to enhance the perception of presence...

A wearable vibrotactile biofeedback system improves balance control of healthy young adults following perturbations from quiet stance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Christina Zong-Hao; Lee, Winson Chiu-Chun

2017-10-01

Maintaining postural equilibrium requires fast reactions and constant adjustments of the center of mass (CoM) position to prevent falls, especially when there is a sudden perturbation of the support surface. During this study, a newly developed wearable feedback system provided immediate vibrotactile clues to users based on plantar force measurement, in an attempt to reduce reaction time and CoM displacement in response to a perturbation of the floor. Ten healthy young adults participated in this study. They stood on a support surface, which suddenly moved in one of four horizontal directions (forward, backward, left and right), with the biofeedback system turned on or off. The testing sequence of the four perturbation directions and the two system conditions (turned on or off) was randomized. The resulting reaction time and CoM displacement were analysed. Results showed that the vibrotactile feedback system significantly improved balance control during translational perturbations. The positive results of this preliminary study highlight the potential of a plantar force measurement based biofeedback system in improving balance under perturbations of the support surface. Future system optimizations could facilitate its application in fall prevention in real life conditions, such as standing in buses or trains that suddenly decelerate or accelerate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of biofeedback therapy in patients with chronic constipation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Univaldo Etsuo Sagae

2012-03-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of physical therapy in women diagnosed with chronic constipation using functional training of the pelvic floor (biofeedback. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From March 2009 to March 2010, 67 women with chronic constipation were prospectively evaluated. The patients were evaluated and the constipation score proposed by Agachan et al. was applied. Then, they were sent to biofeedback. These patients were divided into 2 groups: with anismus (group I: mean age of 46.90 years old and without anismus (group II: mean age of 44.89 years old and diagnosed by anorectal electromanometry. The treatment was performed with different exercises for each group, associated with some hygieno-dietetic directions. At the end of treatment, the constipation score was reapplied. RESULTS: Pre-biofeedback constipation score in group I was 15.04 (standard deviation - SD=2.48 and post-biofeedback constipation score was 3.39 (SD=1.62 (pOBJETIVO: Este trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito do tratamento fisioterapêutico, em mulheres diagnosticadas com constipação crônica, utilizando treinamento funcional do assoalho pélvico (biofeedback. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODO: No período de março de 2009 a março de 2010, foram avaliadas, prospectivamente, 67 mulheres com constipação intestinal. As pacientes foram avaliadas e o escore de constipação, proposto por Agachan et al., foi aplicado; então, foram encaminhadas ao biofeedback. Essas pacientes foram divididas em 2 grupos: com anismus (56 pacientes do grupo I: média de idade 46,90 anos e sem anismus (11 pacientes do grupo II: média de idade 44,89 anos, diagnosticadas pela eletromanometria anorretal. Para o tratamento, foram estipulados exercícios diferentes para cada grupo, associados com orientações higienodietéticas. Ao fim do tratamento, foi reaplicado o escore de constipação. RESULTADOS: O escore de constipação do grupo I, na avaliação pré-biofeedback, foi 15

Biofeedback systems and adaptive control hemodialysis treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azar Ahmad

2008-01-01

Full Text Available On-line monitoring devices to control functions such as volume, body temperature, and ultrafiltration, were considered more toys than real tools for routine clinical application. However, bio-feedback blood volume controlled hemodialysis (HD is now possible in routine dialysis, allowing the delivery of a more physiologically acceptable treatment. This system has proved to reduce the incidence of intra-HD hypotension episodes significantly. Ionic dialysance and the patient′s plasma conductivity can be calculated easily from on-line measurements at two different steps of dialysate conductivity. A bio-feedback system has been devised to calculate the patient′s plasma conductivity and modulate the conductivity of the dialysate continuously in order to achieve a desired end-dialysis patient plasma conductivity corresponding to a desired end-dialysis plasma sodium concentration. Another bio-feedback system can control the body tempe-rature by measuring it at the arterial and venous lines of the extra-corporeal circuit, and then modulating the dialysate temperature in order to stabilize the patients′ temperature at constant values that result in improved intra-HD cardiovascular stability. The module can also be used to quantify vascular access recirculation. Finally, the simultaneous computer control of ultrafiltration has proven the most effective means for automatic blood pressure stabilization during hemo-dialysis treatment. The application of fuzzy logic in the blood-pressure-guided biofeedback con-trol of ultrafiltration during hemodialysis is able to minimize HD-induced hypotension. In con-clusion, online monitoring and adaptive control of the patient during the dialysis session using the bio-feedback systems is expected to render the process of renal replacement therapy more physiological and less eventful.

Outlet obstruction constipation (anismus) managed by biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawimbe, B M; Papachrysostomou, M; Binnie, N R; Clare, N; Smith, A N

1991-10-01

Fifteen subjects presenting with intractable constipation due to obstructive defecation, mean (SEM) duration 8.8 (1.8) years, had the inappropriate contraction and electromyographic changes in the pelvic floor muscles and external and sphincter typical of this condition. An electromyographically derived index was used to grade its severity. A self applied biofeedback device was used to allow electromyographic recording of the abnormal external anal sphincter. The subjects were encouraged to reduce the abnormal electromyographic activity on straining after instruction and training. The procedure was intended as a relearning process in which the non-relaxing activity of the pelvic floor was gradually suppressed. Biofeedback training was maintained on a domiciliary basis for a mean time of 3.1 weeks and resulted in a significant reduction in the anismus index (mean (SEM) 69.9 (7.8)% before biofeedback, mean 14 (3.9)% after biofeedback, p less than 0.01). There was an associated reduction in the time spent straining at stool and in the difficulty of defecation and an increased frequency of defecation. Defecatory video proctograms in six subjects showed improvements in the anorectal angle during straining and evacuation. The clinical benefit to the patients persisted after a mean follow up of 6.2 months.

Biofeedback, voluntary control, and human potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Norris, P

1986-03-01

This paper examines some of the philosophical and scientific relationships involving self-control, voluntary control, and psychophysiologic self-regulation. The role of biofeedback in mediating conscious and unconscious processes is explored. Demonstrations of superior voluntary control and its relationship to belief, confidence, and expectation are examined. Biofeedback demonstrates the potential of control to oneself, creating confidence in one's ability to establish enhanced and peak performance in athletics, education, and psychophysiologic therapy. Emphasis is placed on the power of images in all human functioning, and in enhancing human potential.

[Biofeedback in young singer vocal training].

Science.gov (United States)

Ciochină, Paula; Ciochină, Al D; Burlui, Ada; Zaharia, D

2007-01-01

Biofeedback therapy is a learning process that is based on "operant conditioning" techniques. To estimate the significance of biofeedback to an accurate and faster control of singing voice emission. Significantly, it was discovered that professional singers active in performing of both classical and music theatre repertoire with regard to the visual-kinesthetic effect of melodic contour in musical notation as it affect vocal timbre. The results of the study also indicate that the development of new technology for youth singer vocal training, may be useful to these singers.

Biofeedback and Self-Regulation in Essential Hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

1977-09-20

SI n.c... ~ y aid ld.ruity by Mock numb.,) Biofeedback Operant condition ing Behav i oral factors in hypertension Re l axa ti on Meditation • 20...preliminary findings of a clini- cal study in which two types of biofeedback training were compared to a form of meditation in the treatment of borderline...behav ioral methods not involving the use of complex feedback techniques include progressive relaxation, medita- tion, yogic practices, autogenic

Effects of unilateral real-time biofeedback on propulsive forces during gait.

Science.gov (United States)

Schenck, Christopher; Kesar, Trisha M

2017-06-06

In individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis, reduced push-off force generation in the paretic leg negatively impacts walking function. Gait training interventions that increase paretic push-off can improve walking function in individuals with neurologic impairment. During normal locomotion, push-off forces are modulated with variations in gait speed and slope. However, it is unknown whether able-bodied individuals can selectively modulate push-off forces from one leg in response to biofeedback. Here, in a group of young, neurologically-unimpaired individuals, we determined the effects of a real-time visual and auditory biofeedback gait training paradigm aimed at unilaterally increasing anteriorly-directed ground reaction force (AGRF) in the targeted leg. Ground reaction force data during were collected from 7 able-bodied individuals as they walked at a self-selected pace on a dual-belt treadmill instrumented with force platforms. During 11-min of gait training, study participants were provided real-time AGRF biofeedback encouraging a 20-30% increase in peak AGRF generated by their right (targeted) leg compared to their baseline (pre-training) AGRF. AGRF data were collected before, during, and after the biofeedback training period, as well as during two retention tests performed without biofeedback and after standing breaks. Compared to AGRFs generated during the pre-training gait trials, participants demonstrated a significantly greater AGRF in the targeted leg during and immediately after training, indicating that biofeedback training was successful at inducing increased AGRF production in the targeted leg. Additionally, participants continued to demonstrate greater AGRF production in the targeted leg after two standing breaks, showing short-term recall of the gait pattern learned during the biofeedback training. No significant effects of training were observed on the AGRF in the non-targeted limb, showing the specificity of the effects of biofeedback toward the

An Introduction to Applications of Biofeedback Training in Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

Danskin, David G.; Lowenstein, Timothy J.

Biofeedback is the use of sensitive detectors (instruments) with visual and auditory displays to reveal to an individual minute changes in his internal physiological functions. Biofeedback training with such instruments results in the ability to voluntarily regulate physiological functions formerly believed involuntary. These physiological…

Audio-visual biofeedback for respiratory-gated radiotherapy: Impact of audio instruction and audio-visual biofeedback on respiratory-gated radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

George, Rohini; Chung, Theodore D.; Vedam, Sastry S.; Ramakrishnan, Viswanathan; Mohan, Radhe; Weiss, Elisabeth; Keall, Paul J.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Respiratory gating is a commercially available technology for reducing the deleterious effects of motion during imaging and treatment. The efficacy of gating is dependent on the reproducibility within and between respiratory cycles during imaging and treatment. The aim of this study was to determine whether audio-visual biofeedback can improve respiratory reproducibility by decreasing residual motion and therefore increasing the accuracy of gated radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: A total of 331 respiratory traces were collected from 24 lung cancer patients. The protocol consisted of five breathing training sessions spaced about a week apart. Within each session the patients initially breathed without any instruction (free breathing), with audio instructions and with audio-visual biofeedback. Residual motion was quantified by the standard deviation of the respiratory signal within the gating window. Results: Audio-visual biofeedback significantly reduced residual motion compared with free breathing and audio instruction. Displacement-based gating has lower residual motion than phase-based gating. Little reduction in residual motion was found for duty cycles less than 30%; for duty cycles above 50% there was a sharp increase in residual motion. Conclusions: The efficiency and reproducibility of gating can be improved by: incorporating audio-visual biofeedback, using a 30-50% duty cycle, gating during exhalation, and using displacement-based gating

Stress and Anxiety Management in Nursing Students: Biofeedback and Mindfulness Meditation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratanasiripong, Paul; Park, Janet F; Ratanasiripong, Nop; Kathalae, Duangrat

2015-09-01

The current study investigated the efficacy of two brief intervention programs-biofeedback and mindfulness meditation-on levels of state anxiety and perceived stress in second-year Thai nursing students as they began clinical training. Eighty-nine participants from a public nursing college in Thailand were randomly assigned to one of three groups: biofeedback group, mindfulness meditation group, or a control group. All participants were given pre- and postintervention surveys, which included demographic information; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (State Anxiety Scale); and the Perceived Stress Scale. Findings indicated that biofeedback significantly reduced anxiety and maintained stress levels in nursing students. Mindfulness meditation similarly decreased anxiety levels, while also significantly lowering stress levels. The biofeedback group exhibited significant reduction in anxiety levels among the three groups at postintervention. Despite stressors and demands nursing students experience as they begin clinical practice, study findings support the use of biofeedback and mindfulness meditation interventions to assist nursing students in managing stress and anxiety. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Biofeedback treatment of chronic constipation: myths and misconceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiarioni, G

2016-09-01

Chronic constipation is a prevalent disorder with considerable impact on healthcare costs and quality of life. Most patients would respond to conservative measures in primary care. Patients with refractory constipation are commonly referred to dedicated centers for appropriate investigations and management. After testing, three main subtypes of constipation are commonly identified: normal colon transit, slow transit, and functional defecation disorders. The etiology of functional defecation disorders is consistent with maladaptive behavior, and biofeedback therapy has been considered a valuable treatment option. Being safe and only marginally invasive, retraining has been historically employed to manage all types of refractory constipation. There are a number of strongly held beliefs about biofeedback therapy that are not evidence-based. The aim of this review was to address these beliefs concerning protocols, efficacy, indications, and safety, with a special focus on the relevance of identifying patients with a functional defecation disorder who are ideal candidates for retraining. Randomized controlled trials support the effectiveness of biofeedback therapy for severe, refractory constipation due to functional defecation disorders. Limitations of the treatment are discussed, but biofeedback remains the safest option to successfully manage this hard-to-treat subtype of constipation.

Randomised trial of biofeedback training for encopresis.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Plas, R N; Benninga, M A; Redekop, W K; Taminiau, J A; Büller, H A

1996-01-01

AIMS: To evaluate biofeedback training in children with encopresis and the effect on psychosocial function. DESIGN: Prospective controlled randomised study. PATIENT INTERVENTIONS: A multimodal treatment of six weeks. Children were randomised into two groups. Each group received dietary and toilet advice, enemas, oral laxatives, and anorectal manometry. One group also received five biofeedback training sessions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Successful treatment was defined as less than two episodes of encopresis, regular bowel movements, and no laxatives. Psychosocial function after treatment was assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist. RESULTS: Children given laxatives and biofeedback training had higher success rates than those who received laxatives alone (39% v 19%) at the end of the intervention period. At 12 and 18 months, however, approximately 50% of children in each group were successfully treated. Abnormal behaviour scores were initially observed in 35% of children. Most children had improved behaviour scores six months after treatment. Children with an initial abnormal behaviour score who were successfully treated had a significant improvement in their behavioural profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Biofeedback training had no additional effect on the success rate or behaviour scores. Psychosocial problems are present in a subgroup of children with encopresis. The relation between successful treatment and improvement in behavioural function supports the idea that encopresis has an aetiological role in the occurrence and maintenance of behavioural problems in children with encopresis. PMID:8957948

Direction of attentional focus in biofeedback treatment for /r/ misarticulation.

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister Byun, Tara; Swartz, Michelle T; Halpin, Peter F; Szeredi, Daniel; Maas, Edwin

2016-07-01

Maintaining an external direction of focus during practice is reported to facilitate acquisition of non-speech motor skills, but it is not known whether these findings also apply to treatment for speech errors. This question has particular relevance for treatment incorporating visual biofeedback, where clinician cueing can direct the learner's attention either internally (i.e., to the movements of the articulators) or externally (i.e., to the visual biofeedback display). This study addressed two objectives. First, it aimed to use single-subject experimental methods to collect additional evidence regarding the efficacy of visual-acoustic biofeedback treatment for children with /r/ misarticulation. Second, it compared the efficacy of this biofeedback intervention under two cueing conditions. In the external focus (EF) condition, participants' attention was directed exclusively to the external biofeedback display. In the internal focus (IF) condition, participants viewed a biofeedback display, but they also received articulatory cues encouraging an internal direction of attentional focus. Nine school-aged children were pseudo-randomly assigned to receive either IF or EF cues during 8 weeks of visual-acoustic biofeedback intervention. Accuracy in /r/ production at the word level was probed in three to five pre-treatment baseline sessions and in three post-treatment maintenance sessions. Outcomes were assessed using visual inspection and calculation of effect sizes for individual treatment trajectories. In addition, a mixed logistic model was used to examine across-subjects effects including phase (pre/post-treatment), /r/ variant (treated/untreated), and focus cue condition (internal/external). Six out of nine participants showed sustained improvement on at least one treated /r/ variant; these six participants were evenly divided across EF and IF treatment groups. Regression results indicated that /r/ productions were significantly more likely to be rated accurate post

The Reliability of Single Subject Statistics for Biofeedback Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bremner, Frederick J.; And Others

To test the usefulness of single subject statistical designs for biofeedback, three experiments were conducted comparing biofeedback to meditation, and to a compound stimulus recognition task. In a statistical sense, this experimental design is best described as one experiment with two replications. The apparatus for each of the three experiments…

Simultaneous EEG and EMG biofeedback for peak performance in musicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Markovska-Simoska, Silvana; Pop-Jordanova, Nada; Georgiev, Dejan

2008-07-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of alpha neurofeedback and EMG biofeedback protocols for improvement of musical performance in violinists. The sample consisted of 12 music students (10 violinists and 2 viola players) from the Faculty of Music, Skopje (3 males, mean age of 20 +/- 0 and 9 females, mean age = 20.89 +/- 2.98). Six of them had a low alpha peak frequency (APF) ( 10 Hz). The sample was randomized in two groups. The students from the experimental group participated in 20 sessions of biofeedback (alpha/EMG), combined with music practice, while the students from the control group did only music practice. Average absolute power, interhemispheric coherence in the alpha band, alpha peak frequency (APF), individual alpha band width (IABW), amount of alpha suppression (AAS) and surface forehead integrated EMG power (IEMG), as well as a score on musical performance and inventories measuring anxiety, were assessed. Alpha-EEG/EMG-biofeedback was associated with a significant increase in average alpha power, APF and IABW in all the participants and with decreases in IEMG only in high-APF musicians. The biofeedback training success was positively correlated with the alpha power, IcoH, APF, IABW and baseline level of APF and IABW. Alpha-EEG/EMG biofeedback is capable of increasing voluntary self-regulation and the quality of musical performance. The efficiency of biofeedback training depends on the baseline EEG alpha activity status, in particular the APF.

Breathing exercises with vagal biofeedback may benefit patients with functional dyspepsia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hjelland, Ina E; Svebak, Sven; Berstad, Arnold; Flatabø, Geir; Hausken, Trygve

2007-09-01

Many patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) have postprandial symptoms, impaired gastric accommodation and low vagal tone. The aim of this study was to improve vagal tone, and thereby also drinking capacity, intragastric volume and quality of life, using breathing exercises with vagal biofeedback. Forty FD patients were randomized to either a biofeedback group or a control group. The patients received similar information and care. Patients in the biofeedback group were trained in breathing exercises, 6 breaths/min, 5 min each day for 4 weeks, using specially designed software for vagal biofeedback. Effect variables included maximal drinking capacity using a drink test (Toro clear meat soup 100 ml/min), intragastric volume at maximal drinking capacity, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), skin conductance (SC) and dyspepsia-related quality of life scores. Drinking capacity and quality of life improved significantly more in the biofeedback group than in the control group (p=0.02 and p=0.01) without any significant change in baseline autonomic activity (RSA and SC) or intragastric volume. After the treatment period, RSA during breathing exercises was significantly correlated to drinking capacity (r=0.6, p=0.008). Breathing exercises with vagal biofeedback increased drinking capacity and improved quality of life in FD patients, but did not improve baseline vagal tone.

Biofeedback as Prophylaxis for Pediatric Migraine: A Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Stubberud, Anker; Varkey, Emma; McCrory, Douglas C; Pedersen, Sindre Andre; Linde, Mattias

2016-08-01

Migraine is a common problem in children and adolescents, but few satisfactory prophylactic treatments exist. Our goal was to investigate the pooled evidence for the effectiveness of using biofeedback to reduce childhood migraine. A systematic search was conducted across the databases Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and PsychINFO. Prospective, randomized controlled trials of biofeedback for migraine among children and adolescents were located in the search. Data on reduction of mean attack frequency and a series of secondary outcomes, including adverse events, were extracted. Risk of bias was also assessed. Forest plots were created by using a fixed effects model, and mean differences were reported. Five studies with a total of 137 participants met the inclusion criteria. Biofeedback reduced migraine frequency (mean difference, -1.97 [95% confidence interval (CI), -2.72 to -1.21]; P Biofeedback demonstrated no adjuvant effect when combined with other behavioral treatment; neither did it have significant advantages over active treatment. Only 40% of bias judgments were deemed as "low" risk. Methodologic issues hampered the meta-analyses. Only a few studies were possible to include, and they suffered from incomplete reporting of data and risk of bias. Biofeedback seems to be an effective intervention for pediatric migraine, but in light of the limitations, further investigation is needed to increase our confidence in the estimate. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Heart rate variability biofeedback intervention for reduction of psychological stress during the early postpartum period.

Science.gov (United States)

Kudo, Naoko; Shinohara, Hitomi; Kodama, Hideya

2014-12-01

This study examined the effectiveness of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback intervention for reduction of psychological stress in women in the early postpartum period. On postpartum day 4, 55 healthy subjects received a brief explanation about HRV biofeedback using a portable device. Among them, 25 mothers who agreed to implement HRV biofeedback at home were grouped as the biofeedback group, and other 30 mothers were grouped as the control group. At 1 month postpartum, there was a significant decrease in total Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score (P biofeedback group; this change was brought about mainly by decreases in items related to anxiety or difficulty sleeping. There was also a significant increase in standard deviation of the normal heartbeat interval (P biofeedback group after adjusting for potential covariates. In conclusion, postpartum women who implemented HRV biofeedback after delivery were relatively free from anxiety and complained less of difficulties sleeping at 1 month postpartum. Although the positive effects of HRV biofeedback may be partly attributable to intervention effects, due to its clinical outcome, HRV biofeedback appears to be recommendable for many postpartum women as a feasible health-promoting measure after childbirth.

Effects of biofeedback on obstructive defecation--reconditioning of the defecation reflex?

Science.gov (United States)

Papachrysostomou, M; Smith, A N

1994-01-01

Twenty two patients with obstructive defecation were recruited for relaxation training by domiciliary self regulatory biofeedback. Each patient served as his or her own control for anorectal and proctographic assessments. Biofeedback training improved the obstructive symptoms of the patients and showed significant change in various parameters related to the obstructive defecation syndrome. As examined by isotope dynamic proctography: the defecation rate (% of evacuation/defecation time) was significantly increased (p anismus index (p < 0.0001). The rectal sensation was improved (p < 0.05), concomitantly. Biofeedback thus improves the defecation act in patients suffering from inappropriate contraction of the pelvic floor and sphincter musculature. Furthermore, this study has shown that biofeedback objectively influences the defecation reflex leading to an improved quality of higher control of bowel function. PMID:8307478

The use of EEG Biofeedback/Neurofeedback in psychiatric rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Markiewcz, Renata

2017-12-30

The aim of the systematic review was to evaluate the use of EEG Biofeedback/Neurofeedback in patients treated for mental disorders. The review covered publications analyzing influences and effects of therapy in patients receiving psychiatric treatment based on EEG Biofeedback/Neurofeedback. Selection of publications was made by searching PubMed and Scopus databases. 328 records concerning applications of the presented method were identified in total, including 84 records for patients diagnosed with mental disorders. The analysis of studies indicates that EEG Biofeedback/Neurofeedback is used for treatment of neurological, somatic and mental disorders. Its psychiatric applications for clinically diagnosed disorders include treatmentof depression, anorexia, dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia, abuse of substances, neuroses, PTSD, and Alzheimer's disease. Research results imply that the neuromodulating effect of the therapy positively influences cognitive processes, mood, and anxiety levels. Positive effects of EEG Biofeedback confirm usefulness of this method as a main or auxiliary method in treatment of people with mental disorders. On the basis of conducted studies, it is worthwhile to consider inclusion of this method into the comprehensive neurorehabilitation activities.

[Development of an Analgesia Therapy System for Delivery Based on Bio-feedback Transcuataneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation].

Science.gov (United States)

Deng Songbo; Lu Yaosheng; Fang, Kun; Qin, Ruyi; Lin, Zhan

2015-06-01

Transcuataneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) analgesia as a non-drug method has received people's more and more attention recently. Considering problems of existing products, such as unstable performance and unsatisfied effectiveness, we developed a new analgesia therapy system for delivery based on bio-feedback TENS in our laboratory. We proposed a new idea for stimulation signal design, that is, we modulated a middle frequency signal by a traditional low frequency TENS wave in the new system. We designed different prescription waves for pain relief during a uterine contraction or massage between contractions. In the end, a bio-feedback TENS method was proposed, in which the waveforms of stimulation signals were selected and their parameters were modified automatically based on feedback from uterine pressure, etc. It was proved through quality tests and clinical trials that the system had good performance and satisfied analgesia effectiveness.

Direct manipulation of physiological arousal in induced anxiety therapy - biofeedback approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Sappington, A A

1977-10-01

This study investigated the role of physiological arousal in the affect induction phase of Induced Anxiety therapy by using biofeedback to facilitate arousal. Twenty-one college students who were suffering from free-floating anxiety were assigned randomly to one of three groups: (1) a no-treatment control group simply completed the measures before and after therapy; (2) a conventional Induced Anxiety group went through five standard Induced Anxiety sessions; and (3) biofeedback Induced Anxiety group went through a similar procedure except that biofeedback was used in the affect induction phase to facilitate heart rate increase. It was found that the biofeedback procedure did result in a greater heart rate increase during the affect induction phase arousal than did the conventional procedure (.01 level of significance), but did not facilitate subjective emotional arousal. Biofeedback Induced Anxiety resulted in a greater reduction of trait anxiety as measured by the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List than did the no-treatment group or the conventonal Induced Anxiety group. The conventional Induced Anxiety group did not differ significantly from the no-treatment control group.

Postural habits of young adults and possibilities of modification.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowotny-Czupryna, Olga; Czupryna, Krzysztof; Bąk, Krzysztof; Wróblewska, Ewa; Rottermund, Jerzy

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess postural habits in young, healthy people, identify correlations between postural errors and pain and attempt to modify bad habits. 144 people, aged 18-23 were enrolled. The intervention consisted of 4 stages: Stage 1 - identification of postural habits, description of responses to stress, back pain frequency and intensity (Jackson & Moskowitz); Stage 2 - correction of habitual position with the help of a physiotherapist, briefing about ergonomic everyday behaviours and consequences of continued non-ergonomic behaviours, Stage 3 - follow-up examination: self-assessment of changes, evaluation of the effects of modifications, determination of causes for discontinuing the behaviour modification programme, where applicable; and Stage 4 - final examination, assessment of results. Correlations were sought between inappropriate postural behaviour in various positions and between non-ergonomic postural behaviour and pain location and response to stress. Statistical analysis was carried out with Excel and Statistica v. 7.1. A non-parametric χ(2) test was used at phabit. 3. An attempt to modify non-ergonomic postural behaviours usually results in pain, which may act as a demotivating factor. 4. Discomfort associated with the modification of habitual postural behaviours is reduced after 3-4 months of regular training.

Efficacy of Alfa EEG wave biofeedback in the management of anxiety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pookala Bhat

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Biofeedback is a technique in which people are trained to improve their health by learning to control certain internal bodily processes that normally occur involuntarily. Various studies in the past have shown usefulness of Alfa electroencephalographic (EEG biofeedback in the alleviation of anxiety symptoms. Though most of the psychiatric centers in the armed forces have this facility, not much work has been done in our setup to assess its efficacy in the management of anxiety. Hence this study was undertaken. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in a multispecialty Command Hospital by enrolling 100 patients with psychiatric diagnosis from both inpatient and outpatient services. The anxiety level was assessed clinically and by using Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Taylor′s Manifest Anxiety Scale. One group of 50 patients was treated with Alfa EEG biofeedback sessions only, 5 times in a week for 8 weeks, along with specific pharmacotherapy. The other group was treated with appropriate dose of anxiolytics. The anxiety level was reassessed after 4 weeks and 8 weeks. Results: The response was better for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder with pharmacotherapy than with the biofeedback, but female patients showed better response with EEG biofeedback. Conclusion: In the short term, Alfa EEG biofeedback therapy is almost as efficacious as pharmacological intervention in the management of anxiety symptoms, and relatively more useful in females.

Effect of neurofeedback and electromyographic-biofeedback therapy on improving hand function in stroke patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Rayegani, S M; Raeissadat, S A; Sedighipour, L; Rezazadeh, I Mohammad; Bahrami, M H; Eliaspour, D; Khosrawi, S

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of applying electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback (neurobiofeedback) or electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback to conventional occupational therapy (OT) on improving hand function in stroke patients. This study was designed as a preliminary clinical trial. Thirty patients with stroke were entered the study. Hand function was evaluated by Jebsen Hand Function Test pre and post intervention. Patients were allocated to 3 intervention cohorts: (1) OT, (2) OT plus EMG-biofeedback therapy, and (3) OT plus neurofeedback therapy. All patients received 10 sessions of conventional OT. Patients in cohorts 2 and 3 also received EMG-biofeedback and neurofeedback therapy, respectively. EMG-biofeedback therapy was performed to strengthen the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscle. Neurofeedback training was aimed at enhancing sensorimotor rhythm after mental motor imagery. Hand function was improved significantly in the 3 groups. The spectral power density of the sensorimotor rhythm band in the neurofeedback group increased after mental motor imagery. Maximum and mean contraction values of electrical activities of the APB muscle during voluntary contraction increased significantly after EMG-biofeedback training. Patients in the neurofeedback and EMG-biofeedback groups showed hand improvement similar to conventional OT. Further studies are suggested to assign the best protocol for neurofeedback and EMG-biofeedback therapy.

Biofeedback interventions for people with cerebral palsy: a systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

MacIntosh, Alexander; Vignais, Nicolas; Biddiss, Elaine

2017-01-13

Cerebral palsy is a life-long disability that affects motor control and activities of daily living. Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, some individuals may have trouble performing tasks with one or both of their arms and/or legs. Different strategies exist to help develop motor capacity. Biofeedback therapy is a commonly applied rehabilitation strategy. In biofeedback therapy, information about the motor behavior while completing a task is given back to the individual to help improve their performance. This can provide valuable information that would otherwise be unknown to the individual. Biofeedback may also have a unique method of operation in clinical populations, such as people with cerebral palsy. Therefore, it is important to identify the most effective mechanisms for specific populations. This review aims to evaluate the effects of biofeedback interventions that have been used towards improving motor performance and motor learning in people with cerebral palsy. Using a customized strategy, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus, and PEDro databases will be searched. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, review full texts for inclusion criteria, and extract data from relevant articles using a standardized template. Quality of evidence and risk of bias will be assessed through the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. Several studies have investigated biofeedback-based interventions for people with cerebral palsy. However, there is a great variety and limited consensus regarding how to implement biofeedback mechanisms. This systematic review will consolidate the current evidence to direct future study and develop effective biofeedback rehabilitation strategies. PROSPERO ID: CRD42016047612.

Biofeedback and neurofeedback application in the treatment of migraine.

Science.gov (United States)

Martic-Biocina, Sanja; Zivoder, Ivana; Kozina, Goran

2017-09-01

Biofeedback is a non-invasive method of measurement of physiological functions. Precise instruments measure the slightest changes of different body functions-which are then in a clear and understandable manner shown in the form of feedback. Person gets an insight into what is going on inside the body and thus learns to change the patterns of behavior to improve health and performance. Any changes that are wanted are rewarded, which leads to learning of the new patterns of behavior. Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback which uses electrical activity in the brain. Certain disorders are associated with specific patterns of brain activity, and through neurofeedback it is possible to reduce or even remove symptoms of some disorders. In the treatment of migraine different biofeedback methods- such as breathing, training of vasoconstriction/vasodilatation and neurofeedback, may be applied. This paper will describe the successful treatment of 25 years old girl who suffered for many years from painful migraine. She had in total 25 treatments during which listed biofeedback methods were used. The first part of the treatment was neurofeedback training on the central sensorimotor area, followed by respiration training and at the end by biofeedback training of vasoconstriction/vasodilatation. The final result of the treatment was significant reduce in the frequency of migraine attacks and the pain reduction. Further study, have to be done with more patients and with placebo group to scientifically prove the effectiveness of the method.

Ultrasound biofeedback treatment for persisting childhood apraxia of speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Jonathan L; Brick, Nickole; Landi, Nicole

2013-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a treatment program that includes ultrasound biofeedback for children with persisting speech sound errors associated with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Six children ages 9-15 years participated in a multiple baseline experiment for 18 treatment sessions during which treatment focused on producing sequences involving lingual sounds. Children were cued to modify their tongue movements using visual feedback from real-time ultrasound images. Probe data were collected before, during, and after treatment to assess word-level accuracy for treated and untreated sound sequences. As participants reached preestablished performance criteria, new sequences were introduced into treatment. All participants met the performance criterion (80% accuracy for 2 consecutive sessions) on at least 2 treated sound sequences. Across the 6 participants, performance criterion was met for 23 of 31 treated sequences in an average of 5 sessions. Some participants showed no improvement in untreated sequences, whereas others showed generalization to untreated sequences that were phonetically similar to the treated sequences. Most gains were maintained 2 months after the end of treatment. The percentage of phonemes correct increased significantly from pretreatment to the 2-month follow-up. A treatment program including ultrasound biofeedback is a viable option for improving speech sound accuracy in children with persisting speech sound errors associated with CAS.

A Wearable Respiratory Biofeedback System Based on Generalized Body Sensor Network

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Guan-Zheng; Huang, Bang-Yu

2011-01-01

Abstract Wearable medical devices have enabled unobtrusive monitoring of vital signs and emerging biofeedback services in a pervasive manner. This article describes a wearable respiratory biofeedback system based on a generalized body sensor network (BSN) platform. The compact BSN platform was tailored for the strong requirements of overall system optimizations. A waist-worn biofeedback device was designed using the BSN. Extensive bench tests have shown that the generalized BSN worked as intended. In-situ experiments with 22 subjects indicated that the biofeedback device was discreet, easy to wear, and capable of offering wearable respiratory trainings. Pilot studies on wearable training patterns and resultant heart rate variability suggested that paced respirations at abdominal level and with identical inhaling/exhaling ratio were more appropriate for decreasing sympathetic arousal and increasing parasympathetic activities. PMID:21545293

Assessment of the effectiveness of biofeedback in children with dyssynergic defecation and recalcitrant constipation/encopresis: does home biofeedback improve long-term outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Croffie, Joseph M; Ammar, M Samer; Pfefferkorn, Marian D; Horn, Debra; Klipsch, Ann; Fitzgerald, Joseph F; Gupta, Sandeep K; Molleston, Jean P; Corkins, Mark R

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether biofeedback benefits children with dyssynergic defecation and constipation/encopresis, and whether home biofeedback improves long-term outcomes. Thirty-six patients with chronic constipation who had failed at least 6 months of conventional treatment and demonstrated dyssynergic defecation at anorectal manometry were randomized to biofeedback in the laboratory alone (group 1, n=24) or in the laboratory and at home (group 2, n=12) and followed up at 2, 4, and a mean of 44 months. Thirty patients were available for long-term follow-up. Bowel movements increased in all from a mean of 1.4/week to 5.1, 5.8, and 5.1 per week at 2 months, 4 months, and long-term, respectively (p < or = 0.001). Soiling decreased in all from a mean of 5.5/week to 0.6, 0.1, and 1 per week at 2 months, 4 months, and long-term, respectively (p < or = 0.001). Laxative use decreased from a mean of 4.1 days/week to 0.6, 0.3, and 0.7 per week at 2 months, 4 months, and long-term, respectively (p < or = 0.001). Twenty-seven of 30 parents ranked their satisfaction a mean of 2.2 (range 1-excellent to 3-good). There were no significant differences in outcomes between the laboratory alone group and the laboratory plus home group. Biofeedback is beneficial for some children with chronic constipation and dyssynergic defecation. Supplemental home biofeedback does not improve long-term outcomes.

Effect of visual biofeedback of posterior tongue movement on articulation rehabilitation in dysarthria patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Yano, J; Shirahige, C; Oki, K; Oisaka, N; Kumakura, I; Tsubahara, A; Minagi, S

2015-08-01

Articulation is driven by various combinations of movements of the lip, tongue, soft palate, pharynx and larynx, where the tongue plays an especially important role. In patients with cerebrovascular disorder, lingual motor function is often affected, causing dysarthria. We aimed to evaluate the effect of visual biofeedback of posterior tongue movement on articulation rehabilitation in dysarthria patients with cerebrovascular disorder. Fifteen dysarthria patients (10 men and 5 women; mean age, 70.7 ± 10.3 years) agreed to participate in this study. A device for measuring the movement of the posterior part of the tongue was used for the visual biofeedback. Subjects were instructed to produce repetitive articulation of [ka] as fast and steadily as possible between a lungful with/without visual biofeedback. For both the unaffected and affected sides, the range of ascending and descending movement of the posterior tongue with visual biofeedback was significantly larger than that without visual biofeedback. The coefficient of variation for these movements with visual biofeedback was significantly smaller than that without visual biofeedback. With visual biofeedback, the range of ascent exhibited a significant and strong correlation with that of descent for both the unaffected and affected sides. The results of this study revealed that the use of visual biofeedback leads to prompt and preferable change in the movement of the posterior part of the tongue. From the standpoint of pursuing necessary rehabilitation for patients with attention and memory disorders, visualization of tongue movement would be of marked clinical benefit. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of heart rate variability biofeedback in patients with preterm labour.

Science.gov (United States)

Siepmann, Martin; Hennig, Una-Dorothea; Siepmann, Timo; Nitzsche, Katharina; Mück-Weymann, Michael; Petrowski, Katja; Weidner, Kerstin

2014-03-01

Preterm birth is a highly prevalent phenomenon that was shown to be associated with mental stress during pregnancy (Rich-Edwards and Grizzard in Am J Obstet Gynecol 192(5 Suppl):S30-S35, 2005). We aimed to assess the effects of heart rate variability (HRV)-biofeedback in patients with preterm labour. Therefore, we conducted a controlled randomized parallel group study in 48 female patients aged 19-38 years (median = 29) with preterm labour at gestational week 24th-32nd (median = 29th). In this study, one group (n = 24) attended six sessions of HRV-biofeedback over 2 weeks whereas patients of the other group (n = 24) were assigned to control sessions. In the HRV-biofeedback treated group, perception of chronic stress was decreased 4 weeks after completion of training compared to baseline (p biofeedback group, preterm birth was seen in 3 patients (13 %) whereas in the control group, preterm delivery occurred in 8 patients (33 %, p = n.s.). There was no difference in birth weight between groups and HRV remained unchanged. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that HRV-biofeedback can reduce chronic stress in patients with preterm labour when administered as an adjunct to routine care. However, it remains unclear whether stress reduction through HRV-biofeedback has a beneficial effect on preterm birth.

Light and heavy touch reduces postural sway and modifies axial tone in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Franzén, Erika; Paquette, Caroline; Gurfinkel, Victor; Horak, Fay

2012-10-01

Light touch with a stable object reduces postural sway by increasing axial postural tone in healthy subjects. However, it is unknown whether subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD), who have more postural sway and higher axial postural tone than healthy subjects, can benefit from haptic touch. To investigate the effect of light and heavy touch on postural stability and hip tone in subjects with PD. Fourteen subjects with mid-stage PD and 14 healthy control subjects were evaluated during quiet standing with eyes closed with their arms (a) crossed, (b) lightly touching a fixed rigid bar in front of them, and (c) firmly gripping the bar. Postural sway was measured with a forceplate, and axial hip tone was quantified using a unique device that measures the resistance of the hips to yaw rotation while maintaining active stance. Subjects with PD significantly decreased their postural sway with light or heavy touch (P touch, hip tone was larger in PD subjects. With touch, however, tone values were similar in both groups. This change in hip tone with touch was highly correlated with the initial amount of tone (PD, r = -.72 to -.95; controls, r = -.74 to -.85). The authors showed, for the first time, that subjects with PD benefit from touch similarly to control subjects and that despite higher axial postural tone, PD subjects are able to modulate their tone with touch. Future studies should investigate the complex relationship between touch and postural tone.

Characterizing the Learning Effect in Response to Biofeedback Aimed at Reducing Tibial Acceleration during Running

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linda M. A. van Gelder

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Increased tibial acceleration has been found to be an important risk factor for tibial stress fractures. Interventions aimed at reducing this variable which found a beneficial effect include the use of biofeedback in gait retraining. However, no studies have focused on the time participants take to modify tibial acceleration, therefore we aimed to find the start of a learning plateau in this study. Six participants ran on a treadmill while multisensory feedback was given. A single-subject analysis was used to characterise the learning effects. All participants changed peak tibial acceleration within the first step of running in the feedback condition. Two participants further reduced tibial acceleration to reach a plateau within 120 steps. In four of the six participants a strong effect of the feedback was still present after a week. Further research is needed to optimise the use of biofeedback in reducing the prevalence of tibial stress fractures.

Patterns of anismus and the relation to biofeedback therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, U C; Choi, S K; Piccirillo, M F; Verzaro, R; Wexner, S D

1996-07-01

A study was undertaken to assess physiologic characteristics and clinical significance of anismus. Specifically, we sought to assess patterns of anismus and the relation of these findings to the success of therapy. Sixty-eight patients were found to have anismus based on history and diagnostic criteria including anismus by defecography and at least one of three additional tests: anorectal manometry, electromyography, or colonic transit time study. Interpretation of defecography was based on the consensus of at least three of four observers. Anal canal hypertonia (n = 32) was defined when mean and maximum resting pressures were at least 1 standard deviation higher than those in 63 controls. There were two distinct defecographic patterns of anismus: Type A (n = 26), a flattened anorectal angle without definitive puborectalis indentation but a closed anal canal; Type B (n = 42), a clear puborectalis indentation, narrow anorectal angle, and closed anal canal. Outcomes of 57 patients who had electromyographybased biofeedback therapy were reported as either improved or unimproved at a mean follow-up of 23.7 (range, 6-62) months. These two types of anismus were compared with biofeedback outcome to assess clinical relevance. Patients with Type A anismus showed greater perineal descent at rest (mean, 5.1 vs. 3.5 cm; P anismus. Only 25 percent of patients who had Type A anismus with anal canal hypertonia were improved by biofeedback therapy. Conversely, 86 percent of patients with Type B anismus without anal canal hypertonia were successfully treated with biofeedback (P anismus correlate with the success of biofeedback treatment. Therefore, knowledge of these patterns may help direct therapy.

Effects of real-time gait biofeedback on paretic propulsion and gait biomechanics in individuals post-stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Genthe, Katlin; Schenck, Christopher; Eicholtz, Steven; Zajac-Cox, Laura; Wolf, Steven; Kesar, Trisha M

2018-04-01

Objectives Gait training interventions that target paretic propulsion induce improvements in walking speed and function in individuals post-stroke. Previously, we demonstrated that able-bodied individuals increase propulsion unilaterally when provided real-time biofeedback targeting anterior ground reaction forces (AGRF). The purpose of this study was to, for the first time, investigate short-term effects of real-time AGRF gait biofeedback training on post-stroke gait. Methods Nine individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis (6 females, age = 54 ± 12.4 years 39.2 ± 24.4 months post-stroke) completed three 6-minute training bouts on an instrumented treadmill. During training, visual and auditory biofeedback were provided to increase paretic AGRF during terminal stance. Gait biomechanics were evaluated before training, and during retention tests conducted 2, 15, and 30 minutes post-training. Primary dependent variables were paretic and non-paretic peak AGRF; secondary variables included paretic and non-paretic peak trailing limb angle, plantarflexor moment, and step length. In addition to evaluating the effects of biofeedback training on these dependent variables, we compared effects of a 6-minute biofeedback training bout to a non-biofeedback control condition. Results Compared to pre-training, significantly greater paretic peak AGRFs were generated during the 2, 15, and 30-minute retention tests conducted after the 18-minute biofeedback training session. Biofeedback training induced no significant effects on the non-paretic leg. Comparison of a 6-minute biofeedback training bout with a speed-matched control bout without biofeedback demonstrated a main effect for training type, with greater peak AGRF generation during biofeedback. Discussion Our results suggest that AGRF biofeedback may be a feasible and promising gait training strategy to target propulsive deficits in individuals post-stroke.

Biofeedback effectiveness to reduce upper limb muscle activity during computer work is muscle specific and time pressure dependent

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedsted, Pernille; Søgaard, Karen; Blangsted, Anne Katrine

2011-01-01

trapezius (TRA) can reduce bilateral TRA activity but not extensor digitorum communis (EDC) activity; (2) biofeedback from EDC can reduce activity in EDC but not in TRA; (3) biofeedback is more effective in no time constraint than in the time constraint working condition. Eleven healthy women performed......Continuous electromyographic (EMG) activity level is considered a risk factor in developing muscle disorders. EMG biofeedback is known to be useful in reducing EMG activity in working muscles during computer work. The purpose was to test the following hypotheses: (1) unilateral biofeedback from...... computer work during two different working conditions (time constraint/no time constraint) while receiving biofeedback. Biofeedback was given from right TRA or EDC through two modes (visual/auditory) by the use of EMG or mechanomyography as biofeedback source. During control sessions (no biofeedback), EMG...

Objective versus subjective outcome measures of biofeedback: what really matters?

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Amanda; Rudick, Kristen; Richter, Meg; Zderic, Stephen

2014-08-01

Clinical epidemiologic studies suggest that once established, voiding dysfunction can become a lifelong condition if not treated correctly early on in life. Biofeedback is one component of a voiding retraining program to help children with voiding dysfunction. Our goal was to compare objective non-invasive urodynamic data obtained during office biofeedback sessions with patient reported voiding symptom scores. Charts of 55 children referred in 2010 for pelvic floor muscle biofeedback therapy for urinary incontinence were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with any anatomic diagnoses were excluded. Forty-seven (86%) females and eight males (14%) with a mean age of 8.2 years made up the cohort. Uroflow curves, voided volumes, and post-void residuals were recorded at each visit and served as objective data. Volumes were normalized as a percentage of expected bladder capacity according to age. The patient reported symptom score and patient reported outcome (improved, no change or worse) served as subjective measures of intervention. The primary referral diagnoses were day and night wetting in 37 (67%) and daytime incontinence in 18 (33%) children. A history of urinary tract infection (UTI) was noted in 32 (64%) patients, and 25% were maintained on antibiotic prophylaxis during the study period. Twenty-nine percent were maintained on anticholinergic medication. Patients attended an average of 2.5 biofeedback sessions. Voided volumes and post void residual volumes were unchanged, 50% of the abnormal uroflow curves normalized over the course of treatment (p biofeedback were rated an improved in 26 (47%), no change in 15 (27%), worse in three (5%) patients, and not rated in 11 patients (21%). Pelvic floor muscle biofeedback is associated with patient-reported improvement in symptoms, reduction in voiding symptom score, and normalization of uroflow curves, but these improvements are not correlated with objective parameters of voided volumes and post-void residual urine

Integrating Course Work With Field Work Placements in Undergraduate Clinical Biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Motiff, James P.

The three major aspects of the clinical biofeedback experience for undergraduates at Hope College, Holland, Michigan are presented in terms of the academic program, the actual clinical experience, and the procedures for becoming certified as a "biofeedback assistant." The academic program is detailed, including the requirements for…

Enhancing Intervention for Residual Rhotic Errors Via App-Delivered Biofeedback: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Tara McAllister; Campbell, Heather; Carey, Helen; Liang, Wendy; Park, Tae Hong; Svirsky, Mario

2017-06-22

Recent research suggests that visual-acoustic biofeedback can be an effective treatment for residual speech errors, but adoption remains limited due to barriers including high cost and lack of familiarity with the technology. This case study reports results from the first participant to complete a course of visual-acoustic biofeedback using a not-for-profit iOS app, Speech Therapist's App for /r/ Treatment. App-based biofeedback treatment for rhotic misarticulation was provided in weekly 30-min sessions for 20 weeks. Within-treatment progress was documented using clinician perceptual ratings and acoustic measures. Generalization gains were assessed using acoustic measures of word probes elicited during baseline, treatment, and maintenance sessions. Both clinician ratings and acoustic measures indicated that the participant significantly improved her rhotic production accuracy in trials elicited during treatment sessions. However, these gains did not transfer to generalization probes. This study provides a proof-of-concept demonstration that app-based biofeedback is a viable alternative to costlier dedicated systems. Generalization of gains to contexts without biofeedback remains a challenge that requires further study. App-delivered biofeedback could enable clinician-research partnerships that would strengthen the evidence base while providing enhanced treatment for children with residual rhotic errors. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5116318.

The benefit of heart rate variability biofeedback and relaxation training in reducing trait anxiety†

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jieun; Kim, Jung K; Wachholtz, Amy

2016-01-01

Previous research studies have indicated that biofeedback treatment and relaxation techniques are effective in reducing psychological and physical symptoms (Hammond, 2005; Manzoni, G. M., Pagnini, F., Castelnuovo, G., & Molinari, E., 2008). However, dearth of studies has compared heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback treatment and relaxation training to reduce trait anxiety. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of HRV biofeedback treatment and relaxation training in reducing trait anxiety compared to control group without any treatment using students in a science and engineering university of South Korea. For the present study, a total of 15 graduate students with moderate level of trait anxiety were recruited for 4 individual sessions every two weeks. They were randomly assigned into three groups: biofeedback treatment (n = 5), relaxation training (n = 5), and no treatment control group (n = 5). Our results revealed significant difference in change score of trait anxiety between the HRV biofeedback treatment and the no treatment control group. However, no significant difference was found between the relaxation training group and the no treatment control group. In addition, there was no significant difference between the HRV biofeedback treatment and the relaxation training. Results of the present study indicate that there is potential benefit in utilizing HRV biofeedback treatment for stress management programs and/or anxiety reduction treatment PMID:27099546

Impact of biofeedback on self-efficacy and stress reduction in obesity: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Teufel, Martin; Stephan, Kerstin; Kowalski, Axel; Käsberger, Saskia; Enck, Paul; Zipfel, Stephan; Giel, Katrin E

2013-09-01

Biofeedback application is an evidence-based technique to induce relaxation. A primary mechanism of action is the improvement of self-efficacy, which is needed to facilitate the translation of health behavioral intentions into action. Obesity is often associated with low self-efficacy and dysfunctional eating patterns, including comfort eating as an inexpedient relaxation technique. This is the first study investigating the effects of biofeedback on self-efficacy and relaxation in obesity. In the present experiment, 31 women, mean body mass index 35.5 kg/m², were randomized to a food-specific biofeedback paradigm, a non-specific relaxation biofeedback paradigm, or a waiting list control. Eight sessions of biofeedback of the electrodermal activity were performed while presenting either a challenging food stimulus or a non-specific landscape stimulus. Self-efficacy, stress, ability to relax, eating behavior, and electrodermal activity were assessed before, directly after, and 3 months after the intervention. The food-specific biofeedback predominantly showed effects on food-related self-efficacy and perceived stress. The non-specific relaxation biofeedback showed effects on the ability to relax. Self-reported improvements were confirmed by corresponding decrease in the electrodermal reaction to food stimuli. Biofeedback treatment is effective in improving self-efficacy in individuals with obesity and might therefore be a valuable additional intervention in obesity treatment.

DEEP: A biofeedback virtual reality game for children at-risk for anxiety

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rooij, M.M.J.W. van; Lobel, A.M.; Harris, O.; Smit, N.; Granic, I.

2016-01-01

Biofeedback games have the potential to make gaming a deeply personal experience by linking the gamespace to each player's physiological state. First, this paper describes the psycho-educational potential of the horror-themed biofeedback game Nevermind. In Nevermind, players' heart rate is

Designing and utilizing biofeedback games for emotion regulation: The case of Nevermind

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lobel, A.M.; Gotsis, M.; Reynolds, E.; Annetta, M.; Engels, R.C.M.E.; Granic, I.

2016-01-01

Biofeedback games have the potential to make gaming a deeply personal experience by linking the gamespace to each player's physiological state. First, this paper describes the psycho-educational potential of the horror-themed biofeedback game Nevermind. In Nevermind, players' heart rate is

Biofeedback on heart rate variability in cardiac rehabilitation: practical feasibility and psycho-physiological effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Climov, Daniela; Lysy, Camille; Berteau, Sylvain; Dutrannois, Jacques; Dereppe, Hubert; Brohet, Christian; Melin, Jacques

2014-06-01

Biofeedback is a self-regulation therapy by which the patient learns how to optimize the functioning of his autonomic nervous system. It has been applied to patients with various cardiovascular disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practical feasibility and the psychophysiological effects of biofeedback applied to heart rate variability (HRV biofeedback) in order to increase cardiac coherence in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients participating in a cardiac rehabilitation programme. In this randomised and controlled study, 31 CAD patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or to a control group. The experimental group participated in a programme of 10 sessions of cardiac coherence biofeedback training, in addition to the rehabilitation programme. The control group participated in the usual cardiac rehabilitation programme only. Physiological variables (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, SDNN) and psychosocial variables (anxiety, depression, type D personality) were measured at the start and at the end of the programme in both groups. Statistical comparisons assessed the inter and intra group differences. The small sample size precludes any firm conclusions concerning the effect of cardiac coherence biofeedback on physiological or psychological variables. However, we observed a significant increase of the percentage of cardiac coherence, in relation with an increased SDNN index. Our study demonstrated the practical feasibility of cardiac coherence biofeedback training in CAD patients. Further research is desirable to investigate the potential benefit of cardiac coherence biofeedback as an adjunct to stress management in cardiac rehabilitation.

Occupational stress, relaxation therapies, exercise and biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Franklin

2001-01-01

Occupational stress is a widespread occurrence in the United States. It is a contributing factor to absenteeism, disease, injury and lowered productivity. In general stress management programs in the work place that include relaxation therapies, exercise, and biofeedback have been shown to reduce the physiological symptoms such as hypertension, and increase job satisfaction and job performance. Strategies to implement a successful stress management program include incorporating the coping activities into one's daily schedule, monitoring one's symptoms and stressors, and being realistic in setting up a schedule that is relevant and attainable. A short form of meditation, daily exercise program and the use of heart rate or thermal biofeedback can be helpful to a worker experiencing occupational stress.

Visual Biofeedback using trans-perineal ultrasound during the second stage of labor.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilboa, Yinon; Frenkel, Tahl I; Schlesinger, Yael; Rousseau, Sofie; Hamiel, Daniel; Achiron, Reuven; Perlman, Sharon

2017-11-20

to assess the obstetrical and psychological effect of visual biofeedback using trans-perineal ultrasound (TPU) during the second stage of labor. Visual biofeedback using TPU was performed prospectively during the second stage of labor in twenty-six low risk nulliparous women. Pushing efficacy was assessed by the angle of progression at rest and during pushing efforts before and after observing the ultrasound screen. Obstetrical outcomes included level of perineal tearing, mode of delivery and length of the second stage. Psychological outcomes were assessed via self-report measures during the postnatal hospital stay. These included measures of perceived control and maternal satisfaction with childbirth as well as level of maternal feelings of connectedness toward her newborn. Obstetrical and psychological results were compared to a control group (n=69) who received standard obstetrical coaching by midwifes. Pushing efficacy significantly increased following visual biofeedback by TPU (p = 0.01). A significant association was found between the visual biofeedback and an intact perineum following delivery (p = 0.03). No significant differences were found in regard to mode of delivery or the length of the second stage. Feelings of maternal connectedness towards the newborn were significantly higher in the visual biofeedback group relative to non-biofeedback controls (p = 0.003). The results of this pilot study implicate that TPU may serve as a complementary tool to coached maternal pushing during the second stage of labor with obstetrical as well as psychological benefits. Further studies are required to confirm our findings and define the exact timing for optimal results. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Light and heavy touch reduces postural sway and modifies axial tone in Parkinson’s disease

Science.gov (United States)

Franzén, Erika; Paquette, Caroline; Gurfinkel, Victor; Horak, Fay

2014-01-01

Background Light touch with a stable object reduces postural sway by increasing axial postural tone in healthy subjects. However, it is unknown whether subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD), who have more postural sway and higher axial postural tone than healthy subjects, can benefit from haptic touch. Objective To investigate the effect of light and heavy touch on postural stability and hip tone in subjects with PD. Methods Fourteen subjects with mid-stage PD, and 14 healthy control subjects were evaluated during quiet standing with eyes closed with their arms: 1) crossed, 2) lightly touching a fixed rigid bar in front of them and 3) firmly gripping the bar. Postural sway was measured with a forceplate and axial hip tone was quantified using a unique device that measures the resistance of the hips to yaw rotation while maintaining active stance. Results Subjects with PD significantly decreased their postural sway with light or heavy touch (ptouch, hip tone was larger in PD subjects. With touch, however, tone values were similar in both groups. This change in hip tone with touch was highly correlated with the initial amount of tone (PD: r=− 0.72 to −0.95 and controls: r=−0.74 to−0.85). Conclusions We showed, for the first time, that subjects with PD benefit from touch similarly to control subjects and that despite higher axial postural tone, PD subjects are able to modulate their tone with touch. Future studies should investigate the complex relationship between touch and postural tone. PMID:22415944

Biofeedback therapy combined with diet to treating ODS (Anismus: 2 years outcome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fakhryalsadat Anaraki

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Object: The advantages of biofeedback therapy along with diet in patients with constipation are among the issues discussed nowadays. The aim of this study was to evaluate 2 years outcome of biofeedback therapy along with diet in patients with obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS (Anismus. Methodology: The focus of this prospective study is a group of 129 patients with ODS constipation, who were referred to two tertiary-care referral academic centers from 2013 to 2016. Patients received biofeedback therapy combined with appropriate diet in cases group and received diet in controls group. Good response was defined as a subject with at least 50 percent improvement from before to after biofeedback therapy on a Cleveland Clinic Florida Constipation Scoring System (CCF. Factors associated with better outcome were analyzed using SPSS 20 software. Results: Out of the 129 patients, 112 patients (86.8% were female. The mean age of patients was 42.44 ± 15.05 years. The mean CCF score of the patients before and after biofeedback therapy was 12.41 ± 4.39 and 6.00 ± 3.28 respectively in case group (p-value < 0.001. In addition, the mean CCF score of the patients before and after diet therapy was 12.82 ± 4.85 and 9.43 ± 3.79 respectively in control group (p-value < 0.001. While CCF score in both case and control groups reduced significantly after therapy, the rate of this reduction was higher in case group (p < 0.001. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that biofeedback therapy combined with diet will improve patients outcome in ODS constipation. Prospective clinical trials with larger sample sizes are recommend allowing for causal correlations. Resumo: Objetivo: As vantagens da terapia por biofeedback, juntamente com a dieta, em pacientes com constipação se situam entre os tópicos atualmente em discussão. O objetvo desse estudo foi avaliar os resultados, após 2 anos, da terapia por biofeedback associada à dieta em pacientes com s

The effect of a single session of short duration biofeedback-induced deep breathing on measures of heart rate variability during laboratory-induced cognitive stress: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Prinsloo, Gabriell E; Derman, Wayne E; Lambert, Michael I; Laurie Rauch, H G

2013-06-01

This study examines the acute effect of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback on HRV measures during and immediately after biofeedback and during the following laboratory-induced stress. Eighteen healthy males exposed to work-related stress were randomised into an HRV biofeedback group (BIO) or a comparative group (COM). Subjects completed a modified Stroop task before (Stroop 1) and after (Stroop 2) the intervention. Both groups had similar physiological responses to stress in Stroop 1. In Stroop 2, the COM group responded similarly to the way they did to Stroop 1: respiratory frequency (RF) and heart rate (HR) increased, RMSSD and high frequency (HF) power decreased or had a tendency to decrease, while low frequency (LF) power showed no change. The BIO group responded differently in Stroop 2: while RF increased and LF power decreased, HR, RMSSD and HF power showed no change. In the BIO group, RMSSD was higher in Stroop 2 compared to Stroop 1. In conclusion, HRV biofeedback induced a short term carry-over effect during both the following rest period and laboratory-induced stress suggesting maintained HF vagal modulation in the BIO group after the intervention, and maintained LF vagal modulation in the COM group.

Biofeedback for stress reduction: towards a brigth future for a revitalized field

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van den Broek, E.L.; Westerink, J.H.D.

2012-01-01

Stress has recently been baptized as the black death of the 21st century, which illustrates its threat to current health standards. Thisarticle proposes biofeedback systems as a means to reduce stress. Aconcise state-ofthe-art introduction on biofeedback systems is given. The field of mental health

Temperature biofeedback and sleep: limited findings and methodological challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

De Koninck J

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Geneviève Forest,1,2 Cameron van den Heuvel,3 Kurt Lushington,4 Joseph De Koninck21Sleep Laboratory, Département de Psychoéducation et de Psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada; 2Sleep and Dreams Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; 3Research Branch University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; 4School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia, South Australia, AustraliaAbstract: Given the close link between body temperature and sleep, the perspective of manipulating core and peripheral temperature by self-regulation techniques is very appealing. We report here on a series of attempts conducted independently in two laboratories to use self-regulation (biofeedback of oral (central and hand (peripheral temperature, and measured the impact on sleep-onset latency, sleep architecture, and circadian phase. We found that hand temperature was more successful than oral temperature biofeedback. Moreover, an increase in hand temperature was associated with reduced sleep-onset latency. However, most participants found the procedure difficult to implement. The temperature response to biofeedback was reduced in the aged and weakest at the time of sleep onset, and there was not a systematic relationship between the change in temperature and change in sleep latency. Methodological limitations and individual differences may account for these results. Recommendations for future research are presented.Keywords: biofeedback, core body temperature, sleep, circadian rhythm, sleep onset

Portable EMG devices, Biofeedback and Contingent Electrical Stimulation applications in Bruxism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castrillon, Eduardo

Portable EMG devices, Biofeedback and Contingent Electrical Stimulation applications in Bruxism Eduardo Enrique, Castrillon Watanabe, DDS, MSc, PhD Section of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Department of Dentistry, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neuroscience...... Summary: Bruxism is a parafunctional activity, which involves the masticatory muscles and probably it is as old as human mankind. Different methods such as portable EMG devices have been proposed to diagnose and understand the pathophysiology of bruxism. Biofeedback / contingent electrical stimulation...... characteristics make it complicated to assess bruxism using portable EMG devices. The possibility to assess bruxism like EMG activity on a portable device made it possible to use biofeedback and CES approaches in order to treat / manage bruxism. The available scientific information about CES effects on bruxism...

Randomised controlled trial of biofeedback training in persistent encopresis with anismus

OpenAIRE

Nolan, T.; Catto-Smith, T.; Coffey, C.; Wells, J.

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND—Paradoxical external anal sphincter contraction during attempted defecation (anismus) is thought to be an important contributor to chronic faecal retention and encopresis in children. Biofeedback training can be used to teach children to abolish this abnormal contraction.
METHODS—A randomised controlled trial in medical treatment resistant and/or treatment dependent children with anismus using surface electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training to determine wh...

Changes in muscle thickness after exercise and biofeedback in people with low back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Partner, Shandi L; Sutherlin, Mark Alan; Acocello, Shellie; Saliba, Susan A; Magrum, Eric M; Hart, Joe M

2014-11-01

Individuals with low back pain (LBP) have reduced function of the transversus abdominis (TrA) and lumbar multifidus (LM) muscles. Biofeedback during exercise may increase the ability to contract the TrA and LM muscles compared with exercise alone. To compare TrA preferential activation ratio (PAR) and the percent change in LM-muscle thickness in patients with LBP history before and after exercise with or without biofeedback. Controlled laboratory study. University research laboratory. 20 LBP individuals, 10 exercise alone and 10 exercise with biofeedback. Patients were allotted to tabletop exercises in isolation or tabletop exercises with visual, auditory, and tactile biofeedback. TrA PAR and percent change in LM-muscle thickness. There were no differences between groups at baseline (all P > .05). Nonparametric statistics showed decreased resting muscle thickness for total lateral abdominal-wall muscles (P = .007) but not TrA (P = .410) or LM (P = .173). Percent TrA thickness increased from table to standing positions before (P = .006) and after exercise (P = .009). TrA PAR increased after exercise (pre 0.01 ± 0.02, post 0.03 ± 0.04, P = .033) for all patients and for exercise with biofeedback (pre 0.02 ± 0.01, post 0.03 ± 0.01, P = .037) but not for exercise alone (pre 0.01 ± 0.02, post 0.02 ± 0.05, P = .241). No group differences were observed for TrA PAR before (exercise 0.01 ± 0.02, exercise with biofeedback 0.02 ± 0.01, P = .290) or after exercise (exercise 0.02 ± 0.05, exercise with biofeedback 0.03 ± 0.01, P = .174). There were no group differences in LM percent change before exercise (P = .999) or after exercise (P = .597). In addition, no changes were observed in LM percent change as a result of exercise among all participants (P = .391) or for each group (exercise P = .508, exercise with biofeedback P = .575). TrA PAR increased after a single session of exercises, whereas no thickness changes occurred in LM.

Effects of electromyographic and mechanomyographic biofeedback on upper trapezius muscle activity during standardized computer work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madeleine, Pascal; Vedsted, Pernille; Blangsted, Anne Katrine

2006-01-01

The purpose of this laboratory study was to investigate the effects of surface electromyography (EMG)- and mechanomyography (MMG)-based audio and visual biofeedback during computer work. Standardized computer work was performed for 3 min with/without time constraint and biofeedback in a randomize...... alternative to EMG in ergonomics. A lowering of the trapezius muscle activity may contribute to diminish the risk of work related musculoskeletal disorders development.......The purpose of this laboratory study was to investigate the effects of surface electromyography (EMG)- and mechanomyography (MMG)-based audio and visual biofeedback during computer work. Standardized computer work was performed for 3 min with/without time constraint and biofeedback in a randomized......) values as well as the work performance in terms of number of completed graph/mouse clicks/errors, the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and the usefulness of the biofeedback were assessed. The duration of muscle activity above the threshold was significantly lower with MMG compared with EMG as source...

The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Goessl, V C; Curtiss, J E; Hofmann, S G

2017-11-01

Some evidence suggests that heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback might be an effective way to treat anxiety and stress symptoms. To examine the effect of HRV biofeedback on symptoms of anxiety and stress, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies extracted from PubMed, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library. The search identified 24 studies totaling 484 participants who received HRV biofeedback training for stress and anxiety. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis. The pre-post within-group effect size (Hedges' g) was 0.81. The between-groups analysis comparing biofeedback to a control condition yielded Hedges' g = 0.83. Moderator analyses revealed that treatment efficacy was not moderated by study year, risk of study bias, percentage of females, number of sessions, or presence of an anxiety disorder. HRV biofeedback training is associated with a large reduction in self-reported stress and anxiety. Although more well-controlled studies are needed, this intervention offers a promising approach for treating stress and anxiety with wearable devices.

Supplementary home biofeedback improves quality of life in younger patients with fecal incontinence.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartlett, Lynne; Sloots, Kathryn; Nowak, Madeleine; Ho, Yik-Hong

2015-01-01

Biofeedback is a scarce, resource-intensive clinical therapy. It is used to treat patients with bowel problems, including fecal incontinence (FI), who fail to respond to simple dietary advice, medication, or pelvic floor exercises. Populations are aging and younger cohorts use technology in managing their health, affording FI self-management opportunities. Does supplementary home-based biofeedback improve FI and quality of life (QOL)? Seventy-five incontinent participants (12 male), mean age 61.1 years, consented to participate. Thirty-nine patients (5 male) were randomized to the standard biofeedback protocol plus daily home use of a Peritron perineometer (intervention) and 36 patients (7 male) to the standard biofeedback protocol (control). On completion of the study each perineometer exercise session was rated for technique by 2 raters, blinded to the patient and order of sessions. With the exception of Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale lifestyle improvement (intervention--9.1% vs. controls--0.3%, P=0.026) and embarrassment improvement (intervention--50.0% vs. controls--18.3%, P=0.026), supplementary home biofeedback did not result in greater clinical improvement for the intervention group as a whole. However, on stratification around the mean age, continence and QOL of younger people in the intervention group were significantly better than those of their control counterparts. Graphed perineometer sessions demonstrated high compliance and improvement in exercise technique. Perineometers provided reassurance, motivation, and an exercise reminder ensuring that confidence was achieved quickly. Home biofeedback was acceptable and well tolerated by all users. Younger participants significantly benefited from using this technology.

Effects of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback on EEG Alpha Asymmetry and Anxiety Symptoms in Male Athletes: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dziembowska, Inga; Izdebski, Paweł; Rasmus, Anna; Brudny, Janina; Grzelczak, Marta; Cysewski, Piotr

2016-06-01

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BFB) has been shown as useful tool to manage stress in various populations. The present study was designed to investigate whether the biofeedback-based stress management tool consisting of rhythmic breathing, actively self-generated positive emotions and a portable biofeedback device induce changes in athletes' HRV, EEG patterns, and self-reported anxiety and self-esteem. The study involved 41 healthy male athletes, aged 16-21 (mean 18.34 ± 1.36) years. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: biofeedback and control. Athletes in the biofeedback group received HRV biofeedback training, athletes in the control group didn't receive any intervention. During the randomized controlled trial (days 0-21), the mean anxiety score declined significantly for the intervention group (change-4 p athletes in biofeedback group showed substantial and statistically significant improvement in heart rate variability indices and changes in power spectra of both theta and alpha brain waves, and alpha asymmetry. These changes suggest better self-control in the central nervous system and better flexibility of the autonomic nervous system in the group that received biofeedback training. A HRV biofeedback-based stress management tool may be beneficial for stress reduction for young male athletes.

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Does Not Substitute for Asthma Steroid Controller Medication.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehrer, Paul M; Irvin, Charles G; Lu, Shou-En; Scardella, Anthony; Roehmheld-Hamm, Beatrix; Aviles-Velez, Milisyaris; Graves, Jessica; Vaschillo, Evgeny G; Vaschillo, Bronya; Hoyte, Flavia; Nelson, Harold; Wamboldt, Frederick S

2018-03-01

Despite previous findings of therapeutic effects for heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) on asthma, it is not known whether HRVB can substitute either for controller or rescue medication, or whether it affects airway inflammation. Sixty-eight paid volunteer steroid naïve study participants with mild or moderate asthma were given 3 months of HRVB or a comparison condition consisting of EEG alpha biofeedback with relaxing music and relaxed paced breathing (EEG+), in a two-center trial. All participants received a month of intensive asthma education prior to randomization. Both treatment conditions produced similar significant improvements on the methacholine challenge test (MCT), asthma symptoms, and asthma quality of life (AQOL). MCT effects were of similar size to those of enhanced placebo procedures reported elsewhere, and were 65% of those of a course of a high-potency inhaled steroid budesonide given to a sub-group of participants following biofeedback training. Exhaled nitric oxide decreased significantly only in the HRVB group, 81% of the budesonide effect, but with no significant differences between groups. Participants reported becoming more relaxed during practice of both techniques. Administration of albuterol after biofeedback sessions produced a large improvement in pulmonary function test results, indicating that neither treatment normalized pulmonary function as a potent controller medication would have done. Impulse oscillometry showed increased upper airway (vocal cord) resistance during biofeedback periods in both groups. These data suggest that HRVB should not be considered an alternative to asthma controller medications (e.g., inhaled steroids), although both biofeedback conditions produced some beneficial effects, warranting further research, and suggesting potential complementary effects. Various hypotheses are presented to explain why HRVB effects on asthma appeared smaller in this study than in earlier studies. Clinical Trial

Biofeedback for training balance and mobility tasks in older populations : a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zijlstra, Agnes; Mancini, Martina; Chiari, Lorenzo; Zijlstra, Wiebren

2010-01-01

Context: An effective application of biofeedback for interventions in older adults with balance and mobility disorders may be compromised due to co-morbidity. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and the effectiveness of biofeedback-based training of balance and/or mobility in older adults. Data

Botulinum toxin type-A injection to treat patients with intractable anismus unresponsive to simple biofeedback training.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yong; Wang, Zhen-Ning; He, Lei; Gao, Ge; Zhai, Qing; Yin, Zhi-Tao; Zeng, Xian-Dong

2014-09-21

To evaluate the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A injection to the puborectalis and external sphincter muscle in the treatment of patients with anismus unresponsive to simple biofeedback training. This retrospective study included 31 patients suffering from anismus who were unresponsive to simple biofeedback training. Diagnosis was made by anorectal manometry, balloon expulsion test, surface electromyography of the pelvic floor muscle, and defecography. Patients were given botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection and pelvic floor biofeedback training. Follow-up was conducted before the paper was written. Improvement was evaluated using the chronic constipation scoring system. BTX-A injection combined with pelvic floor biofeedback training achieved success in 24 patients, with 23 maintaining persistent satisfaction during a mean period of 8.4 mo. BTX-A injection combined with pelvic floor biofeedback training seems to be successful for intractable anismus.

Behavioural and physiological outcomes of biofeedback therapy on dental anxiety of children undergoing restorations: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Dedeepya, P; Nuvvula, S; Kamatham, R; Nirmala, S V S G

2014-04-01

To explore the efficacy of biofeedback as possible alternative means of psychological behaviour guidance in children receiving dental restorations. Randomised clinical trial with a cross over design carried out on 40 children (19 boys and 21 girls) to determine the efficacy of biofeedback in reducing the dental anxiety through subjective and objective measures during restorative treatments under cotton roll isolation without administration of local analgesia. Highly anxious children with a minimum of five carious lesions were trained to lower their anxiety using biofeedback in five sessions within a 4-week interval, each session lasting for 45 min. After initial training, children were randomly divided into two groups and restorations were placed in four sequential therapeutic sessions with a 1-week interval and a follow-up visit 3 months later. First group received biofeedback in the second and third sessions; whereas the second group received biofeedback in the first and third sessions. Biofeedback therapy in children led to lower levels of anxiety in the initial appointments when assessed objectively, however the subjective methods of evaluation could not depict any statistically significant difference. Biofeedback can be used in the initial visits for dentally anxious children and the usage of simpler biofeedback machines for these appointments in dental setup is suggested.

Testing postural control among various osteoporotic patient groups: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

de Groot, Maartje H; van der Jagt-Willems, Hanna C; van Campen, Jos P C M; Lems, Willem F; Lamoth, Claudine J C

2012-10-01

Osteoporosis can cause vertebral fractures, which might lead to a flexed posture, impaired postural control and consequently increased fall risk. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to examine whether postural control of patients with osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, thoracic kyphosis and flexed posture is affected. Furthermore, instruments measuring postural control were evaluated and examined for sensitivity and easy clinical use. Until February 2011, electronic databases were systematically searched for cross-sectional studies. Methodological quality was assessed with a modified Downs & Black scale. Of the 518 found studies, 18 studies were included. Postural control was generally affected for patients with vertebral fractures, thoracic kyphosis and flexed posture. Patients with osteoporosis had impaired postural control when assessed with computerized instruments. Easy performance-based tests did not show any impairments. There is evidence for an impaired postural control in all patient groups included. Impaired postural control is an important risk factor for falls. Functional performance tests are not sensitive and specific enough to detect affected postural control in patients with osteoporosis. To detect impaired postural control among osteoporotic patients and to obtain more insight into the underlying mechanisms of postural control, computerized instruments are recommended, such as easy-to-use ambulant motion-sensing (accelerometry) technology. © 2012 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Audiovisual biofeedback improves the correlation between internal/external surrogate motion and lung tumor motion.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Danny; Greer, Peter B; Paganelli, Chiara; Ludbrook, Joanna Jane; Kim, Taeho; Keall, Paul

2018-03-01

Breathing management can reduce breath-to-breath (intrafraction) and day-by-day (interfraction) variability in breathing motion while utilizing the respiratory motion of internal and external surrogates for respiratory guidance. Audiovisual (AV) biofeedback, an interactive personalized breathing motion management system, has been developed to improve reproducibility of intra- and interfraction breathing motion. However, the assumption of the correlation of respiratory motion between surrogates and tumors is not always verified during medical imaging and radiation treatment. Therefore, the aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that the correlation of respiratory motion between surrogates and tumors is the same under free breathing without guidance (FB) and with AV biofeedback guidance for voluntary motion management. For 13 lung cancer patients receiving radiotherapy, 2D coronal and sagittal cine-MR images were acquired across two MRI sessions (pre- and mid-treatment) with two breathing conditions: (a) FB and (b) AV biofeedback, totaling 88 patient measurements. Simultaneously, the external respiratory motion of the abdomen was measured. The internal respiratory motion of the diaphragm and lung tumor was retrospectively measured from 2D coronal and sagittal cine-MR images. The correlation of respiratory motion between surrogates and tumors was calculated using Pearson's correlation coefficient for: (a) abdomen to tumor (abdomen-tumor) and (b) diaphragm to tumor (diaphragm-tumor). The correlations were compared between FB and AV biofeedback using several metrics: abdomen-tumor and diaphragm-tumor correlations with/without ≥5 mm tumor motion range and with/without adjusting for phase shifts between the signals. Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved abdomen-tumor correlation by 11% (p = 0.12) from 0.53 to 0.59 and diaphragm-tumor correlation by 13% (p = 0.02) from 0.55 to 0.62. Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved abdomen-tumor correlation by 17% (p = 0

SU-E-J-29: Audiovisual Biofeedback Improves Tumor Motion Consistency for Lung Cancer Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D; Pollock, S; Makhija, K; Keall, P; Greer, P; Arm, J; Hunter, P; Kim, T

2014-01-01

Purpose: To investigate whether the breathing-guidance system: audiovisual (AV) biofeedback improves tumor motion consistency for lung cancer patients. This will minimize respiratory-induced tumor motion variations across cancer imaging and radiotherapy procedues. This is the first study to investigate the impact of respiratory guidance on tumor motion. Methods: Tumor motion consistency was investigated with five lung cancer patients (age: 55 to 64), who underwent a training session to get familiarized with AV biofeedback, followed by two MRI sessions across different dates (pre and mid treatment). During the training session in a CT room, two patient specific breathing patterns were obtained before (Breathing-Pattern-1) and after (Breathing-Pattern-2) training with AV biofeedback. In each MRI session, four MRI scans were performed to obtain 2D coronal and sagittal image datasets in free breathing (FB), and with AV biofeedback utilizing Breathing-Pattern-2. Image pixel values of 2D images after the normalization of 2D images per dataset and Gaussian filter per image were used to extract tumor motion using image pixel values. The tumor motion consistency of the superior-inferior (SI) direction was evaluated in terms of an average tumor motion range and period. Results: Audiovisual biofeedback improved tumor motion consistency by 60% (p value = 0.019) from 1.0±0.6 mm (FB) to 0.4±0.4 mm (AV) in SI motion range, and by 86% (p value < 0.001) from 0.7±0.6 s (FB) to 0.1±0.2 s (AV) in period. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that audiovisual biofeedback improves both breathing pattern and tumor motion consistency for lung cancer patients. These results suggest that AV biofeedback has the potential for facilitating reproducible tumor motion towards achieving more accurate medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures

SU-E-J-29: Audiovisual Biofeedback Improves Tumor Motion Consistency for Lung Cancer Patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, D; Pollock, S; Makhija, K; Keall, P [The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW (Australia); Greer, P [The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Arm, J; Hunter, P [Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Kim, T [The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW (Australia); University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: To investigate whether the breathing-guidance system: audiovisual (AV) biofeedback improves tumor motion consistency for lung cancer patients. This will minimize respiratory-induced tumor motion variations across cancer imaging and radiotherapy procedues. This is the first study to investigate the impact of respiratory guidance on tumor motion. Methods: Tumor motion consistency was investigated with five lung cancer patients (age: 55 to 64), who underwent a training session to get familiarized with AV biofeedback, followed by two MRI sessions across different dates (pre and mid treatment). During the training session in a CT room, two patient specific breathing patterns were obtained before (Breathing-Pattern-1) and after (Breathing-Pattern-2) training with AV biofeedback. In each MRI session, four MRI scans were performed to obtain 2D coronal and sagittal image datasets in free breathing (FB), and with AV biofeedback utilizing Breathing-Pattern-2. Image pixel values of 2D images after the normalization of 2D images per dataset and Gaussian filter per image were used to extract tumor motion using image pixel values. The tumor motion consistency of the superior-inferior (SI) direction was evaluated in terms of an average tumor motion range and period. Results: Audiovisual biofeedback improved tumor motion consistency by 60% (p value = 0.019) from 1.0±0.6 mm (FB) to 0.4±0.4 mm (AV) in SI motion range, and by 86% (p value < 0.001) from 0.7±0.6 s (FB) to 0.1±0.2 s (AV) in period. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that audiovisual biofeedback improves both breathing pattern and tumor motion consistency for lung cancer patients. These results suggest that AV biofeedback has the potential for facilitating reproducible tumor motion towards achieving more accurate medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures.

Real-Time Assessment of the Effect of Biofeedback Therapy with Migraine: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Odawara, Miyuki; Hashizume, Masahiro; Yoshiuchi, Kazuhiro; Tsuboi, Koji

2015-12-01

Biofeedback therapy has been reported to be effective in the treatment of migraine. However, previous studies have assessed its effectiveness using paper-and-pencil diaries, which are not very reliable. The objective of the present pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of using computerized ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for evaluating the efficacy of BF treatment for migraine in a randomized controlled trial. The subjects comprised one male and 26 female patients with migraine. They were randomly assigned to either biofeedback or wait-list control groups. Patients were asked to carry a palmtop-type computer to record momentary symptoms for 4 weeks before and after biofeedback treatment. The primary outcome measure was headache intensity. The secondary outcome measures included psychological stress, anxiety, irritation, headache-related disability and the frequency (number of days per month) of migraine attack and of headache of at least moderate intensity (pain rating ≥50). Headache intensity showed significant main effects of period (before vs. after therapy, p = 0.02) and group (biofeedback vs. control groups, p = 0.42) and a significant period × group interaction (p Biofeedback reduced the duration of headaches by 1.9 days, and the frequency of days when headache intensity was ≥50 by 2.4 times. In addition, headache-related disability, psychological stress, depression, anxiety, and irritation were significantly improved. The present study used computerized EMA to show that biofeedback could improve the symptoms of migraine, including psychological stress and headache-related disability.

Biofeedback systems for stress reduction: Towards a Bright Future for a Revitalized Field

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Broek, Egon; Westerink, Joyce H.D.M.; Conchon, E.; Correia, C.; Fred, A.; Gamboa, H.

2012-01-01

Stress has recently been baptized as the black death of the 21st century, which illustrates its threat to current health standards. This article proposes biofeedback systems as a means to reduce stress. A concise state-ofthe-art introduction on biofeedback systems is given. The field of mental

Biofeedback systems for stress reduction : Towards a bright future for a revitalized field

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broek, E.L. van den; Westerink, J.H.D.M.

2012-01-01

Stress has recently been baptized as the black death of the 21st century, which illustrates its threat to current health standards. This article proposes biofeedback systems as a means to reduce stress. A concise state-of-the-art introduction on biofeedback systems is given. The field of mental

The influence of biofeedback training on trapezius activity and rest during occupational computer work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holtermann, A; Søgaard, K; Christensen, H

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of biofeedback training on trapezius activity and rest (gaps) during occupational computer work. A randomized controlled trial with 164 computer workers was performed. Two groups working with computer mouse more than 50% (n = 64) and less than 25% (n....... By improving trapezius inactivity during computer work, biofeedback training may have the potential to prevent trapezius myalgia in computer workers....... muscles during normal computer work was recorded. Changes in discomfort/pain were not recorded. The biofeedback training reduced activity (P

Effect of biofeedback-assisted autogenic training on headache activity and mood states in Korean female migraine patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Eun-Ho; Park, Joo-Eon; Chung, Chin-Sang; Yu, Bum-Hee

2009-10-01

Biofeedback with or without combined autogenic training is known to be effective for the treatment of migraine. This study aimed to examine the effect of biofeedback treatment on headache activity, anxiety, and depression in Korean female patients with migraine headache. Patients were randomized into the treatment group (n=17) and monitoring group (n=15). Mood states including anxiety and depression, and psychophysiological variables such as mean skin temperature of the patients were compared with those of the normal controls (n=21). We found greater treatment response rate (defined as > or =50% reduction in headache index) in patients with biofeedback-assisted autogenic training than in monitoring group. The scores on the anxiety and depression scales in the patients receiving biofeedback-assisted autogenic training decreased after the biofeedback treatment. Moreover, the decrease in their anxiety levels was significantly related to the treatment outcome. This result suggests that the biofeedback-assisted autogenic training is effective for the treatment of migraine and its therapeutic effect is closely related to the improvement of the anxiety level.

Can a four-session biofeedback regimen be used effectively for treating children with dysfunctional voiding?

Science.gov (United States)

Sener, Nevzat Can; Altunkol, Adem; Unal, Umut; Ercil, Hakan; Bas, Okan; Gumus, Kemal; Ciftci, Halil; Yeni, Ercan

2015-01-01

To compare the outcomes of the open-ended six to ten sessions of biofeedback against a novel regime of four sessions of biofeedback to treat children with dysfunctional voiding. Patients from two centers using different methods were retrospectively analyzed. Group 1 comprised 20 patients treated with four sessions of biofeedback. Group 2 comprised 20 patients treated with six to ten sessions of biofeedback. Each group was evaluated with subjective and objective parameters pre-treatment, immediately post-treatment and 6 months post-treatment. All patients in Group 1 were treated with four sessions of biofeedback and in Group 2 the mean number of sessions was 7.35±1.30 (range 6-10). Normalized voiding flow curves after treatment were determined in 18 patients in Group 1 (90%) and 19 patients in Group 2 (95%) (p=0.553). There were seven patients (35%) in Group 1 and eight patients (40%) in Group 2 with reflux. When units were compared, there were 11 units (4 bilateral) in Group 1 and 13 units (5 bilateral) in Group 2 with reflux (p=0.747). At 6 months post-treatment, in Group 1, seven had resolved (63.6%), three had improved (27.2%) and one persisted (9.01%). In Group 2, ten had resolved (76.9%) and three had improved (23.1%) (p=0.553). Biofeedback therapy is one of the most widely used techniques in dysfunctional voiding in children. The regime of use has not been well defined, and the results of this study showed that a regime of four sessions of biofeedback therapy may be as safe and effective as the previously defined open-ended six to ten sessions.

Biofeedback and physiotherapy versus physiotherapy alone in the treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glavind, K; Nøhr, S B; Walter, S

1996-01-01

Biofeedback is a method of pelvic floor rehabilitation using a surface electrode inserted into the vagina and a catheter in the rectum. Forty women with genuine urinary stress incontinence were randomized to compare the efficacy of physiotherapy and physiotherapy in combination with biofeedback...

Is EEG-biofeedback an effective treatment in autism spectrum disorders? A randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kouijzer, M.E.J.; Schie, H.T. van; Gerrits, B.J.L.; Buitelaar, J.K.; Moor, J.M.H. de

2013-01-01

EEG-biofeedback has been reported to reduce symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in several studies. However, these studies did not control for nonspecific effects of EEG-biofeedback and did not distinguish between participants who succeeded in influencing their own EEG activity and

The impact of audio-visual biofeedback on 4D PET images: Results of a phantom study

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jaewon; Yamamoto, Tokihiro; Cho, Byungchul; Seo, Youngho; Keall, Paul J.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Irregular breathing causes motion blurring artifacts in 4D PET images. Audiovisual (AV) biofeedback has been demonstrated to improve breathing regularity. To investigate the hypothesis that, compared with free breathing, motion blurring artifacts are reduced with AV biofeedback, the authors performed the first experimental phantom-based quantification of the impact of AV biofeedback on 4D PET image quality. Methods: The authors acquired 4D PET dynamic phantom images with AV biofeedback and free breathing by moving a phantom programmed with AV biofeedback trained and free breathing respiratory traces of ten healthy subjects. The authors also acquired stationary phantom images for reference. The phantom was cylindrical with six hollow sphere targets (10, 13, 17, 22, 28, and 37 mm in diameter). The authors quantified motion blurring using the target diameter, Dice coefficient and recovery coefficient (RC) metrics to estimate the effect of motion. Results: The average increase in target diameter for AV biofeedback was 0.6±1.6mm(4.7±13%), which was significantly (pbiofeedback was 0.90±0.07, which was significantly (pbiofeedback were consistently higher than those for free breathing and comparable to those for stationary targets. However, for RCs the impact of target sizes was more dominant than that of motion. In addition, the authors observed large variations in the results with respect to target sizes, subject traces and respiratory bins due to partial volume effects and respiratory motion irregularity. Conclusions: The results indicate that AV biofeedback can significantly reduce motion blurring artifacts and may facilitate improved identification and localization of lung tumors in 4D PET images. The results justify proceeding with clinical studies to quantify the impact of AV biofeedback on 4D PET image quality and tumor detectability. PMID:22320815

Ergonomic strategies to improve radiographers' posture during mammography activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Cernean, Nicolai; Serranheira, Florentino; Gonçalves, Pedro; Sá Dos Reis, Cláudia

2017-08-01

To identify alternatives for radiographers' postures while performing mammography that can contribute to reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). Radiographers' postures to positioning craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) views were simulated without any intervention for three scenarios: radiographer/patient with similar statures, radiographer smaller than patient and radiographer taller than patient. Actions were taken to modify the postures: seated radiographer; patient on a step; seated patient; radiographer on a step. All the postures were analysed using kinovea 0.8.15 software and the angles were measured twice and classified according to European standard EN1005-4: 2005. The non-acceptable angles were measured mainly during MLO positioning when radiographer was taller than the patient: 139° and 120° for arm-flexion and abduction, 72° for trunk and -24° for head/neck-flexion. The introduction of alternative postures (radiographer seated), allowed improvements in posture (60° and 99° for arm flexion and abduction, 14° for trunk and 0° for head/neck flexion), being classified as acceptable. The alternative postures simulated have the potential to reduce the risk of developing WRMSDs when radiographers and patients have different statures. • Radiographers' postures in mammography can contribute to work-related musculoskeletal disorders • Non-acceptable posture was identified for MLO breast positioning (radiographer taller than patient) • Adapting posture to patient biotype reduces the WRMSD risk for radiographers.

Biofeedback Training in Crisis Managers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Janka, A; Adler, C; Brunner, B; Oppenrieder, S; Duschek, S

2017-06-01

Working in crisis environments represents a major challenge, especially for executive personnel engaged in directing disaster operations, i.e. crisis managers. Crisis management involves operating under conditions of extreme stress resulting, for instance, from high-level decision-making, principal responsibility for personnel, multitasking or working under conditions of risk and time pressure. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a newly developed biofeedback training procedure based on electrodermal activity, especially designed for the target group of crisis managers. The training comprised exercises promoting acquisition of control over sympathetic arousal under resting conditions and during exposure to visual, acoustic and cognitive stressors resembling situations related to crisis management. In a randomized controlled design, 36 crisis managers were assigned to either a biofeedback training group or waiting list control group. Subjective stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. In the training group, stress level markedly decreased; the decrease remained stable at follow-up 2 months after the training. The results indicate that biofeedback training in crisis management is an effective method for stress management that may help to reduce vulnerability to stress-related performance decline and stress-related disease.

Randomised trial of biofeedback training for encopresis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Plas, R. N.; Benninga, M. A.; Redekop, W. K.; Taminiau, J. A.; Büller, H. A.

1996-01-01

To evaluate biofeedback training in children with encopresis and the effect on psychosocial function. Prospective controlled randomised study. PATIENT INTERVENTIONS: A multimodal treatment of six weeks. Children were randomised into two groups. Each group received dietary and toilet advice, enemas,

Flex Sensor Based Biofeedback Monitoring for Post-Stroke Fingers Myopathy Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Garda, Y. R.; Caesarendra, W.; Tjahjowidodo, T.; Turnip, A.; Wahyudati, S.; Nurhasanah, L.; Sutopo, D.

2018-04-01

Hands are one of the crucial parts of the human body in carrying out daily activities. Accidents on the hands decreasing in motor skills of the hand so that therapy is necessary to restore motor function of the hand. In addition to accidents, hand disabilities can be caused by certain diseases, e.g. stroke. Stroke is a partial destruction of the brain. It occurs if the arteries that drain blood to the brain are blocked, or if torn or leak. The purpose of this study to make biofeedback monitoring equipment for post-stroke hands myopathy patients. Biofeedback is an alternative method of treatment that involves measuring body functions measured subjects such as skin temperature, sweat activity, blood pressure, heart rate and hand paralysis due to stroke. In this study, the sensor used for biofeedback monitoring tool is flex sensor. Flex sensor is a passive resistive device that changes its resistance as the sensor is bent. Flex sensor converts the magnitude of the bend into electrical resistance, the greater the bend the greater the resistance value. The monitoring used in this biofeedback monitoring tool uses Graphical User Interface (GUI) in C# programming language. The motivation of the study is to monitor and record the progressive improvement of the hand therapy. Patients who experienced post-stroke can see the therapy progress quantitatively.

Analysis of different image-based biofeedback models for improving cycling performances

Science.gov (United States)

Bibbo, D.; Conforto, S.; Bernabucci, I.; Carli, M.; Schmid, M.; D'Alessio, T.

2012-03-01

Sport practice can take advantage from the quantitative assessment of task execution, which is strictly connected to the implementation of optimized training procedures. To this aim, it is interesting to explore the effectiveness of biofeedback training techniques. This implies a complete chain for information extraction containing instrumented devices, processing algorithms and graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to extract valuable information (i.e. kinematics, dynamics, and electrophysiology) to be presented in real-time to the athlete. In cycling, performance indexes displayed in a simple and perceivable way can help the cyclist optimize the pedaling. To this purpose, in this study four different GUIs have been designed and used in order to understand if and how a graphical biofeedback can influence the cycling performance. In particular, information related to the mechanical efficiency of pedaling is represented in each of the designed interfaces and then displayed to the user. This index is real-time calculated on the basis of the force signals exerted on the pedals during cycling. Instrumented pedals for bikes, already designed and implemented in our laboratory, have been used to measure those force components. A group of subjects underwent an experimental protocol and pedaled with (the interfaces have been used in a randomized order) and without graphical biofeedback. Preliminary results show how the effective perception of the biofeedback influences the motor performance.

First clinical implementation of audiovisual biofeedback in liver cancer stereotactic body radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollock, Sean; Tse, Regina; Martin, Darren

2015-01-01

This case report details a clinical trial's first recruited liver cancer patient who underwent a course of stereotactic body radiation therapy treatment utilising audiovisual biofeedback breathing guidance. Breathing motion results for both abdominal wall motion and tumour motion are included. Patient 1 demonstrated improved breathing motion regularity with audiovisual biofeedback. A training effect was also observed.

Biofeedback, cognitive-behavioral methods, and hypnosis in dermatology: is it all in your mind?

Science.gov (United States)

Shenefelt, Philip D

2003-01-01

Biofeedback can improve cutaneous problems that have an autonomic nervous system component. Examples include biofeedback of galvanic skin resistance (GSR) for hyperhidrosis and biofeedback of skin temperature for Raynaud's disease. Hypnosis may enhance the effects obtained by biofeedback. Cognitive-behavioral methods may resolve dysfunctional thought patterns (cognitive) or actions (behavioral) that damage the skin or interfere with dermatologic therapy. Responsive diseases include acne excoriée, atopic dermatitis, factitious cheilitis, hyperhidrosis, lichen simplex chronicus, needle phobia, neurodermatitis, onychotillomania, prurigo nodularis, trichotillomania, and urticaria. Hypnosis can facilitate aversive therapy and enhance desensitization and other cognitive-behavioral methods. Hypnosis may improve or resolve numerous dermatoses. Examples include acne excoriée, alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, dyshidrotic dermatitis, erythromelalgia, furuncles, glossodynia, herpes simplex, hyperhidrosis, ichthyosis vulgaris, lichen planus, neurodermatitis, nummular dermatitis, postherpetic neuralgia, pruritus, psoriasis, rosacea, trichotillomania, urticaria, verruca vulgaris, and vitiligo. Hypnosis can also reduce the anxiety and pain associated with dermatologic procedures.

Audiovisual biofeedback improves image quality and reduces scan time for respiratory-gated 3D MRI

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, D.; Greer, P. B.; Arm, J.; Keall, P.; Kim, T.

2014-03-01

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that audiovisual (AV) biofeedback can improve image quality and reduce scan time for respiratory-gated 3D thoracic MRI. For five healthy human subjects respiratory motion guidance in MR scans was provided using an AV biofeedback system, utilizing real-time respiratory motion signals. To investigate the improvement of respiratory-gated 3D MR images between free breathing (FB) and AV biofeedback (AV), each subject underwent two imaging sessions. Respiratory-related motion artifacts and imaging time were qualitatively evaluated in addition to the reproducibility of external (abdominal) motion. In the results, 3D MR images in AV biofeedback showed more anatomic information such as a clear distinction of diaphragm, lung lobes and sharper organ boundaries. The scan time was reduced from 401±215 s in FB to 334±94 s in AV (p-value 0.36). The root mean square variation of the displacement and period of the abdominal motion was reduced from 0.4±0.22 cm and 2.8±2.5 s in FB to 0.1±0.15 cm and 0.9±1.3 s in AV (p-value of displacement audiovisual biofeedback improves image quality and reduces scan time for respiratory-gated 3D MRI. These results suggest that AV biofeedback has the potential to be a useful motion management tool in medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures.

Análise da resposta ao biofeedback nos pacientes com incontinência fecal Analysis of biofeedback for fecal incontinence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Figueiredo Accetta

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Incontinência fecal é uma condição com importante impacto na qualidade de vida, e inúmeras formas de tratamento são descritas. Objetivo: Avaliar a resposta ao tratamento por biofeedback e o perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes com incontinência fecal, descrevendo os critérios de seleção e a técnica utilizada. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo dos pacientes tratados em três anos (junho de 2005 a junho de 2008. Resultados: Trinta pacientes, sendo 26 mulheres e 4 homens, com idade média de 66 anos. O número de gestações e partos normais variou de nenhuma a seis e a histerectomia esteve presente em nove casos. Todos os pacientes apresentavam hipotonia na manometria. Dezoito pacientes ficaram satisfeitos com o tratamento proposto, dez ficaram parcialmente satisfeitos, nenhum ficou completamente insatisfeito, e dois abandonaram a terapia. Conclusão: O tratamento clínico associado ao biofeedback pode ser eficaz para a melhoria dos sintomas; entretanto, o entendimento e compreensão do problema por parte do paciente parece ser o efeito mais importante para esses resultados. A presença de diabetes mellitus, cirurgias orificiais e histerectomia podem ter relação com as queixas de incontinência.Fecal incontinence is a disabling condition with relevant social costs. Many therapies are described. Objective: To evaluate the response to biofeedback and epidemiological profile, describing the used technique. Methods: A retrospective study in 3 years (June 2005 - June 2008. Results: Thirty patients, 26 women and 4 men, with an average age of 66. The number of normal pregnancies and births varied from none to six and hysterectomy was present in nine. Hypotonia in manometry was present in all patients. Eighteen patients were satisfied, ten were partially met, none was completely dissatisfied, and two have abandoned the therapy. Conclusion: The clinical therapy to biofeedback can be effective for incontinence, but the comprehension by patient

EMG biofeedback training in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: An active (control) training?

Science.gov (United States)

Barth, Beatrix; Mayer, Kerstin; Strehl, Ute; Fallgatter, Andreas J; Ehlis, Ann-Christine

2017-06-30

The present study aimed at revealing neurophysiological effects induced by electromyography (EMG) based biofeedback, considered as a semi-active control condition in neurofeedback studies, in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients. 20 adult ADHD patients trained their muscle activity in the left and right supraspinatus muscle over the course of 30 EMG biofeedback sessions. Changes induced by the EMG feedback were evaluated at a clinical and neurophysiological level; additionally, the relation between changes in EEG activity recorded at the vertex over the training course and changes of symptom severity over the treatment course were assessed in order to investigate the mechanisms underlying clinical effects of EMG biofeedback. Participants showed significant behavioral improvements on a self-rating scale. There was a significant increase in alpha power, but no significant changes in the delta frequency range; changes in the theta and beta frequency range were not significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. No statistically significant correlation was found between changes in EEG frequency bands and changes in ADHD symptoms. The current results assessed by means of a single-electrode EEG constitute a starting point regarding a clearer understanding of mechanisms underlying clinical effects of EMG biofeedback. Although we did not reveal systematic effects induced by EMG feedback on brain activity it remains an open question whether EMG biofeedback induces changes in brain regions or parameters we did not gather in the present study (e.g. motor cortex). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Biofeedback treatment for acute whiplash patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Gálvez-Hernández, Carmen Lizette; Rodríguez-Ortiz, María Dolores; Del Río-Portilla, Yolanda

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the physiological and psychological effect after an electromyographic biofeedback treatment in combination with progressive muscular relaxation training in patients with acute whiplash. Twelve patients with acute whiplash volunteered to participate in a quasi-experimental design and a control group. Two months maximum after car accident, severity levels II and I. previous history of persistent pain or serious previous injury. The groups were randomly divided in two (treatment and waiting list groups). We used electromyographic measures of the trapezius muscles with psychometric tests: Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventory; Oswestry Pain Disability Questionnaire; Visual Analog Scale of Pain; TAMPA Scale for Kinesiophobia. The treatment consisted in electromyographic biofeedback after progressive muscular relaxation training. There were significant intra-group differences before and after treatment in muscular symmetry and subjective pain perception in the treatment group. We achieved a significant change (clinical and statistical) in subjective pain perception and muscular symmetry. This study highlights the importance of multidisciplinary work in acute pain patients and the effectiveness of clinical psychophysiological strategies with acute whiplash patients.

IMPLEMENTATION OF BIOFEEDBACK IN A CLOSED LOOP OF HEART RATE VARIABILITY AND PACED BREATHING IN PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. L. Kulik

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The effectiveness of biofeedback in a closed loop of heart rate variability (HRV and paced breathing in patients with arterial hypertension was studied. 61 subjects with arterial hypertension (31 females and 30 males, mean age 56.8 ± 6.2 years were examined. In accordance with the objective of the study all subjects were divided into 2 groups: 1 – biofeedback group (34 subjects and 2 – the comparison group (27 subjects. 5 biofeedback sessions were performed in biofeedback group. In the comparison group only two biofeedback sessions were performed – at admission and before discharge from the hospital. Efficacy of biofeedback was evaluated by comparing the values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively, heart rate (HR, HRV indices, indicators of optimality (O, sensitivity (S and efficiency (E and BQI index at admission and discharge in both groups of patients. The use of biofeedback in arterial hypertension subjects allowed to achieve better control of heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and improves HRV indices. The positive dynamics of optimality and the integral BQI values indicated a training effect of regulation systems.

Using a False Biofeedback Methodology to Explore Relationships between Learners' Affect, Metacognition, and Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Strain, Amber Chauncey; Azevedo, Roger; D'Mello, Sidney K.

2013-01-01

We used a false-biofeedback methodology to manipulate physiological arousal in order to induce affective states that would influence learners' metacognitive judgments and learning performance. False-biofeedback is a method used to induce physiological arousal (and resultant affective states) by presenting learners with audio stimuli of false heart…

The effect of biofeedback therapy on dyssynergic constipation in patients with or without Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tannaz Ahadi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The Rome II and III diagnostic criteria for dyssynergic defecation recommended the exclusion of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS. This study determined the effect of biofeedback therapy on dyssynergic constipation in patients with or without IBS. Materials and Methods: This study was a nonrandomized, single blinded, semi experimental study. Dyssynergic defecation patients with and without IBS were asked to undergo biofeedback therapy 8 sessions. The defecation dynamics and balloon expulsion time were evaluated before, at the end and 1 month after the biofeedback therapy. IBS symptoms were graded using a 4-point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney U-test, Wilcoxon test and Friedman test were applied to analyze data using SPSS software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA. Results: After the biofeedback therapy, the IBS symptoms have been decreased significantly (the median of 2 before and 1 after therapy, P 0.05 with respect to outcome. No complication was observed in treatment groups. Conclusion: Dyssynergic constipation patients with and without IBS will likely benefit from biofeedback therapy.

Biofeedback as a first-line treatment for overactive bladder syndrome refractory to standard urotherapy in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebiloglu, Turgay; Kaya, Engin; Köprü, Burak; Topuz, Bahadır; Irkilata, Hasan Cem; Kibar, Yusuf

2016-10-01

Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) and dysfunctional voiding (DV) are subgroups of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). Standard urotherapy is the first-line treatment option of OAB in children. The aim was to investigate the use of biofeedback as a first-line treatment option in OAB refractory to standard urotherapy, and determine the factors affecting efficacy. Between 2005 and 2015, we retrospectively analyzed a total of 136 hospital records of children with OAB who had not previously used any anticholinergics and were refractory to standard urotherapy. Patients with urgency and/or urge incontinence and/or making holding maneuvers to suppress urgency were defined as having OAB symptoms, and resolution of these complaints was defined as successful biofeedback therapy. Seventy-three of 136 OAB patients' urgency recovered by biofeedback therapy with the success rate of 53% (p biofeedback therapies, respectively (p Biofeedback can be thought of as the first-line treatment option when standard urotherapy fails in children with OAB. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining the postural awareness and flexibility changes in physical therapy students who took clinical Pilates class.

Science.gov (United States)

Atilgan, Esra; Tarakci, Devrim; Mutluay, Fatma

2017-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate postural awareness and changes in posture and flexibility of students who took Clinical Pilates class as an elective course at the undergraduate level. The study conducted from 2013-2016 included 98 students who took Clinical Pilates class at the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Turkey. The flexibility levels of the study participants were measured before and after the Clinical Pilates education using finger-to-floor test and modified Schober's test. Observational posture analysis and postural awareness were recorded using the scale prepared by the researchers. The post-education evaluations showed that postural distortions were fixed, and a significant increase in the postural awareness of the students was observed compared with the pre-education period. The results of both modified Schober's test and finger-to-floor test, which were used to measure the flexibility levels, showed a statistically significant increase in post-education scores compared with those of the pre-education period. This study showed that the Clinical Pilates course increased postural awareness and flexibility of physical therapy students and fixed postural distortions. Thus, the inclusion of Clinical Pilates class in the undergraduate education is considered to be important.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV biofeedback: A new training approach for operator’s performance enhancement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Auditya Purwandini Sutarto

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The widespread implementation of advanced and complex systems requires predominantly operators’ cognitive functions and less importance of human manual control. On the other hand, most operators perform their cognitive functions below their peak cognitive capacity level due to fatigue, stress, and boredom. Thus, there is a need to improve their cognitive functions during work. The goal of this paper is to present a psychophysiology training approach derived from cardiovascular response named heart rate variability (HRV biofeedback. Description of resonant frequency biofeedback - a specific HRV training protocol - is discussed as well as its supported researches for the performance enhancement. HRV biofeedback training works by teaching people to recognize their involuntary HRV and to control patterns of this physiological response. The training is directed to increase HRV amplitude that promotes autonomic nervous system balance. This balance is associated with improved physiological functioning as well as psychological benefits. Most individuals can learn HRV biofeedback training easily which involves slowing the breathing rate (around six breaths/min to each individual’s resonant frequency at which the amplitude of HRV is maximized. Maximal control over HRV can be obtained in most people after approximately four sessions of training. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of HRV biofeedback to the improvement of some cognitive functions in both simulated and real industrial operators.

The Effect of Voice Ambulatory Biofeedback on the Daily Performance and Retention of a Modified Vocal Motor Behavior in Participants with Normal Voices

Science.gov (United States)

Van Stan, Jarrad H.; Mehta, Daryush D.; Hillman, Robert E.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Ambulatory biofeedback has potential to improve carryover of newly established vocal motor behaviors into daily life outside of the clinic and warrants systematic research that is lacking in the literature. This proof-of-concept study was designed to establish an empirical basis for future work in this area by formally assessing whether…

Audiovisual biofeedback improves image quality and reduces scan time for respiratory-gated 3D MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D; Keall, P; Kim, T; Greer, P B; Arm, J

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that audiovisual (AV) biofeedback can improve image quality and reduce scan time for respiratory-gated 3D thoracic MRI. For five healthy human subjects respiratory motion guidance in MR scans was provided using an AV biofeedback system, utilizing real-time respiratory motion signals. To investigate the improvement of respiratory-gated 3D MR images between free breathing (FB) and AV biofeedback (AV), each subject underwent two imaging sessions. Respiratory-related motion artifacts and imaging time were qualitatively evaluated in addition to the reproducibility of external (abdominal) motion. In the results, 3D MR images in AV biofeedback showed more anatomic information such as a clear distinction of diaphragm, lung lobes and sharper organ boundaries. The scan time was reduced from 401±215 s in FB to 334±94 s in AV (p-value 0.36). The root mean square variation of the displacement and period of the abdominal motion was reduced from 0.4±0.22 cm and 2.8±2.5 s in FB to 0.1±0.15 cm and 0.9±1.3 s in AV (p-value of displacement <0.01 and p-value of period 0.12). This study demonstrated that audiovisual biofeedback improves image quality and reduces scan time for respiratory-gated 3D MRI. These results suggest that AV biofeedback has the potential to be a useful motion management tool in medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures.

Review article: dyssynergic defaecation and biofeedback therapy in the pathophysiology and management of functional constipation.

Science.gov (United States)

Skardoon, G R; Khera, A J; Emmanuel, A V; Burgell, R E

2017-08-01

Functional constipation is a common clinical presentation in primary care. Functional defaecation disorders are defined as the paradoxical contraction or inadequate relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles during attempted defaecation (dyssynergic defaecation) and/or inadequate propulsive forces during attempted defaecation. Prompt diagnosis and management of dyssynergic defaecation is hindered by uncertainty regarding nomenclature, diagnostic criteria, pathophysiology and efficacy of management options such as biofeedback therapy. To review the evidence pertaining to the pathophysiology of functional defaecation disorders and the efficacy of biofeedback therapy in the management of patients with dyssynergic defaecation and functional constipation. Relevant articles addressing functional defaecation disorders and the efficacy of biofeedback therapy in the management of dyssynergic defaecation and functional constipation were identified from a search of Pubmed, MEDLINE Ovid and the Cochrane Library. The prevalence of dyssynergic defaecation in patients investigated for chronic constipation is as many as 40%. Randomised controlled trials have demonstrated major symptom improvement in 70%-80% of patients undergoing biofeedback therapy for chronic constipation resistant to standard medical therapy and have determined it to be superior to polyethylene glycol laxatives, diazepam or sham therapy. Long-term studies have shown 55%-82% of patients maintain symptom improvement. Dyssynergic defaecation is a common clinical condition in patients with chronic constipation not responding to conservative management. Biofeedback therapy appears to be a safe, successful treatment with sustained results for patients with dyssynergic defaecation. Further studies are required to standardise the diagnosis of dyssynergic defaecation in addition to employing systematic protocols for biofeedback therapy. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biofeedback device for patients on axillary crutches.

Science.gov (United States)

Ang, E J; Goh, J C; Bose, K; Toh, S L; Choo, A

1989-08-01

The axillary crutch is commonly prescribed as an ambulatory aid to patients with temporal or permanent disability in the lower extremity. When fitting the axillary crutch, it is important that the user be instructed not to bear excessive weight on the axillary bar. Excessive weight bearing on the axillary bar can result in a sevenfold increase in the reaction force under the armpit. This force may be a contributory factor to crutch paralysis or thrombosis of the axillobrachial artery. In order to prevent this occurrence an electronic biofeedback device was designed and developed for use in the training of 3-point swing-through axillary crutch ambulation. It detects excessive weight bearing on the axillary bar during crutch ambulation and produces an audible signal which prompts the patient to make necessary adjustment to relieve load bearing on the axillary bar. The design and development of the biofeedback device is discussed in this paper.

A modified sagittal spine postural classification and its relationship to deformities and spinal mobility in a chinese osteoporotic population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua-Jun Wang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Abnormal posture and spinal mobility have been demonstrated to cause functional impairment in the quality of life, especially in the postmenopausal osteoporotic population. Most of the literature studies focus on either thoracic kyphosis or lumbar lordosis, but not on the change of the entire spinal alignment. Very few articles reported the spinal alignment of Chinese people. The purpose of this study was threefold: to classify the spinal curvature based on the classification system defined by Satoh consisting of the entire spine alignment; to identify the change of trunk mobility; and to relate spinal curvature to balance disorder in a Chinese population. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 450 osteoporotic volunteers were recruited for this study. Spinal range of motion and global curvature were evaluated noninvasively using the Spinal-Mouse® system and sagittal postural deformities were characterized. RESULTS: We found a new spine postural alignment consisting of an increased thoracic kyphosis and decreased lumbar lordosis which we classified as our modified round back. We did not find any of Satoh's type 5 classification in our population. Type 2 sagittal alignment was the most common spinal deformity (38.44%. In standing, thoracic kyphosis angles in types 2 (58.34° and 3 (58.03° were the largest and lumbar lordosis angles in types 4 (13.95° and 5 (-8.61° were the smallest. The range of flexion (ROF and range of flexion-extension (ROFE of types 2 and 3 were usually greater than types 4 and 5, with type 1 being the largest. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present study classified and compared for the first time the mobility, curvature and balance in a Chinese population based on the entire spine alignment and found types 4 and 5 to present the worst balance and mobility. This study included a new spine postural alignment classification that should be considered in future population studies.

BIOFEEDBACK: A NEW METHOD FOR CORRECTION OF MOTOR DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya. S. Pekker

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Major disabling factors in multiple sclerosis is motor disorders. Rehabilitation of such violations is one of the most important medical and social problems. Currently, most of the role given to the development of methods for correction of motor disorders based on accessing natural resources of the human body. One of these methods is the adaptive control with biofeedback (BFB. The aim of our study was the correction of motor disorders in multiple sclerosis patients using biofeedback training. In the study, we have developed scenarios for training rehabilitation program computer EMG biofeedback aimed at correction of motor disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS. The method was tested in the neurological clinic of SSMU. The study included 9 patients with definite diagnosis of MS with the presence of the clinical picture of combined pyramidal and cerebellar symptoms. Assessed the effectiveness of rehabilitation procedures biofeedback training using specialized scales (rating scale functional systems Kurtzke; questionnaire research quality of life – SF-36, evaluation of disease impact Profile – SIP and score on a scale fatigue – FSS. In the studied group of patients decreased score on a scale of fatigue (FSS, increased motor control (SIP2, the physical and mental components of health (SF-36. The tendency to reduce the amount of neurological deficit by reducing the points on the pyramidal Kurtske violations. Analysis of the exchange rate dynamics of biofeedback training on EMG for trained muscles indicates an increase in the recorded signal OEMG from session to session. Proved a tendency to increase strength and coordination trained muscles of patients studied.Positive results of biofeedback therapy in patients with MS can be recommended to use this method in the complex rehabilitation measures to correct motor and psycho-emotional disorders.

Long latency postural responses are functionally modified by cognitive set.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckley, D J; Bloem, B R; Remler, M P; Roos, R A; Van Dijk, J G

1991-10-01

We examined how cognitive set influences the long latency components of normal postural responses in the legs. We disturbed the postural stability of standing human subjects with sudden toe-up ankle rotations. To influence the subjects' cognitive set, we varied the rotation amplitude either predictably (serial 4 degrees versus serial 10 degrees) or unpredictably (random mixture of 4 degrees and 10 degrees). The subjects' responses to these ankle rotations were assessed from the EMG activity of the tibialis anterior, the medial gastrocnemius, and the vastus lateralis muscles of the left leg. The results indicate that, when the rotation amplitude is predictable, only the amplitude of the long latency (LL) response in tibialis anterior and vastus lateralis varied directly with perturbation size. Furthermore, when the rotation amplitude is unpredictable, the central nervous system selects a default amplitude for the LL response in the tibialis anterior. When normal subjects are exposed to 2 perturbation amplitudes which include the potential risk of falling, the default LL response in tibialis anterior appropriately anticipates the larger amplitude perturbation rather than the smaller or an intermediate one.

Breathing biofeedback as an adjunct to exposure in cognitive behavioral therapy hastens the reduction of PTSD symptoms: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosaura Polak, A; Witteveen, Anke B; Denys, Damiaan; Olff, Miranda

2015-03-01

Although trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) with exposure is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), not all patients recover. Addition of breathing biofeedback to exposure in TF-CBT is suggested as a promising complementary technique to improve recovery of PTSD symptoms. Patients (n = 8) with chronic PTSD were randomized to regular TF-CBT or TF-CBT with complementary breathing biofeedback to exposure. PTSD symptoms were measured before, during and after TF-CBT with the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. The results show that breathing biofeedback is feasible and can easily be complemented to TF-CBT. Although PTSD symptoms significantly decreased from pre to post treatment in both conditions, there was a clear trend towards a significantly faster (p = .051) symptom reduction in biofeedback compared to regular TF-CBT. The most important limitation was the small sample size. The hastened clinical improvement in the biofeedback condition supports the idea that breathing biofeedback may be an effective complementary component to exposure in PTSD patients. The mechanism of action of breathing biofeedback may relate to competing working memory resources decreasing vividness and emotionality, similar to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Future research is needed to examine this.

Bioelectrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles after 6-week biofeedback training in nulliparous continent women.

Science.gov (United States)

Chmielewska, Daria; Stania, Magdalena; Smykla, Agnieszka; Kwaśna, Krystyna; Błaszczak, Edward; Sobota, Grzegorz; Skrzypulec-Plinta, Violetta

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a 6-week sEMG-biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training program on pelvic floor muscle activity in young continent women. Pelvic floor muscle activity was recorded using a vaginal probe during five experimental trials. Biofeedback training was continued for 6 weeks, 3 times a week. Muscle strenghtening and endurance exercises were performed alternately. SEMG (surface electromyography) measurements were recorded on four different occasions: before training started, after the third week of training, after the sixth week of training, and one month after training ended. A 6-week sEMG-biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training program significantly decreased the resting activity of the pelvic floor muscles in supine lying and standing. The ability to relax the pelvic floor muscles after a sustained 60-second contraction improved significantly after the 6-week training in both positions. SEMG-biofeedback training program did not seem to affect the activity of the pelvic floor muscles or muscle fatigue during voluntary pelvic floor muscle contractions. SEMG-biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training might be recommended for physiotherapists to improve the effectiveness of their relaxation techniques.

A Commentary on Real-Time Biofeedback to Augment Neuromuscular Training for ACL Injury Prevention in Adolescent Athletes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam W. Kiefer

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Anterior cruciate ligament injury and the associated long-term sequelae, such as immediate reductions in physical inactivity, increased adiposity and increased risk of osteoarthritis throughout adulthood, are a major health concern for adolescent athletes. Current interventions for injury prevention may have limited effectiveness, are susceptible to issues of compliance and have not achieved the widespread acceptance necessary to promote full adoption. Neuromuscular training (NMT is a well-established training intervention introduced to affect change in modifiable biomechanical risk factors to reduce the risk of injury in these athletes. Despite moderate success, neuromuscular training is still limited by its reliance on subjective feedback and after the fact (i.e., offline objective feedback techniques. The purpose of this commentary is to discuss technological tools that could be used to enhance and objectify targeted biofeedback interventions to complement NMT. Electromyography, force plates, motion sensors, and camera-based motion capture systems are innovative tools that may have realistic feasibility for integration as biofeedback into NMT programs to improve training outcomes. Improved functional deficit identification and corrective analysis may further improve and optimize athletic performance, and decrease the risk of sports-related injury during sport performance.

SU-E-J-235: Audiovisual Biofeedback Improves the Correlation Between Internal and External Respiratory Motion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, D; Pollock, S; Keall, P [Radiation Physics Laboratory, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, NSW (Australia); Greer, P [School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Department of Radiation Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Ludbrook, J [Department of Radiation Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia); Paganelli, C [Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano (Italy); Kim, T [Radiation Physics Laboratory, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, NSW (Australia); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, NC (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: External respiratory surrogates are often used to predict internal lung tumor motion for beam gating but the assumption of correlation between external and internal surrogates is not always verified resulting in amplitude mismatch and time shift. To test the hypothesis that audiovisual (AV) biofeedback improves the correlation between internal and external respiratory motion, in order to improve the accuracy of respiratory-gated treatments for lung cancer radiotherapy. Methods: In nine lung cancer patients, 2D coronal and sagittal cine-MR images were acquired across two MRI sessions (pre- and mid-treatment) with (1) free breathing (FB) and (2) AV biofeedback. External anterior-posterior (AP) respiratory motions of (a) chest and (b) abdomen were simultaneously acquired with physiological measurement unit (PMU, 3T Skyra, Siemens Healthcare Erlangen, Germany) and real-time position management (RPM) system (Varian, Palo Alto, USA), respectively. Internal superior-inferior (SI) respiratory motions of (c) lung tumor (i.e. centroid of auto-segmented lung tumor) and (d) diaphragm (i.e. upper liver dome) were measured from individual cine-MR images across 32 dataset. The four respiratory motions were then synchronized with the cine-MR image acquisition time. Correlation coefficients were calculated in the time variation of two nominated respiratory motions: (1) chest-abdomen, (2) abdomen-diaphragm and (3) diaphragm-lung tumor. The three combinations were compared between FB and AV biofeedback. Results: Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved chest-abdomen correlation by 17% (p=0.005) from 0.75±0.23 to 0.90±0.05 and abdomen-diaphragm correlation by 4% (p=0.058) from 0.91±0.11 to 0.95±0.05. Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved diaphragm-lung tumor correlation by 12% (p=0.023) from 0.65±0.21 to 0.74±0.16. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that AV biofeedback significantly improved the correlation of internal and external respiratory motion, thus

SU-E-J-235: Audiovisual Biofeedback Improves the Correlation Between Internal and External Respiratory Motion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D; Pollock, S; Keall, P; Greer, P; Ludbrook, J; Paganelli, C; Kim, T

2015-01-01

Purpose: External respiratory surrogates are often used to predict internal lung tumor motion for beam gating but the assumption of correlation between external and internal surrogates is not always verified resulting in amplitude mismatch and time shift. To test the hypothesis that audiovisual (AV) biofeedback improves the correlation between internal and external respiratory motion, in order to improve the accuracy of respiratory-gated treatments for lung cancer radiotherapy. Methods: In nine lung cancer patients, 2D coronal and sagittal cine-MR images were acquired across two MRI sessions (pre- and mid-treatment) with (1) free breathing (FB) and (2) AV biofeedback. External anterior-posterior (AP) respiratory motions of (a) chest and (b) abdomen were simultaneously acquired with physiological measurement unit (PMU, 3T Skyra, Siemens Healthcare Erlangen, Germany) and real-time position management (RPM) system (Varian, Palo Alto, USA), respectively. Internal superior-inferior (SI) respiratory motions of (c) lung tumor (i.e. centroid of auto-segmented lung tumor) and (d) diaphragm (i.e. upper liver dome) were measured from individual cine-MR images across 32 dataset. The four respiratory motions were then synchronized with the cine-MR image acquisition time. Correlation coefficients were calculated in the time variation of two nominated respiratory motions: (1) chest-abdomen, (2) abdomen-diaphragm and (3) diaphragm-lung tumor. The three combinations were compared between FB and AV biofeedback. Results: Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved chest-abdomen correlation by 17% (p=0.005) from 0.75±0.23 to 0.90±0.05 and abdomen-diaphragm correlation by 4% (p=0.058) from 0.91±0.11 to 0.95±0.05. Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved diaphragm-lung tumor correlation by 12% (p=0.023) from 0.65±0.21 to 0.74±0.16. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that AV biofeedback significantly improved the correlation of internal and external respiratory motion, thus

Feasibility and acceptance of biofeedback-assisted mental training in an Austrian elementary school: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Crevenna, Richard; Krammer, Christine; Keilani, Mohammad

2016-04-01

This pilot study aimed to investigate feasibility, acceptance, and effects of biofeedback-assisted mental training in a population of fifteen 10-year-old pupils in an Austrian elementary school. Participants were instructed in relaxation techniques by using biofeedback. Before intervention, after 6 weeks with active mental training and with regular instructions by the teacher, and after a further time period of 6 weeks without instructions, attention and concentration improved. The results indicate feasibility, good acceptance, and beneficial effects of biofeedback-assisted mental techniques in Austrian elementary school pupils.

A Vibrotactile and Plantar Force Measurement-Based Biofeedback System: Paving the Way towards Wearable Balance-Improving Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Christina Zong-Hao; Wan, Anson Hong-Ping; Wong, Duo Wai-Chi; Zheng, Yong-Ping; Lee, Winson Chiu-Chun

2015-12-15

Although biofeedback systems have been used to improve balance with success, they were confined to hospital training applications. Little attempt has been made to investigate the use of in-shoe plantar force measurement and wireless technology to turn hospital training biofeedback systems into wearable devices. This research developed a wearable biofeedback system which detects body sway by analyzing the plantar force and provides users with the corresponding haptic cues. The effects of this system were evaluated in thirty young and elderly subjects with simulated reduced foot sensation. Subjects performed a Romberg test under three conditions: (1) no socks, system turned-off; (2) wearing five layers of socks, system turned-off; (3) wearing five layers of socks, and system turned-on. Degree of body sway was investigated by computing the center of pressure (COP) movement measured by a floor-mounted force platform. Plantar tactile sensation was evaluated using a monofilament test. Wearing multiple socks significantly decreased the plantar tactile sensory input (p biofeedback system, the COP parameters decreased significantly (p biofeedback systems for improving balance in people with sensory deficits.

The Response of Hyperkinesis to EMG Biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Haight, Maryellen J.; And Others

A study was conducted involving eight hyperkinetic males (11-15 years old) to determine if Ss receiving electromyography (EMG) biofeedback training would show a reduction in frontalis muscle tension, hyperactivity, and lability, and increases in self-esteem and visual and auditory attention span. Individual 45- and 30-minute relaxation exercises…

Audiovisual biofeedback breathing guidance for lung cancer patients receiving radiotherapy: a multi-institutional phase II randomised clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollock, Sean; O'Brien, Ricky; Makhija, Kuldeep; Hegi-Johnson, Fiona; Ludbrook, Jane; Rezo, Angela; Tse, Regina; Eade, Thomas; Yeghiaian-Alvandi, Roland; Gebski, Val; Keall, Paul J

2015-07-18

There is a clear link between irregular breathing and errors in medical imaging and radiation treatment. The audiovisual biofeedback system is an advanced form of respiratory guidance that has previously demonstrated to facilitate regular patient breathing. The clinical benefits of audiovisual biofeedback will be investigated in an upcoming multi-institutional, randomised, and stratified clinical trial recruiting a total of 75 lung cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. To comprehensively perform a clinical evaluation of the audiovisual biofeedback system, a multi-institutional study will be performed. Our methodological framework will be based on the widely used Technology Acceptance Model, which gives qualitative scales for two specific variables, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, which are fundamental determinants for user acceptance. A total of 75 lung cancer patients will be recruited across seven radiation oncology departments across Australia. Patients will be randomised in a 2:1 ratio, with 2/3 of the patients being recruited into the intervention arm and 1/3 in the control arm. 2:1 randomisation is appropriate as within the interventional arm there is a screening procedure where only patients whose breathing is more regular with audiovisual biofeedback will continue to use this system for their imaging and treatment procedures. Patients within the intervention arm whose free breathing is more regular than audiovisual biofeedback in the screen procedure will remain in the intervention arm of the study but their imaging and treatment procedures will be performed without audiovisual biofeedback. Patients will also be stratified by treating institution and for treatment intent (palliative vs. radical) to ensure similar balance in the arms across the sites. Patients and hospital staff operating the audiovisual biofeedback system will complete questionnaires to assess their experience with audiovisual biofeedback. The objectives of this

Audiovisual biofeedback breathing guidance for lung cancer patients receiving radiotherapy: a multi-institutional phase II randomised clinical trial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollock, Sean; O’Brien, Ricky; Makhija, Kuldeep; Hegi-Johnson, Fiona; Ludbrook, Jane; Rezo, Angela; Tse, Regina; Eade, Thomas; Yeghiaian-Alvandi, Roland; Gebski, Val; Keall, Paul J

2015-01-01

There is a clear link between irregular breathing and errors in medical imaging and radiation treatment. The audiovisual biofeedback system is an advanced form of respiratory guidance that has previously demonstrated to facilitate regular patient breathing. The clinical benefits of audiovisual biofeedback will be investigated in an upcoming multi-institutional, randomised, and stratified clinical trial recruiting a total of 75 lung cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. To comprehensively perform a clinical evaluation of the audiovisual biofeedback system, a multi-institutional study will be performed. Our methodological framework will be based on the widely used Technology Acceptance Model, which gives qualitative scales for two specific variables, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, which are fundamental determinants for user acceptance. A total of 75 lung cancer patients will be recruited across seven radiation oncology departments across Australia. Patients will be randomised in a 2:1 ratio, with 2/3 of the patients being recruited into the intervention arm and 1/3 in the control arm. 2:1 randomisation is appropriate as within the interventional arm there is a screening procedure where only patients whose breathing is more regular with audiovisual biofeedback will continue to use this system for their imaging and treatment procedures. Patients within the intervention arm whose free breathing is more regular than audiovisual biofeedback in the screen procedure will remain in the intervention arm of the study but their imaging and treatment procedures will be performed without audiovisual biofeedback. Patients will also be stratified by treating institution and for treatment intent (palliative vs. radical) to ensure similar balance in the arms across the sites. Patients and hospital staff operating the audiovisual biofeedback system will complete questionnaires to assess their experience with audiovisual biofeedback. The objectives of this

Critique: Can Children with AD/HD Learn Relaxation and Breathing Techniques through Biofeedback Video Games?

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Craig; Conlon, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

This article presents a critique on K. Amon and A. Campbell's "Can children with AD/HD learn relaxation and breathing techniques through biofeedback video games?". Amon and Campbell reported a successful trial of a commercially available biofeedback program, "The Wild Divine", in reducing symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)…

A real time biofeedback using Kinect and Wii to improve gait for post-total knee replacement rehabilitation: a case study report.

Science.gov (United States)

Levinger, Pazit; Zeina, Daniel; Teshome, Assefa K; Skinner, Elizabeth; Begg, Rezaul; Abbott, John Haxby

2016-01-01

This study aimed to develop a low-cost real-time biofeedback system to assist with rehabilitation for patients following total knee replacement (TKR) and to assess its feasibility of use in a post-TKR patient case study design with a comparison group. The biofeedback system consisted of Microsoft Kinect(TM) and Nintendo Wii balance board with a dedicated software. A six-week inpatient rehabilitation program was augmented by biofeedback and tested in a single patient following TKR. Three patients underwent a six weeks standard rehabilitation with no biofeedback and served as a control group. Gait, function and pain were assessed and compared before and after the rehabilitation. The biofeedback software incorporated real time visual feedback to correct limb alignment, movement pattern and weight distribution. Improvements in pain, function and quality of life were observed in both groups. The strong improvement in the knee moment pattern demonstrated in the case study indicates feasibility of the biofeedback-augmented intervention. This novel biofeedback software has used simple commercially accessible equipment that can be feasibly incorporated to augment a post-TKR rehabilitation program. Our preliminary results indicate the potential of this biofeedback-assisted rehabilitation to improve knee function during gait. Research is required to test this hypothesis. Implications for Rehabilitation The real-time biofeedback system developed integrated custom-made software and simple low-cost commercially accessible equipment such as Kinect and Wii board to provide augmented information during rehabilitation following TKR. The software incorporated key rehabilitation principles and visual feedback to correct alignment of the lower legs, pelvic and trunk as well as providing feedback on limbs weight distribution. The case study patient demonstrated greater improvement in their knee function where a more normal biphasic knee moment was achieved following the six

Efficacy of biofeedback on quality of life in stages I and II pelvic organ prolapse: A Pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahadi, Tannaz; Taghvadoost, Neda; Aminimoghaddam, Soheila; Forogh, Bijan; Bazazbehbahani, Roxana; Raissi, Gholam Reza

2017-08-01

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a prevalent disorder which seriously affects the sufferer's quality of life. The main goal of this study was to evaluate biofeedback impact on quality of life in women with mild to moderate POP. 40 females in stages I and II POP were allocated into 2 groups. One group received pelvic floor muscle exercise and lifestyle advice in addition to biofeedback twice a week for 4 weeks, while the other received a lifestyle advice sheet and pelvic floor muscle exercise without biofeedback. A valid Persian version of P-QOL questionnaire was applied to assess the patients̕ quality of life at baseline, 4 weeks and 12 weeks follow up. Pressure biofeedback and Physical examination were also performed in order to determine pelvic floor muscle strength and staging of the prolapse, respectively. Collected data were analyzed by mixed ANOVA test using SPSS 22. Biofeedback improved the quality of life in seven of nine P-QOL domains. However, it had no significant impact either on pelvic floor muscle strength or on the stage of the prolapse. Biofeedback could be considered as a non-invasive treatment leading to quality of life promotion in women with stages I and II POP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Retroflex Versus Bunched in Treatment for Rhotic Misarticulation: Evidence From Ultrasound Biofeedback Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Tara McAllister; Hitchcock, Elaine R.; Swartz, Michelle T.

2014-01-01

Purpose To document the efficacy of ultrasound biofeedback treatment for misarticulation of the North American English rhotic in children. Because of limited progress in the first cohort, a series of two closely related studies was conducted in place of a single study. The studies differed primarily in the nature of tongue-shape targets (e.g., retroflex, bunched) cued during treatment. Method Eight participants received 8 weeks of individual ultrasound biofeedback treatment targeting rhotics. In Study 1, all 4 participants were cued to match a bunched tongue-shape target. In Study 2, participants received individualized cues aimed at eliciting the tongue shape most facilitative of perceptually correct rhotics. Results Participants in Study 1 showed only minimal treatment effects. In Study 2, all participants demonstrated improved production of rhotics in untreated words produced without biofeedback, with large to very large effect sizes. Conclusions The results of Study 2 indicate that with proper parameters of treatment, ultrasound biofeedback can be a highly effective intervention for children with persistent rhotic errors. In addition, qualitative comparison of Studies 1 and 2 suggests that treatment for the North American English rhotic should include opportunities to explore different tongue shapes, to find the most facilitative variant for each individual speaker. PMID:25088034

The effect of biofeedback therapy on dyssynergic constipation in patients with or without Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahadi, Tannaz; Madjlesi, Faezeh; Mahjoubi, Bahar; Mirzaei, Rezvan; Forogh, Bijan; Daliri, Seyedeh Somayeh; Derakhshandeh, Seyed Majid; Behbahani, Roxana Bazaz; Raissi, G Reza

2014-10-01

The Rome II and III diagnostic criteria for dyssynergic defecation recommended the exclusion of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study determined the effect of biofeedback therapy on dyssynergic constipation in patients with or without IBS. This study was a nonrandomized, single blinded, semi experimental study. Dyssynergic defecation patients with and without IBS were asked to undergo biofeedback therapy 8 sessions. The defecation dynamics and balloon expulsion time were evaluated before, at the end and 1 month after the biofeedback therapy. IBS symptoms were graded using a 4-point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney U-test, Wilcoxon test and Friedman test were applied to analyze data using SPSS software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). After the biofeedback therapy, the IBS symptoms have been decreased significantly (the median of 2 before and 1 after therapy, P anismus index in IBS group by the mean of 0.75 ± 0.31, 0.28 ± 0.07 and 0.28 ± 0.06 in three phases, respectively. Similar results were found in non-IBS patients (the mean of 0.74 ± 0.32, 0.28 ± 0.08, 0.27 ± 0.08 in three phases, respectively). The symptoms of constipation (sensation of incomplete evacuation, difficult and painful defecation), defecation facilitative manual maneuver frequency, pelvic floor muscles resting amplitude and strain amplitude decreased and squeezing amplitude improved significantly after biofeedback therapy in both groups with and without IBS (P 0.05) with respect to outcome. No complication was observed in treatment groups. Dyssynergic constipation patients with and without IBS will likely benefit from biofeedback therapy.

Study on Posture Estimation Using Delayed Measurements for Mobile Robots

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2005-01-01

When associating data from various sensors to estimate the posture of mobile robots, a crucial problem to be solved is that there may be some delayed measurements. Furthermore, the general multi-sensor data fusion algorithm is a Kalman filter. In order to handle the problem concerning delayed measurements, this paper investigates a Kalman filter modified to account for the delays. Based on the interpolating measurement, a fusion system is applied to estimate the posture of a mobile robot which fuses the data from the encoder and laser global position system using the extended Kalman filter algorithm. Finally, the posture estimation experiment of the mobile robot is given whose result verifies the feasibility and efficiency of the algorithm.

Biofeedback relaxation for pain associated with continuous passive motion in Taiwanese patients after total knee arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tsae-Jyy; Chang, Ching-Fen; Lou, Meei-Fang; Ao, Man-Kuan; Liu, Chiung-Chen; Liang, Shu-Yuan; Wu, Shu-Fang Vivienne; Tung, Heng-Hsing

2015-02-01

Effective pain management is crucial for patient recovery after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Biofeedback therapy, which encourages relaxation and helps alleviate various conditions associated with stress, may help to decrease postoperative pain in patients undergoing TKA. A quasi- experimental design was used to investigate the efficacy of a biofeedback relaxation intervention in reducing pain associated with postoperative continuous passive motion (CPM) therapy. Sixty-six patients admitted to a general hospital in Taiwan for TKA were recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention group received biofeedback training twice daily for 5 days, concurrent with CPM therapy, whereas the control group did not receive the biofeedback intervention. Pain was measured using a numeric rating scale before and after each CPM therapy session on postoperative days 1 through 5. The CPM-elicited pain score was calculated by subtracting the pre-CPM pain score from the post-CPM pain score. Results of repeated-measures analysis of variance showed intervention group reported significantly less pain caused by CPM than did the control group (f = 29.70, p biofeedback relaxation, a non-invasive and non-pharmacological intervention, as a complementary treatment option for pain management in this population. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

BIOFEEDBACK Y DEPORTES: POTENCIALES L͍NEAS DE ACTUACIÓN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. F. Godoy

2010-07-01

Full Text Available

En este trabajo se presentan potenciales líneas de integración del biofeedback en el área de la actividad física y deportiva, revisando tres posibles áreas de actuación en el deporte utilizando procedimientos o técnicas de biofeedback: a mejora en el entrenamiento deportivo u optimización del proceso de preparación física del deportista, b mejora de la actuación deportiva u optimización del rendimiento del deportista y c prevención y rehabilitación de lesiones generadas por la práctica deportiva.

Biofeedback and the electromyographic activity of pelvic floor muscles in pregnant women Biofeedback na atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos do assoalho pélvico em gestantes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta L. A. Batista

2011-10-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Maintaining continence is among the functions of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM and their dysfunction can cause urinary incontinence (UI, which is a common occurrence during pregnancy and the puerperal period. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT, therefore, is important during pregnancy, although most women perform the muscle contractions unsatisfactorily. OBJECTIVES: This study is an exploratory analysis of the results of three electromyographic (EMG activity biofeedback sessions in pregnant women. METHODS: The study sample included 19 nulliparous women with low risk pregnancies. The participants performed three sessions of EMG biofeedback consisting of slow and fast contractions. The average value of the normalized amplitudes of surface electromyography was used to evaluate the results. The linear regression model with mixed effects was used for statistical analysis, with the EMG data normalized by maximum voluntary contraction (MVC. RESULTS: A steady increase in EMG amplitude was observed during each contraction and by the end of the biofeedback sessions, although this difference was only significant when comparing the first tonic contraction of each session (p=0.03. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that three sessions of training with biofeedback improved PFM EMG activity during the second trimester in women with low-risk pregnancies. The effectiveness of this protocol should be further investigated in randomized controlled trials.CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: Dentre as funções dos músculos do assoalho pélvico (MAPs, pode-se citar a manutenção da continência, sendo que sua disfunção pode causar a incontinência urinária (IU, muito frequente no período gestacional e no puerpério. Diante disso, se faz importante o treinamento dos músculos do assoalho pélvico (TMAP durante o período gestacional, entretanto grande parte das mulheres realiza a contração dessa musculatura de maneira insatisfatória. OBJETIVOS: Realizar uma an

Effects of Pilates exercises on sensory interaction, postural control and fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Soysal Tomruk, Melda; Uz, Muhammed Zahid; Kara, Bilge; İdiman, Egemen

2016-05-01

Decreased postural control, sensory integration deficits and fatigue are important problems that cause functional impairments in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). To examine the effect of modified clinical Pilates exercises on sensory interaction and balance, postural control and fatigue in pwMS. Eleven patients with multiple sclerosis and 12 healthy matched controls were recruited in this study. Limits of stability and postural stability tests were used to evaluate postural control by Biodex Balance System and sensory interaction assessed. Fatigue was assessed by Modified Fatigue Impact Scale. Pilates exercises were applied two times a week for 10 weeks and measurements were repeated to pwMS after exercise training. Postural control and fatigue (except psychosocial parameter) of pwMS were significantly worser than healthy controls (pPilates training (ppilates exercises (p>0.05). Ten-week Pilates training is effective to improve sensory interaction and to decrease fatigue. Pilates exercises can be applied safely in ambulatory pwMS for enhance sensory interaction and balance and combat fatigue. More investigations are needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patient-Controlled Biofeedback Device for the Treatment of Fecal Incontinence: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Damin, Daniel C; Hommerding, Felipe; Schirmer, Delber; Sanches, Paulo R S; Silva Junior, Danton P; Müller, André F; Thome, Paulo R O

2017-06-01

Although biofeedback has been used as a first-line therapy for fecal incontinence, it is known to be time consuming and demands attendance to a hospital during the whole period of treatment. In this study, we describe a new biofeedback device specifically developed for home treatment of fecal incontinence, which consists of a microprocessor controlled unit able to register and store the anal pressure waves corresponding to exercises performed by patients at home. In order to test the new device, a pilot study including ten patients with fecal incontinence was conducted. Evaluation of patients before and after the biofeedback training showed significant improvement in manometric and clinical parameters of anal continence. The new method may improve compliance of patients with the training program and reduce their need to be supervised during the treatment. It might represent a new alternative for the treatment of fecal incontinence.

Negative transfer of heart rate control following biofeedback training: a partial replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Steptoe, A; Macready, D

1985-09-01

Ability to raise and lower heart rate (HR) on instruction was tested before and after unidirectional biofeedback training in two groups of 10 male volunteers. Instructional control was assessed in 2-min trials before training, and after 5 and 10 biofeedback trials of increasing (Group I) and decreasing (Group D) HR. The magnitude of HR elevations produced by Group D diminished following training, while modifications in Group I were unchanged. This negative transfer effect is discussed in relation to whether voluntary speeding and slowing HR reflect distinct capacities.

Can biofeedback training of psychophysiological responses enhance athletes' sport performance? A practitioner's perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Pusenjak, Nika; Grad, Anton; Tusak, Matej; Leskovsek, Matevz; Schwarzlin, Romina

2015-07-01

In recent years, biofeedback has become increasingly popular for its proven success in peak performance training - the psychophysiological preparation of athletes for high-stakes sport competitions, such as the Olympic games. The aim of this research was to test whether an 8-week period of exposure to biofeedback training could improve the psychophysiological control over competitive anxiety and enhance athletic performance in participating subjects. Participants of this study were highly competent athletes, each training in different sport disciplines. The experimental group consisted of 18 athletes (4 women, 14 men), whereas the Control group had 21 athletes (4 women, 17 men). All athletes were between 16 and 34 years old. The biofeedback device, Nexus 10, was used to detect and measure the psychophysiological responses of athletes. Athletes from both groups (control and experimental) were subjected to stress tests at the beginning of the study and once again at its conclusion. In between, the experimental group received training in biofeedback techniques. We then calculated the overall percentage of athletes in the experimental group compared with those in the control group who were able to control respiration, skin conductance, heart rate, blood flow amplitude, heart rate variability, and heart respiration coherence. One year following completion of the initial study, we questioned athletes from the experimental group, to determine whether they continued to use these skills and if they could detect any subsequent enhancement in their athletic performance. We demonstrated that a greater number of participants in the experimental group were able to successfully control their psychophysiological parameters, in comparison to their peers in the control group. Significant results (p biofeedback - psycho-regulation skills. Furthermore, these participants uniformly reported believing that these skills had enhanced their athletic performance and general well-being.

Pilot Randomized Trial Comparing Intersession Scheduling of Biofeedback Results to Individuals with Chronic Pain: Influence on Psychologic Function and Pain Intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, Douglas L; Whitney, Anthony A; Tindall, Angelique G; Carter, Gregory T

2015-10-01

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two biofeedback schedules on long-term improvement in physical and psychologic reactivity to chronic nonmalignant pain. This study is a prospective, randomized pilot trial. Twenty adults with chronic pain engaged in heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training for nine sessions with HRV presented visually. Two groups, formed by random assignment, were compared: The faded feedback group received concurrent visual HRV biofeedback in session 1, with the amount of biofeedback systematically reduced for ensuing sessions so that, by session 9, the participants were controlling HRV without external feedback. The full feedback group received visual HRV biofeedback continuously across all sessions. Outcome measures assessed at baseline, immediately after the program, and 3 mos after the program included pain intensity, fear-avoidance beliefs, and self-report physical functioning. Use of biofeedback skills was also assessed 3 mos after the program. Nominal variables were analyzed with χ. Continuous measures were analyzed with repeated-measures analyses of variance. The faded feedback schedule resulted in greater use of biofeedback skills at 3 mos and improved pain intensity and fear-avoidance beliefs after the program and at 3 mos. Physical functioning did not differ between groups. Systematically reducing the frequency of external visual feedback during HRV biofeedback training was associated with reduced reactivity to chronic pain. Results of this pilot study should be confirmed with a larger randomized study.

Randomised controlled trial of biofeedback training in persistent encopresis with anismus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nolan, T; Catto-Smith, T; Coffey, C; Wells, J

1998-08-01

Paradoxical external anal sphincter contraction during attempted defecation (anismus) is thought to be an important contributor to chronic faecal retention and encopresis in children. Biofeedback training can be used to teach children to abolish this abnormal contraction. A randomised controlled trial in medical treatment resistant and/or treatment dependent children with anismus using surface electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training to determine whether such training produces sustained faecal continence. Up to four sessions of biofeedback training were conducted at weekly intervals for each patient. Anorectal manometry was performed before randomisation and six months later. Parents of patients completed the "child behaviour checklist" (CBCL) before randomisation and at follow up. Sixty eight children underwent anorectal manometry and EMG. Of these, 29 had anismus (ages 4-14 years) and were randomised to either EMG biofeedback training and conventional medical treatment (BFT) (n = 14) or to conventional medical treatment alone (n = 15). All but one child were able to learn relaxation of the external anal sphincter on attempted defecation. At six months' follow up, laxative free remission had been sustained in two of 14 patients in the BFT group and in two of 15 controls (95% confidence interval (CI) on difference, -24% to 26%). Remission or improvement occurred in four of 14 patients in the BFT group and six of 15 controls (95% CI on difference, -46% to 23%). Of subjects available for repeat anorectal manometry and EMG at six months, six of 13 in the BFT group still demonstrated anismus v 11 of 13 controls (95% CI on difference, -75% to -1%). Of the four patients in full remission at six months, only one (in the BFT group) did not exhibit anismus. Rectal hyposensitivity was not associated with remission or improvement in either of the groups. Mean CBCL total behaviour problem scores were not significantly different between the BFT and control groups, but there

Randomised controlled trial of biofeedback training in persistent encopresis with anismus

Science.gov (United States)

Nolan, T.; Catto-Smith, T.; Coffey, C.; Wells, J.

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND—Paradoxical external anal sphincter contraction during attempted defecation (anismus) is thought to be an important contributor to chronic faecal retention and encopresis in children. Biofeedback training can be used to teach children to abolish this abnormal contraction.
METHODS—A randomised controlled trial in medical treatment resistant and/or treatment dependent children with anismus using surface electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training to determine whether such training produces sustained faecal continence. Up to four sessions of biofeedback training were conducted at weekly intervals for each patient. Anorectal manometry was performed before randomisation and six months later. Parents of patients completed the "child behaviour checklist" (CBCL) before randomisation and at follow up.
RESULTS—Sixty eight children underwent anorectal manometry and EMG. Of these, 29 had anismus (ages 4-14 years) and were randomised to either EMG biofeedback training and conventional medical treatment (BFT) (n = 14) or to conventional medical treatment alone (n = 15). All but one child were able to learn relaxation of the external anal sphincter on attempted defecation. At six months' follow up, laxative free remission had been sustained in two of 14 patients in the BFT group and in two of 15 controls (95% confidence interval (CI) on difference, −24% to 26%). Remission or improvement occurred in four of 14 patients in the BFT group and six of 15 controls (95% CI on difference, −46% to 23%). Of subjects available for repeat anorectal manometry and EMG at six months, six of 13 in the BFT group still demonstrated anismus v 11 of 13 controls (95% CI on difference, −75% to −1%). Of the four patients in full remission at six months, only one (in the BFT group) did not exhibit anismus. Rectal hyposensitivity was not associated with remission or improvement in either of the groups. Mean CBCL total behaviour problem scores were not significantly different

Management of Facial Synkinesis with a Combination of BTX-A and Biofeedback: A Randomized Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pourmomeny, Abbas Ali; Asadi, Sahar; Cheatsaz, Ahmad

2015-11-01

Synkinesis and facial asymmetry due to facial nerve palsy are distressing conditions that affect quality of life. Unfortunately, these sequelae of facial nerve palsy are unresolved. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a combination of biofeedback therapy and botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection for the management of synkinesis and asymmetry of facial muscles. Among referrals from three university hospitals, 34 patients with facial synkinesis were divided randomly into two groups. All participants were evaluated using Photoshop software, videotape, and facial grading system (FGS). The first group received a single dose of BTX-A at the start of treatment, while the second group received normal saline as a control. Both groups received electromyography (EMG) biofeedback three times a week for 4 months. The mean FGS values for the BTX group before and after treatment were 55.17 and 74.17, respectively, and those for the biofeedback group were 66.31 and 81.37, respectively. Moreover, it was shown that in both groups oral-ocular and oculo-oral synkinesis decreased significantly after treatment compared with before treatment (PPhotoshop and videotape, these differences were even greater. Despite the decrease in synkinesis in both groups after treatment, there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups (P>0.05). Biofeedback therapy is as effective as the combination of biofeedback and BTX in reducing synkinesis and recovery of facial symmetry in Bell's palsy.

Biofeedback Therapy Effect on Facial Nerve Palsy and Prevention of Synkinesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas ali Pour-Momeny

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: Synkiesia is a sequel of facial nerve palsy. It usually begins 3-4 months after axonal regeneration and progressed up to two years afterward. Treatment of synkinesia is very difficult and sometimes impossible.The aim of our study is find a better procedure to treat facial nerve palsy and prevent synkinesia. Materials and Methods: Twenty nine patients with facial nerve palsy were selected by electrodiagnosis tests. They were divided in two groups. The experimental group was treated by biofeedback electromyography and the second group was treated by common physiotherapy. The evaluation of all patients was done by Photoshop assessment and facial grading scale before and after treatment. Result: After the treatment, a significant general improvement was observed in both groups (p<0.05, but in experimental group (biofeedback showed better result than the other one. The number of patients with synkinesia as well as the severity of their synkinesis in experimental group were lesser than the other one. Conclusion: Biofeedback therapy is more efficient than common physiotherapy.By using this approach, control and reducing synkinesia is more feasible. Assessment by Pohotoshop procedure showed better accuracy than facial grading scale.

Biofeedback as complementary treatment in patients with epilepsy – an underestimated therapeutic option? Review, results, discussion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uhlmann Carmen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background. Biofeedback methods represent side effect free complementary options in the treatment of epilepsy. In this paper we review the current status of these methods in terms of clinical study results and their evaluation by systematic review papers. Possible mechanisms of action in biofeedback methods are discussed.

Development of anticipatory postural adjustments during locomotion in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirschfeld, H; Forssberg, H

1992-08-01

1. Anticipatory postural adjustments were studied in children (6-14 yr of age) walking on a treadmill while pulling a handle. Electromyographs (EMGs) and movements were recorded from the left arm and leg. 2. Postural activity in the leg muscles preceded voluntary arm muscle activity in all age groups, including the youngest children (6 yr of age). The latency to both leg and arm muscle activity, from a triggering audio signal, decreased with age. 3. In older children the latency to both voluntary and postural activity was influenced by the phase of the step cycle. The shortest latency to the first activated postural muscle occurred during single support phase in combination with a long latency to arm muscle activity. 4. In the youngest children, there was no phase-dependent modulation of the latency to the activation of the postural muscles. The voluntary activity was delayed during the beginning of the support phase resulting in a long delay between leg and arm muscle activity. 5. The postural muscle activation pattern was modified in a phase-dependent manner in all children. Lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and hamstring muscles (HAM) were activated during the early support phase, whereas tibialis anterior (TA) and quadriceps (Q) muscles were activated during the late support phase and during the swing phase. However, in the 6-yr-old children, LG was also activated in the swing phase. LG was activated before the HAM activity in the youngest children but after HAM in 14-yr-old children and adults. 6. The occurrence of LG activity in postural responses before heel strike suggests an immature (nonplantigrade) gating of postural activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Reducing Anxiety and Improving Academic Performance Through a Biofeedback Relaxation Training Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Aritzeta, Aitor; Soroa, Goretti; Balluerka, Nekane; Muela, Alexander; Gorostiaga, Arantxa; Aliri, Jone

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of a biofeedback relaxation training program on anxiety and academic performance. The program consisted of five biofeedback sessions coupled with three training activities focused on deep breathing, guided imagery, and muscle relaxation. The participants were second-year psychology undergraduates from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU, northern Spain). The experimental group comprised 152 students (M age  = 19.6, SD = 0.74; 74% women) and the control group 81 students (M age   = 19.4, SD = 0.92; 71% women). Results showed that after participating in the program, students in the experimental group had lower levels of anxiety and increased academic performance. Furthermore, they scored lower on anxiety and higher on academic performance in comparison with the control subjects. This suggests that the inclusion of biofeedback training programs in educational contexts could be a way of reducing anxiety and improving academic performance. It may also deepen our understanding of the dynamic interplay between psychophysiological, cognitive, and emotional processes.

Biofeedback efficacy to improve clinical symptoms and endoscopic signs of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Forootan, Mojgan; Shekarchizadeh, Masood; Farmanara, Hamedreza; Esfahani, Ahmad Reza Shekarchizadeh; Esfahani, Mansooreh Shekarchizadeh

2018-01-12

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is often resistant to medical and surgical treatment. This study assessed the effect of biofeedback in decreasing the symptoms and the healing of endoscopic signs in SRUS patients. Before starting the treatment, endoscopy and colorectal manometry was performed to evaluate dyssynergic defecation. Patients were followed every four weeks, and during each visit their response to treatment was evaluated regarding to manometry pattern. After at least 50% improvement in manometry parameters, recipients underwent rectosigmoidoscopy. Endoscopic response to biofeedback treatment and clinical symptoms were investigated. Duration of symptoms was 43.11±36.42 months in responder and 63.9 ± 45.74 months in non-responder group (P=0.22). There were more ulcers in non-responder group than responder group (1.50 ±0.71 versus 1.33±- 0.71 before and 1.30 ± 0.95 versus 0.67 ±0.50 after biofeedback), although the difference was not significant (P=0.604, 0.10 respectively). The most prevalent symptoms were constipation (79%), rectal bleeding (68%) and anorectal pain (53%). The most notable improvement in symptoms after biofeedback occured in abdominal pain and incomplete evacuation, and the least was seen in mucosal discharge and toilet waiting as shown in the bar chart. Endoscopic cure was observed in 4 of 10 patients of the non-responder group while 8 patients in responder group experienced endoscopic improvement. It seems that biofeedback has significant effect for pathophysiologic symptoms such as incomplete evacuation and obstructive defecation. Improvement of clinical symptoms does not mean endoscopic cure; so to demonstrate remission the patients have to go under rectosigmoidoscopy.

Biofeedback efficacy to improve clinical symptoms and endoscopic signs of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mojgan Forootan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS is often resistant to medical and surgical treatment. This study assessed the effect of biofeedback in decreasing the symptoms and the healing of endoscopic signs in SRUS patients. Before starting the treatment, endoscopy and colorectal manometry was performed to evaluate dyssynergic defecation. Patients were followed every four weeks, and during each visit their response to treatment was evaluated regarding to manometry pattern. After at least 50% improvement in manometry parameters, recipients underwent rectosigmoidoscopy. Endoscopic response to biofeedback treatment and clinical symptoms were investigated. Duration of symptoms was 43.11±36.42 months in responder and 63.9±45.74 months in non-responder group (P=0.22. There were more ulcers in non-responder group than responder group (1.50±0.71 versus 1.33±-0.71 before and 1.30 ± 0.95 versus 0.67±0.50 after biofeedback, although the difference was not significant (P=0.604, 0.10 respectively. The most prevalent symptoms were constipation (79%, rectal bleeding (68% and anorectal pain (53%. The most notable improvement in symptoms after biofeedback occured in abdominal pain and incomplete evacuation, and the least was seen in mucosal discharge and toilet waiting as shown in the bar chart. Endoscopic cure was observed in 4 of 10 patients of the non-responder group while 8 patients in responder group experienced endoscopic improvement. It seems that biofeedback has significant effect for pathophysiologic symptoms such as incomplete evacuation and obstructive defecation. Improvement of clinical symptoms does not mean endoscopic cure; so to demonstrate remission the patients have to go under rectosigmoidoscopy.

Enhancing generalisation in biofeedback intervention using the challenge point framework: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

HITCHCOCK, ELAINE R.; BYUN, TARA McALLISTER

2014-01-01

Biofeedback intervention can help children achieve correct production of a treatment-resistant error sound, but generalisation is often limited. This case study suggests that generalisation can be enhanced when biofeedback intervention is structured in accordance with a “challenge point” framework for speech-motor learning. The participant was an 11-year-old with residual /r/ misarticulation who had previously attained correct /r/ production through a structured course of ultrasound biofeedback treatment but did not generalise these gains beyond the word level. Treatment difficulty was adjusted in an adaptive manner following predetermined criteria for advancing, maintaining, or moving back a level in a multidimensional hierarchy of functional task complexity. The participant achieved and maintained virtually 100% accuracy in producing /r/ at both word and sentence levels. These preliminary results support the efficacy of a semi-structured implementation of the challenge point framework as a means of achieving generalisation and maintenance of treatment gains. PMID:25216375

Postural control and cognitive task performance in healthy participants while balancing on different support-surface configurations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dault, MC; Mulder, TW; Duysens, J

2001-01-01

Postural control during normal upright stance in humans is a well-learned task. Hence, it has often been argued that it requires very little attention. However, many studies have recently shown that postural control is modified when a cognitive task is executed simultaneously especially in the

The effectiveness of biofeedback in treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review Eficácia do biofeedback no tratamento de mulheres com incontinência urinária de esforço: revisão sistemática

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Maria Alvares Barbosa

2011-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: to assess whether pelvic-floor muscle training associated with biofeedback is more effective in the treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence, when compared to exercise alone. METHODS: a research of articles published in the last 20 years in Lilacs, PubMed and SCIRUS databases, using the descriptors "urinary incontinence, stress" and "biofeedback" was conducted. Randomized clinical trials comparing pelvic-floor muscle training with and without biofeedback were included. RESULTS: the study involved three randomized clinical trials involving 169 patients. A physical therapist was responsible for conducting the treatment using electromyographic or pressure biofeedback, and exercises were performed in the clinic or at home. The assessment methods, treatment times and protocols used were heterogeneous. Statistical analysis and rates of cure/improvement were similar between the groups of articles analyzed. Two studies had a score 8, and the third had 6 points according to PEDro's Scale. CONCLUSIONS: examination of the studies found suggests that adding biofeedback to pelvic-floor muscle training appears not to bring about a significant difference in terms of the success of treatment, when compared to perineal exercises performed in isolation.OBJETIVOS: verificar se os exercícios para a musculatura do assoalho pélvico (MAP associados ao biofeedback promovem maior eficácia no tratamento da incontinência urinária de esforço em mulheres, quando comparados a cinesioterapia de forma isolada. MÉTODOS: foi realizada uma pesquisa dos artigos publicados nos últimos 20 anos, nas bases de dados Lilacs, PubMed e SCIRUS, através dos descritores "urinary incontinence, stress" e "biofeedback". Foram incluídos ensaios clínicos aleatorizados que utilizaram como intervenção exercícios para a MAP isolados e associados ao biofeedback, de forma comparativa. RESULTADOS: foram incluídos três ensaios clínicos randomizados envolvendo 169

The differences in postural reactions between scoliosis and scoliotic posture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacek Wilczyński

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to demonstrate the differences in amplitudes of postural reactions in girls with scoliotic posture and idiopathic scoliosis. 28 girls aged 7-18 years old were involved in the study. Children attended to the Interschool Centre of Corrective Exercises in Starachowice. The research was conducted in June 2011. Spine research was made by Exhibeon digital radiography. Based on the size of the angle of spinal curvature there were identified: scoliotic posture: 1-9° and scoliosis: ≥10°. Postural reactions were examined by static-dynamic Tecnobody’s ST 310 Plus Stability System platform. There were 21 (75% children with scoliotic posture, and 7 (25% with idiopathic scoliosis. Student's t-test showed a significantly higher postural reactions for scoliosis in relation to scoliotic postures in case of: Average Forward-Backward Speed (OE, (p=0,05, Medium-Lateral Standard Deviation X (CE, (p=0,002, and Ellipse area (CE, (p=0,012. To verify the significant differences, demonstrating the lack of homogeneity of variance, the Mann–Whitney U-test has been used, which showed a significant differences between the scoliotic posture and scoliosis in case of: Medium-Lateral Standard Deviation X (CE, (p=0,0012, Average Forward-Backward Speed (OE, (p=0,0548, and Ellipse area (CE (p=0,0047. Together with an increase of the angle of curvature, the value of these postural reactions also grew. Most of postural reactions didn’t fit the norm.

Real-time visual biofeedback during weight bearing improves therapy compliance in patients following lower extremity fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Raaben, Marco; Holtslag, Herman R; Leenen, Luke P H; Augustine, Robin; Blokhuis, Taco J

2018-01-01

Individuals with lower extremity fractures are often instructed on how much weight to bear on the affected extremity. Previous studies have shown limited therapy compliance in weight bearing during rehabilitation. In this study we investigated the effect of real-time visual biofeedback on weight bearing in individuals with lower extremity fractures in two conditions: full weight bearing and touch-down weight bearing. 11 participants with full weight bearing and 12 participants with touch-down weight bearing after lower extremity fractures have been measured with an ambulatory biofeedback system. The participants first walked 15m and the biofeedback system was only used to register the weight bearing. The same protocol was then repeated with real-time visual feedback during weight bearing. The participants could thereby adapt their loading to the desired level and improve therapy compliance. In participants with full weight bearing, real-time visual biofeedback resulted in a significant increase in loading from 50.9±7.51% bodyweight (BW) without feedback to 63.2±6.74%BW with feedback (P=0.0016). In participants with touch-down weight bearing, the exerted lower extremity load decreased from 16.7±9.77kg without feedback to 10.27±4.56kg with feedback (P=0.0718). More important, the variance between individual steps significantly decreased after feedback (P=0.018). Ambulatory monitoring weight bearing after lower extremity fractures showed that therapy compliance is low, both in full and touch-down weight bearing. Real-time visual biofeedback resulted in significantly higher peak loads in full weight bearing and increased accuracy of individual steps in touch-down weight bearing. Real-time visual biofeedback therefore results in improved therapy compliance after lower extremity fractures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ANALYSIS OF A DIFFERENTIATED APPROACH TO THE APPOINTMENT OF DICK METHODS IN BIOFEEDBACK CORRECTION AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. G. Polyakova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Goal of research: analysis of the effectiveness of Biofeedback therapy is differentiated depending on the clinical forms of autonomic dysfunction. Exchange rate control efficacy of biofeedback hardware was conducted on the dynamics of clinical andl aboratory data, surveys and assessment of the functional State of the SNC using heart rate variability, vegetative resonance test, Kerdo index definition, as well as èlektrokardiografiče applications and questionnaires, characterizing the State of psychoemotional sphere (Spilbergera–Hanina, test, Luscher. Laboratory tests include a complete blood count with evaluation of Adaptive reactions of the organism. The results of the rehabilitation complex of the patients with the use of biofeedback have confirmed its effectiveness.

Advanced biofeedback from surface electromyography signals using fuzzy system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Samani, Afshin; Holtermann, Andreas; Søgaard, Karen

2010-01-01

The aims of this study were to develop a fuzzy inference-based biofeedback system and investigate its effects when inducing active (shoulder elevation) and passive (relax) pauses on the trapezius muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity during computer work. Surface EMG signals were recorded from...

ABILITY TO SELF-CONTROL IN BIOFEEDBACK GAMES AND SUCCESS OF PUPILS OF 11–13 YEARS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. B. Gileva

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The relation of indicators of biofeedback and the school success was studied. The relation of pulse interval, wave structure of heart rate, Sacred George's index (StGe and progress of children is found out. Results are discussed with relations of use of computer biofeedback games for studying of psychophysiological features and predictors of school success.

Determining postural stability

Science.gov (United States)

Lieberman, Erez (Inventor); Forth, Katharine E. (Inventor); Paloski, William H. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A method for determining postural stability of a person can include acquiring a plurality of pressure data points over a period of time from at least one pressure sensor. The method can also include the step of identifying a postural state for each pressure data point to generate a plurality of postural states. The method can include the step of determining a postural state of the person at a point in time based on at least the plurality of postural states.

Biofeedback for treatment of awake and sleep bruxism in adults: systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilovar, Sasa; Zolger, Danaja; Castrillon, Eduardo; Car, Josip; Huckvale, Kit

2014-05-02

Bruxism is a disorder of jaw-muscle activity characterised by repetitive clenching or grinding of the teeth which results in discomfort and damage to dentition. The two clinical manifestations of the condition (sleep and awake bruxism) are thought to have unrelated aetiologies but are palliated using similar techniques. The lack of a definitive treatment has prompted renewed interest in biofeedback, a behaviour change method that uses electronic detection to provide a stimulus whenever bruxism occurs. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of research into biofeedback for bruxism; to assess the efficacy and acceptability of biofeedback therapy in management of awake bruxism and, separately, sleep bruxism in adults; and to compare findings between the two variants. A systematic review of published literature examining biofeedback as an intervention directed at controlling primary bruxism in adults. We will search electronic databases and the grey literature using a predefined search strategy to identify randomised and non-randomised studies, technical reports and patents. Searches will not be restricted by language or date and will be expanded through contact with authors and experts, and by following up reference lists and citations. Two authors, working independently, will conduct screening of search results, study selection, data extraction and quality assessment and a third will resolve any disagreements. The primary outcomes of acceptability and effectiveness will be assessed using only randomised studies, segregated by bruxism subtype. A meta-analysis of these data will be conducted only if pre-defined conditions for quality and heterogeneity are met, otherwise the data will be summarized in narrative form. Data from non-randomised studies will be used to augment a narrative synthesis of the state of technical developments and any safety-related issues. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42013006880. Biofeedback is not new

Biofeedback for nonneuropathic daytime voiding disorders in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Fazeli, Mir Sohail; Lin, Yiqun; Nikoo, Nooshin; Jaggumantri, Sravan; Collet, Jean-Paul; Afshar, Kourosh

2015-01-01

Biofeedback has been used to treat children with symptoms of bladder dysfunction not responding to standard therapy alone. However, evidence of the effectiveness of biofeedback is scarce and is based on small studies. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to assess the effects of biofeedback as adjunctive therapy for symptoms of nonneuropathic voiding disorders in children up to age 18 years. We searched MEDLINE(®), Embase(®) and CENTRAL on the OvidSP(®) platform as well as conference proceedings for randomized trials presented at scientific conventions, symposia and workshops through August 13, 2013. Hand searches and review of reference lists of retrieved articles were also performed. Five eligible studies were included in the systematic review, of which 4 (382 participants) were pooled in the meta-analysis based on available outcomes data. The overall proportion of cases with resolved incontinence at month 6 was similar in the biofeedback and control groups (OR 1.37 [95% CI 0.64 to 2.93], RD 0.07 [-0.09, 0.23]). There was also no significant difference in mean maximum urinary flow rate (mean difference 0.50 ml, range -0.56 to 1.55) or likelihood of urinary tract infection (OR 1.30 [95% CI 0.65 to 2.58]). Current evidence does not support the effectiveness of biofeedback in the management of children with nonneuropathic voiding disorders. More high quality, randomized controlled trials are needed to better evaluate the effect of biofeedback. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wearable Vibrotactile Biofeedback Device Allowing Identification of Different Floor Conditions for Lower-Limb Amputees.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Anson H; Wong, Duo W; Ma, Christina Z; Zhang, Ming; Lee, Winson C

2016-07-01

To evaluate a newly developed biofeedback device enabling lower-limb amputees to identify various floor conditions. Self-control with repeated measures (with and without the biofeedback device) within the amputee group, and group control comparing between amputee and nonamputee groups. University locomotion laboratory. Five lower-limb amputees and 8 nonamputees (N=13). A wearable biofeedback device, which identified different floor conditions by analyzing the force patterns under the prosthetic feet and provided vibration cues in response to different floor conditions, was provided to the amputees. The subjects stepped on a foam platform concealing a small object or no object at 1 of the 4 locations of the foot sole. Subjects were asked whether there was a small object under their feet and the location of the object if it existed. The test was repeated with 4 different object types and 4 object locations. The success rate of floor identification was evaluated. Without the biofeedback device, nonamputee subjects (76.56%) identified floor conditions better than amputees (22.5%) significantly (Pdevice, the amputees significantly improved (Pdevice, amputees significantly improved their abilities in identifying different floor conditions. Future attempts could configure the device to allow it to provide warning signals in response to fall-inducing conditions. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback on Sport Performance, a Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez Morgan, Sergio; Molina Mora, José Arturo

2017-09-01

Aim is to determine if the training with heart rate variability biofeedback allows to improve performance in athletes of different disciplines. Methods such as database search on Web of Science, SpringerLink, EBSCO Academic Search Complete, SPORTDiscus, Pubmed/Medline, and PROQUEST Academic Research Library, as well as manual reference registration. The eligibility criteria were: (a) published scientific articles; (b) experimental studies, quasi-experimental, or case reports; (c) use of HRV BFB as main treatment; (d) sport performance as dependent variable; (e) studies published until October 2016; (f) studies published in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese. The guidelines of the PRISMA statement were followed. Out of the 451 records found, seven items were included. All studies had a small sample size (range from 1 to 30 participants). In 85.71% of the studies (n = 6) the athletes enhanced psychophysiological variables that allowed them to improve their sport performance thanks to training with heart rate variability biofeedback. Despite the limited amount of experimental studies in the field to date, the findings suggest that heart rate variability biofeedback is an effective, safe, and easy-to-learn and apply method for both athletes and coaches in order to improve sport performance.

Neuroplus biofeedback improves attention, resilience, and injury prevention in elite soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Rusciano, Aiace; Corradini, Giuliano; Stoianov, Ivilin

2017-06-01

Performance and injury prevention in elite soccer players are typically investigated from physical-tactical, biomechanical, and metabolic perspectives. However, executive functions, visuospatial abilities, and psychophysiological adaptability or resilience are also fundamental for efficiency and well-being in sports. Based on previous research associating autonomic flexibility with prefrontal cortical control, we designed a novel integrated autonomic biofeedback training method called Neuroplus to improve resilience, visual attention, and injury prevention. Herein, we introduce the method and provide an evaluation of 20 elite soccer players from the Italian Soccer High Division (Serie-A): 10 players trained with Neuroplus and 10 trained with a control treatment. The assessments included psychophysiological stress profiles, a visual search task, and indexes of injury prevention, which were measured pre- and posttreatment. The analysis showed a significant enhancement of physiological adaptability, recovery following stress, visual selective attention, and injury prevention that were specific to the Neuroplus group. Enhancing the interplay between autonomic and cognitive functions through biofeedback may become a key principle for obtaining excellence and well-being in sports. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that shows improvement in visual selective attention following intense autonomic biofeedback. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Hand posture effects on handedness recognition as revealed by the Simon effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allan P Lameira

2009-11-01

Full Text Available We investigated the influence of hand posture in handedness recognition, while varying the spatial correspondence between stimulus and response in a modified Simon task. Drawings of the left and right hands were displayed either in a back or palm view while participants discriminated stimulus handedness by pressing left/right keys with their hands resting either in a prone or supine posture. As a control, subjects performed a regular Simon task using simple geometric shapes as stimuli. Results showed that when hands were in a prone posture, the spatially corresponding trials (i.e., stimulus and response located on the same side were faster than the non-corresponding trials (i.e., stimulus and response on opposite sides. In contrast, for the supine posture, there was no difference between corresponding and non-corresponding trials. The control experiment with the regular Simon task showed that the posture of the responding hand had no influence on performance. When the stimulus is the drawing of a hand, however, the posture of the responding hand affects the spatial correspondence effect because response location is coded based on multiple reference points, including the body of the hand.

Pattern analysis of defecography in patients with chronic functional constipation: is it predictable for the responsiveness of biofeedback therapy?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Hye Rin; Kim, Ah Young; Hong, Seong Sook; Byun, Jae Ho; Myung Seung Jae; Ha, Hyun Kwon [University of Ulsan of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2005-08-15

To determine of pattern analysis of defecography can predict the responsiveness of biofeedback therapy in patients with chronic functional constipation. Over a two-year period, 104 patients with chronic functional constipation underwent defecography and biofeedback therapy. Two blinded readers analyzed the defecographic findings and classified them into six types; I = normal defecation, II = hypertonic lower anal sphincter (poor anal opening due to a persistent contraction of the lower anal sphincter), III dyskinetic puborectal sling (inadequate laxity of the puborectal sling), IV spastic pelvic floor syndrome (persistent contraction of both the puborectal sling and the lower and sphincter), V unclassified (including paradoxical contraction of the anal sphincter), VI anatomical obstruction. In addition, the degree of rectal contraction during defecation was scored (grade 0 to 3). After biofeedback therapy, the differences in the defecography patterns or rectal contraction between the two groups, the responsive or non-responsive group, were analyzed. The defecograms revealed that the type IV of the spastic pelvic floor syndrome was most common (50 of 104 patients, 48%), followed by II (21/104, 20%), III (12/104, 11.5%), V (9/104, 9%) and VI (12/104, 11.5%). Biofeedback therapy showed a therapeutic response in 71 out of 104 patients (68%) but failed in 33 patients (32%). However, there were no significant differences in the defecographic pattern between the responsive and non-responsive groups ({rho} = 0.630). The defecograms revealed contractions in 78 patients (75%) and moderate to vigorous contractions (more than grade 2) in 66 patients. Most of the biofeedback-responsive group showed rectal contractions (66 of 71 patients, 93%, {rho} < 0.001). In patients with chronic functional constipation, there was no significant difference in the morphological patterns of the defecogram between the responsive and non-responsive biofeedback groups. However, the presence of

Pattern analysis of defecography in patients with chronic functional constipation: is it predictable for the responsiveness of biofeedback therapy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Hye Rin; Kim, Ah Young; Hong, Seong Sook; Byun, Jae Ho; Myung Seung Jae; Ha, Hyun Kwon

2005-01-01

To determine of pattern analysis of defecography can predict the responsiveness of biofeedback therapy in patients with chronic functional constipation. Over a two-year period, 104 patients with chronic functional constipation underwent defecography and biofeedback therapy. Two blinded readers analyzed the defecographic findings and classified them into six types; I = normal defecation, II = hypertonic lower anal sphincter (poor anal opening due to a persistent contraction of the lower anal sphincter), III dyskinetic puborectal sling (inadequate laxity of the puborectal sling), IV spastic pelvic floor syndrome (persistent contraction of both the puborectal sling and the lower and sphincter), V unclassified (including paradoxical contraction of the anal sphincter), VI anatomical obstruction. In addition, the degree of rectal contraction during defecation was scored (grade 0 to 3). After biofeedback therapy, the differences in the defecography patterns or rectal contraction between the two groups, the responsive or non-responsive group, were analyzed. The defecograms revealed that the type IV of the spastic pelvic floor syndrome was most common (50 of 104 patients, 48%), followed by II (21/104, 20%), III (12/104, 11.5%), V (9/104, 9%) and VI (12/104, 11.5%). Biofeedback therapy showed a therapeutic response in 71 out of 104 patients (68%) but failed in 33 patients (32%). However, there were no significant differences in the defecographic pattern between the responsive and non-responsive groups (ρ = 0.630). The defecograms revealed contractions in 78 patients (75%) and moderate to vigorous contractions (more than grade 2) in 66 patients. Most of the biofeedback-responsive group showed rectal contractions (66 of 71 patients, 93%, ρ < 0.001). In patients with chronic functional constipation, there was no significant difference in the morphological patterns of the defecogram between the responsive and non-responsive biofeedback groups. However, the presence of rectal

Therapeutic efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and electromyographic biofeedback on Alzheimer's disease patients with dysphagia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yi; Lin, Xiang; Lin, Xiao-Juan; Zheng, Wei; Zheng, Zhi-Kai; Lin, Zhao-Min; Chen, Jian-Hao

2017-09-01

To study the therapeutic effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and electromyographic biofeedback (EMG-biofeedback) therapy in improving swallowing function of Alzheimer's disease patients with dysphagia.A series of 103 Alzheimer's disease patients with dysphagia were divided into 2 groups, among which the control group (n = 50) received swallowing function training and the treatment group (n = 53) received neuromuscular electrical stimulation plus EMG-biofeedback therapy. The mini-mental state scale score was performed in all patients along the treatment period. Twelve weeks after the treatment, the swallowing function was assessed by the water swallow test. The nutritional status was evaluated by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) as well as the levels of hemoglobin and serum albumin. The frequency and course of aspiration pneumonia were also recorded.No significant difference on mini-mental state scale score was noted between 2 groups. More improvement of swallowing function, better nutritional status, and less frequency and shorter course of aspiration pneumonia were presented in treatment group when compared with the control group.Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and EMG-biofeedback treatment can improve swallowing function in patients with Alzheimer's disease and significantly reduce the incidence of adverse outcomes. Thus, they should be promoted in clinical practice.

Biofeedback Intervention for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression among Graduate Students in Public Health Nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratanasiripong, Paul; Kaewboonchoo, Orawan; Ratanasiripong, Nop; Hanklang, Suda; Chumchai, Pornlert

2015-01-01

Globally, graduate students have been found to have high prevalence of mental health problems. With increasing severity of mental health problems on university campuses and limited resources for mental health treatment, alternative interventions are needed. This study investigated the use of biofeedback training to help reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. A sample of 60 graduate students in public health nursing was randomly assigned to either the biofeedback intervention or the control group. Results indicated that biofeedback intervention was effective in significantly reducing the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression over the 4-week period, while the control group had increases in symptoms of anxiety and depression over the same timeframe. As future leaders in the public health nursing arena, the more psychologically healthy the graduate students in public health nursing are, the better the public health nursing professionals they will be as they go forth to serve the community after graduation.

Biofeedback Intervention for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression among Graduate Students in Public Health Nursing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Ratanasiripong

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Globally, graduate students have been found to have high prevalence of mental health problems. With increasing severity of mental health problems on university campuses and limited resources for mental health treatment, alternative interventions are needed. This study investigated the use of biofeedback training to help reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. A sample of 60 graduate students in public health nursing was randomly assigned to either the biofeedback intervention or the control group. Results indicated that biofeedback intervention was effective in significantly reducing the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression over the 4-week period, while the control group had increases in symptoms of anxiety and depression over the same timeframe. As future leaders in the public health nursing arena, the more psychologically healthy the graduate students in public health nursing are, the better the public health nursing professionals they will be as they go forth to serve the community after graduation.

Effect of visual biofeedback cycling training on gait in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hochsprung, A; Granja Domínguez, A; Magni, E; Escudero Uribe, S; Moreno García, A

2017-09-06

Gait alterations are present in a high percentage of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). They appear from early stages of the disease and can limit patients' capacity to perform basic activities of daily living, affecting their quality of life. Visual biofeedback cycling training appears to be a useful tool in treating these impairments. This study aims to evaluate the short-term effect of visual biofeedback cycling training on gait in patients with MS. A total of 61 patients with mild to moderate MS were randomly assigned to a control group and an intervention group. The intervention group received visual biofeedback cycling training (MOTOmed viva2 system) once per week for 3 months, and a home exercise program. The control group only received the home exercise program. Both groups were evaluated using the GAITRite ® Walkway gait assessment system before the intervention, during the first month of the programme, and after the intervention. In the intervention group, the analysis revealed statistically significant differences between Functional Ambulation Profile (FAP) scores before and during the intervention (P=.014), and before and after the intervention (P=.002). A statistically significant improvement was observed in step length in the intervention group between pre- and post-intervention scores (P=.001) and between first-month and post-intervention scores (P=.004). Visual biofeedback cycling training improved specific gait parameters in the short term and appears to be a therapeutic option for gait retraining in patients with MS. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Introducing BF++: AC++ framework for cognitive bio-feedback systems design.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, L; Babiloni, F; Cincotti, F; Salinari, S; Marciani, M G

2003-01-01

This paper addressed the issue of building-up a framework for the realization of several cognitive bio-feedback (CBF) systems. It minimizes the programming effort and maximizes the efficiency and the cross-platform portability so that it can be used with many platforms (either software or hardware). A generic CBF system was decomposed into six modules: acquisition, kernel, feedback rule, patient feedback, operator user interface and persistent storage. The way in which these modules interact was defined by immutable software interfaces in a way that allows to completely substitute a module without the need to modify the others. Three Brain Computer Interface engines were developed with less than 40 lines of C++ code each. They can also be used under virtually any platform that supports an ANSI C++ compiler. A framework for the implementation of a wide range of CBF systems was developed. Compared to the other approaches that are described in the literature, the proposed one is the most efficient, the most protable across different platforms, the most generic and the one that allows the realization of the cheapest final systems.

Development of polygonal surface version of ICRP reference phantoms: Preliminary study for posture change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Tat Thang; Yeom, Yeon Soo; Han, Min Cheol; Kim, Chan Hyeong

2013-01-01

Even though International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) officially adopted a set of adult male and female voxel phantoms as the ICRP reference phantoms, there are several critical limitations due to the nature of voxel geometry and their low voxel resolutions. In order to overcome these limitations of the ICRP phantoms, we are currently developing polygonal surface version of ICRP reference phantoms by directly converting the ICRP voxel phantoms to polygonal surface geometries. Among the many advantages of the ICRP polygonal surface phantom, especially, it is flexible and deformable. In principle, it is, therefore, possible to make the posture-changed ICRP phantoms which can provide more accurate dose values for exposure situations strongly relevant to worker's postures. As a preliminary study for developing the posture-changed ICRP phantoms, in this work we changed the posture of the preliminary version of ICRP male polygon-surface phantom constructed in the previous study. Organ doses were then compared between original and posture-changed phantoms. In the present study, we successfully changed a posture of the preliminary version of ICRP male polygon-surface phantom to the walking posture. From this results, it was explicitly shown that the polygon-surface version of the ICRP phantoms can be sufficiently modified to be various postures with the posture-changing method used in this study. In addition, it was demonstrated that phantom's posture must be considered in certain exposure situations, which can differ dose values from the conventional standing-posture phantom

Heart rate biofeedback fails to enhance children's ability to identify time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Conley, Marguerite M; Gastin, Paul B; Brown, Helen; Shaw, Christine

2011-03-01

Physical activity recommendations for children in several countries advise that all young people should accumulate at least 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Perceiving physical activity intensity, however, can be a difficult task for children and it is not clear whether children can identify their levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity in accordance with the recommended guidelines. This study aimed to (1) explore whether children can identify time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity; and (2) investigate whether heart rate biofeedback would improve children's ability to estimate time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Thirty seven children (15 boys and 22 girls, mean age 12.6 years) wore data recording Polar E600 heart rate monitors during eight physical education lessons. At the end of each lesson children's estimated time in zone was compared to their actual time in zone. During a six lesson Intervention phase, one class was assigned to a biofeedback group whilst the other class acted as the control group and received no heart rate biofeedback. Post-Intervention, students in the biofeedback group were no better than the control group at estimating time spent in zone (mean relative error of estimation biofeedback group: Pre-Intervention 41±32% to Post-Intervention 28±26%; control group: Pre-Intervention 40±39% to Post-Intervention 31±37%). Thus it seems that identifying time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity remains a complex task for children aged 11-13 even with the help of heart rate biofeedback. Copyright © 2010 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body posture and postural stability of people practicing qigong

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacek Wilczyński

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Correct and stable posture is essential for the implementation of the majority of voluntary movements and locomotion. The study of postural stability is an element of clinical trials evaluating physical activity in order to determine the optimal therapeutic procedures. Qigong exercises are not only a form of prevention, helpful in maintaining wellbeing, but also a means of therapy in many diseases, including disorders of postural stability. Aim of the research: To analyse the association between the quality of posture and postural stability of people practicing qigong. Material and methods : The study involved 32 people. The mean age of those tested was 54 years. Posture study used optoelectronic method Diers formetric III 4D. Postural stability was tested on the platform Biodex Balance System. The studies were performed at the Posture Laboratory of the Institute of Physiotherapy at Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce. Results and conclusions : Spearman rank order correlation showed a positive correlation of relative rotation of the spine area with a general indicator of stability (p = 0.0206 at an average level (R = 0.4075 and with the index of the stability A/P (p = 0.0310, although at a lower level (R = 0.3819. With the increase in the relative rotation of the spine area the overall stability indicator and stability indicator A/P also increased. Significant positive correlations were also seen for the surface rotation (+max and a general indication of the stability and the stability index A/P. With the increase of surface rotation (+max of the spine the overall stability indicator and stability indicator A/P also increased.

Pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback for stress urinary incontinence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria V. Capelini

2006-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Prospective study to objectively evaluate the benefits of pelvic floor strengthening exercises associated to biofeedback for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence (SUI were selected for this study. All patients underwent a pelvic floor training associated to biofeedback for 12 consecutive weeks. Urodynamic tests, pad test and bladder diary were analyzed at the beginning of the study, at the end and after 3 months. The King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ was applied before and after treatment to assess the impact in the quality of life. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in the pad weight (from 14.21 g to 1 g, number of urinary leakage episodes (from 8.14 per day to 2.57 per day and daytime frequency (from 7.93 per day to 5.85 per day. At urodynamics the authors observed a significant increase in Valsalva leak-point pressure (from 103.93 cm H2O to 139.14 cm H2O, cistometric capacity (from 249.29 mL to 336.43 mL, p = 0.0015 and bladder volume at first desire to void (from 145 mL to 215.71 mL. Those differences were kept during the first 3 months of follow up. The KHQ revealed significant differences except in the case of "general health perception", which covers health in general and not exclusively urinary incontinence. CONCLUSION: Treatment of SUI with pelvic floor exercises associated to biofeedback caused significant changes in the parameters analyzed, with maintenance of good results 3 months after treatment.

Usefulness of posture training for patients with temporomandibular disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, E F; Domenech, M A; Fischer, J R

2000-02-01

Many practitioners have found that posture training has a positive impact on temporomandibular, or TMD, symptoms. The authors conducted a study to evaluate its effectiveness. Sixty patients with TMD and a primary muscle disorder were randomized into two groups: one group received posture training and TMD self-management instructions while the control group received TMD self-management instructions only. Four weeks after the study began, the authors reexamined the subjects for changes in symptoms, pain-free opening and pressure algometer pain thresholds. In addition, pretreatment and posttreatment posture measurements were recorded for subjects in the treatment group. Statistically significant improvement was demonstrated by the modified symptom severity index, maximum pain-free opening and pressure algometer threshold measurements, as well as by the subjects' perceived TMD and neck symptoms. Subjects in the treatment group reported having experienced a mean reduction in TMD and neck symptoms of 41.9 and 38.2 percent, respectively, while subjects in the control group reported a mean reduction in these symptoms of 8.1 and 9.3 percent. Within the treatment group, the authors found significant correlations between improvements in TMD symptoms and improvements in neck symptoms (P head and shoulder posture measurements at the outset of treatment (P Posture training and TMD self-management instructions are significantly more effective than TMD self-management instructions alone for patients with TMD who have a primary muscle disorder. Patients with TMD who hold their heads farther forward relative to the shoulders have a high probability of experiencing symptom improvement as a result of posture training and being provided with selfmanagement instructions.

Combined use of autogenic therapy and biofeedback in training effective control of heart rate by humans

Science.gov (United States)

Cowings, P. S.

1977-01-01

Experiments were performed on 24 men and women (aged 20-27 yr) in three equal groups who were taught to control their own heart rates by autogenic training and biofeedback under dark and sound-isolated conditions. Group I was parasympathetic dominant, group II was sympathetic dominant, and group III consisted of parasympathetic-dominant subjects and controls who received only biofeedback of their own heart rates. The results corroborate three hypotheses: (1) subjects with para-sympathetic-dominant autonomic profiles perform in a way that is both qualitatively and quantitatively different from subjects with sympathetic-dominant autonomic profiles; (2) tests of interindividual variability yield data relevant to individual performance in visceral learning tasks; and (3) the combined use of autogenic training, biofeedback, and verbal feedback is suitable for conditioning large stable autonomic responses in humans.

Randomised controlled trial of brief intervention with biofeedback and hypnotherapy in patients with refractory irritable bowel syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobbin, A; Dobbin, J; Ross, S C; Graham, C; Ford, M J

2013-01-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder associated with profoundly impaired quality of life and emotional distress. The management of refractory IBS symptoms remains challenging and non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches have been shown to be effective. We compared brief interventions with biofeedback and hypnotherapy in women referred by their GP with refractory IBS symptoms. Patients were randomised to one of two treatment groups, biofeedback or hypnotherapy, delivered as three one-hour sessions over 12 weeks. Symptom assessments were undertaken using validated, self-administered questionnaires. Two of the 128 consecutive IBS patients suitable for the study declined to consider nonpharmacological therapy and 29 patients did not attend beyond the first session. Of the 97 patients randomised into the study, 21 failed to attend the therapy session; 15 of 76 patients who attended for therapy dropped out before week 12 post-therapy. The mean (SD) change in IBS symptom severity score 12 weeks post-treatment in the biofeedback group was -116.8 (99.3) and in the hypnotherapy group -58.0 (101.1), a statistically significant difference between groups (difference=-58.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] for difference [-111.6, -6.1], p=0.029). In 61 patients with refractory IBS, biofeedback and hypnotherapy were equally effective at improving IBS symptom severity scores, total non-gastrointestinal symptom scores and anxiety and depression ratings during 24 weeks follow-up. Biofeedback may prove to be the more cost-effective option as it requires less expertise.

Reducing musculoskeletal disorders among computer operators: comparison between ergonomics interventions at the workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Levanon, Yafa; Gefen, Amit; Lerman, Yehuda; Givon, Uri; Ratzon, Navah Z

2012-01-01

Typing is associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) caused by multiple risk factors. This control study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a workplace intervention for reducing MSDs among computer workers. Sixty-six subjects with and without MSD were assigned consecutively to one of three groups: ergonomics intervention (work site and body posture adjustments, muscle activity training and exercises) accompanied with biofeedback training, the same ergonomics intervention without biofeedback and a control group. Evaluation of MSDs, body posture, psychosocial status, upper extremity (UE) kinematics and muscle surface electromyography were carried out before and after the intervention in the workplace and the motion lab. Our main hypothesis that significant differences in the reduction of MSDs will exist between subjects in the study groups and controls was confirmed (χ(2) = 13.3; p = 0.001). Significant changes were found in UE kinematics and posture as well. Both ergonomics interventions effectively reduced MSD and improved body posture. This study aimed to test the efficacy of an individual workplace intervention programme among computer workers by evaluating musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), body posture, upper extremity kinematics, muscle activity and psychosocial factors were tested. The proposed ergonomics interventions effectively reduced MSDs and improved body posture.

Effect of a Dynamic Seating Surface on Postural Control and Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Erna Rosenlund; Trew, Lisa

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate if a seating system involving a dynamic material covering the seat back and base improves postural control, alignment and function in children with cerebral palsy and to investigate consequences of adapting The Seated Postural Control Measure to a target...... group with multifunctional disabilities. Relevance: Developing sitting systems for disabled persons is of great importance to avoid sitting problems, to increase the level of functioning and postural control which will have an impact on their daily living and activities. This project takes its starting...... Ethical Committee. Outcome measures were Seated Postural Control Measure (SPCM), which was modified to meet the children’s needs, was used to measure alignment and function. Force Sensitive Applications (FSA) on the seat surfaces was used to measure postural movements and interface pressure. All tests...

The effect of biofeedback therapy on dyssynergic constipation in patients with or without Irritable Bowel Syndrome

OpenAIRE

Tannaz Ahadi; Faezeh Madjlesi; Bahar Mahjoubi; Rezvan Mirzaei; Bijan Forogh; Seyedeh Somayeh Daliri; Seyed Majid Derakhshandeh; Roxana Bazaz Behbahani; G Reza Raissi

2014-01-01

Background: The Rome II and III diagnostic criteria for dyssynergic defecation recommended the exclusion of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study determined the effect of biofeedback therapy on dyssynergic constipation in patients with or without IBS. Materials and Methods: This study was a nonrandomized, single blinded, semi experimental study. Dyssynergic defecation patients with and without IBS were asked to undergo biofeedback therapy 8 sessions. The defecation dynamics and balloon e...

Comparison of sensory modes of biofeedback in relaxation training of frontalis muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, W

1981-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of various sensory modes of EMG biofeedback to relaxation training of the frontalis muscle. 19 male and 29 female subjects were randomly selected from a pool of college volunteers. They were then randomly assigned 12 each to audiofeedback, visual feedback, audiovisual feedback, and no feedback groups. There were 11 20-min. sessions per subject. Subjects in the biofeedback groups were trained to reduce muscle tension voluntarily by utilizing Cyborg J33 EMG portable trainers. The subjects in the three feedback groups exhibited significantly lower muscle tension than did the subjects in the no-feedback control group. There were no significant differences in relaxation among the three feedback groups.

Efficacy of functional electrical stimulation-biofeedback with sexual cognitive-behavioral therapy as treatment of vaginismus.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Ju Tae; Choe, Jin Ho; Lee, Won Sik; Kim, Kyung Hee

2005-07-01

To report 12 cases of vaginismus that were successfully treated with functional electrical stimulation (FES)-biofeedback with sexual cognitive-behavioral therapy (SCBT) to determine the efficacy of FES-biofeedback with SCBT as a standard therapy for vaginismus. Vaginismus is an involuntary spasm of the musculature of the outer third of the vagina that leads to impossible vaginal penetration, causing personal distress. Various therapeutic approaches, both physiologic and psychological, have been considered. Twelve women with vaginismus referred from a checkup outpatient clinic participated in this study. The patients enrolled in this study had vaginismus according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The patients were assessed before and after treatment with gynecologic examinations and structured interviews pertaining to sexual function and psychological adjustment. After the diagnosis of vaginismus, we conducted weekly pelvic floor muscle relaxation using FES-biofeedback. Once the patients became tolerable to vaginal manipulation, the eight-stage SCBT (eight-stage gradual desensitization described by Kaplan using vaginal self-dilation with fingers and vaginal probe insertion) was added for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of treatment, all 12 couples had completed the program, had become tolerable to vaginal insertion of larger size probes, and could achieve satisfactory vaginal intercourse. FES-biofeedback with SCBT is an effective aid for patients with vaginismus to learn muscle control. Therefore, it may increase the success rate of treatment of vaginismus.

Prevalence of incorrect body posture in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Maciałczyk-Paprocka, Katarzyna; Stawińska-Witoszyńska, Barbara; Kotwicki, Tomasz; Sowińska, Anna; Krzyżaniak, Alicja; Walkowiak, Jarosław; Krzywińska-Wiewiorowska, Małgorzata

2017-05-01

The ever increasing epidemics of overweight and obesity in school children may be one of the reasons of the growing numbers of children with incorrect body posture. The purpose of the study was the assessment of the prevalence of incorrect body posture in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity in Poznań, Poland. The population subject to study consisted of 2732 boys and girls aged 3-18 with obesity, overweight, and standard body mass. The assessment of body mass was performed based on BMI, adopting Cole's cutoff values. The evaluation of body posture was performed according to the postural error chart based on criteria complied by professor Dega. The prevalence rates of postural errors were significantly higher among children and adolescents with overweight and obesity than among the group with standard body mass. In the overweight group, it amounted to 69.2% and in the obese group to 78.6%.  The most common postural deviations in obese children and adolescents were valgus knees and flat feet. Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, predisposing to higher incidence of some types of postural errors, call for prevention programs addressing both health problems. What is Known: • The increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents has drawn attention to additional health complications which may occur in this population such as occurrence of incorrect body posture. What is New: • The modified chart of postural errors proved to be an effective tool in the assessment of incorrect body posture. • This chart may be used in the assessment of posture during screening tests and prevention actions at school.

Balance Improvement Effects of Biofeedback Systems with State-of-the-Art Wearable Sensors: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Christina Zong-Hao; Wong, Duo Wai-Chi; Lam, Wing Kai; Wan, Anson Hong-Ping; Lee, Winson Chiu-Chun

2016-01-01

Falls and fall-induced injuries are major global public health problems. Balance and gait disorders have been the second leading cause of falls. Inertial motion sensors and force sensors have been widely used to monitor both static and dynamic balance performance. Based on the detected performance, instant visual, auditory, electrotactile and vibrotactile biofeedback could be provided to augment the somatosensory input and enhance balance control. This review aims to synthesize the research examining the effect of biofeedback systems, with wearable inertial motion sensors and force sensors, on balance performance. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials were included in this review. All studies were evaluated based on the methodological quality. Sample characteristics, device design and study characteristics were summarized. Most previous studies suggested that biofeedback devices were effective in enhancing static and dynamic balance in healthy young and older adults, and patients with balance and gait disorders. Attention should be paid to the choice of appropriate types of sensors and biofeedback for different intended purposes. Maximizing the computing capacity of the micro-processer, while minimizing the size of the electronic components, appears to be the future direction of optimizing the devices. Wearable balance-improving devices have their potential of serving as balance aids in daily life, which can be used indoors and outdoors. PMID:27023558

Balance Improvement Effects of Biofeedback Systems with State-of-the-Art Wearable Sensors: A Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Zong-Hao Ma

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Falls and fall-induced injuries are major global public health problems. Balance and gait disorders have been the second leading cause of falls. Inertial motion sensors and force sensors have been widely used to monitor both static and dynamic balance performance. Based on the detected performance, instant visual, auditory, electrotactile and vibrotactile biofeedback could be provided to augment the somatosensory input and enhance balance control. This review aims to synthesize the research examining the effect of biofeedback systems, with wearable inertial motion sensors and force sensors, on balance performance. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials were included in this review. All studies were evaluated based on the methodological quality. Sample characteristics, device design and study characteristics were summarized. Most previous studies suggested that biofeedback devices were effective in enhancing static and dynamic balance in healthy young and older adults, and patients with balance and gait disorders. Attention should be paid to the choice of appropriate types of sensors and biofeedback for different intended purposes. Maximizing the computing capacity of the micro-processer, while minimizing the size of the electronic components, appears to be the future direction of optimizing the devices. Wearable balance-improving devices have their potential of serving as balance aids in daily life, which can be used indoors and outdoors.

Balance Improvement Effects of Biofeedback Systems with State-of-the-Art Wearable Sensors: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Christina Zong-Hao; Wong, Duo Wai-Chi; Lam, Wing Kai; Wan, Anson Hong-Ping; Lee, Winson Chiu-Chun

2016-03-25

Falls and fall-induced injuries are major global public health problems. Balance and gait disorders have been the second leading cause of falls. Inertial motion sensors and force sensors have been widely used to monitor both static and dynamic balance performance. Based on the detected performance, instant visual, auditory, electrotactile and vibrotactile biofeedback could be provided to augment the somatosensory input and enhance balance control. This review aims to synthesize the research examining the effect of biofeedback systems, with wearable inertial motion sensors and force sensors, on balance performance. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials were included in this review. All studies were evaluated based on the methodological quality. Sample characteristics, device design and study characteristics were summarized. Most previous studies suggested that biofeedback devices were effective in enhancing static and dynamic balance in healthy young and older adults, and patients with balance and gait disorders. Attention should be paid to the choice of appropriate types of sensors and biofeedback for different intended purposes. Maximizing the computing capacity of the micro-processer, while minimizing the size of the electronic components, appears to be the future direction of optimizing the devices. Wearable balance-improving devices have their potential of serving as balance aids in daily life, which can be used indoors and outdoors.

Business model design for a wearable biofeedback system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hidefjäll, Patrik; Titkova, Dina

2015-01-01

Wearable sensor technologies used to track daily activities have become successful in the consumer market. In order for wearable sensor technology to offer added value in the more challenging areas of stress-rehab care and occupational health stress-related biofeedback parameters need to be monitored and more elaborate business models are needed. To identify probable success factors for a wearable biofeedback system (Affective Health) in the two mentioned market segments in a Swedish setting, we conducted literature studies and interviews with relevant representatives. Data were collected and used first to describe the two market segments and then to define likely feasible business model designs, according to the Business Model Canvas framework. Needs of stakeholders were identified as inputs to business model design. Value propositions, a key building block of a business model, were defined for each segment. The value proposition for occupational health was defined as "A tool that can both identify employees at risk of stress-related disorders and reinforce healthy sustainable behavior" and for healthcare as: "Providing therapists with objective data about the patient's emotional state and motivating patients to better engage in the treatment process".

Postural evaluation of patients with temporomandibular disorders under use of occlusal splints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulinne Junqueira Silva Andresen Strini

2009-10-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Alterations in the temporomandibular complex can reflect in adaptations of the individual's entire muscular system, intervening with the head position and scapular waist, developing postural alterations and modifying all corporal biomechanics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the head position (HP and head postural alterations before and after installation of occlusal splints. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD underwent clinical and postural examination, before the installation of an occlusal splint, and after 1 week and 1 month of use. RESULTS: There were statistically differences for HP, between the initial values and after 1 week of use of the occlusal device (p= 0.048 and also between 1 week and 1 month of evaluation (p= 0.001. Decrease of the painful symptomatology and maintenance of the rectification were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The individual's postural position can suffer biomechanical alterations due to stomatognathic alterations, causing clinically visible changes in dysfunctional individuals and affecting the performance of the involved structures.

Effect of short-term heart rate variability biofeedback on long-term abstinence in alcohol dependent patients - a one-year follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Penzlin, Ana Isabel; Barlinn, Kristian; Illigens, Ben Min-Woo; Weidner, Kerstin; Siepmann, Martin; Siepmann, Timo

2017-09-06

A randomized controlled study (RCT) recently showed that short-term heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback in addition to standard rehabilitation care for alcohol dependence can reduce craving, anxiety and improve cardiovascular autonomic function. In this one-year follow-up study we aimed to explore whether completion of 2-week HRV-Biofeedback training is associated with long-term abstinence. Furthermore, we sought to identify potential predictors of post-treatment abstinence. We conducted a survey on abstinence in patients with alcohol dependence 1 year after completion of an RCT comparing HRV-biofeedback in addition to inpatient rehabilitation treatment alone (controls). Abstinence rates were compared and analysed for association with demographic data as well as psychometric and autonomic cardiac assessment before and after completion of the biofeedback training using bivariate and multivariate regression analyses. Out of 48 patients who participated in the RCT, 27 patients (9 females, ages 42.9 ± 8.6, mean ± SD) completed our one-year follow-up. When including in the analysis only patients who completed follow-up, the rate of abstinence tended to be higher in patients who underwent HRV-biofeedback 1 year earlier compared to those who received rehabilitative treatment alone (66.7% vs 50%, p = ns). This non-significant trend was also observed in the intention-to-treat analysis where patients who did not participate in the follow-up were assumed to have relapsed (46,7% biofeedback vs. 33.3% controls, p = ns). Neither cardiac autonomic function nor psychometric variables were associated with abstinence 1 year after HRV-biofeedback. Our follow-up study provide a first indication of possible increase in long-term abstinence after HRV-biofeedback for alcohol dependence in addition to rehabilitation. The original randomized controlled trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register ( DRKS00004618 ). This one-year follow-up survey has not been

Interactions between posture and locomotion: motor patterns in humans walking with bent posture versus erect posture.

Science.gov (United States)

Grasso, R; Zago, M; Lacquaniti, F

2000-01-01

Human erect locomotion is unique among living primates. Evolution selected specific biomechanical features that make human locomotion mechanically efficient. These features are matched by the motor patterns generated in the CNS. What happens when humans walk with bent postures? Are normal motor patterns of erect locomotion maintained or completely reorganized? Five healthy volunteers walked straight and forward at different speeds in three different postures (regular, knee-flexed, and knee- and trunk-flexed) while their motion, ground reaction forces, and electromyographic (EMG) activity were recorded. The three postures imply large differences in the position of the center of body mass relative to the body segments. The elevation angles of the trunk, pelvis, and lower limb segments relative to the vertical in the sagittal plane, the ground reaction forces and the rectified EMGs were analyzed over the gait cycle. The waveforms of the elevation angles along the gait cycle remained essentially unchanged irrespective of the adopted postures. The first two harmonics of these kinematic waveforms explain >95% of their variance. The phase shift but not the amplitude ratio between the first harmonic of the elevation angle waveforms of adjacent pairs was affected systematically by changes in posture. Thigh, shank, and foot angles covaried close to a plane in all conditions, but the plane orientation was systematically different in bent versus erect locomotion. This was explained by the changes in the temporal coupling among the three segments. For walking speeds >1 m s(-1), the plane orientation of bent locomotion indicates a much lower mechanical efficiency relative to erect locomotion. Ground reaction forces differed prominently in bent versus erect posture displaying characteristics intermediate between those typical of walking and those of running. Mean EMG activity was greater in bent postures for all recorded muscles independent of the functional role. The waveforms

Efficacy of Biofeedback Therapy before and after Sphincteroplasty for Fecal Incontinence because of Obstetric Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Ghahramani

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Fecal incontinence is a challenging condition in that it exerts various psychosocial impacts on daily life. Different treatment modalities have been suggested for fecal incontinence. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback therapy in combination with surgery in the management of fecal incontinence. The present randomized controlled trial was performed on 27 women with a complaint of fecal incontinence because of delivery trauma. The patients underwent sphincteroplasty and levatorplasty via the same method by 2 colorectal surgeons. In Group I, biofeedback therapy was performed 3 months before and 6 months after the surgery; in Group II, biofeedback therapy was applied only 6 months after the surgery; and in Group III, only surgical management was performed. The results revealed a significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative Wexner scores of incontinence in all the 3 groups. Additionally, the difference between the preoperative and postoperative scores was significant only in Group I and Group III, but not in Group II. The reduction in the Wexner score was significantly less in Group III. However, no significant difference was observed between the 3 groups concerning the mean difference of preoperative and postoperative manometry. The present study revealed no significant role for biofeedback therapy alone in the improvement of manometric evaluation. However, the Wexner score, which is an indicator of patient satisfaction, increased with biofeedback therapy following sphincteroplasty. In general, surgical treatment is now reserved for selected patients with fecal incontinence and has recently been developed with biofeedback therapy. Trial Registration Number: IRCT201206039936N1

Influence of visual and auditory biofeedback on partial body weight support treadmill training of individuals with chronic hemiparesis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Brasileiro, A; Gama, G; Trigueiro, L; Ribeiro, T; Silva, E; Galvão, É; Lindquist, A

2015-02-01

Stroke is an important causal factor of deficiency and functional dependence worldwide. To determine the immediate effects of visual and auditory biofeedback, combined with partial body weight supported (PBWS) treadmill training on the gait of individuals with chronic hemiparesis. Randomized controlled trial. Outpatient rehabilitation hospital. Thirty subjects with chronic hemiparesis and ability to walk with some help. Participants were randomized to a control group that underwent only PBWS treadmill training; or experimental I group with visual biofeedback from the display monitor, in the form of symbolic feet as the subject took a step; or experimental group II with auditory biofeedback associated display, using a metronome at 115% of the individual's preferred cadence. They trained for 20 minutes and were evaluated before and after training. Spatio-temporal and angular gait variables were obtained by kinematics from the Qualisys Motion Analysis system. Increases in speed and stride length were observed for all groups over time (speed: F=25.63; Phemiparesis, in short term. Additional studies are needed to determine whether, in long term, the biofeedback will promote additional benefit to the PBWS treadmill training. The findings of this study indicate that visual and auditory biofeedback does not bring immediate benefits on PBWS treadmill training of individuals with chronic hemiparesis. This suggest that, for additional benefits are achieved with biofeedback, effects should be investigated after long-term training, which may determine if some kind of biofeedback is superior to another to improve the hemiparetic gait.

Combination therapy with biofeedback, loperamide, and stool-bulking agents is effective for the treatment of fecal incontinence in women - a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sjödahl, Jenny; Walter, Susanna A; Johansson, Elin; Ingemansson, Anna; Ryn, Ann-Katrine; Hallböök, Olof

2015-08-01

Biofeedback and medical treatments have been extensively used for moderate fecal incontinence (FI). There is limited data comparing and combining these two treatments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biofeedback and medical treatments, separately and in combination. Sixty-four consecutive female patients, referred to a tertiary centre for FI, were included. The patients were randomized to start with either biofeedback (4-6 months) or medical treatment with loperamide and stool-bulking agents (2 months). Both groups continued with a combination of treatments, i.e. medical treatment was added to biofeedback and vice versa. A two-week prospective bowel symptom diary and anorectal physiology were evaluated at baseline, after single- and combination treatments. Fifty-seven patients completed the study. Median number of leakage episodes during two weeks decreased from 6 to 3 (p biofeedback and medical treatment is effective for symptom relief in FI. The symptom improvement was associated with improved fecal consistency, reduced urgency, and increased rectal sensory thresholds.

STEADFAST: Psychotherapeutic Intervention Improves Postural Strategy of Somatoform Vertigo and Dizziness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Best

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Patients with somatoform vertigo and dizziness (SVD disorders often report instability of stance or gait and fear of falling. Posturographic measurements indeed indicated a pathological postural strategy. Our goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational short-term intervention (PTI using static posturography and psychometric examination. Seventeen SVD patients took part in the study. The effects of PTI on SVD were evaluated with quantitative static posturography. As primary endpoint a quotient characterizing the relation between horizontal and vertical sway was calculated (QH/V, reflecting the individual postural strategy. Results of static posturography were compared to those of age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers (n=28; baseline measurements were compared to results after PTI. The secondary endpoint was the participation-limiting consequences of SVD as measured by the Vertigo Handicap Questionnaire (VHQ. Compared to the healthy volunteers, the patients with SVD showed a postural strategy characterized by stiffening-up that resulted in a significantly reduced body sway quotient before PTI (patients: QH/V=0.31 versus controls: QH/V=0.38; p=0.022. After PTI the postural behavior normalized, and psychological distress was reduced. PTI therefore appears to modify pathological balance behaviour. The postural strategy of patients with SVD possibly results from anxious anticipatory cocontraction of the antigravity muscles.

Efficacy of biofeedback therapy via a mini wireless device on sleep bruxism contrasted with occlusal splint: a pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, WeiPing; Yang, Jie; Zhang, FeiMin; Yin, XinMin; Wei, XiaoLong; Wang, Chen

2015-01-01

Abstract The putative causes of bruxism are multifactorial and there are no definite measures for bruxism management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback therapy on sleep bruxism, compared with occlusal splint. Twenty-four volunteers with sleep bruxism were divided into two groups: the GTB group that were treated with biofeedback therapy (n  = 12) and the GTO group that were treated with occlusal splint (n  = 12). A mini pressure sensor integrated with a monitoring circuit by use of a maxillary biofeedback splint was fabricated. To foster the relaxation of the masticatory muscles and the nervous system, the wireless device received signals from bruxism events and vibrations alerted the bruxer when the threshold was exceeded. Total episodes and average duration of bruxism events during 8 hours of sleep were analyzed with the monitoring program (TRMY1.0). After 6 and 12 weeks, the episodes (P  =  0.001) and duration (P 0.05). Furthermore, the episodes had significant differences between the GTB group and the GTO group after the same period of treatment (P  =  0.000). The results suggest that biofeedback therapy may be an effective and convenient measure for mild bruxers, when compared with occlusal splint therapy. The mini wireless biofeedback method may be of value for the diagnosis and management of bruxism in the future. PMID:25859272

Randomised controlled trial comparing early home biofeedback physiotherapy with pelvic floor exercises for the treatment of third-degree tears (EBAPT Trial).

Science.gov (United States)

Peirce, C; Murphy, C; Fitzpatrick, M; Cassidy, M; Daly, L; O'Connell, P R; O'Herlihy, C

2013-09-01

To compare early home biofeedback physiotherapy with pelvic floor exercises (PFEs) for the initial management of women sustaining a primary third-degree tear. Single centre, randomised trial. National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. A total of 120 women sustaining a primary third-degree tear. Women were randomised in a one to three ratio: 30 to early postpartum home biofeedback physiotherapy and 90 to PFEs. Differences in anorectal manometry results, Cleveland Clinic continence scores and Rockwood faecal incontinence quality of life scale scores after 3 months of postpartum treatment. The mean anal resting pressure was 39 ± 13 mmHg in the early biofeedback physiotherapy group and 43 ± 17 mmHg in the PFE group. The mean anal squeeze pressure was 64 ± 17 mmHg in the biofeedback group and 62 ± 23 mmHg in the PFE group. There was no significant difference in anal resting and squeeze pressure values between the groups (P = 0.123 and P = 0.68, respectively). There were no differences in symptom score and quality of life measurements between the groups. This study demonstrates no added value in using early home biofeedback physiotherapy in the management of women sustaining third-degree tears. Poor compliance may have contributed because women found it difficult to designate time to using biofeedback. © 2013 The Authors BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology © 2013 RCOG.

The role of biofeedback in the rehabilitation of veno-occlusive erectile dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed R Al-Helow

2014-01-01

Conclusion Pelviperineal muscles′ visual pressure biofeedback rehabilitation is effective, inexpensive, noninvasive, safe, and easily applicable in the treatment of venogenic ED and does not have as much side effects as medication.

Postural imbalance and falls in PSP correlate with functional pathology of the thalamus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zwergal, A; la Fougère, C; Lorenzl, S; Rominger, A; Xiong, G; Deutschenbaur, L; Linn, J; Krafczyk, S; Dieterich, M; Brandt, T; Strupp, M; Bartenstein, P; Jahn, K

2011-07-12

To determine how postural imbalance and falls are related to regional cerebral glucose metabolism (PET) and functional activation of the cerebral postural network (fMRI) in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Sixteen patients with PSP, who had self-monitored their frequency of falls, underwent a standardized clinical assessment, posturographic measurement of balance during modified sensory input, and a resting [¹⁸F]FDG-PET. In addition, patients performed an fMRI paradigm using mental imagery of standing. Results were compared to healthy controls (n = 16). The frequency of falls/month in patients (range 1-40) correlated with total PSP rating score (r = 0.90). Total sway path in PSP significantly correlated with frequency of falls, especially during modulated sensory input (eyes open: r = 0.62, eyes closed: r = 0.67, eyes open/head extended: r = 0.84, eyes open/foam-padded platform: r = 0.87). Higher sway path values and frequency of falls were associated with decreased regional glucose metabolism (rCGM) in the thalamus (sway path: r = -0.80, falls: r = -0.64) and increased rCGM in the precentral gyrus (sway path: r = 0.79, falls: r = 0.64). Mental imagery of standing during fMRI revealed a reduced activation of the mesencephalic brainstem tegmentum and the thalamus in patients with postural imbalance and falls. The new and clinically relevant finding of this study is that imbalance and falls in PSP are closely associated with thalamic dysfunction. Deficits in thalamic postural control get most evident when balance is assessed during modified sensory input. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that reduced thalamic activation via the ascending brainstem projections may cause postural imbalance in PSP.

Effect of biofeedback cycling training on functional recovery and walking ability of lower extremity in patients with stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huei-Ching Yang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of biofeedback cycling training on lower limb functional recovery, walking endurance, and walking speed for patients with chronic stroke. Thirty-one patients with stroke (stroke onset >3 months were randomly assigned into two groups using a crossover design. One group (N = 16; mean: 53.6 ± 10.3 years underwent conventional rehabilitation and cycling training (30 minutes/time, 5 times per week for 4 weeks, followed by only conventional rehabilitation for another 4 weeks. The other group (N = 15; mean: 54.5 ± 8.0 years underwent the same training in reverse order. The bike used in this biofeedback cycling training was the MOTOmed viva2 Movement Trainer. Outcome measures included the lower extremity subscale of Fugl-Meyer assessment (LE-FMA, the 6-minute walk test (6MWT, the 10-meter walk test (10MWT, and the modified Ashworth scale (MAS. All participants were assessed at the beginning of the study, at the end of the 4th week, and at the end of the 8th week. Thirty participants completed the study, including the cycling training interventions and all assessments. The results showed that improvements in the period with cycling training were significantly better than the noncycling period in the LE-FMA (p < 0.05, 6MWT (p < 0.001, 10MWT (p < 0.001, and MAS (p < 0.001 scores. No significant carryover effects were observed. The improvements on outcome measures were significantly different between the cycling period and the noncycling period after adjusting for potential confounding factors in the multivariate analysis of variance (p < 0.001. The study result indicates that the additional 4-week biofeedback cycling training could lead to improved LE functional recovery, walking endurance, and speed for patients with chronic stroke.

Functional chest pain responds to biofeedback treatment but functional heartburn does not: what is the difference?

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Michael; Shanani, Ram; Taback, Hanna; Abramowich, Dov; Scapa, Eitan; Broide, Efrat

2012-06-01

Patients with functional esophageal disorders represent a challenging treatment group. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of biofeedback in the treatment of patients with functional esophageal disorders. In this prospective study, patients with typical/atypical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease underwent upper endoscopy and 24-h pH monitoring. All patients filled out gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptom, Hospital Anxiety and Depression, and Symptom Stress Rating questionnaires. Patients with functional heartburn and those with functional chest pain were offered biofeedback treatment. A global assessment questionnaire was filled out at the end of treatment and then 2.8 (range 1-4) years later. From January 2006 to December 2009, 22 patients with functional esophageal diseases were included in the study. Thirteen had functional heartburn and nine had functional chest pain. Six patients from each group received biofeedback treatment. After treatment for 1-4 years, patients with functional chest pain showed significant improvements in symptoms compared with those who were not treated. Patients with functional heartburn showed no improvement. Patients with functional chest pain had a longer time of esophageal acid exposure than those with functional heartburn. Patients with functional chest pain have different central and intraesophageal factors associated with symptom generation in comparison with patients with functional heartburn. Biofeedback is a useful tool in the treatment of patients with functional chest pain, but not for those with functional heartburn.

Postural orientation and equilibrium processes associated with increased postural sway in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zheng; Hallac, Rami R; Conroy, Kaitlin C; White, Stormi P; Kane, Alex A; Collinsworth, Amy L; Sweeney, John A; Mosconi, Matthew W

2016-01-01

Increased postural sway has been repeatedly documented in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Characterizing the control processes underlying this deficit, including postural orientation and equilibrium, may provide key insights into neurophysiological mechanisms associated with ASD. Postural orientation refers to children's ability to actively align their trunk and head with respect to their base of support, while postural equilibrium is an active process whereby children coordinate ankle dorsi-/plantar-flexion and hip abduction/adduction movements to stabilize their upper body. Dynamic engagement of each of these control processes is important for maintaining postural stability, though neither postural orientation nor equilibrium has been studied in ASD. Twenty-two children with ASD and 21 age and performance IQ-matched typically developing (TD) controls completed three standing tests. During static stance, participants were instructed to stand as still as possible. During dynamic stances, participants swayed at a comfortable speed and magnitude in either anterior-posterior (AP) or mediolateral (ML) directions. The center of pressure (COP) standard deviation and trajectory length were examined to determine if children with ASD showed increased postural sway. Postural orientation was assessed using a novel virtual time-to-contact (VTC) approach that characterized spatiotemporal dimensions of children's postural sway (i.e., body alignment) relative to their postural limitation boundary, defined as the maximum extent to which each child could sway in each direction. Postural equilibrium was quantified by evaluating the amount of shared or mutual information of COP time series measured along the AP and ML directions. Consistent with prior studies, children with ASD showed increased postural sway during both static and dynamic stances relative to TD children. In regard to postural orientation processes, children with ASD demonstrated reduced spatial

PP-4 ANORECTAL MALFORMATIONS: MOTILITY STUDIES AND RESPONSE TO BIOFEEDBACK THERAPY.

Science.gov (United States)

Bigliardi, Roman N; Ditaranto, A; Reynoso, R; Vidal, J H; Messere, G; Toca, M; Silvestri, G; Ortiz, G; Noriega, S; Varela, A

2015-10-01

Anorectal malformations (ARM) are infrequent anatomic defects with a prevalence of 1 each 5000 alive newborns. Most of the patients repaired of this illness have some degree of constipation or fecal incontinence. There are few reports about manometric studies and biofeedback treatment in patients with anorectal malformations. To evaluate of our population's anorectal functionality late after surgery by anorectal manometry; To study the response to diet, toilet training, and/or biofeedback. Anorectal manometry was done in 39 patients with ARM and 35 of them received combinated treatment of diet, toilet training and biofeedback. Age: 6 to 17 years old. Mean age: 8.05 years. Descriptive study. From april 2004 to april 2015. 14 patients had high malformations(36%), 18 had low malformations(46%) and 7 had cloaca(18%). children over 6 years of age with anorectal malformation operated using Peña's technique (postsagittal anorectoplasty). patients with neurological disorders that do not non-compliant with study and treatment indications. Average resting pressure was 28 mmHg(High level 25,5 and Low level 29,8 mmHg), range between 7 and 51 mmHg. Squeezing pressure between 29 and 120 mmHg(mean:69mmHg). Combined treatment of diet, toilet training, and biofeedback was succesfull to get total continence in 22 patients (4 cloacas, 10 high malformations and 8 low malformations), partial continence in 6(all low) and without response in 3(1 low, 1 high and 1 cloaca); 2 patients archived continence only with toilet training and 2 were lost in follow up(T.Fisher: 0,1). In high ARM 8 had positive(+) rectoanal inhibitory reflex(RAIR) and 6 negative(¬). In cloacas it was (+) in 3, (¬) in 3 and doubtful in 1. In low ARM 15(+), 2 (¬) and 1 doubtful. Reflex was obtained with 20 to 60cc of air(mean 31,36). The RRAI duration was 10 to 17 seconds(mean: 13 seconds).From 22 total continent, RAIR was (+) in 13, (¬) in 7 and hazardous in 2. All 6 partially continent had (+) RAIR; and from 3

Body posture modulates action perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Marius; Toni, Ivan; de Lange, Floris P

2013-04-03

Recent studies have highlighted cognitive and neural similarities between planning and perceiving actions. Given that action planning involves a simulation of potential action plans that depends on the actor's body posture, we reasoned that perceiving actions may also be influenced by one's body posture. Here, we test whether and how this influence occurs by measuring behavioral and cerebral (fMRI) responses in human participants predicting goals of observed actions, while manipulating postural congruency between their own body posture and postures of the observed agents. Behaviorally, predicting action goals is facilitated when the body posture of the observer matches the posture achieved by the observed agent at the end of his action (action's goal posture). Cerebrally, this perceptual postural congruency effect modulates activity in a portion of the left intraparietal sulcus that has previously been shown to be involved in updating neural representations of one's own limb posture during action planning. This intraparietal area showed stronger responses when the goal posture of the observed action did not match the current body posture of the observer. These results add two novel elements to the notion that perceiving actions relies on the same predictive mechanism as planning actions. First, the predictions implemented by this mechanism are based on the current physical configuration of the body. Second, during both action planning and action observation, these predictions pertain to the goal state of the action.

Visual Biofeedback Balance Training Using Wii Fit after Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Barcala, Luciana; Grecco, Luanda André Collange; Colella, Fernanda; Lucareli, Paulo Roberto Garcia; Salgado, Afonso Shiguemi Inoue; Oliveira, Claudia Santos

2013-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of balance training with visual biofeedback on balance, body symmetry, and function among individuals with hemiplegia following a stroke. [Subjects and Methods] The present study was performed using a randomized controlled clinical trial with a blinded evaluator. The subjects were twenty adults with hemiplegia following a stroke. The experimental group performed balance training with visual biofeedback using Wii Fit® together with conventional physical therapy. The control group underwent conventional physical therapy alone. The intervention lasted five weeks, with two sessions per week. Body symmetry (baropodometry), static balance (stabilometry), functional balance (Berg Balance Scale), functional mobility (Timed Up and Go test), and independence in activities of daily living (Functional Independence Measure) were assessed before and after the intervention. [Results] No statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups. In the intragroup analysis, both groups demonstrated a significant improvement in all variables studied. [Conclusion] The physical therapy program combined with balance training involving visual biofeedback (Wii Fit®) led to an improvement in body symmetry, balance, and function among stroke victims. However, the improvement was similar to that achieved with conventional physical therapy alone. PMID:24259909

Biofeedback and Counseling for Stress and Anxiety among College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ratanasiripong, Paul; Sverduk, Kevin; Prince, Judy; Hayashino, Diane

2012-01-01

With the rise in stress and anxiety among college students, there is a need for more comprehensive and effective counseling options for counselors in college counseling centers. This study investigated the impact of using biofeedback and brief counseling in treating stress and anxiety in an ethnically diverse college student population. Results…

Direction of Attentional Focus in Biofeedback Treatment for /R/ Misarticulation

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister Byun, Tara; Swartz, Michelle T.; Halpin, Peter F.; Szeredi, Daniel; Maas, Edwin

2016-01-01

Background: Maintaining an external direction of focus during practice is reported to facilitate acquisition of non-speech motor skills, but it is not known whether these findings also apply to treatment for speech errors. This question has particular relevance for treatment incorporating visual biofeedback, where clinician cueing can direct the…

Reduced heart rate variability in chronic severe traumatic brain injury: Association with impaired emotional and social functioning, and potential for treatment using biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Heather M; Fisher, Alana; Rushby, Jacqueline A; McDonald, Skye

2016-01-01

Heart rate variability (HRV) may provide an index of capacity for social functioning and may be remediated by HRV biofeedback. Given reductions in HRV are found following traumatic brain injury (TBI), the present study aimed to determine whether lower HRV in TBI is associated with social function, and whether HRV biofeedback might be a useful remediation technique in this population. Resting state HRV and measures of social and emotional processing were collected in 30 individuals with severe TBI (3-34 years post-injury) and 30 controls. This was followed by a single session of HRV biofeedback. HRV was positively associated with social cognition and empathy, and negatively associated with alexithymia for the TBI group. Both TBI and control groups showed significantly increased HRV on both time-domain (i.e., SDNN, rMSSD) and frequency-domain measures (LF, HF, LF:HF ratio) during biofeedback compared to baseline. These results suggest that decreased HRV is linked to social and emotional function following severe TBI, and may be a novel target for therapy using HRV biofeedback techniques.

STEADFAST: Psychotherapeutic Intervention Improves Postural Strategy of Somatoform Vertigo and Dizziness

Science.gov (United States)

Best, Christoph; Tschan, Regine; Stieber, Nikola; Beutel, Manfred E.; Eckhardt-Henn, Annegret; Dieterich, Marianne

2015-01-01

Patients with somatoform vertigo and dizziness (SVD) disorders often report instability of stance or gait and fear of falling. Posturographic measurements indeed indicated a pathological postural strategy. Our goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational short-term intervention (PTI) using static posturography and psychometric examination. Seventeen SVD patients took part in the study. The effects of PTI on SVD were evaluated with quantitative static posturography. As primary endpoint a quotient characterizing the relation between horizontal and vertical sway was calculated (Q H/V), reflecting the individual postural strategy. Results of static posturography were compared to those of age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers (n = 28); baseline measurements were compared to results after PTI. The secondary endpoint was the participation-limiting consequences of SVD as measured by the Vertigo Handicap Questionnaire (VHQ). Compared to the healthy volunteers, the patients with SVD showed a postural strategy characterized by stiffening-up that resulted in a significantly reduced body sway quotient before PTI (patients: Q H/V = 0.31 versus controls: Q H/V = 0.38; p = 0.022). After PTI the postural behavior normalized, and psychological distress was reduced. PTI therefore appears to modify pathological balance behaviour. The postural strategy of patients with SVD possibly results from anxious anticipatory cocontraction of the antigravity muscles. PMID:26843786

Falls efficacy, postural balance, and risk for falls in older adults with falls-related emergency department visits: prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pua, Yong-Hao; Ong, Peck-Hoon; Clark, Ross Allan; Matcher, David B; Lim, Edwin Choon-Wyn

2017-12-21

Risk for falls in older adults has been associated with falls efficacy (self-perceived confidence in performing daily physical activities) and postural balance, but available evidence is limited and mixed. We examined the interaction between falls efficacy and postural balance and its association with future falls. We also investigated the association between falls efficacy and gait decline. Falls efficacy, measured by the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES), and standing postural balance, measured using computerized posturography on a balance board, were obtained from 247 older adults with a falls-related emergency department visit. Six-month prospective fall rate and habitual gait speed at 6 months post baseline assessment were also measured. In multivariable proportional odds analyses adjusted for potential confounders, falls efficacy modified the association between postural balance and fall risk (interaction P = 0.014): increasing falls efficacy accentuated the increased fall risk related to poor postural balance. Low baseline falls efficacy was strongly predictive of worse gait speed (0.11 m/s [0.06 to 0.16] slower gait speed per IQR decrease in MFES; P falls efficacy but poor postural balance were at greater risk for falls than those with low falls efficacy; however, low baseline falls efficacy was strongly associated with worse gait function at follow-up. Further research into these subgroups of older adults is warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01713543 .

Skin conductance biofeedback training in adults with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy and stress-triggered seizures: a proof-of-concept study.

Science.gov (United States)

Micoulaud-Franchi, Jean-Arthur; Kotwas, Iliana; Lanteaume, Laura; Berthet, Christelle; Bastien, Mireille; Vion-Dury, Jean; McGonigal, Aileen; Bartolomei, Fabrice

2014-12-01

The present proof-of-concept study investigated the feasibility of skin conductance biofeedback training in reducing seizures in adults with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), whose seizures are triggered by stress. Skin conductance biofeedback aims to increase levels of peripheral sympathetic arousal in order to reduce cortical excitability. This might seem somewhat counterintuitive, since such autonomic arousal may also be associated with increased stress and anxiety. Thus, this sought to verify that patients with TLE and stress-triggered seizures are not worsened in terms of stress, anxiety, and negative emotional response to this nonpharmacological treatment. Eleven patients with drug-resistant TLE with seizures triggered by stress were treated with 12 sessions of biofeedback. Patients did not worsen on cognitive evaluation of attentional biases towards negative emotional stimuli (P>.05) or on psychometric evaluation with state anxiety inventory (P = .059); in addition, a significant improvement was found in the Negative Affect Schedule (P = .014) and in the Beck Depression Inventory (P = .009). Biofeedback training significantly reduced seizure frequency with a mean reduction of -48.61% (SD = 27.79) (P = .005). There was a correlation between the mean change in skin conductance activity over the biofeedback treatment and the reduction of seizure frequency (r(11) = .62, P = .042). Thus, the skin conductance biofeedback used in the present study, which teaches patients to achieve an increased level of peripheral sympathetic arousal, was a well-tolerated nonpharmacological treatment. Further, well-controlled studies are needed to confirm the therapeutic value of this nonpharmacological treatment in reducing seizures in adults with drug-resistant TLE with seizures triggered by stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Manipulation of the kinematic chain using visual biofeedback

OpenAIRE

Mulloy, Franky; Mullineaux, David; Irwin, Gareth

2016-01-01

Feedback has been shown to be an influential component in skill development, yet this has not been assessed in movements involving an explosive proximal to distal sequencing pattern. Novices (n=14) were introduced to a lunge touch task. Visual biofeedback were given on the timing and magnitude of rear leg kinematics. Results showed that those who received feedback adapted their movement patterns by developing extension velocity magnitudes in a summative pattern (pre v post, mean ± SD peak ank...

Response of spinal myoclonus to a combination therapy of autogenic training and biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimoto, Koreaki; Theoharides, Theoharis C; Kempuraj, Duraisamy; Conti, Pio

2007-10-12

Clinical evidence indicates that certain types of movement disorders are due to psychosomatic factors. Patients with myoclonic movements are usually treated by a variety of therapeutic agents. Autogenic training (AT), a recognized form of psychosomatic therapies, is suitable for certain types of neurological diseases. We describe a patient with myoclonus who failed to respond to conventional medical therapy. His symptoms were exaggerated by psychogenic factors, especially anger. A 42-year-old man was admitted to our hospital, Preventive Welfare Clinic, for severe paroxysmal axial myoclonus of the left shoulder and abdominal muscles. The initial diagnosis was "combination of spinal segmental myoclonus and propriospinal myoclonus". The myoclonic movements did not occur during sleep but were aggravated by bathing, alcohol drinking, and anger. Psychological examination indicated hostile attribution. Although considered not to be a case of psychogenic myoclonus, a "psychogenic factor" was definitely involved in the induction of the organic myoclonus. The final diagnosis was "combination of spinal segmental myoclonus and propriospinal myoclonus accompanied by features of psychosomatic disorders". The patient underwent psychosomatic therapy including AT and surface electromyography (EMG)-biofeedback therapy and treatment with clonazepam and carbamazepine. AT and EMG-biofeedback resulted in shortening the duration and reducing the amplitude and frequency of the myoclonic discharges. Psychosomatic therapy with AT and surface EMG-biofeedback produced excellent improvement of myoclonic movements and allowed the reduction of the dosage of conventional medications.

EFFECTIVENESS OF BIOFEEDBACK IN THE CLOSED LOOP OF HEART RATE VARIABILITY AND PACED BREATHING IN THE PATIENTS WITH SOMATOFORM AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. E. Morozova

2014-06-01

Full Text Available To study the effectiveness of biofeedback (BFB in the closed loop of heart rate variability (HRV and paced breathing in patients with somatoform autonomic dysfunction (SAD 20 patients with SAD (14 women and 6 men, mean age 19,53 ± 1,55 were examined. All probationers were divided into two groups comparable for sex and age: 1 – BFB group (15 patients, in which 7 sessions was held and 2 – the comparison group (5 patients, where only two sessions were completed -at the first and seventh day of the study. Additionally, all patients in both groups received diet food (Table № 10 by Pevzner, mebicar, glycine, tiotriazolin. Effectiveness of biofeedback was evaluated by comparing of parameters optimality (O, sensitivity (S, the efficiency (E and the integral index BQI in both groups. It was determined that biofeedback in the closed loop of HRV and paced breathing allows to optimize the state of the regulatory systems of the body in patients with SAD, moreover the combination of biofeedback sessions in the test loop and medical treatment are significantly better than isolated pharmacological therapy. High effectiveness of biofeedback in closed loop of HRV and paced breathing in patients with SAD allows us to recommend it as independent method of treatment, and as a component of combined therapy of this disease.

Effect of Electromyographic Biofeedback Training on Pain, Quadriceps Muscle Strength, and Functional Ability in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Eid, Mohamed Ahmed Mahmoud; Aly, Sobhy M; El-Shamy, Shamekh M

2016-12-01

To investigate the effects of electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training on pain, quadriceps strength, and functional ability in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). This is a randomized controlled study; 36 children (11 boys and 25 girls) with polyarticular JRA, with ages ranging from 8 to 13 years, were selected and assigned randomly, using computer-generated random numbers, into 2 groups. The control group (n = 18) received the conventional physical therapy program, whereas the study group (n = 18) received the same program as the control group in addition to EMG biofeedback-guided isometric exercises for 3 days a week for 12 weeks. Pain, peak torque of quadriceps strength, and functional ability were evaluated before, after 6 weeks, and at the end of 12 weeks of the treatment program. By 6 weeks, significant differences were observed in the study group (P biofeedback may be a useful intervention modality to reduce pain, improve quadriceps strength, and functional performance in JRA.

Effect of gender on strength gains after isometric exercise coupled with electromyographic biofeedback in knee osteoarthritis: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Anwer, S; Equebal, A; Nezamuddin, M; Kumar, R; Lenka, P K

2013-09-01

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of gender on strength gains after five week training programme that consisted of isometric exercise coupled with electromyographic biofeedback to the quadriceps muscle. Forty-three (20 men and 23 women) patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), were placed into two groups based on their gender. Both groups performed isometric exercise coupled with electromyographic biofeedback for five days a week for five weeks. Both groups reported gains in muscle strength after five week training. However, the difference was found to be statistically insignificant between the two groups (P=0.224). The results suggest that gender did not affect gains in muscle strength by isometric exercise coupled with electromyographic biofeedback in patients with knee OA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Neuro-Developmental Treatment (Bobath Concept) on postural control and balance in Cerebral Palsied children.

Science.gov (United States)

Tekin, Fatih; Kavlak, Erdogan; Cavlak, Ugur; Altug, Filiz

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to show the effects of an 8-week Neurodevelopmental Treatment based posture and balance training on postural control and balance in diparetic and hemiparetic Cerebral Palsied children (CPC). Fifteen CPC (aged 5-15 yrs) were recruited from Denizli Yağmur Çocukları Rehabilitation Centre. Gross Motor Function Classification System, Gross Motor Function Measure, 1-Min Walking Test, Modified Timed Up and Go Test, Paediatric Balance Scale, Functional Independence Measure for Children and Seated Postural Control Measure were used for assessment before and after treatment. An 8-week NDT based posture and balance training was applied to the CPC in one session (60-min) 2 days in a week. After the treatment program, all participants showed statistically significant improvements in terms of gross motor function (p< 0.05). They also showed statistically significant improvements about balance abilities and independence in terms of daily living activities (p< 0.05). Seated Postural Control Measure scores increased after the treatment program (p< 0.05). The results of this study indicate that an 8-week Neurodevelopmental Treatment based posture and balance training is an effective approach in order to improve functional motor level and functional independency by improving postural control and balance in diparetic and hemiparetic CPC.

Guide to Good Posture

Science.gov (United States)

... you are moving or still, can prevent pain, injuries, and other health problems. What is posture? Posture is how you hold your body. There are two types: Dynamic posture is how you hold yourself when you are moving, like when you are walking, running, or bending over to pick up something. Static ...

Postural control among elderly women with and without osteoporosis: is there a difference?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomaz Nogueira Burke

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Little is known about postural control among elderly individuals with osteoporosis and its relationship with falls. It has been suggested that elderly women with kyphosis and osteoporosis are at greater risk of falling. The aim of this study was to evaluate posture and postural control among elderly women with and without osteoporosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted at the Physical Therapy and Electromyography Laboratory, School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo (USP. METHODS: Sixty-six elderly women were selected from the bone metabolism disorders clinic, Division of Rheumatology, USP, and were divided into two groups: osteoporosis and controls, according to their bone mineral density (BMD. Postural control was assessed using the Limits of Stability (LOS test and the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (CTSIBm and posture, using photometry. RESULTS: The elderly women with osteoporosis swayed at higher velocity on a stable surface with opened eyes (0.30 versus 0.20 degrees/second; P = 0.038. In both groups, the center of pressure (COP was at 30% in the LOS, but with different placements: 156° in the osteoporosis group and 178° in the controls (P = 0.045. Osteoporosis patients fell more than controls did (1.0 versus 0.0; P = 0.036. CONCLUSIONS: The postural control in elderly women with osteoporosis differed from that of the controls, with higher sway velocity and maximum displacement of COP. Despite postural abnormalities such as hyperkyphosis and forward head, the COP position was posteriorized.

[The effect of EMG level by EMG biofeedback with progressive muscle relaxation training on tension headache].

Science.gov (United States)

Ro, U J; Kim, N C; Kim, H S

1990-08-01

The purpose of this study is to assess if EMG biofeedback training with progressive muscle relaxation training is effective in reducing the EMG level in patients with tension headaches. This study which lasted from 23 October to 30 December 1989, was conducted on 10 females who were diagnosed as patients with tension headaches and selected from among volunteers at C. University in Seoul. The process of the study was as follows: First, before the treatment, the baseline was measured for two weeks and the level of EMG was measured five times in five minutes. And then EMG biofeedback training was used for six weeks, 12 sessions in all, and progressive muscle relaxation was done at home by audio tape over eight weeks. Each session was composed of a 5-minute baseline, two 5-minute EMG biofeedback training periods and a 5-minute self-control stage. Each stage was followed by a five minute rest period. So each session took a total of 40 minutes. The EMG level was measured by EMG biofeedback (Autogenic-Cyborg: M 130 EMG module). The results were as follows: 1. The average age of the subjects was 44.1 years and the average history of headache was 10.6 years (range: 6 months-20 years). 2. The level of EMG was lowest between the third and the fourth week of the training except in Cases I and IV. 3. The patients began to show a nonconciliatory attitude at the first session of the fifth week of the training.

Biofeedback-guided pelvic floor exercise therapy for obstructive defecation: An effective alternative

Science.gov (United States)

ba-bai-ke-re, Ma-Mu-Ti-Jiang A; Wen, Ni-Re; Hu, Yun-Long; Zhao, Liang; Tuxun, Tuerhongjiang; Husaiyin, Aierhati; Sailai, Yalikun; Abulimiti, Alimujiang; Wang, Yun-Hai; Yang, Peng

2014-01-01

AIM: To compare biofeedback-guided pelvic floor exercise therapy (BFT) with the use of oral polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the treatment of obstructive defecation. METHODS: A total of 88 subjects were assigned to treatment with either BFT (n = 44) or oral PEG (n = 44). Constipation symptoms (including difficult evacuation, hard stool, digitation necessity, incomplete emptying sensation, laxative dependence, perianal pain at defecation, and constipation satisfaction), Wexner Scores, and quality of life scores were assessed after 1, 3, and 6 mo. RESULTS: At the 6 mo follow-up, the symptoms of the BFT group patients showed significantly greater improvements compared with the PEG group regarding difficult evacuation, hard stools, digitation necessity, laxative dependence, perianal pain at defecation, constipation satisfaction, Wexner Constipation Score, and quality of life score (P biofeedback-guided pelvic floor exercise training is superior to oral polyethylene glycol therapy for obstructive defecation. PMID:25083090

Somatic features and body posture in children with scoliosis and scoliotic posture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacek Wilczyński

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between somatic features and body posture in children with scoliosis and scoliotic posture. The study included 28 girls aged 7-18 with scoliosis and scoliotic posture. The selection of the subjects was deliberate. Height measurements were conducted with an anthropometer and weight measurements were done with an electronic scale. Body posture tests were performed using Exhibeon 3D digital photogrammetry and digital radiographs. The significant Spearman correlations between postural variables for the sagittal plane and the somatic variables regarded: trunk inclination angle and BMI (R= 0,4553, p= p=0,015, Abs of the trunk inclination angle and BMI (R = 0.5522, p = 0.002, length of thoracic kyphosis and BMI (R=0,4147, p=0.028, lumbar lordosis and BMI (R=0,4509, p=0,016. The significant Spearman correlations between scoliotic posture variables and the somatic variables concerned: length of primary lordosis and body height (R =0,4923, p=0.008, the length of the primary lordosis and body mass (R = 0.3932, p = 0.038, the length of the primary lordosis and BMI (R=0,4923, p=0.008. Variation analysis regarding postural (Exhibeon and somatic variables showed significant correlations between the direction of the primary curvature and body mass (p=0,0432, body height and primary angle location (p=0,0290 and between the height of the body and the location of the secondary angle (p = 0,0278.

Breathing pattern and head posture: changes in craniocervical angles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabatucci, A; Raffaeli, F; Mastrovincenzo, M; Luchetta, A; Giannone, A; Ciavarella, D

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to observe the influence of oral breathing on head posture and to establish possible postural changes observing the variation of craniocervical angles NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT between oral breathing subjects and physiological breathing subjects. A cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample included 115 subject, 56 boys and 59 girls, 5-22-year-old. Among these, 80 were classified as oral breathers and 35 as physiological breathers. The diagnosis of oral breathing was carried out thanks to characteristic signs and symptoms evaluated on clinical examination, the analysis of characteristic X-ray images, ENT examination with active anterior rhinomanometric (AAR) test. The structural and postural analysis was carried out, calculating the craniofacial angles NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT. Both NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT appear to be significantly greater to those observed in physiological breathing patients. This means that patients who tend to breathe through the mouth rather than exclusively through the nose show a reduction of cervical lordosis and a proinclination of the head. Our study confirms that the oral breathing modifies head position. The significant increase of the craniocervical angles NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT in patients with this altered breathing pattern suggests an elevation of the head and a greater extension of the head compared with the cervical spine. So, to correct the breathing pattern early, either during childhood or during adolescence, can lead to a progressive normalization of craniofacial morphology and head posture.

Biofeedback in Partial Weight Bearing: Usability of Two Different Devices from a Patient's and Physical Therapist's Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

van Lieshout, Remko; Pisters, Martijn F; Vanwanseele, Benedicte; de Bie, Rob A; Wouters, Eveline J; Stukstette, Mirelle J

2016-01-01

Partial weight bearing is frequently instructed by physical therapists in patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. The use of biofeedback devices seems promising to improve the patient's compliance with weight-bearing instructions. SmartStep and OpenGo-Science are biofeedback devices that provide real-time feedback. For a successful implementation, usability of the devices is a critical aspect and should be tested from a user's perspective. To describe the usability from the physical therapists' and a patients' perspective of Smartstep and OpenGo-Science to provide feedback on partial weight bearing during supervised rehabilitation of patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. In a convergent mixed-methods design, qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Usability was subdivided into user performance, satisfaction and acceptability. Patients prescribed with partial weight bearing and their physical therapists were asked to use SmartStep and OpenGo-Science during supervised rehabilitation. Usability was qualitatively tested by a think-aloud method and a semi-structured interview and quantitatively tested by the System-Usability-Scale (SUS) and closed questions. For the qualitative data thematic content analyses were used. Nine pairs of physical therapists and their patients participated. The mean SUS scores for patients and physical therapists were for SmartStep 70 and 53, and for OpenGo-Science 79 and 81, respectively. Scores were interpreted with the Curved Grading Scale. The qualitative data showed that there were mixed views and perceptions from patients and physical therapists on satisfaction and acceptability. This study gives insight in the usability of two biofeedback devices from the patient's and physical therapist's perspective. The overall usability from both perspectives seemed to be acceptable for OpenGo-Science. For SmartStep, overall usability seemed only acceptable from the patient's perspective. The study findings could help

Computerized evaluation of deambulatory pattern before and after visual rehabilitation treatment performed with biofeedback in visually impaired patients suffering from macular degeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Pacella

2016-09-01

after the treatment, indicating that the previously structured locomotor pattern was not modified. Conclusions: The results obtained by the visual rehabilitation with Biofeedback show a pronounced and statistically significant improvement in visual performance. In fact, the absolute values of retinal sensitivity before and after the visual rehabilitation cycle with biofeedback showed a marked improvement of the specific retinal sensitivity and consequently an improvement of the vision efficiency. Further studies are needed to better understand the "correlation" between low-vision and walking.

Fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients based on the posture modification of Adult Male (AM) and Adult Female (AF) reference phantoms of ICRP 110

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galeano, D.C.; Santos, W.S.; Alves, M.C.; Souza, D.N.; Carvalho, A.B.

2016-01-01

The aim of this work was to modify the standing posture of the anthropomorphic reference phantoms of ICRP publication 110, AM (Adult Male) and AF (Adult Female), to the sitting posture. The change of posture was performed using the Visual Monte Carlo software (VMC) to rotate the thigh region of the phantoms and position it between the region of the leg and trunk. Scion Image software was used to reconstruct and smooth the knee and hip contours of the phantoms in a sitting posture. For 3D visualization of phantoms, the VolView software was used. In the change of postures, the organ and tissue masses were preserved. The MCNPX was used to calculate the equivalent and effective dose conversion coefficients (CCs) per fluence for photons for six irradiation geometries suggested by ICRP publication 110 (AP, PA, RLAT, LLAT, ROT and ISO) and energy range 0.010–10 MeV. The results were compared between the standing and sitting postures, for both sexes, in order to evaluate the differences of scattering and absorption of radiation for different postures. Significant differences in the CCs for equivalent dose were observed in the gonads, colon, prostate, urinary bladder and uterus, which are present in the pelvic region, and in organs distributed throughout the body, such as the lymphatic nodes, muscle, skeleton and skin, for the phantoms of both sexes. CCs for effective dose showed significant differences of up to 16% in the AP irradiation geometry, 27% in the PA irradiation geometry and 13% in the ROT irradiation geometry. These results demonstrate the importance of using phantoms in different postures in order to obtain more precise conversion coefficients for a given exposure scenario. - Highlights: • The reference phantoms AM and AF had modified its posture. • The AM and AF phantoms were irradiated in standing and sitting postures. • The irradiation geometry used were the AP, PA, LLAT, RLAT, ROT and ISO. • The CCs for standing and sitting postures were compared

The effect of nasopharyngoscopic biofeedback in patients with cleft palate and velopharyngeal dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunner, Monika; Stellzig-Eisenhauer, Angelika; Pröschel, Ute; Verres, Rolf; Komposch, Gerda

2005-11-01

To evaluate the immediate, long-term, and carry-over effects of nasopharyngoscopic biofeedback therapy in patients with cleft palate who exhibit velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD). Pre- versus posttreatment and follow-up comparisons. Cleft palate center of the Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. Eleven patients with VPD who had received conventional speech therapy without showing significant improvement. A four-stage feedback procedure. The patients watched and evaluated their velopharyngeal (VP) valving during speech by an endoscopic image displayed on a video monitor. Two feedback sessions took place for every target sound. Mean occurrence of VP closure during speech sound production on different linguistic levels. Patients' self-perception was assessed by a questionnaire and speech diary. Significant improvement and stability of VP closure was noted. Mean occurrence of VP closure was 5% before therapy, 91% after two biofeedback sessions, and 86% in the follow-up after 6 months. Velopharyngeal dysfunction associated with compensatory articulation proved to be equally well trained as VPD on sounds with good articulatory placement. No significant difference was observed in the degree of improvement between phoneme-specific VPD and generalized VPD. The transfer to the level of words and sentences was successful and showed significant stability. The stability of VP closure for vowels was less than the stability for fricatives and stop sounds. Patients gained improved auditory and kinesthetic self-perception of their articulation. Nasopharyngoscopic biofeedback therapy proves to be a quick and effective method to change VPD. It shows stable results and carry-over effects.

Response of spinal myoclonus to a combination therapy of autogenic training and biofeedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kempuraj Duraisamy

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Clinical evidence indicates that certain types of movement disorders are due to psychosomatic factors. Patients with myoclonic movements are usually treated by a variety of therapeutic agents. Autogenic training (AT, a recognized form of psychosomatic therapies, is suitable for certain types of neurological diseases. We describe a patient with myoclonus who failed to respond to conventional medical therapy. His symptoms were exaggerated by psychogenic factors, especially anger. Case presentation A 42-year-old man was admitted to our hospital, Preventive Welfare Clinic, for severe paroxysmal axial myoclonus of the left shoulder and abdominal muscles. The initial diagnosis was "combination of spinal segmental myoclonus and propriospinal myoclonus". The myoclonic movements did not occur during sleep but were aggravated by bathing, alcohol drinking, and anger. Psychological examination indicated hostile attribution. Although considered not to be a case of psychogenic myoclonus, a "psychogenic factor" was definitely involved in the induction of the organic myoclonus. The final diagnosis was "combination of spinal segmental myoclonus and propriospinal myoclonus accompanied by features of psychosomatic disorders". The patient underwent psychosomatic therapy including AT and surface electromyography (EMG-biofeedback therapy and treatment with clonazepam and carbamazepine. Results AT and EMG-biofeedback resulted in shortening the duration and reducing the amplitude and frequency of the myoclonic discharges. Conclusion Psychosomatic therapy with AT and surface EMG-biofeedback produced excellent improvement of myoclonic movements and allowed the reduction of the dosage of conventional medications.

Effect of Modified Otago Exercises on Postural Balance, Fear of Falling, and Fall Risk in Older Fallers With Knee Osteoarthritis and Impaired Gait and Balance: A Secondary Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mat, Sumaiyah; Ng, Chin Teck; Tan, Pey June; Ramli, Norlisah; Fadzli, Farhana; Rozalli, Faizatul Izza; Mazlan, Mazlina; Hill, Keith D; Tan, Maw Pin

2018-03-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is considered an established risk factor for falls. Published studies evaluating secondary falls prevention strategies among individuals with OA are limited. To evaluate the effect of a personalized home-based exercise program to improve postural balance, fear of falling, and falls risk in older fallers with knee OA and gait and balance problems. Randomized controlled trial. University of Malaya Medical Centre. Fallers who had both radiological OA and a Timed Up and Go (TUG) score of over 13.5 seconds. Postural sway (composite sway) was quantified with the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB) under 4 different sensory conditions: eyes open on firm surface, eyes closed on firm surface, eyes open on unstable foam surface, and eyes closed on unstable foam surface. Participants were asked to stand upright and to attempt to hold their position for 10 seconds for each test condition. The average reading for all conditions were calculated. Participants randomized to the intervention arm received a home-based modified Otago Exercise Program (OEP) as part of a multifactorial intervention, whereas control participants received general health advice and conventional treatment. This was a secondary subgroup analysis from an original randomized controlled trial, the Malaysian Falls Assessment and Intervention Trial (MyFAIT) (trial registration number: ISRCTN11674947). Posturography using a long force plate balance platform (Balancemaster, NeuroCom, USA), the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the short-form Falls Efficacy Scale-International (short FES-I) were assessed at baseline and 6 months. Results of 41 fallers with radiological evidence of OA and impaired TUG (intervention, 17; control, 24) were available for the final analysis. Between-group analysis revealed significant improvements in the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB), Limits of Stability (LOS), and short FES

The effect of autogenic training and biofeedback on motion sickness tolerance.

Science.gov (United States)

Jozsvai, E E; Pigeau, R A

1996-10-01

Motion sickness is characterized by symptoms of vomiting, drowsiness, fatigue and idiosyncratic changes in autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses such as heart rate (HR) and skin temperature (ST). Previous studies found that symptoms of motion sickness are controllable through self-regulation of ANS responses and the best method to teach such control is autogenic-feedback (biofeedback) training. Recent experiments indicated that biofeedback training is ineffective in reducing symptoms of motion sickness or in increasing tolerance to motion. If biofeedback facilitates learning of ANS self-regulation then autogenic training with true feedback (TFB) should lead to better control over ANS responses and better motion tolerance than autogenic training with false feedback (FFB). If there is a relationship between ANS self-regulation and coping with motion stress, a significant correlation should be found between amounts of control over ANS responses and measures of motion tolerance and/or symptoms of motion sickness. There were 3 groups of 6 subjects exposed for 6 weeks to weekly sessions of Coriolis stimulation to induce motion sickness. Between the first and second Coriolis sessions, subjects in the experimental groups received five episodes of autogenic training with either true (group TFB) or false (group FFB) feedback on their HR and ST. The control group (CTL) received no treatment. Subjects learned to control their HR and ST independent of whether they received true or false feedback. Learned control of ST and HR was not related to severity of motion sickness or subject's ability to withstand Coriolis stimulation following treatment. A lack of significant correlation between these variables suggested that subjects were not able to apply their skills of ANS self-regulation in the motion environment, and/ or such skills had little value in reducing symptoms of motion sickness or enhancing their ability to withstand rotations.

Biofeedback therapy for chronic constipation in a patient with Prader-Willi syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Corral, Juan E; Kataria, Rahul; Vickers, Dawn; Koutouby, Raghad; Moshiree, Baharak

2015-01-01

Constipation is a common feature of Prader-Willi syndrome. Research exploring the prevalence, cause and treatment options for constipation is limited and lacks objective measurements such as anorectal manometry. We report a case of a 16-year-old lady with Prader-Willi syndrome presenting with rectal pain and constipation for 2 years despite multiple medications and weekly enemas. She also noted passive fecal incontinence that required frequent manual disimpactions. Anorectal manometry revealed an abnormal relaxation of the puborectalis and external sphincter muscles on push maneuvers suggesting dyssynergic defecation and rectal hypersensitivity. Contraction and relaxation of her pelvic muscles were recorded with electromyography. Relaxation of the puborectalis muscle improved significantly after three biofeedback sessions. Patient was successfully tapered off laxatives and has been maintained on linaclotide only. Dyssynergic defecation may be a common finding in Prader-Willi syndrome. In selected cases we recommend anorectal manometry to identify neuromuscular dysfunction and subsequent biofeedback therapy depending on the degree of mental retardation to minimize overuse of laxatives.

Comparing the Efficacy of Biofeedback and Balloon-Assisted Training in the Treatment of Dyssynergic Defecation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbs Ali Pourmomeny

2011-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Dyssynergic defecation does not respond appropriately to routine treatments for constipation. Recently, research has shown that biofeedback therapy is useful in anorectal dyssynergia.

Acute Effects of Posture Shirts on Rounded-Shoulder and Forward-Head Posture in College Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Manor, John; Hibberd, Elizabeth; Petschauer, Meredith; Myers, Joseph

2016-12-01

Rounded-shoulder and forward-head posture can be contributing factors to shoulder pain. Corrective techniques such as manual therapy and exercise have been shown to improve these altered postures, but there is little evidence that corrective garments such as posture shirts can alter posture. To determine the acute effects of corrective postureshirt use on rounded-shoulder and forward-head posture in asymptomatic college students. Repeated-measures intervention study with counterbalanced conditions. Research laboratory. 24 members of the general student body of a university, 18-25 y old, with a forward shoulder angle (FSA) >52° and no history of upper-extremity surgery, scoliosis, active shoulder pain, or shoulder pain in the previous 3 mo that restricted participation for 3 consecutive days. Photographic posture assessment under a control condition, under a sham or treatment condition (counterbalanced), under another control condition, and treatment or sham. FSA and forward head angle (FHA) calculated from a lateral photograph. FSA decreased relative to the control condition while participants wore the sham shirt (P = .029) but not the corrective posture shirt (P = 1.00). FHA was unchanged between groups (P = .371). Application of a corrective posture shirt did not acutely alter FSA or FHA, while application of a sham shirt may decrease FSA at rest.

A comparative study of efficacy of emg bio-feedback and progressive muscular relaxation in tension headache.

Science.gov (United States)

Gada, M T

1984-04-01

The aim of the present study was to find out efficacy of frontalis EMG Biofeedback therapy, deep muscular relaxation therapy and compare the efficacy of both in cases of tension headache. During two week basal-data recording period all patients were taught deep muscular relaxation by Jacobson's technique. Simultaneously patients were instructed to keep headache diary. Headache diary yielded three different parameters a) number of headache-free days per week, b) peak headache intensity (or each week and c) average daily headache activity score per week. These parameters were used to find out therapeutic efficacy of each treatment. Patients were randomly divided in two groups. EMG Biofeedback group was given frontalis EMG feedback through EMG J 33 muscle trainer of Cyborg Corporation (U.S.A.). Patients in each group were given 20 sessions (two sessions per week); each session lasting 30 minutes. Patients were instructed to practice at least one 30 minute session of relaxation at home. The data were subjected to statistical calculation. The results indicate that frontalis EMG Biofeedback therapy and deep muscle relaxation therapy are significantly effective in cases of tension headache. Both treatments are equally effective. The findings are discussed in relation to Indian situation.

Assessing control of postural stability in community-living older adults using performance-based limits of stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boissy Patrick

2008-03-01

trials of each task using the visual biofeedback provided on their COP. Reliable measures of control of postural stability at performance-based LOS can be obtained after two additional trials after the learning phase (0.69 > ICC > 1.0. Conclusion Establishing performance-based LOS instead of relying on estimations of theoretical LOS offers a more individualized and realistic insight on the true LOS of an individual. Performance-based LOS can be used as targets during weight-shifting postural tasks with real time visual feedback of the COP displacement to assess postural stability of community-living older adults. In order to obtain reliable results, a learning phase allowing subjects to learn how to control their COP displacement is needed.

Neck pain and postural balance among workers with high postural demands - a cross-sectional study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Marie B.; Skotte, Jørgen H.; Holtermann, Andreas

2011-01-01

Neck pain is related to impaired postural balance among patients and is highly prevalent among workers with high postural demands, for example, cleaners. We therefore hypothesised, that cleaners with neck pain suffer from postural dysfunction. This cross-sectional study tested if cleaners with neck...... pain have an impaired postural balance compared with cleaners without neck pain. Postural balance of 194 cleaners with (n = 85) and without (N = 109) neck pain was studied using three different tests. Success or failure to maintain the standing position for 30 s in unilateral stance was recorded...... to cleaners without neck/low back pain (p balance, measured as CEA (p

ANMS-ESNM position paper and consensus guidelines on biofeedback therapy for anorectal disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rao, S. S. C.; Benninga, M. A.; Bharucha, A. E.; Chiarioni, G.; Di Lorenzo, C.; Whitehead, W. E.

2015-01-01

Anorectal disorders such as dyssynergic defecation, fecal incontinence, levator ani syndrome, and solitary rectal ulcer syndrome are common, and affect both the adult and pediatric populations. Although they are treated with several treatment approaches, over the last two decades, biofeedback

Effectiveness of treatment using fecal incontinence biofeedback isolated or associated with electrical stimulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suelen Melão

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The prevalence of fecal incontinence (FI has increased in recent decades, due to an aging population; and result in negative impacts on quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to search for an effective treatment in order to minimize the morbidity caused by incontinence. Objective: To evaluate the effect of perineal training in the treatment of patients with fecal incontinence by biofeedback. Method: This is a prospective study which evaluated 85 patients with FI from January 2009 to January 2014, at the Coloproctology outpatient clinic of the Hospital São Lucas/Cascavel, Paraná. Results: Mean age was 47 years and the duration of treatment ranged from 5 to 25 sessions (mean, 13 sessions. From the women involved in the study, 70% (50 had vaginal deliveries and 34 (40% participants were submitted to some orificial surgery. The FI score at baseline was 10.79 (6–17 and post-treatment FI was 2 (0–14 (p < 0.001. In the population studied, 49.4% (42 of the patients had an associated pre-BFT UI; and only 8.2% (7 had post-BFT UI (p < 0.001. Conclusions: The data presented in this study confirm that perineal training through biofeedback was effective in the treatment of patients with fecal incontinence without immediate indication for surgery, still ensuring for this technique the advantages of being effective, painless and of low cost. Resumo: Introdução: A prevalência de incontinência fecal (IF vem aumentando nas últimas décadas devido ao envelhecimento da população; e resulta em impactos negativos na qualidade de vida. Logo, torna-se fundamental a busca de um tratamento efetivo, a fim de minimizar a morbidade ocasionada pela incontinência. Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito do treinamento perineal no tratamento de pacientes portadores de incontinência fecal através do biofeedback. Método: Estudo prospectivo, que avaliou 85 pacientes com IF no período de janeiro de 2009 a janeiro de 2014, no ambulatório de

Measuring postural control during mini-squat posture in men with early knee osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrella, M; Gramani-Say, K; Serrão, P R M S; Lessi, G C; Barela, J A; Carvalho, R P; Mattiello, S M

2017-04-01

Studies have suggested a compromised postural control in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) evidenced by larger and faster displacement of center of pressure (COP). However, quantification of postural control in the mini-squat posture performed by patients with early knee OA and its relation to muscle strength and self-reported symptoms have not been investigated. The main aim of this cross-sectional, observational, controlled study was to determine whether postural control in the mini-squat posture differs between individuals with early knee OA and a control group (CG) and verify the relation among knee extensor torque (KET) and self-reported physical function, stiffness and pain. Twenty four individuals with knee OA grades I and II (OAG) (mean age: 52.35±5.00) and twenty subjects without knee injuries (CG) (mean age: 51.40±8.07) participated in this study. Participants were assessed in postural control through a force plate (Bertec Mod. USA), which provided information about the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) COP displacement during the mini-squat, in isometric, concentric and eccentric knee extensor torque (KET) (90°/s) through an isokinetic dynamometer (BiodexMulti-Joint System3, Biodex Medical Incorporation, New York, NY, USA), and in self-reported symptoms through the WOMAC questionnaire. The main outcomes measured were the AP and ML COP amplitude and velocity of displacement; isometric, concentric, and eccentric KET and self-reported physical function, stiffness and pain. No significant differences were found between groups for postural control (p>0.05). Significant lower eccentric KET (p=0.01) and higher scores for the WOMAC subscales of pain (p=postural instability and the need to include quadriceps muscle strengthening, especially by eccentric contractions. The relationship between the self-reported symptoms and a lower and slower COP displacement suggest that the postural control strategy during tasks with a semi-flexed knee

Neural basis of postural focus effect on concurrent postural and motor tasks: phase-locked electroencephalogram responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Cheng-Ya; Zhao, Chen-Guang; Hwang, Ing-Shiou

2014-11-01

Dual-task performance is strongly affected by the direction of attentional focus. This study investigated neural control of a postural-suprapostural procedure when postural focus strategy varied. Twelve adults concurrently conducted force-matching and maintained stabilometer stance with visual feedback on ankle movement (visual internal focus, VIF) and on stabilometer movement (visual external focus, VEF). Force-matching error, dynamics of ankle and stabilometer movements, and event-related potentials (ERPs) were registered. Postural control with VEF caused superior force-matching performance, more complex ankle movement, and stronger kinematic coupling between the ankle and stabilometer movements than postural control with VIF. The postural focus strategy also altered ERP temporal-spatial patterns. Postural control with VEF resulted in later N1 with less negativity around the bilateral fronto-central and contralateral sensorimotor areas, earlier P2 deflection with more positivity around the bilateral fronto-central and ipsilateral temporal areas, and late movement-related potential commencing in the left frontal-central area, as compared with postural control with VIF. The time-frequency distribution of the ERP principal component revealed phase-locked neural oscillations in the delta (1-4Hz), theta (4-7Hz), and beta (13-35Hz) rhythms. The delta and theta rhythms were more pronounced prior to the timing of P2 positive deflection, and beta rebound was greater after the completion of force-matching in VEF condition than VIF condition. This study is the first to reveal the neural correlation of postural focusing effect on a postural-suprapostural task. Postural control with VEF takes advantage of efficient task-switching to facilitate autonomous postural response, in agreement with the "constrained-action" hypothesis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Biofeedback on Distress in a University Counseling Center: Preliminary Results

Science.gov (United States)

Kipper-Smith, Adriana; Tift, Jay H.; Frye, Joan F.

2016-01-01

Biofeedback (BF) and its mechanisms of change were examined alongside self-regulation and mind-body approaches in the context of counseling centers. The advance in psychopathology within this context and its intersections with neurophysiological, psychological, and social variables were highlighted. Although BF is commonly provided to students,…

Calming Children When Drawing Blood Using Breath-based Biofeedback

OpenAIRE

Sonne, T.; Merritt, T.; Marshall, P. E.; Lomholt, J.; Müller, J.; Grønbæk, K.

2017-01-01

Blood sampling is a common and necessary procedure in the treatment and diagnosis of a variety of diseases. However, it often results in painful and stressful experiences for children. Designed together with domain experts, ChillFish is a breath-controlled biofeedback game technology with bespoke airflow sensor that aims to calm children during blood sampling procedures. An experimental pilot study was conducted in which 20 children aged 6-11 were assigned to one of two conditions involving e...

Knee posture during gait and global functioning post-stroke: a theoretical ICF framework using current measures in stroke rehabilitation

OpenAIRE

Neves Rosa, Marlene Cristina; Marques, Alda; Demain, Sara; Metcalf, Cheryl D.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To characterise the global functioning post-stroke in patients with normal knee posture (NKP) and abnormal knee posture (AKP) during loading-response. Methods: 35 people, 6 months post-stroke. with NKP and AKP were identified and assessed using clinical measures classified into the corresponding International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains: weight function (body mass index); muscle power (knee isometric strength); muscle tone (Modified Ashworth Sca...

The Feasibility of Using the BrightHearts Biofeedback-Assisted Relaxation Application for the Management of Pediatric Procedural Pain: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, Karen L O; Morrow, Angela M; Beswick, Brooke V; Khut, George P

2018-04-17

The objective of this pilot study was to assess the acceptability and feasibility of using BrightHearts, a biofeedback-assisted relaxation application (app), in children undergoing painful procedures. Thirty children 7 to 18 years of age undergoing a medical procedure (peripheral blood collection, botulinum toxin injection, or intravenous cannula insertion) participated. Participants used BrightHearts, a heart rate-controlled biofeedback-assisted relaxation training app delivered via an iPad with heart rate measured through a pulse oximeter worn on the ear or thumb. Feasibility was assessed through observations and patient, parent/carer, and healthcare professional feedback. Patient, parent/carer, and healthcare professional satisfaction with BrightHearts was rated using investigator-developed surveys. Eighty-three percent of child participants reported that they found BrightHearts helpful during the procedure and that they would use BrightHearts again. All parents and 96% of healthcare professionals indicated they would use BrightHearts again. Sixty-four percent of healthcare providers perceived that BrightHearts assisted with the ease of performing the procedure. Qualitative analyses found 2 themes: (1) BrightHearts calms through providing distraction and biofeedback and (2) the impact of BrightHearts on the procedure. This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of using biofeedback-assisted relaxation delivered via the BrightHearts app in children undergoing peripheral blood collection and cannulation. Future studies are required to evaluate BrightHearts' efficacy in reducing pain and anxiety during painful procedures and distinguish the effects of a biofeedback-mediated app from distraction. © 2018 World Institute of Pain.

Analysis and Modeling of the Galvanic Skin Response Spontaneous Component in the context of Intelligent Biofeedback Systems Development

Science.gov (United States)

Unakafov, A.

2009-01-01

The paper presents an approach to galvanic skin response (GSR) spontaneous component analysis and modeling. In the study a classification of biofeedback training methods is given, importance of intelligent methods development is shown. The INTENS method, which is perspective for intellectualization, is presented. An important problem of biofeedback training method intellectualization - estimation of the GSR spontaneous component - is solved in the main part of the work. Its main characteristics are described; results of GSR spontaneous component modeling are shown. Results of small research of an optimum material for GSR probes are presented.

Effects of Biofeedback on Control and Generalization of Nasalization in Typical Speakers

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Elizabeth S. Heller; Mendoza, Joseph O.; Gill, Simone V.; Perkell, Joseph S.; Stepp, Cara E.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of biofeedback on control of nasalization in individuals with typical speech. Method: Forty-eight individuals with typical speech attempted to increase and decrease vowel nasalization. During training, stimuli consisted of consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) tokens with the center vowels…

Two aspects of feedforward postural control: anticipatory postural adjustments and anticipatory synergy adjustments.

Science.gov (United States)

Klous, Miriam; Mikulic, Pavle; Latash, Mark L

2011-05-01

We used the framework of the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis to explore the relations between anticipatory synergy adjustments (ASAs) and anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) during feedforward control of vertical posture. ASAs represent a drop in the index of a multimuscle-mode synergy stabilizing the coordinate of the center of pressure in preparation to an action. ASAs reflect early changes of an index of covariation among variables reflecting muscle activation, whereas APAs reflect early changes in muscle activation levels averaged across trials. The assumed purpose of ASAs is to modify stability of performance variables, whereas the purpose of APAs is to change magnitudes of those variables. We hypothesized that ASAs would be seen before APAs and that this finding would be consistent with regard to the muscle-mode composition defined on the basis of different tasks and phases of action. Subjects performed a voluntary body sway task and a quick, bilateral shoulder flexion task under self-paced and reaction time conditions. Surface muscle activity of 12 leg and trunk muscles was analyzed to identify sets of 4 muscle modes for each task and for different phases within the shoulder flexion task. Variance components in the muscle-mode space and indexes of multimuscle-mode synergy stabilizing shift of the center of pressure were computed. ASAs were seen ∼ 100-150 ms prior to the task initiation, before APAs. The results were consistent with respect to different sets of muscle modes defined over the two tasks and different shoulder flexion phases. We conclude that the preparation for a self-triggered postural perturbation is associated with two types of anticipatory adjustments, ASAs and APAs. They reflect different feedforward processes within the hypothetical hierarchical control scheme, resulting in changes in patterns of covariation of elemental variables and in their patterns averaged across trials, respectively. The results show that synergies quantified

Should Ballet Dancers Vary Postures and Underfoot Surfaces When Practicing Postural Balance?

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Nili; Waddington, Gordon; Adams, Roger; Karin, Janet; Tirosh, Oren

2018-01-01

Postural balance (PB) is an important component skill for professional dancers. However, the effects of different types of postures and different underfoot surfaces on PB have not adequately been addressed. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different conditions of footwear, surfaces, and standing positions on static and dynamic PB ability of young ballet dancers. A total of 36 male and female young professional ballet dancers (aged 14-19 years) completed static and dynamic balance testing, measured by head and lumbar accelerometers, while standing on one leg in the turnout position, under six different conditions: (1) "relaxed" posture; (2) "ballet" posture; (3) barefoot; (4) ballet shoes with textured insoles; (5) barefoot on a textured mat; and (6) barefoot on a spiky mat. A condition effect was found for static and dynamic PB. Static PB was reduced when dancers stood in the ballet posture compared with standing in the relaxed posture and when standing on a textured mat and on a spiky mat (p ballet shoes with textured insoles and when standing on a spiky mat compared with all other conditions (p ballet aligned position, including dance practice on different types of floors and on different types of textured/spiky materials may result in skill transfer to practice on normal floor surfaces, and both static and dynamic PB exercises should be assessed and generalized into practical dance routines.

Use of Biofeedback Combined With Diet for Treatment of Obstructed Defecation Associated With Paradoxical Puborectalis Contraction (Anismus): Predictive Factors and Short-term Outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Murad-Regadas, Sthela M; Regadas, Francisco S Pinheiro; Bezerra, Carla C Rocha; de Oliveira, Maura T Coutinho Cajazeiras; Regadas Filho, Francisco S Pinheiro; Rodrigues, Lusmar Veras; Almeida, Saulo Santiago; da Silva Fernandes, Graziela O

2016-02-01

Numerous studies have described the use of biofeedback therapy for the treatment of anismus. Success rates vary widely, but few data are available regarding factors predictive of success. Our aim was to evaluate short-term results of biofeedback associated with diet in patients with obstructed defecation because of anismus and to investigate factors that may affect the results. Patients were identified from a single-institution prospectively maintained database. This study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. Consecutive patients who had obstructed defecation associated with anismus and were treated with biofeedback associated with diet were eligible. Each patient underwent anal manometry and/or dynamic anal ultrasound. Patients with anismus and were treated with biofeedback associated with diet. Patients classed as having a satisfactory response to therapy and those classed as having an unsatisfactory response were compared with regard to sex, age, Cleveland Clinic Florida constipation score, functional factors (anal resting and squeeze pressures and reversal of paradoxical puborectalis contraction on manometry), and anatomic factors in women (history of vaginal delivery, number of vaginal deliveries, menopause, hysterectomy, and previous anorectal surgery). A total of 116 patients were included (75 women and 41 men). Overall, 59% were classed as having a satisfactory response (decrease in constipation score, >50%). Patients with satisfactory responses to biofeedback plus diet did not differ from those with unsatisfactory responses with regard to clinical, anatomic, and physiological factors. This was not a randomized controlled trial. Biofeedback combined with diet is a valuable treatment option for patients with obstructed defecation syndrome associated with anismus, and more than half of our patients of both sexes achieved a satisfactory response. Improvement was not related to reversal of paradoxical contraction of puborectalis muscles at manometry. Patient

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy versus Temporal Pulse Amplitude Biofeedback Training for Recurrent Headache

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Paul R.; Forsyth, Michael R.; Reece, John

2007-01-01

Sixty-four headache sufferers were allocated randomly to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), temporal pulse amplitude (TPA) biofeedback training, or waiting-list control. Fifty-one participants (14M/37F) completed the study, 30 with migraine and 21 with tension-type headache. Treatment consisted of 8, 1-hour sessions. CBT was highly effective,…

Biofeedback for Better Vision

Science.gov (United States)

1990-01-01

Biofeedtrac, Inc.'s Accommotrac Vision Trainer, invented by Dr. Joseph Trachtman, is based on vision research performed by Ames Research Center and a special optometer developed for the Ames program by Stanford Research Institute. In the United States, about 150 million people are myopes (nearsighted), who tend to overfocus when they look at distant objects causing blurry distant vision, or hyperopes (farsighted), whose vision blurs when they look at close objects because they tend to underfocus. The Accommotrac system is an optical/electronic system used by a doctor as an aid in teaching a patient how to contract and relax the ciliary body, the focusing muscle. The key is biofeedback, wherein the patient learns to control a bodily process or function he is not normally aware of. Trachtman claims a 90 percent success rate for correcting, improving or stopping focusing problems. The Vision Trainer has also proved effective in treating other eye problems such as eye oscillation, cross eyes, and lazy eye and in professional sports to improve athletes' peripheral vision and reaction time.

Common postural defects among music students.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco-Piñeiro, Patricia; Díaz-Pereira, M Pino; Martínez, Aurora

2015-07-01

Postural quality during musical performance affects both musculoskeletal health and the quality of the performance. In this study we examined the posture of 100 students at a Higher Conservatory of Music in Spain. By analysing video tapes and photographs of the students while performing, a panel of experts extracted values of 11 variables reflecting aspects of overall postural quality or the postural quality of various parts of the body. The most common postural defects were identified, together with the situations in which they occur. It is concluded that most students incur in unphysiological postures during performance. It is hoped that use of the results of this study will help correct these errors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermoregulatory postures limit antipredator responses in peafowl.

Science.gov (United States)

Yorzinski, Jessica L; Lam, Jennifer; Schultz, Rachel; Davis, Melissa

2018-01-05

Many animals inhabit environments where they experience temperature fluctuations. One way in which animals can adjust to these temperature changes is through behavioral thermoregulation. However, we know little about the thermal benefits of postural changes and the costs they may incur. In this study, we examined the thermoregulatory role of two postures, the head-tuck and leg-tuck posture, in peafowl ( Pavo cristatus ) and evaluated whether the head-tuck posture imposes a predation cost. The heads and legs of peafowl are significantly warmer when the birds exhibit these postures, demonstrating that these postures serve an important thermoregulatory role. In addition, the birds are slower to respond to an approaching threat when they display the head-tuck posture, suggesting that a thermoregulatory posture can limit antipredator behavior. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Thermoregulatory postures limit antipredator responses in peafowl

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica L. Yorzinski

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Many animals inhabit environments where they experience temperature fluctuations. One way in which animals can adjust to these temperature changes is through behavioral thermoregulation. However, we know little about the thermal benefits of postural changes and the costs they may incur. In this study, we examined the thermoregulatory role of two postures, the head-tuck and leg-tuck posture, in peafowl (Pavo cristatus and evaluated whether the head-tuck posture imposes a predation cost. The heads and legs of peafowl are significantly warmer when the birds exhibit these postures, demonstrating that these postures serve an important thermoregulatory role. In addition, the birds are slower to respond to an approaching threat when they display the head-tuck posture, suggesting that a thermoregulatory posture can limit antipredator behavior.

Imaging Posture Veils Neural Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert T Thibault

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Whereas modern brain imaging often demands holding body positions incongruent with everyday life, posture governs both neural activity and cognitive performance. Humans commonly perform while upright; yet, many neuroimaging methodologies require participants to remain motionless and adhere to non-ecological comportments within a confined space. This inconsistency between ecological postures and imaging constraints undermines the transferability and generalizability of many a neuroimaging assay.Here we highlight the influence of posture on brain function and behavior. Specifically, we challenge the tacit assumption that brain processes and cognitive performance are comparable across a spectrum of positions. We provide an integrative synthesis regarding the increasingly prominent influence of imaging postures on autonomic function, mental capacity, sensory thresholds, and neural activity. Arguing that neuroimagers and cognitive scientists could benefit from considering the influence posture wields on both general functioning and brain activity, we examine existing imaging technologies and the potential of portable and versatile imaging devices (e.g., functional near infrared spectroscopy. Finally, we discuss ways that accounting for posture may help unveil the complex brain processes of everyday cognition.

Heart-pulse Biofeedback in Playful Exercise using a Wearable device and Modular Interactive Tiles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shimokakimoto, Tomoya; Lund, Henrik Hautop; Suzuki, Kenji

2014-01-01

interactive tiles. The system consists of a wearable device that measures heart-pulse via ear-mounted sensor, and modular interactive tiles which are used for physical rehabilitation exercise through playing a game. The wearable devise enables detection of heart pulse in real-time and therefore provides heart...... beat rate during playful activities, even if the heart pulse wave have motion artifacts. The tiles are designed to build flexible structures and to provide immediate feedback based on the users’ physical interaction with the tiles. We combine the two systems to provide users with heart pulse...... biofeedback in playful exercise. We show that using the developed system it is possible for the users to regulate the exercise intensity on their own with biofeedback, and also possible to analyze exercise activity using number of steps on the tiles and heart beat rate....

Setup of a novel biofeedback prototype for sensorimotor control of the hand and preliminary application in patients with peripheral nerve injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Haw-Yen; Hsu, Hsiu-Yun; Su, Fong-Chin; Jou, I-Ming; Lin, Cheng-Feng; Kuo, Li-Chieh

2013-02-01

Biofeedback training is widely used for rehabilitative intervention in patients with central or peripheral nervous impairment to train correct movement patterns; however, no biofeedback apparatus is currently available to correct pinch force ratios for patients with sensory deficiencies. A cross-sectional and longitudinal design was used in an observational measurement study for establishing a prototype and to determine the effects of biofeedback intervention, respectively. This study aimed to develop a computerized evaluation and re-education biofeedback (CERB) prototype for application in clinical settings. A CERB prototype was developed integrating pinch apparatus hardware, a biofeedback user-controlled interface, and a data processing/analysis interface to detect momentary pinch performances in 79 people with normal hand sensation. Nine patients with hand sensory impairments were recruited to investigate the effects of training hand function with the CERB prototype. Hand dominance, pinch pattern, and age significantly affected the peak pinch force and force ratio for lifting a 480-g object with a steel surface. In the case of the 79 volunteers with normal hand sensation, hand dominance affected the time lag between peak pinch force and maximum load; however, it was unaffected by pinch pattern or age. Training with the CERB prototype produced significant improvements in force ratio and better performance in the pin insertion subtests, although the results for both 2-point discriminative and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament tests did not change significantly. The intervention findings are preliminary. This study developed a conjunct system suited for evaluating and restoring sensorimotor function for patients with impaired hand sensibility. The results from the participants with normal hand sensation could serve as a reference database for comparison with patients with nerve injuries.

Postural Coordination during Socio-motor Improvisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gueugnon, Mathieu; Salesse, Robin N; Coste, Alexandre; Zhao, Zhong; Bardy, Benoît G; Marin, Ludovic

2016-01-01

Human interaction often relies on socio-motor improvisation. Creating unprepared movements during social interaction is not a random process but relies on rules of synchronization. These situations do not only involve people to be coordinated, but also require the adjustment of their posture in order to maintain balance and support movements. The present study investigated posture in such a context. More precisely, we first evaluated the impact of amplitude and complexity of arm movements on posture in solo situation. Then, we assessed the impact of interpersonal coordination on posture using the mirror game in which dyads performed improvised and synchronized movements (i.e., duo situation). Posture was measured through ankle-hip coordination in medio-lateral and antero-posterior directions (ML and AP respectively). Our results revealed the spontaneous emergence of in-phase pattern in ML direction and antiphase pattern in AP direction for solo and duo situations. These two patterns respectively refer to the simultaneous flexion/extension of the ankles and the hips in the same or opposite direction. It suggests different functional roles of postural coordination patterns in each direction, with in-phase supporting task performance in ML (dynamical stability) and antiphase supporting postural control in AP (mechanical stability). Although amplitude of movement did not influence posture, movement complexity disturbed postural stability in both directions. Conversely, interpersonal coordination promoted postural stability in ML but not in AP direction. These results are discussed in terms of the difference in coupling strength between ankle-hip coordination and interpersonal coordination.

Postural coordination during socio-motor improvisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathieu Gueugnon

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Human interaction often relies on socio-motor improvisation. Creating unprepared movements during social interaction is not a random process but relies on rules of synchronization. These situations do not only involve people to be coordinated, but also require the adjustment of their posture in order to maintain balance and support movements. The present study investigated posture in such a context. More precisely, we first evaluated the impact of amplitude and complexity of arm movements on posture in solo situation. Then, we assessed the impact of interpersonal coordination on posture using the mirror game in which dyads performed improvised and synchronized movements (i.e., duo situation. Posture was measured through ankle-hip coordination in medio-lateral and antero-posterior directions (ML and AP respectively. Our results revealed the spontaneous emergence of in-phase pattern in ML direction and anti-phase pattern in AP direction for solo and duo situations. These two patterns respectively refer to the simultaneous flexion/extension of the ankles and the hips in the same or opposite direction. It suggests different functional roles of postural coordination patterns in each direction, with in-phase supporting task performance in ML (dynamical stability and antiphase supporting postural control in AP (mechanical stability. Although amplitude of movement did not influence posture, movement complexity disturbed postural stability in both directions. Conversely, interpersonal coordination promoted postural stability in ML but not in AP direction. These results are discussed in terms of the difference in coupling strength between ankle-hip coordination and interpersonal coordination.

Assessment of the postural control strategies used to play two Wii Fit™ videogames.

Science.gov (United States)

Michalski, A; Glazebrook, C M; Martin, A J; Wong, W W N; Kim, A J W; Moody, K D; Salbach, N M; Steinnagel, B; Andrysek, J; Torres-Moreno, R; Zabjek, K F

2012-07-01

The Nintendo Wii Fit™ may provide an affordable alternative to traditional biofeedback or virtual reality systems for retraining or improving motor function in populations with impaired balance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate postural control strategies healthy individuals use to play Wii Fit™ videogames. Sixteen young adults played 10 trials of Ski Slalom and Soccer Heading respectively. Centre of pressure (COP) excursion and three-dimensional movement data were acquired to determine variability in medial-lateral COP sway and shoulder-pelvic movement. While there was no difference in medial-lateral COP variability between games during trial 1, there was a significant difference after 10 trials. COP sway increased (59-75 mm) for Soccer Heading while it decreased (67-33 mm) for Ski Slalom from trial 1 to trial 10. During Ski Slalom participants demonstrated decreased shoulder and pelvic movement combined with increased pelvic-shoulder coupling. Conversely, participants demonstrated greater initial shoulder tilt when playing Soccer Heading, with no reduction in pelvic rotation and tilt. Participants decreased pelvic and trunk movements when skiing, suggesting a greater contribution of lower extremity control while they primarily used a trunk strategy to play Soccer Heading. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detecting altered postural control after cerebral concussion in athletes with normal postural stability

OpenAIRE

Cavanaugh, J; Guskiewicz, K; Giuliani, C; Marshall, S; Mercer, V; Stergiou, N

2005-01-01

Objective: To determine if approximate entropy (ApEn), a regularity statistic from non-linear dynamics, could detect changes in postural control during quiet standing in athletes with normal postural stability after cerebral concussion.

Augmented effects of EMG biofeedback interfaced with virtual reality on neuromuscular control and movement coordination during reaching in children with cerebral palsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Ji Won; Lee, Dong Ryul; Cha, Young Joo; You, Sung Hyun

2017-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to compare therapeutic effects of an electromyography (EMG) biofeedback augmented by virtual reality (VR) and EMG biofeedback alone on the triceps and biceps (T:B) muscle activity imbalance and elbow joint movement coordination during a reaching motor taskOBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of an electromyography (EMG) biofeedback augmented by virtual reality (VR) and EMG biofeedback alone on the triceps and biceps muscle activity imbalance and elbow joint movement coordination during a reaching motor task in normal children and children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). 18 children with spastic CP (2 females; mean±standard deviation = 9.5 ± 1.96 years) and 8 normal children (3 females; mean ± standard deviation = 9.75 ± 2.55 years) were recruited from a local community center. All children with CP first underwent one intensive session of EMG feedback (30 minutes), followed by one session of the EMG-VR feedback (30 minutes) after a 1-week washout period. Clinical tests included elbow extension range of motion (ROM), biceps muscle strength, and box and block test. EMG triceps and biceps (T:B) muscle activity imbalance and reaching movement acceleration coordination were concurrently determined by EMG and 3-axis accelerometer measurements respectively. Independent t-test and one-way repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed at p augmented by virtual reality exercise games in children with spastic CP. The augmented EMG and VR feedback produced better neuromuscular balance control in the elbow joint than the EMG biofeedback alone.

THE POSSIBILITY OF BIOFEEDBACK IN EDUCATIONAL ADAPTATION OF JUNIOR SCHOOLCHILDREN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga A. Jafarova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In order to develop an effective self-regulation skills in younger students the technology of computer games biofeedback psychological state of the child. Using the virtual simulation of situations and conditions it is shown that as a result of conscious control over one’s own state, the student can develop skills of self-regulation. Described stories of gaming training, which is controlled by the heart rate of the player

Anatomy and histochemistry of hindlimb flight posture in birds. I. The extended hindlimb posture of shorebirds.

Science.gov (United States)

McFarland, Joshua C; Meyers, Ron A

2008-08-01

Birds utilize one of two hindlimb postures during flight: an extended posture (with the hip and knee joints flexed, while the ankle joint is extended caudally) or a flexed posture (with the hip, knee, and ankle joints flexed beneath the body). American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) and Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) extend their legs caudally during flight and support them for extended periods. Slow tonic and slow twitch muscle fibers are typically found in muscles functioning in postural support due to the fatigue resistance of these fibers. We hypothesized that a set of small muscles composed of high percentages of slow fibers and thus dedicated to postural support would function in securing the legs in the extended posture during flight. This study examined the anatomy and histochemical profile of eleven hindlimb muscles to gain insight into their functional roles during flight. Contrary to our hypothesis, all muscles possessed both fast twitch and slow twitch or slow tonic fibers. We believe this finding is due to the versatility of dynamic and postural functions the leg muscles must facilitate, including standing, walking, running, swimming, and hindlimb support during flight. Whether birds use an extended or flexed hindlimb flight posture may be related to the aerodynamic effect of leg position or may reflect evolutionary history. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

An increased rectal maximum tolerable volume and long anal canal are associated with poor short-term response to biofeedback therapy for patients with anismus with decreased bowel frequency and normal colonic transit time.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, P L; Choi, M S; Kim, Y H; Son, H J; Kim, J J; Koh, K C; Paik, S W; Rhee, J C; Choi, K W

2000-10-01

Biofeedback is an effective therapy for a majority of patients with anismus. However, a significant proportion of patients still failed to respond to biofeedback, and little has been known about the factors that predict response to biofeedback. We evaluated the factors associated with poor response to biofeedback. Biofeedback therapy was offered to 45 patients with anismus with decreased bowel frequency (less than three times per week) and normal colonic transit time. Any differences in demographics, symptoms, and parameters of anorectal physiologic tests were sought between responders (in whom bowel frequency increased up to three times or more per week after biofeedback) and nonresponders (in whom bowel frequency remained less than three times per week). Thirty-one patients (68.9 percent) responded to biofeedback and 14 patients (31.1 percent) did not. Anal canal length was longer in nonresponders than in responders (4.53 +/- 0.5 vs. 4.08 +/- 0.56 cm; P = 0.02), and rectal maximum tolerable volume was larger in nonresponders than in responders. (361 +/- 87 vs. 302 +/- 69 ml; P = 0.02). Anal canal length and rectal maximum tolerable volume showed significant differences between responders and nonresponders on multivariate analysis (P = 0.027 and P = 0.034, respectively). This study showed that a long anal canal and increased rectal maximum tolerable volume are associated with poor short-term response to biofeedback for patients with anismus with decreased bowel frequency and normal colonic transit time.

Investigating the impact of audio instruction and audio-visual biofeedback for lung cancer radiation therapy

Science.gov (United States)

George, Rohini

Lung cancer accounts for 13% of all cancers in the Unites States and is the leading cause of deaths among both men and women. The five-year survival for lung cancer patients is approximately 15%.(ACS facts & figures) Respiratory motion decreases accuracy of thoracic radiotherapy during imaging and delivery. To account for respiration, generally margins are added during radiation treatment planning, which may cause a substantial dose delivery to normal tissues and increase the normal tissue toxicity. To alleviate the above-mentioned effects of respiratory motion, several motion management techniques are available which can reduce the doses to normal tissues, thereby reducing treatment toxicity and allowing dose escalation to the tumor. This may increase the survival probability of patients who have lung cancer and are receiving radiation therapy. However the accuracy of these motion management techniques are inhibited by respiration irregularity. The rationale of this thesis was to study the improvement in regularity of respiratory motion by breathing coaching for lung cancer patients using audio instructions and audio-visual biofeedback. A total of 331 patient respiratory motion traces, each four minutes in length, were collected from 24 lung cancer patients enrolled in an IRB-approved breathing-training protocol. It was determined that audio-visual biofeedback significantly improved the regularity of respiratory motion compared to free breathing and audio instruction, thus improving the accuracy of respiratory gated radiotherapy. It was also observed that duty cycles below 30% showed insignificant reduction in residual motion while above 50% there was a sharp increase in residual motion. The reproducibility of exhale based gating was higher than that of inhale base gating. Modeling the respiratory cycles it was found that cosine and cosine 4 models had the best correlation with individual respiratory cycles. The overall respiratory motion probability distribution

The dentist's operating posture - ergonomic aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Pîrvu, C; Pătraşcu, I; Pîrvu, D; Ionescu, C

2014-06-15

The practice of dentistry involves laborious high finesse dental preparations, precision and control in executions that require a particular attention, concentration and patience of the dentist and finally the dentist's physical and mental resistance. The optimal therapeutic approach and the success of practice involve special working conditions for the dentist and his team in an ergonomic environment. The meaning of the posture in ergonomics is the manner in which different parts of the body are located and thus the reports are established between them in order to allow a special task execution. This article discusses the posture adopted by dentists when they work, beginning with the balanced posture and going to different variants of posture. The ideal posture of a dentist gives him, on the one hand the optimal working conditions (access, visibility and control in the mouth) and on the other hand, physical and psychological comfort throughout the execution of the clinical acts. Although the theme of dentist posture is treated with great care and often presented in the undergraduate courses and the continuing education courses on ergonomics in dentistry, many dentists do not know the subject well enough nor the theoretical issues and therefore nor the practical applicability. The risk and perspective of the musculoskeletal disorders related to unbalanced postures should determine the dentists take postural corrective actions and compensation measures in order to limit the negative effects of working in a bad posture.

Relationship between Muscle Function, Muscle Typology and Postural Performance According to Different Postural Conditions in Young and Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Paillard, Thierry

2017-01-01

Although motor output of the postural function clearly influences postural performance in young and older subjects, no relationship has been formally established between them. However, the relationship between lower-extremity muscle strength/power and postural performance is often pointed out, especially in older subjects. In fact, the influence of motor output may vary according to the postural condition considered (e.g., static, dynamic, challenging, disturbing). In static postural condition, there may be a relationship between lower-extremity muscle strength and postural performance when the value of muscle strength is below a certain threshold in older subjects. Above this threshold of muscle strength, this relationship may disappear. In dynamic postural condition, lower-extremity muscle power could facilitate compensatory postural actions, limiting induced body imbalance likely to generate falls in older subjects. In young subjects, there could be a relationship between very early rapid torque of the leg extensor muscles and postural performance. In the case of postural reaction to (external) perturbations, a high percentage of type II muscle fibers could be associated with the ability to react quickly to postural perturbations in young subjects, while it may enable a reduction in the risk of falls in older subjects. In practice, in older subjects, muscle strength and/or power training contributes to reducing the risk of falls, as well as slowing down the involution of muscle typology regarding type II muscle fibers.

Relationship between dysfunctional breathing patterns and ability to achieve target heart rate variability with features of "coherence" during biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Courtney, Rosalba; Cohen, Marc; van Dixhoorn, Jan

2011-01-01

Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback is a self-regulation strategy used to improve conditions including asthma, stress, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Respiratory muscle function affects hemodynamic influences on respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and HRV and HRV-biofeedback protocols often include slow abdominal breathing to achieve physiologically optimal patterns of HRV with power spectral distribution concentrated around the 0.1-Hz frequency and large amplitude. It is likely that optimal balanced breathing patterns and ability to entrain heart rhythms to breathing reflect physiological efficiency and resilience and that individuals with dysfunctional breathing patterns may have difficulty voluntarily modulating HRV and RSA. The relationship between breathing movement patterns and HRV, however, has not been investigated. This study examines how individuals' habitual breathing patterns correspond with their ability to optimize HRV and RSA. Breathing pattern was assessed using the Manual Assessment of Respiratory Motion (MARM) and the Hi Lo manual palpation techniques in 83 people with possible dysfunctional breathing before they attempted HRV biofeedback. Mean respiratory rate was also assessed. Subsequently, participants applied a brief 5-minute biofeedback protocol, involving breathing and positive emotional focus, to achieve HRV patterns proposed to reflect physiological "coherence" and entrainment of heart rhythm oscillations to other oscillating body systems. Thoracic-dominant breathing was associated with decreased coherence of HRV (r = -.463, P = .0001). Individuals with paradoxical breathing had the lowest HRV coherence (t(8) = 10.7, P = .001), and the negative relationship between coherence of HRV and extent of thoracic breathing was strongest in this group (r = -.768, P = .03). Dysfunctional breathing patterns are associated with decreased ability to achieve HRV patterns that reflect cardiorespiratory efficiency and

Biofeedback in Partial Weight Bearing: Usability of Two Different Devices from a Patient’s and Physical Therapist’s Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

van Lieshout, Remko; Pisters, Martijn F.; Vanwanseele, Benedicte; de Bie, Rob A.; Wouters, Eveline J.; Stukstette, Mirelle J.

2016-01-01

Background Partial weight bearing is frequently instructed by physical therapists in patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. The use of biofeedback devices seems promising to improve the patient’s compliance with weight-bearing instructions. SmartStep and OpenGo-Science are biofeedback devices that provide real-time feedback. For a successful implementation, usability of the devices is a critical aspect and should be tested from a user’s perspective. Aim To describe the usability from the physical therapists’ and a patients’ perspective of Smartstep and OpenGo-Science to provide feedback on partial weight bearing during supervised rehabilitation of patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. Methods In a convergent mixed-methods design, qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Usability was subdivided into user performance, satisfaction and acceptability. Patients prescribed with partial weight bearing and their physical therapists were asked to use SmartStep and OpenGo-Science during supervised rehabilitation. Usability was qualitatively tested by a think-aloud method and a semi-structured interview and quantitatively tested by the System-Usability-Scale (SUS) and closed questions. For the qualitative data thematic content analyses were used. Results Nine pairs of physical therapists and their patients participated. The mean SUS scores for patients and physical therapists were for SmartStep 70 and 53, and for OpenGo-Science 79 and 81, respectively. Scores were interpreted with the Curved Grading Scale. The qualitative data showed that there were mixed views and perceptions from patients and physical therapists on satisfaction and acceptability. Conclusion This study gives insight in the usability of two biofeedback devices from the patient’s and physical therapist’s perspective. The overall usability from both perspectives seemed to be acceptable for OpenGo-Science. For SmartStep, overall usability seemed only acceptable from the

Postural risk assessment of mechanised firewood processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Spinelli, Raffaele; Aminti, Giovanni; De Francesco, Fabio

2017-03-01

The study assessed the postural risk of mechanised firewood processing with eight machines, representing the main technology solutions available on the market. Assessment was conducted with the Ovako Working posture Analysis System (OWAS) on 1000 still frames randomly extracted from videotaped work samples. The postural risk associated with firewood processing was variable and associated with technology type. Simple, manually operated new machines incurred a higher postural risk compared with semi- or fully automatic machines. In contrast, new semi-automatic and automatic machines were generally free from postural risk. In all cases, attention should be paid to postural risk that may occur during blockage resolution. The study did not cover the postural risk of firewood processing sites as a whole. The study provided useful information for selecting firewood processing machinery and for improving firewood machinery design, as part of a more articulate strategy aimed at enhancing the safety of firewood processing work sites. Practitioner Summary: The postural risk associated with mechanised firewood processing (eg cutting and splitting) depends on the type of equipment. Postural risk is highest (OWAS Action Category 2) with new in-line machines, designed for operation by a single worker. Fully automatic machines present minimum postural risk, except during blockage resolution.

Efficacy of biofeedback therapy on sleep bruxism: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jokubauskas, L; Baltrušaitytė, A

2018-03-26

This study updates the review published by Wang et al in 2014 (Sleep Breath 2014;18(2):235-242). The review focuses on the most recent literature on management of sleep bruxism (SB) with biofeedback. An electronic search was conducted in five databases searching for articles published later than the date of Wang et al's search, viz., October 2012. Six articles of 2320 identified citations involving 86 adult participants were included in the qualitative synthesis. Of them, 4 were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and 2 were uncontrolled before-after studies. Different feedback modalities (electrical, auditory and vibratory stimulus) were investigated. The overall quality of the selected studies was assessed using the GRADE criteria. Due to heterogeneity between studies, the quantitative synthesis was performed out of three RCTs, of which two were retrieved from the previous review. The meta-analysis indicated a non-significant difference in electromyographic-measured SB episodes per hour after one night of contingent electrical stimulation (CES) compared with placebo control, yet a significant difference was shown after five nights of CES. The quality of evidence identified through GRADEpro was from low to moderate, due to imprecision and inconsistency between studies. Qualitative synthesis did not present a reliable reduction in clinical pain levels; however, no substantial sleep disturbances were indicated following the intervention. In conclusion, one of the biofeedback modalities, CES, is effective in reducing SB-related motor activities after a short-term treatment period. However, evidence of long-term effects is lacking. Further longitudinal studies with larger samples are necessary to acknowledge the clinical application of biofeedback. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

IVABRADINE AND QUALITY OF BIOFEEDBACK IN THE LOOP OF PACED BREATHING UNDER THE CONTROL OF HEART RATE VARIABILITY PARAMETERS IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. S. Belal

2013-06-01

Full Text Available On 15 healthy volunteers aged from 18 to 22 years the effect of ivabradine on the quality of biofeedback in the loop of paced breathing under the control of heart rate variability parameters were estimated. It was found that ivabradine contributes to an earlier onset and more significant optimization of regulatory systems in systematic sessions of biofeedback that allows to expand the indications for its clinical use.

[Design of an artificial sphincter system with bio-feedback function based on MSP430].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yong-kan; Yan, De-tian

2005-11-01

In this paper, we advance a new treating method for rectectomy postoperative anus incontinence, which is called "artificial sphincter system with biofeedback-function". The system simulates the function of human's sphincter and has entered into a stage of simulation experiments on animals.

Effects of experimental occlusal interference on body posture: an optoelectronic stereophotogrammetric analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Marini, I; Gatto, M R; Bartolucci, M L; Bortolotti, F; Alessandri Bonetti, G; Michelotti, A

2013-07-01

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the relationship between dental occlusion and body posture both among people and in scientific literature. The aim of the present longitudinal study is to investigate the effects of an experimental occlusal interference on body posture by means of a force platform and an optoelectronic stereophotogrammetric analysis. An occlusal interference of a 0- to 2-mm-thick glass composite was prepared to disturb the intercuspal position while not creating interference during lateral or protrusive mandibular excursions. Frontal and sagittal kinematic parameters, dynamic gait measurements and superficial electromyographic (SEMG) activity of head and neck muscles were performed on 12 healthy subjects. Measurements were taken 10 days before the application of the occlusal interference, and then immediately before the application, the day after it, and at a distance of 7 and 14 days under four different exteroceptive conditions. The outcomes of this study show that an occlusal interference does not modify significantly over time static and dynamic parameters of body posture under different exteroceptive conditions. It has a minimal influence only on the frontal kinematic parameters related to mandibular position, and it induces a transient increase of the activity of masticatory muscles. In this study, the experimental occlusal interference did not significantly influence the body posture during a 14-day follow-up period. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of Biofeedback in Preventing Urinary Incontinence and Erectile Dysfunction after Radical Prostatectomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabiana S. B. Perez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, we present a biofeedback method for the strengthening of perineal muscles during the preoperative procedures for radical prostatectomy, and we evaluate this technique as a prevention measure against complications such as urinary incontinence (UI and erectile dysfunction (ED, which affect prostatectomy patients after surgery. In the experimental protocol, the patients performed specific exercises with the help of a device that provided the patient with visual biofeedback, based on a plot of the anal pressure. For the experimental protocol, we selected 20 male patients, with an average age of 64.0 years, and submitted them to ten therapeutic sessions each. A control group consisting of 32 men with an average age of 66.3 years, who were treated with the same surgical procedure but not with the preoperative procedures, also took part in the experiment. To evaluate UI and ED after the surgery in both control and experimental groups, we used two validated questionnaires—to assess UI, we used the King’s Health Questionnaire (KHQ and, for ED, we used the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5 Questionnaire. We compared the variables associated with UI and ED after the surgery for the control and experimental groups. The occurrence of UI after radical prostatectomy in the control group (100% of the patients was higher than that for the experimental group (5% of the patients, with p < 0.0001. Likewise, the occurrence of erectile dysfunction after prostatectomy in the control group (48.6% of the patients was higher than that for the experimental group (5% of the patients, with p < 0.0001. The number of nocturia events also decreased as a consequence of the intervention (p < 0.0001, as did the number of disposable underwear units for urinary incontinence (p < 0.0001. Furthermore, we compared, only for the experimental group, the anal pressure before the biofeedback intervention and after the surgery, and we

A brief review and clinical application of heart rate variability biofeedback in sports, exercise, and rehabilitation medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Prinsloo, Gabriell E; Rauch, H G Laurie; Derman, Wayne E

2014-05-01

An important component of the effective management of chronic noncommunicable disease is the assessment and management of psychosocial stress. The measurement and modulation of heart rate variability (HRV) may be valuable in this regard. To describe the measurement and physiological control of HRV; to describe the impact of psychosocial stress on cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and chronic respiratory disease, and the relationship between these diseases and changes in HRV; and to describe the influence of biofeedback and exercise on HRV and the use of HRV biofeedback in the management of chronic disease. The PubMed, Medline, and Embase databases were searched (up to August 2013). Additional articles were obtained from the reference lists of relevant articles and reviews. Articles were individually selected for further review based on the quality and focus of the study, and the population studied. Heart rate variability is reduced in stress and in many chronic diseases, and may even predict the development and prognosis of some diseases. Heart rate variability can be increased with both exercise and biofeedback. Although the research on the effect of exercise is conflicting, there is evidence that aerobic training may increase HRV and cardiac vagal tone both in healthy individuals and in patients with disease. Heart rate variability biofeedback is also an effective method of increasing HRV and cardiac vagal tone, and has been shown to decrease stress and reduce the morbidity and mortality of disease. The assessment and management of psychosocial stress is a challenging but important component of effective comprehensive lifestyle interventions for the management of noncommunicable disease. It is, therefore, important for the sports and exercise physician to have an understanding of the therapeutic use of HRV modulation, both in the reduction of stress and in the management of chronic disease.

Meta-Analysis of Biofeedback for Tension-Type Headache: Efficacy, Specificity, and Treatment Moderators

Science.gov (United States)

Nestoriuc, Yvonne; Rief, Winfried; Martin, Alexandra

2008-01-01

The aims of the present meta-analysis were to investigate the short- and long-term efficacy, multidimensional outcome, and treatment moderators of biofeedback as a behavioral treatment option for tension-type headache. A literature search identified 74 outcome studies, of which 53 were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria.…

Prevalence of postural deviations and associated factors in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Vieira Batistão

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Postural deviations are frequent in childhood and may cause pain and functional impairment. Previously, only a few studies have examined the association between body posture and intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Objective: To assess the prevalence of postural changes in school children, and to determine, using multiple logistic regression analysis, whether factors such as age, gender, BMI, handedness and physical activity might explain these deviations. Methods: The posture of 288 students was assessed by observation. Subjects were aged between 6 and 15 years, 59.4% (n = 171 of which were female. The mean age was 10.6 (± 2.4 years. Mean body weight was 38.6 (± 12.7 kg and mean height was 1.5 (± 0.1 m. A digital scale, a tapeline, a plumb line and standardized forms were used to collect data. The data were analyzed descriptively using the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis (significance level of 5%. Results: We found the following deviations to be prevalent among schoolchildren: forward head posture, 53.5%, shoulder elevation, 74.3%, asymmetry of the iliac crests, 51.7%, valgus knees, 43.1%, thoracic hyperkyphosis, 30.2%, lumbar hyperlordosis, 37.2% and winged shoulder blades, 66.3%. The associated factors were age, gender, BMI and physical activity. Discussion: There was a high prevalence of postural deviations and the intrinsic and extrinsic factors partially explain the postural deviations. Conclusion: These findings contribute to the understanding of how and why these deviations develop, and to the implementation of preventive and rehabilitation programs, given that some of the associated factors are modifiable.

Relationship between postural alignment in sitting by photogrammetry and seated postural control in post-stroke subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Iyengar, Y R; Vijayakumar, K; Abraham, J M; Misri, Z K; Suresh, B V; Unnikrishnan, B

2014-01-01

This study was executed to find out correlation between postural alignment in sitting measured through photogrammetry and postural control in sitting following stroke. A cross-sectional study with convenient sampling consisting of 45 subjects with acute and sub-acute stroke. Postural alignment in sitting was measured through photogrammetry and relevant angles were obtained through software MB Ruler (version 5.0). Seated postural control was measured through Function in Sitting Test (FIST). Correlation was obtained using Spearman's Rank Correlation co-efficient in SPSS software (version 17.0). Moderate positive correlation (r = 0.385; p < 0.01) was found between angle of lordosis and angle between acromion, lateral epicondyle and point between radius and ulna. Strong negative correlation (r = -0.435; p < 0.01) was found between cranio-vertebral angle and kyphosis. FIST showed moderate positive correlation (r = 0.3446; p < 0.05) with cranio-vertebral angle and strong positive correlation (r = 0.4336; p < 0.01) with Brunnstrom's stage of recovery in upper extremity. Degree of forward head posture in sitting correlates directly with seated postural control and inversely with degree of kyphosis in sitting post-stroke. Postural control in sitting post-stroke is directly related with Brunnstrom's stage of recovery in affected upper extremity in sitting.

Investigating the effectiveness of postural muscle electrostimulation and static posturography feedback exercises in elders with balance disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Alptekin, Kerem; Karan, Ayse; Dıracoglu, Demirhan; Yildiz, Aysel; Baskent, Akin; Eskiyurt, Nurten

2016-01-01

Deterioration associated with aging in the erect posture and balance to change the location of the center increased the rate of fall in older age is one of the reasons. Loss of muscle strength is one of the major factors affecting the posture. In this prospective, randomized and controlled study, it was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of strengthening postural muscles through electrostimulation or by applying biofeedback exercises with static posturography in patients aged 60 years and over with balance disorder. Patients aged between 60-80 years, who applied to Istanbul Faculty of Medicine Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department outpatient clinic and had been diagnosed with balance disorder using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, were included. 250 patients were screened, from them 67 patients were enrolled and 57 of them completed the study. Patients were randomized to three groups. The patients in Tetrax® group (TG) group (n:18) participated in a 15-minute exercise with Tetrax® which consisted of 15 minutes exercise session 3 times weekly for 4 weeks. The patients in EG group (n:19) received an electrostimulation program of postural muscles of 40 minutes per session 3 times weekly for 4 weeks. Patients in the control group (n:20) did 6-week balance exercises which were performed by other groups as well. 48 out of 57 patients attended the 6th-month control. As determinants of balance status Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Fall Index measured by Tetrax® were calculated at baseline, 1-month and 6-month follw up assesments. The patient's quality of life was assesed by Turkish version of World Health Organisation Quality of Life Questionnaire in Older Adults (WHOQOL-OLD.TR) at baseline and 6-month follow up assesments. TUG values in both EG and TG decreased significantly between baseline assesment and 1-month (mean differences for TG: -4,00 ± 1,309 and EG -2,588 ± 1,839 p= 0,002 for the each of groups) and baseline assesment

On the functional integration between postural and supra-postural tasks on the basis of contextual cues and task constraint.

Science.gov (United States)

de Lima, Andrea Cristina; de Azevedo Neto, Raymundo Machado; Teixeira, Luis Augusto

2010-10-01

In order to evaluate the effects of uncertainty about direction of mechanical perturbation and supra-postural task constraint on postural control, young adults had their upright stance perturbed while holding a tray in a horizontal position. Stance was perturbed by moving forward or backward a supporting platform, contrasting situations of certainty versus uncertainty of direction of displacement. Increased constraint on postural stability was imposed by a supra-postural task of equilibrating a cylinder on the tray. Performance was assessed through EMG of anterior leg muscles, angular displacement of the main joints involved in the postural reactions and displacement of the tray. Results showed that both certainty on the direction of perturbation and increased supra-postural task constraint led to decreased angular displacement of the knee and the hip. Furthermore, combination of certainty and high supra-postural task constraint produced shorter latency of muscular activation. Such postural responses were paralleled by decreased displacement of the tray. These results suggest a functional integration between the tasks, with central set priming reactive postural responses from contextual cues and increased stability demand. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wavelet Transform Analysis of the Power Spectrum of Centre of Pressure Signals to Detect the Critical Point Interval of Postural Control

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Neeraj Kumar; Snoussi, Hichem; Hewson, David; Duchêne, Jacques

The aim of this study was to develop a method to detecting the critical point interval (CPI) when sensory feedback is used as part of a closed-loop postural control strategy. Postural balance was evaluated using centre of pressure (COP) displacements from a force plate for 17 control and 10 elderly subjects under eyes open, eyes closed, and vibration conditions. A modified local-maximum-modulus wavelet transform analysis using the power spectrum of COP signals was used to calculate CPI. Lower CPI values indicate increased closed-loop postural control with a quicker response to sensory input. Such a strategy requires greater energy expenditure due to the repeated muscular interventions to remain stable. The CPI for elderly occurred significantly quicker than for controls, indicating tighter control of posture. Similar results were observed for eyes closed and vibration conditions. The CPI parameter can be used to detect differences in postural control due to ageing.

Neck pain and postural balance among workers with high postural demands - a cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Neck pain is related to impaired postural balance among patients and is highly prevalent among workers with high postural demands, for example, cleaners. We therefore hypothesised, that cleaners with neck pain suffer from postural dysfunction. This cross-sectional study tested if cleaners with neck pain have an impaired postural balance compared with cleaners without neck pain. Methods Postural balance of 194 cleaners with (n = 85) and without (N = 109) neck pain was studied using three different tests. Success or failure to maintain the standing position for 30 s in unilateral stance was recorded. Participants were asked to stand on a force platform for 30 s in the Romberg position with eyes open and closed. The centre of pressure of the sway was calculated, and separated into a slow (rambling) and fast (trembling) component. Subsequently, the 95% confidence ellipse area (CEA) was calculated. Furthermore a perturbation test was performed. Results More cleaners with neck pain (81%) failed the unilateral stance compared with cleaners without neck pain (61%) (p neck pain in comparison with cleaners without neck pain in the Romberg position with eyes closed, but not with eyes open. Conclusions Postural balance is impaired among cleaners with neck pain and the current study suggests a particular role of the slow component of postural sway. Furthermore, the unilateral stance test is a simple test to illustrate functional impairment among cleaners with concurrent neck and low back pain. Trial registration ISRCTN96241850 PMID:21806796

Automated Assessment of Postural Stability (AAPS)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-10-01

performed a battery of standard clinical tests of dynamic posture, whereas the fourth subject performed the stereotyped postures (e.g. movements restricted...Processing & Control [2] Napoli A, Ward C, Glass S, Tucker C, Obeid I (2016) “Automated Assessment of Postural Stability System,” IEEE Engineering in

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EFFICACY OF EMG BIO-FEEDBACK AND PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION IN TENSION HEADACHE1

Science.gov (United States)

Gada, M.T.

1984-01-01

SUMMARY The aim of the present study was to find out efficacy of frontalis EMG Biofeedback therapy, deep muscular relaxation therapy and compare the efficacy of both in cases of tension headache. During two week basal-data recording period all patients were taught deep muscular relaxation by Jacobson′s technique. Simultaneously patients were instructed to keep headache diary. Headache diary yielded three different parameters a) number of headache-free days per week, b) peak headache intensity (or each week and c) average daily headache activity score per week. These parameters were used to find out therapeutic efficacy of each treatment. Patients were randomly divided in two groups. EMG Biofeedback group was given frontalis EMG feedback through EMG J 33 muscle trainer of Cyborg Corporation (U.S.A.). Patients in each group were given 20 sessions (two sessions per week); each session lasting 30 minutes. Patients were instructed to practice at least one 30 minute session of relaxation at home. The data were subjected to statistical calculation. The results indicate that frontalis EMG Biofeedback therapy and deep muscle relaxation therapy are significantly effective in cases of tension headache. Both treatments are equally effective. The findings are discussed in relation to Indian situation. PMID:21965970

Audiovisual biofeedback guided breath-hold improves lung tumor position reproducibility and volume consistency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danny Lee, PhD

2017-07-01

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that audiovisual biofeedback can be used to improve the reproducibility and consistency of breath-hold lung tumor position and volume, respectively. These results may provide a pathway to achieve more accurate lung cancer radiation treatment in addition to improving various medical imaging and treatments by using breath-hold procedures.

Gait, posture and cognition in Parkinson's disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Ferreira Barbosa

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Gait disorders and postural instability are the leading causes of falls and disability in Parkinson's disease (PD. Cognition plays an important role in postural control and may interfere with gait and posture assessment and treatment. It is important to recognize gait, posture and balance dysfunctions by choosing proper assessment tools for PD. Patients at higher risk of falling must be referred for rehabilitation as early as possible, because antiparkinsonian drugs and surgery do not improve gait and posture in PD.

Postural Control in Children with Autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohen-Raz, Reuven; And Others

1992-01-01

Postural control was evaluated in 91 autistic, 166 normal, and 18 mentally retarded children using a computerized posturographic procedure. In comparison to normal children, the autistic subjects were less likely to exhibit age-related changes in postural performance, and postures were more variable and less stable. (Author/JDD)

Slice-based supine to standing postured deformation for chinese anatomical models and the dosimetric results by wide band frequency electromagnetic field exposure: Morphing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, T.; Tan, L.; Shao, Q.; Li, Y.; Yang, L.; Zhao, C.; Xie, Y.; Zhang, S.

2013-01-01

Digital human models are frequently obtained from supine-postured medical images or cadaver slices, but many applications require standing models. This paper presents the work of reconstructing standing Chinese adult anatomical models from supine postured slices. Apart from the previous studies, the deformation works on 2-D segmented slices. The surface profile of the standing posture is adjusted by population measurement data. A non-uniform texture amplification approach is applied on the 2-D slices to recover the skin contour and to redistribute the internal tissues. Internal organ shift due to postures is taken into account. The feet are modified by matrix rotation. Then, the supine and standing models are utilised for the evaluation of electromagnetic field exposure over wide band frequency and different incident directions. . (authors)

Regional respiratory clearance of aerosolized /sup 99m/Tc-DTPA: posture and smoking effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dusser, D.J.; Minty, B.D.; Collignon, M.A.; Hinge, D.; Barritault, L.G.; Huchon, G.J.

1986-01-01

We studied 10 healthy nonsmokers and 8 healthy smokers, in both the upright and supine position, to investigate whether regional differences in respiratory clearance of technetium-99m-labeled diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid /sup 99m/Tc-DTPA (RC-DTPA) existed and to assess the influence of posture and smoking on the regional RC-DTPA. RC-DTPA was assessed by the lung clearance rates (%/min) of aerosolized /sup 99m/Tc-DTPA (0.8 micron MMD; 2.4 GSD), using data corrected for recirculating radioactivity, in the upper (zone 1), middle (zone 2), and lower (zone 3) posterior lung fields. In nonsmokers, RC-DTPA in zone 1 was faster than in zone 2 or 3 in both the upright (P less than 0.001) and supine positions (P less than 0.0). No effect was produced by changes in posture on the regional RC-DTPA. In smokers, RC-DTPA was increased in all zones compared with the nonsmokers (P = 0.004), with a further increase in RC-DTP in zone 1 in the upright posture compared with the other regions (P less than 0.001). We conclude that in nonsmokers regional RC-DTPA is faster in zone 1 than in other zones, and this is not related to recirculation of radioactivity; posture does not modify the regional RC-DTPA of nonsmokers; smoking increases RC-DTPA in all zones and more in zone 1 in the upright posture

Biofeedback and physiotherapy versus physiotherapy alone in the treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glavind, K; Nøhr, S B; Walter, S

1996-01-01

. The effect of the treatment was determined by a standardized pad-weighing test. Long-term status was determined using a questionnaire after 2-3 years. Thirty-four women completed the treatment. The study showed a statistically significant better improvement in the biofeedback group. The long-term effect...

A Robot-Based Tool for Physical and Cognitive Rehabilitation of Elderly People Using Biofeedback

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Samaniego, Leire; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

2016-01-01

This publication presents a complete description of a technological solution system for the physical and cognitive rehabilitation of elderly people through a biofeedback system, which is combined with a Lego robot. The technology used was the iOS’s (iPhone Operating System) Objective-C programming language and its XCode programming environment; and SQLite in order to create the database. The biofeedback system is implemented by the use of two biosensors which are, in fact, a Microsoft band 2 in order to register the user’s heart rate and a MYO sensor to detect the user’s arm movement. Finally, the system was tested with seven elderly people from La Santa y Real Casa de la Misericordia nursing home in Bilbao. The statistical assessment has shown that the users are satisfied with the usability of the system, with a mean score of 79.29 on the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. PMID:27886146

Biofeedback for Developing Self-Control of Tension and Stress in One's Hierarchy of Psychological States.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassel, Russell

1985-01-01

Describes six stage hierarchial patterns in the development of self-control through biofeedback. The stages include Skeletal and Striated Muscle Tension; Visceral Involvement-Anxiety Neuroses; Chronic Physiological Dysfunctioning; Decision Making Competency; Twilight Learning-Permissive Concentration; and Autogenic Feedback Training. (BL)

Kinematics of the human mandible for different head postures.

Science.gov (United States)

Visscher, C M; Huddleston Slater, J J; Lobbezoo, F; Naeije, M

2000-04-01

The influence of head posture on movement paths of the incisal point (IP) and of the mandibular condyles during free open-close movements was studied. Ten persons, without craniomandibular or cervical spine disorders, participated in the study. Open close mandibular movements were recorded with the head in five postures, viz., natural head posture, forward head posture, military posture, and lateroflexion to the right and to the left side, using the Oral Kinesiologic Analysis System (OKAS-3D). This study showed that in a military head posture, the opening movement path of the incisal point is shifted anteriorly relative to the path in a natural head posture. In a forward head posture, the movement path is shifted posteriorly whereas during lateroflexion, it deviates to the side the head has moved to. Moreover, the intra-articular distance in the temporomandibular joint during closing is smaller with the head in military posture and greater in forward head posture, as compared to the natural head posture. During lateroflexion, the intra-articular distance on the ipsilateral side is smaller. The influence of head posture upon the kinematics of the mandible is probably a manifestation of differences in mandibular loading in the different head postures.

The Relationship Between Postural and Movement Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, Anatol G

2016-01-01

Postural stabilization is provided by stretch reflexes, intermuscular reflexes, and intrinsic muscle properties. Taken together, these posture-stabilizing mechanisms resist deflections from the posture at which balance of muscle and external forces is maintained. Empirical findings suggest that for each muscle, these mechanisms become functional at a specific, spatial threshold-the muscle length or respective joint angle at which motor units begin to be recruited. Empirical data suggest that spinal and supraspinal centers can shift the spatial thresholds for a group of muscles that stabilized the initial posture. As a consequence, the same stabilizing mechanisms, instead of resisting motion from the initial posture, drive the body to another stable posture. In other words by shifting spatial thresholds, the nervous system converts movement resisting to movement-producing mechanisms. It is illustrated that, contrary to conventional view, this control strategy allows the system to transfer body balance to produce locomotion and other actions without loosing stability at any point of them. It also helps orient posture and movement with the direction of gravity. It is concluded that postural and movement stability is provided by a common mechanism.

Biofeedback can reduce foot pressure to a safe level and without causing new at-risk zones in patients with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

De León Rodriguez, D; Allet, L; Golay, A; Philippe, J; Assal, J-Ph; Hauert, C-A; Pataky, Z

2013-02-01

Plantar pressure reduction is mandatory for diabetic foot ulcer healing. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of a new walking strategy learned by biofeedback on plantar pressure distribution under both feet in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Terminally augmented biofeedback has been used for foot off-loading training in 21 patients with diabetic peripheral sensory neuropathy. The biofeedback technique was based on a subjective estimation of performance and objective visual feedback following walking sequences. The patient was considered to have learned a new walking strategy as soon as the peak plantar pressure (PPP) under the previously defined at-risk zone was within a range of 40-80% of baseline PPP in 70% of the totality of steps and during three consecutive walking sequences. The PPP was measured by a portable in-shoe foot pressure measurement system (PEDAR(®)) at baseline (T0), directly after learning (T1) and at 10-day retention test (T2). The PPP under at-risk zones decreased significantly at T1 (165 ± 9 kPa, p biofeedback leads to a safe and regular plantar pressure distribution without inducing any new 'at-risk' area under both feet. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Thermal sensation during mild hyperthermia is modulated by acute postural change in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Ryosuke; Imai, Daiki; Suzuki, Akina; Ota, Akemi; Naghavi, Nooshin; Yamashina, Yoshihiro; Hirasawa, Yoshikazu; Yokoyama, Hisayo; Miyagawa, Toshiaki; Okazaki, Kazunobu

2016-12-01

Thermal sensation represents the primary stimulus for behavioral and autonomic thermoregulation. We assessed whether the sensation of skin and core temperatures for the driving force of behavioral thermoregulation was modified by postural change from the supine (Sup) to sitting (Sit) during mild hyperthermia. Seventeen healthy young men underwent measurements of noticeable increase and decrease (±0.1 °C/s) of skin temperature (thresholds of warm and cold sensation on the skin, 6.25 cm 2 of area) at the forearm and chest and of the whole-body warm sensation in the Sup and Sit during normothermia (NT; esophageal temperature (T es ), ∼36.6 °C) and mild hyperthermia (HT; T es , ∼37.2 °C; lower legs immersion in 42 °C of water). The threshold for cold sensation on the skin at chest was lower during HT than NT in the Sit (P sensation on the skin at both sites remained unchanged with changes in body posture or temperature. The whole-body warm sensation was higher during HT than NT in both postures and higher in the Sit than Sup during both NT and HT (all, P sensation during mild hyperthermia is modulated by postural change from supine to sitting to sense lesser cold on the skin and more whole-body warmth.

Visual Vection does not Perturb Squatting Posture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dietrich Gilles

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Vision contributes fundamentally to the control of the standing posture. The illusion of self motion falsely perceived (vection increases postural sway while standing. In this paper we examine the effect of vection on both standing and deep squatting with the hypothesis that the squatting posture should not be disturbed by the conflict of sensory information due to vection. The results show that standing posture only was affected by the visual stimuli. The widespread use of squatting for work as well as rest could be due in part to this lack of effect of sensory perturbation on postural stability.

Game-based peripheral biofeedback for stress assessment in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Pop-Jordanova, Nada; Gucev, Zoran

2010-06-01

Peripheral biofeedback is considered to be an efficient method for assessment and stress mitigation in children. The aim of the present study was to assess the levels of stress and stress mitigation in healthy school children (HSC), in children with cystic fibrosis (CF), general anxiety (GA) and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Each investigated group (HSC, CF, GA, ADHD) consisted of 30 school-aged children from both sexes. Psychological characteristics were evaluated on Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). The lie scale was used to determine participant honesty. Four biofeedback games using a pulls detector were applied for assessment of the stress levels as well as to evaluate ability to relax. EPQ found more psychopathological traits (P Magic blocks score was significantly different in relaxation levels between control and CF children (P game Canal was significantly different in relaxation levels between healthy controls and all other groups, but no changes in pulls, as a relaxation measure, were found during the game. The CF group had much more commissions stemming from impulsivity (t= 5.71, P < 0.01), while the GA and ADHD children had more inattention omissions (P < 0.05). Strong negative correlation between age and pulls (r= 0.49, P= 0.003) and strong negative correlation between age and omissions (r=-0.86, P= 0.029) were found among all groups analyzed. The ability to learn stress mediation is correlated with age. All three groups of children had significantly lower relaxation levels when compared to healthy controls. Relaxation was more difficult for children with GA or ADHD, and easier for children with CF.

Evaluation of a Biofeedback Intervention in College Students Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Westlake, Garret

2013-01-01

This study used exploratory data analysis (EDA) to examine the use of a biofeedback intervention in the treatment of anxiety for college students diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (n = 10) and in a typical college population (n = 37). The use of EDA allowed for trends to emerge from the data and provided a foundation for future…

Postural Stability of Patients with Schizophrenia during Challenging Sensory Conditions: Implication of Sensory Integration for Postural Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Ya-Ling; Chen, Chiung-Ling; Lou, Shu-Zon; Wang, Wei-Tsan; Wu, Jui-Yen; Ma, Hui-Ing; Chen, Vincent Chin-Hung

2016-01-01

Postural dysfunctions are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and affect their daily life and ability to work. In addition, sensory functions and sensory integration that are crucial for postural control are also compromised. This study intended to examine how patients with schizophrenia coordinate multiple sensory systems to maintain postural stability in dynamic sensory conditions. Twenty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 32 control subjects were recruited. Postural stability of the participants was examined in six sensory conditions of different level of congruency of multiple sensory information, which was based on combinations of correct, removed, or conflicting sensory inputs from visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems. The excursion of the center of pressure was measured by posturography. Equilibrium scores were derived to indicate the range of anterior-posterior (AP) postural sway, and sensory ratios were calculated to explore ability to use sensory information to maintain balance. The overall AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients with schizophrenia compared to the controls [patients (69.62±8.99); controls (76.53±7.47); t1,59 = -3.28, pmaintain balance compared to the controls.

Current Evidence of Gait Modification with Real-time Biofeedback to Alter Kinetic, Temporospatial, and Function-Related Outcomes: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oladipo Eddo

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Gait retraining using real-time biofeedback (RTB may have positive outcomes in decreasing knee adduction moment (KAM in healthy individuals and has shown equal likelihood in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the most effective gait modification strategy, mode of biofeedback or treatment dosage. Objective: The purpose of this review was: i to assess if gait retraining interventions using RTB are valuable to reduce KAM, pain, and improve function in individuals with knee osteoarthritis, ii to evaluate the effectiveness of different gait modifications and modes of RTB in reducing KAM in healthy individuals, and iii to assess the impact of gait retraining interventions with RTB on other variables that may affect clinical outcomes. Methods: Seven electronic databases were searched using five search terms. Studies that utilized any form of gait retraining with RTB to improve one or a combination of the following measures were included: KAM, knee pain, and function. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, evaluating eleven distinctive gait modifications and three modes of RTB. Results: All but one study showed positive outcomes. Self-selected and multi-parameter gait modifications showed the greatest reductions in KAM with visual and haptic RTB being more effective than auditory. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that gait modification using RTB can Positively alter KAM in asymptomatic and symptomatic participants. However, the existing literature is limited and of low quality, with the optimal combination strategies remaining unclear (gait and biofeedback mode. Future studies should employ randomized controlled study designs to compare the effects of different gait modification strategies and biofeedback modes on individuals with knee OA.

Impairments of postural stability, core endurance, fall index and functional mobility skills in patients with patello femoral pain syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz Yelvar, Gul Deniz; Çirak, Yasemin; Dalkilinç, Murat; Demir, Yasemin Parlak; Baltaci, Gul; Kömürcü, Mahmut; Yelvar, Gul Deniz Yilmaz

2016-06-30

Postural control allows performance of daily and sports activities. The previous studies show that postural sway inceases in orthopaedic injuries such as osteoarthritis and total knee arthroplasty. To compare postural sway, risk of falling and function between individuals with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFS). This study included 22 subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome, age-matched pain-free 22 females serving as a control group. Visual anolog scale and Kujala were used to evaluate the pain. Posturographic assesment was performed by Tetrax posturographic device. Biering Modified Sorenson test for extensor endurance and sit-up test for flexor endurance were used for the evaluation of trunk endurance. Timed get-up and go test was used for lower extremity function. The Student's t Test was used to compare variables between the groups. The Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to examine correlation between the quantitative variables. Postural sway included eyes open without pillow, eyes open on pillow, eyes closed on pillow, risk of falling, function and postural stabilization included flexor endurance, extansor endurance are impared in patient with patellofemoral pain syndrome when compare to controls. In subjects with PFPS increased postural sway significantly associated with body mass index (r= 0.52), pain duration (r= 0.43), postural control (extansor endurance) (r= -0.50) and risk of falling (r= 0.62) on pillow with open eyes. In addition we found function significantly related with postural control (extansor endurance and flexor endurance) (r= -0.59 and r= -0.59) and risk of falling (r= 0.77)CONCLUSIONS: Decreased neuromuscular control of the trunk core and increased postural sway and falling risk were found in patients with PFPS. Patients may be evaluated for deficits in postural control and falling risk before treatment.

Muscle synergies with Walkaround® postural support vs. “cane/therapist” assistance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miljkovic, Nadica; Milovanovic, Ivana; Dragin, Aleksandra

2013-01-01

The main clinical measures of walking recovery in stroke patients were compared for training assisted by Walkaround® postural support (WPS) and conventional (CON) support by a cane/therapist. OBJECTIVE: We attributed the differences between the trainings to modified muscular synergies that occurred...... be the superior training scheme. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated that assistance by WPS changed the motor control output relative to CON assistance in most patients....

BIOFEEDBACK AS A METHOD FOR STUDENTS’ MENTAL STATE ASSESSMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Yu. Ababkova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Neurotechnologies based on the principles of a nervous system functioning are being introduced into modern educational process more and more actively. Neurotechnology-based devices give the chance to develop new educational products; to enlarge the content of education by means of transition from text, graphic and sound content filling of educational process to use of tactile, motor, emotional, and other content. One of the most perspective neurotechnologies for the field of education is the method of biofeedback (BF which enables to define students’ mental state, change various physiological processes proceeding from the obtained data, correct educational process, and improve its quality and effectiveness.The aim of the present publication is to identify the opportunities of the biofeedback method application for educational purposes.Methodology and research methods. A pilot study on the basis of biofeedback technique was conducted in order to study the influence of active learning methods on students’ mental state mastering in specialty “Advertising and Public Relations”. H. Eysenck’s PEN Model was used to form focus-groups (control and experimental; psychophysiological technique CMS (Current Mental State was applied for results processing. Also, such methods as comparative analysis, induction and generalization were used.Results. A true picture of psychological attributes of students’ mental condition has been received for efficient studying of the current psychological state on psychophysiological functions, and training active methods impact on a condition of mentality of students according to the results of cardiorhythmogram.The main results of a pilot research were quantitative data (as percentage points of the current mental and psychological conditions of examinees. The obtained results have reflected the degree of attributes manifestation such as general adaptive resource, degree of mobility (lability of

Education and the Prevention of Postural Defects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olchowska-Kotala Agnieszka

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine: whether and at what stage of education is proper body posture learned, the intention of young adults to participate in activities teaching proper posture, and the effects of factors related with the said intention. Methods. The study involved 430 university students aged 18-24 years. Anthropometric data was collected. Participants completed questionnaires assessing physical activity level (IPAQ and their intention to participate in extracurricular activities teaching proper posture while sitting or walking, proper running technique, corrective gymnastics, or weight loss exercises. A self-assessment of posture, physical fitness, attractiveness, and body satisfaction was also completed. Results. Lower back pain was experienced by 41% of the respondents. Most were taught proper posture-related habits in primary school, followed by secondary school, and then at university. Many students expressed their intention to participate in the extracurricular activities. None of the questionnaire variables were associated with the intention to learn proper walking posture or proper running technique. The intention to participate in classes teaching proper sitting posture was associated with lower back pain in women and low physical activity level in men. In women, a relationship was found between the intention to participate in weight loss exercises and body dissatisfaction, high BMI, and poor self-evaluations of posture and attractiveness. In men, this activity was associated with body dissatisfaction. Conclusions. There is a need for further education on the development of proper postural habits at the university level.

Autogenic Training and Hand Temperature Biofeedback in the Treatment of Migraine: A Preliminary Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jessup, B.; And Others

The possibility of alleviating migraine headaches by autogenic relaxation training, with or without hand temperature biofeedback, was assessed. The study examined five independent groups in a bi-directional control group design. Volunteer migraine sufferers served as subjects, each participating for 12 weeks. The first four weeks of the study were…

Gait, posture and cognition in Parkinson's disease

OpenAIRE

Barbosa, Alessandra Ferreira; Chen, Janini; Freitag, Fernanda; Valente, Debora; Souza, Carolina de Oliveira; Voos, Mariana Callil; Chien, Hsin Fen

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Gait disorders and postural instability are the leading causes of falls and disability in Parkinson's disease (PD). Cognition plays an important role in postural control and may interfere with gait and posture assessment and treatment. It is important to recognize gait, posture and balance dysfunctions by choosing proper assessment tools for PD. Patients at higher risk of falling must be referred for rehabilitation as early as possible, because antiparkinsonian drugs and surgery do n...

Influence of fear of falling on anticipatory postural control of medio-lateral stability during rapid leg flexion.

Science.gov (United States)

Yiou, E; Deroche, T; Do, M C; Woodman, T

2011-04-01

During leg flexion from erect posture, postural stability is organized in advance during "anticipatory postural adjustments" (APA). During these APA, inertial forces are generated that propel the centre of gravity (CoG) laterally towards stance leg side. This study examined how fear of falling (FoF) may influence this anticipatory postural control of medio-lateral (ML) stability. Ten young healthy participants performed a series of leg flexions at maximal velocity from low and high surface heights (6 and 66 cm above ground, respectively). In this latter condition with increased FoF, stance foot was placed at the lateral edge of the support surface to induce maximal postural threat. Results showed that the amplitude of ML inertial forces generated during APA decreased with FoF; this decrease was compensated by an increase in APA duration so that the CoG position at time of swing foot-off was located further towards stance leg side. With these changes in ML APA, the CoG was propelled in the same final (unipodal) position above stance foot as in condition with low FoF. These results contrast with those obtained in the literature during quiet standing which showed that FoF did not have any influence on the ML component of postural control. It is proposed that ML APA are modified with increased FoF, in such a way that the risk of a sideway fall induced by the large CoG motion is attenuated.

Age-Related Changes in Dynamic Postural Control and Attentional Demands are Minimally Affected by Local Muscle Fatigue

Science.gov (United States)

Remaud, Anthony; Thuong-Cong, Cécile; Bilodeau, Martin

2016-01-01

Normal aging results in alterations in the visual, vestibular and somtaosensory systems, which in turn modify the control of balance. Muscle fatigue may exacerbate these age-related changes in sensory and motor functions, and also increase the attentional demands associated with dynamic postural control. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aging on dynamic postural control and posture-related attentional demands before and after a plantar flexor fatigue protocol. Participants (young adults: n = 15; healthy seniors: n = 13) performed a dynamic postural task along the antero-posterior (AP) and the medio-lateral (ML) axes, with and without the addition of a simple reaction time (RT) task. The dynamic postural task consisted in following a moving circle on a computer screen with the representation of the center of pressure (COP). This protocol was repeated before and after a fatigue task where ankle plantar flexor muscles were targeted. The mean COP-target distance and the mean COP velocity were calculated for each trial. Cross-correlation analyses between the COP and target displacements were also performed. RTs were recorded during dual-task trials. Results showed that while young adults adopted an anticipatory control mode to move their COP as close as possible to the target center, seniors adopted a reactive control mode, lagging behind the target center. This resulted in longer COP-target distance and higher COP velocity in the latter group. Concurrently, RT increased more in seniors when switching from static stance to dynamic postural conditions, suggesting potential alterations in the central nervous system (CNS) functions. Finally, plantar flexor muscle fatigue and dual-tasking had only minor effects on dynamic postural control of both young adults and seniors. Future studies should investigate why the fatigue-induced changes in quiet standing postural control do not seem to transfer to dynamic balance tasks. PMID:26834626

Postural ortostatisk takykardisyndrom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brinth, Louise; Pors, Kirsten; Mehlsen, Jesper

2014-01-01

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a heterogeneous condition of dysautonomia and suspected autoimmunity characterized by abnormal increments in heart rate upon assumption of the upright posture accompanied by symptoms of cerebral hypoperfusion and sympathoexcitation. An increase...... in heart rate equal to or greater than 30 bpm or to levels higher than 120 bpm during a head-up tilt test is the main diagnostic criterion. Management includes both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment focusing on stress management, volume expansion and heart rate control....

Thermoregulatory postures limit antipredator responses in peafowl

OpenAIRE

Jessica L. Yorzinski; Jennifer Lam; Rachel Schultz; Melissa Davis

2018-01-01

Many animals inhabit environments where they experience temperature fluctuations. One way in which animals can adjust to these temperature changes is through behavioral thermoregulation. However, we know little about the thermal benefits of postural changes and the costs they may incur. In this study, we examined the thermoregulatory role of two postures, the head-tuck and leg-tuck posture, in peafowl (Pavo cristatus) and evaluated whether the head-tuck posture imposes a predation cost. The h...

Benefícios de um programa de educação postural para alunos de uma escola municipal de Garibaldi, RS Benefits of a posture education program for schoolchildren in the city of Garibaldi, RS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Benini

2010-12-01

children have good postural habits and keep them on a regular basis. It may thus be said that one session of postural educational program for schoolchildren resulted in better knowledge on healthy postural behaviour and modified some postures, but one can't say it brought about changes in postural habits.

Evaluating the ChillFish Biofeedback Game with Children with ADHD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Tobias; Jensen, Mads Møller

2016-01-01

Breathing exercises have been shown to have multiple benefits for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, these children can have issues retaining attention to such an exercise. In this paper we present a study of ChillFish, a respiration game for children with ADHD....... Our findings show tendencies that the game works in terms of having a calming effect. However, the study also highlighted issues of evaluating biofeedback games with children with ADHD that are not present when evaluating with adults. This work presents an iteration in the ChillFish development cycle...

Effect of cognitive challenge on the postural control of patients with ACL reconstruction under visual and surface perturbations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lion, Alexis; Gette, Paul; Meyer, Christophe; Seil, Romain; Theisen, Daniel

2018-02-01

Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of cognitive challenge on double-leg postural control under visual and surface perturbations of patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) cleared to return to sport. Double-leg stance postural control of 19 rehabilitated patients with ACLR (age: 24.8 ± 6.7 years, time since surgery: 9.2 ± 1.6 months) and 21 controls (age: 24.9 ± 3.7 years) was evaluated in eight randomized situations combining two cognitive (with and without silent backward counting in steps of seven), two visual (eyes open, eyes closed) and two surface (stable support, foam support) conditions. Sway area and sway path of the centre of foot pressure were measured during three 20-s recordings for each situation. Higher values indicated poorer postural control. Generally, postural control of patients with ACLR and controls was similar for sway area and sway path (p > 0.05). The lack of visual anchorage and the disturbance of the plantar input by the foam support increased sway area and sway path (p postural control during double-leg stance tests. The use of a dual task paradigm under increased task complexity modified postural control, but in a similar way in patients with ACLR than in healthy controls. Double-leg stance tests, even under challenging conditions, are not sensitive enough to reveal postural control differences between rehabilitated patients with ACLR and controls. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functional Neuroanatomy for Posture and Gait Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaoru Takakusaki

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Here we argue functional neuroanatomy for posture- gait control. Multi-sensory information such as somatosensory, visual and vestibular sensation act on various areas of the brain so that adaptable posture- gait control can be achieved. Automatic process of gait, which is steady-state stepping movements associating with postural reflexes including headeye coordination accompanied by appropriate alignment of body segments and optimal level of postural muscle tone, is mediated by the descending pathways from the brainstem to the spinal cord. Particularly, reticulospinal pathways arising from the lateral part of the mesopontine tegmentum and spinal locomotor network contribute to this process. On the other hand, walking in unfamiliar circumstance requires cognitive process of postural control, which depends on knowledges of self-body, such as body schema and body motion in space. The cognitive information is produced at the temporoparietal association cortex, and is fundamental to sustention of vertical posture and construction of motor programs. The programs in the motor cortical areas run to execute anticipatory postural adjustment that is optimal for achievement of goal-directed movements. The basal ganglia and cerebellum may affect both the automatic and cognitive processes of posturegait control through reciprocal connections with the brainstem and cerebral cortex, respectively. Consequently, impairments in cognitive function by damages in the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum may disturb posture-gait control, resulting in falling.

Postural stability and occlusal status among Japanese elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Song-Yu, Xuan; Rodis, Omar M M; Ogata, Sagiri; Can-Hu, Jin; Nishimura, Michiko; Matsumura, Seishi

2012-06-01

There are still no data available on the relationship between postural stability and occlusal status among the elderly. To examine relationships between postural stability and occlusal status through a cohort study among elderly Japanese. Oral examination, occlusal status, postural stability and a questionnaire were conducted and given to 87 community-dwelling Japanese at enrolment. The average occlusal pressure of the female group was statistically higher than the male group while average occlusal pressure and postural stability length were lesser in the group with more remaining teeth. Postural stability area and number of remaining teeth showed statistically significant correlations. Postural stability length was lesser in the group with strong occlusal force. Furthermore, the number of decayed teeth was fewer in the good hygiene group. This study identified a close relationship between occlusal status and postural stability of Japanese older individuals. Occlusal hypofunction was observed more in those with occlusal problems, and a decrease in their occlusal functions resulted in postural instability. © 2011 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Effects of posture on FDTD calculations of specific absorption rate in a voxel model of the human body

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Findlay, R P; Dimbylow, P J [National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ (United Kingdom)

2005-08-21

A change in the posture of the human body can significantly affect the way in which it absorbs radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. To study this, an anatomically realistic model of the body has been modified to develop new voxel models in postures other than the standard standing position with arms to the side. These postures were sitting, arms stretched out horizontally to the side and vertically above the head. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations of the whole-body averaged specific energy absorption rate (SAR) have been performed from 10 MHz to 300 MHz at a resolution of 4 mm. Calculations show that the effect of a raised arm above the head posture was to increase the value of the whole-body averaged SAR at resonance by up to 35% when compared to the standard, arms by the side position. SAR values, both whole-body averaged and localized in the ankle, were used to derive the external electric field values required to produce the SAR basic restrictions of the ICNIRP guidelines. It was found that, in certain postures, external electric field reference levels alone would not provide a conservative estimate of localized SAR exposure and it would be necessary to invoke secondary reference levels on limb currents to provide compliance with restrictions.

Effects of posture on FDTD calculations of specific absorption rate in a voxel model of the human body

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Findlay, R P; Dimbylow, P J

2005-01-01

A change in the posture of the human body can significantly affect the way in which it absorbs radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. To study this, an anatomically realistic model of the body has been modified to develop new voxel models in postures other than the standard standing position with arms to the side. These postures were sitting, arms stretched out horizontally to the side and vertically above the head. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations of the whole-body averaged specific energy absorption rate (SAR) have been performed from 10 MHz to 300 MHz at a resolution of 4 mm. Calculations show that the effect of a raised arm above the head posture was to increase the value of the whole-body averaged SAR at resonance by up to 35% when compared to the standard, arms by the side position. SAR values, both whole-body averaged and localized in the ankle, were used to derive the external electric field values required to produce the SAR basic restrictions of the ICNIRP guidelines. It was found that, in certain postures, external electric field reference levels alone would not provide a conservative estimate of localized SAR exposure and it would be necessary to invoke secondary reference levels on limb currents to provide compliance with restrictions

Effects of posture on FDTD calculations of specific absorption rate in a voxel model of the human body

Science.gov (United States)

Findlay, R. P.; Dimbylow, P. J.

2005-08-01

A change in the posture of the human body can significantly affect the way in which it absorbs radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. To study this, an anatomically realistic model of the body has been modified to develop new voxel models in postures other than the standard standing position with arms to the side. These postures were sitting, arms stretched out horizontally to the side and vertically above the head. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations of the whole-body averaged specific energy absorption rate (SAR) have been performed from 10 MHz to 300 MHz at a resolution of 4 mm. Calculations show that the effect of a raised arm above the head posture was to increase the value of the whole-body averaged SAR at resonance by up to 35% when compared to the standard, arms by the side position. SAR values, both whole-body averaged and localized in the ankle, were used to derive the external electric field values required to produce the SAR basic restrictions of the ICNIRP guidelines. It was found that, in certain postures, external electric field reference levels alone would not provide a conservative estimate of localized SAR exposure and it would be necessary to invoke secondary reference levels on limb currents to provide compliance with restrictions.

Postural Stability of Patients with Schizophrenia during Challenging Sensory Conditions: Implication of Sensory Integration for Postural Control.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya-Ling Teng

Full Text Available Postural dysfunctions are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and affect their daily life and ability to work. In addition, sensory functions and sensory integration that are crucial for postural control are also compromised. This study intended to examine how patients with schizophrenia coordinate multiple sensory systems to maintain postural stability in dynamic sensory conditions. Twenty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 32 control subjects were recruited. Postural stability of the participants was examined in six sensory conditions of different level of congruency of multiple sensory information, which was based on combinations of correct, removed, or conflicting sensory inputs from visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems. The excursion of the center of pressure was measured by posturography. Equilibrium scores were derived to indicate the range of anterior-posterior (AP postural sway, and sensory ratios were calculated to explore ability to use sensory information to maintain balance. The overall AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients with schizophrenia compared to the controls [patients (69.62±8.99; controls (76.53±7.47; t1,59 = -3.28, p<0.001]. The results of mixed-model ANOVAs showed a significant interaction between the group and sensory conditions [F5,295 = 5.55, p<0.001]. Further analysis indicated that AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients compared to the controls in conditions containing unreliable somatosensory information either with visual deprivation or with conflicting visual information. Sensory ratios were not significantly different between groups, although small and non-significant difference in inefficiency to utilize vestibular information was also noted. No significant correlations were found between postural stability and clinical characteristics. To sum up, patients with schizophrenia showed increased postural sway and a higher rate of falls during challenging sensory

Thermal sensation during mild hyperthermia is modulated by acute postural change in humans

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Ryosuke; Imai, Daiki; Suzuki, Akina; Ota, Akemi; Naghavi, Nooshin; Yamashina, Yoshihiro; Hirasawa, Yoshikazu; Yokoyama, Hisayo; Miyagawa, Toshiaki; Okazaki, Kazunobu

2016-12-01

Thermal sensation represents the primary stimulus for behavioral and autonomic thermoregulation. We assessed whether the sensation of skin and core temperatures for the driving force of behavioral thermoregulation was modified by postural change from the supine (Sup) to sitting (Sit) during mild hyperthermia. Seventeen healthy young men underwent measurements of noticeable increase and decrease (±0.1 °C/s) of skin temperature (thresholds of warm and cold sensation on the skin, 6.25 cm2 of area) at the forearm and chest and of the whole-body warm sensation in the Sup and Sit during normothermia (NT; esophageal temperature (Tes), ˜36.6 °C) and mild hyperthermia (HT; Tes, ˜37.2 °C; lower legs immersion in 42 °C of water). The threshold for cold sensation on the skin at chest was lower during HT than NT in the Sit ( P body posture or temperature. The whole-body warm sensation was higher during HT than NT in both postures and higher in the Sit than Sup during both NT and HT (all, P cold on the skin and more whole-body warmth.

Postural adaptations to repeated optic flow stimulation in older adults

Science.gov (United States)

O’Connor, Kathryn W.; Loughlin, Patrick J.; Redfern, Mark S.; Sparto, Patrick J.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to understand the processes of adaptation (changes in within-trial postural responses) and habituation (reductions in between-trial postural responses) to visual cues in older and young adults. Of particular interest were responses to sudden increases in optic flow magnitude. The postural sway of 25 healthy young adults and 24 healthy older adults was measured while subjects viewed anterior-posterior 0.4 Hz sinusoidal optic flow for 45 s. Three trials for each of three conditions were performed: 1) constant 12 cm optic flow amplitude (24 cm peak-to-peak), 2) constant 4 cm amplitude (8 cm p-t-p), and 3) a transition in amplitude from 4 to 12 cm. The average power of head sway velocity (Pvel) was calculated for consecutive 5 s intervals during the trial to examine the changes in sway within and between trials. A mixed factor repeated measures ANOVA was performed to examine the effects of subject Group, Trial, and Interval on the Pvel. Pvel was greater in older adults in all conditions (p Pvel of the older adults decreased significantly between all 3 trials, but decreased only between trial 1 and 2 in young adults. While the responses of the young adults to the transition in optic flow from 4 to 12 cm did not significantly change, older adults had an increase in Pvel following the transition, ranging from 6.5 dB for the first trial to 3.4 dB for the third trial. These results show that older adults can habituate to repeated visual perturbation exposures; however, this habituation requires a greater number of exposures than young adults. This suggests aging impacts the ability to quickly modify the relative weighting of the sensory feedback for postural stabilization. PMID:18329878

Day-to-Day Variability of Postural Sway and Its Association With Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia M. Leach

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Increased variability in motor function has been observed during the initial stages of cognitive decline. However, the natural variability of postural control, as well as its association with cognitive status and decline, remains unknown. The objective of this pilot study was to characterize the day-to-day variability in postural sway in non-demented older adults. We hypothesized that older adults with a lower cognitive status would have higher day-to-day variability in postural sway.Materials and Methods: A Nintendo Wii balance board (WBB was used to quantify postural sway in the home twice daily for 30 days in 20 non-demented, community-dwelling older adults: once under a single-task condition and once under a dual-task condition (using a daily word search task administered via a Nook tablet. Mean sway distance, velocity, area, centroidal frequency and frequency dispersion were derived from the center of pressure data acquired from the WBB.Results: Linear relationships were observed between the day-to-day variability in postural sway and cognitive status (indexed by cognitive global z-scores. More variability in time-domain postural sway (sway distance and area and less variability in frequency-domain postural sway (centroidal sway frequency were associated with a lower cognitive status under both the single- and dual-task conditions. Additionally, lower cognitive performance rates on the daily word search task were related to a lower cognitive status.Discussion: This small pilot study conducted on a short time scale motivates large-scale implementations over more extended time periods. Tracking longitudinal changes in postural sway may further our understanding of early-stage postural decline and its association with cognitive decline and, in turn, may aid in the early detection of dementia during preclinical stages when the utility of disease-modifying therapies would be greatest.

Load Dependency of Postural Control--Kinematic and Neuromuscular Changes in Response to over and under Load Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritzmann, Ramona; Freyler, Kathrin; Weltin, Elmar; Krause, Anne; Gollhofer, Albert

2015-01-01

Load variation is associated with changes in joint torque and compensatory reflex activation and thus, has a considerable impact on balance control. Previous studies dealing with over (OL) and under loading (UL) used water buoyancy or additional weight with the side effects of increased friction and inertia, resulting in substantially modified test paradigms. The purpose of this study was to identify gravity-induced load dependency of postural control in comparable experimental conditions and to determine the underlying neuromuscular mechanisms. Balance performance was recorded under normal loading (NL, 1 g), UL (0.16 g 0.38 g) and OL (1.8 g) in monopedal stance. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and frequency distribution (low 0.15-0.5 Hz (LF), medium 0.5-2 Hz (MF), high 2-6 Hz (HF)) as well as ankle, knee and hip joint kinematics were assessed. Soleus spinal excitability was determined by H/M-recruitment curves (H/M-ratios). Compared to NL, OL caused an increase in ankle joint excursion, COP HF domain and H/M-ratio. Concomitantly, hip joint excursion and COP LF decreased. Compared to NL, UL caused modulations in the opposite direction: UL decreased ankle joint excursions, COP HF and H/M-ratio. Collaterally, hip joint excursion and COP LF increased. COP was augmented both in UL and in OL compared to NL. Subjects achieved postural stability in OL and UL with greater difficulty compared to NL. Reduced postural control was accompanied by modified balance strategies and compensatory reflex activation. With increasing load, a shift from hip to ankle strategy was observed. Accompanying, COP frequency distribution shifted from LF to HF and spinal excitability was enhanced. It is suggested that in OL, augmented ankle joint torques are compensated by quick reflex-induced postural reactions in distal muscles. Contrarily, UL is associated with diminished joint torques and thus, postural equilibrium may be controlled by the proximal segments to adjust the center of

Load Dependency of Postural Control - Kinematic and Neuromuscular Changes in Response to over and under Load Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Ritzmann, Ramona; Freyler, Kathrin; Weltin, Elmar; Krause, Anne; Gollhofer, Albert

2015-01-01

Introduction Load variation is associated with changes in joint torque and compensatory reflex activation and thus, has a considerable impact on balance control. Previous studies dealing with over (OL) and under loading (UL) used water buoyancy or additional weight with the side effects of increased friction and inertia, resulting in substantially modified test paradigms. The purpose of this study was to identify gravity-induced load dependency of postural control in comparable experimental conditions and to determine the underlying neuromuscular mechanisms. Methods Balance performance was recorded under normal loading (NL, 1g), UL (0.16g; 0.38g) and OL (1.8g) in monopedal stance. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and frequency distribution (low 0.15-0.5Hz (LF), medium 0.5-2Hz (MF), high 2-6Hz (HF)) as well as ankle, knee and hip joint kinematics were assessed. Soleus spinal excitability was determined by H/M-recruitment curves (H/M-ratios). Results Compared to NL, OL caused an increase in ankle joint excursion, COP HF domain and H/M-ratio. Concomitantly, hip joint excursion and COP LF decreased. Compared to NL, UL caused modulations in the opposite direction: UL decreased ankle joint excursions, COP HF and H/M-ratio. Collaterally, hip joint excursion and COP LF increased. COP was augmented both in UL and in OL compared to NL. Conclusion Subjects achieved postural stability in OL and UL with greater difficulty compared to NL. Reduced postural control was accompanied by modified balance strategies and compensatory reflex activation. With increasing load, a shift from hip to ankle strategy was observed. Accompanying, COP frequency distribution shifted from LF to HF and spinal excitability was enhanced. It is suggested that in OL, augmented ankle joint torques are compensated by quick reflex-induced postural reactions in distal muscles. Contrarily, UL is associated with diminished joint torques and thus, postural equilibrium may be controlled by the proximal

Load Dependency of Postural Control--Kinematic and Neuromuscular Changes in Response to over and under Load Conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramona Ritzmann

Full Text Available Load variation is associated with changes in joint torque and compensatory reflex activation and thus, has a considerable impact on balance control. Previous studies dealing with over (OL and under loading (UL used water buoyancy or additional weight with the side effects of increased friction and inertia, resulting in substantially modified test paradigms. The purpose of this study was to identify gravity-induced load dependency of postural control in comparable experimental conditions and to determine the underlying neuromuscular mechanisms.Balance performance was recorded under normal loading (NL, 1 g, UL (0.16 g 0.38 g and OL (1.8 g in monopedal stance. Center of pressure (COP displacement and frequency distribution (low 0.15-0.5 Hz (LF, medium 0.5-2 Hz (MF, high 2-6 Hz (HF as well as ankle, knee and hip joint kinematics were assessed. Soleus spinal excitability was determined by H/M-recruitment curves (H/M-ratios.Compared to NL, OL caused an increase in ankle joint excursion, COP HF domain and H/M-ratio. Concomitantly, hip joint excursion and COP LF decreased. Compared to NL, UL caused modulations in the opposite direction: UL decreased ankle joint excursions, COP HF and H/M-ratio. Collaterally, hip joint excursion and COP LF increased. COP was augmented both in UL and in OL compared to NL.Subjects achieved postural stability in OL and UL with greater difficulty compared to NL. Reduced postural control was accompanied by modified balance strategies and compensatory reflex activation. With increasing load, a shift from hip to ankle strategy was observed. Accompanying, COP frequency distribution shifted from LF to HF and spinal excitability was enhanced. It is suggested that in OL, augmented ankle joint torques are compensated by quick reflex-induced postural reactions in distal muscles. Contrarily, UL is associated with diminished joint torques and thus, postural equilibrium may be controlled by the proximal segments to adjust the center of

A systematic review of interventions conducted in clinical or community settings to improve dual-task postural control in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Agmon, Maayan; Belza, Basia; Nguyen, Huong Q; Logsdon, Rebecca G; Kelly, Valerie E

2014-01-01

Injury due to falls is a major problem among older adults. Decrements in dual-task postural control performance (simultaneously performing two tasks, at least one of which requires postural control) have been associated with an increased risk of falling. Evidence-based interventions that can be used in clinical or community settings to improve dual-task postural control may help to reduce this risk. THE AIMS OF THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ARE: 1) to identify clinical or community-based interventions that improved dual-task postural control among older adults; and 2) to identify the key elements of those interventions. Studies were obtained from a search conducted through October 2013 of the following electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies examining the effects of interventions aimed at improving dual-task postural control among community-dwelling older adults were selected. All studies were evaluated based on methodological quality. Intervention characteristics including study purpose, study design, and sample size were identified, and effects of dual-task interventions on various postural control and cognitive outcomes were noted. Twenty-two studies fulfilled the selection criteria and were summarized in this review to identify characteristics of successful interventions. The ability to synthesize data was limited by the heterogeneity in participant characteristics, study designs, and outcome measures. Dual-task postural control can be modified by specific training. There was little evidence that single-task training transferred to dual-task postural control performance. Further investigation of dual-task training using standardized outcome measurements is needed.

Cinerama sickness and postural instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Bos, Jelte E; Ledegang, Wietse D; Lubeck, Astrid J A; Stins, John F

2013-01-01

Motion sickness symptoms and increased postural instability induced by motion pictures have been reported in a laboratory, but not in a real cinema. We, therefore, carried out an observational study recording sickness severity and postural instability in 19 subjects before, immediately and 45 min after watching a 1 h 3D aviation documentary in a cinema. Sickness was significantly larger right after the movie than before, and in a lesser extent still so after 45 min. The average standard deviation of the lateral centre of pressure excursions was significantly larger only right afterwards. When low-pass filtered at 0.1 Hz, lateral and for-aft excursions were both significantly larger right after the movie, while for-aft excursions then remained larger even after 45 min. Speculating on previous findings, we predict more sickness and postural instability in 3D than in 2D movies, also suggesting a possible, but yet unknown risk for work-related activities and vehicle operation. Watching motion pictures may be sickening and posturally destabilising, but effects in a cinema are unknown. We, therefore, carried out an observational study showing that sickness then is mainly an issue during the exposure while postural instability is an issue afterwards.

Real-time visual biofeedback during weight bearing improves therapy compliance in patients following lower extremity fractures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raaben, Marco; Holtslag, Herman R; Leenen, Luke P H; Augustine, Robin; Blokhuis, Taco J

BACKGROUND: Individuals with lower extremity fractures are often instructed on how much weight to bear on the affected extremity. Previous studies have shown limited therapy compliance in weight bearing during rehabilitation. In this study we investigated the effect of real-time visual biofeedback

Physical activity, mindfulness meditation, or heart rate variability biofeedback for stress reduction: a randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Zwan, J.E.; de Vente, W.; Huizink, A.C.; Bögels, S.M.; de Bruin, E.I.

2015-01-01

In contemporary western societies stress is highly prevalent, therefore the need for stress-reducing methods is great. This randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of self-help physical activity (PA), mindfulness meditation (MM), and heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) in reducing

The effect of biofeedback physical therapy in men with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Type III.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornel, Erik B; van Haarst, Ernst P; Schaarsberg, Ria W M Browning-Groote; Geels, Jenet

2005-05-01

Recent studies suggest that the symptoms of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis (CP) or Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) may be due to or associated with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. Therapies aimed to improve relaxation and proper use of the pelvic floor muscles such as biofeedback physical therapy and pelvic floor re-education are expected to give symptom improvement. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biofeedback physical therapy on the symptoms of men with CPPS. Between March 2000 to March 2004, 33 consecutive men were diagnosed with CP/CPPS based on history including the NIH-CPSI questionnaire and physical examination including pelvic floor muscle tonus, urinalysis, uroflowmetry with residual urine measurement and transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate. All patients participated in a pelvic floor biofeedback re-educating program. A rectal EMG probe was used to measure resting tone of the pelvic floor muscles and was helpful for instruction pelvic floor muscles contraction and relaxation. Two of the 33 men dropped out. In the remaining 31 men, mean age 43.9 years (range 23-70), the mean total Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) changed from 23.6 (range 11-34) at baseline to 11.4 (range 1-25) after treatment (ppelvic floor muscle tonus was 4.9 at diagnosis (range 2.0-10.0) and decreased to 1.7 (range 0.5-2.8) after treatment (pphysical therapy and pelvic floor re-education for CP/CPPS patients, leading to a significant improvement of the symptom score. The correlation between the pelvic muscle tonus results with NIH-CPSI score is highly suggestive that the pelvic floor plays an important role in the pathophysiology of CP/CPPS.

Increased alertness, better than posture prioritization, explains dual-task performance in prosthesis users and controls under increasing postural and cognitive challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Charla L; Perry, Bonnie; Chow, John W; Wallace, Chris; Stokic, Dobrivoje S

2017-11-01

Sensorimotor impairments after limb amputation impose a threat to stability. Commonly described strategies for maintaining stability are the posture first strategy (prioritization of balance) and posture second strategy (prioritization of concurrent tasks). The existence of these strategies was examined in 13 below-knee prosthesis users and 15 controls during dual-task standing under increasing postural and cognitive challenge by evaluating path length, 95% sway area, and anterior-posterior and medial-lateral amplitudes of the center of pressure. The subjects stood on two force platforms under usual (hard surface/eyes open) and difficult (soft surface/eyes closed) conditions, first alone and while performing a cognitive task without and then with instruction on cognitive prioritization. During standing alone, sway was not significantly different between groups. After adding the cognitive task without prioritization instruction, prosthesis users increased sway more under the dual-task than single-task standing (p ≤ 0.028) during both usual and difficult conditions, favoring the posture second strategy. Controls, however, reduced dual-task sway under a greater postural challenge (p ≤ 0.017), suggesting the posture first strategy. With prioritization of the cognitive task, sway was unchanged or reduced in prosthesis users, suggesting departure from the posture second strategy, whereas controls maintained the posture first strategy. Individual analysis of dual tasking revealed that greater postural demand in controls and greater cognitive challenge in prosthesis users led to both reduced sway and improved cognitive performance, suggesting cognitive-motor facilitation. Thus, activation of additional resources through increased alertness, rather than posture prioritization, may explain dual-task performance in both prosthesis users and controls under increasing postural and cognitive challenge.

The social biofeedback theory of parental affect-mirroring: the development of emotional self-awareness and self-control in infancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gergely, G; Watson, J S

1996-12-01

The authors present a new theory of parental affect-mirroring and its role in the development of emotional self-awareness and control in infancy. It is proposed that infants first become sensitised to their categorical emotion-states through a natural social biofeedback process provided by the parent's 'marked' reflections of the baby's emotion displays during affect-regulative interactions. They argue that this sensitisation process is mediated (similarly to that of adult biofeedback training) by the mechanism of contingency-detection and maximising. Apart from sensitisation, affect-mirroring serves three further developmental functions: (1) it contributes to the infant's state-regulation; (2) it leads to the establishment of secondary representations that become associated with the infant's primary procedural affect-states providing the cognitive means for accessing and attributing emotions to the self; (3) it results in the development of a generalised communicative code of "marked' expressions characterised by the representational functions of referential decoupling, anchoring and suspension of realistic consequences. They consider the clinical implications of our theory, relating it to current psychodynamic approaches to the functions of parental affect-mirroring. Using their model they identify various types of deviant mirroring styles and speculate about their developmental consequences. Finally, they discuss what role their social biofeedback model may play as a mediating mechanism in the therapeutic process.

Active biofeedback changes the spatial distribution of upper trapezius muscle activity during computer work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Samani, Afshin; Holtermann, Andreas; Søgaard, Karen

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the spatio-temporal effects of advanced biofeedback by inducing active and passive pauses on the trapezius activity pattern using high-density surface electromyography (HD-EMG). Thirteen healthy male subjects performed computer work with superimposed...... benefit of superimposed muscle contraction in relation to the spatial organization of muscle activity during computer work....

Postural adjustments are modulated by manual task complexity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Augusto Teixeira

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Daily life activities of humans are characterized by dual tasks, in which a manual task is performed concomitantly with a postural task. Based on the assumption that both manual and postural tasks require attentional resources, no consensus exists as to how the central nervous system modulates postural adjustments in dual tasks. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of a manual task requiring attentional resources on shoulder and ankle adjustments as a function of the direction and predictability of postural perturbation. The participants (n=6 were evaluated during the performance of a simple and a complex manual task, while the base of support was moved backward or forward. Latency of activation of the tibialis anterior and gastroc-nemius muscles and angular acceleration of the shoulder were analyzed. The results showed that execution of the complex manual task delayed postural adjustment. Moreover, this delay occurred differently depending on the direction of postural perturbation. The delay in postural adjustment occurred proximally in the case of anterior displacement of the platform, and distally in the case of posterior displacement. Postural adjustments were more affected by the attentional task than by the predictability of platform displacement. These results are consistent with the concept of an integrated control between manual actions and the maintenance of static posture.

[Evaluation of postural characteristics in patients with vertigo by modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bo; Kong, Weijia; Lai, Changqin

2009-02-01

To investigate the application of modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance (mCTSIB) in the patients with vertigo. One hundred and six patients with vertigo (62 cases with peripheral and 44 cases with central vestibular disorder) were taken the mCTSIB of the firm surface and foam surface with eye open and eye closed for 30 seconds respectively. The standing foam surface was to interrupt the somatosensory and closing eyes was to interrupt the visual input in the postural stability. The falling during the test was recorded. The results between the mCTSIB and video nystagmography (VNG) were compared. In vestibular peripheral disorder, the abnormal of mCTSIB was 45.16% (28/62) and agreement to VNG was 67.74% (42/62). In vestibular central disorder, the abnormal of mCTSIB was 27.27% (12/44) and agreement to VNG was 81.82% (36/44). For all these patients with vertigo in this study, the abnormal of mCTSIB was 37.74% (40/106) and agreement to VNG was 73.58% (78/106). Regarding the falling as abnormality, the mCTSIB was not significant different between the vestibular peripheral and central disorders (chi2 = 3.505, P > 0.05). Although the mCTSIB, which was easy to carry out, can not be a method to differentiate the vestibular peripheral and central disorders, it was a suitable to assess the ability of sensory interaction to maintain balance in patients with vertigo.

The effects of brief swaying on postural control.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagé, Sara; Maheu, Maxime; Landry, Simon P; Champoux, François

2017-12-06

Postural control can be improved with balance training. However, the nature and duration of the training required to enhance posture remains unclear. We studied the effects of 5 min of a self-initiated balance exercise along a single axis on postural control in healthy individuals. Postural control was measured before and after a 5-min period where members of the experimental group were asked to lean their entire body forward and backward and members of the control group were asked to remain seated. A significant improvement for sway velocity, a postural control variable significantly associated with an increased risk of falls, was found in the experimental group following the body sway exercise. These data suggest that a basic exercise can rapidly improve postural control and reduce the risk of falls.

Real-time visual biofeedback during weight bearing improves therapy compliance in patients following lower extremity fractures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raaben, Marco; Holtslag, Herman R.; Leenen, Luke P. H.; Augustine, Robin; Blokhuis, Taco J.

2017-01-01

Individuals with lower extremity fractures are often instructed on how much weight to bear on the affected extremity. Previous studies have shown limited therapy compliance in weight bearing during rehabilitation. In this study we investigated the effect of real-time visual biofeedback on weight

A randomized clinical trial comparing fitness and biofeedback training versus basic treatment in patients with fibromyalgia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Santen, Marijke; Bolwijn, Paulien; Verstappen, Frans; Bakker, Carla; Hidding, Alita; Houben, Harry; van der Heijde, Desiree; Landewé, Robert; van der Linden, Sjef

2002-01-01

To compare the therapeutic effects of physical fitness training or biofeedback training with the results of usual care in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). One hundred forty-three female patients with FM (American College of Rheumatology criteria) were randomized into 3 groups: a fitness program (n =

Activation timing of postural muscles of lower legs and prediction of postural disturbance during bilateral arm flexion in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Yaguchi, Chie; Fujiwara, Katsuo; Kiyota, Naoe

2017-12-22

Activation timings of postural muscles of lower legs and prediction of postural disturbance were investigated in young and older adults during bilateral arm flexion in a self-timing task and an oddball task with different probabilities of target presentation. Arm flexion was started from a standing posture with hands suspended 10 cm below the horizontal level in front of the body, in which postural control focused on the ankles is important. Fourteen young and 14 older adults raised the arms in response to the target sound signal. Three task conditions were used: 15 and 45% probabilities of the target in the oddball task and self-timing. Analysis items were activation timing of postural muscles (erector spinae, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius) with respect to the anterior deltoid (AD), and latency and amplitude of the P300 component of event-related brain potential. For young adults, all postural muscles were activated significantly earlier than AD under each condition, and time of preceding gastrocnemius activation was significantly longer in the order of the self-timing, 45 and 15% conditions. P300 latency was significantly shorter, and P300 amplitude was significantly smaller under the 45% condition than under the 15% condition. For older adults, although all postural muscles, including gastrocnemius, were activated significantly earlier than AD in the self-timing condition, only activation timing of gastrocnemius was not significantly earlier than that of AD in oddball tasks, regardless of target probability. No significant differences were found between 15 and 45% conditions in onset times of all postural muscles, and latency and amplitude of P300. These results suggest that during arm movement, young adults can achieve sufficient postural preparation in proportion to the probability of target presentation in the oddball task. Older adults can achieve postural control using ankle joints in the self-timing task. However, in the oddball task, older adults

Influence of sphincter defect on biofeedback outcomes in patients with fecal incontinence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto L. Kaiser, Junior

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the effect of sphincter defect (SD on biofeedback (BF response in patients with fecal incontinence. Methods: two hundred and forty-two patients with fecal incontinence undergoing BF as exclusive treatment were identified from a BF database. Patients were evaluated with fecal incontinence score (Cleveland Clinic Florida – Fecal Incontinence Score, CCF-FI and anorectal physiology tests. The pre- and immediate post-treatment outcomes were obtained from the chart, and the long-term outcomes by CCF-FI score that was sent by mail. Results: 242 patients underwent BF for fecal incontinence. 143 (59.1% underwent ultrasonography, 43 (30.1% of whom had sphincter defect detected on US. The immediate outcomes were not affected by the presence of absence of SD. The second CCF-FI questionnaire was mailed after a mean of 6.1 years after treatment. 31 (57.4% exhibited improvement, 4 (7.4% remained unchanged, and 19 (35.2% had worsening function, which was significantly inferior in patients with SD (p = 0.021. Electromyography demonstrated increased electrical activity in the contraction phase after BF in both groups. Conclusions: the majority of patients experience improvement in fecal incontinence after BF. However, patients with SD detected on US prior to treatment seem to have worse function at long term. Resumo: Objetivos: avaliar a influência do defeito esfincteriano (DE na resposta ao biofeedback (BF em pacientes com incontinência fecal. Métodos: 242 pacientes com incontinência fecal, submetidos exclusivamente ao BF como forma de tratamento, foram selecionados. Os pacientes foram submetidos ao escore de incontinência fecal (Cleveland Clinic Flórida-Escore de Incontinência Fecal, CCF-IF e testes de investigação da fisiologia anorretal. O pré e pós-tratamento imediato foram obtidos do prontuário e para avaliação a longo prazo foi enviado o CCF-IF pelo correio. Resultados: 242 pacientes realizaram BF. 143 (59

CHARACTERISTICS OF BODY POSTURE IN THE SAGITTAL PLANE AND FITNESS OF FIRST-FORM PUPILS FROM RURAL AREAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Żukowska

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to find correlations between characteristics of body posture in the sagittal plane and fitness and endurance of first-form children from rural areas. Material: an analysis of more than 30 sources of scientific and educational literature. Results: the study involved 209 children, including 102 girls and 107 boys. They were children who lived in the country since they were born. To assess particular characteristics of body posture, the children were studied by means of the measuring equipment using the projection Moiré system. Motor skills were estimated using selected EUROFIT physical fitness tests (sitting forward bend, standing broad jump, handgrip, sit-and-reach, bent arm hang and 10 x 5 m shuttle run. The level of physical endurance was evaluated with the Harvard Step Test modified by Montoye. Conclusions: the conducted research reveals statistically significant correlations between the characteristics of body posture in the sagittal plane and selected EUROFIT physical fitness tests and physical endurance of the children involved in the study.

Biofeedback for foot offloading in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pataky, Z; de León Rodriguez, D; Allet, L; Golay, A; Assal, M; Assal, J-P; Hauert, C-A

2010-01-01

The reduction of high plantar pressure in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy is mandatory for prevention of foot ulcers and amputations. We used a new biofeedback-based method to reduce the plantar pressure at an at-risk area of foot in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy. Thirteen diabetic patients (age 60.8 +/- 12.3 years, body mass index 29.0 +/- 5.0 kg/m(2)) with peripheral neuropathy of the lower limbs were studied. Patients with memory impairment were excluded. The portable in-shoe foot pressure measurement system (PEDAR) was used for foot offloading training by biofeedback. The learning procedure consisted in sequences of walking (10 steps), each followed by a subjective estimation of performance and objective feedback. The goal was to achieve three consecutive walking cycles of 10 steps, with a minimum of seven steps inside the range of 40-80% of the baseline peak plantar pressure. The peak plantar pressure was assessed during the learning period and at retention tests. A significant difference in peak plantar pressure was recorded between the beginning and the end of the learning period (when the target for plantar pressure was achieved) (262 +/- 70 vs. 191 +/- 53 kPa; P = 0.002). The statistically significant difference between the beginning of learning and all retention tests persisted, even at the 10-day follow-up. Terminal augmented feedback training may positively affect motor learning in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy and could possibly lead to suitable foot offloading. Additional research is needed to confirm the maintenance of offloading in the long term.

The Mozart effect in biofeedback visual rehabilitation: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvatore, Serena; Librando, Aloisa; Esposito, Mariacristina; Vingolo, Enzo M

2011-01-01

To evaluate the usefulness of acoustic biofeedback by means of Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major K. 448 to maintain and/or restore visual performance in a patient with macular pucker and glaucoma. A 74-year-old patient with open angle glaucoma in both eyes and macular pucker in the right eye (RE) underwent visual rehabilitation with acoustic biofeedback by means of the MAIA™ Vision Training Module (Centervue, Padova, Italy) 10 minutes each eye once a week for 5 weeks. The patient was asked to move his eyes according to a sound which changed into Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos when the patient locked the fixation target. Best-corrected visual acuity improved in his right eye (RE) and was stable in the left eye (LE). Fixation stability improved in both eyes, and retinal sensitivity decreased in the RE and improved in the LE. The characteristic of the macular pucker did not change during the training as demonstrated with optical coherence tomography. The patient was very satisfied with the training, as demonstrated by a 25-item questionnaire (National Eye Institute - Visual Functioning Questionnaire, NEI-VFQ-25). The patient's reading speed and the character size which he was able to read improved in his RE. Music could enhance synaptic plasticity and affect neural learning and fixation training by means of MAIA vision training. Therefore it can improve visual performance in patients with macular pucker, postpone the surgical time, and assure a better quality of life for the patient.

Effects of experimental insoles on body posture, mandibular kinematics and masticatory muscles activity. A pilot study in healthy volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Marini, Ida; Alessandri Bonetti, Giulio; Bortolotti, Francesco; Bartolucci, Maria Lavinia; Gatto, Maria Rosaria; Michelotti, Ambra

2015-06-01

It has been hypothesized that different plantar sensory inputs could influence the whole body posture and dental occlusion but there is a lack of evidence on this possible association. To investigate the effects of experimental insoles redistributing plantar pressure on body posture, mandibular kinematics and electromyographic (EMG) activity of masticatory muscles on healthy subjects. A pilot study was conducted on 19 healthy volunteers that wore custom-made insoles normalizing the plantar pressure distribution for 2 weeks. Body posture parameters were measured by means of an optoelectronic stereophotogrammetric analysis; mandibular kinematics was analyzed by means of gothic arch tracings; superficial EMG activity of head and neck muscles was performed. Measurements were carried out 10 days before the insertion of the insoles, immediately before the insertion, the day after, 7 and 14 days after, in four different exteroceptive conditions. The outcomes of the present study show that insoles do not modify significantly over time the parameters of body posture, SEMG activity of head and neck muscles and mandibular kinematics. In this pilot study the experimental insoles did not significantly influence the body posture, the mandibular kinematics and the activity of masticatory muscles during a 14-day follow up period. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuromechanical tuning of nonlinear postural control dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Ting, Lena H.; van Antwerp, Keith W.; Scrivens, Jevin E.; McKay, J. Lucas; Welch, Torrence D. J.; Bingham, Jeffrey T.; DeWeerth, Stephen P.

2009-06-01

Postural control may be an ideal physiological motor task for elucidating general questions about the organization, diversity, flexibility, and variability of biological motor behaviors using nonlinear dynamical analysis techniques. Rather than presenting "problems" to the nervous system, the redundancy of biological systems and variability in their behaviors may actually be exploited to allow for the flexible achievement of multiple and concurrent task-level goals associated with movement. Such variability may reflect the constant "tuning" of neuromechanical elements and their interactions for movement control. The problem faced by researchers is that there is no one-to-one mapping between the task goal and the coordination of the underlying elements. We review recent and ongoing research in postural control with the goal of identifying common mechanisms underlying variability in postural control, coordination of multiple postural strategies, and transitions between them. We present a delayed-feedback model used to characterize the variability observed in muscle coordination patterns during postural responses to perturbation. We emphasize the significance of delays in physiological postural systems, requiring the modulation and coordination of both the instantaneous, "passive" response to perturbations as well as the delayed, "active" responses to perturbations. The challenge for future research lies in understanding the mechanisms and principles underlying neuromechanical tuning of and transitions between the diversity of postural behaviors. Here we describe some of our recent and ongoing studies aimed at understanding variability in postural control using physical robotic systems, human experiments, dimensional analysis, and computational models that could be enhanced from a nonlinear dynamics approach.

Obesity impact on the attentional cost for controlling posture.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Baptiste Mignardot

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of obesity on attentional resources allocated to postural control in seating and unipedal standing.Ten non obese adults (BMI = 22.4±1.3, age = 42.4±15.1 and 10 obese adult patients (BMI = 35.2±2.8, age = 46.2±19.6 maintained postural stability on a force platform in two postural tasks (seated and unipedal. The two postural tasks were performed (1 alone and (2 in a dual-task paradigm in combination with an auditory reaction time task (RT. Performing the RT task together with the postural one was supposed to require some attentional resources that allowed estimating the attentional cost of postural control. 4 trials were performed in each condition for a total of 16 trials.(1 Whereas seated non obese and obese patients exhibited similar centre of foot pressure oscillations (CoP, in the unipedal stance only obese patients strongly increased their CoP sway in comparison to controls. (2 Whatever the postural task, the additional RT task did not affect postural stability. (3 Seated, RT did not differ between the two groups. (4 RT strongly increased between the two postural conditions in the obese patients only, suggesting that body schema and the use of internal models was altered with obesity.Obese patients needed more attentional resources to control postural stability during unipedal stance than non obese participants. This was not the case in a more simple posture such as seating. To reduce the risk of fall as indicated by the critical values of CoP displacement, obese patients must dedicate a strong large part of their attentional resources to postural control, to the detriment of non-postural events. Obese patients were not able to easily perform multitasking as healthy adults do, reflecting weakened psycho-motor abilities.

Obesity Impact on the Attentional Cost for Controlling Posture

Science.gov (United States)

Mignardot, Jean-Baptiste; Olivier, Isabelle; Promayon, Emmanuel; Nougier, Vincent

2010-01-01

Background This study investigated the effects of obesity on attentional resources allocated to postural control in seating and unipedal standing. Methods Ten non obese adults (BMI = 22.4±1.3, age = 42.4±15.1) and 10 obese adult patients (BMI = 35.2±2.8, age = 46.2±19.6) maintained postural stability on a force platform in two postural tasks (seated and unipedal). The two postural tasks were performed (1) alone and (2) in a dual-task paradigm in combination with an auditory reaction time task (RT). Performing the RT task together with the postural one was supposed to require some attentional resources that allowed estimating the attentional cost of postural control. 4 trials were performed in each condition for a total of 16 trials. Findings (1) Whereas seated non obese and obese patients exhibited similar centre of foot pressure oscillations (CoP), in the unipedal stance only obese patients strongly increased their CoP sway in comparison to controls. (2) Whatever the postural task, the additional RT task did not affect postural stability. (3) Seated, RT did not differ between the two groups. (4) RT strongly increased between the two postural conditions in the obese patients only, suggesting that body schema and the use of internal models was altered with obesity. Interpretation Obese patients needed more attentional resources to control postural stability during unipedal stance than non obese participants. This was not the case in a more simple posture such as seating. To reduce the risk of fall as indicated by the critical values of CoP displacement, obese patients must dedicate a strong large part of their attentional resources to postural control, to the detriment of non-postural events. Obese patients were not able to easily perform multitasking as healthy adults do, reflecting weakened psycho-motor abilities. PMID:21187914

Dual task interference on postural sway, postural transitions and gait in people with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Fortaleza, Ana Claudia; Mancini, Martina; Carlson-Kuhta, Patty; King, Laurie A; Nutt, John G; Chagas, Eliane Ferrari; Freitas, Ismael Forte; Horak, Fay B

2017-07-01

Freezing of gait (FoG) is associated with less automatic gait and more impaired cognition, balance and postural transitions compared to people with PD who do not have FoG. However, it is unknown whether dual-task cost during postural sway, postural transitions (such as gait initiation and turning), and gait are more in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have freezing of gait (FoG+) compared to those who do not have FoG (FoG-). Here, we hypothesized that the effects of a cognitive dual task on postural sway, postural transitions and gait would be larger in FoG+ than FoG-. Thirty FoG- and 24 FoG+ performed an Instrumented Stand and Walk test in OFF medication state, with and without a secondary cognitive task (serial subtraction by 3s). Measures of postural sway, gait initiation, turning, and walking were extracted using body-worn inertial sensors. FoG+ showed significantly larger dual task cost than FoG- for several gait metrics, but not during postural sway or postural transitions. During walking, FoG+ exhibited a larger dual task cost than FoG- resulting in shorter stride length and slower stride velocity. During standing, FoG+ showed a larger postural sway compared to FoG- and during gait initiation, FoG+, but not FoG-, showed a longer first step duration during the dual-task condition compared to single-task condition (interaction effect, p=0.04). During turning, both groups showed a slower turn peak speed in the dual-task condition compared to single task condition. These findings partly support our hypothesis that dual task cost on walking is greater in FoG+ than FoG-. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A flexed posture in elderly patients is associated with impairments in postural control during walking.

Science.gov (United States)

de Groot, Maartje H; van der Jagt-Willems, Hanna C; van Campen, Jos P C M; Lems, Willem F; Beijnen, Jos H; Lamoth, Claudine J C

2014-02-01

A flexed posture (FP) is characterized by protrusion of the head and an increased thoracic kyphosis (TK), which may be caused by osteoporotic vertebral fractures (VFs). These impairments may affect motor function, and consequently increase the risk of falling and fractures. The aim of the current study was therefore to examine postural control during walking in elderly patients with FP, and to investigate the relationship with geriatric phenomena that may cause FP, such as increased TK, VFs, frailty, polypharmacy and cognitive impairments. Fifty-six elderly patients (aged 80 ± 5.2 years; 70% female) walked 160 m at self-selected speed while trunk accelerations were recorded. Walking speed, mean stride time and coefficient of variation (CV) of stride time were recorded. In addition, postural control during walking was quantified by time-dependent variability measures derived from the theory of stochastic dynamics, indicating smoothness, degree of predictability, and local stability of trunk acceleration patterns. Twenty-five patients (45%) had FP and demonstrated a more variable and less structured gait pattern, and a more irregular trunk acceleration pattern than patients with normal posture. FP was significantly associated with an increased TK, but not with other geriatric phenomena. An increased TK may bring the body's centre of mass forward, which requires correcting responses, and reduces the ability to respond on perturbation, which was reflected by higher variation in the gait pattern in FP-patients. Impairments in postural control during walking are a major risk factor for falling: the results indicate that patients with FP have impaired postural control during walking and might therefore be at increased risk of falling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The dentist’s operating posture – ergonomic aspects

Science.gov (United States)

Pîrvu, C; Pătraşcu, I; Pîrvu, D; Ionescu, C

2014-01-01

Abstract The practice of dentistry involves laborious high finesse dental preparations, precision and control in executions that require a particular attention, concentration and patience of the dentist and finally the dentist’s physical and mental resistance. The optimal therapeutic approach and the success of practice involve special working conditions for the dentist and his team in an ergonomic environment. The meaning of the posture in ergonomics is the manner in which different parts of the body are located and thus the reports are established between them in order to allow a special task execution. This article discusses the posture adopted by dentists when they work, beginning with the balanced posture and going to different variants of posture. The ideal posture of a dentist gives him, on the one hand the optimal working conditions (access, visibility and control in the mouth) and on the other hand, physical and psychological comfort throughout the execution of the clinical acts. Although the theme of dentist posture is treated with great care and often presented in the undergraduate courses and the continuing education courses on ergonomics in dentistry, many dentists do not know the subject well enough nor the theoretical issues and therefore nor the practical applicability. The risk and perspective of the musculoskeletal disorders related to unbalanced postures should determine the dentists take postural corrective actions and compensation measures in order to limit the negative effects of working in a bad posture. PMID:25184007

USE OF SOFTWARES FOR POSTURE ASSESSMENT: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edyla Maria Porto de Freitas Camelo

2015-09-01

Full Text Available To carry out an integrative literature review on the postural analysis softwares available today. It is an integrative-narrative review of qualitative and methodological nature performed during April-July 2014. As inclusion criteria, the articles should be bibliographical or original research and available with full access. At first, we proceeded to the identification of the keywords for the softwares related to postural assessment commonly used in the health field, in such case "posture", "software", and "postural assessment". The search was narrowed by publication date from 2002 to 2014. Through the information acquired from the articles and from the software developers, information on 12 programs that assist the postural evaluation were obtained - Alcimage, All Body Scan 3D, Aplob, APPID, Biotonix, Corporis Pro, Fisimetrix, Fisiometer Posturograma, Physical Fisio, Physio Easy, Posture Print and SAPO. However, only one tool has more information and studies, namely SAPO. There are many postural analysis softwares available on the internet today, however, these are quite disparate in relation to possible answers and are still poorly widespread as research tools.

Effects of rapid maxillary expansion on head posture, postural stability, and fall risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatih Celebi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME on head posture, postural stability, and fall risk. Materials and Methods: A sample of 51 adolescent patients was randomly divided into two groups. In the first group, which consisted of 28 patients (15 females and 13 males, RME was performed as a part of routine orthodontic treatment. The remaining 23 individuals (12 females and 11 males served as the control group. Lateral cephalometric radiographs taken in natural head position, postural stability, and fall risk scores were obtained during the first visit. They were repeated on average 3.8 months and 3.5 months later for the study and control groups, respectively. The changes were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, paired samples t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and independent samples t-test. Results: As a result of RME, a statistically significant decrease was detected in the fall risk score (P < 0.05 in the study group, while the head position and postural stability remained unchanged. For the control group, no significant changes were observed in all measurements. Conclusions: The result of the present study suggests that RME has a capacity of improving fall risk.

Assessing Somatosensory Utilization during Unipedal Postural Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Goel, Rahul; De Dios, Yiri E; Gadd, Nichole E; Caldwell, Erin E; Peters, Brian T; Reschke, Millard F; Bloomberg, Jacob J; Oddsson, Lars I E; Mulavara, Ajitkumar P

2017-01-01

Multisensory-visual, vestibular and somatosensory information is integrated for appropriate postural control. The primary goal of this study was to assess somatosensory utilization during a functional motor task of unipedal postural control, in normal healthy adults. Assessing individual bias in the utilization of individual sensory contributions during postural control may help customization of rehabilitation protocols. In this study, a test paradigm of unipedal stance control in supine orientation with and without vision was assessed. Postural control in this test paradigm was hypothesized to utilize predominantly contributions of somatosensory information from the feet and ankle joint, with minimal vestibular input. Fourteen healthy subjects "stood" supine on their dominant leg while strapped to a backpack frame that was freely moving on air-bearings, to remove available otolith tilt cues with respect to gravity that influences postural control when standing upright. The backpack was attached through a cable to a pneumatic cylinder that provided a gravity-like load. Subjects performed three trials each with Eyes-open (EO) and Eyes-closed (EC) while loaded with 60% body weight. There was no difference in unipedal stance time (UST) across the two conditions with EC condition challenging the postural control system greater than the EO condition. Stabilogram-diffusion analysis (SDA) indicated that the critical mean square displacement was significantly different between the two conditions. Vestibular cues, both in terms of magnitude and the duration for which relevant information was available for postural control in this test paradigm, were minimized. These results support our hypothesis that maintaining unipedal stance in supine orientation without vision, minimizes vestibular contribution and thus predominantly utilizes somatosensory information for postural control.

[Head posture in orthodontics: physiopathology and clinical aspects 2].

Science.gov (United States)

Caltabiano, M; Verzi, P; Scire Scappuzzo, G

1989-01-01

The Authors review in orthodontic respects present knowledges about head posture involvement in craniofacial morphogenesis and pathology. Relationships between craniofacial morphology, craniocervical posture, craniomandibular posture, cervical spine curvature, hyoid bone position and posture of whole body in space are shown, in attempt to explain conditions such as "forward head posture", mouth breathing and some occlusal disorders. Main methods to evaluate craniocervical relations on lateral skull radiographs are analysed. Pathogenesis of pain syndromes associated with abnormal craniocervical and craniomandibular mechanics are also briefly treated.

Relationship between craniomandibular disorders and poor posture.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolakis, P; Nicolakis, M; Piehslinger, E; Ebenbichler, G; Vachuda, M; Kirtley, C; Fialka-Moser, V

2000-04-01

The purpose of this research was to show that a relationship between craniomandibular disorders (CMD) and postural abnormalities has been repeatedly postulated, but still remains unproven. This study was intended to test this hypothesis. Twenty-five CMD patients (mean age 28.2 years) were compared with 25 gender and age matched controls (mean age 28.3 years) in a controlled, investigator-blinded trial. Twelve postural and ten muscle function parameters were examined. Measurements were separated into three subgroups, consisting of those variables associated with the cervical region, the trunk in the frontal plane, and the trunk in the sagittal plane. Within these subgroups, there was significantly more dysfunction in the patients, compared to control subjects (Mann-Whitney U test p Postural and muscle function abnormalities appeared to be more common in the CMD group. Since there is evidence of the mutual influence of posture and the craniomandibular system, control of body posture in CMD patients is recommended, especially if they do not respond to splint therapy. Whether poor posture is the reason or the result of CMD cannot be distinguished by the data presented here.

Comparing electromagnetic stimulation with electrostimulation plus biofeedback in treating male refractory chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Hsin Yang

2017-09-01

Conclusion: Both EMS and ESB physical therapy of the pelvic floor muscle effectively reduce pain, increase the QoL, and improve urinary tract symptoms in male CPPS patients who are refractory to medical treatments. The combination therapy of ES plus biofeedback demonstrates additional benefits in pain and QoL when compared with EMS alone.

Developing wearable bio-feedback systems: a general-purpose platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Luigi; Babiloni, Fabio; Cincotti, Febo; Arrivas, Marco; Bollero, Patrizio; Marciani, Maria Grazia

2003-06-01

Microprocessors, even those in PocketPCs, have adequate power for many real-time biofeedback applications for disabled people. This power allows design of portable or wearable devices that are smaller and lighter, and that have longer battery life compared to notebook-based systems. In this paper, we discuss a general-purpose hardware/software solution based on industrial or consumer devices and a C++ framework. Its flexibility and modularity make it adaptable to a wide range of situations. Moreover, its design minimizes system requirements and programming effort, thus allowing efficient systems to be built quickly and easily. Our design has been used to build two brain computer interface systems that were easily ported from the Win32 platform.

The reliability and validity of the Saliba Postural Classification System.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Cristiana Kahl; Johnson, Vicky Saliba; Godwin, Ellen M; Pappas, Evangelos

2016-07-01

To determine the reliability and validity of the Saliba Postural Classification System (SPCS). Two physical therapists classified pictures of 100 volunteer participants standing in their habitual posture for inter and intra-tester reliability. For validity, 54 participants stood on a force plate in a habitual and a corrected posture, while a vertical force was applied through the shoulders until the clinician felt a postural give. Data were extracted at the time the give was felt and at a time in the corrected posture that matched the peak vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) in the habitual posture. Inter-tester reliability demonstrated 75% agreement with a Kappa = 0.64 (95% CI = 0.524-0.756, SE = 0.059). Intra-tester reliability demonstrated 87% agreement with a Kappa = 0.8, (95% CI = 0.702-0.898, SE = 0.05) and 80% agreement with a Kappa = 0.706, (95% CI = 0.594-0818, SE = 0.057). The examiner applied a significantly higher (p < 0.001) peak vertical force in the corrected posture prior to a postural give when compared to the habitual posture. Within the corrected posture, the %VGRF was higher when the test was ongoing vs. when a postural give was felt (p < 0.001). The %VGRF was not different between the two postures when comparing the peaks (p = 0.214). The SPCS has substantial agreement for inter- and intra-tester reliability and is largely a valid postural classification system as determined by the larger vertical forces in the corrected postures. Further studies on the correlation between the SPCS and diagnostic classifications are indicated.

Efficacy of Biofeedback Therapy in the Treatment of Dyssynergic Defecation in Community-Dwelling Elderly Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Simón, Miguel A; Bueno, Ana M

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback therapy in the treatment of dyssynergic defecation in chronically constipated community-dwelling elderly women. After an initial assessment phase carried out during 1 month, 20 chronically constipated women with dyssynergic defecation were randomly assigned to either electromyographic biofeedback (EMG-BF) group (n=10) or control group (n=10). Outcome measures used to evaluate the efficacy of treatment were weekly stool frequency, sensation of incomplete evacuation, difficulty evacuation level, mean EMG-activity (μV) of the external anal sphincter during straining to defecate and Anismus index. The results obtained in this randomized controlled trial showed significant differences between the groups in all the dependent variables after 1 month of treatment. Moreover, there was no difference between the groups neither in age nor in the duration of chronic constipation symptoms. At the follow-up, 3 months later, clinical gains were maintained. This study demonstrates that the EMG-BF is an effective behavioral therapy for the treatment of dyssynergic defecation in community-dwelling elderly women.

Changes in postural control in patients with Parkinson's disease: a posturographic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Doná, F; Aquino, C C; Gazzola, J M; Borges, V; Silva, S M C A; Ganança, F F; Caovilla, H H; Ferraz, H B

2016-09-01

Postural instability is one of the most disabling features in Parkinson's disease (PD), and often leads to falls that reduce mobility and functional capacity. The objectives of this study were to analyse the limit of stability (LOS) and influence of the manipulation of visual, somatosensorial and visual-vestibular information on postural control in patients with PD and healthy subjects. Cross-sectional. Movement Disorders Unit, university setting. Eighty-two subjects aged between 37 and 83 years: 41 with Parkinson's disease in the 'on' state and 41 healthy subjects with no neurological disorders. Both groups were matched in terms of sex and age. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)-motor score, modified Hoehn and Yahr staging, Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) and posturography with integrated virtual reality. The parameters analysed by posturography were LOS area, area of body centre of pressure excursion and balance functional reserve in the standing position in 10 conditions (open and closed eyes, unstable surface with eyes closed, saccadic and optokinetic stimuli, and visual-vestibular interaction). The mean UPDRS motor score and DGI score were 27 [standard deviation (SD) 14] and 21 (SD 3), respectively. Thirteen participants scored between 0 and 19 points, indicating major risk of falls. Posturographic assessment showed that patients with PD had significantly lower LOS area and balance functional reserve values, and greater body sway area in all posturographic conditions compared with healthy subjects. Patients with PD have reduced LOS area and greater postural sway compared with healthy subjects. The deterioration in postural control was significantly associated with major risk of falls. Copyright © 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incidence of vertical phoria on postural control during binocular vision: what perspective for prevention to nonspecific chronic pain management?

Science.gov (United States)

Matheron, Eric; Kapoula, Zoï

2015-01-01

Vertical heterophoria (VH) is the latent vertical misalignment of the eyes when the retinal images are dissociated, vertical orthophoria (VO) when there is no misalignment. Studies on postural control, during binocular vision in upright stance, reported that healthy subjects with small VH vs. VO are less stable, but the experimental cancellation of VH with an appropriate prism improves postural stability. The same behavior was recorded in nonspecific chronic back pain subjects, all with VH. It was hypothesized that, without refraction problems, VH indicates a perturbation of the somaesthetic cues required in the sensorimotor loops involved in postural control and the capacity of the CNS to optimally integrate these cues, suggesting prevention possibilities. Sensorimotor conflict can induce pain and modify sensory perception in some healthy subjects; some nonspecific pain or chronic pain could result from such prolonged conflict in which VH could be a sign, with new theoretical and clinical implications.

Neural activity based biofeedback therapy for Autism spectrum disorder through wearable wireless textile EEG monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Sahi, Ahna; Rai, Pratyush; Oh, Sechang; Ramasamy, Mouli; Harbaugh, Robert E.; Varadan, Vijay K.

2014-04-01

Mu waves, also known as mu rhythms, comb or wicket rhythms are synchronized patterns of electrical activity involving large numbers of neurons, in the part of the brain that controls voluntary functions. Controlling, manipulating, or gaining greater awareness of these functions can be done through the process of Biofeedback. Biofeedback is a process that enables an individual to learn how to change voluntary movements for purposes of improving health and performance through the means of instruments such as EEG which rapidly and accurately 'feedback' information to the user. Biofeedback is used for therapeutic purpose for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by focusing on Mu waves for detecting anomalies in brain wave patterns of mirror neurons. Conventional EEG measurement systems use gel based gold cup electrodes, attached to the scalp with adhesive. It is obtrusive and wires sticking out of the electrodes to signal acquisition system make them impractical for use in sensitive subjects like infants and children with ASD. To remedy this, sensors can be incorporated with skull cap and baseball cap that are commonly used for infants and children. Feasibility of Textile based Sensor system has been investigated here. Textile based multi-electrode EEG, EOG and EMG monitoring system with embedded electronics for data acquisition and wireless transmission has been seamlessly integrated into fabric of these items for continuous detection of Mu waves. Textile electrodes were placed on positions C3, CZ, C4 according to 10-20 international system and their capability to detect Mu waves was tested. The system is ergonomic and can potentially be used for early diagnosis in infants and planning therapy for ASD patients.

Task-related and person-related variables influence the effect of low back pain on anticipatory postural adjustments.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Jesse V; Lyman, Courtney A; Hitt, Juvena R; Henry, Sharon M

2017-08-01

People with low back pain exhibit altered postural coordination that has been suggested as a target for treatment, but heterogeneous presentation has rendered it difficult to identify appropriate candidates and protocols for such treatments. This study evaluated the associations of task-related and person-related factors with the effect of low back pain on anticipatory postural adjustments. Thirteen subjects with and 13 without low back pain performed seated, rapid arm flexion in self-initiated and cued conditions. Mixed-model ANOVA were used to evaluate group and condition effects on APA onset latencies of trunk muscles, arm-raise velocity, and pre-movement cortical potentials. These measures were evaluated for correlation with pain ratings, Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire scores, and Modified Oswestry Questionnaire scores. Delayed postural adjustments of subjects with low back pain were greater in the cued condition than in the self-initiated condition. The group with low back pain exhibited larger-amplitude cortical potentials than the group without pain, but also significantly slower arm-raise velocities. With arm-raise velocity as a covariate, the effect of low back pain remained significant for the latencies of postural adjustments but not for cortical potentials. Latencies of the postural adjustments significantly correlated with Oswestry and Fear Avoidance Beliefs scores. Delayed postural adjustments with low back pain appear to be influenced by cueing of movement, pain-related disability and fear of activity. These results highlight the importance of subject characteristics, task condition, and task performance when comparing across studies or when developing treatment of people with low back pain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Postural ortostatisk takykardi-syndrom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brinth, Louise; Pors, Kirsten; Mehlsen, Jesper

2015-01-01

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a heterogeneous condition of dysautonomia and suspected autoimmunity characterized by abnormal increments in heart rate upon assumption of the upright posture accompanied by symptoms of cerebral hypoperfusion and sympathoexcitation. An increase...... in heart rate equal to or greater than 30 bpm or to levels higher than 120 bpm during a head-up tilt test is the main diagnostic criterion. Management includes both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment focusing on stress management, volume expansion and heart rate control....

Assessing Somatosensory Utilization during Unipedal Postural Control

OpenAIRE

Goel, Rahul; De Dios, Yiri E.; Gadd, Nichole E.; Caldwell, Erin E.; Peters, Brian T.; Reschke, Millard F.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.; Oddsson, Lars I. E.; Mulavara, Ajitkumar P.

2017-01-01

Multisensory—visual, vestibular and somatosensory information is integrated for appropriate postural control. The primary goal of this study was to assess somatosensory utilization during a functional motor task of unipedal postural control, in normal healthy adults. Assessing individual bias in the utilization of individual sensory contributions during postural control may help customization of rehabilitation protocols. In this study, a test paradigm of unipedal stance control in supine orie...

The Influence of Running on Foot Posture and In-Shoe Plantar Pressures.

Science.gov (United States)

Bravo-Aguilar, María; Gijón-Noguerón, Gabriel; Luque-Suarez, Alejandro; Abian-Vicen, Javier

2016-03-01

Running can be considered a high-impact practice, and most people practicing continuous running experience lower-limb injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of 45 min of running on foot posture and plantar pressures. The sample comprised 116 healthy adults (92 men and 24 women) with no foot-related injuries. The mean ± SD age of the participants was 28.31 ± 6.01 years; body mass index, 23.45 ± 1.96; and training time, 11.02 ± 4.22 h/wk. Outcome measures were collected before and after 45 min of running at an average speed of 12 km/h, and included the Foot Posture Index (FPI) and a baropodometric analysis. The results show that foot posture can be modified after 45 min of running. The mean ± SD FPI changed from 6.15 ± 2.61 to 4.86 ± 2.65 (P running. Peak plantar pressures in the forefoot decreased after running. The pressure-time integral decreased during the heel strike phase in the internal edge of the foot. In addition, a decrease was found in the pressure-time integral during the heel-off phase in the internal and rearfoot edges. The findings suggest that after 45 min of running, a pronated foot tends to change into a more neutral position, and decreased plantar pressures were found after the run.

Postural Control in Children: Implications for Pediatric Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Westcott, Sarah L.; Burtner, Patricia

2004-01-01

Based on a systems theory of motor control, reactive postural control (RPA) and anticipatory postural control (APA) in children are reviewed from several perspectives in order to develop an evidence-based intervention strategy for improving postural control in children with limitations in motor function. Research on development of postural…