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Sample records for soreness index isometric

  1. Isometric deformations of planar quadrilaterals with constant index

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaputryaeva, E S

    2014-01-01

    We consider isometric deformations (motions) of polygons (so-called carpenter's rule problem) in the case of self-intersecting polygons with the additional condition that the index of the polygon is preserved by the motion. We provide general information about isometric deformations of planar polygons and give a complete solution of the carpenter's problem for quadrilaterals. Bibliography: 17 titles

  2. Muscle fascicle behavior during eccentric cycling and its relation to muscle soreness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peñailillo, Luis; Blazevich, Anthony J; Nosaka, Kazunori

    2015-04-01

    A single bout of eccentric exercise confers a protective effect against muscle damage and soreness in subsequent eccentric exercise bouts, but the mechanisms underpinning this effect are unclear. This study compared vastus lateralis (VL) muscle-tendon behavior between two eccentric cycling bouts to test the hypothesis that muscle-tendon behavior would be different between bouts and would be associated with the protective effect. Eleven untrained men (27.1 ± 7.0 yr) performed two bouts of eccentric cycling (ECC1 and ECC2) separated by 2 wk for 10 min at 65% of maximal concentric workload (191.9 ± 44.2 W) each. Muscle soreness (by visual analog scale) and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) torque of the knee extensors were assessed before and 1-2 d after exercise. Using ultrasonography, VL fascicle length and angle changes during cycling were assessed, and tendinous tissue (TT) length changes were estimated. VL EMG amplitude, crank torque, and knee joint angles were measured during cycling. Soreness was greater (P tendon behavior may be an important mechanism underpinning the protective effect.

  3. Comparison in muscle damage between maximal voluntary and electrically evoked isometric contractions of the elbow flexors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jubeau, Marc; Muthalib, Makii; Millet, Guillaume Y; Maffiuletti, Nicola A; Nosaka, Kazunori

    2012-02-01

    This study compared between maximal voluntary (VOL) and electrically stimulated (ES) isometric contractions of the elbow flexors for changes in indirect markers of muscle damage to investigate whether ES would induce greater muscle damage than VOL. Twelve non-resistance-trained men (23-39 years) performed VOL with one arm and ES with the contralateral arm separated by 2 weeks in a randomised, counterbalanced order. Both VOL and ES (frequency 75 Hz, pulse duration 250 μs, maximally tolerated intensity) exercises consisted of 50 maximal isometric contractions (4-s on, 15-s off) of the elbow flexors at a long muscle length (160°). Changes in maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque (MVC), range of motion, muscle soreness, pressure pain threshold and serum creatine kinase (CK) activity were measured before, immediately after and 1, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h following exercise. The average peak torque over the 50 isometric contractions was greater (P < 0.05) for VOL (32.9 ± 9.8 N m) than ES (16.9 ± 6.3 N m). MVC decreased greater and recovered slower (P < 0.05) after ES (15% lower than baseline at 96 h) than VOL (full recovery). Serum CK activity increased (P < 0.05) only after ES, and the muscles became more sore and tender after ES than VOL (P < 0.05). These results showed that ES induced greater muscle damage than VOL despite the lower torque output during ES. It seems likely that higher mechanical stress imposed on the activated muscle fibres, due to the specificity of motor unit recruitment in ES, resulted in greater muscle damage.

  4. Mouth sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... To help cold sores or fever blisters, you can also apply ice to the sore. You may reduce your chance of getting common mouth sores by: Avoiding very hot foods or beverages Reducing stress and practicing relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation ...

  5. Effect of hydrotherapy on the signs and symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaile, Joanna; Halson, Shona; Gill, Nicholas; Dawson, Brian

    2008-03-01

    This study independently examined the effects of three hydrotherapy interventions on the physiological and functional symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Strength trained males (n = 38) completed two experimental trials separated by 8 months in a randomised crossover design; one trial involved passive recovery (PAS, control), the other a specific hydrotherapy protocol for 72 h post-exercise; either: (1) cold water immersion (CWI: n = 12), (2) hot water immersion (HWI: n = 11) or (3) contrast water therapy (CWT: n = 15). For each trial, subjects performed a DOMS-inducing leg press protocol followed by PAS or one of the hydrotherapy interventions for 14 min. Weighted squat jump, isometric squat, perceived pain, thigh girths and blood variables were measured prior to, immediately after, and at 24, 48 and 72 h post-exercise. Squat jump performance and isometric force recovery were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) at 24, 48 and 72 h post-exercise following CWT and at 48 and 72 h post-exercise following CWI when compared to PAS. Isometric force recovery was also greater (P < 0.05) at 24, 48, and 72 h post-exercise following HWI when compared to PAS. Perceived pain improved (P < 0.01) following CWT at 24, 48 and 72 h post-exercise. Overall, CWI and CWT were found to be effective in reducing the physiological and functional deficits associated with DOMS, including improved recovery of isometric force and dynamic power and a reduction in localised oedema. While HWI was effective in the recovery of isometric force, it was ineffective for recovery of all other markers compared to PAS.

  6. Cryotherapy, Sensation, and Isometric-Force Variability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denegar, Craig R.; Buckley, William E.; Newell, Karl M.

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To determine the changes in sensation of pressure, 2-point discrimination, and submaximal isometric-force production variability due to cryotherapy. Design and Setting: Sensation was assessed using a 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 repeated-measures factorial design, with treatment (ice immersion or control), limb (right or left), digit (finger or thumb), and sensation test time (baseline, posttreatment, or postisometric-force trials) as independent variables. Dependent variables were changes in sensation of pressure and 2-point discrimination. Isometric-force variability was tested with a 2 × 2 × 3 repeated-measures factorial design. Treatment condition (ice immersion or control), limb (right or left), and percentage (10, 25, or 40) of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) were the independent variables. The dependent variables were the precision or variability (the standard deviation of mean isometric force) and the accuracy or targeting error (the root mean square error) of the isometric force for each percentage of MVIC. Subjects: Fifteen volunteer college students (8 men, 7 women; age = 22 ± 3 years; mass = 72 ± 21.9 kg; height = 183.4 ± 11.6 cm). Measurements: We measured sensation in the distal palmar aspect of the index finger and thumb. Sensation of pressure and 2-point discrimination were measured before treatment (baseline), after treatment (15 minutes of ice immersion or control), and at the completion of isometric testing (final). Variability (standard deviation of mean isometric force) of the submaximal isometric finger forces was measured by having the subjects exert a pinching force with the thumb and index finger for 30 seconds. Subjects performed the pinching task at the 3 submaximal levels of MVIC (10%, 25%, and 40%), with the order of trials assigned randomly. The subjects were given a target representing the submaximal percentage of MVIC and visual feedback of the force produced as they pinched the testing device. The force exerted

  7. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... play_arrow What is "sepsis," and why is it dangerous? play_arrow How common are pressure sores ... likely to develop pressure sores? play_arrow Is it true that a pressure sore can develop in ...

  8. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... of a pressure sore required? play_arrow How long is the typical healing time for a pressure ... arrow Why do some pressure sores take so long to heal? play_arrow Can a pressure sore ...

  9. [Pressure sores in geriatric medicine: the role of nutrition].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fontaine, Juliette; Raynaud-Simon, Agathe

    2008-01-01

    Malnutrition is frequent in geriatric patients: it affects 30 to 60% of elderly residents of institutions and 30 to 70% of patients admitted for short-term hospitalization. Malnutrition is a risk factor for developing pressure sores, and patients with them are more often and more severely malnourished than patients without them. In elderly subjects, multiple and interlinked factors may trigger or aggravate malnutrition; they may be physical, psychological or social and may be worsened by drugs and some diets. Malnutrition has been recognized as a risk factor for the onset and perpetuation of pressure sores. Of the dietary factors, protein intake seems most important. A low body mass index (BMI), low serum albumin, and weight loss are associated with an increased risk of pressure sores. A physician observing pressure sores must conduct a nutritional assessment, using clinical and laboratory screening tools. The criteria for malnutrition in elderly subjects are weight loss > or =5% in 3 months or > or =10% in 6 months, BMIpressure sores in geriatric medicine. It must be adapted for each patient. The recommended calorie intake in malnourished patients at risk of or with pressure sores is 30-40 kcal/kg/d, with 1.2-1.5 g of proteins/kg/d.

  10. Canker sore

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... under one third inch or 1 centimeter across) Gray color as healing starts Less common symptoms include: ... Aphthous ulcer; Ulcer - aphthous Images Canker sore Mouth anatomy Canker sore (aphthous ulcer) Fever blister References Bope ...

  11. Pressure Sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pressure sores are areas of damaged skin caused by staying in one position for too long. They commonly ... wheelchair, or are unable to change your position. Pressure sores can cause serious infections, some of which are ...

  12. Genital sores - male

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sores - male genitals; Ulcers - male genitals ... A common cause of male genital sores are infections that are spread through sexual contact, such as: Genital herpes (small, painful blisters filled with clear ...

  13. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Injury Medical Expert Videos Topics menu Topics Preventing Pressure Sores Adult Injuries Spinal Cord Injury 101 David Chen, MD Preventing Pressure Sores Mary Zeigler, MS Transition from Hospital to Home ...

  14. Pharyngitis - sore throat

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... A streptococcus. Less commonly, bacterial diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause sore throat. Most cases ... physical exam alone. A culture for chlamydia or gonorrhea is positive. Sore throat caused by the flu ( ...

  15. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to know about pressure sores? play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to do to prevent pressure sores? play_arrow ...

  16. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... increased? play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to know about pressure sores? play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to do to prevent pressure sores? play_ ...

  17. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and how can it be increased? play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to know about pressure sores? play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to do to prevent pressure sores? play_ ...

  18. Risk factors for pressure sores in adult patients with myelomeningocele--a questionnaire-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plaum, Pål-Erik; Riemer, Gunnar; Frøslie, Kathrine Frey

    2006-12-29

    Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a part of a complex neural tube defect and a disorder of the cerebrospinal fluid system. Pressure sores are a frequent complication for patients with MMC. Little is known about the risk factors for pressure sores in adults with MMC. The aim of this study was to investigate an association between the presence of pressure sores and other patient characteristics, in order to develop an improved strategy for the management of sores. A structured questionnaire regarding sores, medical condition, function and living factors was designed and sent to the 193 patients with MMC registered in the year 2003 at TRS, a National Centre for Rare Disorders in Norway. Out of 193 total, 87 patients participated and 71 patients (82%) reported sores; 26 (30%) at the time of the interview and 45 (52%) during the last 5 years. Sores were mostly localized on toes and feet and occurred exclusively in regions with reduced or missing sensibility. A significant association was found between sores and memory deficit (p = 0.02), Arnold Chiari malformation (p = 0.02) and a record of previous sores (p = 0.004). Sores were not significantly associated with hydrocephalus, syringomyelia, nutrition, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, employment or living together with other persons. Some patients (18, 21%) reported skin inspection by others and the remainder relied on self-inspection. Patients with sensory deficit, memory problems, and Arnold Chiari malformation had a higher risk of having pressure sores. This patient group needs improved skin inspection routines and sore treatment.

  19. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Counseling Blog About Media Donate Spinal Cord Injury Medical Expert Videos Topics menu Topics Preventing Pressure Sores ... sores? What is a Spinal Cord Injury? SCI Medical Experts People Living With SCI Personal Experiences By ...

  20. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... cord injuries? play_arrow Why are pressure sores so serious? play_arrow What is "sepsis," and why ... pressure sores? play_arrow Why is pressure relief so important when sitting in a wheelchair? play_arrow ...

  1. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... especially prone to pressure sores? play_arrow What parts of the body are most likely to develop ... play_arrow How long is the typical healing time for a pressure sore? play_arrow Why do ...

  2. Evidence-based medicine: pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cushing, Carolyn A; Phillips, Linda G

    2013-12-01

    After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Cite risk factors for pressure sore development. 2. Detail the pathophysiology of pressure sores. 3. List the types and classification of pressure sores. 4. Consider the various nonsurgical conservative wound management strategies. 5. Describe the appropriate surgical interventions for each pressure sore type. 6. Understand the causes of recurrent pressure sores and methods of avoiding recurrence. Pressure sores are the result of unrelieved pressure, usually over a bony prominence. With an estimated 2.5 million pressure ulcers treated annually in the United States at a cost of $11 billion, pressure sores represent a costly and labor-intensive challenge to the health care system. A comprehensive team approach can address both prevention and treatment of these recalcitrant wounds. Consideration must be given to the patient's medical and socioeconomic condition, as these factors are significantly related to outcomes. Mechanical prophylaxis, nutritional optimization, treatment of underlying infection, and spasm control are essential in management. A variety of pressure sore patterns exist, with surgical approaches directed to maximize future coverage options. A comprehensive approach is detailed in this article to provide the reader with the range of treatment options available.

  3. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... and how can it be increased? play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to know about pressure sores? play_arrow What do family members and caregivers need to do to prevent pressure sores? play_ ...

  4. Taking Care of Pressure Sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Tract Infections: Indwelling (Foley) Catheter Taking Care of Pressure Sores [Download this pamphlet: "Taking Care of Pressure Sores" - ( ... may not show up right away. Stages of pressure sores and how to care for them: STAGE ONE ...

  5. Correlation between maximum isometric strength variables and specific performance of Brazilian military judokas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michel Moraes Gonçalves

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available It was our objective to correlate specific performance in the Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT and the maximum isometric handgrip (HGSMax, scapular traction (STSMax and lumbar traction (LTSMax strength tests in military judo athletes. Twenty-two military athletes from the judo team of the Brazilian Navy Almirante Alexandrino Instruction Centre, with average age of 26.14 ± 3.31 years old, and average body mass of 83.23 ± 14.14 kg participated in the study. Electronic dynamometry tests for HGSMax, STSMax and LTSMax were conducted. Then, after approximately 1 hour-interval, the SJFT protocol was applied. All variables were adjusted to the body mass of the athletes. Pearson correlation coefficient for statistical analysis was used. The results showed moderate negative correlation between the SJFT index and STSMax (r= -0.550, p= 0.008, strong negative correlations between the SJFT index and HGSMax (r= -0.706, p< 0.001, SJFT index and LTSMax (r= -0.721; p= 0.001, besides the correlation between the sum of the three maximum isometric strength tests and the SJFT index (r= -0.786, p< 0.001. This study concludes that negative correlations occur between the SJFT index and maximum isometric handgrip, shoulder and lumbar traction strength and the sum of the three maximum isometric strength tests in military judokas.

  6. Risk factors for pressure sores in adult patients with myelomeningocele – a questionnaire-based study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frøslie Kathrine

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Myelomeningocele (MMC is a part of a complex neural tube defect and a disorder of the cerebrospinal fluid system. Pressure sores are a frequent complication for patients with MMC. Little is known about the risk factors for pressure sores in adults with MMC. The aim of this study was to investigate an association between the presence of pressure sores and other patient characteristics, in order to develop an improved strategy for the management of sores. Methods A structured questionnaire regarding sores, medical condition, function and living factors was designed and sent to the 193 patients with MMC registered in the year 2003 at TRS, a National Centre for Rare Disorders in Norway. Results Out of 193 total, 87 patients participated and 71 patients (82% reported sores; 26 (30% at the time of the interview and 45 (52% during the last 5 years. Sores were mostly localized on toes and feet and occurred exclusively in regions with reduced or missing sensibility. A significant association was found between sores and memory deficit (p = 0.02, Arnold Chiari malformation (p = 0.02 and a record of previous sores (p = 0.004. Sores were not significantly associated with hydrocephalus, syringomyelia, nutrition, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, employment or living together with other persons. Some patients (18, 21% reported skin inspection by others and the remainder relied on self-inspection. Conclusion Patients with sensory deficit, memory problems, and Arnold Chiari malformation had a higher risk of having pressure sores. This patient group needs improved skin inspection routines and sore treatment.

  7. Risk factors for pressure sores in adult patients with myelomeningocele – a questionnaire-based study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plaum, Pål-Erik; Riemer, Gunnar; Frøslie, Kathrine Frey

    2006-01-01

    Background Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a part of a complex neural tube defect and a disorder of the cerebrospinal fluid system. Pressure sores are a frequent complication for patients with MMC. Little is known about the risk factors for pressure sores in adults with MMC. The aim of this study was to investigate an association between the presence of pressure sores and other patient characteristics, in order to develop an improved strategy for the management of sores. Methods A structured questionnaire regarding sores, medical condition, function and living factors was designed and sent to the 193 patients with MMC registered in the year 2003 at TRS, a National Centre for Rare Disorders in Norway. Results Out of 193 total, 87 patients participated and 71 patients (82%) reported sores; 26 (30%) at the time of the interview and 45 (52%) during the last 5 years. Sores were mostly localized on toes and feet and occurred exclusively in regions with reduced or missing sensibility. A significant association was found between sores and memory deficit (p = 0.02), Arnold Chiari malformation (p = 0.02) and a record of previous sores (p = 0.004). Sores were not significantly associated with hydrocephalus, syringomyelia, nutrition, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, employment or living together with other persons. Some patients (18, 21%) reported skin inspection by others and the remainder relied on self-inspection. Conclusion Patients with sensory deficit, memory problems, and Arnold Chiari malformation had a higher risk of having pressure sores. This patient group needs improved skin inspection routines and sore treatment. PMID:17196099

  8. Pressure sores and hip fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haleem, S; Heinert, G; Parker, M J

    2008-02-01

    Development of pressure sores during hospital admission causes morbidity and distress to the patient, increases strain on nursing resources, delaying discharge and possibly increasing mortality. A hip fracture in elderly patients is a known high-risk factor for development of pressure sores. We aimed to determine the current incidence of pressure sores and identify those factors which were associated with an increased risk of pressure sores. We retrospectively analysed prospectively collected data of 4654 consecutive patients admitted to a single unit. One hundred and seventy-eight (3.8%) of our patients developed pressure sores. Patient factors that increased the risk of pressure sores were increased age, diabetes mellitus, a lower mental test score, a lower mobility score, a higher ASA score, lower admission haemoglobin and an intra-operative drop in blood pressure. The risk was higher in patients with an extracapsular neck of femur fracture and patients with an increased time interval between admission to hospital and surgery. Our studies indicate that while co-morbidities constitute a substantial risk in an elderly population, the increase in incidence of pressure sores can be reduced by minimising delays to surgery.

  9. [Pressure sores unit--a one year study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaul, E

    2001-10-01

    The phenomenon of pressure sores in the elderly patient often requires an alternative management policy to that of the standard treatment. In general, the therapeutic approach to pressure sores in the elderly should be different to that in younger patients. This modification is due to the accompanying comorbidity so often associated with aging. Due to accompanying illnesses, the aging population is at high risk and more predisposed to the development of pressure sores. The importance of the establishment of a unit for pressure sores arises from the specific geriatric team approach to the patient and the need to focus carefully on the pressure sores. The management of this special Pressure Sores Unit with a permanent capable staff requires skilled treatment, both localized and systemic, since pressure sores are very often a result of systemic failure or an indication of a terminal condition in the elderly patient. Over six months we followed-up on the number and location of the pressure sores in 47 patients in addition to other functional and nutritional parameters, in order to investigate any connection between the pressure sores and nutritional parameters. The results of the study indicate that the nutritional state of the patients admitted for pressure sores was very poor. Two thirds of the patients suffered from either dementia or stroke, and 90 percent were bedridden, incontinent and enterally fed. Despite the poor general condition of the patient, the study shows improvement in the pressure sores with a reduction from an average of 2.8 to 1.8 pressure sores per patient. The improvement in the pressure sore located on the legs was three times greater than those located in the pelvic area. By the end of the study, 50% of the patients had died, 33% of the original patients who were still in the unit showed improvement in the pressure sores and 15% were discharged showing complete recovery from the sores. No significant correlation was found between changes in the

  10. How to care for pressure sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... ency/patientinstructions/000740.htm How to care for pressure sores To use the sharing features on this page, ... Shoulders Back Back of head Caring for a Pressure Sore Stage I or II sores will heal if ...

  11. [Sacral pressure sores and their treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bielecki, Marek; Skowroński, Rafał; Skowroński, Jan

    2006-01-01

    Sacral bed sores still present a serious problem in most surgery departments. They occur mainly in elderly patients of limited mobility. The treatment of such sores extends over long periods of time and therefore involves considerable costs. The material consisted of 11 sacral pressure ulcers treated surgically. The sores occurred in 4 severely disabled patients suffering from proximal third femur fractures, 4 patients with traumatic brain injury (treated in the Intensive Care Unit), and 3 patients suffering from bed sores after spinal cord injury. In 6 patients a fasciocutaneous flap was applied to the sores and in 5 cases a pedicled musculocutaneous gluteus maximus flap. The end results were assessed using Seiler's criteria. Complications of the "seroma" type were observed in 3 patients, and in 2 marginal necrosis. In all our patients complete healing was achieved within 2-4 weeks. On analysing our experience to date in surgical treatment of bed sores we are of the opinion that even extensive sacral sores can be covered with unilateral pedicled flaps provided that they are appropriately planned. Deep sores of the 4th degree sometimes with concomitant osteomyelitis require pedicled muscle flaps or in some cases musculocutaneous flaps to improve local circulation. The preparation of the patient for reconstruction surgery is just as important as the operation itself and therefore such preparation should never be neglected.

  12. [Pressure sores in a university hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbut, Frédéric; Parzybut, Bérengère; Boëlle, Pierre-Yves; Neyme, Denis; Farid, Rachida; Kosmann, Marie-Jeanne; Luquel, Laurence

    2006-05-01

    To determine the prevalence of pressure sores, their risk factors, and the responsible microbial agents in an acute-care hospital and to evaluate their management. A prevalence survey was conducted from 5 July through 9 July 2004. Investigators completed a standardized questionnaire for each hospitalized patient, including demographic data (age, sex, previous hospitalizations, etc.) and Braden scale risk factors (sensory perception, humidity, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction and shear). Two experts in skin care detected pressure sores by physical examination of the patients. Each pressure sore was swabbed and inoculated on selective media. Management was evaluated by reviewing the clinical charts of each patient with a pressure sore. The study included 535 adult patients (aged 59 +/- 19 years): 75 ulcer sores were observed in 37 patients (prevalence=6.9%). Stage I sores accounted for 24% of the total, stage II for 29%, stage III 31%, and stage IV 16%. The most frequent site was the heel (41%), followed by the sacrum (20%), elbow (11%), back (7%) and ischial tuberosities (7%). Sixty (80%) were acquired while hospitalized. Age-adjusted multivariate analyses found that the risk factors significantly associated with pressure sores were Braden scorepressure sores (OR=5.0 95% CI: 2.2-11.6, psores (24.5%), mostly stage III and IV, were colonized by multiple-drug-resistant bacteria (i.e., methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended spectrum beta-lactamase Enterobacteriaceae). Seven (9.3%) of the 75 ulcers were diagnosed only during the survey, by the experts; of the 68 diagnosed before the survey, 57 (83.8%) had been under treatment. Treatment was considered inappropriate according to French guidelines in 31.6% of the cases. This prospective prevalence study resulted in better awareness of the patients at risk for pressure sores. It also made the recently created mobile geriatrics unit better known within the hospital.

  13. Herpes Simplex Virus (Cold Sores)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Print Share Cold Sores in Children: About the Herpes Simplex Virus Page Content ​A child's toddler and ... Cold sores (also called fever blisters or oral herpes) start as small blisters that form around the ...

  14. ISCHIECTOMY FOR PRESSURE SORES

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stern, Mark; Cozen, Lewis; Aldes, John

    1960-01-01

    Ischiectomy with primary closure was carried out in five paraplegic patients with pressure sores. This operation, less extensive than the wide excision with full thickness graft that is now widely advocated, was successful in four of the five cases. In the fifth case none of the several attempts to heal the sores was in the least successful. PMID:18732351

  15. Antibiotics for sore throat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinks, Anneliese; Glasziou, Paul P; Del Mar, Chris B

    2013-11-05

    Sore throat is a common reason for people to present for medical care. Although it remits spontaneously, primary care doctors commonly prescribe antibiotics for it. To assess the benefits of antibiotics for sore throat for patients in primary care settings. We searched CENTRAL 2013, Issue 6, MEDLINE (January 1966 to July week 1, 2013) and EMBASE (January 1990 to July 2013). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs of antibiotics versus control assessing typical sore throat symptoms or complications. Two review authors independently screened studies for inclusion and extracted data. We resolved differences in opinion by discussion. We contacted trial authors from three studies for additional information. We included 27 trials with 12,835 cases of sore throat. We did not identify any new trials in this 2013 update. 1. Symptoms Throat soreness and fever were reduced by about half by using antibiotics. The greatest difference was seen at day three. The number needed to treat to benefit (NNTB) to prevent one sore throat at day three was less than six; at week one it was 21. 2. Non-suppurative complications The trend was antibiotics protecting against acute glomerulonephritis but there were too few cases to be sure. Several studies found antibiotics reduced acute rheumatic fever by more than two-thirds within one month (risk ratio (RR) 0.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12 to 0.60). 3. Suppurative complications Antibiotics reduced the incidence of acute otitis media within 14 days (RR 0.30; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.58); acute sinusitis within 14 days (RR 0.48; 95% CI 0.08 to 2.76); and quinsy within two months (RR 0.15; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.47) compared to those taking placebo. 4. Subgroup analyses of symptom reduction Antibiotics were more effective against symptoms at day three (RR 0.58; 95% CI 0.48 to 0.71) if throat swabs were positive for Streptococcus, compared to RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.97 if negative. Similarly at week one the RR was 0.29 (95% CI 0.12 to 0

  16. New concepts in the prevention of pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogie, Kath; Powell, Heather L; Ho, Chester H

    2012-01-01

    Pressure sores are a serious, and costly, complication for many patients with reduced mobility and sensation. Some populations, such as those with spinal cord injury (SCI), remain at high risk throughout their lifetime. Prevention is highly preferable and while the concept is readily definable, it is much more challenging to develop valid preventative measures. Subjective and objective approaches to risk factor assessment before pressure sores develop are reviewed, including risk status scales and emerging techniques to assess deep tissue injury. Devices to prevent pressure sores have traditionally focused on pressure-relieving cushions and mattresses. Technological advances being applied in the development of new pressure sore prevention devices are presented. Clinical evidence-based practice is integral to pressure sore prevention. Comprehensive assessment must include evaluation of systemic diseases, anatomical and physiological factors, together with environmental and psychosocial factors, which can all contribute to pressure sore development. Extrinsic factors need to be considered in conjunction with intrinsic tissue health factors and are reviewed together with an evaluation of currently available clinical practice guidelines. This chapter presents the broad diversity of factors associated with pressure sore development and highlights the need for an interdisciplinary team approach in order to maximize successful prevention of pressure sores. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Sore Throat

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... as those that cause colds, the flu, and mononucleosis) can lead to a sore throat. Bacteria (such ... to the valves of the heart. What is mononucleosis? Mononucleosis (mono) is a viral infection caused by ...

  18. Canker Sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... mouth that move, such as the tongue, soft palate, cheeks, and lips. This condition is recurrent because ... week. Most of the time, canker sores are self-limiting. This means that they will go away ...

  19. Cold Sore

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... may reduce how often they return. Symptoms A cold sore usually passes through several stages: Tingling and itching. Many people feel an itching, burning or tingling sensation around their lips for a day or so ...

  20. Approach to the pressure sores in geriatric patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emre İnözü

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the follow-up results of nutritionally supported geriatric patientswho were admitted for their pressure sores then plannedtheir treatment.Materials and methods: In this study, we analyzed thehospitalized geriatric pressure sore patients in our clinicwho were admitted between 2006 and 2011. We calculatedBody Mass Index and the blood albumin levels of allhospitalized geriatric patients. In this patient group proteinenergy malnutrition and deficiency were analyzed andproper nutrition support was provided accordingly. Afterrecovering from malnutrition further treatment surpassed.Results: The mean albumin levels of the hospitalized patientswas 2,53 ± 0,25 g/dL after nutritional support thoselevels increased to mean 3,95 ± 0,42 g/dL . Of all thosepatients 75% were operated when their general conditionallowed us for a surgery. Due to their high risk wedid not perform any surgical operation to the remaining25%.. Post operative mean hospitalization period was 12(8-21 days. Majority of the patients (78.6% were treatedsuccessfully either with surgical or conservative treatmentmodalities.Conclusions: The success of the geriatric pressure soretreatment is highly related with the proper nutritional supportfor the ongoing malnutrition-like pathologies. Beforeoperation nutritional support not only makes a healthygranulation tissue but also yields fast and reliable woundhealing. Despite their chronic health problems many ofour geriatric patients were treated surgically for their pressuresores.Key words: Pressure sore, geriatric medicine, malnutrition,nutritional support

  1. The ′reading man flap′ for pressure sore reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stamatis Sapountzis

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The treatment of pressure sores represents a significant challenge to health care professionals. Although, pressure wound management demands a multidisciplinary approach, soft tissue defects requiring reconstruction are often considered for surgical management. Myocutaneous and fasciocutaneous flaps can provide stable coverage of pressure sores. Purpose: Here, we describe our experience using a recent fasciocutaneous flap, which is named ′reading man′ flap, in sacral, ischial, and trochanteric pressure sores. Materials and Methods: During a period of 1 year the authors operated 16 patients, 11 men, and 5 women, using the reading man flap. The ages of the patients ranged from 24 to 78 years. The location of pressure sores was 8 sacral, 5 ischial, and 3 trochanteric pressure sores. The mean size of pressure sores was 8 cm × 9 cm. Results: All pressure sores covered bt the Reading Man flap healed asymptomatically. After follow-up of 2-8 months, no recurrences were encountered and no further surgical intervention was required. Conclusion: The reading man flap was found to be a useful technique for the closure of pressure sore in different anatomic locations. The advantage of tension-free closure and the minimal additional healthy skin excision made this flap a useful tool in pressure sore reconstructions.

  2. Massage Alleviates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianmin Guo

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of massage on alleviating delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS and muscle performance after strenuous exercise.Method: Seven databases consisting of PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI and Wanfang were searched up to December 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs were eligible and the outcomes of muscle soreness, performance (including muscle maximal isometric force (MIF and peak torque and creatine kinase (CK were used to assess the effectiveness of massage intervention on DOMS.Results: Eleven articles with a total of 23 data points (involving 504 participants satisfied the inclusion criteria and were pooled in the meta-analysis. The findings demonstrated that muscle soreness rating decreased significantly when the participants received massage intervention compared with no intervention at 24 h (SMD: –0.61, 95% CI: –1.17 to –0.05, P = 0.03, 48 h (SMD: –1.51, 95% CI: –2.24 to –0.77, P < 0.001, 72 h (SMD: –1.46, 95% CI: –2.59 to –0.33, P = 0.01 and in total (SMD: –1.16, 95% CI: –1.60 to –0.72, P < 0.001 after intense exercise. Additionally, massage therapy improved MIF (SMD: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.21–0.90, P = 0.002 and peak torque (SMD: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.04–0.71, P = 0.03 as total effects. Furthermore, the serum CK level was reduced when participants received massage intervention (SMD: –0.64, 95% CI: –1.04 to –0.25, P = 0.001.Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that massage therapy after strenuous exercise could be effective for alleviating DOMS and improving muscle performance.

  3. Isometric arm strength and subjective rating of upper limb fatigue in two-handed carrying tasks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kai Way; Chiu, Wen-Sheng

    2015-01-01

    Sustained carrying could result in muscular fatigue of the upper limb. Ten male and ten female subjects were recruited for measurements of isometric arm strength before and during carrying a load for a period of 4 minutes. Two levels of load of carrying were tested for each of the male and female subjects. Exponential function based predictive equations for the isometric arm strength were established. The mean absolute deviations of these models in predicting the isometric arm strength were in the range of 3.24 to 17.34 N. Regression analyses between the subjective ratings of upper limb fatigue and force change index (FCI) for the carrying were also performed. The results indicated that the subjective rating of muscular fatigue may be estimated by multiplying the FCI with a constant. The FCI may, therefore, be adopted as an index to assess muscular fatigue for two-handed carrying tasks.

  4. Combined isometric and vibration training does not enhance strength beyond that of isometric training alone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, J; Van-Dongen, M; Sutherland, R

    2015-09-01

    Research considering combined vibration and strength training is extensive yet results are equivocal. However, to date there appears no research which has considered the combination of both direct vibration and whole-body vibration when used in an isometric deadlift position. The aim of this study was to compare groups performing isometric training with and without direct and whole-body vibration. Twenty four participants (19-24 years) were randomly divided into: isometric training with vibration (ST+VT: N.=8), isometric training without vibration (ST: N.=8), and control (CON: N.=8). Within the training groups participants trained twice per week, for 6 weeks, performing 6-sets of maximal isometric deadlift contractions, increasing in duration from 30 seconds to 40 seconds (weeks 1-6). Hip and knee angle was maintained at 60° and 110°, respectively for both testing and training. Training sessions for ST+VT were identical to ST with the addition of a direct vibratory stimulus through hand-held straps and whole-body vibration via standing on vibration a platform. The amplitude remained constant (2 mm) throughout the intervention whilst the frequency increased from 35Hz to 50Hz. Pre- and post-test isometric strength was measured using an isometric deadlift dynamometer. Results revealed significant increases in isometric strength for both ST+VT (Pstrength training.

  5. Canker Sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... lack of vitamins and minerals, hormonal changes or menstrual periods. In some cases the cause is unknown. In most cases, the sores go away by themselves. Some ointments, creams or rinses may help with the pain. Avoiding hot, spicy food while you have a ...

  6. Development of isometric force and force control in children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smits-Engelsman, B.C.M.; Westenberg, Y.; Duysens, J.E.J.

    2004-01-01

    Fifty-six children between 5 and 12 years of age and 15 adults performed a task (pressing on a lever with the index finger of the preferred hand), in which a force had to be maintained constant at five levels with on-line visual feedback. Since this is a simple isometric task, the hypothesis is that

  7. Development of isometric force and force control in children.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smits-Engelsman, B.C.M.; Westenberg, Y.; Duysens, J.E.J.

    2003-01-01

    Fifty-six children between 5 and 12 years of age and 15 adults performed a task (pressing on a lever with the index finger of the preferred hand), in which a force had to be maintained constant at five levels with on-line visual feedback. Since this is a simple isometric task, the hypothesis is that

  8. Effects of acupuncture on symptoms and muscle function in delayed-onset muscle soreness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hübscher, Markus; Vogt, Lutz; Bernhörster, Marcus; Rosenhagen, Andreas; Banzer, Winfried

    2008-10-01

    This study was done to investigate the effects of a standardized acupuncture treatment on symptoms and muscle function in exercise-induced delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). A prospective, randomized, controlled, observer and subject-blinded trial was undertaken. Twenty-two (22) healthy subjects (22-30 years; 10 males and 12 females) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: real acupuncture (deep needling at classic acupuncture points and tender points; n = 7), sham-acupuncture (superficial needling at nonacupuncture points; n = 8), and control (no needling; n = 7). DOMS of the nondominant elbow-flexors was experimentally induced through eccentric contractions until exhaustion. The outcome measures were pain perception (visual analogue scale; VAS; range: 0-10 cm), mechanical pain threshold (MPT; pressure algometer), and maximum isometric voluntary force (MIVF; force transducer). Treatment was applied immediately, 24 and 48 hours after DOMS induction. Measurements of MPT and MIVF were made prior to DOMS induction as well as before and after every treatment session. VAS data were acquired after DOMS induction as well as pre- and post-treatment. Final pain, MPT, and MIVF measurements were performed 72 hours after DOMS induction. Following nonparametric testing, there were no significant differences between groups in outcome measures at baseline. After 72 hours, pain perception (VAS) was significantly lower in the acupuncture group compared to the sham acupuncture and control subjects. However, the mean MPT and MIVF scores were not significantly different between groups. Although acupuncture seemed to have no effects on mechanical pain threshold and muscle function, it proved to reduce perceived pain arising from exercise-induced muscle soreness.

  9. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Sores Mary Zeigler, MS Transition from Hospital to Home Kim Eberhardt Muir, MS ... medical advice, recommend or endorse health care products or services, or control the information found on external websites. ...

  10. [Program for lowering the incidence of pressure sores in neurosurgical patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Chau-Hui; Chen, Hui-Ling; Chen, Hsiang-Chi

    2007-12-01

    Pressure sores are one of the well known problems that occur in hospitals. As the literature on the subject indicates, a lot of money is expended in managing this problem every year, and 12-66% of pressure sores are caused during surgery. Patients who undergo neurosurgical procedures are susceptible to pressure sores because of lengthy operations. We collected data on patients with pressure sores who underwent surgery between May 2004 and August 2004, and found that the incidence of pressure sore in neurosurgical patients was 9.5%, which was the highest among all surgical patients. This project was developed to solve the problem of pressure sores by setting up standard preventive procedures, a nursing follow up system and continuing education courses, and utilizing cotton rolls to pad sites of pressure sores. The incidence of pressure sore in neurosurgical patients was reduced from 9.5% to 7% after the improvement project was carried out. The more concerned nurses are about pressure sores, the better the quality of operative nursing care.

  11. [Surgical coverage technics of pressure sores and their outcomes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilkay, Ufuk; Helvaci, Evren; Tokat, Cenk; Ozek, Cüneyt; Akin, Yalçin

    2006-04-01

    We reviewed the outcome of 66 patients with 100 pressure sores between 1984 and 2002. In the current study, 100 pressure sores in 66 patients (45 male, 21 female; mean age 39.4; range 13 to 80 years) who underwent surgical repair of pressure sores reconstructed using myocutaneous or fasciocutaneous flaps, skin grafts, excision and closure. The risk factors for pressure sores included acute trauma-induced spinal cord injury in 40 (61%) patients with paraplegia and in 5 (7%) patients with quadriplegia; congenital spina bifida and multiple sclerosis in 7 (11%) patients and prolonged immobilization in 14 (21 patients) patients. We achieved an overall pressure sore recurrence rate of 22% and overall patient recurrence of 24% in a-3-year follow-up. The recurrence rates according to anatomic sites; 23% (10 of 43) for the ischial pressure sore, sacral 21% (8 of 37), and trochanteric 20% (4 of 20). Fasciocutaneous and myocutaneous flap reconstructions were the most durable, as they were associated with 17% (6 of 34) and 12% recurrence rates (5 of 39). To reduce the recurrence rates the authors advocate the use of myocutaneous and fasciocutaneous flaps instead of skin grafts or direct closure for the coverage of pressure sores.

  12. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Living with SCI Personal Experiences by Topic Resources Peer Counseling Blog About Media Donate Spinal Cord Injury Medical Expert Videos Topics menu Topics Preventing Pressure Sores Adult Injuries Spinal Cord Injury 101 David ...

  13. Preventing Pressure Sores

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    Full Text Available ... Sores Mary Zeigler, MS Transition from Hospital to Home Kim Eberhardt Muir, MS Coping with a New ... not provide medical advice, recommend or endorse health care products or services, or control the information found ...

  14. Preventing Pressure Sores

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    Full Text Available ... hours? play_arrow What's the best way to do daily skin inspections? play_arrow What are the ... for someone with a spinal cord injury to do to prevent pressure sores? play_arrow Why is ...

  15. Preventing Pressure Sores

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  16. Preventing Pressure Sores

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    Full Text Available ... L Sarah Harrison, OT Anne Bryden, OT The Role of the Social Worker after Spinal Cord Injury ... do to prevent pressure sores? play_arrow What role does diet and hydration play in preventing pressure ...

  17. Preventing Pressure Sores

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    Full Text Available ... arrow What's the best way to do daily skin inspections? play_arrow What are the most important ... to prevent pressure sores? play_arrow What is “skin tolerance” and how can it be increased? play_ ...

  18. Preventing Pressure Sores

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    Full Text Available ... cushion? play_arrow What’s important to know about positioning in bed to prevent pressure sores? play_arrow ... Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC Understanding Spinal Cord Injury About Us Expert ...

  19. Preventing Pressure Sores

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  20. Preventing Pressure Sores

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    Full Text Available ... Adult Injuries Spinal Cord Injury 101 David Chen, MD Preventing Pressure Sores Mary Zeigler, MS Transition from ... Rosenberg, PsyD Understanding SCI Rehabilitation Donald Peck Leslie, MD Adjusting to Social Life in a Wheelchair Lisa ...

  1. The effects of a repeated bout of eccentric exercise on indices of muscle damage and delayed onset muscle soreness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paddon-Jones, D; Muthalib, M; Jenkins, D

    2000-03-01

    This study examined markers of muscle damage following a repeated bout of maximal isokinetic eccentric exercise performed prior to full recovery from a previous bout. Twenty non-resistance trained volunteers were randomly assigned to a control (CON, n=10) or experimental (EXP, n=10) group. Both groups performed 36 maximal isokinetic eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors of the non-dominant arm (ECC1). The EXP group repeated the same eccentric exercise bout two days later (ECC2). Total work and peak eccentric torque were recorded during each set of ECC1 and ECC2. Isometric torque, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), flexed elbow angle and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity were measured prior to and immediately following ECC1 and ECC2. at 24h intervals for 7 days following ECC1 and finally on day 11. In both groups, all dependent variables changed significantly during the 2 days following ECC1. A further acute post-exercise impairment in isometric torque (30 +/- 5%) and flexed elbow angle (20 +/- 4%) was observed following ECC2 (p0.05). These findings suggest that when maximal isokinetic eccentric exercise is repeated two days after experiencing of contraction-induced muscle damage, the recovery time course is not significantly altered.

  2. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Medical Experts People Living with SCI Personal Experiences by Topic Resources Peer Counseling Blog About Media Donate Spinal Cord Injury Medical Expert Videos Topics menu Topics Preventing Pressure Sores Adult Injuries Spinal Cord Injury 101 David ...

  3. Preventing Pressure Sores

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    Full Text Available ... the most important thing to do to prevent pressure sores? What is a Spinal Cord Injury? SCI Medical Experts People Living With SCI Personal Experiences By Topic Resources Blog Peer Counseling About Media Donate Contact Us Terms of ...

  4. Occipital pressure sores in two neonates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Xiao, Bin; Zhang, Cheng; Su, Zhihong

    2015-01-01

    The preference for a specific head shape can be influenced by people's culture, religious beliefs and race. Modern Chinese people prefer a "talented" head shape, which is rounded and has a long profile. To obtain their preferred head shape, some parents try to change their neonates' sleeping position. Due to these forced sleeping positions, positional skull deformities, such as plagiocephaly, may be present during the first few months of life. In this article, we report two neonatal cases, of Hui nationality and Dongxiang nationality, with occipital pressure sores that were caused by using hard objects as pillows with the intention of obtaining a flattened occiput. The pressure sores were deep to the occipital bone and needed surgical management. These pressure sores caused wounds that were repaired by local skin flaps, after debridement, and the use of external constraints from a dense sponge-made head frame for approximately two weeks. One case recovered with primary healing after surgical operation. The other case suffered from a disruption of the sutured wound, and a secondary operation was performed to cover the wound. These occipital pressure sores are avoidable by providing guidance to the parents in ethnic minorities' area regarding the prevention, diagnosis and management of positional skull deformity.

  5. Pressure sores and blood and serum dysmetabolism in spinal cord injury patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scivoletto, G; Fuoco, U; Morganti, B; Cosentino, E; Molinari, M

    2004-08-01

    Spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with pressure sores were studied before and after surgical intervention for ulcer healing and compared with matched SCI patients without sores and with patients with pressure sores and other diseases. To analyse the relationship between pressure sores and anaemia and serum protein alteration in SCI patients. To study the pathogenesis of these alterations and suggest appropriate therapy. Spinal cord unit in Rome, Italy. A total of 13 SCI patients with pressure sores, 13 comparable patients without pressure sores and four patients with other diseases and pressure sores. Haematochemical parameters. Patients with pressure sore showed significant decreased red cells, decreased haemoglobin and haematocrit, increased white cells and ferritin and decreased transferrin and transferrin saturation; total hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia with increased Alfa-1 and gamma globulins increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were also present. The alterations returned to normal after surgical intervention for pressure sore healing. Patients with pressure sores suffer from anaemia and serum protein alteration that fells within the range of metabolic alteration of chronic disorders and neoplastic diseases. The alterations depend on a decreased utilisation of iron stores in the reticuloendothelial system and on inhibition of the hepatic synthesis of albumin. With regard to treatment, iron treatment should be avoided because of the risk of haemochromatosis.

  6. [Prevalence of pressure sores in a university hospital in 2003].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daideri, G; Berthier, F; Brocker, P; Darmon, M-J; Mignolet, F; Quaranta, J-F; Staccini, P

    2006-12-01

    To determine the prevalence of pressure sores in a university hospital and to assess the risk of developing a pressure sore. A one-day survey was performed in all hospitalized patients, day hospital excepted. The Garches scale was used to assess the severity of pressure sores and the Braden scale was used to measure the patient's risk for the development of pressure ulcers. One thousand six hundred and eleven patients were included, mean age was 62+/-23 years and 53.3% were over 65 years old. In hospitalized patients, 64% were in acute care, 29% in intermediate medicine and long-term care and 7% in intensive care units. We have found 675 pressure sores in 268 patients, mean age of 76 years; 263 decubitus ulcers were acquired during hospitalization. The most frequent sites were heels (46%) and sacrum (26%). Stage 1 pressure ulcers showed 33% of the total. The total prevalence was 16.6%, 95% CI (14.9-18.6), the hospital acquired pressure sores prevalence was 7.5%, all stages included. A Braden score less than or equal to 15 was found in 29.1% of hospitalized patients. Standard mattresses were used in 37% of patients with pressure sores. Multivariate analysis showed that age and a Braden score less than or equal to 15 were significantly associated with pressure sores. Pressure sores are still an important problem in hospital; occurrence must be considered as an iatrogenic event and management requires a multidisciplinary approach.

  7. Cost analysis of surgically treated pressure sores stage III and IV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filius, A; Damen, T H C; Schuijer-Maaskant, K P; Polinder, S; Hovius, S E R; Walbeehm, E T

    2013-11-01

    Health-care costs associated with pressure sores are significant and their financial burden is likely to increase even further. The aim of this study was to analyse the direct medical costs of hospital care for surgical treatment of pressure sores stage III and IV. We performed a retrospective chart study of patients who were surgically treated for stage III and IV pressure sores between 2007 and 2010. Volumes of health-care use were obtained for all patients and direct medical costs were subsequently calculated. In addition, we evaluated the effect of location and number of pressure sores on total costs. A total of 52 cases were identified. Average direct medical costs in hospital were €20,957 for the surgical treatment of pressure sores stage III or IV; average direct medical costs for patients with one pressure sore on an extremity (group 1, n = 5) were €30,286, €10,113 for patients with one pressure sore on the trunk (group 2, n = 32) and €40,882 for patients with multiple pressure sores (group 3, n = 15). The additional costs for patients in group 1 and group 3 compared to group 2 were primarily due to longer hospitalisation. The average direct medical costs for surgical treatment of pressure sores stage III and IV were high. Large differences in costs were related to the location and number of pressure sores. Insight into the distribution of these costs allows identification of high-risk patients and enables the development of specific cost-reducing measures. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. [Options for flap coverage in pressure sores].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nae, S; Antohi, N; Stîngu, C; Stan, V; Parasca, S

    2010-01-01

    Despite improvements in reconstructive techniques for pressure sores, recurrences are still seen frequently, and success rate remains variable. During 2003 - 2007, at the Emergency Hospital for Plastic Surgery and Burns in Bucharest, 27 patients underwent surgical repair of 45 pressure sores located at sacral (22 ulcers), ischial (12 ulcers) and trochanteric (11 ulcers) regions. The mean patient age was 57, 1 years (range 26 to 82 years). Mean postoperative follow-up was 6 months (range 2 months - 2 years). There were 18 complications for the 45 sores (40%). At 6 months postoperatively, recurrence was noted in 12 ulcers (27%). Details regarding indications, contraindications, advantages and disadvantages for different coverage options are outlined. The authors advocate the importance of surgical coverage in reducing morbidity, mortality and treatment costs.

  9. Muscular soreness following prolonged intermittent high-intensity shuttle running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, D; Nicholas, C W; Williams, C

    1999-05-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the impact of prolonged intermittent high-intensity shuttle running on soreness and markers of muscle damage. Sixteen males took part in the study, half of whom were assigned to a running group and half to a resting control group. The exercise protocol involved 90 min of intermittent shuttle running and walking (Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test: LIST), reflecting the activity pattern found in multiple-sprint sports such as soccer. Immediately after exercise, there was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in serum activities of creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase, and values remained above baseline for 48 h (P < 0.05). Median peak activities of creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase occurred 24 h post-exercise and were 774 and 43 U x l(-1), respectively. The intensity of general muscle soreness, and in the specific muscles investigated, was greater than baseline for 72 h after the shuttle test (P < 0.05), peaking 24-48 h post-exercise (P < 0.05). Muscle soreness was not correlated with either creatine kinase or aspartate aminotransferase activity. Soreness was most frequently reported in the hamstrings. Neither soreness nor serum enzyme activity changed in the controls over the 4 day observation period. It appears that unaccustomed performance of prolonged intermittent shuttle running produces a significant increase in both soreness and markers of muscle damage.

  10. Hand-grip isometric strength in judo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan G Bonitch-Góngora

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The grip is an important technical and tactical aspect through which the judokas dominate the adversary, hindering the application of appropriate techniques and favoring their own attack. The judokas must have high levels of isometric force and endurance to this type of force on the gripping muscles of the forearms, as one of the key aspects for success. This article reviews the grip muscular strength and endurance profiles of judokas of different groups (gender, age and competitive level. In general, the peak isometric strength of elite judokas has not changed in the last 40 years and is similar to that reached by non-elite judokas or even registered in large populations. This indicate that the evaluation of the isometric hand grip endurance may be a more relevant parameter than the peak isometric force in judokas, as during the bouts the grip must be maintained for relatively long periods of time and the maximum force cannot be maintained for long. However there are few studies on the ability to resist successive isometric handgrip stress in judokas.

  11. Flurbiprofen microgranules for relief of sore throat: a randomised, double-blind trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russo, Marc; Bloch, Mark; de Looze, Fred; Morris, Christopher; Shephard, Adrian

    2013-01-01

    Background Many people with sore throat seek, and are often inappropriately prescribed, antibiotics. Aim The objective of this study was to determine the analgesic efficacy of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg microgranules versus placebo. These microgranules are a possible alternative treatment for patients with sore throat due to upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). Design and setting Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose study conducted at eight primary care sites in Australia. Method Participants with sore throat of onset within the past 4 days received either flurbiprofen 8.75 mg microgranules or non-medicated placebo microgranules. Throat soreness, difficulty in swallowing, sore throat pain intensity, sore throat relief, oral temperature, and treatment benefits were all assessed at regular intervals. Result Of 373 patients from eight centres, 186 received flurbiprofen 8.75 mg microgranules and 187 received placebo microgranules (intent-to-treat population). Throat soreness was significantly reduced over the first 2 hours after the first dose. Reductions in difficulty in swallowing were observed at all time points from 5 to 360 minutes after the first dose, after taking flurbiprofen microgranules versus placebo. Sore throat relief was also evident at 1 minute and lasted for at least 6 hours. The multiple-dose efficacy results showed reduction of difficulty in swallowing at the end of days 1–3 and sore throat relief at the end of day 1. Conclusion Microgranules containing flurbiprofen 8.75 mg provided fast and effective relief from sore throat due to URTI and represent an alternative treatment option to antibiotic therapy. PMID:23561694

  12. Isometric pre-conditioning blunts exercise-induced muscle damage but does not attenuate changes in running economy following downhill running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Leonardo C R; Bassan, Natália M; Cardozo, Adalgiso C; Gonçalves, Mauro; Greco, Camila C; Denadai, Benedito S

    2018-05-08

    Running economy (RE) is impaired following unaccustomed eccentric-biased exercises that induce muscle damage. It is also known that muscle damage is reduced when maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) are performed at a long muscle length 2-4 days prior to maximal eccentric exercise with the same muscle, a phenomenon that can be described as isometric pre-conditioning (IPC). We tested the hypothesis that IPC could attenuate muscle damage and changes in RE following downhill running. Thirty untrained men were randomly assigned into experimental or control groups and ran downhill on a treadmill (-15%) for 30 min. Participants in the experimental group completed 10 MVIC in a leg press machine two days prior to downhill running, while participants in the control group did not perform IPC. The magnitude of changes in muscle soreness determined 48 h after downhill running was greater for the control group (122 ± 28 mm) than for the experimental group (92 ± 38 mm). Isometric peak torque recovered faster in the experimental group compared with the control group (3 days vs. no full recovery, respectively). No significant effect of IPC was found for countermovement jump height, serum creatine kinase activity or any parameters associated with RE. These results supported the hypothesis that IPC attenuates changes in markers of muscle damage. The hypothesis that IPC attenuates changes in RE was not supported by our data. It appears that the mechanisms involved in changes in markers of muscle damage and parameters associated with RE following downhill running are not completely shared. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Pressure sores following elective total hip arthroplasty: pitfalls of misinterpretation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keong, Nicole; Ricketts, David; Alakeson, Nuki; Rust, Philippa

    2004-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of reporting protocols regarding pressure sores. METHODS: Retrospective data were collected regarding pressure sore rates following total hip arthroplasty operations carried out during 2001 at two orthopaedic units in an NHS hospital (Princess Royal Hospital) and in a local private hospital. RESULTS: Preliminary results presented in audit and interim reports indicated an alarmingly high pressure sore rate across the two sites (17/172 [9.9%] NHS, 23/71 [32.4%] private hospital). On analysis, the data collection system was revealed to be flawed. Grade 1 areas (erythema with no ulceration) were included, leading to a dramatic discrepancy between reported and confirmed pressure sores. Re-analysis showed the confirmed pressure sore rates to be much lower (2.3% NHS, 1.0% private hospital). CONCLUSIONS: This audit suggests that both poor data collection and education lead to inaccurate audit. This may lead to subsequent inappropriate management and inappropriate NHS star ratings. PMID:15140301

  14. Prevention of pressure sores by identifying patients at risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Klaus Ejner; Jensen, O; Kvorning, S A

    1982-01-01

    The risk of pressure sores developing in patients admitted with acute conditions was assessed by a simple risk score system based on age, reduced mobility, incontinence, pronounced emaciation, redness over bony prominences, unconsciousness, dehydration, and paralysis in a prospective clinical stu...... of pressure sores prevents their development.......The risk of pressure sores developing in patients admitted with acute conditions was assessed by a simple risk score system based on age, reduced mobility, incontinence, pronounced emaciation, redness over bony prominences, unconsciousness, dehydration, and paralysis in a prospective clinical study...

  15. The evaluation of daily living activities, pressure sores and risk factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aydın, Gökçen; Mucuk, Salime

    2015-01-01

    This study was conducted to assess daily living activities, pressure sores and risk factors. This was a descriptive study. The study was conducted at a rehabilitation center with 188 individuals participating in the study. Data were collected with a questionnaire form, Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADLS), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADLS) and Braden Risk Assessment Scale (BRAS). Among the participants, 48.9% were dependent according to activities of daily living and 71.8% were dependent on instrumental activities of daily living. It was noted that 4.8% had pressure sores and 38.8% were at high risk. A strong and positive correlation was found among ADLS, IADLS, and BRAS scores (p pressure sores (p pressure sores. Individuals who are treated at rehabilitation centers should be periodically assessed in terms of risk. Pressure sore development can be prevented with appropriate nursing interventions. To reduce the risk of developing pressure sores, nurses should describe the individual's degree of dependency according to ADLS and IADLS and initiate preventive nursing care. © 2014 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

  16. Isometric exercise: cardiovascular responses in normal and cardiac populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, P; Nagle, F

    1987-05-01

    Isometric exercise produces a characteristic pressor increase in blood pressure which may be important in maintaining perfusion of muscle during sustained contraction. This response is mediated by combined central and peripheral afferent input to medullary cardiovascular centers. In normal individuals the increase in blood pressure is mediated by a rise in cardiac output with little or no change in systemic vascular resistance. However, the pressor response is also maintained during pharmacologic blockade or surgical denervation by increasing systemic vascular resistance. Left ventricular function is normally maintained or improves in normal subjects and cardiac patients with mild impairment of left ventricular contractility. Patients with poor left ventricular function may show deterioration during isometric exercise, although this pattern of response is difficult to predict from resting studies. Recent studies have shown that patients with uncomplicated myocardial infarction can perform submaximum isometric exercise such as carrying weights in the range of 30 to 50 lb without difficulty or adverse responses. In addition, many patients who show ischemic ST depression or angina during dynamic exercise may have a reduced ischemic response during isometric or combined isometric and dynamic exercise. Isometric exercises are frequently encountered in activities of daily living and many occupational tasks. Cardiac patients should be gradually exposed to submaximum isometric training in supervised cardiac rehabilitation programs. Specific job tasks that require isometric or combined isometric and dynamic activities may be evaluated by work simulation studies. This approach to cardiac rehabilitation may facilitate patients who wish to return to a job requiring frequent isometric muscle contraction. Finally, there is a need for additional research on the long-term effects of isometric exercise training on left ventricular hypertrophy and performance. The vigorous training

  17. [An assessment scale for the prevention of pressure sores in children].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauvet, Corinne; Poirier, Marie-Renée; Sourisseau, Petronela Rachieru; Béduneau, Denis; Soulard, Anthony; Delacroix, Delphine

    2015-04-01

    Pressure sores in children are rare. However, when they do occur they can have significant consequences. Professionals in paediatric units realised the importance of assessing the risk of pressure sores and developed a pressure sore assessment scale specific to children. This project, carried out through a hospital-training school partnership, emphasises the importance of clinical reasoning in nursing practices.

  18. Effect of isometric quadriceps exercise on muscle strength, pain, and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anwer, Shahnawaz; Alghadir, Ahmad

    2014-05-01

    [Purpose] The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of isometric quadriceps exercise on muscle strength, pain, and function in knee osteoarthritis. [Subjects and Methods] Outpatients (N=42, 21 per group; age range 40-65 years; 13 men and 29 women) with osteoarthritis of the knee participated in the study. The experimental group performed isometric exercises including isometric quadriceps, straight leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercise 5 days a week for 5 weeks, whereas the control group did not performed any exercise program. The outcome measures or dependent variables selected for this study were pain intensity, isometric quadriceps strength, and knee function. These variables were measured using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), strength gauge device, and reduced WOMAC index, respectively. All the measurements were taken at baseline (week 0) and at the end of the trial at week 5. [Results] In between-group comparisons, the maximum isometric quadriceps strength, reduction in pain intensity, and improvement in function in the isometric exercise group at the end of the 5th week were significantly greater than those of the control group (pisometric quadriceps exercise program showed beneficial effects on quadriceps muscle strength, pain, and functional disability in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

  19. Osteomyelitis beneath pressure sores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugarman, B.; Hawes, S.; Musher, D.M.; Klima, M.; Young, E.J.; Pircher, F.

    1983-01-01

    Twenty-eight pressure sores were evaluated prospectively. Osteomyelitis was reported histologically in nine of 28 bones and pressure-related changes were reported in 14 bones. Roentgenograms suggested the presence of osteomyelitis in four instances of histologically proved osteomyelitis. Technetium Tc 99m medronate bone scans were highly sensitive, showing increased uptake in all cases of osteomyelitis; however, increased uptake also occurred commonly in uninfected bones due to pressure-related changes or other noninfectious causes. Cultures of bone biopsy samples usually disclosed anaerobic bacteria, gram-negative bacilli, or both. The diagnosis of osteomyelitis must be considered if a pressure sore does not respond to local therapy. If the technetium Tc 99m medronate uptake is increased in the involved area, or roentgenographic findings are abnormal, the diagnosis can only be made with certainty by histologic examination of bone. Antibacterial treatment should be selected based on the results of bone culture

  20. [The prevention of pressure sores in paediatric intensive care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thueux, Emilie

    2014-01-01

    In paediatric intensive care, children develop pressure sores as a result of various mechanical and clinical factors. The prevention and assessment of the risk of pressure sores constitute a key concern for the nursing teams which establish prevention strategies adapted to the young patients.

  1. Oxidative stress and acute-phase response in patients with pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordeiro, Maria Bernarda Cavalcanti; Antonelli, Elida Juliana; da Cunha, Daniel Ferreira; Júnior, Alceu Afonso Jordão; Júnior, Virmondes Rodrigues; Vannucchi, Helio

    2005-09-01

    We investigated the relation between oxidative stress and the occurrence of the acute-phase response with serum ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol levels in patients with pressure sores. The following groups of patients were studied: 1) those who had patients with pressure sores, 2) those who had pneumonia, and 3) those who did not develop pressure sores or any type of infection (control). Concentrations of total proteins, albumin, creatinine, iron, ferritin, transferrin, C-reactive protein, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, total iron-binding capacity, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and malondialdehyde were measured during the first days of hospitalization. Albumin concentrations were significantly lower (P pressure sores compared with controls. Concentrations of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol were significantly decreased (P pressure sores or infection, whereas malondialdehyde concentrations were significantly increased (P pressure sores and 10 of 12 patients (83.33%) with pneumonia presented serum ascorbic acid concentrations below the reference value (34 to 91 micromol/L). Concentrations of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol versus malondialdehyde were significantly correlated in the three patient groups (r = -0.44, P pressure sores and acute infection present a systemic inflammatory response accompanied by an increase in lipid peroxidation that is associated with decreased serum ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol levels, suggesting that these patients may be at risk for important nutritional deficiencies.

  2. Aetiology of pressure sores in patients with spinal cord injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiyagarajan, C; Silver, J R

    1984-01-01

    One hundred consecutive patients admitted to the National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, with pressure sores were studied to assess the relative importance of factors known to predispose to the development of scores. Loss of feeling was critical, because patients were unable to appreciate pain when the sore was developing. Risk of developing a sore increased with age, but duration of the paralysis was of equal importance. After discharge from hospital the presence of a caring relative or friend was essential for survival. Many patients developed sores because of poor facilities at home or inappropriate advice from those who looked after them. An even more distressing factor was the number of patients who developed sores in hospital owing to inadequate nursing care. There are relatively few paralysed patients in the community, but the lessons learnt in this study may be applied to all patients with orthopaedic injuries and to geriatric patients with limited mobility. Nursing and medical staff must turn patients regularly and ensure that there is proper equipment to relieve pressure on the skin. Patients should not be allowed to sit in a chair if they develop a sacral or trochanteric sore. More effort should be directed towards the appropriate education of patients, their relatives, and all those who are concerned with their welfare. Images FIG 1 FIG 2 FIG 3 PMID:6439284

  3. Treatment of ischial pressure sores using a modified gracilis myofasciocutaneous flap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Haodong; Hou, Chunlin; Chen, Aimin; Xu, Zhen

    2010-04-01

    Despite the availability of a variety of flap reconstruction options, ischial pressure sores continue to be the most difficult pressure sores to treat. This article describes a successful surgical procedure for the coverage of ischial ulcers using a modified gracilis myofasciocutaneous flap. From August 2000 to April 2004, 12 patients with ischial sores were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent early aggressive surgical debridement followed by surgical reconstruction with a modified gracilis myofasciocutaneous flap. The follow-up period ranged from 13 to 86 months, with a mean of 44 months. Overall, 91.7% of the flaps (11 of 12) survived primarily. Partial flap necrosis occurred in one patient. Primary wound healing occurred without complications at both the donor and recipient sites in all cases. In one patient, grade II ischial pressure sores recurred 13 months after the operation. There was no recurrence in other 11 patients. A modified gracilis myofasciocutaneous flap provides a good cover for ischial pressure sores. Because it is easy to use and has favorable results, it can be used in the primary treatment for large and deep ischial pressure sores. Copyright Thieme Medical Publishers.

  4. Sacral pressure sore reconstruction – the pedicled superior gluteal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pressure sore reconstruction has always been challenging. Immobile patients are prone to develop pressure sores from unre- lieved pressure on tissue over the sacral area, with shear, friction, moisture and malnutrition as contributing factors. Up to one-third of immobilised patients in long-term care facilities will develop.

  5. Prevention of pressure sores by identifying patients at risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, K E; Jensen, O; Kvorning, S A; Bach, E

    1982-01-01

    The risk of pressure sores developing in patients admitted with acute conditions was assessed by a simple risk score system based on age, reduced mobility, incontinence, pronounced emaciation, redness over bony prominences, unconsciousness, dehydration, and paralysis in a prospective clinical study. During seven months in 1977, 600 of 3571 patients were classified as at risk. Of these 35 (5.8%) developed sores compared with five (0.2%) of those not at risk. The results of this study compared with those over the same period in 1976 show that close observation of at-risk patients and early detection of pressure sores prevents their development. PMID:6803980

  6. Sore Throat: Diagnosis and Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... neck to check for swollen glands (lymph nodes) Listening to your or your child's breathing with a ... of your sore throat, these at-home care strategies can help you ease your symptoms: Rest. And ...

  7. A three-dimensional computerized isometric strength measurement system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, Nancy L; Das, Biman

    2007-05-01

    The three-dimensional Computerized Isometric Strength Measurement System (CISMS) reliably and accurately measures isometric pull and push strengths in work spaces of paraplegic populations while anticipating comparative studies with other populations. The main elements of the system were: an extendable arm, a vertical supporting track, a rotating platform, a force transducer, stability sensors and a computerized data collection interface. The CISMS with minor modification was successfully used to measure isometric push-up and pull-down strengths of paraplegics and isometric push, pull, push-up and pull-down strength in work spaces for seated and standing able-bodied populations. The instrument has satisfied criteria of versatility, safety and comfort, ease of operation, and durability. Results are accurate within 2N for aligned forces. Costing approximately $1,500 (US) including computer, the system is affordable and accurate for aligned isometric strength measurements.

  8. Effects of protein supplements on muscle damage, soreness and recovery of muscle function and physical performance: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasiakos, Stefan M; Lieberman, Harris R; McLellan, Tom M

    2014-05-01

    Protein supplements are frequently consumed by athletes and recreationally-active individuals, although the decision to purchase and consume protein supplements is often based on marketing claims rather than evidence-based research. To provide a systematic and comprehensive analysis of literature examining the hypothesis that protein supplements enhance recovery of muscle function and physical performance by attenuating muscle damage and soreness following a previous bout of exercise. English language articles were searched with PubMed and Google Scholar using protein and supplements together with performance, exercise, competition and muscle, alone or in combination as keywords. Inclusion criteria required studies to recruit healthy adults less than 50 years of age and to evaluate the effects of protein supplements alone or in combination with carbohydrate on performance metrics including time-to-exhaustion, time-trial or isometric or isokinetic muscle strength and markers of muscle damage and soreness. Twenty-seven articles were identified of which 18 dealt exclusively with ingestion of protein supplements to reduce muscle damage and soreness and improve recovery of muscle function following exercise, whereas the remaining 9 articles assessed muscle damage as well as performance metrics during single or repeat bouts of exercise. Papers were evaluated based on experimental design and examined for confounders that explain discrepancies between studies such as dietary control, training state of participants, sample size, direct or surrogate measures of muscle damage, and sensitivity of the performance metric. High quality and consistent data demonstrated there is no apparent relationship between recovery of muscle function and ratings of muscle soreness and surrogate markers of muscle damage when protein supplements are consumed prior to, during or after a bout of endurance or resistance exercise. There also appears to be insufficient experimental data

  9. [Treatment of pubic osteomyelitis secondary to pressure sores].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunel, Anne-Sophie; Téot, Luc; Lamy, Brigitte; Masson, Raphaël; Morquin, David; Reynes, Jacques; Le Moing, Vincent

    2014-01-01

    There is no consensus regarding the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for pubic osteomyelitis secondary to pelvic pressure sores. Diagnosis is often difficult and bone biopsies with microbiological and anatomical-pathological examination remain the gold standard. The rate of cicatrisation of pressure sores is low. Cleansing and negative pressure treatment are key elements of the treatment. Optimising the care management with medical-surgical collaboration is being studied in the Ostear protocol.

  10. How effective are treatments other than antibiotics for acute sore throat?

    OpenAIRE

    Thomas, M; Del Mar, C; Glasziou, P

    2000-01-01

    To estimate the benefits of treatments other than antibiotics for acute sore throat, and the differences between non-antibiotic interventions and controls in patient-perceived pain of sore throat, a systematic review of controlled trials in Medline and the Cochrane Library was carried out. Sixty-six randomised controlled trials (with or without additional antibiotics) were identified and 17 met the selection criteria. Twenty-two non-antibiotic managements for sore throat were compared. Their ...

  11. Pressure sores--a multifaceted approach to prevention and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staas, W. E.; Cioschi, H. M.

    1991-01-01

    The incidence and effect of pressure sores on the disabled and elderly population have created a challenge to physicians and health care professionals, from emergency departments to rehabilitation units, and in the community. If not prevented, the morbidity and mortality of patients and the direct and indirect costs to both patients and the health care system are radically increased. In this article we define the impact on our health care system of pressure sores, provide an overview of a multifaceted approach to their prevention and management, and introduce successful behavioral and educational approaches for patients with chronic, recurrent sores. A coordinated approach with patients as informed participants and their care givers enhances the chances for success. PMID:1830985

  12. How elderly patients with femoral fracture develop pressure sores in hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Versluysen, M

    1986-01-01

    The routine hospital management of 100 consecutive elderly patients was studied to determine the reason for the high incidence of pressure sores among patients admitted to hospital for femoral fractures. Of these patients, 66 developed sores, 83% occurring by the fifth day in hospital. This was due to the long periods that patients were immobilised on high pressure surfaces in the casualty department, wards, and theatres before repair of the fracture and restoration of their weight bearing function. Sores are not simply a ward or nursing problem, but an unintended consequence of hospital treatment. To reduce the incidence of sores elderly patients should be treated on low pressure patient support systems from the point of entry to hospital until mobility is restored. PMID:3085827

  13. Isometric exercise (image)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isometric exercise works muscles and strengthens bone. Increased muscle mass elevates metabolism, which in turn burns fat. Strength training is also called anaerobic exercise, as opposed to aerobic, because increased oxygen production is not ...

  14. Treatment of ischial pressure sores with double adipofascial turnover flaps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Haodong; Hou, Chunlin; Xu, Zhen; Chen, Aiming

    2010-01-01

    Despite a variety of flap reconstruction options, the ischium remains the most difficult pressure sore site to treat. This article describes the authors' successful surgical procedure for coverage of ischial ulcers using double adipofascial turnover flaps.After debridement, the adipofascial flaps are harvested both cephalad and caudal to the defect. The flaps are then turned over to cover the exposed bone in a manner so as to overlap the 2 flaps. The skin is then closed with sutures in 2 layers. A total of 15 patients with ischial sores were treated using this surgical procedure.The follow-up period ranged from 11 to 159 months, with a mean of 93.6 months. Overall, 86.7% of the flaps (13 of 15) healed primarily. One patient had a recurrent grade II ischial pressure sore again 11 months after the operation. The other 14 patients did not have a recurrence.Treatment of ischial pressure sores with adipofascial turnover flaps provides an easy, minimally invasive procedure, with preservation of future flap options, and a soft-tissue supply sufficient for covering the bony prominence and filling dead space. This technique is a reliable and safe reconstructive modality for the management of minor ischial pressure sores.

  15. Cutaneous flaps in the treatment of 338 pressure sores: a better choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greco, Manfredi; Marchetti, Francesco; Tempesta, Massimo; Ruggiero, Marco; Marcasciano, Marco; Carlesimo, Bruno

    2013-01-01

    Muscular flaps are considered by many surgeons as a treatment of choice for pressure sores. Nevertheless fasciocutaneous and adipofascial flaps are less sensitive to ischemia, more resistant to pressure and have higher mechanical resistance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of our integrated rehabilitative and surgical protocol in pressure sore management based on the use of cutaneous flaps. Since 1998, we treated 338 pressure sores (PS) in 195 patients (120 males; 75 females), 189 patients were affected by paraplegia and tetraplegia and 6 of them by neurological disorders. Ninety sacral, 156 ischiatic, 75 trochanteric, 9 calcanean and 8 sores of the iliac-crest were succesfully treated. All showed an involvement of the bone element, with osteitis and/or periosteitis. 14 cases of trocanteric sores showed a deeper bone involvement, with evidences of osteomyelitis. Follow up ranges from 7 years to 2 months. Median time for wound healing was 18 days. The use of fasciocutaneous flaps, as an alternative to the traditional muscolocutaneous flaps in the treatment of pressure sores leads to good and statistically comparable, healing rate, time and incidence of complications. Reconstructive plastic surgery as is a decisive factor to reach a good rehabilitative outcome, minimizing the time of rehabilitation with a following decrease of hospitalization costs. In spinal cord injured patients, surgical treatment of pressure sores is not proposed as the main procedure, but it is an important stage during the natural history of pressure sores. Cutaneous, adipofascial and fasciocutaneous flaps are less invasive, of a relatively easy execution, provided by a reliable vascular pedicle and they could be "re-used" in case of recurrences.

  16. Reconstruction of pressure sores with perforator-based propeller flaps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakubietz, Rafael G; Jakubietz, Danni F; Zahn, Robert; Schmidt, Karsten; Meffert, Rainer H; Jakubietz, Michael G

    2011-03-01

    Perforator flaps have been successfully used for reconstruction of pressure sores. Although V-Y advancement flaps approximate debrided wound edges, perforator-based propeller flaps allow rotation of healthy tissue into the defect. Perforator-based propeller flaps were planned in 13 patients. Seven pressure sores were over the sacrum, five over the ischial tuberosity, and one on the tip of the scapula. Three patients were paraplegic, six were bedridden, and five were ambulatory. In three patients, no perforators were found. In 10 patients, propeller flaps were transferred. In two patients, total flap necrosis occurred, which was reconstructed with local advancement flaps. In two cases, a wound dehiscence occurred and had to be revised. One hematoma required evacuation. No further complications were noted. No recurrence at the flap site occurred. Local perforator flaps allow closure of pressure sores without harvesting muscle. The propeller version has the added benefit of transferring tissue from a distant site, avoiding reapproximation of original wound edges. Twisting of the pedicle may cause torsion and venous obstruction. This can be avoided by dissecting a pedicle of at least 3 cm. Propeller flaps are a safe option for soft tissue reconstruction of pressure sores. © Thieme Medical Publishers.

  17. What role can nurse leaders play in reducing the incidence of pressure sores?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wurster, Joan

    2007-01-01

    Pressure sores have plagued the nursing profession for many years as a major health care problem in terms of a patient's suffering and financial cost. Pressure sores are increasingly common in hospitalized patients in the United States with a 63% increase from 1993 to 2003. The nurse leader is accountable for the occurrence of pressure sores, a nurse-sensitive indicator, by a scorecard which is benchmarked against other facilities. The nurse leader must take a systematic approach in the prevention of pressure sores, with the strategy being consistent and motivating to the staff in order to improve patient outcome. The chief nursing officer, the unit manager, and the bedside nurse must all collaborate to prevent tissue injury in patients at risk for developing pressure sores and to promote wound healing in patients with existing breakdown.

  18. [High-grade pressure sores in frail older high-risk persons. A retrospective postmortem case-control-study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Von Renteln-Kruse, W; Krause, T; Anders, J; Kühl, M; Heinemann, A; Püschel, K

    2004-04-01

    Some old persons at risk do develop, but others, at comparable risk, do not develop high-grade pressure sores. To evaluate potentially different risk factors, we performed a post mortem case-control study in old persons who developed high-grade pressure sores within six months until 14 days before death. Consecutive cases with pressure sores grade >/=3 and potential controls at comparably high risk for pressure sores were examined before cremation. After written informed consent had been obtained by the next relatives, all available nursing and medical records of the deceased were thoroughly evaluated. Cases and controls were matched according to age, gender, immobility, and cachexia.A total of 100 cases with 71 pressure sores grade 3 and 29 pressure sores grade 4 were compared to 100 controls with 27 pressure sores grade pressure sores in frail older high-risk persons. Sedative drug effects and impaired patient compliance with preventive and therapeutic measures may also be associated with the development of high-grade pressure sores in old persons at high risk.

  19. Isometric Reflection Vectors and Characterizations of Hilbert Spaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donghai Ji

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A known characterization of Hilbert spaces via isometric reflection vectors is based on the following implication: if the set of isometric reflection vectors in the unit sphere SX of a Banach space X has nonempty interior in SX, then X is a Hilbert space. Applying a recent result based on well-known theorem of Kronecker from number theory, we improve this by substantial reduction of the set of isometric reflection vectors needed in the hypothesis.

  20. Regular physical exercise improves cardiac autonomic and muscle vasodilatory responses to isometric exercise in healthy elderly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarmento, Adriana de Oliveira; Santos, Amilton da Cruz; Trombetta, Ivani Credidio; Dantas, Marciano Moacir; Oliveira Marques, Ana Cristina; do Nascimento, Leone Severino; Barbosa, Bruno Teixeira; Dos Santos, Marcelo Rodrigues; Andrade, Maria do Amparo; Jaguaribe-Lima, Anna Myrna; Brasileiro-Santos, Maria do Socorro

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic control and muscle vasodilation response during isometric exercise in sedentary and physically active older adults. Twenty healthy participants, 10 sedentary and 10 physically active older adults, were evaluated and paired by gender, age, and body mass index. Sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac activity (spectral and symbolic heart rate analysis) and muscle blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography) were measured for 10 minutes at rest (baseline) and during 3 minutes of isometric handgrip exercise at 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction (sympathetic excitatory maneuver). Variables were analyzed at baseline and during 3 minutes of isometric exercise. Cardiac autonomic parameters were analyzed by Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney tests. Muscle vasodilatory response was analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Sedentary older adults had higher cardiac sympathetic activity compared to physically active older adult subjects at baseline (63.13±3.31 vs 50.45±3.55 nu, P=0.02). The variance (heart rate variability index) was increased in active older adults (1,438.64±448.90 vs 1,402.92±385.14 ms, P=0.02), and cardiac sympathetic activity (symbolic analysis) was increased in sedentary older adults (5,660.91±1,626.72 vs 4,381.35±1,852.87, P=0.03) during isometric handgrip exercise. Sedentary older adults showed higher cardiac sympathetic activity (spectral analysis) (71.29±4.40 vs 58.30±3.50 nu, P=0.03) and lower parasympathetic modulation (28.79±4.37 vs 41.77±3.47 nu, P=0.03) compared to physically active older adult subjects during isometric handgrip exercise. Regarding muscle vasodilation response, there was an increase in the skeletal muscle blood flow in the second (4.1±0.5 vs 3.7±0.4 mL/min per 100 mL, P=0.01) and third minute (4.4±0.4 vs 3.9±0.3 mL/min per 100 mL, P=0.03) of handgrip exercise in active older adults. The results indicate that

  1. Reduction of the incidence of pressure sores by an education program on nursing care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srisupan, Vijitr; Senaratana, Wilawan; Picheansatian, Wilawan; Chittreecheur, Jittaporn; Watanakool, Malinee; Chaisri, Pratin; Singhakumfu, Laddawan; Tribuddharat, Chanwit; Danchaivijitr, Somwang

    2005-12-01

    To determine whether an education and campaign program would reduce the incidence of pressure sores. The study was performed in a 1,400-bed teaching hospital in Thailand with a total number of 697patients from 47 wards for a point prevalence study; 1,201 and 1,268 patients from 12 wards to determine whether reduction of pressure sore occurrence would be obtained by an education program. The point prevalence of pressure sores was 10.8%. The significant risk factors were age older than 60 years, fecal incontinence, and history of diarrhea. The occurrence of pressure sores was significantly reduced after the educational program from 9.91% to 5. 76%. The education on patient care aiming at reduction of the occurrence of pressure sores could be adopted nation-wide in order to reduce the morbidity, mortality and expenses. The education program was effective in reducing the incidence of pressure sores.

  2. Evaluation of blood and serum markers in spinal cord injured patients with pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurcay, Eda; Bal, Ajda; Gurcay, Ahmet G; Cakci, Aytul

    2009-03-01

    To evaluate blood and serum markers in traumatic spinal cord injured (SCI) patients, with and without pressure sores. This cross-sectional study was performed at the Ministry of Health Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit, and Numune Education and Research Hospitals, Ankara, Turkey, from 2006-2008. A total of 23 SCI patients with pressure sores (group I) and a control group of 25 SCI patients without pressure sores (group II) were evaluated. Characteristics of sores were examined with respect to duration, location, grade, tissue types, surface area, and exudate amount. Recorded laboratory parameters included erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Htc), lymphocytes, white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), serum iron, transferrin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, total protein, albumin, vitamin B12, and zinc. The most common pressure sore location was the sacrum (38%). Compared to the control group, the patients with pressure sores showed anemia with reduced serum iron, transferrin, TIBC, and increased ferritin. They also had increased ESR, CRP, and WBC and reduced lymphocytes, total protein, albumin and zinc. Statistically significant correlations were found between CRP, Hb, Htc, lymphocytes, RBC, WBC, and serum protein levels, and grade of pressure sores. Clinicians should regularly screen patients with respect to blood and serum markers, in order to determine any risks for pressure sores, and they should perform immediate preventive measures based on the patient's condition.

  3. Postactivation potentiation biases maximal isometric strength assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Leonardo Coelho Rabello; Oliveira, Felipe Bruno Dias; Oliveira, Thiago Pires; Assumpção, Claudio de Oliveira; Greco, Camila Coelho; Cardozo, Adalgiso Croscato; Denadai, Benedito Sérgio

    2014-01-01

    Postactivation potentiation (PAP) is known to enhance force production. Maximal isometric strength assessment protocols usually consist of two or more maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVCs). The objective of this study was to determine if PAP would influence isometric strength assessment. Healthy male volunteers (n = 23) performed two five-second MVCs separated by a 180-seconds interval. Changes in isometric peak torque (IPT), time to achieve it (tPTI), contractile impulse (CI), root mean square of the electromyographic signal during PTI (RMS), and rate of torque development (RTD), in different intervals, were measured. Significant increases in IPT (240.6 ± 55.7 N·m versus 248.9 ± 55.1 N·m), RTD (746 ± 152 N·m·s(-1) versus 727 ± 158 N·m·s(-1)), and RMS (59.1 ± 12.2% RMSMAX  versus 54.8 ± 9.4% RMSMAX) were found on the second MVC. tPTI decreased significantly on the second MVC (2373 ± 1200 ms versus 2784 ± 1226 ms). We conclude that a first MVC leads to PAP that elicits significant enhancements in strength-related variables of a second MVC performed 180 seconds later. If disconsidered, this phenomenon might bias maximal isometric strength assessment, overestimating some of these variables.

  4. [Surgical issues and outcomes in ischial pressure sores treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voulliaume, D; Grecea, M; Viard, R; Brun, A; Comparin, J-P; Foyatier, J-L

    2011-12-01

    Ischiatic pressure sores are frequent in spinal cord injury patients, associated with bad prognosis and high recurrence rate. Many surgical techniques were described, including surgical debridement followed by pedicled flap coverage. We aim to propose a practical decision tree for primary or secondary ischial pressure sore treatment. Our series of 48 operated ischial sores with an average follow up of 4 years (range 2 to 8years) is analyzed and compared to previously published reports. Surgical techniques are discussed according to their specific indications. The optimal recurrence rate in published reports about pressure sore treatment is 20%; a rate inferior to 19% is found in our series, showing the equal importance of flap selection and postoperative care and education. Depending on each situation, various available flaps are described and compared: gluteus maximus flap, biceps femoris flap, gracilis flap, tensor fascia lata flap, fasciocutaneous thigh flaps, rectus femoris and vastus lateralis flap, rectus abdominis flap. Specific surgical indications for more extensive wounds are studied: resection arthroplasty of the hip, hip disarticulation, fillet flaps from the leg, microsurgery. Based upon our experience, a decision tree summarizes our proposition of flap selection, depending on the wound size and the patient background. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Specific and cross over effects of massage for muscle soreness: randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jay, Kenneth; Sundstrup, Emil; Søndergaard, Stine D; Behm, David; Brandt, Mikkel; Særvoll, Charlotte A; Jakobsen, Markus D; Andersen, Lars L

    2014-02-01

    Muscle soreness can negatively interfere with the activities of daily living as well as sports performance. In the working environment, a common problem is muscle tenderness, soreness and pain, especially for workers frequently exposed to unilateral high repetitive movements tasks. The aim of the study is therefore to investigate the acute effect of massage applied using a simple device Thera-band roller Massager on laboratory induced hamstring muscle soreness, and the potential cross over effect to the non-massaged limb. 22 healthy untrained men (Mean age 34 +/- 7 years; mean height 181.7 +/- 6.9 cm; mean weight 80.6 +/- 6.4 kg; BMI: 24.5 +/- 1.3) with no prior history of knee, low back or neck injury or other adverse health issues were recruited. Participants visited the researchers on two separate occasions, separated by 48 hours, each time providing a soreness rating (modified visual analog scale 0-10), and being tested for pressure pain threshold (PPT) and active range of motion (ROM) of the hamstring muscles. During the first visit, delayed onset muscular soreness of the hamstring muscles was induced by 10 x 10 repetitions of the stiff-legged dead-lift. On the second visit participants received either 1) 10 minutes of roller massage on one leg, while the contralateral leg served as a cross over control, or 2) Resting for 10 minutes with no massage at all. Measurement of soreness, PPT and ROM were taken immediately before and at 0, 10, 30 and 60 min. after treatment. There was a significant group by time interaction for soreness (p < 0.0001) and PPT (p = 0.0007), with the massage group experiencing reduced soreness and increasing PPT compared with the control group. There was no group by time interaction for ROM (p = 0.18). At 10 min. post massage there was a significant reduction in soreness of the non-massaged limb in the cross over control group compared to controls but this effect was lost 30 minutes post massage. Massage with a roller device reduces

  6. Pressure Sore at an Unusual Site- the Bilateral Popliteal Fossa: A Case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamal Kataria

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Pressure sore is tissue ulceration due to unrelieved pressure, altered sensory perception, and exposure to moisture. Geriatric patients with organic problems and patients with spinal cord injuries are the high-risk groups. Soft tissues over bony prominences are the common sites for ulcer development. About 95% of pressure ulcers occur in the lower part of the body. Ischial tuberosity, greater trochanter, sacrum and heel are common sites. In addition to these, pressure sores at unusual sites like nasal alae, malar eminences, cervical region and medial side of knee have also been described. Only 1.6% of the patients present with sores in areas outside the pelvis and lower extremity. In a paraplegic patient, pressure sores are usually over extensor surface of knee and heel but pressure ulcer over popliteal fossa are extremely rare. We herein report a case of a 36-years-old diabetic and paraplegic male, who presented with multiple bed sores involving the sacral area, heels and bilateral popliteal fossa. Popliteal fossa is an unusual site for pressure sores. Only one similar case has been previously reported in the literature.

  7. Pressure Sore at an Unusual Site- the Bilateral Popliteal Fossa: A Case report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kataria, Kamal; Sagar, Sushma; Singhal, Manish; Yadav, Rajni

    2012-01-01

    Pressure sore is tissue ulceration due to unrelieved pressure, altered sensory perception, and exposure to moisture. Geriatric patients with organic problems and patients with spinal cord injuries are the high-risk groups. Soft tissues over bony prominences are the common sites for ulcer development. About 95% of pressure ulcers occur in the lower part of the body. Ischial tuberosity, greater trochanter, sacrum and heel are common sites. In addition to these, pressure sores at unusual sites like nasal alae, malar eminences, cervical region and medial side of knee have also been described. Only 1.6% of the patients present with sores in areas outside the pelvis and lower extremity. In a paraplegic patient, pressure sores are usually over extensor surface of knee and heel but pressure ulcer over popliteal fossa are extremely rare. We herein report a case of a 36-years-old diabetic and paraplegic male, who presented with multiple bed sores involving the sacral area, heels and bilateral popliteal fossa. Popliteal fossa is an unusual site for pressure sores. Only one similar case has been previously reported in the literature. PMID:29181131

  8. A comparative analysis of pressure sore treatment modalities in community settings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Small

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available The management of pressure sores in community settings, poses a clinical problem which challenges the patient’s tolerance and the clinician’s diligence and ingenuity. Pressure sores can be painful, lead to infection and are associated with considerable morbidity and increased mortality (Patterson & Bennett, 1995:919; Bale, Banks, Hagelstein & Harding, 1998:65. Treatment costs of these wounds are high in terms of resources (Colin 1995:65; Wood, Griffiths & Stoner, 1997:256. However, since there are untold cost in terms of pain and suffering to the patient, it is impossible to calculate the true cost of pressure sores (Dealey, 1994:87.

  9. EFFICACY OF POST ISOMETRIC RELAXATION VERSUS STATIC STRECHING IN SUBJECTS WITH CHRONIC NON SPECIFIC NECK PAIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.Haritha

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Neck pain is a common problem within our society. Upper trapezius sternocleidomastoid and the levator scapulae are the most common postural muscles that tends to get shorten leading to restricted neck mobility. There is lack of evidence to allow conclusions to be drawn about the effectiveness of post isometric relaxation when compared with static stretching exercises. The aim is to find out the effectiveness of Post isometric relaxation Versus Static stretching in the subjects with chronic nonspecific neck pain. To evaluate the effectiveness of post isometric relaxation technique on pain by using Visual analoge scale, range of motion by using Universal Goniometry, and functional disability by using Neck Disability Index in chronic nonspecific neck pain. Methods: A convenient sample of thirty seven subjects was diagnosed with nonspecific neck pain was randomly allocated to one of the two treatment groups on the basis of the inclusion criteria. The experimental group (n=15 received three sessions of post isometric relaxation technique for trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and the levator scapulae and control group (n=15 received the three sessions of static stretching for trapezius, sternocliedomastiod and levator scapulae for four weeks. Results: Non parametric tests demonstrated a statistically significant difference with experimental group showing greater improvement in ROM, VAS, and NDI than the control group and significant difference within the group also. Conclusion: This study concluded and the results reflected that post isometric relaxation technique group had better improvement in reduction of pain, improvement in the range of motion, and increased neck functional activities than the static stretching group.

  10. Isometric stress in cardiovascular magnetic resonance - a simple and easily replicable method of assessing cardiovascular differences not apparent at rest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mortensen, Kristian H.; Jones, Alexander; Steeden, Jennifer A.; Taylor, Andrew M.; Muthurangu, Vivek

    2016-01-01

    Isometric exercise may unmask cardiovascular disease not evident at rest, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is proven for comprehensive resting assessment. This study devised a simple isometric exercise CMR methodology and assessed the hemodynamic response evoked by isometric exercise. A biceps isometric exercise technique was devised for CMR, and 75 healthy volunteers were assessed at rest, after 3-minute biceps exercise, and 5-minute of recovery using: (1) blood pressure (BP) and (2) CMR measured aortic flow and left ventricular function. Total peripheral resistance (SVR) and arterial compliance (TAC), cardiac output (CO), left ventricular volumes and function (ejection fraction, stroke volume, power output), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and rate pressure product were assessed at all time points. Image quality was preserved during stress. During exercise there were increases in CO (+14.9 %), HR (+17.0 %), SVR (+9.8 %), systolic BP (+22.4 %), diastolic BP (+25.4 %) and mean BP (+23.2 %). In addition, there were decreases in TAC (-22.0 %) and left ventricular ejection fraction (-6.3 %). Age and body mass index modified the evoked response, even when resting measures were similar. Isometric exercise technique evokes a significant cardiovascular response in CMR, unmasking physiological differences that are not apparent at rest. (orig.)

  11. Isometric stress in cardiovascular magnetic resonance - a simple and easily replicable method of assessing cardiovascular differences not apparent at rest

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mortensen, Kristian H.; Jones, Alexander; Steeden, Jennifer A.; Taylor, Andrew M.; Muthurangu, Vivek [UCL Centre for Cardiovascular MR, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Level 6 Old Nurses Home, Cardiorespiratory Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London (United Kingdom)

    2016-04-15

    Isometric exercise may unmask cardiovascular disease not evident at rest, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is proven for comprehensive resting assessment. This study devised a simple isometric exercise CMR methodology and assessed the hemodynamic response evoked by isometric exercise. A biceps isometric exercise technique was devised for CMR, and 75 healthy volunteers were assessed at rest, after 3-minute biceps exercise, and 5-minute of recovery using: (1) blood pressure (BP) and (2) CMR measured aortic flow and left ventricular function. Total peripheral resistance (SVR) and arterial compliance (TAC), cardiac output (CO), left ventricular volumes and function (ejection fraction, stroke volume, power output), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and rate pressure product were assessed at all time points. Image quality was preserved during stress. During exercise there were increases in CO (+14.9 %), HR (+17.0 %), SVR (+9.8 %), systolic BP (+22.4 %), diastolic BP (+25.4 %) and mean BP (+23.2 %). In addition, there were decreases in TAC (-22.0 %) and left ventricular ejection fraction (-6.3 %). Age and body mass index modified the evoked response, even when resting measures were similar. Isometric exercise technique evokes a significant cardiovascular response in CMR, unmasking physiological differences that are not apparent at rest. (orig.)

  12. Cost analysis of surgically treated pressure sores stage III and IV.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Filius, A.; Damen, T.H.; Schuijer-Maaskant, K.P.; Polinder, S.; Hovius, S.E.R.; Walbeehm, E.T.

    2013-01-01

    Health-care costs associated with pressure sores are significant and their financial burden is likely to increase even further. The aim of this study was to analyse the direct medical costs of hospital care for surgical treatment of pressure sores stage III and IV. We performed a retrospective chart

  13. Relationship between isometric and dynamic strength in recreationally trained men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuigan, Michael R; Newton, Michael J; Winchester, Jason B; Nelson, Arnold G

    2010-09-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationships between measures of maximal isometric force (peak force [PF]), rate of force development (RFD), vertical jump performance (VJ) and 1-repetition maximum (1RM) strength in recreationally trained men. The subjects in this study were 26 men ([mean +/- SD]: age 22 +/- 1 years; height 175 +/- 7 cm; mass 90 +/- 10 kg). They were tested for PF using the isometric midthigh pull exercise. The 1RM for the squat and bench press exercise were determined as a measure of dynamic strength. Explosive strength was measured as RFD from the isometric force-time curve. Correlations between the variables were calculated using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient. There was a nearly perfect correlation between measures of PF and 1RM squat (r = 0.97, p isometric maximum strength determined during the isometric midthigh pull test correlated well with 1RM and VJ testing. However, RFD measured during the same test did not appear to correlate as well with other measures. The isometric midthigh pull provides an efficient method for assessing strength in recreationally trained individuals. Practitioners wishing to obtain performance data related to maximum strength may wish to consider isometric testing as a less time intensive method of testing.

  14. [Effects of massage on delayed-onset muscle soreness].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakowski, Paweł; Musielak, Bartosz; Sip, Paweł; Biegański, Grzegorz

    2008-01-01

    Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is the pain or discomfort often felt 12 to 24 hours after exercising and subsides generally within 4 to 6 days. Once thought to be caused by lactic acid buildup, a more recent theory is that it is caused by inflammatory process or tiny tears in the muscle fibers caused by eccentric contraction, or unaccustomed training levels. Exercises that involve many eccentric contractions will result in the most severe DOMS. Fourteen healthy men with no history of upper arm injury and no experience in resistance training were recruited. The mean age, height, and mass of the subjects were 22.8 +/- 1.2 years, 178.3 +/- 10.3 cm, and 75.0 +/- 14.2 kg, respectively. Subjects performed 8 sets of concentric and eccentric actions of the elbow flexors with each arm according to Stay protocol. One arm received 10 minutes of massage 30 minutes after exercise, the contralateral arm received no treatment. Measurements were taken at 9 assessment times: pre-exercise and postexercise at 10 min, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 hours. Dependent variables were range of motion, perceived soreness and upper arm circumference. There was noticed difference in perceived soreness across time between groups. The analysis indicated that massage resulted in a 10% to 20% decrease in the severity of soreness, but the differences were not significant. Difference in range of motion and arm circumference was not observed. Massage administered 30 minutes after exercises could have a beneficial influence on DOMS but without influence on muscle swelling and range of motion.

  15. Detection and Isolation of Digital Dermatitis Treponemes from Bovine Pressure Sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clegg, S R; Crosby-Durrani, H E; Bell, J; Blundell, R; Blowey, R W; Carter, S D; Evans, N J

    2016-05-01

    Pressure sores cause severe pain and discomfort in hospitalized people and in farmed cattle and are often infected with unknown bacteria. Pressure sores occur on the upper legs of 6-10% of recumbent cattle and are generally considered to be caused by constant pressure, commonly on bony areas of the limbs. This study analyzed pressure sores taken from the upper limbs of 14 cattle using isolation in culture and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect treponemes associated with digital dermatitis (DD). A 100% association of DD treponemes with the pressure sores was demonstrated, but treponemes were shown not to be part of the normal skin microbiota. Immunohistochemistry showed an association of DD treponemes with lesions and particularly with the hair follicles in lesions, identifying the bacteria deep within wounds, thereby suggesting that they could contribute to lesion pathogenesis. The bacteria isolated from the pressure sore lesions were similar or identical on analysis of the 16S rRNA gene to those found in DD foot lesions in cattle, suggesting the same bacteria can infect multiple lesions. Indeed, the results of this study suggest that these spirochaetal bacteria may be expanding in host range and in their ability to colonize different tissues and contribute to a range of disease manifestations in farm animals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Pressure Sores and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome: UC Davis Quality Improvement Initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jairam, Abhishek; Song, Ping; Patel, Nirav B; Wong, Michael S

    2018-05-01

    The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel estimates pressure sore care to approach $11 billion annually. It is not uncommon for these patients to present to the emergency department (ED) with a chief concern of a pressure sore, while concurrently carrying an undiagnosed infectious process that is the culprit for the acute presentation, rather than the chronic pressure injury. We aim to identify patients who met systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria at ED presentation who were referred to plastic and reconstructive surgery for pressure sore debridement prior to a complete medical workup. We hypothesize that a restructuring of the ED triaging system would help conserve hospital resources, reduce costs of pressure sore management, and improve patient care and outcomes by first treating primary, underlying pathologies. This is a retrospective chart review of 36 patients who presented to the University of California, Davis Medical Center Emergency Department with a pressure sore and met SIRS criteria, but obtained a plastic surgery consult prior to a full medical workup. We defined SIRS based on standardized criteria: temperature greater than 100.4°F or less than 96.8°F, pulse rate greater than 90 beats/min, respiratory rate greater than 20 breaths/min or PaCO2 less than 32 mm Hg, white blood cell count greater than 12,000, less than 4000, or greater than 10% bands. Fifty percent of patients (18/36) met SIRS criteria at ED presentation for their pressure sores. Of these SIRS patients, 9 (50%) had a diagnosis of urinary tract infection or urosepsis, 6 (33.3%) had sepsis of undefined origin, and 3 (16.7%) had other diagnoses such as osteomyelitis or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Half of patients consulted while in the University of California, Davis Medical Center Emergency Department with pressure sores met SIRS criteria and received a plastic and reconstructive surgery consult prior to a full medical workup. We propose a new algorithm for

  17. Does a foamy-block mattress system prevent pressure sores ? A prospective randomised clinical trial in 1729 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berthe, J V; Bustillo, A; Mélot, C; de Fontaine, S

    2007-01-01

    Pressure ulcers are a frequent complication of bed rest. The development of an efficient and low cost pressure relieving system for the prevention of bed-sores would be of considerable hospital health and economic interest. Our study was designed to determine the effectiveness in pressure-sore prevention of an interface pressure-decreasing mattress, the Kliniplot mattress, used in our institution since 1978. In a prospective randomised controlled 7-month clinical trial we compared the Kliniplot mattress with our standard hospital mattress in 1729 patients admitted to medical and surgical departments (neurology, cardiology, oncology-haematology, neurosurgery, thoracic surgery and orthopaedic surgery). Two groups (Klinipot mattress and standard hospital mattress) were monitored for the prevention of pressure sores. The patients were evaluated on a daily basis from their admission until the eventual occurrence of a bed-sore. Patients' characteristics and pressure-sore risk factors were similar at the baseline in both groups. Patients presenting with a pressure sore at the time of admission were excluded. Forty-two of the 1729 patients (2.4%) who entered the study developed at least one pressure sore. Twenty-one of the 657 patients (3.2%) nursed on the Kliniplot mattress, and 21 of the 1072 patients (1.9%) on the standard mattress developed bed-sores (p = 0.154). The median time for the occurrence of pressure sores was 31 days (range 6-87) with the Kliniplot mattress and 18 days (range 2 to 38) with the standard mattress (p sores using the modified Ek's scale were no different at the baseline between both groups (p = 0.764). The severity of the pressure sores was no different between both groups (p = 0.918). Our results show that the occurrence of pressure sores is not reduced but is delayed when patients are nursed on a Kliniplot pressure-decreasing mattress.

  18. Vitamin C depletion and pressure sores in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goode, H. F.; Burns, E.; Walker, B. E.

    1992-01-01

    OBJECTIVE--To evaluate the contribution of specific nutritional deficiencies (as indicated by zinc; vitamin A, C, and E; albumin; and haemoglobin concentrations) to the risk of pressure sores. DESIGN--Observational cohort study. SETTING--St James's University Hospital, Leeds. SUBJECTS--21 elderly patients presenting consecutively to the orthopaedic unit with femoral neck fracture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Full thickness epidermal break over a pressure bearing surface. RESULTS--10 patients (48%) developed a pressure sore during their hospital stay. Indices of zinc status and concentrations of albumin, haemoglobin, and vitamins A and E were similar in patients who developed a pressure sore and those who did not. Mean leucocyte vitamin C concentration, however, was 6.3 (SD 2.2) micrograms/10(8) cells in patients who developed a pressure sore as compared with 12.8 (4.6) micrograms/10(8) cells in patients who did not. CONCLUSIONS--Low concentrations of leucocyte vitamin C appear to be associated with subsequent development of pressure sores in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures. PMID:1458073

  19. Prophylaxis of postintubation sore throat by the use of single puff inhalation of clomethasone dipropionate preoperatively

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bashir, I.; Masood, N.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to asses the occurrence and severity of sore throat following endotracheal anesthesia and its reduction by beclomethasone inhalation. Study Design: A randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the main operation theatre, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi from October 2002 to April 2003. Patients and Methods: Two hundred patients undergoing general anaesthesia for elective surgery were included. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups of 100 patients each. The patients in group A were given one puff inhalation of beclomethasone before intubation while group B was control group. The patients were evaluated for occurrence and severity of postoperative sore throat by direct questions 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after surgery. Results: In the beclomethasone group, 10 patients had sore throat as compared to 55 in control group (p<0.01). All 10 patients who experienced symptoms in beclomethasone group had mild sore throat while among the patients in the control group 22 had mild, 13 had moderate and 20 had severe sore throat. After 48 hours, no patient had the symptoms in the study group while 9 of the control group still suffered from sore throat. No drug related side effects were observed. Conclusion: Postoperative sore throat after general anaesthesia is common (occurrence rate of 55%). Beclomethasone inhaler is highly effective in the prevention of postoperative sore throat. It reduces both the occurrence and severity of sore throat. (author)

  20. [Indication of sclerotherapy in the treatment of ischiatic pressure sore: about 13 cases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahé, L; Prud'homme, A; Penaud, A; Formé, N; Zakine, G

    2012-12-01

    Ischiatic pressure sore is a common pathology of the paraplegic patient. Usually treated after medical therapy, with fasciocutaneous or musculocutaneous local flaps, despite this treatment the recurrence rate is high. Sclerotherapy, injection of pure ethanol in the cavity of the pressure sore could be an interesting solution in the armentarium of the plastic surgeon in some indications. Sclerotherapy was used for 13 patients in the plastic surgery department to treat ischiatic pressure sores with a cavity, beneath the defect. The mean length of stay was 24 days. The ischiatic pressure sore was completely healed with no skin defect or cavity for nine patients (65%). For two patients, there was a delay of healing of the skin defect but no cavity beneath. There were two early recurrences of the pressure sore. They were treated by sclerotherapy with a complete recovery in 2 months with simple hydrocolloid dressings. The mean post op follow-up was 14,6 months (4 to 24). Only one recurrence was observed after 12 months. The injection of pure ethanol in the cavity of specifics ischiatics pressure sores is a simple, fast and effective technique with a good and stable long term wound healing. The mean length of stay is shorter and the recurrence rate is equivalent to other techniques. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Are there two forms of isometric muscle action? Results of the experimental study support a distinction between a holding and a pushing isometric muscle function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Laura V; Bittmann, Frank N

    2017-01-01

    In isometric muscle function, there are subjectively two different modes of performance: one can either hold isometrically - thus resist an impacting force - or push isometrically - therefore work against a stable resistance. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether or not two different isometric muscle actions - the holding vs. pushing one (HIMA vs PIMA) - can be distinguished by objective parameters. Ten subjects performed two different measuring modes at 80% of MVC realized by a special pneumatic system. During HIMA the subject had to resist the defined impacting force of the pneumatic system in an isometric position, whereby the force of the cylinder works in direction of elbow flexion against the subject. During PIMA the subject worked isometrically in direction of elbow extension against a stable position of the system. The signals of pressure, force, acceleration and mechanomyography/-tendography (MMG/MTG) of the elbow extensor (MMGtri/MTGtri) and the abdominal muscle (MMGobl) were recorded and evaluated concerning the duration of maintaining the force level (force endurance) and the characteristics of MMG-/MTG-signals. Statistical group differences comparing HIMA vs. PIMA were estimated using SPSS. Significant differences between HIMA and PIMA were especially apparent regarding the force endurance: During HIMA the subjects showed a decisively shorter time of stable isometric position (19 ± 8 s) in comparison with PIMA (41 ± 24 s; p  = .005). In addition, during PIMA the longest isometric plateau amounted to 59.4% of the overall duration time of isometric measuring, during HIMA it lasted 31.6% ( p  = .000). The frequency of MMG/MTG did not show significant differences. The power in the frequency ranges of 8-15 Hz and 10-29 Hz was significantly higher in the MTGtri performing HIMA compared to PIMA (but not for the MMGs). The amplitude of MMG/MTG did not show any significant difference considering the whole measurement. However

  2. Isometric immersions and embeddings of locally Euclidean metrics in R2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabitov, I Kh

    1999-01-01

    This paper deals with the problem of isometric immersions and embeddings of two-dimensional locally Euclidean metrics in the Euclidean plane. We find explicit formulae for the immersions of metrics defined on a simply connected domain and a number of sufficient conditions for the existence of isometric embeddings. In the case when the domain is multiply connected we find necessary conditions for the existence of isometric immersions and classify the cases when the metric admits no isometric immersion in the Euclidean plane

  3. Ketorolac Tromethamine Spray Prevents Postendotracheal-Intubation-Induced Sore Throat after General Anesthesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. L. Yang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Postoperative sore throat is one of the major complaints of general anesthesia in the postanesthesia care unit. This prospective study investigated the preventive effect of ketorolac tromethamine spray in postendotracheal-intubation-induced sore throat after general anesthesia. Methods. Surgical patients undergoing general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation were recruited from a medical center. Patients were randomly assigned to group K (treated with 5% ketorolac tromethamine spray or group D (treated with distilled water spray. Before intubation, each endotracheal tube was sprayed with the appropriate solution by physicians over the 20 cm length of the cuff. Each group comprised 95 patients fitting the inclusion and exclusion criteria for whom complete data sets were collected. The intensity of the sore throat was measured at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after surgery, and data were compared. Results. The two groups had similar characteristics. Postoperative sore throat was significantly less frequent in group K than in group D (p<0.001 and the pain intensity was significantly lower in group K than in group D at each time point (all p<0.001. Conclusions. This study demonstrated that preanesthesia 5% ketorolac tromethamine spray could effectively decrease postendotracheal-intubation-induced sore throat in patients undergoing general anesthesia.

  4. Effectiveness of acupressure versus isometric exercise on pain, stiffness, and physical function in knee osteoarthritis female patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amany S. Sorour

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Osteoarthritis (OA is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability in older adults. Conservative non-pharmacological strategies, particularly exercise, are recommended by clinical guidelines for its management. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acupressure versus isometric exercise on pain, stiffness, and physical function in knee OA female patients. This quasi experimental study was conducted at the inpatient and outpatient sections at Al-kasr Al-Aini hospital, Cairo University. It involved three groups of 30 patients each: isometric exercise, acupressure, and control. Data were collected by an interview form and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis index (WOMAC scale. The study revealed high initial scores of pain, stiffness, and impaired physical functioning. After the intervention, pain decreased in the two intervention groups compared to the control group (p < 0.001, while the scores of stiffness and impaired physical function were significantly lower in the isometric group (p < 0.001 compared to the other two groups. The decrease in the total WOMAC score was sharper in the two study groups compared to the control group. In multiple linear regression, the duration of illness was a positive predictor of WOMAC score, whereas the intervention is associated with a reduction in the score. In conclusion, isometric exercise and acupressure provide an improvement of pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients with knee OA. Since isometric exercise leads to more improvement of stiffness and physical function, while acupressure acts better on pain, a combination of both is recommended. The findings need further confirmation through a randomized clinical trial.

  5. Effect of an herbal/botanical supplement on recovery from delayed onset muscle soreness: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rynders, Corey A; Weltman, Judy Y; Rynders, Sara D; Patrie, James; McKnight, John; Katch, Frank I; Hertel, Jay; Weltman, Arthur

    2014-01-01

    We examined the effects of a proprietary herbal/botanical supplement (StemSport, Stemtech, San Clemente, CA.) suggested to increase circulating stem cells, decrease inflammation, and attenuate exercise induced muscle damage on recovery from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Sixteen subjects (male = 7, female = 9; age 23.8 ± 10 years; height 171.9 ± 10 cm, mass 72.2 ± 15 kg) were randomized in a crossover, double-blind, placebo controlled trial to receive a placebo or StemSport supplement (6150 mg/day) for 14 days. DOMS was induced on day 7 for both placebo and active conditions in the non-dominant elbow flexor group with repeated eccentric repetitions. Muscle swelling (biceps girth), elbow flexor isometric strength (hand held dynamometer), muscle pain/tenderness (visual analog scale), range of motion (active elbow flexion and extension), and inflammation (hsCRP, IL6, and TNF-α) were measured at baseline and at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 168 h (1 week) post eccentric exercise. The crossover washout period was ≥14 days. No significant condition-by-time interactions between placebo and StemSport supplementation were observed with regard to measures of pain (p = 0.59), tenderness (p = 0.71), isometric strength (p = 0.32), elbow flexion (p = 0.45), muscle swelling (p = 0.90), or inflammation (p > 0.90). Decrements in elbow extension range of motion 48 h post-exercise were less after StemSport supplementation (Δ elbow extension 48 h post; StemSport, -2.0 deg; placebo, -10 deg; p = 0.003). These data suggest that compared to placebo, StemSport supplementation does not improve outcome measures related to muscle recovery after acute upper-arm induced DOMS.

  6. Neurodynamic mobilization and foam rolling improved delayed-onset muscle soreness in a healthy adult population: a randomized controlled clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blanca Romero-Moraleda

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Objectives Compare the immediate effects of a Neurodynamic Mobilization (NM treatment or foam roller (FR treatment after DOMS. Design Double blind randomised clinical trial. Setting The participants performed 100 drop jumps (5 sets of 20 repetitions, separated by 2 min rests from a 0.5-m high box in a University biomechanics laboratory to induce muscle soreness. The participants were randomly assigned in a counter-balanced fashion to either a FR or NM treatment group. Participants Thirty-two healthy subjects (21 males and 11 females, mean age 22.6 ± 2.2 years were randomly assigned into the NM group (n = 16 or the FR group (n = 16. Main Outcome Measures The numeric pain rating scale (NPRS; 0–10, isometric leg strength with dynamometry, surface electromyography at maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC and muscle peak activation (MPA upon landing after a test jump were measured at baseline, 48 h after baseline before treatment, and immediately after treatment. Results Both groups showed significant reduction in NPRS scores after treatment (NM: 59%, p  .05. The percentage change improvement in the MVIC for the rectus femoris was the only significant difference between the groups (p < 0.05 at post-treatment. After treatment, only the FR group had a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.01 in strength compared to pre-treatment. Conclusion Our results illustrate that both treatments are effective in reducing pain perception after DOMS whereas only FR application showed differences for the MVIC in the rectus femoris and strength.

  7. An audit of the physiotherapy management of paraplegic patients with sacral pressure sores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Pather

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Pressure sores are the most common complication post spinal cord injury that requires patients to be on bed rest. Patient bed rest delay rehabilitation and may lead to other complications associated with immobility. This study sought to establish the treatment interventions physiotherapists provide to patients with sacral pressure sores and the factors that they consider when deciding whether the patient should receive physiotherapy in the ward or gym. Methods: This was a questionnaire based survey of physiotherapists working in spinal cord injury rehabilitation units in South Africa. The self-designed questionnaire was sent to all the main spinal rehabilitation units in the country (14 located in Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State provinces. Results: Thirty-nine physiotherapists from a total of 51 completed the questionnaires (76% response rate. The most common treatment practice for patients with sacral pressure sores was bed rest (98%. The most common physio-therapy practices (70% included were upper limb muscle strengthening, upper and lower limb passive movements, positioning into prone and side lying and passive stretching. The choice of treatment environment was influenced by doctors’ orders and the size, grade and duration of the pressure sores. Conclusion: Direct involvement in pressure sore management in South Africa seem to be less than in other parts of the world. If we are to minimise the pressure sore impact, it appears like we need more focus on gait re-education and standardised ADL programmes and patient treatment in the gym to possibly maximise healing and rehabilitation.

  8. Improving outcomes following reconstruction of pressure sores in spinal injury patients: A multidisciplinary approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadiparthi, S; Hartley, A; Alzweri, L; Mecci, M; Siddiqui, H

    2016-07-01

    Pressure sore treatment in spinal injury patients is challenging. A multidisciplinary approach with joint management by the plastic surgery and spinal injury teams was initiated at our institution in 2005 to improve patient care and surgical outcomes following reconstruction. This study assessed the surgical outcomes following reconstruction using the team approach and to compare inpatient stay and readmissions for complications before and after the multidisciplinary protocol was introduced. A retrospective review of consecutive patients in the multidisciplinary pressure sore clinic was performed. Data were collected on patient demographics, reconstructive techniques, surgical outcomes and readmission for any complications. In total, 45 patients with 60 pressure sores (grade 3 or 4) were reviewed in the joint clinic between 2005 and 2011. The majority of patients were paraplegic (78%), while the remaining 22% were tetraplegic. Ischial sores were the most common (45%) followed by trochanteric (23%) and sacral (20%) sores. Multiple sores were noted in 44% of patients. Flap reconstruction was required in 32 patients (71%); after a mean follow-up time of 33 months (range 25-72 months), there were three (9%) major complications (two recurrences of pressure sores and one sinus) and seven (22%) minor complications. After introduction of patient care pathways through the multidisciplinary approach, the rate of readmission for complications decreased from 14% to 5.5% and inpatient stay upon readmission reduced from 65 to 45 days. Implementation of a multidisciplinary approach was key to optimising surgical outcomes, achieving a low recurrence rate (6%) and reducing readmissions. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. [Clinical application of modified upper gluteal rhomboid fasciocutaneous flap in repairing sacrococcygeal pressure sores].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Maohua; Yang, Xiaoliang; Wei, Bangmin; Li, Yinghao

    2012-03-01

    To investigate the method and effectiveness of repairing sacrococcygeal pressure sores with modified upper gluteal rhomboid fasciocutaneous flap. Between January 2004 and March 2011, 43 patients with sacrococcygeal pressure sores were treated. There were 25 males and 18 females with an average age of 63 years (range, 38-95 years). The disease duration was 3 months to 2 years and 6 months (mean, 8.5 months). The size of pressure sores ranged from 6 cm x 5 cm to 18 cm x 13 cm. According to the extent and lesion degree of pressure scores, 23 pressure sores were rated as degree III and 20 pressure sores as degree IV. The modified upper gluteal rhomboid flap was designed, one-side upper gluteal fasciocutaneous flaps were transplanted to repair sacrococcygeal pressure sores in 19 cases and two-side flaps in 24 cases. The size of one side flap ranged from 6.5 cm x 4.5 cm to 18.0 cm x 11.5 cm. Fluid under flap occurred in 1 case and edge necrosis of the flaps in 3 cases at 7 days after operation, which were cured after drainage and dressing change; the other flaps survived, and incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 6 months to 3 years with an average of 11 months. Two patients relapsed at 5 months and 8 months, respectively; the other patients had no recurrence. The color of the flaps was normal, and the appearance and elasticity of the flaps were good. The modified upper gluteal rhomboid fasciocutaneous flap has the advantages of simple design and operation, less injury, and reliable effect in repairing sacrococcygeal pressure sores.

  10. Isometric and swallowing tongue strength in healthy adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todd, J Tee; Lintzenich, Catherine Rees; Butler, Susan G

    2013-10-01

    The tongue contributes to a safe swallow. It facilitates bolus control during mastication, maintains a bolus in the oral cavity to prevent premature entry of the bolus into the hypopharynx, and helps generate pressure in the hypopharynx during swallowing. This study examined isometric tongue strength and tongue pressure measured during swallowing in healthy young and older adults. Prospective group design. One hundred twenty-six healthy individuals who were recruited as part of a larger study on swallowing participated in this study. Participants were divided into three age groups: 20 to 40 years, 41 to 60 years, and ≥61 years. A KayPentax Digital Swallowing Workstation with an air-filled bulb array was placed on the tongue of each participant (anterior to posterior). Participants completed three isometric tongue presses and three swallows. Repeated measures analyses of variance revealed a significant main effect of age (P = .01) and gender by tongue bulb location interaction (P = .02) for isometric tongue strength. That is, older adults had lower isometric tongue strength than young adults, and females had a greater difference between anterior and posterior tongue strength than males. Tongue strength during swallowing yielded significantly greater anterior versus posterior tongue pressure. This study comprises one of the largest in terms of number of healthy participants reported to date and confirms previous findings that isometric tongue strength decreases with age. Furthermore, given young and older adults generate similar swallowing pressures, swallowing is a submaximal strength activity, yet older adults have less functional reserve. 4. Copyright © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  11. Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chris Bleakley

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Many strategies are in use with the intention of preventing or minimizing delayed onset muscle soreness and fatigue after exercise. Cold-water immersion, in water temperatures of less than 15 °C, is currently one of the most popular interventional strategies used after exercise. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of cold-water immersion in the management of muscle soreness after exercise. SEARCH METHODS: In February 2010, we searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library (2010, Issue 1, Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL, British Nursing Index and archive (BNI, and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro. We also searched the reference lists of articles, handsearched journals and conference proceedings and contacted experts. In November 2011, we updated the searches of Central (2011, Issue 4, Medline (up to November Week 3 2011, Embase (to 2011 Week 46 and CINAHL (to 28 November 2011 to check for more recent publications. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized and quasi-randomized trials comparing the effect of using cold-water immersion after exercise with: passive intervention (rest/no intervention, contrast immersion, warm-water immersion, active recovery, compression, or a different duration/dosage of cold-water immersion. Primary outcomes were pain (muscle soreness or tenderness (pain on palpation, and subjective recovery (return to previous activities without signs or symptoms. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three authors independently evaluated study quality and extracted data. Some of the data were obtained following author correspondence or extracted from graphs in the trial reports. Where possible, data were pooled using the fixed-effect model. MAIN RESULTS: Seventeen small trials were included, involving a total of 366 participants. Study quality was low. The temperature, duration and

  12. Dynamic balance ability in young elite soccer players: implication of isometric strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chtara, Moktar; Rouissi, Mehdi; Bragazzi, Nicola L; Owen, Adam L; Haddad, Monoem; Chamari, Karim

    2018-04-01

    Soccer requires maintaining unilateral balance when executing movement with the contralateral leg. Despite the fact that balance requires standing with maintaining isometric posture with the support leg, currently there is a lack of studies regarding the implication of isometric strength on dynamic balance's performance among young soccer players. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the Y-Balance Test and 12 lower limbs isometric strength tests. Twenty-six right footed soccer players (mean±SD, age=16.2±1.6 years, height=175±4.2 cm, body mass=68.8±6.1 kg) performed a dynamic balance test (star excursion balance-test with dominant- (DL) and nondominant-legs (NDL). Furthermore, maximal isometric contraction tests of 12 lower limb muscle groups were assessed in DL and NDL. Correlations analysis reported a significant positive relationship between some of isometric strength tests (with DL and NDL) and the Y-Balance Test. Furthermore, stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that maximal isometric strength explained between 21.9% and 49.4% of the variance of the Y-Balance Test. Moreover, maximal isometric strength was dependent upon the reaching angle of the Y-Balance Test and the leg used to support body weight. This study showed a significant implication of maximal isometric strength of the lower limb and the Y-Balance Test. Moreover, the present investigation suggests the implementation of specific lower limb strengthening exercises depending on players' deficit in each reaching direction and leg. This result suggests that further studies should experiment if increasing lower limbs isometric strength could improve dynamic balance ability among young soccer players.

  13. Acute effects of massage or active exercise in relieving muscle soreness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Lars L; Jay, Kenneth; Andersen, Christoffer H

    2013-01-01

    Massage is commonly believed to be the best modality for relieving muscle soreness. However, actively warming up the muscles with exercise may be an effective alternative. The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effect of massage with active exercise for relieving muscle soreness. Twenty...... healthy female volunteers (mean age 32 years) participated in this examiner-blind randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01478451). The participants performed eccentric contractions for the upper trapezius muscle on a Biodex dynamometer. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) presented 48 hours...... later, at which the participants (a) received 10 minutes of massage of the trapezius muscle or (b) performed 10 minutes of active exercise (shoulder shrugs 10 × 10 reps) with increasing elastic resistance (Thera-Band). First, 1 treatment was randomly applied to 1 shoulder while the contralateral...

  14. [Urinary incontinence as a risk factor for pressure sores does not withstand a critical examination].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Tom; Anders, Jennifer; von Renteln-Kruse, Wolfgang

    2005-10-01

    The association between urinary incontinence and pressure sores is put down to various causes. Most frequently urinary wet and following maceration of the skin are mentioned. However, it is possible that urinary incontinence is only an indicator for other risk factors or a measure of the need for care without any causal relation to pressure sores. There are hardly any controlled or randomised studies; this lack of scientific evidence is problematic. Based on a case-control-study including data of 200 patients as well as on the existing models of explanation, the following study tries to examine critically the connections between pressure sores and urinary incontinence. Out of the patients in our study population 97.5 percent were incontinent. Different categories of the risk factor urinary incontinence and different dichotomisations have led to different statistical results. Statements concerning the connection between urinary incontinence and pressure sores have to be interpreted critically. The dependence of urinary incontinence on other risk factors such as patients' need for care or compliance suggests that the causal connection to pressure sores be not reduced to the influence of wetness. We advise to research connections between urinary incontinence and pressure sores in a methodologically appropriate setting.

  15. Maximal isometric strength of the cervical musculature in 100 healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jordan, A; Mehlsen, J; Bülow, P M

    1999-01-01

    A descriptive study involving maximal isometric strength measurements of the cervical musculature.......A descriptive study involving maximal isometric strength measurements of the cervical musculature....

  16. Practical Management of Pressure Sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, John M.

    1992-01-01

    Pressure sores are common in the debilitated elderly. Causal factors are unrelieved pressure, shearing forces, friction, and moisture. Preventive measures should be used for all high-risk patients, defined by general condition, mental status, degree of incontinence, amount of activity, and mobility. Principles of treating ulcers include pressure relief, reducing bacterial counts, debriding necrotic tissue, and providing a moist, clean environment. Imagesp2385-ap2389-ap2392-a PMID:21221298

  17. Influence of Isometric Exercise Training on Quadriceps Muscle Architecture and Strength in Obese Subjects with Knee Osteoarthritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Waleed S Mahmoud

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Obese individuals have reduced quadriceps muscle strength relative to body mass that may increase the rate of progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of isometric exercise training on quadriceps muscle architecture and strength in obese subjects with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Fortyfour obese male subjects aged 40–65 years diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned into group A (n=32 and group B (n=12. Group A subjects performed a 12-week isometric exercise program. Group B subjects did not participate in any exercise program and maintained their ordinary activities for the same period. Both groups received the same conventional physical therapy program including hot packs and therapeutic ultrasonic. Muscle thickness, pennation angles and fascicle length of the vastus lateralis (VL muscle of the affected knee were measured at rest by B-mode ultrasonography. Maximal voluntary isometric knee extension torque (MVIC of the affected knee was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Knee pain and function were evaluated using visual analogue pain scale (VAS and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC. All variables were evaluated before and the end of the intervention period for both groups. Results: at the end of the program, group A subjects showed significant improvements compared with group B subjects regarding MVIC and muscle architecture parameters (p<0.05. Also, there was significant improvement in post-test VAS and WOMAC scores in group A subjects compared to group B subjects (p<0.05. Conclusion: A 12-week quadriceps isometric training program improves knee pain and quadriceps muscle strength and architecture in obese subjects with knee OA. These results indicate that isometric training should be regarded as a proper exercise intervention for obese patients with knee OA.

  18. EFFECTS OF A 4-WEEK ECCENTRIC TRAINING PROGRAM ON THE REPEATED BOUT EFFECT IN YOUNG ACTIVE WOMEN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalo

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to analyze the responses of women to the repeated bout effect (RBE and to a short eccentric training program. Twenty-four young females were randomly assigned to a training group (TG, n = 14 or a control group (CG, n = 10. They performed two identical acute eccentric bouts (120 repetitions at 70% of 1RM in a leg-press device in an 8 weeks interval. TG followed a 4-week-eccentric-training program between the bouts. Maximal isometric contraction, range of motion, peak power and quadriceps muscle soreness were compared between and within groups before and after the two acute eccentric bouts. TG and CG presented significant losses of isometric strength and peak power, and an increment in soreness after the first bout. Isometric strength and peak power were recovered faster in CG after the second bout (p < 0.05 compared with TG, which showed a similar recovery of these parameters after the second bout compared with the first one. A decrease in soreness and a faster recovery of range of motion were found in TG (p < 0.05 following the second bout compared with the first one, but not in CG. Data indicate that a 4-week eccentric training program may prevent the RBE over those adaptations related with muscle damage (e.g. strength loss, but it may increase RBE impact on inflammatory processes (e.g. soreness.

  19. PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH PRESSURE SORES IN A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Gustavo Palmeiro; Seidel, William; Giustina, Renata Della; Bins-Ely, Jorge; Maurici, Rosemeri; Narciso-Schiavon, Janaína Luz

    2017-01-01

    Despite advances in medical care, patients who are hospitalized or have spinal cord injuries often develop pressure sores. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of pressure sores and evaluate factors associated with recurrence and cure. In this historical cohort study, clinical and laboratory data were collected from medical records between 1997 and 2016. Sixty individuals with pressure ulcers were included; mean patient age was 38.1±16.5 (37.0) years, 83.3% were men, and 86.8% identified as white. Most patients (85.1%) had paraplegia, amputation, or trauma of the lower limbs with motor sequelae; the remainder (14.9%) were quadriplegic. Most (78.3%) underwent surgery, and the mean follow-up time was 1.8±2.5 years. The lesions were cured in 25 patients; they recurred in 25% of the patients, and recurrence was seen to be associated with the location of the lesions. Patients with recurrent lesions had more medical consultations and a longer treatment time. Individuals whose ulcers had healed had fewer lesions, higher body mass index (BMI), and a higher proportion of these patients underwent surgery. BMI and location and number of lesions are prognostic factors. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

  20. Isometric exercise induces analgesia and reduces inhibition in patellar tendinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rio, Ebonie; Kidgell, Dawson; Purdam, Craig; Gaida, Jamie; Moseley, G Lorimer; Pearce, Alan J; Cook, Jill

    2015-10-01

    Few interventions reduce patellar tendinopathy (PT) pain in the short term. Eccentric exercises are painful and have limited effectiveness during the competitive season. Isometric and isotonic muscle contractions may have an immediate effect on PT pain. This single-blinded, randomised cross-over study compared immediate and 45 min effects following a bout of isometric and isotonic muscle contractions. Outcome measures were PT pain during the single-leg decline squat (SLDS, 0-10), quadriceps strength on maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), and measures of corticospinal excitability and inhibition. Data were analysed using a split-plot in time-repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). 6 volleyball players with PT participated. Condition effects were detected with greater pain relief immediately from isometric contractions: isometric contractions reduced SLDS (mean±SD) from 7.0±2.04 to 0.17±0.41, and isotonic contractions reduced SLDS (mean±SD) from 6.33±2.80 to 3.75±3.28 (peffect on inhibition (pre 30.26±3.89, post 31.92±4.67; p=0.004). Condition by time analysis showed pain reduction was sustained at 45 min postisometric but not isotonic condition (ptendon pain immediately for at least 45 min postintervention and increased MVIC. The reduction in pain was paralleled by a reduction in cortical inhibition, providing insight into potential mechanisms. Isometric contractions can be completed without pain for people with PT. The clinical implications are that isometric muscle contractions may be used to reduce pain in people with PT without a reduction in muscle strength. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  1. Screen time viewing behaviors and isometric trunk muscle strength in youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grøntved, Anders; Ried-Larsen, Mathias; Froberg, Karsten; Wedderkopp, Niels; Brage, Søren; Kristensen, Peter Lund; Andersen, Lars Bo; Møller, Niels Christian

    2013-10-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the association of screen time viewing behavior with isometric trunk muscle strength in youth. A cross-sectional study was carried out including 606 adolescents (14-16 yr old) participating in the Danish European Youth Heart Study, a population-based study with assessments conducted in either 1997/1998 or 2003/2004. Maximal voluntary contractions during isometric back extension and abdominal flexion were determined using a strain gauge dynamometer, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was obtained using a maximal cycle ergometer test. TV viewing time, computer use, and other lifestyle behaviors were obtained by self-report. Analyses of association of screen use behaviors with isometric trunk muscle strength were carried out using multivariable adjusted linear regression. The mean (SD) isometric strength was 0.87 (0.16) N·kg-1. TV viewing, computer use, and total screen time use were inversely associated with isometric trunk muscle strength in analyses adjusted for lifestyle and sociodemographic factors. After further adjustment for CRF and waist circumference, associations remained significant for computer use and total screen time, but TV viewing was only marginally associated with muscle strength after these additional adjustments (-0.05 SD (95% confidence interval, -0.11 to 0.005) difference in strength per 1 h·d-1 difference in TV viewing time, P = 0.08). Each 1 h·d-1 difference in total screen time use was associated with -0.09 SD (95% confidence interval, -0.14 to -0.04) lower isometric trunk muscle strength in the fully adjusted model (P = 0.001). There were no indications that the association of screen time use with isometric trunk muscle strength was attenuated among highly fit individuals (P = 0.91 for CRF by screen time interaction). Screen time use was inversely associated with isometric trunk muscle strength independent of CRF and other confounding factors.

  2. Medial circumflex femoral artery flap for ischial pressure sore

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Palanivelu S

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available A new axial pattern flap based on the terminal branches of the medial circumflex femoral artery is described for coverage of ischial pressure sore. Based on the terminal branches of the transverse branch of medial circumflex femoral artery, which exit through the gap between the quadratus femoris muscle above and the upper border of adductor magnus muscle below, this fascio cutaneous flap is much smaller than the posterior thigh flap but extremely useful to cover ischeal pressure sores. The skin redundancy below the gluteal fold allows a primary closure of the donor defect. It can also be used in combination with biceps femoris muscle flap.

  3. ISOMETRIC EXERCISE VERSUS COMBINED CONCENTRIC-ECCENTRIC EXERCISE TRAINING IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS KNEE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nigombam Amit Kumar

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Osteoarthritis is a slowly evolving articular disease, which appears to originate in the cartilage and affects the underlying bone and soft tissues. OA results in pain and functional disability. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of isometric exercises and combined concentric-eccentric exercises in reducing pain and functional disability in patients with osteoarthritis of knee. Methods: Forty individuals who were diagnosed as osteoarthritis by qualified orthopaedics and orthopaedic surgeons were chosen and were randomly divided into 2 groups Group A (N=20 and Group B (N=20. Group A was treated with isometric exercises and Group B was treated with combined concentric-eccentric exercises. The intervention lasted eight weeks and the physical activity was carried out for 3 days a week. Both the groups were assessed for pain and functional disability of knee joint by using WOMAC osteoarthritis index and VAS. Results: Between group analysis of pre and post study data reveals that VAS and WOMAC osteoarthritis index revealed significant findings (P=0.00. Group B performs significantly better on both the scales after the treatment. Conclusion: Both the groups showed significant improvement in decreasing pain and functional disability. But mean scores of Group B showed greater improvement in reducing pain and functional disability as compared to Group A in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Thus the results suggest that a combined concentric-eccentric e

  4. Impact of pain reported during isometric quadriceps muscle strength testing in people with knee pain: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riddle, Daniel L; Stratford, Paul W

    2011-10-01

    Muscle force testing is one of the more common categories of diagnostic tests used in clinical practice. Clinicians have little evidence to guide interpretations of muscle force tests when pain is elicited during testing. The purpose of this study was to examine the construct validity of isometric quadriceps muscle strength tests by determining whether the relationship between maximal isometric quadriceps muscle strength and functional status was influenced by pain during isometric testing. A cross-sectional design was used. Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative were used to identify 1,344 people with unilateral knee pain and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale scores of 1 or higher on the involved side. Measurements of maximal isometric quadriceps strength and ratings of pain during isometric testing were collected. Outcome variables were WOMAC physical function subscale, 20-m walk test, 400-m walk test, and a repeated chair stand test. Multiple regression models were used to determine whether pain during testing modified or confounded the relationship between strength and functional status. Pearson r correlations among the isometric quadriceps strength measures and the 4 outcome measures ranged from -.36 (95% confidence interval=-.41, -.31) for repeated chair stands to .36 (95% confidence interval=.31, .41) for the 20-m walk test. In the final analyses, neither effect modification nor confounding was found for the repeated chair stand test, the 20-m walk test, the 400-m walk test, or the WOMAC physical function subscale. Moderate or severe pain during testing was weakly associated with reduced strength, but mild pain was not. The disease spectrum was skewed toward mild or moderate symptoms, and the pain measurement scale used during muscle force testing was not ideal. Given that the spectrum of the sample was skewed toward mild or moderate symptoms and disease, the data suggest that isometric quadriceps muscle

  5. Difference between a Sore Throat, Strep, and Tonsillitis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... often called Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease ). Infectious mononucleosis (often called "Mono") can produce a sore throat, ... most young children who are infected with the mononucleosis virus have few or no symptoms. Strep Throat ...

  6. Isometric multipliers of a vector valued Beurling algebra on a ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Proceedings – Mathematical Sciences; Volume 127; Issue 1. Isometric multipliers of a vector valued Beurling algebra on a discrete semigroup. Research Article Volume 127 Issue 1 February 2017 pp 109- ... Keywords. Weighted semigroup; multipliers of a semigroup; Beurling algebra; isometric multipliers.

  7. Effects of intravenous diclofenac on postoperative sore throat in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effects of intravenous diclofenac on postoperative sore throat in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi: A prospective, randomized, double blind controlled trial.

  8. [Primary investigation on fumigation and moxibustion in treatment ulcer and sore of yin syndrome].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Chao-Jun; Zhang, Zhao-Hui; Ma, Jing; Li, Pin-Chuan; Liu, Xian-Zhou; Yin, Yue; Tian, Ying

    2011-09-01

    To explore the fumigation and moxibustion therapy in treatment of ulcer and sore of yin syndrome. The fumigation and moxibustion therapy is the combination of fumigation and moxibustion, in which, smoking fumigation is provided with warming effect and the actions as moxibustion. This therapy works on the efficacy of both fumigation and moxibustion. In treatment, different herbal medicines can be selected flexibly, acting on dispersing yin and rescuing yang. The fumigation and moxibustion therapy can drain toxin and remove ulcer and sore. It contributes to the treatment of boils and chronic sores of yin syndrome and promotes wound healing.

  9. Isometric elbow extensors strength in supine- and prone-lying positions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelzaher, Ibrahim E; Ababneh, Anas F; Alzyoud, Jehad M

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare isometric strength of elbow extensors measured in supine- and prone-lying positions at elbow flexion angles of 45 and 90 degrees. Twenty-two male subjects under single-blind procedures participated in the study. Each subject participated in both supine-lying and prone-lying measuring protocols. Calibrated cable tensiometer was used to measure isometric strength of the right elbow extensors and a biofeedback electromyography was used to assure no substitution movements from shoulder girdle muscles. The mean values of isometric strength of elbow extensors measured from supine-lying position at elbow flexion angles of 45 and 90 degrees were 11.1  ±  4.2 kg and 13.1  ±  4.6 kg, while those measured from prone-lying position were 9.9  ±  3.6 kg and 12  ±  4.2 kg, respectively. There is statistical significant difference between the isometric strength of elbow extensors measured from supine-lying position at elbow flexion angles of 45 and 90 degrees compared to that measured from prone-lying position (p  isometric strength of elbow extensors since supine-lying starting position is better than prone-lying starting position.

  10. Validation and Reliability of a Novel Test of Upper Body Isometric Strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellar, David; Marcus, Lena; Judge, Lawrence W

    2015-09-29

    The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the association of a novel test of upper body isometric strength against a 1RM bench press measurement. Forty college age adults (n = 20 female, n = 20 male; age 22.8 ± 2.8 years; body height 171.6 ± 10.8 cm; body mass 73.5 ± 16.3 kg; body fat 23.1 ± 5.4%) volunteered for the present investigation. The participants reported to the lab on three occasions. The first visit included anthropometric measurements and familiarization with both the upper body isometric test and bench press exercise. The final visits were conducted in a randomized order, with one being a 1RM assessment on the bench press and the other consisting of three trials of the upper body isometric assessment. For the isometric test, participants were positioned in a "push-up" style position while tethered (stainless steel chain) to a load cell (high frequency) anchored to the ground. The peak isometric force was consistent across all three trials (ICC = 0.98) suggesting good reliability. Multiple regression analysis was completed with the predictors: peak isometric force, gender, against the outcome variable 1RM bench press. The analysis resulted in a significant model (r2 = 0.861, p≤0.001) with all predictor variables attaining significance in the model (pIsometric peak strength had the greatest effect on the model (Beta = 5.19, p≤0.001). Results from this study suggest that the described isometric upper body strength assessment is likely a valid and reliable tool to determine strength. Further research is warranted to gather a larger pool of data in regard to this assessment.

  11. Long-term outcome of using posterior-thigh fasciocutaneous flaps for the treatment of ischial pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Haodong; Hou, Chunlin; Chen, Aimin; Xu, Zhen

    2010-08-01

    Among the many difficult problems presented by patients with spinal cord injuries, management of ischial pressure ulcers remains challenging for reconstructive surgeons. This study describes the long-term outcome of using posterior-thigh fasciocutaneous flaps for the treatment of ischial pressure sores. Between January 1999 and June 2003, 12 patients with ischial sores were enrolled in this study. All the patients underwent early aggressive surgical debridement followed by surgical reconstruction with a laterally based posterior-thigh fasciocutaneous flap. The follow-up period ranged from 24 months to 97 months (mean, 62 months). All the flaps survived, and there were no partial flap losses. Primary-wound healing occurred in all the cases. In two patients, Grade II ischial pressure sores recurred 24 months and 27 months after the operation. There was no recurrence in the other 10 patients. The posterior-thigh fasciocutaneous pedicled flap was a good method for treating ischial bed sores. This flap could be used to treat recurrences observed after primary bed-sore treatment with other methods. The flap was easy to raise, and it did not cause any donor-site morbidity. The long-term outcome of using posterior-thigh fasciocutaneous flaps for the treatment of ischial pressure sores was generally good. (c) Thieme Medical Publishers.

  12. The usefulness of a clinical 'scorecard' in managing patients with sore throat in general practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bakare Tony MO

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of a clinical scorecard in managing sore throat in general practice. Design: Validation study of scorecard for sore throat with a throat swab culture used as the 'gold standard'. Setting: A solo family practice in rural New South Wales, Australia Participants: Patients attending with sore throat. Methods Patients from the age of 5 years and above presenting with the main symptom of a sore throat, and who have not had any antibiotic treatment in the previous two weeks, were invited to participate in the study. The doctor completed a scorecard for each patient participating and took a throat swab for culture. Adult patients (> 16 yrs were asked to complete a patient satisfaction questionnaire, while guardians accompanying children (5 yr to Main outcome measures: 1. Ability of a new scorecard to differentiate between bacterial and non-bacterial sore throat. 2. Patients' trust in the scorecard. Results The scorecard has a sensitivity of 93.33%, a specificity of 63.16%, a positive predictive value of 50% and a negative predictive value of 96%. The sensitivity is better than other sore throat scorecards that have been published but with a slightly lower specificity. There was a high level of patient trust in the scorecard was (85.8% agreement. Patients also trusted their doctor's judgement based on the scorecard (90.6% agreement. Conclusions As the scorecard has a high sensitivity but only a moderate specificity, this means that it is more reliable for negative results, i.e. when the result suggests a viral infection. When the result favours a bacterial sore throat, then a high sensitivity can mean that there are a number of false positives. GPs can be confident in withholding antibiotics when the scorecard indicates a viral infection.

  13. Validation and Reliability of a Novel Test of Upper Body Isometric Strength

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bellar David

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the association of a novel test of upper body isometric strength against a 1RM bench press measurement. Forty college age adults (n = 20 female, n = 20 male; age 22.8 ± 2.8 years; body height 171.6 ± 10.8 cm; body mass 73.5 ± 16.3 kg; body fat 23.1 ± 5.4% volunteered for the present investigation. The participants reported to the lab on three occasions. The first visit included anthropometric measurements and familiarization with both the upper body isometric test and bench press exercise. The final visits were conducted in a randomized order, with one being a 1RM assessment on the bench press and the other consisting of three trials of the upper body isometric assessment. For the isometric test, participants were positioned in a “push-up” style position while tethered (stainless steel chain to a load cell (high frequency anchored to the ground. The peak isometric force was consistent across all three trials (ICC = 0.98 suggesting good reliability. Multiple regression analysis was completed with the predictors: peak isometric force, gender, against the outcome variable 1RM bench press. The analysis resulted in a significant model (r2 = 0.861, p≤0.001 with all predictor variables attaining significance in the model (p<0.05. Isometric peak strength had the greatest effect on the model (Beta = 5.19, p≤0.001. Results from this study suggest that the described isometric upper body strength assessment is likely a valid and reliable tool to determine strength. Further research is warranted to gather a larger pool of data in regard to this assessment.

  14. Validation and Reliability of a Novel Test of Upper Body Isometric Strength

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellar, David; Marcus, Lena; Judge, Lawrence W.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the association of a novel test of upper body isometric strength against a 1RM bench press measurement. Forty college age adults (n = 20 female, n = 20 male; age 22.8 ± 2.8 years; body height 171.6 ± 10.8 cm; body mass 73.5 ± 16.3 kg; body fat 23.1 ± 5.4%) volunteered for the present investigation. The participants reported to the lab on three occasions. The first visit included anthropometric measurements and familiarization with both the upper body isometric test and bench press exercise. The final visits were conducted in a randomized order, with one being a 1RM assessment on the bench press and the other consisting of three trials of the upper body isometric assessment. For the isometric test, participants were positioned in a “push-up” style position while tethered (stainless steel chain) to a load cell (high frequency) anchored to the ground. The peak isometric force was consistent across all three trials (ICC = 0.98) suggesting good reliability. Multiple regression analysis was completed with the predictors: peak isometric force, gender, against the outcome variable 1RM bench press. The analysis resulted in a significant model (r2 = 0.861, p≤0.001) with all predictor variables attaining significance in the model (p<0.05). Isometric peak strength had the greatest effect on the model (Beta = 5.19, p≤0.001). Results from this study suggest that the described isometric upper body strength assessment is likely a valid and reliable tool to determine strength. Further research is warranted to gather a larger pool of data in regard to this assessment. PMID:26557203

  15. Reliability and validity of two isometric squat tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blazevich, Anthony J; Gill, Nicholas; Newton, Robert U

    2002-05-01

    The purpose of the present study was first to examine the reliability of isometric squat (IS) and isometric forward hack squat (IFHS) tests to determine if repeated measures on the same subjects yielded reliable results. The second purpose was to examine the relation between isometric and dynamic measures of strength to assess validity. Fourteen male subjects performed maximal IS and IFHS tests on 2 occasions and 1 repetition maximum (1-RM) free-weight squat and forward hack squat (FHS) tests on 1 occasion. The 2 tests were found to be highly reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC](IS) = 0.97 and ICC(IFHS) = 1.00). There was a strong relation between average IS and 1-RM squat performance, and between IFHS and 1-RM FHS performance (r(squat) = 0.77, r(FHS) = 0.76; p squat and FHS test performances (r squat and FHS test performance can be attributed to differences in the movement patterns of the tests

  16. [Randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of Corpitolinol 60 in the prevention of pressure sores in patients undergoing surgery].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiari, Paolo; Giorgi, Sabina; Ugolini, Daniela; Montanari, Morena; Giudanella, Pietro; Gramantieri, Antonella; Collesi, Franca; Pau, Michelina; Smaldone, Maddalena; Matarasso, Maddalena; Mazzini, Cinzia; Russo, Francesca; Gazineo, Domenica; Fontana, Mirella; Taddia, Patrizia

    2012-01-01

    Randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of Corpitolinol 60 in the prevention of pressure sores in surgical patients. The risk of pressure sores in surgical patients is widely recognised. The Corpitolinol 60 (Sanyréne®) applied on compressed areas seems to reduce the risk of pressure sores. To assess the efficacy of Corpitolinol 60 in preventing pressure sores in the operatory theatre. The open label randomized clinical trial was conducted in 5 operating theatres of Northen Italy. Patients were randomized to receive Corpitolinol 60 in areas undergoing compression. Experimental group and controls were treated with usual measures for preventing pressure sores. The lesions were staged according to NPUAP up to 24 hours after surgery. Three-hundred-one patients were randomized (155 in the Sanyréne® group and 143 controls). The main variables predictive of pressure sores risk (ASA class, sex, age, duration of the surgery, and BMI) were comparable across groups. At the end of the surgery 71 patients (23.8%) in the experimental group and 47 controls (30.8%) had a pressure sore (p 0.006; RR 1.81 IC95% 1.17-2.79). Twelve and 24 hours after surgery the differences between groups were not significant. The aim of reducing pressure sores was not reached for patients treated with Corpitolinol 60.

  17. The effect of local skin cooling before a sustained, submaximal isometric contraction on fatigue and isometric quadriceps femoris performance: A randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hohenauer, Erich; Cescon, Corrado; Deliens, Tom; Clarys, Peter; Clijsen, Ron

    2017-04-01

    The central- and peripheral mechanisms by which heat strain limits physical performance are not fully elucidated. Nevertheless, pre-cooling is often used in an attempt to improve subsequent performance. This study compared the effects of pre-cooling vs. a pre-thermoneutral application on central- and peripheral fatigue during 60% of isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the right quadriceps femoris muscle. Furthermore, the effects between a pre-cooling and a pre-thermoneutral application on isometric MVC of the right quadriceps femoris muscle and subjective ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were investigated. In this randomized controlled trial, 18 healthy adults voluntarily participated. The participants received either a cold (experimental) application (+8°C) or a thermoneutral (control) application (+32°C) for 20min on their right thigh (one cuff). After the application, central (fractal dimension - FD) and peripheral (muscle fiber conduction velocity - CV) fatigue was estimated using sEMG parameters during 60% of isometric MVC. Surface EMG signals were detected from the vastus medialis and lateralis using bidimensional arrays. Immediately after the submaximal contraction, isometric MVC and RPE were assessed. Participants receiving the cold application were able to maintain a 60% isometric MVC significantly longer when compared to the thermoneutral group (mean time: 78 vs. 46s; p=0.04). The thermoneutral application had no significant impact on central fatigue (p>0.05) compared to the cold application (p=0.03). However, signs of peripheral fatigue were significantly higher in the cold group compared to the thermoneutral group (p=0.008). Pre-cooling had no effect on isometric MVC of the right quadriceps muscle and ratings of perceived exertion. Pre-cooling attenuated central fatigue and led to significantly longer submaximal contraction times compared to the pre-thermoneutral application. These findings support the use of pre-cooling procedures

  18. Portfolio theory of optimal isometric force production: Variability predictions and nonequilibrium fluctuation dissipation theorem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, T. D.; Patanarapeelert, K.; Beek, P. J.

    2008-05-01

    We derive a fundamental relationship between the mean and the variability of isometric force. The relationship arises from an optimal collection of active motor units such that the force variability assumes a minimum (optimal isometric force). The relationship is shown to be independent of the explicit motor unit properties and of the dynamical features of isometric force production. A constant coefficient of variation in the asymptotic regime and a nonequilibrium fluctuation-dissipation theorem for optimal isometric force are predicted.

  19. Portfolio theory of optimal isometric force production: Variability predictions and nonequilibrium fluctuation-dissipation theorem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frank, T.D.; Patanarapeelert, K.; Beek, P.J.

    2008-01-01

    We derive a fundamental relationship between the mean and the variability of isometric force. The relationship arises from an optimal collection of active motor units such that the force variability assumes a minimum (optimal isometric force). The relationship is shown to be independent of the explicit motor unit properties and of the dynamical features of isometric force production. A constant coefficient of variation in the asymptotic regime and a nonequilibrium fluctuation-dissipation theorem for optimal isometric force are predicted

  20. ASPECTS REGARDING THE EFFECT OF ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS ON DELAYED ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS

    OpenAIRE

    Honceriu C.; Hagiu B.A.

    2013-01-01

    The objectives of the study are to investigate the effects of using Diclofenac ointment for delayed onset muscle soreness. The research has been conducted on two groups of junior football players, males, the number of 9 each (control and treated), which has been induced by this type of muscle soreness with specific exercises. The treated group used Diclofenac gel for the relief of musculoskeletal pain. The evaluation of values of muscular strength (Squat Jump, Jump Countermovement, Free Jump,...

  1. Treatment of ischial pressure sores with both profunda femoris artery perforator flaps and muscle flaps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Chae Min; Yun, In Sik; Lee, Dong Won; Lew, Dae Hyun; Rah, Dong Kyun; Lee, Won Jai

    2014-07-01

    Reconstruction of ischial pressure sore defects is challenging due to extensive bursas and high recurrence rates. In this study, we simultaneously applied a muscle flap that covered the exposed ischium and large bursa with sufficient muscular volume and a profunda femoris artery perforator fasciocutaneous flap for the management of ischial pressure sores. We retrospectively analyzed data from 14 patients (16 ischial sores) whose ischial defects had been reconstructed using both a profunda femoris artery perforator flap and a muscle flap between January 2006 and February 2014. We compared patient characteristics, operative procedure, and clinical course. All flaps survived the entire follow-up period. Seven patients (50%) had a history of surgery at the site of the ischial pressure sore. The mean age of the patients included was 52.8 years (range, 18-85 years). The mean follow-up period was 27.9 months (range, 3-57 months). In two patients, a biceps femoris muscle flap was used, while a gracilis muscle flap was used in the remaining patients. In four cases (25%), wound dehiscence occurred, but healed without further complication after resuturing. Additionally, congestion occurred in one case (6%), but resolved with conservative treatment. Among 16 cases, there was only one (6%) recurrence at 34 months. The combination of a profunda femoris artery perforator fasciocutaneous flap and muscle flap for the treatment of ischial pressure sores provided pliability, adequate bulkiness and few long-term complications. Therefore, this may be used as an alternative treatment method for ischial pressure sores.

  2. Treatment of Ischial Pressure Sores with Both Profunda Femoris Artery Perforator Flaps and Muscle Flaps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chae Min Kim

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Background Reconstruction of ischial pressure sore defects is challenging due to extensive bursas and high recurrence rates. In this study, we simultaneously applied a muscle flap that covered the exposed ischium and large bursa with sufficient muscular volume and a profunda femoris artery perforator fasciocutaneous flap for the management of ischial pressure sores. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from 14 patients (16 ischial sores whose ischial defects had been reconstructed using both a profunda femoris artery perforator flap and a muscle flap between January 2006 and February 2014. We compared patient characteristics, operative procedure, and clinical course. Results All flaps survived the entire follow-up period. Seven patients (50% had a history of surgery at the site of the ischial pressure sore. The mean age of the patients included was 52.8 years (range, 18-85 years. The mean follow-up period was 27.9 months (range, 3-57 months. In two patients, a biceps femoris muscle flap was used, while a gracilis muscle flap was used in the remaining patients. In four cases (25%, wound dehiscence occurred, but healed without further complication after resuturing. Additionally, congestion occurred in one case (6%, but resolved with conservative treatment. Among 16 cases, there was only one (6% recurrence at 34 months. Conclusions The combination of a profunda femoris artery perforator fasciocutaneous flap and muscle flap for the treatment of ischial pressure sores provided pliability, adequate bulkiness and few long-term complications. Therefore, this may be used as an alternative treatment method for ischial pressure sores.

  3. Association Between Maximal Bench Press Strength and Isometric Handgrip Strength Among Breast Cancer Survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Benjamin H; Brown, Justin C; Gater, David R; Schmitz, Kathryn H

    2017-02-01

    To characterize the relationship between 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) bench press strength and isometric handgrip strength among breast cancer survivors. Cross-sectional study. Laboratory. Community-dwelling breast cancer survivors (N=295). Not applicable. 1-RM bench press strength was measured with a barbell and exercise bench. Isometric handgrip strength was measured using an isometric dynamometer, with 3 maximal contractions of the left and right hands. All measures were conducted by staff with training in clinical exercise testing. Among 295 breast cancer survivors, 1-RM bench press strength was 18.2±6.1kg (range, 2.2-43.0kg), and isometric handgrip strength was 23.5±5.8kg (range, 9.0-43.0kg). The strongest correlate of 1-RM bench press strength was the average isometric handgrip strength of both hands (r=.399; Pisometric handgrip strength of both hands overestimated 1-RM bench press strength by 4.7kg (95% limits of agreement, -8.2 to 17.6kg). In a multivariable linear regression model, the average isometric handgrip strength of both hands (β=.31; Pstrength (R 2 =.23). Isometric handgrip strength is a poor surrogate for 1-RM bench press strength among breast cancer survivors. 1-RM bench press strength and isometric handgrip strength quantify distinct components of muscular strength. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. [A variant of island flaps for the covering of pressure sores: the hatchet flap. Apropos of 31 cases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quillot, M; Lodde, J P; Pegorier, O; Reynaud, J P; Cormerais, A

    1994-08-01

    The authors propose a modification of the classical design of island flaps for cover of pressure sores, applied to gluteus maximus and tensor fascia lata muscles: the hatchet flap. 31 flaps have been used including 13 gluteus maximus superior flaps for sacral pressure sores, 9 gluteal inferior flaps for ischial pressure sores and 9 tensor fascia lata flaps for trochanteric pressure sores. A small partial necrosis and two cases of sepsis were observed in this series, but did not require surgical revision. The authors emphasize the value of this modification of the classical flap design, which preserves an even better musculocutaneous capital in these patients, who are often already multi-operated. The very rapid recovery of patients supports the authors' application of hatchet flaps to the surgery of pressure sores, and suggests the extension to other musculocutaneous flaps in the future.

  5. Familiarization, validity and smallest detectable difference of the isometric squat test in evaluating maximal strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drake, David; Kennedy, Rodney; Wallace, Eric

    2018-02-06

    Isometric multi-joint tests are considered reliable and have strong relationships with 1RM performance. However, limited evidence is available for the isometric squat in terms of effects of familiarization and reliability. This study aimed to assess, the effect of familiarization, stability reliability, determine the smallest detectible difference, and the correlation of the isometric squat test with 1RM squat performance. Thirty-six strength-trained participants volunteered to take part in this study. Following three familiarization sessions, test-retest reliability was evaluated with a 48-hour window between each time point. Isometric squat peak, net and relative force were assessed. Results showed three familiarizations were required, isometric squat had a high level of stability reliability and smallest detectible difference of 11% for peak and relative force. Isometric strength at a knee angle of ninety degrees had a strong significant relationship with 1RM squat performance. In conclusion, the isometric squat is a valid test to assess multi-joint strength and can discriminate between strong and weak 1RM squat performance. Changes greater than 11% in peak and relative isometric squat performance should be considered as meaningful in participants who are familiar with the test.

  6. Treatment of pressure sores in spina bifida patients with calcium alginate and foam dressings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ausili, E; Paolucci, V; Triarico, S; Maestrini, C; Murolo, D; Focarelli, B; Rendeli, C

    2013-06-01

    Prospective study on local treatment of pressure sores using calcium alginate and foam dressings in spina bifida patients. Investigate if this sequential approach is valid and safe for selected patients with neurological impairments. Using European Pressure Ulcer Grading System, after clinical evaluation of local sore, selected patients of Spina Bifida Center of Rome were treated with sequential calcium alginate and foam dressings for 12 weeks. Pressure ulcere surfaces were measured monthly by ulcer tracing. The endpoints were the mean absolute areas surface reduction during every month and number of patients achieving a 50% or more during study. 14 patients (7 males aged 12-24 years) with spina bifida and pressure sores were treated. Mean and standard deviation of mean surface area reduction were 12.5 ± 7.5 cm 2 at start of the study versus 3.7 ± 5.2 cm 2 after 12 weeks, p pressure sores in selected patients with spina bifida. In fact, they protect the wound and create an environment favorable to healing.

  7. Mouth Sores Caused by Cancer Treatment: How to Cope

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... leading to sores and infections. Both chemotherapy and radiation can impair your body's germ-fighting system (immune system). With an impaired immune system, viruses, bacteria and fungi can more easily infect your mouth, ...

  8. Reconstruction of trochanteric pressure sores with pedicled anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flaps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chih-Hsin; Chen, Shih-Yi; Fu, Ju-Peng; Dai, Niann-Tzyy; Chen, Shao-Liang; Chen, Tim-Mo; Chen, Shyi-Gen

    2011-05-01

    To provide an alternative choice for covering trochanteric pressure sores, we report on a modified pedicle anterolateral thigh (ALT) myocutaneous flap based on the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. From August 2007 to January 2010, 20 consecutive patients (10 men and 10 women) underwent 21 pedicled ALT myocutaneous flaps for reconstruction of trochanteric pressure sores. The flap was designed and elevated, resembling the ALT perforator flap including part of the vastus lateralis muscle but without skeletonisation of the perforators. The mean age of patients was 79.4 years (range: 46-103). The mean follow-up period was 13.9 months (range: 3-32). The flaps were 8-21 cm long and 5-11 cm wide. All flaps healed without major complications. All donor sites were closed primarily without skin grafting and showed good aesthetic results. No recurrence was observed. This modified design of pedicled ALT myocutaneous flap without skeletonisation of perforators is a reliable and easily harvested flap for reconstruction of trochanteric pressure sores with limited morbidity. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. When a Sore Throat Is a More Serious Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... often called Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease). Infectious mononucleosis can produce a sore throat, often with marked ... most young children who are infected with the mononucleosis virus have few or no symptoms. Strep throat ...

  10. Screen time viewing behaviors and isometric trunk muscle strength in youth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grøntved, Anders; Ried-Larsen, Mathias; Froberg, Karsten

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the association of screen time viewing behavior with isometric trunk muscle strength in youth.......The objective of this study was to examine the association of screen time viewing behavior with isometric trunk muscle strength in youth....

  11. Efficiency of Magnetic Field Treatment on Pressure Sores in Bedridden Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferda Özdemir

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Pressure sores are an important source of complications in patients who are immobilized and bedridden. We aimed to investigate the efficiency of magnetic field treatment in pressure sores. Material and Methods: This was a randomized, double blind controlled design study. 20 patients in the study group received magneto-therapy, once a day for 30 minutes and with 150G, keeping to the BTL09 magnetotherapy device’s program. In the control group, 20 patients received the dressing only once a day. The surface areas of the pressure sores were evaluated at the onset of the treatment (1st day, and on the 7th and 15th days.Results: When within group comparisons were conducted, a significant difference was observed between the 1st and 7th day, 7th and 15th day, and 1st and 15th day measures in both the groups in terms of the scar area. The average healing time for the treatment group was 10.80±4.06 (6-20 days, and the average healing time for the control group was 18.85±9.75 (5-32 days. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (z=-2.114, p=0.034. Also, there was a significant difference in the scar area between the two groups in the 15th day measure (z=-3.818, p=0.000.Conclusion: The healing process of the tissue can be accelerated.with the use of magnetotherapy in the treatment of pressure sores of stage II and III,

  12. At-Home Application of Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma as Treatment for Pressure Sore and Related Anemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tendas, Andrea; Niscola, Pasquale; Giovannini, Marco; Costa, Adriana; Venditti, Daniela; Volta, Laura; Malandruccolo, Luigi; Sabbadini, Stefania; Lasorella, Rosa; Fabritiis, Paolo de; Cassetta, Rita; Perrotti, Alessio P

    2017-01-01

    Pressure sores are a major complication in the bed-ridden older patient. In this report, we present the case of platelet rich plasma (PRP) application for the treatment of a pressure sore in an 88-year-old female affected by transfusion-dependent chronic inflammatory disease anemia associated with the congenital and inherited condition of thalassemic trait carrier. A weekly application schedule was planned athome, given the patient's debilitation and her decreased performance status as well as personal and family difficulties to go as outpatients at our treatment center. After 9 PRP applications, a remarkable sore improvement was achieved so that PRP was discontinued; nevertheless, sore rapidly improved until the full resolution and the complete closing after 4 months from the start of PRP treatment. Noteworthy, transfusion support was interrupted and a significant recovery and a sustained stabilization of hemoglobin (Hb) level at 1 year after ulcer healing were observed. The present case suggests that PRP application, performed athome in our case, is a feasible and effective treatment for pressure sores and related complications. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  13. [A scale for the assessment of the risk of pressure sores in paediatric intensive care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weigel, Virginie

    2014-01-01

    Pressure sores are a frequent complication in paediatric intensive care. A multi-disciplinary nursing team has drawn up an assessment scale for the risk of pressure sores and has put in place guidelines for caring for children in intensive care. Prevention actions are thereby adapted to each young patient.

  14. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE CARDIOVASCULAR AUTONOMIC RESPONSE DURING ISOMETRIC HANDGRIP EXERCISE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajasekhar

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Physical exercise can be regarded as a period of increased sympathetic activity with simultaneous parasympathetic withdrawal. Many circulatory changes occur during exercise due to mass sympathetic discharge. The exercise cap acity among gender may differ due to substantial anatomical, physiological, and morphological differences. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the gender difference in the cardiovascular response during isometric hand grip exercise. MATERIALS AND METHOD S: 30 healthy young adult male & 30 female students aged between 18 - 24 years who had no prior endurance training were asked to perform Isometric handgrip contractions using an isometric handgrip apparatus. The heart rate was calculated using BIOPAC MP30. Blood p ressure measurements were obtained using a sphygmomanometer. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed significant increase in the blood pressure values in men during isometric exercise compared to women which may be because of increase d catecholamine release to acute stress among men

  15. Spotlight on Psoriasis: Preventing Patches of Itchy, Sore Skin

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Subscribe August 2016 Print this issue Spotlight on Psoriasis Preventing Patches of Itchy, Sore Skin En español ... Sun Damage Sun and Skin Wise Choices Avoid Psoriasis Triggers Factors that may trigger psoriasis or make ...

  16. Evaluation of local muscle soreness treatment with anterior bite splint made of soft putty impression material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harry Laksono

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Local muscle soreness is the most common temporomandibular disorders complaint of patients seeking treatment in the dental clinics. The emergency treatment that can be done in the clinics to manage this disorder is by making anterior bite splint. Anterior bite splint is usually made of acrylic, but currently there is a soft putty impression material that can also be used for making anterior bite splint. The effectiveness of soft putty anterior bite splint in local muscle soreness treatment still has not clear. Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of the soft putty impression material as a material used for making anterior bite splint in the treatment of local muscle soreness. Case: Six patients was reported five female patients aged 20-40 years old and one male patient aged 37 years old with local muscle soreness. Four female patients with a “click” sound on TMJ. Case management: Make differential diagnosis with screening history (anamnesis, clinical examination consists of extra oral examination such as muscle and temporomandibular joint palpation, measure the mandibular movement, end-feel, load test, intra oral examination and radiographic evaluation. Record the results and make the diagnosis. Make a soft putty anterior bite splint, adjusted and inserted in the maxillary anterior teeth. Record the results based on signs and symptoms. Conclusion: It can be concluded that anterior bite splint made of soft putty impression material is effective for treatment the local muscle soreness.Latar belakang: Salah satu tipe temporomandibular disorders yang paling sering dijumpai di klinik dokter gigi adalah local muscle soreness. Perawatan yang dapat dengan segera dilakukan di klinik untuk mengelola gangguan tersebut adalah dengan pembuatan anterior bite splint. Biasanya anterior bite splint terbuat dari akrilik, namun saat ini telah ada bahan cetak soft putty yang memungkinkan untuk dipakai sebagai bahan pembuatan anterior bite splint

  17. Strength Development: Using Functional Isometrics in an Isotonic Strength Training Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Allen; And Others

    1985-01-01

    A study was made to determine if a combination of functional isometrics and standard isotonic training would be superior to a standard isotonic program in an instructional setting. The results provide support for functional isometrics as an enhancement where achievement of maximum strength is the goal. (Author/MT)

  18. Normal isometric strength of rotatorcuff muscles in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chezar, A; Berkovitch, Y; Haddad, M; Keren, Y; Soudry, M; Rosenberg, N

    2013-01-01

    The most prevalent disorders of the shoulder are related to the muscles of rotator cuff. In order to develop a mechanical method for the evaluation of the rotator cuff muscles, we created a database of isometric force generation by the rotator cuff muscles in normal adult population. We hypothesised the existence of variations according to age, gender and dominancy of limb. A total of 400 healthy adult volunteers were tested, classified into groups of 50 men and women for each decade of life. Maximal isometric force was measured at standardised positions for supraspinatus, infraspinatus and subscapularis muscles in both shoulders in every person. Torque of the force was calculated and normalised to lean body mass. The profiles of mean torque-time curves for each age and gender group were compared. Our data showed that men gradually gained maximal strength in the fifth decade, and showed decreased strength in the sixth. In women the maximal strength was gained in the fourth decade with gradual decline to the sixth decade of life. The dominant arm was stronger in most of the tested groups. The torque profiles of the rotator cuff muscles in men at all ages were significantly higher than that in women. We found previously unrecognised variations of rotator cuff muscles' isometric strength according to age, gender and dominancy in a normal population. The presented data may serve as a basis for the future studies for identification of the abnormal patterns of muscle isometric strength in patients with pathology of the rotator cuff muscles. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2013;2:214-19.

  19. Inferior gluteal artery perforator flap: a viable alternative for ischial pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Young Seok; Lew, Dae Hyun; Roh, Tai Suk; Yoo, Won Min; Lee, Won Jai; Tark, Kwan Chul

    2009-10-01

    The ischial area is by far the most common site for pressure sores in wheelchair-bound paraplegic patients, because most of the pressure of the body is exerted on this area in the seated position. Even after a series of successful pressure sore treatments, the site is very prone to relapse from the simplest everyday tasks. Therefore, it is crucial to preserve the main pedicle during primary surgery. Several surgical procedures, such as myocutaneous flap and perforator flap, have been introduced for the treatment of pressure sores. During a 4-year time period at our institute, we found favourable clinical results using the inferior gluteal artery perforator (IGAP) procedure for ischial sore treatment. A total of 23 patients (20 males and three females) received IGAP flap surgery in our hospital from January 2003 to January 2007. Surgery was performed on the same site again in 10 (43%) patients who had originally relapsed after undergoing the conventional method of pressure sore surgery. The average age of patients was 47.4 years (range 26-71 years). Most of the patients were paraplegic (16 cases, 70%) and others were either quadriplegic (four cases, 17%) or ambulatory (three cases, 13%). Based on hospital records and clinical photographs, we attempted to assess the feasibility and practicability of the IGAP flap procedure through comparative analysis of several parameters including the size of the defective area, treatment modalities, relapses, complications, and postoperative treatments. The average follow-up duration for 23 subjects was 25.4 months (range 5-42 months). All flaps survived without major complications. Partial flap necrosis developed in one case but secondary healing was achieved and the final outcome was not impaired. Most of the cases healed well during the follow-up period. Postoperative complications such as wound dehiscence and fistula developed in some subjects, but all healed well with a secondary treatment. A total of five cases relapsed

  20. Decubitus grade IV (deep pressure sore) with intact skin in a patient with spinal cord injury

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Theunissen, C.C.W.; Zeilstra, J.T.; van Voorst Vader, P.C.; Kardaun, S.H.; Leeman, F.W.J.

    2006-01-01

    Even with intact skin the possibility of pressure sores should not be dismissed. Early recognition of a pressure sore is important for adequate treatment and prevention of progression. Multidisciplinary intervention is essential. A wheelchair patient with spinal cord injury is described, who

  1. [Assessment of patients with pressure sores admitted in a tertiary care center].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moro, Adriana; Maurici, Alice; do Valle, Juliana Barros; Zaclikevis, Viviane Renata; Kleinubing, Harry

    2007-01-01

    To determine the prevalence and analyze the profile of patients with pressure sores, focusing on risk factors, the patients' clinical characteristics at a tertiary care center, as well as stage and location of the lesions on the body. This was a cross sectional not controlled observational study, all patients admitted from April to June of 2005 were observed daily to identify all cases of pressure sores. The affected patients were evaluated by a standard questionnaire and the Scale of Braden was applied to define the risk of developing ulcers. Of the 690 patients admitted during the referred period, a prevalence of 5.9% of patients with lesions was observed, equivalent to 41 patients 63.9% of which were elderly and the average length of stay was 18 days. In the sample studied 41.5% of patients were found in the internal medicine section and the intensive care unit, ICU. The most common location for sores was the sacral area, corresponding to 73.1% of the patients, and stage II was the most frequent, observed in 58.5% of those patients. According to the Braden scale, most patients, 80.4%, had a high risk of developing pressure ulcers, compared to 9.7% of patients with moderate risk and 7.4% with low risk. The affected patients were at high risk of developing pressure sores. Prevalence of these lesions and the clinical and demographic profile of the affected patients are in accordance with the data in literature.

  2. A composite gluteofemoral flap for reconstruction of large pressure sores over the sacrococcygeal region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yun; Zhuang, Yue-Hong; Xue, Lan; Zheng, He-Ping; Lin, Jian-Hua

    2015-12-01

    Gigantic pressure sores pose a daunting challenge for plastic surgeons. This paper presents a composite gluteofemoral flap for reconstruction of large pressure sores over the sacrococcygeal region. In this anatomical study, 30 embalmed cadaveric lower limbs were used for dissection to observe the musculocutaneous perforators of the inferior gluteal artery and the longitudinal nutritional vascular chain of the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve. In this clinical study, eight patients underwent surgical harvest of the composite gluteofemoral flap for coverage of grade IV sacrococcygeal pressure sores. The size of the pressure sores ranged between 16 × 9 cm and 22 × 10 cm. The inferior gluteal artery was present in 26 cases and absent in four cases. It gave off two to four musculocutaneous branches with a diameter larger than 0.5 mm to the gluteus maximus. A direct cutaneous branch was given off at the inferior margin of the gluteus maximus, serving as a nutritional artery for the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve. The size of the flap harvested ranged between 22 × 9 cm and 32 × 10 cm. Flaps in seven patients survived uneventfully and developed epidermal necrosis at the distal margin in one case. An average 2-year follow-up revealed no recurrence of pressure sores. The composite gluteofemoral flap, being robust in blood supply, simple in surgical procedure, and large in donor territory, is an important addition to the armamentarium. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Pressure sores--a constant problem for plegic patients and a permanent challenge for plastic surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giuglea, Carmen; Marinescu, Sllviu; Florescu, Ioan Petre; Jecan, Crenguta

    2010-01-01

    Pressure sores can be defined as lesions caused by unrelieved pressure resulting in damage of the underlying tissue. They represent a common problem in the pathology of plegic patients and, plastic surgery has a significant role in their treatment. Pressure sores occur over bony prominences and so, they are most commonly seen at the sacrum and trochanters in paralyzed patients and at ischium for the patients who sit in a wheelchair for a long time. For these patients, surgical treatment is very important because on one hand, it stops the loss of nutrients and proteins at the site of the pressure sore, and on the other hand, it permits the initiation of neuromuscular recuperation treatment much faster.

  4. Antibiotic prescribing in patients with self-reported sore throat

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mehta, Nishchay; Schilder, Anne; Fragaszy, Ellen; E R Evans, Hannah; Dukes, Oliver; Manikam, Logan; Little, Paul; Smith, Sarah C; Hayward, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To investigate the predictors of general practitioner (GP) consultation and antibiotic use in those developing sore throat. METHODS: We conducted a prospective population-based cohort study on 4461 participants in two rounds (2010-11) from 1897 households. RESULTS: Participants reported

  5. The Effect of Eccentric Exercise-Induced Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness on Positioning Sense and Shooting Percentage in Wheelchair Basketball Players

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Akif Serinken

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Eccentric exercise is defined as a type of exercise in which the muscle produces power by extending. In contrast to isometric and concentric exercises, eccentric muscle activity is much more effective mechanically; however, it may expose the muscle to soreness. Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS emerges a couple of hours after an eccentric activity, especially in individuals who are not used to this kind of exercise, and causes a temporary decrease in muscle performance, joint movement angle and muscle power, and also a temporary increase in the blood creatine kinase (CK activity. Aims: This study investigates the effect of DOMS on the upper extremities motor performance by conducting an eccentric exercise load on the elbow flexor muscles. Study design: Cross sectional study. Methods: The study included 10 wheelchair basketball players. First, the participants underwent blood CK activity, positioning sense, muscle pain, shooting performance measurements tests at the base, and after 30 minutes and 24 and 48 hours. Then, one week later, the one-repetition-maximums of biceps curls were determined in order to define the intensity of the eccentric exercise. An eccentric exercise protocol which would cause DOMS was applied to all players. All tests were replaced with acute exhaustive eccentric exercise; the same tests were repeated in the same order after the exercise. Blood CK activity was measured by taking an earlobe capillary blood sample. The muscle pain level was measured by using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS. Positioning sense loss was assessed via goniometer at 30º, 60º and 90º degrees horizontally. Results: The study found a statistically significant increase in blood CK activity and positioning sense loss, and a decrease in the pressure-pain threshold, as well as the shooting percentages in the exercise group when compared with the control. Conclusion: These findings suggest that DOMS negatively affects the upper extremities

  6. [A clinical audit on the use of medications for pressure sores, after the implementation of guidelines].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiari, Paolo; Fontana, Mirella; Bianchi, Tommaso; Bonzagni, Cristina; Galetti, Caterina

    2006-01-01

    Although guidelines for the management of pressure sores are widely available, their implementation is not always easy and sometimes does not produce the desired changes. To describe the results of a clinical audit aiming at assessing the appropriate use of medications for pressure sores, after the implementation of guidelines. The audit group, with an expert in assessment, a nurse expert in pressure sores, a microbiologist, a dermatologist and a chemist analysed the clinical and nursing records of all the patients with a pressure sore, discharged during the first trimester of 2005 and 2006, after the implementation of the guidelines, from wards with higher prevalence of pressure sores: geriatric, medical, intensive care, rehabilitation and post acute wards. Each documented treatment was classified as appropriate, not appropriate or "grey area", treatments inappropriate according to guidelines but not according to expert or current knowledge (e.g. poliurethane medications for heel pressure sores). After each stage, the results were returned and discussed with the involved wards. One hundred 74 patients were surveyed in 2005 and 199 in 2006, with a total of respectively 287 and 326 sores. The percentage of inappropriate treatments was 20% in 2005 and 12.8% in 2006 (OR 1.79 I.C. 95% 1.10- 2.91), while an increase of treatments considered grey area (from 7% to 13.5%) was observed. The medium number of medications used was 17.3 per lesion, in 2005 and 16.4 in 2006 with a cost respectively of 83.6 and 67.35 per lesion, but the two populations were not strictly comparable. Clinical audit is a strategy that involving doctors and nurses, may promote positive changes. The rate of inappropriate treatments (higher in areas with high turnover of nurses) can be improved with educational interventions. The identification of treatments of the grey area highlights the need of periodically revising guidelines to update their contents according to new knowledge and technologies.

  7. The Association between Maximal Bench Press Strength and Isometric Handgrip Strength among Breast Cancer Survivors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Benjamin H.; Brown, Justin C.; Gater, David R.; Schmitz, Kathryn H.

    2016-01-01

    Objective One-repetition maximum (1-RM) bench press strength is considered the gold standard to quantify upper-body muscular strength. Isometric handgrip strength is frequently used as a surrogate for 1-RM bench press strength among breast cancer (BrCa) survivors. The relationship between 1-RM bench press strength and isometric handgrip strength, however, has not been characterized among BrCa survivors. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Laboratory. Participants Community-dwelling BrCa survivors. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure 1-RM bench press strength was measured with a barbell and exercise bench. Isometric handgrip strength was measured using an isometric dynamometer with three maximal contractions of left and right hands. All measures were conducted by staff with training in clinical exercise testing. Results Among 295 BrCa survivors, 1-RM bench press strength was 18.2±6.1 kg (range: 2.2-43.0) and isometric handgrip strength was 23.5±5.8 kg (range: 9.0-43.0). The strongest correlate of 1-RM bench press strength was the average isometric handgrip strength of both hands (r=0.399; Pisometric handgrip strength of both hands overestimated 1-RM bench press strength by 4.7 kg (95% limits of agreement: −8.2 to 17.6). In a multivariable linear regression model, the average isometric handgrip strength of both hands (β=0.31; Pstrength (R2=0.23). Conclusions Isometric handgrip strength is a poor surrogate for 1-RM bench press strength among BrCa survivors. 1-RM bench press and isometric handgrip strength quantify distinct components of muscular strength. PMID:27543047

  8. Regular physical exercise improves cardiac autonomic and muscle vasodilatory responses to isometric exercise in healthy elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarmento AO

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Adriana de Oliveira Sarmento,1–3 Amilton da Cruz Santos,1,4 Ivani Credidio Trombetta,2,5 Marciano Moacir Dantas,1 Ana Cristina Oliveira Marques,1,4 Leone Severino do Nascimento,1,4 Bruno Teixeira Barbosa,1,2 Marcelo Rodrigues Dos Santos,2 Maria do Amparo Andrade,3 Anna Myrna Jaguaribe-Lima,3,6 Maria do Socorro Brasileiro-Santos1,3,4 1Laboratory of Physical Training Studies Applied to Health, Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil; 2Unit of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology – Heart Institute (InCor/HC-FMUSP, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 3Graduate Program in Physiotherapy, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil; 4Associate Graduate Program in Physical Education UPE/UFPB, João Pessoa, Brazil; 5Graduate Program in Medicine, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE, São Paulo, Brazil; 6Department of Morphology and Animal Physiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic control and muscle vasodilation response during isometric exercise in sedentary and physically active older adults. Twenty healthy participants, 10 sedentary and 10 physically active older adults, were evaluated and paired by gender, age, and body mass index. Sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac activity (spectral and symbolic heart rate analysis and muscle blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography were measured for 10 minutes at rest (baseline and during 3 minutes of isometric handgrip exercise at 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction (sympathetic excitatory maneuver. Variables were analyzed at baseline and during 3 minutes of isometric exercise. Cardiac autonomic parameters were analyzed by Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney tests. Muscle vasodilatory response was analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Sedentary older adults had higher cardiac

  9. Medicinal Plants for Healing Sores and Wounds among the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Medicinal Plants for Healing Sores and Wounds among the Communities Surrounding Ungoye Forest, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. ... The focus was on the medicinal plants that grow in the Ungoye forest and around the homesteads. The survey ... Keywords: Traditional medicine, documentation, Ethno-survey, wounds.

  10. Isometric and isokinetic hip strength and agonist/antagonist ratios in symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diamond, Laura E; Wrigley, Tim V; Hinman, Rana S; Hodges, Paul W; O'Donnell, John; Takla, Amir; Bennell, Kim L

    2016-09-01

    This study investigated isometric and isokinetic hip strength in individuals with and without symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). The specific aims were to: (i) determine whether differences exist in isometric and isokinetic hip strength measures between groups; (ii) compare hip strength agonist/antagonist ratios between groups; and (iii) examine relationships between hip strength and self-reported measures of either hip pain or function in those with FAI. Cross-sectional. Fifteen individuals (11 males; 25±5 years) with symptomatic FAI (clinical examination and imaging (alpha angle >55° (cam FAI), and lateral centre edge angle >39° and/or positive crossover sign (combined FAI))) and 14 age- and sex-matched disease-free controls (no morphological FAI on magnetic resonance imaging) underwent strength testing. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction strength of hip muscle groups and isokinetic hip internal (IR) and external rotation (ER) strength (20°/s) were measured. Groups were compared with independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests. Participants with FAI had 20% lower isometric abduction strength than controls (p=0.04). There were no significant differences in isometric strength for other muscle groups or peak isokinetic ER or IR strength. The ratio of isometric, but not isokinetic, ER/IR strength was significantly higher in the FAI group (p=0.01). There were no differences in ratios for other muscle groups. Angle of peak IR torque was the only feature correlated with symptoms. Individuals with symptomatic FAI demonstrate isometric hip abductor muscle weakness and strength imbalance in the hip rotators. Strength measurement, including agonist/antagonist ratios, may be relevant for clinical management of FAI. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Cirugía reconstructiva de las úlceras por presión Reconstructive surgery of pressure sores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Pressure sores are frequent in certain group of patients with predisposing conditions. In their evolution, this type of sores may require surgery, but the incidence of postoperative complications is high in this type of patients, given the confluence of factors that go against the sucessful surgery of these lesions in these patients. A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was made to evaluate the results of surgical treatment of pressure sores in a 3 years-period. Taking into account the studied variables, the drawn conclusions will allow designing new strategies for care of these patients, in order to reduce postoperative morbidity and lenght of stay at hospital

  12. Isometric hip muscle strength in posttraumatic below-knee amputees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jandrić Slavica

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Traumas and war injuries, next to chronic occlusive artery disease and diabetes mellitus-derived complications, are the most frequent cause of the lower limbs amputation. They affect mostly younger population that need a higher level of activities as compared with the elderly. Medical rehabilitation is very significant for the muscle performance improvement in this population providing their social reintegration. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of below-knee amputation on the hip isometric muscle strength and effect of rehabilitation on improvement of hip muscle strength in below-knee amputees, secondary to war wounding. Methods. Forty below-knee amputees (after war wounding, average age 35.6±10.6 years, that were included in primary rehabilitation program with prosthetics, were examined. Objective parameters were used to evaluate therapeutical effects. Isometric muscle strength of hip flexors, extensors, abductors and adductors was measured by dynamometer and expressed in Newton (N at admission, control and discharge for each patient. Average length of the treatment was 51 ± 34.1 days. Results. For isometric hip flexors (t = - 1.99346, p < 0.05, extensors (t = -4.629073, p < 0.001, abductors (t = -4.9408, p < 0.001 and adductors (t = -2.00228, p < 0.05, muscle strength was significantly less on the amputated than on nonamputated side. The highest differences in muscle strength between amputated and nonamputated limbs were noted for hip abductors (26.6% and extensors (23.3%. There was significant improvement of mean values of strength for all examined hip muscles after rehabilitation and prosthetics for both legs in comparison to beginning of the therapy. The hip abductor on the amputated side was for 19.4% weaker after rehabilitation in comparison to the nonamputated limb. Conclusion. Decreases of isometric muscle strength in all examined hip muscles were observed, more in the amputated limb. Rehabilitation

  13. Evaluating the effects of pentoxifylline administration on experimental pressure sores in rats by biomechanical examinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velaei, Kobra; Bayat, Mohammad; Torkman, Giti; Rezaie, Fatemealsadat; Amini, Abdollah; Noruzian, Mohsen; Tavassol, Azaedh; Bayat, Mehernoush

    2012-09-01

    This study used a biomechanical test to evaluate the effects of pentoxifylline administration on the wound healing process of an experimental pressure sore induced in rats. Under general anesthesia and sterile conditions, experimental pressure sores generated by no. 25 Halsted mosquito forceps were inflicted on 12 adult male rats. Pentoxifylline was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 50 mg/kg daily from the day the pressure sore was generated, for a period of 20 days. At the end of 20 days, rats were sacrificed and skin samples extracted. Samples were biomechanically examined by a material testing instrument for maximum stress (N mm(2)), work up to maximum force (N), and elastic stiffness (N/mm). In the experimental group, maximum stress (2.05±0.15) and work up to maximum force (N/mm) (63.75±4.97) were significantly higher than the control group (1.3±0.27 and 43.3±14.96, P=0.002 and P=0.035, respectively). Pentoxifylline administration significantly accelerated the wound healing process in experimental rats with pressure sores, compared to that of the control group.

  14. Does combined strength training and local vibration improve isometric maximum force? A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goebel, Ruben; Haddad, Monoem; Kleinöder, Heinz; Yue, Zengyuan; Heinen, Thomas; Mester, Joachim

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the study was to determine whether a combination of strength training (ST) and local vibration (LV) improved the isometric maximum force of arm flexor muscles. ST was applied to the left arm of the subjects; LV was applied to the right arm of the same subjects. The main aim was to examine the effect of LV during a dumbbell biceps curl (Scott Curl) on isometric maximum force of the opposite muscle among the same subjects. It is hypothesized, that the intervention with LV produces a greater gain in isometric force of the arm flexors than ST. Twenty-seven collegiate students participated in the study. The training load was 70% of the individual 1 RM. Four sets with 12 repetitions were performed three times per week during four weeks. The right arm of all subjects represented the vibration trained body side (VS) and the left arm served as the traditional trained body side (TTS). A significant increase of isometric maximum force in both body sides (Arms) occurred. VS, however, significantly increased isometric maximum force about 43% in contrast to 22% of the TTS. The combined intervention of ST and LC improves isometric maximum force of arm flexor muscles. III.

  15. The use of the isometric squat as a measure of strength and explosiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazyler, Caleb D; Beckham, George K; Sato, Kimitake

    2015-05-01

    The isometric squat has been used to detect changes in kinetic variables as a result of training; however, controversy exists in its application to dynamic multijoint tasks. Thus, the purpose of this study was to further examine the relationship between isometric squat kinetic variables and isoinertial strength measures. Subjects (17 men, 1-repetition maximum [1RM]: 148.2 ± 23.4 kg) performed squats 2 d · wk(-1) for 12 weeks and were tested on 1RM squat, 1RM partial squat, and isometric squat at 90° and 120° of knee flexion. Test-retest reliability was very good for all isometric measures (intraclass correlation coefficients > 0.90); however, rate of force development 250 milliseconds at 90° and 120° seemed to have a higher systematic error (relative technical error of measurement = 8.12%, 9.44%). Pearson product-moment correlations indicated strong relationships between isometric peak force at 90° (IPF 90°) and 1RM squat (r = 0.86), and IPF 120° and 1RM partial squat (r = 0.79). Impulse 250 milliseconds (IMP) at 90° and 120° exhibited moderate to strong correlations with 1RM squat (r = 0.70, 0.58) and partial squat (r = 0.73, 0.62), respectively. Rate of force development at 90° and 120° exhibited weak to moderate correlations with 1RM squat (r = 0.55, 0.43) and partial squat (r = 0.32, 0.42), respectively. These findings demonstrate a degree of joint angle specificity to dynamic tasks for rapid and peak isometric force production. In conclusion, an isometric squat performed at 90° and 120° is a reliable testing measure that can provide a strong indication of changes in strength and explosiveness during training.

  16. APLIKASI PEMESANAN MAKANAN ONLINE BERBASIS WEB PADA RUMAH MAKAN PAGI SORE SIPIN JAMBI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Novhirtamely Kahar

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Rumah Makan Pagi Sore Sipin Jambi merupakan rumah makan yang menyediakan bermacam-macam menu makanan khas minang dan memiliki banyak pelanggan. Pemesanan makanan bagi pelanggan tetap jika jarak tempat tinggal dengan rumah makan berjauhan selama ini dilakukan melalui telepon. Cara tersebut memiliki kendala, salah satunya pelanggan tidak mengetahui daftar menu dan harga yang ditawarkan oleh rumah makan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membangun aplikasi pemesanan makanan online sehingga penyampaian informasi menjadi cepat, akurat, memiliki jangkauan yang luas, serta dapat memesan makanan secara online. Sistem aplikasi pemesanan ini terdiri dari aplikasi untuk pelanggan dan admin. Aplikasi untuk pelanggan terdiri dari : Home, Profil, Menu, Paket Catering, Promotion, Info, dan Pemesanan. Aplikasi pemesanan untuk pelanggan terdiri dari Delivery Service, Paket Catering Service, dan Paket Catering Ruang Minang. Sedangkan aplikasi untuk admin terdiri dari olah data menu utama, transaksi, dan laporan. Untuk transaksi pembayaran dilakukan secara cash kepada bagian pengiriman. Sistem aplikasi ini dibangun dengan menggunakan PHP dan database MySQL. Dengan dibangunnya aplikasi ini, maka pelanggan dengan mudah mendapatkan informasi tentang Rumah Makan Pagi Sore Sipin Jambi dan dapat melakukan pemesanan makanan dimana saja dan kapan saja, sehingga dapat meningkatkan jumlah pelanggan dan berdampak pada peningkatan profit Rumah Makan Pagi Sore tersebut.Rumah Makan Pagi Sore Sipin Jambi merupakan rumah makan yang menyediakan bermacam-macam menu makanan khas minang dan memiliki banyak pelanggan. Pemesanan makanan bagi pelanggan tetap jika jarak tempat tinggal dengan rumah makan berjauhan selama ini dilakukan melalui telepon. Cara tersebut memiliki kendala, salah satunya pelanggan tidak mengetahui daftar menu dan harga yang ditawarkan oleh rumah makan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membangun aplikasi pemesanan makanan online sehingga penyampaian informasi menjadi

  17. A component analysis of the generation and release of isometric force in Parkinson's disease.

    OpenAIRE

    Jordan, N; Sagar, H J; Cooper, J A

    1992-01-01

    Paradigms of isometric force control allow study of the generation and release of movement in the absence of complications due to disordered visuomotor coordination. The onset and release of isometric force in Parkinson's disease (PD) was studied, using computerised determinants of latency of response and rate of force generation and release. Components of isometric force control were related to measures of cognitive, affective and clinical motor disability. The effects of treatment were dete...

  18. Management of patients with sore throats in relation to guidelines: an interview study in Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedin, Katarina; Strandberg, Eva Lena; Gröndal, Hedvig; Brorsson, Annika; Thulesius, Hans; André, Malin

    2014-12-01

    To explore how a group of Swedish general practitioners (GPs) manage patients with a sore throat in relation to current guidelines as expressed in interviews. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse semi-structured interviews. Swedish primary care. A strategic sample of 25 GPs. Perceived management of sore throat patients. It was found that nine of the interviewed GPs were adherent to current guidelines for sore throat and 16 were non-adherent. The two groups differed in terms of guideline knowledge, which was shared within the team for adherent GPs while idiosyncratic knowledge dominated for the non-adherent GPs. Adherent GPs had no or low concerns for bacterial infections and differential diagnosis whilst non-adherent GPs believed that in patients with a sore throat any bacterial infection should be identified and treated with antibiotics. Patient history and examination was mainly targeted by adherent GPs whilst for non-adherent GPs it was often redundant. Non-adherent GPs reported problems getting patients to abstain from antibiotics, whilst no such problems were reported in adherent GPs. This interview study of sore throat management in a strategically sampled group of Swedish GPs showed that while two-thirds were non-adherent and had a liberal attitude to antibiotics one-third were guideline adherent with a restricted view on antibiotics. Non-adherent GPs revealed significant knowledge gaps. Adherent GPs had discussed guidelines within the primary care team while non-adherent GPs had not. Guideline implementation thus seemed to be promoted by knowledge shared in team discussions.

  19. Sports Mass Age Therapy on the Reduction of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness of the Quadriceps Femoris

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boguszewski Dariusz

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Massage therapy is one of most commonly applied treatments during athletic training. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of sports massage therapy on reducing post-exercise quadriceps muscle soreness. Methods. A sample of 29 women aged 24-26 years was divided into an experimental group (n = 15 receiving classic sports massage therapy and a control group (n = 14 given no treatment. An exercise session consisting of five sets of deep squat jumps was administered after which lower limb power as assessed via the vertical jump test. Muscle soreness was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS and exercise intensity with the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale. Subsequent measurements of lower limb power and muscle soreness were performed 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after the exercise session. Differences between the measurements were assessed by the Friedman and least significant difference tests while between-group comparisons involved the Mann-Whitney U test. Results. The largest decrease in lower limb power was observed between the first measurement after the exercise session and 24 h later (p < 0.01. The smallest decrease in power was observed in the massage group. The highest levels of muscle soreness were noted 24 h post-exercise in the massage group and 48 h post-exercise in the control group. The experimental group showed a decrease in muscle soreness in each subsequent measurement, with the results close to zero on the VAS 96 h postexercise. Conclusions. Massage therapy quickened recovery and improved muscle efficiency post-exercise and may serve as an effective treatment of muscle soreness. The analgesic effect of massage suggests it should be widely applied in sport, physical therapy and rehabilitation.

  20. Laser homeostatics on delayed onset muscle soreness

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, T C Y; Fu, D R; Liu, X G; Tian, Z X, E-mail: liutcy@scnu.edu.cn [Lab Laser Sports Medicine, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, GD 510006 (China)

    2011-01-01

    Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and its photobiomodulation were reviewed from the viewpoint of function-specific homeostasis (FSH) in this paper. FSH is a negative-feedback response of a biosystem to maintain the function-specific fluctuations inside the biosystem so that the function is perfectly performed. A stressor may destroy a FSH. A stress is a response of a biosystem to a stressor and may also be in stress-specific homeostasis (StSH). A low level light (LLL) is so defined that it has no effects on a function in its FSH or a stress in its StSH, but it modulate a function far from its FSH or a stress far from its StSH. For DOMS recovery, protein metabolism in the Z-line streaming muscular cell is the essential process, but the inflammation, pain and soreness are non-essential processes. For many DOMS phenomena, protein metabolism in the Z-line streaming muscular cell is in protein metabolism-specific homeostasis (PmSH) so that there are no effects of LLL although the inflammation can be inhibited and the pain can be relieved. An athlete or animal in the dysfunctional conditions such as blood flow restriction and exercise exhaustion is far from PmSH and the protein metabolism can be improved with LLL.

  1. Isometric muscle strength and mobility capacity in children with cerebral palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dallmeijer, Annet J; Rameckers, Eugene A; Houdijk, Han; de Groot, Sonja; Scholtes, Vanessa A; Becher, Jules G

    2017-01-01

    To determine the relationship between isometric leg muscle strength and mobility capacity in children with cerebral palsy (CP) compared to typically developing (TD) peers. Participants were 62 children with CP (6-13 years), able to walk with (n = 10) or without (n = 52) walking aids, and 47 TD children. Isometric muscle strength of five muscle groups of the leg was measured using hand-held dynamometry. Mobility capacity was assessed with the 1-min walk, the 10-m walk, sit-to-stand, lateral-step-up and timed-stair tests. Isometric strength of children with CP was reduced to 36-82% of TD. When adjusted for age and height, the percentage of variance in mobility capacity that was explained by isometric strength of the leg muscles was 21-24% (walking speed), 25% (sit-to-stand), 28% (lateral-step-up) and 35% (timed-stair) in children with CP. Hip abductors and knee flexors had the largest contribution to the explained variance, while knee extensors showed the weakest correlation. Weak or no associations were found between strength and mobility capacity in TD children. Isometric strength, especially hip abductor and knee flexor strength, is moderately related to mobility capacity in children with CP, but not in TD children. To what extent training of these muscle groups will lead to better mobility capacity needs further study. Implications for Rehabilitation Strength training in children with cerebral palsy (CP) may be targeted more specifically at hip abductors and knee flexors. The moderate associations imply that large improvements in mobility capacity may not be expected when strength increases.

  2. Rational Pharmacotherapy for Sore Throat in Children at Different Stages of the Assistance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.V. Zaychenko

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with one of the most pressing problems in pediatrics in the autumn and winter — a sore throat in children. The authors give its basic reasons, threatening symptoms that accompany sore throat, indicating an urgent need to visit a doctor, as well as the issues of treatment. It is noted that the most appropriate is the use of combination drugs that have complex (anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect. The characteristics of Strepsils Kids preparation, developed specifically for use in children from 6 years, are given.

  3. The effect of 6 days of alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine on isometric strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellar, David; LeBlanc, Nina R; Campbell, Brian

    2015-01-01

    Ergogenic aides are widely used by fitness enthusiasts and athletes to increase performance. Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine (A-GPC) has demonstrated some initial promise in changing explosive performance. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if 6 days of supplementation with A-GPC would augment isometric force production compared to a placebo. Thirteen college-aged males (Means ± SD; Age: 21.9 ± 2.2 years, Height: 180.3 ± 7.7 cm, Weight: 87.6 ± 15.6 kg; VO2 max: 40.08 ± 7.23 ml O2*Kg(-1)*min(-1), Body Fat: 17.5 ± 4.6%) gave written informed consent to participate in the study. The study was a double blind, placebo controlled, cross-over design. The participants reported to the lab for an initial visit where they were familiarized with the isometric mid thigh pull in a custom squat cage on a force platform and upper body isometric test against a high frequency load cell, and baseline measurements were taken for both. The participant then consumed either 600 mg per day of A-GPC or placebo and at the end of 6 days performed isometric mid thigh pulls and an upper body isometric test. A one-week washout period was used before the participants' baseline was re-measured and crossed over to the other treatment. The A-GPC treatment resulted in significantly greater isometric mid thigh pull peak force change from baseline (t = 1.76, p = 0.044) compared with placebo (A-GPC: 98.8. ± 236.9 N vs Placebo: -39.0 ± 170.9 N). For the upper body test the A-GPC treatment trended towards greater change from baseline force production (A-GPC: 50.9 ± 67.2 N Placebo: -14.9 ± 114.9 N) but failed to obtain statistical significance (t = 1.16, p = 0.127). A-GPC is effective at increasing lower body force production after 6 days of supplementation. Sport performance coaches can consider adding A-GPC to the diet of speed and power athletes to enhance muscle performance.

  4. Pressure sores and underlying bone infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugarman, B.

    1987-01-01

    Pressure sores are a serious complication of hospitalized and chronically ill patients. Evaluation for underlying bone infection can be made difficult by radiographic, nuclear imaging, and soft-tissue culture studies that are abnormal and suggest the presence of bone infection, when no infection is present. Evaluation by bone biopsy with histologic and microbiological studies can accurately and promptly diagnose whether bone infection is present. This allows appropriate treatment when infection is present, and prevents unneeded and potentially toxic antibiotic therapy when preliminary studies incorrectly suggest that infection is present

  5. [Support devices for the prevention and treatment of pressure sores].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrouin-Verbe, Brigite

    2014-12-01

    There is a strategy to be followed in the treatment of patients with specific pathologies placing them at high risk of pressure sores. In some cases, sophisticated support devices are used.These techniques must be combined with basic good practices.

  6. Preventing pressure sores of the nasal ala after nasotracheal tube intubation: from animal model to clinical application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Tze-Ta; Tseng, Chih-En; Lee, Tsan-Mu; Yeh, Jen-Ying; Lai, Yu-Yung

    2009-03-01

    Nasal-ala pressure sores induced by nasotracheal intubation are common complications of oral and maxillofacial surgery, but are easily ignored. To determine whether such sores could be prevented, we studied the effects of a combination of cushioning material in an animal model, and then analyzed the efficacy of this combination clinically. Four pigs received nasotracheal intubation. Each pig received intubation for 4, 8, 12, or 16 hours. Outcomes from pigs undergoing 500-gram-weight compression on each nostril were compared: one nostril received an application of cushioning materials, and the contralateral nostril did not. After the required study period, clinical assessment and further evaluation were performed by measuring pressure-sore dimensions and performing incisional biopsies. Clinical applications of this protective technique were then undertaken. Eight patients who underwent intubation without Soft Liner (GC Co, Tokyo, Japan) and DuoDERM CGF (ConvaTec, Inc, Princeton, NJ) protection, and 10 patients with Soft Liner and DuoDERM protection, were evaluated. The protective efficacy of the cushioning materials was significant in the animal model as well as in clinical practice. Pressure sores were avoided on the protected side, with severe tissue necrosis documented on the control side. We found that the combined use of Soft Liner and DuoDERM reduced the size and severity of nasal-ala pressure sores attributable to nasotracheal intubation during oral and maxillofacial surgery.

  7. [Pedicled superior gluteal artery perforator bilateral quadrilobed flaps for repair of large sacrococcygeal pressure sores].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hai, Henglin; Li, Huatao; Chen, Yang; Li, Qiang; Wu, Shenggang; Lili, Wang; Yan, Lei; Xiaoying, Zhou

    2013-03-01

    To investigate the effectiveness of pedicled superior gluteal artery perforator bilateral quadrilobed flaps for repairing large sacrococcygeal pressure sores. Between June 2003 and August 2011, 6 paraplegia patients with large sacrococcygeal pressure sores were repaired with the pedicled superior gluteal artery perforator bilateral quadrilobed flaps. There were 2 males and 4 females with an average age of 45.6 years (range, 37-62 years). The mean disease duration was 8.4 months (range, 3-26 months). According to National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) standard, 6 cases rated as degree IV. The size of pressure sores ranged from 15 cm x 13 cm to 18 cm x 16 cm. The size of flaps ranged from 18 cm x 14 cm to 21 cm x 15 cm. After operation, all flaps survived successfully. The wounds healed by first intention in 5 cases; partial dehiscence of incision occurred in 1 case, which was cured after dressing change for 26 days. Six patients were followed up 6-24 months (mean, 12.5 months). The appearance and texture of the flaps were smooth and soft with good elasticity and no ulceration. Pedicled superior gluteal artery perforator bilateral quadrilobed flaps can repair large sacrococcygeal pressure sores. The appearance of flaps is smooth and has good compression-resistance effect.

  8. Fatigue and muscle-tendon stiffness after stretch-shortening cycle and isometric exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toumi, Hechmi; Poumarat, Georges; Best, Thomas M; Martin, Alain; Fairclough, John; Benjamin, Mike

    2006-10-01

    The purpose of the present study was to compare vertical jump performance after 2 different fatigue protocols. In the first protocol, subjects performed consecutive sets of 10 repetitions of stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) contractions. In the second protocol, successive sets of 10 repetitions of isometric contractions were performed for 10 s with the knee at 90 degrees of flexion. The exercises were stopped when the subjects failed to reach 50% of their maximum voluntary isometric contractions. Maximal isometric force and maximal concentric power were assessed by performing supine leg presses, squat jumps, and drop jumps. Surface EMG was used to determine changes in muscle activation before and after fatigue. In both groups, the fatigue exercises reduced voluntary isometric force, maximal concentric power, and drop jump performance. Kinematic data showed a decrease in knee muscle-tendon stiffness accompanied by a lengthened ground contact time. EMG analysis showed that the squat and drop jumps were performed similarly before and after the fatigue exercise for both groups. Although it was expected that the stiffness would decrease more after SSC than after isometric fatigue (as a result of a greater alteration of the reflex sensitivity SSC), our results showed that both protocols had a similar effect on knee muscle stiffness during jumping exercises. Both fatigue protocols induced muscle fatigue, and the decrease in jump performance was linked to a decrease in the strength and stiffness of the knee extensor muscles.

  9. The Relationship Between Maximum Isometric Strength and Ball Velocity in the Tennis Serve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baiget, Ernest; Corbi, Francisco; Fuentes, Juan Pedro; Fernández-Fernández, Jaime

    2016-12-01

    The aims of this study were to analyze the relationship between maximum isometric strength levels in different upper and lower limb joints and serve velocity in competitive tennis players as well as to develop a prediction model based on this information. Twelve male competitive tennis players (mean ± SD; age: 17.2 ± 1.0 years; body height: 180.1 ± 6.2 cm; body mass: 71.9 ± 5.6 kg) were tested using maximum isometric strength levels (i.e., wrist, elbow and shoulder flexion and extension; leg and back extension; shoulder external and internal rotation). Serve velocity was measured using a radar gun. Results showed a strong positive relationship between serve velocity and shoulder internal rotation (r = 0.67; p isometric strength level in shoulder internal rotation was strongly related to serve velocity, and a large part of the variability in serve velocity was explained by the maximum isometric strength levels in shoulder internal rotation and shoulder flexion.

  10. Muscle damage and repeated bout effect induced by enhanced eccentric squats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coratella, Giuseppe; Chemello, Alessandro; Schena, Federico

    2016-12-01

    Muscle damage and repeated bout effect have been studied after pure eccentric-only exercise. The aim of this study was to evaluate muscle damage and repeated bout effect induced by enhanced eccentric squat exercise using flywheel device. Thirteen healthy males volunteered for this study. Creatine kinase blood activity (CK), quadriceps isometric peak torque and muscle soreness were used as markers of muscle damage. The dependent parameters were measured at baseline, immediately after and each day up to 96 hours after the exercise session. The intervention consisted of 100 repetitions of enhanced eccentric squat exercise using flywheel device. The same protocol was repeated after 4 weeks. After the first bout, CK and muscle soreness were significantly greater (P0.05), while isometric peak torque and muscle soreness returned to values similar to baseline after respectively 48 and 72 hours. All muscle damage markers were significantly lower after second compared to first bout. The enhanced eccentric exercise induced symptoms of muscle damage up to 96 hours. However, it provided muscle protection after the second bout, performed four weeks later. Although it was not eccentric-only exercise, the enhancement of eccentric phase provided muscle protection.

  11. Delayed onset muscle soreness: No pain, no gain? The truth behind ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is muscle pain and stiffness that develops ... limited success in reducing the symptoms.1,4-6 The DOMS phenomenon ... Nutritional supplementation (antioxidants and L-carnitine) shows promise, but ...

  12. Comparison of gluteal perforator flaps and gluteal fasciocutaneous rotation flaps for reconstruction of sacral pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yen-Chou; Huang, Eng-Yen; Lin, Pao-Yuan

    2014-03-01

    The gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap was considered the workhorse that reconstructed sacral pressure sores, but was gradually replaced by fasciocutaneous flap because of several disadvantages. With the advent of the perforator flap technique, gluteal perforator (GP) flap has gained popularity nowadays. The aim of this study was to compare the complications and outcomes between GP flaps and gluteal fasciocutaneous rotation (FR) flaps in the treatment of sacral pressure sores. Between April 2007 and June 2012, 63 patients underwent sacral pressure sore reconstructions, with a GP flap used in 31 cases and an FR flap used in 32 cases. Data collected on the patients included patient age, gender, co-morbidity for being bedridden and follow-up time. Surgical details collected included the defect size, operative time and estimated blood loss. Complications recorded included re-operation, dehiscence, flap necrosis, wound infection, sinus formation, donor-site morbidity and recurrence. The complications and clinical outcomes were compared between these two groups. We found that there was no significant difference in patient demographics, surgical complications and recurrence between these two groups. In gluteal FR flap group, all recurrent cases (five) were treated by reuse of previous flaps. Both methods are comparable, good and safe in treating sacral pressure sores. Gluteal FR flap can be performed without microsurgical dissection, and re-rotation is feasible in recurrent cases. The authors suggest using gluteal FR flaps in patients with a high risk of sore recurrence. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Comparison of Effectiveness of Betamethasone gel Applied to the Tracheal Tube and IV Dexamethasone on Postoperative Sore Throat: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabari, Masumeh; Soltani, Ghasem; Zirak, Nahid; Alipour, Moammad; Khazaeni, Kamran

    2013-09-01

    Postoperative sore throat is a common complaint in patients with endotracheal intubation and has potentially dangerous complications. This randomized controlled trial study investigated the incidence of postoperative sore throat after general anesthesia when betamethasone gel is applied to a tracheal tube compared with when IV dexamethasone is prescribed. Two hundred and twenty five American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA)-class I and II patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with tracheal intubation were randomly divided into three groups: betamethasone gel, intravenous (IV) dexamethasone, and control groups. In the post-anesthesia care unit, a blinded anesthesiologist interviewed all patients regarding postoperative sore throat at 1,6, and 24 hours after surgery. The incidence of sore throat was significantly lower in the betamethasone gel group compared with the IV dexamethasone and control groups, 1, 6, and 24 hours after surgery. In the first day after surgery 10.7% of the betamethasone group had sore throat whereas 26.7% of the IV dexamethasone group and 30.7% of the control group had sore throat. Bucking before extubation was observed in 14(18.4%), 8(10.4%), and 9(12.2%) patients, in the IV dexamethasone, betamethasone gel, and control group, respectively. We concluded that wide spread application of betamethasone gel over tracheal tubes effectively mitigates postoperative sore throat, compared with IV dexamethasone application.

  14. Comparison of Effectiveness of Betamethasone gel Applied to the Tracheal Tube and IV Dexamethasone on Postoperative sore Throat: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoomeh Tabari

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Postoperative sore throat is a common complaint in patients with endotracheal intubation and has potentially dangerous complications. This randomized controlled trial study investigated the incidence of postoperative sore throat after general anesthesia when betamethasone gel is applied to a tracheal tube compared with when IV dexamethasone is prescribed.   Materials and Methods: Two hundred and twenty five American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA-class I and II patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with tracheal intubation were randomly divided into three groups: betamethasone gel, intravenous (IV dexamethasone, and control groups. In the post-anesthesia care unit, a blinded anesthesiologist interviewed all patients regarding postoperative sore throat at 1,6, and 24 hours after surgery.   Results: The incidence of sore throat was significantly lower in the betamethasone gel group compared with the IV dexamethasone and control groups, 1, 6, and 24 hours after surgery. In the first day after surgery 10.7% of the betamethasone group had sore throat whereas 26.7% of the IV dexamethasone group and 30.7% of the control group had sore throat. Bucking before extubation was observed in 14(18.4%, 8(10.4%, and 9(12.2% patients, in the IV dexamethasone, betamethasone gel, and control group, respectively.   Conclusion:  We concluded that wide spread application of betamethasone gel over tracheal tubes effectively mitigates postoperative sore throat, compared with IV dexamethasone application.

  15. Relationship Between Force Production During Isometric Squats and Knee Flexion Angles During Landing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Harry; Stephenson, Mitchell L; Graves, Kyle K; Hinshaw, Taylour J; Smith, Derek T; Zhu, Qin; Wilson, Margaret A; Dai, Boyi

    2016-06-01

    Decreased knee flexion angles during landing are associated with increased anterior cruciate ligament loading. The underlying mechanisms associated with decreased self-selected knee flexion angles during landing are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between the peak force production at various knee flexion angles (35, 55, 70, and 90°) during isometric squats and the actual knee flexion angles that occur during landing in both men and women. A total of 18 men and 18 women recreational/collegiate athletes performed 4 isometric squats at various knee flexion angles while vertical ground reaction forces were recorded. Participants also performed a jump-landing-jump task while lower extremity kinematics were collected. For women, significant correlations were found between the peak force production at 55 and 70° of knee flexion during isometric squats and the knee flexion angle at initial contact of landing. There were also significant correlations between the peak force production at 55, 70, and 90° of knee flexion during isometric squats and the peak knee flexion angle during landing. These correlations tended to be stronger during isometric squats at greater knee flexion compared with smaller knee flexion. No significant correlations were found for men. Posture-specific strength may play an important role in determining self-selected knee flexion angles during landing for women.

  16. Antioxidants for preventing and reducing muscle soreness after exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranchordas, Mayur K; Rogerson, David; Soltani, Hora; Costello, Joseph T

    2017-12-14

    Muscle soreness typically occurs after intense exercise, unaccustomed exercise or actions that involve eccentric contractions where the muscle lengthens while under tension. It peaks between 24 and 72 hours after the initial bout of exercise. Many people take antioxidant supplements or antioxidant-enriched foods before and after exercise in the belief that these will prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of antioxidant supplements and antioxidant-enriched foods for preventing and reducing the severity and duration of delayed onset muscle soreness following exercise. We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, SPORTDiscus, trial registers, reference lists of articles and conference proceedings up to February 2017. We included randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of all forms of antioxidant supplementation including specific antioxidant supplements (e.g. tablets, powders, concentrates) and antioxidant-enriched foods or diets on preventing or reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). We excluded studies where antioxidant supplementation was combined with another supplement. Two review authors independently screened search results, assessed risk of bias and extracted data from included trials using a pre-piloted form. Where appropriate, we pooled results of comparable trials, generally using the random-effects model. The outcomes selected for presentation in the 'Summary of findings' table were muscle soreness, collected at times up to 6 hours, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours post-exercise, subjective recovery and adverse effects. We assessed the quality of the evidence using GRADE. Fifty randomised, placebo-controlled trials were included, 12 of which used a cross-over design. Of the 1089 participants, 961 (88.2%) were male and 128 (11.8%) were female. The age range for

  17. [Reduction of pressure sores during prone positioning of ventilated intensive care patients by the prone-head support system: a pilot study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prebio, Michael; Katz-Papatheophilou, Elfriede; Heindl, Werner; Gelbmann, Herbert; Burghuber, Otto C

    2005-02-01

    Prone positioning in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome is a well-known method to improve oxygenation. The aim of our study was to evaluate a new device for prone positioning, the prone-head support system (PHS system), with regard to reduction of cutaneous pressure sores. In a pilot study we randomized 8 patients with ARDS in two groups: 180 degrees standard prone positioning (group without mask) and prone positioning with the PHS system (group with mask). The PHS system consists of a facemask support, which is connected to an adapted air suspension bed. The patients of both groups were intermittently proned for several days. We evaluated the pressure sores on head and neck before turning the patients prone for the first time and after each period of prone positioning. We documented the quantity, the size, the type and the localization of the pressure sores. There was no significant difference in the mean duration of prone positioning (27.1+/-14.7 hours in the group with mask versus 24.5+/-18.7 h in the group without mask). In the group with mask there were 1.5+/-0.8 new pressure sores by each proning, whereas in the group without mask there were 2.37+/-1.6 new pressure sores, which was lower, but not significantly. The overall area of pressure sores (798 mm2 versus 3184 mm2, p=0.004), the area of pressure sores per patient (199.5+/-104.7 mm2 versus 796+/-478 mm2, p=0.03) and the increase of the area of pressure sores per proning (79.8+/-52.0 mm2 versus 398.0+/-214.3 mm2, p=0.004) were significantly lower in the group with mask in comparison to the group without mask. The lips were the most effected localization in both groups. The pressure sores in the group with mask were less severe and showed a homogenous distribution in comparison to the group without mask. Blisters dominated in the group with mask in comparison to erosions, necrosis and ulcers in the group without mask. The PHS system with its face mask is able to reduce the extent and the

  18. Relationship between lower extremity isometric muscle strength and standing balance in patients with multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Citaker, Seyit; Guclu-Gunduz, Arzu; Yazici, Gokhan; Bayraktar, Deniz; Nazliel, Bijen; Irkec, Ceyla

    2013-01-01

    Muscle strength and standing balance decrease in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the lower extremity isometric muscle strength and standing balance in patients with MS. Forty-seven patients with MS and 10 healthy volunteers were included. Neurological disability level was assessed using Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Isometric strength of seven lower extremity muscles (hip flexor-extensor-abductor-adductor, knee flexor-extensor, and ankle dorsal flexor) was assessed using hand-held dynamometer. Duration of static one-leg standing balance was measured using digital chronometer. Hip flexor-extensor-abductor-adductor, knee flexor-extensor, and ankle dorsal flexor isometric muscle strength, and duration of one-leg standing balance were decreased in patients with MS when compared with controls (p isometric muscle strength and EDSS level was related duration of one-leg standing balance in patients with MS. All assessed lower extremity isometric muscle strength (except ankle dorsal flexor) was related with EDSS. Hip flexor-extensor-abductor-adductor, knee flexor-extensor, and ankle dorsal flexor isometric muscle strength decreases in ambulatory MS patients. Lower extremity muscle weakness and neurological disability level are related with imbalance in MS population. Hip and knee region muscles weakness increases the neurological disability level. For the better balance and decrease neurological disability level whole lower extremity muscle strengthening should be included in rehabilitation programs.

  19. [Skin care and prevention of bed sores in bedridden patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez Cuervo, Fernando; Soldevilla Agreda, J Javier; Verdú Soriano, José; Segovia Gómez, Teresa; García Fernández, Francisco Pedro; Pancorbo Hidalgo, Pedro Luís

    2007-12-01

    The aging process and environmental aggressions will leave their imprints on the state of a person's skin, possibly compromising some of its functions. Age is a risk factor for the development of bed sores, but not the only factor nor the most important one; therefore, we need to develop prevention programs directed to all patients who spend long periods of time sedentary or bedridden. Prevention programs for bed sores must be based on the best evidence available and include a risk evaluation on these factors: suffering a lesion due to pressure, specific skin treatment, incontinence control, excessive humidity posture changes and the use of special surfaces to manage pressure during an increase in mobility or activity by the patient, local pressure reducing devices as well as paying attention to special situations. All of these care measures have to be developed based on a continuity of treatment among the institutions and caretakers involved with treating each patient.

  20. Pressure pain and isometric strength of neck flexors are related in chronic tension-type headache.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castien, Rene; Blankenstein, Annette; De Hertogh, Willem

    2015-01-01

    In patients with chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) changes in pressure pain in the cervical region are associated with peripheral or central sensitization. It is hypothesized that an increase of isometric strength of neck flexors would lead to a decrease of pressure pain in CTTH, as an expression of reduced peripheral or central sensitization In this study we aimed to analyze the correlation between change in isometric strength of the neck flexors and change in pressure pain scores (PPS) in patients with CTTH. Comparative analysis of data from previous study. Primary healthcare center. Data from 145 patients with CTTH who underwent a manual therapy program including isometric strength training of the neck flexors were analyzed at 8 and 26 weeks post-treatment. PPS were measured as a total of pain scores on a numeric rating scale (score 0 to 10) on application of a pressure stimulus of 3kg/cm at 8 cervical- and suboccipital muscles. Isometric strength of the neck flexors was measured in seconds. Correlations were computed between changes in PPS and isometric neck flexor strength. Isometric strength of neck flexors scored significantly different compared to baseline measurement (mean 30.0 seconds, sd:25.2), and increased with a mean difference of 17.33 seconds (95%CI: 20.61 to 14.05) at 8 weeks and 19.18 seconds (95%CI: 23.48 to 14.87) at 26 weeks. Similarly, compared to PPS baseline measurement (31.6 points, sd:18.6), mean difference in PPS was significantly decreased at 8 and 26 weeks: -11.3 points (95%CI: -8.77 to -13.83) and -11.15 points (95%CI: -8.31 to -13.99). There is a negative correlation between changes in PPS and changes in isometric strength of neck flexors which is weak at 8 weeks (r = -0.243, P = 0.004) and moderate at 26 weeks (r = -0.318, P isometric strength of neck flexors in patients with CTTH in short- and long-term.

  1. A standardized approach to study human variability in isometric thermogenesis during low-intensity physical activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delphine eSarafian

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Limitations of current methods: The assessment of human variability in various compartments of daily energy expenditure (EE under standardized conditions is well defined at rest (as basal metabolic rate and thermic effect of feeding, and currently under validation for assessing the energy cost of low-intensity dynamic work. However, because physical activities of daily life consist of a combination of both dynamic and isometric work, there is also a need to develop standardized tests for assessing human variability in the energy cost of low-intensity isometric work.Experimental objectives: Development of an approach to study human variability in isometric thermogenesis by incorporating a protocol of intermittent leg press exercise of varying low-intensity isometric loads with measurements of EE by indirect calorimetry. Results: EE was measured in the seated position with the subject at rest or while intermittently pressing both legs against a press-platform at 5 low-intensity isometric loads (+5, +10, + 15, +20 and +25 kg force, each consisting of a succession of 8 cycles of press (30 s and rest (30 s. EE, integrated over each 8-min period of the intermittent leg press exercise, was found to increase linearly across the 5 isometric loads with a correlation coefficient (r > 0.9 for each individual. The slope of this EE-Load relationship, which provides the energy cost of this standardized isometric exercise expressed per kg force applied intermittently (30 s in every min, was found to show good repeatability when assessed in subjects who repeated the same experimental protocol on 3 separate days: its low intra-individual coefficient of variation (CV of ~ 10% contrasted with its much higher inter-individual CV of 35%; the latter being mass-independent but partly explained by height. Conclusion: This standardized approach to study isometric thermogenesis opens up a new avenue for research in EE phenotyping and metabolic predisposition to obesity

  2. Portfolio theory of optimal isometric force production: Variability predictions and nonequilibrium fluctuation-dissipation theorem

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frank, T.D.; Patanarapeelert, K.; Beek, P.J.

    2008-01-01

    We derive a fundamental relationship between the mean and the variability of isometric force. The relationship arises from an optimal collection of active motor units such that the force variability assumes a minimum (optimal isometric force). The relationship is shown to be independent of the

  3. Some isometrical identities in the wave equation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saburou Saitoh

    1984-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider the usual wave equation utt(x,t=c2uxx(x,t on the real line with some typical initial and boundary conditions. In each case, we establish a natural isometrical identity and inverse formula between the sourse function and the response function.

  4. How social media meet patients’ questions: YouTube™ review for mouth sores in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Stasio, D; Romano, A; Paparella, R S; Gentile, C; Serpico, R; Minervini, G; Candotto, V; Laino, L

    2018-01-01

    Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is one of the most common causes of mouth sores in children so the management of this condition is a matter of great importance. YouTube™ is increasingly being used by patients to obtain health-related information. The aim of this work is to examine the quality of information offered by YouTube™ about mouth sores in children (MSC). Searching the term ‘mouth sores in children’, (MSC) displayed 12.300 results. Of the top 60 videos analyzed, 31 were excluded following exclusion criteria. The major source of upload was from healthcare information channels (HC-41,38%), followed by individual users (HP-25.59%), healthcare professionals (IU-17.24%) and generalist information channels (HC-13.78%); 20.69% of them deal with predisposing factors, and related pathologies, the majority of these propose home remedies (60.72%) rather than topical analgesic drugs (21.43%), antimicrobials (7.14%) and topical steroids (3.57). Most of the videos analyzed were slightly useful (68.97%). Information about mouth sores in children on YouTube™ was poor regardless of the upload source. Analyzing health content on social platforms is a starting point for providing greater quality of health-related information.

  5. The posterior thigh flap for defect coverage of ischial pressure sores - a critical single-centre analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djedovic, Gabriel; Morandi, Evi M; Metzler, Julia; Wirthmann, Anna; Matiasek, Johannes; Bauer, Thomas; Rieger, Ulrich M

    2017-12-01

    The development of pressure sores is still not only an enormous economical but also a medical burden. Especially in the ischial region, the local defect coverage remains demanding as it is the main weight-bearing area in wheelchair-mobilised patients and is prone to high mobility. The purpose of our study was to report our long-time experience with the reconstruction of ischial pressure ulcers with the medially based posterior thigh flap. A retrospective analysis of all primary pressure sores grade III-IV in the ischial area, which were covered with a medially based posterior thigh flap between January 2008 and December 2014, at our department was conducted. A total of 28 patients underwent defect coverage of an ischial pressure sore with the aforementioned flap. The subgroup with complications showed a statistically significant longer hospital stay. A statistically significant correlation between age and the coincidence of comorbidities could be seen. Older patients showed significantly higher grades of pressure sores. The medially based posterior thigh flap is a safe and reliable flap design. Complication rates are comparable to other flaps. Nevertheless, in case of complications, a significantly longer duration of hospitalisation has to be taken into account. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Relation between Peak Power Output in Sprint Cycling and Maximum Voluntary Isometric Torque Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kordi, Mehdi; Goodall, Stuart; Barratt, Paul; Rowley, Nicola; Leeder, Jonathan; Howatson, Glyn

    2017-08-01

    From a cycling paradigm, little has been done to understand the relationships between maximal isometric strength of different single joint lower body muscle groups and their relation with, and ability to predict PPO and how they compare to an isometric cycling specific task. The aim of this study was to establish relationships between maximal voluntary torque production from isometric single-joint and cycling specific tasks and assess their ability to predict PPO. Twenty male trained cyclists participated in this study. Peak torque was measured by performing maximum voluntary contractions (MVC) of knee extensors, knee flexors, dorsi flexors and hip extensors whilst instrumented cranks measured isometric peak torque from MVC when participants were in their cycling specific position (ISOCYC). A stepwise regression showed that peak torque of the knee extensors was the only significant predictor of PPO when using SJD and accounted for 47% of the variance. However, when compared to ISOCYC, the only significant predictor of PPO was ISOCYC, which accounted for 77% of the variance. This suggests that peak torque of the knee extensors was the best single-joint predictor of PPO in sprint cycling. Furthermore, a stronger prediction can be made from a task specific isometric task. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Reliability of isometric subtalar pronator and supinator strength testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagen, Marco; Lahner, Matthias; Winhuysen, Martin; Maiwald, Christian

    2015-01-01

    Due to the specific anatomy of the subtalar joint with its oblique axis, isometric pronator and supinator strength is not well documented. The purpose of this study was to determine intra- and between-session reliability of pronator and supinator strength and lower leg muscle activity measurements during maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC). Pronator and supinator peak torques (PT), with and without supplementary visual muscle strength biofeedback (FB), and muscular activities of peroneus longus (PL) and tibialis anterior (TA) were assessed twice 3 days apart by the same examiner in 21 healthy young male adults (mean age: 27.6 years; SD = 3.9). Limits of agreement (LoA) and minimum detectable change (MDC) were evaluated. By applying FB, reliability of both pronator and supinator PT was improved: LoA were reduced from 32% to 26% and from 20% to 18% and MDC from 20% to 15% and from 16% to 12% in supinator and pronator PT, respectively. Learning effects in pronator and supinator PT (p isometric subtalar pronator and supinator strength testing is reliable in healthy subjects. LoA of 18% and 26% have to be exceeded for pronator and supinator PT, respectively, to detect relevant effects in repeated measures.

  8. Parental contribution to over prescription of antibiotics for sore throat ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: Antibiotics are often prescribed by physicians for sore throat in children because of the danger of post streptococcal complications. The role of the parents in over prescription of antibiotics is less well known. Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practice of parents to antibiotic prescription for ...

  9. Clinical effects of Angelica dahurica dressing on patients with I-II phase pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Fen; Niu, Junzhi; Pei, Xing

    2016-11-02

    Angelica dahurica is a well-known traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), while little information is available about its effects on pressure sores. We aimed to investigate the clinical effect of Angelica dahurica on patients with I-II phase pressure sores, as well as the underlying mechanism. Patients (n = 98) with phase I and phase II pressure sores were enrolled and randomly assigned to control and treated groups. In addition to holistic nursing, patients in the control group received compound clotrimazole cream, while patients in the treated group received continuous 4 weeks of external application of Angelica dahurica dressing. Therapeutic effect was recorded, along with the levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Besides, HaCaT cells were cultured with different concentrations of Angelica dahurica, and then cell viability, clone formation numbers, cell cycle, and levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2 were determined. The total effective rate in the treated group was significantly higher than in the control group. Levels of IL-8, EGF, TGF-β, and VEGF were statistically increased by Angelica dahurica. In addition, the cell viability and clone formation numbers were significantly upregulated by Angelica dahurica in a dose-dependent manner. Also, the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase, and levels of cyclin D1 and CDK2 were significantly elevated. Our results suggest that Angelica dahurica may provide an effective clinical treatment for I-II phase pressure sores.

  10. Sore throat · vaginal discharge · labial ulcer · Dx?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caravelli, Ashley; Bhatnagar, Rupal; Ashaye, Adelola

    2016-06-01

    The patient complained of worsening vaginal pain and increased vaginal discharge, but reported resolution of her back and chest pain. She also said that a week earlier, she'd had a fever that reached 104° F and a sore throat. She denied urinary frequency/urgency, sexual activity, or sexual abuse.

  11. Efficacy of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge in patients with a swollen and inflamed sore throat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aspley, Sue; Shephard, Adrian; Schachtel, Emily; Sanner, Kathleen; Savino, Laurie; Schachtel, Bernard

    2016-09-01

    Sore throat is often over-treated with antibiotics, therefore there is a need for non-antibiotic treatments that provide effective relief. From the patient's point of view, symptoms of pharyngeal inflammation such as a "swollen" and "inflamed" throat are often considered the most bothersome; so, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug could be an appropriate treatment. We investigated the efficacy and safety of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge in adults with a swollen and inflamed throat. We enrolled adults with moderate-to-severe sore throat and evidence of tonsillo-pharyngitis into a randomized, double-blind study. Patients received flurbiprofen 8.75 mg or placebo lozenges every 3-6 hours as needed (up to five lozenges in 24 hours) and rated their symptoms (sore throat pain, difficulty swallowing and the sensation of a swollen throat) on standard linear scales regularly over 24 hours. The efficacy of flurbiprofen lozenge was determined in patients reporting a swollen and inflamed throat at baseline, as well as those with relatively severe symptoms. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01049334. The main outcome measures were the time-weighted summed differences in patient-reported sore throat pain, difficulty swallowing and swollen throat over 24 hours. Out of 204 patients, 124 (60.8%) described their throats as swollen and inflamed at baseline. Flurbiprofen lozenges provided greater relief than placebo over 24 hours: 79.8%, 99.6% and 69.3% (for sore throat pain, difficulty swallowing and swollen throat, respectively, all P ≤ 0.01). These outcomes were more substantial in patients with relatively severe symptoms. No serious or unexpected adverse events occurred. Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge appears to provide effective, well-tolerated relief of sore throat, difficulty swallowing and swollen throat in adults with a swollen and inflamed throat, as well as those with relatively severe symptoms. A limitation of these findings is that, while predetermined, these are

  12. A Systematic Review of Isometric Lingual Strength-Training Programs in Adults With and Without Dysphagia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKenna, Victoria S; Zhang, Bin; Haines, Morgan B; Kelchner, Lisa N

    2017-05-17

    This systematic review summarizes the effects of isometric lingual strength training on lingual strength and swallow function in adult populations. Furthermore, it evaluates the designs of the reviewed studies and identifies areas of future research in isometric lingual strength training for dysphagia remediation. A comprehensive literature search of 3 databases and additional backward citation search identified 10 studies for inclusion in the review. The review reports and discusses the isometric-exercise intervention protocols, pre- and postintervention lingual-pressure data (maximum peak pressures and lingual-palatal pressures during swallowing), and oropharyngeal swallowing measures such as penetration-aspiration scales, oropharyngeal residue and duration, lingual volumes, and quality-of-life assessments. Studies reported gains in maximum peak lingual pressures following isometric lingual strength training for both healthy adults and select groups of individuals with dysphagia. However, due to the variability in study designs, it remains unclear whether strength gains generalize to swallow function. Although isometric lingual strength training is a promising intervention for oropharyngeal dysphagia, the current literature is too variable to confidently report specific therapeutic benefits. Future investigations should target homogenous patient populations and use randomized controlled trials to determine the efficacy of this treatment for individuals with dysphagia.

  13. Flap surgery for pressure sores: should the underlying muscle be transferred or not?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiessen, Filip E; Andrades, Patricio; Blondeel, Philip N; Hamdi, Moustapha; Roche, Nathalie; Stillaert, Filip; Van Landuyt, Koenraad; Monstrey, Stan

    2011-01-01

    Musculocutaneous flaps have become the first choice in the surgical repair of pressure sores, but the indication for including muscle in the transferred flaps still remains poorly defined. This study compares outcomes after muscle and non-muscle flap coverage of pressure sores to investigate whether it is still necessary to incorporate muscle tissue as part of the surgical treatment of these ulcers. A retrospective revision of 94 consecutive patients with ischial or sacral pressure sores operated between 1996 and 2002 was performed. Depending on the inclusion of muscle into the flap, the patients were divided in two groups: musculocutaneous flap group and fasciocutaneous flap group. Charts were reviewed for patient characteristics, ulcer features and reconstructive information. Data between groups were compared with emphasis on early (haematoma or seroma, dehiscence, infections, necrosis and secondary procedures) and late (recurrence) postoperative complications. A total of 37 wounds were covered with muscle and 57 wounds covered without muscle tissue. The groups were comparable in relation to age, gender, ulcer characteristics and timing for surgery. There were no significant differences in early complications between the study groups. The mean follow-up period was 3.10 ± 1.8 years (range: 0.5 to 6.7). There were no statistical differences in ulcer recurrence between the groups. The type of flap used was not associated with postoperative morbidity or recurrence in the univariate and multivariate analyses. The findings of this clinical study indicate that the musculocutaneous flaps are as good as fasciocutaneous flaps in the reconstruction of pressure sores, and they question the long-standing dogma that muscle is needed in the repair of these ulcers. Copyright © 2010 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Assessing Muscle-Strength Asymmetry via a Unilateral-Stance Isometric Midthigh Pull.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dos'Santos, Thomas; Thomas, Christopher; Jones, Paul A; Comfort, Paul

    2017-04-01

    To investigate the within-session reliability of bilateral- and unilateral-stance isometric midthigh-pull (IMTP) force-time characteristics including peak force (PF), relative PF, and impulse at time bands (0-100, 0-200, 0-250, and 0-300 milliseconds) and to compare isometric force-time characteristics between right and left and dominant (D) and nondominant (ND) limbs. Professional male rugby league and multisport male college athletes (N = 54; age, 23.4 ± 4.2 y; height, 1.80 ± 0.05 m; mass, 88.9 ± 12.9 kg) performed 3 bilateral IMTP trials and 6 unilateral-stance IMTP trials (3 per leg) on a force plate sampling at 600 Hz. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and coefficients of variation (CVs) demonstrated high within-session reliability for bilateral and unilateral IMTP PF (ICC = .94, CV = 4.7-5.5%). Lower reliability measures and greater variability were observed for bilateral and unilateral IMTP impulse at time bands (ICC = .81-.88, CV = 7.7-11.8%). Paired-sample t tests and Cohen d effect sizes revealed no significant differences for all isometric force-time characteristics between right and left limbs in male college athletes (P >.05, d ≤ 0.32) and professional rugby league players (P > .05, d ≤ 0.11); however, significant differences were found between D and ND limbs in male college athletes (P isometric force-time characteristics between D and ND limbs in male athletes.

  15. Whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costello, Joseph T; Baker, Philip R A; Minett, Geoffrey M; Bieuzen, Francois; Stewart, Ian B; Bleakley, Chris

    2015-09-18

    Recovery strategies are often used with the intention of preventing or minimising muscle soreness after exercise. Whole-body cryotherapy, which involves a single or repeated exposure(s) to extremely cold dry air (below -100 °C) in a specialised chamber or cabin for two to four minutes per exposure, is currently being advocated as an effective intervention to reduce muscle soreness after exercise. To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults. We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the British Nursing Index and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database. We also searched the reference lists of articles, trial registers and conference proceedings, handsearched journals and contacted experts.The searches were run in August 2015. We aimed to include randomised and quasi-randomised trials that compared the use of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) versus a passive or control intervention (rest, no treatment or placebo treatment) or active interventions including cold or contrast water immersion, active recovery and infrared therapy for preventing or treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults. We also aimed to include randomised trials that compared different durations or dosages of WBC. Our prespecified primary outcomes were muscle soreness, subjective recovery (e.g. tiredness, well-being) and adverse effects. Two review authors independently screened search results, selected studies, assessed risk of bias and extracted and cross-checked data. Where appropriate, we pooled results of comparable trials. The random-effects model was used for pooling where there was substantial heterogeneity. We assessed the quality of the evidence using GRADE. Four laboratory-based randomised controlled trials were included. These reported results for 64

  16. Estimation of 1RM for knee extension based on the maximal isometric muscle strength and body composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanada, Yoshikiyo; Sakurai, Hiroaki; Sugiura, Yoshito; Arai, Tomoaki; Koyama, Soichiro; Tanabe, Shigeo

    2017-11-01

    [Purpose] To create a regression formula in order to estimate 1RM for knee extensors, based on the maximal isometric muscle strength measured using a hand-held dynamometer and data regarding the body composition. [Subjects and Methods] Measurement was performed in 21 healthy males in their twenties to thirties. Single regression analysis was performed, with measurement values representing 1RM and the maximal isometric muscle strength as dependent and independent variables, respectively. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis was performed, with data regarding the body composition incorporated as another independent variable, in addition to the maximal isometric muscle strength. [Results] Through single regression analysis with the maximal isometric muscle strength as an independent variable, the following regression formula was created: 1RM (kg)=0.714 + 0.783 × maximal isometric muscle strength (kgf). On multiple regression analysis, only the total muscle mass was extracted. [Conclusion] A highly accurate regression formula to estimate 1RM was created based on both the maximal isometric muscle strength and body composition. Using a hand-held dynamometer and body composition analyzer, it was possible to measure these items in a short time, and obtain clinically useful results.

  17. Effect of long-term isometric training on core/torso stiffness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Benjamin C Y; McGill, Stuart M

    2015-06-01

    Although core stiffness enhances athletic performance traits, controversy exists regarding the effectiveness of isometric vs. dynamic core training methods. This study aimed to determine whether long-term changes in stiffness can be trained, and if so, what is the most effective method. Twenty-four healthy male subjects (23 ± 3 years; 1.8 ± 0.06 m; 77.5 ± 10.8 kg) were recruited for passive and active stiffness measurements before and after a 6-week core training intervention. Twelve subjects (22 ± 2 years; 1.8 ± 0.08 m; 78.3 ± 12.3 kg) were considered naive to physical and core exercise. The other 12 subjects (24 ± 3 years; 1.8 ± 0.05 m; 76.8 ± 9.7 kg) were Muay Thai athletes (savvy). A repeated-measures design compared core training methods (isometric vs. dynamic, with a control group) and subject training experience (naive vs. savvy) before and after a 6-week training period. Passive stiffness was assessed on a "frictionless" bending apparatus and active stiffness assessed through a quick release mechanism. Passive stiffness increased after the isometric training protocol. Dynamic training produced a smaller effect, and as expected, there was no change in the control group. Active stiffness did not change in any group. Comparisons between subject and training groups did not reveal any interactions. Thus, an isometric training approach was superior in terms of enhancing core stiffness. This is important since increased core stiffness enhances load bearing ability, arrests painful vertebral micromovements, and enhances ballistic distal limb movement. This may explain the efficacy reported for back and knee injury reduction.

  18. Reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy for measuring biceps brachii oxygenation during sustained and repeated isometric contractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthalib, Makii; Millet, Guillaume Y; Quaresima, Valentina; Nosaka, Kazunori

    2010-01-01

    We examine the test-retest reliability of biceps brachii tissue oxygenation index (TOI) parameters measured by near-infrared spectroscopy during a 10-s sustained and a 30-repeated (1-s contraction, 1-s relaxation) isometric contraction task at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (30% MVC) and maximal (100% MVC) intensities. Eight healthy men (23 to 33 yr) were tested on three sessions separated by 3 h and 24 h, and the within-subject reliability of torque and each TOI parameter were determined by Bland-Altman+/-2 SD limits of agreement plots and coefficient of variation (CV). No significant (P>0.05) differences between the three sessions were found for mean values of torque and TOI parameters during the sustained and repeated tasks at both contraction intensities. All TOI parameters were within+/-2 SD limits of agreement. The CVs for torque integral were similar between the sustained and repeated task at both intensities (4 to 7%); however, the CVs for TOI parameters during the sustained and repeated task were lower for 100% MVC (7 to 11%) than for 30% MVC (22 to 36%). It is concluded that the reliability of the biceps brachii NIRS parameters during both sustained and repeated isometric contraction tasks is acceptable.

  19. Giant trochanteric pressure sore: Use of a pedicled chimeric perforator flap for cover

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehrotra Sandeep

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Pressure sores are increasing in frequency commensurate with an ageing population with multi-system disorders and trauma. Numerous classic options are described for providing stable wound cover. With the burgeoning knowledge on perforator anatomy, recent approaches focus on the use of perforator-based flaps in bedsore surgery. A giant neglected trochanteric pressure sore in a paraplegic is presented. Since conventional options of reconstruction appeared remote, the massive ulcer was successfully managed by a chimeric perforator-based flap. The combined muscle and fasciocutaneous flaps were raised as separate paddles based on the anterolateral thigh perforator branches and provided stable cover without complications. Perforators allow versatility in managing complex wounds without compromising on established principles.

  20. Improvements in throat function and qualities of sore throat from locally applied flurbiprofen 8.75 mg in spray or lozenge format: findings from a randomized trial of patients with upper respiratory tract infection in the Russian Federation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burova N

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Natalia Burova,1 Valeria Bychkova,2 Adrian Shephard3 1Federal State Establishment Clinical Diagnostic Medical Center, Saint Petersburg, Russia; 2Reckitt Benckiser (Russia, Moscow, Russia; 3Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare International Ltd, Slough, Berkshire, UK Objective: To assess the speed of relief provided by flurbiprofen 8.75 mg spray and lozenge and their effect on many of the different qualities and characteristics of throat pain and discomfort, and the many articulations of the broad term “sore throat” (ST. Patients and methods: Four hundred and forty adults with recent-onset, moderate-to-severe ST due to upper respiratory tract infection (URTI were randomized to a single dose of either flurbiprofen 8.75 mg spray (n=218 or flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge (n=222. Throat swabs for bacterial culture were taken at baseline. ST relief was assessed at 1 minute, 1 and 2 hours post-dose using the Sore Throat Relief Rating Scale. The change from baseline at 1 and 2 hours post-dose in difficulty swallowing and swollen throat was assessed using the difficulty swallowing scale and the swollen throat scale, respectively. Patients’ experience of URTI symptoms was assessed using a URTI questionnaire at baseline and 2 hours post-dose. The change in Qualities of Sore Throat Index, a 10-item index of qualities of ST, from baseline at 2 hours post-dose was also measured. Results: ST relief was evident in the spray and the lozenge treatment groups at 1 minute, 1 and 2 hours post-dose (P>0.05. In both groups, scores for difficulty swallowing and swollen throat significantly improved at 1 and 2 hours post-dose compared with baseline. At 2 hours post-dose, the number of patients experiencing URTI symptoms that can be attributed to or associated with ST decreased relative to baseline. The mean change from baseline to 2 hours post-dose for each individual score on the Qualities of Sore Throat Index showed significant improvements for flurbiprofen spray and

  1. Effects of trunk stability on isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement while sitting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirano, Masahiro; Gomi, Masahiro; Katoh, Munenori

    2016-09-01

    [Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effect of trunk stability on isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement while sitting by performing simultaneous measurements with a handheld dynamometer (HHD) and an isokinetic dynamometer (IKD) in the same seated condition. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 30 healthy volunteers. Isometric knee extension muscle strength was simultaneously measured with a HHD and an IKD by using an IKD-specific chair. The measurement was performed twice. Measurement instrument variables and the number of measurements were examined by using the analysis of variance and correlation tests. [Results] The measurement instrument variables and the number of measurements were not significantly different. The correlation coefficients between the HHD and IKD measurements were ≥0.96. [Conclusion] Isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement using the HHD in the sitting position resulted in a lower value than that using the IKD, presumably because of the effect of trunk stability on the measurement. In the same seated posture with trunk stability, no significant difference in measurement values was observed between the HHD and IKD. The present findings suggest that trunk stability while seated during isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement influenced the HHD measurement.

  2. Efficacy of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg spray in patients with sore throat due to an upper respiratory tract infection: A randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Looze, Ferdinandus; Russo, Marc; Bloch, Mark; Montgomery, Barney; Shephard, Adrian; Smith, Gary; Aspley, Sue

    2016-06-01

    Viral infections cause most cases of pharyngitis (sore throat); consequently, antibiotics are generally not warranted. However, a treatment targeting pain and inflammation, e.g. a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory spray, may be helpful for patients. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg spray. This randomised, double-blind, parallel group study was conducted at six community-based clinical research centres in Australia and two in New Zealand. Adults with sore throat due to upper respiratory tract infection (onset ≤ four days) took one dose of flurbiprofen (n = 249) or placebo spray (n = 256); after six hours, they could re-dose every three-six hours as required, for three days (max. five doses/day). The primary endpoint was the area under the change from baseline curve in throat soreness from zero-two hours (AUC0-2h). The change from baseline in other sore throat symptoms also assessed efficacy. The mean AUC0-2h for throat soreness was significantly greater with flurbiprofen spray (-1.82; 95% CI: -1.98 to 1.65) compared with placebo (-1.13; 95% CI: -1.27 to 0.99) (P flurbiprofen spray compared with placebo from the first time-points assessed (five minutes for throat soreness/difficulty swallowing, 20 minutes for sore throat pain intensity and 30 minutes for swollen throat) for up to six hours (P Flurbiprofen spray provides rapid and long-lasting relief from sore throat symptoms, and is well-tolerated over three days.

  3. EFFECT OF CAFFEINE ON THE AMOUNT OF PERCEIVED PAIN, JOINT RANGE OF MOTION AND EDEMA AFTER DELAYED MUSCLE SORENESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karabalaeifar Sara

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Delayed onset muscle soreness usually occurs after doing a new unusual physical activity, especially when, associated with repeated eccentric contractions and then it gradually disappears. There is not an extensive agreement in the case of treatment method of soreness signs quick reduction. This research was carried out with the aim of investigation caffeine consumption effect to find a good way in order to reduce the signs of delayed onset muscle soreness. In this semi-experimental with Double-blind design, 16 female volleyball player with an age average of 22.5+2.5 in 2 homogeneous 8 subject control and experimental group were studied. In this research, the effect of caffeine existing in coffee in 5 stages (24h before exercise, 12h before, immediately before exercise, after exercise and 12h after it and 1mg per 1kg of body weight on amount of perceived pain and range of motion of the joint and edema due to delay onset muscle soreness because of 50 jumps and lands of a 1 meter stage was investigated. The results showed that caffeine consumption has a meaningful effect on reduction of all the expressed signs after eccentric contractions. So it is recommended that physio thrapysts, doctors and athletes use this method to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness consequences after the injury.

  4. Effects of neck strength training on isometric neck strength in rugby union players.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geary, Kevin; Green, Brian S; Delahunt, Eamonn

    2014-11-01

    To investigate the effectiveness of a neck strengthening program on the isometric neck strength profile of male rugby union players. Controlled laboratory study. Professional rugby union club. Fifteen professional and 10 semiprofessional rugby union players. The 15 professional players undertook a 5-week neck strengthening intervention, which was performed twice per week, whereas the 10 semiprofessional players acted as the control group. Isometric strength of the neck musculature was tested using a hand-held dynamometer, for flexion (F), extension (E), left-side flexion (LSF), and right-side flexion (RSF). Preintervention and postintervention evaluations were undertaken. No significant between-group differences in isometric neck strength were noted preintervention. A significant main effect for time was observed (P isometric neck strength in all planes after the 5-week intervention (F preintervention = 334.45 ± 39.31 N vs F postintervention 396.05 ± 75.55 N; E preintervention = 606.19 ± 97.34 vs E postintervention = 733.88 ± 127.16 N; LSF preintervention = 555.56 ± 88.34 N vs LSF postintervention = 657.14 ± 122.99 N; RSF preintervention = 570.00 ± 106.53 N vs RSF postintervention = 668.00 ± 142.18 N). No significant improvement in neck strength was observed for control group participants. The results of the present study indicate that a 5-week neck strengthening program improves isometric neck strength in rugby union players, which may have implications for injury prevention, screening, and rehabilitation. The strengthening program described in the present study may facilitate rehabilitation specialists in the development of neck injury prevention, screening, and rehabilitation protocols.

  5. Influences of Fascicle Length During Isometric Training on Improvement of Muscle Strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Hiroki; Ikezoe, Tome; Umehara, Jun; Nakamura, Masatoshi; Umegaki, Hiroki; Kobayashi, Takuya; Nishishita, Satoru; Fujita, Kosuke; Araki, Kojiro; Ichihashi, Noriaki

    2016-11-01

    Tanaka, H, Ikezoe, T, Umehara, J, Nakamura, M, Umegaki, H, Kobayashi, T, Nishishita, S, Fujita, K, Araki, K, and Ichihashi, N. Influences of fascicle length during isometric training on improvement of muscle strength. J Strength Cond Res 30(11): 3249-3255, 2016-This study investigated whether low-intensity isometric training would elicit a greater improvement in maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) at the same fascicle length, rather than the joint angle, adopted during training. Sixteen healthy women (21.8 ± 1.5 years) were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. Before (Pre) and after (Post) training, isometric plantarflexion MVCs were measured every 10° through the range of ankle joint position from 20° dorsiflexion to 30° plantarflexion (i.e., 6 ankle angles). Medial gastrocnemius fascicle length was also measured at each position, using B-mode ultrasound under 3 conditions of muscle activation: at rest, 30%MVC at respective angles, and MVC. Plantarflexion resistance training at an angle of 20° plantarflexion was performed 3 days a week for 4 weeks at 30%MVC using 3 sets of twenty 3-second isometric contractions. Maximum voluntary contraction in the intervention group increased at 0 and 10° plantarflexion (0°; Pre: 81.2 ± 26.5 N·m, Post: 105.0 ± 21.6 N·m, 10°; Pre: 63.0 ± 23.6 N·m, Post: 81.3 ± 20.3 N·m), which was not the angle used in training (20°). However, the fascicle length adopted in training at 20° plantarflexion and 30%MVC was similar to the value at 0 or 10° plantarflexion at MVC. Low-intensity isometric training at a shortened muscle length may be effective for improving MVC at a lengthened muscle length because of specificity of the fascicle length than the joint angle.

  6. Temporal summation of heat pain modulated by isometric exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koltyn, K F; Knauf, M T; Brellenthin, A G

    2013-08-01

    Little is known about the effects of isometric exercise on temporal summation of heat pain. Thus, the purposes of study 1 and study 2 were to examine the influence of exhaustive and non-exhaustive isometric exercise on temporal summation of heat pain in men and women. Forty-four men and 44 women (mean age = 20 years) completed an informed consent document and a packet of questionnaires. Ten heat pulses were applied to the thenar eminence of the dominant hand using a standardized temporal summation protocol. Participants rated the intensity of the heat pulses using a 0-100 pain rating scale before and following isometric exercise consisting of squeezing a hand dynamometer at 40% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) to exhaustion (exhaustive exercise, study 1) and at 25% MVC for 3 min (non-exhaustive exercise, study 2). Muscle pain and perceived exertion were rated every 30 s during exercise using validated rating scales. The data were analysed with repeated measures analysis of variance. The results indicated there were no sex differences (p > 0.05) in time to exhaustion (study 1), muscle pain or perceived exertion (studies 1 and 2). There was a significant reduction (p heat pain in men and women. © 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

  7. Therapeutic Effect of External Application of Ligustrazine Combined with Holistic Nursing on Pressure Sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Junzhi; Han, Lin; Gong, Fen

    2016-08-15

    BACKGROUND This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of external application of ligustrazine combined with holistic nursing on pressure sores, as well as the underlying mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS From February 2014 to March 2015, a total of 32 patients with Phase II and Phase III pressure sores were enrolled and randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The clinical data were comparable between the 2 groups. In addition to holistic nursing, the patients in the experimental group received 4 weeks of continuous external application of ligustrazine, whereas patients in the control group received compound clotrimazole cream. Therapeutic effect and healing time were recorded. HaCaT cells were used as an in vitro model for mechanism analysis of the effect of ligustrazine in treating pressure sores. After culturing with different concentrations of ligustrazine or the inhibitor of AKT (LY294002) for 72 h, cell viability, clone formation numbers, and levels of phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K), p-AKT, and p-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were determined. RESULTS Compared to the control group, the total effective rate in the experimental group was significantly higher, and the healing time was significantly reduced. Cell viability and clone formation numbers were significantly upregulated by ligustrazine in a dose-dependent manner. Both the cell viability and clone formation numbers were significantly inhibited by application of LY294002. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that ligustrazine combined with holistic nursing is an effective treatment of pressure sores. The protective effect may be associated with the promotion of cell growth by activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

  8. Comparison of isokinetic and isometric strength training effects on hamstring and quadriceps torques and physical function in knee pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masood, T.; Khan, H.M.M.H.

    2017-01-01

    To compare the effects of isokinetic and isometric strength trainings on hamstring and quadriceps average-peak-torques, physical performance, and pain. Methodology: Twenty athletes with knee pain were randomly assigned to two equal groups: Isokinetic training and isometric training. Both groups were trained on Biodex System 3 Pro for 10 sessions. Isokinetic-group received isokinetic training on 5 different velocities while isometric-group performed isometric contractions at 3 knee joint angles. Results: Hamstring isokinetic average-peak-torque was significantly higher at all velocities without significant improvement in quadriceps average-peak-torque except for at the slowest velocity. Isometric training did not cause significant change in isometric average-peak-torque at any knee angle for either hamstring or quadriceps. Agility, elastic leg strength, and pain improved significantly in both groups with no significant between-group differences. No significant statistical correlation was observed between pain and any other parameter after either type of training. Conclusions: Athletes participating in sports requiring dynamic hamstring strength should prefer isokinetic strength training for physical rehabilitation of knee pain. However, physical performance and pain can be improved with both isometric and isokinetic strength training. (author)

  9. Pressure sores in spinal cord injury: Active intervention saves costs

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2008-07-22

    Jul 22, 2008 ... interrogated for all cervical spine injuries. Patients were identified retrospectively for the period April 2003 to May 2006 and divided into 4 groups according to the level of intervention they received to prevent pressure sores. Group A. These were the first 100 patients with cervical injuries managed in the unit ...

  10. Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges for treating sore throat symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schachtel, Bernard P; Shephard, Adrian; Shea, Timothy; Sanner, Kathleen; Savino, Laurie; Rezuke, Jeanne; Schachtel, Emily; Aspley, Sue

    2016-11-01

    This study assessed multiple doses of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges for the relief of three prominent symptoms of acute pharyngitis: pain intensity (primary end point), difficulty swallowing and swollen throat. A total of 204 patients (102 in each group) with confirmed pharyngitis (onset ≤4 days) were randomly assigned to take up to five flurbiprofen or placebo lozenges every 3-6 h, for 7 days. Using validated rating scales (sore throat pain intensity, difficulty swallowing and swollen throat) patients rated their symptoms for the duration of the study. Over the first 24 h, patients treated with flurbiprofen lozenges reported significantly greater reductions in sore throat pain (47%) as well as difficulty swallowing (66%) and swollen throat (40%) compared with placebo (all p flurbiprofen lozenges provide effective relief of sore throat pain intensity as well as difficulty swallowing and swollen throat.

  11. Explosive force production during isometric squats correlates with athletic performance in rugby union players.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tillin, Neale Anthony; Pain, Matthew Thomas Gerard; Folland, Jonathan

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the association between explosive force production during isometric squats and athletic performance (sprint time and countermovement jump height). Sprint time (5 and 20 m) and jump height were recorded in 18 male elite-standard varsity rugby union players. Participants also completed a series of maximal- and explosive-isometric squats to measure maximal force and explosive force at 50-ms intervals up to 250 ms from force onset. Sprint performance was related to early phase (≤100 ms) explosive force normalised to maximal force (5 m, r = -0.63, P = 0.005; and 20 m, r = -0.54, P = 0.020), but jump height was related to later phase (>100 ms) absolute explosive force (0.51 squats (33-67%; 0.001 squats was associated with athletic performance. Specifically, sprint performance was most strongly related to the proportion of maximal force achieved in the initial phase of explosive-isometric squats, whilst jump height was most strongly related to absolute force in the later phase of the explosive-isometric squats.

  12. Isometric strength training lowers the O2 cost of cycling during moderate-intensity exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoladz, Jerzy A; Szkutnik, Zbigniew; Majerczak, Joanna; Grandys, Marcin; Duda, Krzysztof; Grassi, Bruno

    2012-12-01

    The effect of maximal voluntary isometric strength training of knee extensor muscles on pulmonary V'O(2) on-kinetics, the O(2) cost of cycling and peak oxygen uptake (V'O(2peak)) in humans was studied. Seven healthy males (mean ± SD, age 22.3 ± 2.0 years, body weight 75.0 ± 9.2 kg, V'O(2peak) 49.5 ± 3.8 ml kg(-1) min(-1)) performed maximal isometric strength training lasting 7 weeks (4 sessions per week). Force during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) increased by 15 % (P Strength training resulted in a significant decrease (by ~7 %; P Isometric strength training rapidly (i.e., after 1 week) decreases the O(2) cost of cycling during moderate-intensity exercise, whereas it does not affect the amplitude of the slow component of the V'O(2) on-kinetics during heavy-intensity exercise. Isometric strength training can have beneficial effects on performance during endurance events.

  13. The operative treatment of pressure sores in the pelvic region: A 10-year period overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jósvay, János; Klauber, András; Both, Béla; Kelemen, Péter B; Varga, Zsombor Z; Pesthy, Pál Cs

    2015-07-01

    Pelvic region pressure sores often develop following spinal cord injury. Surgery is often necessary for long standing, large-sized pressure sores not responding to conservative treatment. Authors analyze their results of a 10-year period, and identify factors contributing to the reduction of the recurrence rate. A total of 119 pressure sores were operated on 98 patients in two institutions during a 10-year period (1 January 2003 to 31 December 2012). The encountered perioperative complications are summarized, and the recurrence rate is analyzed with a patient follow-up questionnaire. We experienced 15 perioperative complications (12.6%). All complications were fully resolved by conservative treatment. Fifty-eight returned patient replies were processed. The average follow-up time after surgery was 5.2 years. The recurrence rate was 5.47%. The strict adherence to surgical indications, full patient compliance, specialized pre- and post-operative patient care, our routinely used preferred surgical method, all contribute to a low post-operative complication rate, long-term flap survival, and an extended recurrence free period.

  14. Isometric and unitary phase operators: explaining the Villain transform

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemmen, J L van; Wreszinski, Walter F

    2007-01-01

    The Villain transform plays a key role in spin-wave theory, a bosonization of elementary excitations in a system of extensively many Heisenberg spins. Intuitively, it is a representation of the spin operators in terms of an angle and its canonically conjugate angular momentum operator and, as such, has a few nasty boundary-condition twists. We construct an isometric phase representation of spin operators that conveys a precise mathematical meaning to the Villain transform and is related to both classical mechanics and the Pegg-Barnett-Bialynicki-Birula boson (photon) phase operators by means of suitable limits. In contrast to the photon case, unitary extensions are inadequate because they describe the wrong physics. We also discuss in some detail the application to spin-wave theory, pointing out some examples in which the isometric representation is indispensable

  15. Comparison of sympathetic nerve responses to neck and forearm isometric exercise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, S. L. Jr; Ray, C. A.

    2000-01-01

    PURPOSE: Although the autonomic and cardiovascular responses to arm and leg exercise have been studied, the sympathetic adjustments to exercise of the neck have not. The purpose of the present study was twofold: 1) to determine sympathetic and cardiovascular responses to isometric contractions of the neck extensors and 2) to compare sympathetic and cardiovascular responses to isometric exercise of the neck and forearm. METHODS: Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate were measured in nine healthy subjects while performing isometric neck extension (INE) and isometric handgrip (IHG) in the prone position. After a 3-min baseline period, subjects performed three intensities of INE for 2.5 min each: 1) unloaded (supporting head alone), 2) 10% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and 3) 30% MVC, then subjects performed two intensities (10% and 30% MVC) of IHG for 2.5 min. RESULTS: Supporting the head by itself did not significantly change any of the variables. During [NE, MAP significantly increased by 10 +/- 2 and 31 +/- 4 mm Hg and MSNA increased by 67 +/- 46 and 168 +/- 36 units/30 s for 10% and 30% MVC, respectively. IHG and INE evoked similar responses at 10% MVC, but IHG elicited higher peak MAP and MSNA at 30% MVC (37 +/- 7 mm Hg (P INE can elicit marked increases in MSNA and cardiovascular responses but that it evokes lower peak responses as compared to IHG. We speculate that possible differences in muscle fiber type composition, muscle mass, and/or muscle architecture of the neck and forearm are responsible for these differences in peak responses.

  16. Watermelon juice: potential functional drink for sore muscle relief in athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarazona-Díaz, Martha P; Alacid, Fernando; Carrasco, María; Martínez, Ignacio; Aguayo, Encarna

    2013-08-07

    l-Citrulline is an excellent candidate to reduce muscle soreness, and watermelon is a fruit rich in this amino acid. This study investigated the potential of watermelon juice as a functional drink for athletes. An in vitro study of intestinal absorption of l-citrulline in Caco-2 cells was performed using unpasteurized (NW), pasteurized (80 °C for 40 s) watermelon juice (PW) and, as control, a standard of l-citrulline. l-citrulline bioavailability was greater when it was contained in a matrix of watermelon and when no heat treatment was applied. In the in vivo experiment (maximum effort test in a cycloergometer), seven athletes were supplied with 500 mL of natural watermelon juice (1.17 g of l-citrulline), enriched watermelon juice (4.83 g of l-citrulline plus 1.17 g from watermelon), and placebo. Both watermelon juices helped to reduce the recovery heart rate and muscle soreness after 24 h.

  17. Measurement of maximal isometric torque and muscle quality of the knee extensors and flexors in healthy 50- to 70-year-old women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francis, Peter; Toomey, Clodagh; Mc Cormack, William; Lyons, Mark; Jakeman, Philip

    2017-07-01

    Muscle quality is defined as strength per unit muscle mass. The aim of this study was to measure the maximal voluntary isometric torque of the knee extensor and flexor muscle groups in healthy older women and to develop an index of muscle quality based on the combined knee extensor and flexor torque per unit lean tissue mass (LTM) of the upper leg. One hundred and thirty-six healthy 50- to 70-year-old women completed an initial measurement of isometric peak torque of the knee extensors and flexors (Con-Trex MJ; CMV AG, Dubendorf, Switzerland) that was repeated 7 days later. Subsequently, 131 women returned for whole- and regional-body composition analysis (iDXA ™ ; GE Healthcare, Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire, UK). Isometric peak torque demonstrated excellent within-assessment reliability for both the knee extensors and flexors (ICC range: 0·991-1·000). Test-retest reliability was lower (ICC range: 0·777-0·828) with an observed mean increase of 5% in peak torque [6·2 (17·2) N m] on the second day of assessment (Ptorque (-12·2%; P = 0·001) was double that of the relative, non-significant, median difference in upper leg LTM (-5·3%; P = 0·102) between those in the 5th and 6th decade. The majority of difference in peak isometric torque came from the knee extensors (15·1 N m, Ptorque normalized for upper leg LTM (muscle quality) was 8% lower between decades (P = 0·029). These findings suggest strength per unit tissue may provide a better indication of age-related differences in muscle quality prior to change in LTM. © 2016 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Comparative study of patients suffering sore throat after general anesthesia using laryngeal mask airway and cuffed pharyngeal tube in adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassani V

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Post-operative sore throat is one of the most common complications and complaints of patients after general anesthesia especially in operations that need endotracheal intubations. Its causes are: size of endotracheal tube and type of its cuff, inadequate airway humidification, trauma during intubation and suctioning, high flow of inspiratory gases, surgical manipulation of airway and adjacent organs, ect. Use of instruments with less invasion to upper respiratory tract, for example, face mask and airway, LMA or CPT are methods, used for decreasing the rate of post-operative sore throat. This study was performed to compare the rate of sore throat after general anesthesia between Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA and Cuffed Pharyngeal Tube (CPT. From the patients, 120 ASA: PS-I cases, were selected, who were candidates for elective surgery of Orthopedics, Urology, General surgery and Gynecology in Hazrat Rasool-Akram Hospital Complex in the year 2000. Their operation were performed in supine position and did not need muscle relaxation and the patients had spontaneous breathing. Duration of surgery was less than 2 hours. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups: LMA was used for one group and CPT for others. Immediately after operation, in the recovery room and at 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours after removing the tube, the patients were asked about sore throat and the results were recorded in the related sheets. The results was 31.7 percent of patients in group LMA and 0 percent of patients in group CPT, had sore throat. There were significant difference between groups (LMA and CPT in presentation of sore throat (P<0.001.

  19. Soreness during non-music activities is associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems: an observational study of 731 child and adolescent instrumentalists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Ranelli

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Question: Is exposure to non-music-related activities associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems in young instrumentalists? Is non-music-activity-related soreness associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems in this group of instrumentalists? Design: Observational study using a questionnaire and physical measures. Participants: 859 instrumentalists aged 7 to 17 years from the School of Instrumental Music program. Results: Of the 731 respondents who completed the questionnaire adequately, 412 (56% experienced instrument-playing problems; 219 (30% had symptoms severe enough to interfere with normal playing. Children commonly reported moderate exposure to non-music-related activities, such as watching television (61%, vigorous physical activity (57%, writing (51% and computer use (45%. Greater exposure to any non-music activity was not associated with playing problems, with odds ratios ranging from 1.01 (95% CI 0.7 to 1.5 for watching television to 2.08 (95% CI 0.5 to 3.3 for intensive hand activities. Four hundred and seventy eight (65% children reported soreness related to non-music activities, such as vigorous physical activity (52%, writing (40%, computer use (28%, intensive hand activities (22%, electronic game use (17% and watching television (15%. Non-music-activity-related soreness was significantly associated with instrument playing problems, adjusting for gender and age, with odds ratios ranging from 2.6 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.9 for soreness whilst watching television, to 4.3 (95% CI 2.6 to 7.1 for soreness during intensive hand activities. Conclusion: Non-music-activity-related soreness co-occurs significantly with playing problems in young instrumentalists. The finding of significant co-occurrence of music and non-music-related soreness in respondents in this study suggests that intervention targets for young instrumentalists could include risk factors previously identified in the general child and adolescent

  20. Pressure sores among malnourished necropsied adults - preliminary data Escaras de decúbito em adultos necropsiados com subnutrição - dados preliminares

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Ferreira da Cunha

    2000-06-01

    Full Text Available Pressure sores are common among bedridden, elderly, or malnourished patients, and may occur in terminal ill patients because of impaired mobility, fecal or urinary incontinence, and decreased healing capacity. The aim of this study was to compare frequency of pressure sores between malnourished and non-malnourished necropsied adults. METHOD: All (n = 201 adults (age ³ 18 years autopsied between 1986 and 1996 at the Teaching Hospital of Triangulo Mineiro Medical School (Uberaba were eligible for the study. Gender, race, weight, height and main diagnoses were recorded. Ninety-six cases were excluded because of probable body water retention (congestive heart failure, hepatic insufficiency, nephrotic syndrome or pressure sores secondary to peripheral vascular ischemia. Body mass index (BMI was used to define malnourished (BMI 18.5kg/m² groups. RESULTS: Except for weight (42.5kg; range: 28-57 vs. 60; 36-134.5kg and BMI (16.9; range: 12.4-18.5 vs. 22.7; range: 18.5-54.6kg/m², respectively, there were no statistical differences among 43 malnourished and 62 non-malnourished cases in relation to age (54.9 ± 20.4 vs. 52.9 ± 17.9 years, percentage of white persons (74.4 vs. 64.5%, male gender (76.7 vs. 69.3% and main diagnoses. Five malnourished (11.6% and 7 (11.5% non-malnourished cases had pressure sores (p=0.89. CONCLUSION: Pressure sores were equally common findings in necropsied persons with protein-energy malnutrition, as assessed by body mass index.Escaras de decúbito são comuns em pacientes acamados, idosos e subnutridos e podem ocorrer em pacientes terminais devido à imobilidade, incontinência fecal e urinária e imunodepressão. Além disso, a contaminação das Escaras de decúbito aumentam o risco de sepsis e podem piorar o estado nutricional. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a freqüência de Escaras de decúbito entre adultos necropsiados com ou sem subnutrição. MÉTODO: Adultos (n=201 necropsiados no Hospital Escola da FMTM

  1. The Validity and Responsiveness of Isometric Lower Body Multi-Joint Tests of Muscular Strength: a Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drake, David; Kennedy, Rodney; Wallace, Eric

    2017-12-01

    Researchers and practitioners working in sports medicine and science require valid tests to determine the effectiveness of interventions and enhance understanding of mechanisms underpinning adaptation. Such decision making is influenced by the supportive evidence describing the validity of tests within current research. The objective of this study is to review the validity of lower body isometric multi-joint tests ability to assess muscular strength and determine the current level of supporting evidence. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed in a systematic fashion to search, assess and synthesize existing literature on this topic. Electronic databases such as Web of Science, CINAHL and PubMed were searched up to 18 March 2015. Potential inclusions were screened against eligibility criteria relating to types of test, measurement instrument, properties of validity assessed and population group and were required to be published in English. The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to assess methodological quality and measurement property rating of included studies. Studies rated as fair or better in methodological quality were included in the best evidence synthesis. Fifty-nine studies met the eligibility criteria for quality appraisal. The ten studies that rated fair or better in methodological quality were included in the best evidence synthesis. The most frequently investigated lower body isometric multi-joint tests for validity were the isometric mid-thigh pull and isometric squat. The validity of each of these tests was strong in terms of reliability and construct validity. The evidence for responsiveness of tests was found to be moderate for the isometric squat test and unknown for the isometric mid-thigh pull. No tests using the isometric leg press met the criteria for inclusion in the best evidence synthesis. Researchers and

  2. Reducing risk of pressure sores: effects of watch prompts and alarm avoidance on wheelchair push-ups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, G W; Mathews, R M; Fawcett, S B

    1989-01-01

    People who use wheelchairs are at risk for developing pressure sores. Regular pressure relief, in the form of a wheelchair push-up, is one way to reduce the likelihood of pressure sores. We examined the effects of antecedent (i.e., instructions, audible prompts) and consequent (i.e., alarm avoidance) events on wheelchair push-ups, using a multiple baseline analysis with 2 participants with spina bifida. Results suggest that the combined procedure was more effective than either antecedent or consequent events alone, and there is some evidence suggesting maintenance of effects over time. PMID:2793635

  3. [Thigh and leg musculo-cutaneous island flap for giant bilateral trochanteric and perineal pressure sores coverage: Extreme treatment in spinal cord injury].

    Science.gov (United States)

    André, A; Crouzet, C; De Boissezon, X; Grolleau, J-L

    2015-06-01

    Surgical treatment of perineal pressure sores could be done with various fascio-cutaneous or musculo-cutaneous flaps, which provide cover and filling of most of pressure sores after spinal cord injuries. In rare cases, classical solutions are overtaken, then it is necessary to use more complex techniques. We report a case of a made-to-measure lower limb flap for coverage of confluent perineal pressure sores. A 49-year-old paraplegic patient developed multiple pressure sores on left and right ischial tuberosity, inferior pubic bone and bilateral trochanters with hips dislocation. Surgical treatment involved a whole right thigh flap to cover and fill right side lesions, associated to a posterior right leg musculo-cutaneous island flap to cover and fill the left trochanteric pressure sore. The surgical procedure lasted 6.5 hours and required massive blood transfusion. Antibiotics were adapted to bacteriological samples. There were no postoperative complications; complete wound healing occurred after three weeks. A lower limb sacrifice for coverage of a giant perineal pressure sores is an extreme surgical solution, reserved to patients understanding the issues of this last chance procedure. A good knowledge of vascular anatomy is an essential prerequisite, and allows to shape made-to-measure flaps. The success of such a procedure is closely linked to the collaboration with the rehabilitation team (appropriate therapeutic education concerning transfers and positioning). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. The effects of acute branched-chain amino acid supplementation on recovery from a single bout of hypertrophy exercise in resistance-trained athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waldron, Mark; Whelan, Kieran; Jeffries, Owen; Burt, Dean; Howe, Louis; Patterson, Stephen David

    2017-06-01

    This study investigated the effects of acute branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage among experienced resistance-trained athletes. In a double-blind matched-pairs design, 16 resistance-trained participants, routinely performing hypertrophy training, were randomly assigned to a BCAA (n = 8) or placebo (n = 8) group. The BCAAs were administered at a dosage of 0.087 g/kg body mass, with a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The participants performed 6 sets of 10 full-squats at 70% 1-repetition maximum to induce muscle damage. All participants were diet-controlled across the study. Creatine kinase, peak isometric knee-extensor force, perceived muscle soreness, and countermovement jump (CMJ) height were measured immediately before (baseline) and at 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h postexercise. There were large to very large time effects for all measurements between baseline and 24-48 h. Between-group comparisons, expressed as a percentage of baseline, revealed differences in isometric strength at 24-h (placebo ∼87% vs. BCAA ∼92%; moderate, likely), CMJ at 24 h (placebo ∼93% vs. BCAA ∼96%; small, likely), and muscle soreness at both 24 h (placebo ∼685% vs. BCAA ∼531%; small, likely) and 48 h (placebo ∼468% vs. BCAA ∼350%; small, likely). Acute supplementation of BCAAs (0.087 g/kg) increased the rate of recovery in isometric strength, CMJ height, and perceived muscle soreness compared with placebo after a hypertrophy-based training session among diet-controlled, resistance-trained athletes. These findings question the need for longer BCAA loading phases and highlight the importance of dietary control in studies of this type.

  5. Influence of Whole Body Vibration and Specific Warm-ups on Force during an Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa L. Cazás-Moreno

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of general and specific warm-up protocols on rate of force development (RFD, relative RFD (rRFD, ground reaction force (GRF and relative ground reaction force (rGRF during an isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP, after WBV exposure. Methods: Fifteen healthy recreationally trained males  (age: 24.1 ± 2.3 yrs, height: 72.9 ± 7.8 cm; mass: 86.9 ± 8.3 completed five protocols: baseline, isometric vibration (iVib, isometric no vibration (iNV, dynamic vibration (dVib and dynamic no vibration (dNV. The baseline was completed without any warm-up prior to the IMTP. The intervention protocols had the same prescription of 4 sets of 30-second bouts of quarter squats (dynamic [DQS] and isometric [IQS] on the WBV platform with or without vibration. Following a one-minute rest period after each protocol, participants completed three maximal IMTPs. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA with a Bonferroni post hoc demonstrated that RFD in dNV (7657.8 ± 2292.5 N/s was significantly greater than iVib (7156.4 ± 2170.0 N/s. However, the other experimental trials for RFD demonstrated no significant differences (p>0.05. There were also no significant differences for rRFD, GRF or rGRF between protocols. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that a dynamic warm-up without WBV elicits greater RFD than an isometric warm-up with WBV prior to a maximal isometric exercise. Further research needs to be investigated utilizing dynamic and isometric warm-ups in conjunction with WBV and power output. Keywords: males, recreationally trained, power

  6. EEG signatures of arm isometric exertions in preparation, planning and execution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasseroleslami, Bahman; Lakany, Heba; Conway, Bernard A

    2014-04-15

    The electroencephalographic (EEG) activity patterns in humans during motor behaviour provide insight into normal motor control processes and for diagnostic and rehabilitation applications. While the patterns preceding brisk voluntary movements, and especially movement execution, are well described, there are few EEG studies that address the cortical activation patterns seen in isometric exertions and their planning. In this paper, we report on time and time-frequency EEG signatures in experiments in normal subjects (n=8), using multichannel EEG during motor preparation, planning and execution of directional centre-out arm isometric exertions performed at the wrist in the horizontal plane, in response to instruction-delay visual cues. Our observations suggest that isometric force exertions are accompanied by transient and sustained event-related potentials (ERP) and event-related (de-)synchronisations (ERD/ERS), comparable to those of a movement task. Furthermore, the ERPs and ERD/ERS are also observed during preparation and planning of the isometric task. Comparison of ear-lobe-referenced and surface Laplacian ERPs indicates the contribution of superficial sources in supplementary and pre-motor (FC(z)), parietal (CP(z)) and primary motor cortical areas (C₁ and FC₁) to ERPs (primarily negative peaks in frontal and positive peaks in parietal areas), but contribution of deep sources to sustained time-domain potentials (negativity in planning and positivity in execution). Transient and sustained ERD patterns in μ and β frequency bands of ear-lobe-referenced and surface Laplacian EEG indicate the contribution of both superficial and deep sources to ERD/ERS. As no physical displacement happens during the task, we can infer that the underlying mechanisms of motor-related ERPs and ERD/ERS patterns do not only depend on change in limb coordinate or muscle-length-dependent ascending sensory information and are primary generated by motor preparation, direction

  7. Soreness during non-music activities is associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems: an observational study of 731 child and adolescent instrumentalists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranelli, Sonia; Straker, Leon; Smith, Anne

    2014-06-01

    Is exposure to non-music-related activities associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems in young instrumentalists? Is non-music-activity-related soreness associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems in this group of instrumentalists? Observational study using a questionnaire and physical measures. 859 instrumentalists aged 7 to 17 years from the School of Instrumental Music program. Of the 731 respondents who completed the questionnaire adequately, 412 (56%) experienced instrument-playing problems; 219 (30%) had symptoms severe enough to interfere with normal playing. Children commonly reported moderate exposure to non-music-related activities, such as watching television (61%), vigorous physical activity (57%), writing (51%) and computer use (45%). Greater exposure to any non-music activity was not associated with playing problems, with odds ratios ranging from 1.01 (95% CI 0.7 to 1.5) for watching television to 2.08 (95% CI 0.5 to 3.3) for intensive hand activities. Four hundred and seventy eight (65%) children reported soreness related to non-music activities, such as vigorous physical activity (52%), writing (40%), computer use (28%), intensive hand activities (22%), electronic game use (17%) and watching television (15%). Non-music-activity-related soreness was significantly associated with instrument playing problems, adjusting for gender and age, with odds ratios ranging from 2.6 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.9) for soreness whilst watching television, to 4.3 (95% CI 2.6 to 7.1) for soreness during intensive hand activities. Non-music-activity-related soreness co-occurs significantly with playing problems in young instrumentalists. The finding of significant co-occurrence of music and non-music-related soreness in respondents in this study suggests that intervention targets for young instrumentalists could include risk factors previously identified in the general child and adolescent population, as well as music-specific risk factors. This is an

  8. Isometric parameters in the monitoring of maximal strength, power, and hypertrophic resistance-training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peltonen, Heikki; Walker, Simon; Lähitie, Anuliisa; Häkkinen, Keijo; Avela, Janne

    2018-02-01

    This study monitored strength-training adaptations via isometric parameters throughout 2 × 10 weeks of hypertrophic (HYP I-II) or 10 weeks maximum strength (MS) followed by 10 weeks power (P) training with untrained controls. Trainees performed bilateral isometric leg press tests analyzed for peak force (maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)) and rate of force development (RFD) every 3.5 weeks. These parameters were compared with dynamic performance, voluntary and electrically induced isometric contractions, muscle activity, and cross-sectional area (CSA) in the laboratory before and after 10 and 20 weeks. RFD increased similarly during the first 7 weeks (HYP I, 44% ± 53%; MS, 48% ± 55%, P strength/power training, while MVC cannot distinguish between strength or muscle mass changes. Monitoring RFD provided important information regarding plateaus in RFD improvement, which were observed in dynamic explosive performances after HYP II compared with P.

  9. Profunda Femoris Artery Perforator Propeller Flap: A Valid Method to Cover Complicated Ischiatic Pressure Sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scalise, Alessandro; Tartaglione, Caterina; Bolletta, Elisa; Pierangeli, Marina; Di Benedetto, Giovanni

    2015-08-01

    We report the case of a 50-year-old paraplegic man with a complicated grade III/IV ischiatic pressure sore treated with a propeller flap based on the first perforator of the profunda femoris artery. Our aim was to surgically reconstruct an ischiatic pressure sore in a patient with ankylosis using a fasciocutaneous perforator propeller flap obtained from the posterior region of the thigh. Our decision to perform a profunda femoris artery perforator propeller flap reconstruction was mainly due to the anatomical contiguity of the flap with the site of the lesion and the good quality of the skin harvested from the posterior region of the thigh. The use of the perforator fasciocutaneous flap represents a muscle-sparing technique, providing a better long-term result in surgical reconstruction. The choice of the 180-degree propeller flap was due to its ability to provide a good repair of the pressure ulcer and to pass over the ischiatic prominence in the patient in the forced decubitus position. The operatory course did not present any kind of complication. Using this reconstructive treatment, we have obtained complete coverage of the ischiatic pressure sore.

  10. Polynomial conservation laws and exact solutions connected with isometrical and homothetic symmetries in the nonlinear sigma model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanov, G.G.

    1985-01-01

    In the non linear delta-model conserved tensor currents connected with the isometrical, homothetic and affine motions in the space Vsup(N) of the chiral field values are constructed. New classes of the exact solutions are obtained in the SO(3) and SO(5) invariant delta-models using the connection between the groups of isometrical and homothetic motions in the space-time and isometrical motions in Vsup(N). Some methods of obtaining exact solutions in 4-dimensional delta-model with non trivial topological charge are considered

  11. Is cardiac autonomic modulation during upper limb isometric contraction and Valsalva maneuver impaired in COPD patients?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Goulart CL

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Cássia da Luz Goulart,1 Ramona Cabiddu,2 Paloma de Borba Schneiders,1 Elisabete Antunes San Martin,1 Renata Trimer,3 Audrey Borghi-Silva,2 Andréa Lúcia Gonçalves da Silva4,5 1Course of Physiotherapy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; 2Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy Laboratory, Nucleus of Research in Physical Exercise, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil; 3Department of Physiotherapy, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil; 4Course of Physiotherapy, Department of Health and Physical Education, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; 5Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, Santa Cruz Hospital, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Purpose: To evaluate the heart rate variability (HRV indices and heart rate (HR responses during isometric contraction (IC and Valsalva maneuver (VM in COPD patients. Methods: Twenty-two stable moderate to severe COPD patients were evaluated. R-R intervals were recorded (monitor Polar® S810i during dominant upper limb IC (2 minutes. Stable signals were analyzed by Kubios HRV® software. Indices of HRV were computed in the time domain (mean HR; square root of the mean squared differences of successive RR intervals [RMSSD] and HRV triangular index [RR tri index] and in the frequency domain (high frequency [HF]; low frequency [LF] and LF/HF ratio. The HR responses were evaluated at rest, at the peak and at the nadir of the VM (15 seconds. The Valsalva index was also calculated. Results: During IC: time domain indices (mean HR increased [P=0.001], RMSSD, and RR tri index decreased [P=0.005 and P=0.005, respectively]; frequency domain indices (LF increased [P=0.033] and HF decreased [P=0.002]; associations were found between forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 vs RMSSD (P=0.04; r=–0.55, FEV1 vs HR (P=0.04; r=–0.48, forced vital capacity (FVC vs RMSSD (P=0.05; r=–0.62, maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP vs HF (P=0.02; r=0.68. FEV1

  12. Muscle shear elastic modulus is linearly related to muscle torque over the entire range of isometric contraction intensity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ateş, Filiz; Hug, François; Bouillard, Killian; Jubeau, Marc; Frappart, Thomas; Couade, Mathieu; Bercoff, Jeremy; Nordez, Antoine

    2015-08-01

    Muscle shear elastic modulus is linearly related to muscle torque during low-level contractions (torque over the entire range of isometric contraction and (ii) the influence of the size of the region of interest (ROI) used to average the shear modulus value. Ten healthy males performed two incremental isometric little finger abductions. The joint torque produced by Abductor Digiti Minimi was considered as an index of muscle torque and elastic modulus. A high coefficient of determination (R(2)) (range: 0.86-0.98) indicated that the relationship between elastic modulus and torque can be accurately modeled by a linear regression over the entire range (0% to 100% of MVC). The changes in shear elastic modulus as a function of torque were highly repeatable. Lower R(2) values (0.89±0.13 for 1/16 of ROI) and significantly increased absolute errors were observed when the shear elastic modulus was averaged over smaller ROI, half, 1/4 and 1/16 of the full ROI) than the full ROI (mean size: 1.18±0.24cm(2)). It suggests that the ROI should be as large as possible for accurate measurement of muscle shear modulus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effects of Isometric Scaling on Vertical Jumping Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobbert, Maarten F.

    2013-01-01

    Jump height, defined as vertical displacement in the airborne phase, depends on vertical takeoff velocity. For centuries, researchers have speculated on how jump height is affected by body size and many have adhered to what has come to be known as Borelli’s law, which states that jump height does not depend on body size per se. The underlying assumption is that the amount of work produced per kg body mass during the push-off is independent of size. However, if a big body is isometrically downscaled to a small body, the latter requires higher joint angular velocities to achieve a given takeoff velocity and work production will be more impaired by the force-velocity relationship of muscle. In the present study, the effects of pure isometric scaling on vertical jumping performance were investigated using a biologically realistic model of the human musculoskeletal system. The input of the model, muscle stimulation over time, was optimized using jump height as criterion. It was found that when the human model was miniaturized to the size of a mouse lemur, with a mass of about one-thousandth that of a human, jump height dropped from 40 cm to only 6 cm, mainly because of the force-velocity relationship. In reality, mouse lemurs achieve jump heights of about 33 cm. By implication, the unfavourable effects of the small body size of mouse lemurs on jumping performance must be counteracted by favourable effects of morphological and physiological adaptations. The same holds true for other small jumping animals. The simulations for the first time expose and explain the sheer magnitude of the isolated effects of isometric downscaling on jumping performance, to be counteracted by morphological and physiological adaptations. PMID:23936494

  14. Effects of isometric scaling on vertical jumping performance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maarten F Bobbert

    Full Text Available Jump height, defined as vertical displacement in the airborne phase, depends on vertical takeoff velocity. For centuries, researchers have speculated on how jump height is affected by body size and many have adhered to what has come to be known as Borelli's law, which states that jump height does not depend on body size per se. The underlying assumption is that the amount of work produced per kg body mass during the push-off is independent of size. However, if a big body is isometrically downscaled to a small body, the latter requires higher joint angular velocities to achieve a given takeoff velocity and work production will be more impaired by the force-velocity relationship of muscle. In the present study, the effects of pure isometric scaling on vertical jumping performance were investigated using a biologically realistic model of the human musculoskeletal system. The input of the model, muscle stimulation over time, was optimized using jump height as criterion. It was found that when the human model was miniaturized to the size of a mouse lemur, with a mass of about one-thousandth that of a human, jump height dropped from 40 cm to only 6 cm, mainly because of the force-velocity relationship. In reality, mouse lemurs achieve jump heights of about 33 cm. By implication, the unfavourable effects of the small body size of mouse lemurs on jumping performance must be counteracted by favourable effects of morphological and physiological adaptations. The same holds true for other small jumping animals. The simulations for the first time expose and explain the sheer magnitude of the isolated effects of isometric downscaling on jumping performance, to be counteracted by morphological and physiological adaptations.

  15. Diabetes: Good Diabetes Management and Regular Foot Care Help Prevent Severe Foot Sores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amputation and diabetes: How to protect your feet Good diabetes management and regular foot care help prevent severe foot sores that ... and may require amputation. By Mayo Clinic Staff Diabetes complications can include nerve damage and poor blood ...

  16. Diurnal and day-to-day variation of isometric muscle strength in myasthenia gravis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinge, Lotte; Jakobsen, Johannes; Pedersen, Asger Roer; Andersen, Henning

    2016-01-01

    In patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), muscle strength is expected to decrease gradually during the day due to physical activities. Isometric muscle strength at the shoulder, knee, and ankle was determined in 10 MG patients (MGFA class II-IV) who were receiving usual medical treatment and in 10 control subjects. To determine diurnal and day-to-day variation, muscle strength was measured 4 times during day 1 and once at day 2. Knee extension strength decreased during the day in both patients and controls. Neither diurnal nor day-to-day variation of muscle strength was higher in patients compared with controls. Patients with mild to moderate MG did not have increased variation of isometric muscle strength during the day or from day-to-day compared with controls. This suggests that isometric muscle performance can be determined with high reproducibility in similar groups of MG patients without regard to time of day. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Muscle Fatigue Analysis of the Deltoid during Three Head-Related Static Isometric Contraction Tasks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenxiang Cui

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the fatiguing characteristics of muscle-tendon units (MTUs within skeletal muscles during static isometric contraction tasks. The deltoid was selected as the target muscle and three head-related static isometric contraction tasks were designed to activate three heads of the deltoid in different modes. Nine male subjects participated in this study. Surface electromyography (SEMG signals were collected synchronously from the three heads of the deltoid. The performances of five SEMG parameters, including root mean square (RMS, mean power frequency (MPF, the first coefficient of autoregressive model (ARC1, sample entropy (SE and Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD, in quantification of fatigue, were evaluated in terms of sensitivity to variability ratio (SVR and consistency firstly. Then, the HFD parameter was selected as the fatigue index for further muscle fatigue analysis. The experimental results demonstrated that the three deltoid heads presented different activation modes during three head-related fatiguing contractions. The fatiguing characteristics of the three heads were found to be task-dependent, and the heads kept in a relatively high activation level were more prone to fatigue. In addition, the differences in fatiguing rate between heads increased with the increase in load. The findings of this study can be helpful in better understanding the underlying neuromuscular control strategies of the central nervous system (CNS. Based on the results of this study, the CNS was thought to control the contraction of the deltoid by taking the three heads as functional units, but a certain synergy among heads might also exist to accomplish a contraction task.

  18. β-alanine supplementation improves isometric endurance of the knee extensor muscles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sale Craig

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We examined the effect of four weeks of β-alanine supplementation on isometric endurance of the knee extensors at 45% maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC. Methods Thirteen males (age 23 ± 6 y; height 1.80 ± 0.05 m; body mass 81.0 ± 10.5 kg, matched for pre-supplementation isometric endurance, were allocated to either a placebo (n = 6 or β-alanine (n = 7; 6.4 g·d-1 over 4 weeks supplementation group. Participants completed an isometric knee extension test (IKET to fatigue, at an intensity of 45% MVIC, before and after supplementation. In addition, two habituation tests were completed in the week prior to the pre-supplementation test and a further practice test was completed in the week prior to the post-supplementation test. MVIC force, IKET hold-time, and impulse generated were recorded. Results IKET hold-time increased by 9.7 ± 9.4 s (13.2% and impulse by 3.7 ± 1.3 kN·s-1 (13.9% following β-alanine supplementation. These changes were significantly greater than those in the placebo group (IKET: t(11 = 2.9, p ≤0.05; impulse: t(11 = 3.1, p ≤ 0.05. There were no significant changes in MVIC force in either group. Conclusion Four weeks of β-alanine supplementation at 6.4 g·d-1 improved endurance capacity of the knee extensors at 45% MVIC, which most likely results from improved pH regulation within the muscle cell as a result of elevated muscle carnosine levels.

  19. Ultrastructure of clots during isometric contraction

    OpenAIRE

    1982-01-01

    We explored the retraction or contraction of platelet-fibrin clots under isometric conditions. In the presence of micromolar calcium clots of normal platelet-rich plasma developed tension at an initial rate of 0.1 to 0.2 g/min per cm2 (initial cross-sectional area). Electron microscopy of clots fixed after attaining a force of 1.6 g/cm2 revealed platelets with elongated bodies and pseudopods in close apposition to fibrin strands which were oriented in cablelike fashion in the direction of ten...

  20. Activation of selected shoulder muscles during unilateral wall and bench press tasks under submaximal isometric effort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucci, Helga T; Ciol, Marcia A; de Araújo, Rodrigo C; de Andrade, Rodrigo; Martins, Jaqueline; McQuade, Kevin J; Oliveira, Anamaria S

    2011-07-01

    Controlled laboratory study. To assess the activation of 7 shoulder muscles under 2 closed kinetic chain (CKC) tasks for the upper extremity using submaximal isometric effort, thus providing relative quantification of muscular isometric effort for these muscles across the CKC exercises, which may be applied to rehabilitation protocols for individuals with shoulder weakness. CKC exercises favor joint congruence, reduce shear load, and promote joint dynamic stability. Additionally, knowledge about glenohumeral and periscapular muscle activity elicited during CKC exercises may help clinicians to design protocols for shoulder rehabilitation. Using surface electromyography, activation level was measured across 7 shoulder muscles in 20 healthy males, during the performance of a submaximal isometric wall press and bench press. Signals were normalized to the maximal voluntary isometric contraction, and, using paired t tests, data were analyzed between the exercises for each muscle. Compared to the wall press, the bench press elicited higher activity for most muscles, except for the upper trapezius. Levels of activity were usually low but were above 20% maximal voluntary isometric contraction for the serratus anterior on both tasks, and for the long head triceps brachii on the bench press. Both the bench press and wall press, as performed in this study, led to relatively low EMG activation levels for the muscles measured and may be considered for use in the early phases of rehabilitation.

  1. The Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Planning a Pedicled Perforator Flap for Pressure Sores in the Gluteal Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sun-June; Lee, Kyeong-Tae; Jeon, Byung-Joon; Woo, Kyong-Je

    2018-04-01

    Pedicled perforator flaps (PPFs) have been widely used to treat pressure sores in the gluteal region. Selection of a reliable perforator is crucial for successful surgical treatment of pressure sores using PPFs. In this study, we evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in planning PPF reconstruction of pressure sores in the gluteal region. A retrospective chart review was performed in patients who had undergone these PPF reconstructions and who had received preoperative MRI. Preoperatively, the extent of infection and necrotic tissue was evaluated using MRI, and a reliable perforator was identified, considering the perforator location in relation to the defect, perforator size, and perforator courses. Intraoperatively, the targeted perforator was marked on the skin at the locations measured on the MRI images, and the marked location was confirmed using intraoperative handheld Doppler. Superior gluteal artery, inferior gluteal artery, or parasacral perforators were used for the PPFs. Surgical outcomes were evaluated. A total of 12 PPFs were performed in 12 patients. Superior gluteal artery perforator flaps were performed in 7 patients, inferior gluteal artery perforator flaps were performed in 3 patients, and parasacral perforator flaps were performed in 2 patients. We could identify a reliable perforator on MRI, and it was found at the predicted locations in all cases. There was only one case of partial flap necrosis. There was no recurrence of the pressure sores during the mean follow-up period of 6.7 months (range = 3-15 months). In selected patients with gluteal pressure sores, MRI is a suitable means for not only providing information about disease extent and comorbidities but also for evaluating perforators for PPF reconstructions.

  2. Pattern of Pressure Sores in Spinal Injured Patients with in the First ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Before 2006, all our spinal injured patients were nursed on conventional form mattress without pressure redistributing support surface. Pressure sore was a common complication and was a major contributing factor to prolonged hospitalization. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the pattern of pressure ...

  3. Gear Shifting of Quadriceps during Isometric Knee Extension Disclosed Using Ultrasonography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shu; Huang, Weijian; Zeng, Yu; Shi, Wenxiu; Diao, Xianfen; Wei, Xiguang; Ling, Shan

    2018-01-01

    Ultrasonography has been widely employed to estimate the morphological changes of muscle during contraction. To further investigate the motion pattern of quadriceps during isometric knee extensions, we studied the relative motion pattern between femur and quadriceps under ultrasonography. An interesting observation is that although the force of isometric knee extension can be controlled to change almost linearly, femur in the simultaneously captured ultrasound video sequences has several different piecewise moving patterns. This phenomenon is like quadriceps having several forward gear ratios like a car starting from rest towards maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and then returning to rest. Therefore, to verify this assumption, we captured several ultrasound video sequences of isometric knee extension and collected the torque/force signal simultaneously. Then we extract the shapes of femur from these ultrasound video sequences using video processing techniques and study the motion pattern both qualitatively and quantitatively. The phenomenon can be seen easier via a comparison between the torque signal and relative spatial distance between femur and quadriceps. Furthermore, we use cluster analysis techniques to study the process and the clustering results also provided preliminary support to the conclusion that, during both ramp increasing and decreasing phases, quadriceps contraction may have several forward gear ratios relative to femur.

  4. The Representation of Isometric Operators on C(1)(X)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jingke

    2010-01-01

    In this paper,we introduce a new norm on C (1) (X), which is induced by a hexagon on R 2 , and prove that every isometric operator on C (1) (X) can be induced by a homeomorphism of X, where X is a connected subset of R.

  5. The Effect of Early Complications on Flap Selection on Sacral Pressure Sores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Musa Kemal Keleş

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Pressure sores occur in bedridden patients in intensive care units, clinics, and even at their own places. Care for sick relatives and working with doctors to address treatment options and ensure proper follow-up are some of the problems associated with these types of wounds. Surgical therapy in the treatment of pressure ulcers is associated with significant complications. In comparison to non-surgical treatment, surgical treatment has a low complication rate and is more cost-effective. The surgical treatment enables the patients to return to their social life sooner than non-surgical treatment. Patient's ability to early return to their social life is advantageous in terms of reducing morbidity and the need for additional operations. This study is aimed to review the flap choices used to treat sacral pressure sores and the resulting acute complications rates retrospectively. Material and Methods: Patients treated for stage 3 and stage 4 sacral pressure sores in our clinic in the past 5 years were included in the study. Patient records were analyzed retrospectively. Patients' demographic data and surgical treatment they received were documented. Surgical method and surgical outcomes were evaluated and early complication rates were determined. Result: Fifty patients were included in the study; 10 of them were female, 40 of were male cases. The most common causative agent was paraplegia after traffic accident. Conclusion: A significant difference was not observed between the type of flap used in the surgical treatment and the rate of complications. Consequently, the surgical treatment of pressure ulcers in the sacral region depends on the patient's individual situation, the cooperation of the family, and previously applied treatments

  6. Cervical isometric strength and range of motion of elite rugby union players: a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, David F; Gatherer, Don

    2014-01-01

    Head and neck injury is relatively common in Rugby Union. Despite this, strength and range-of-motion characteristics of the cervical spine are poorly characterised. The aim of this study was to provide data on the strength and range-of-motion of the cervical spine of professional rugby players to guide clinical rehabilitation. A cohort study was performed evaluating 27 players from a single UK professional rugby club. Cervical isometric strength and range-of-motion were assessed in 3 planes of reference. Anthropometric data was collected and multivariate regression modelling performed with a view to predicting cervical isometric strength. Largest forces were generated in extension, with broadly equal isometric side flexion forces at around 90% of extension values. The forwards generated significantly more force than the backline in all parameters bar flexion. The forwards had substantially reduced cervical range-of-motion and larger body mass, with differences observed in height, weight, neck circumference and chest circumference (p isometric extension (adjusted R(2) = 30.34). Rehabilitative training programs aim to restore individuals to pre-injury status. This work provides reference ranges for the strength and range of motion of the cervical spine of current elite level rugby players.

  7. Production of isometric forces during sustained acceleration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sand, D P; Girgenrath, M; Bock, O; Pongratz, H

    2003-06-01

    The operation of high-performance aircraft requires pilots to apply finely graded forces on controls. Since they are often exposed to high levels of acceleration in flight, we investigated to what extent this ability is degraded in such an environment. Twelve healthy non-pilot volunteers were seated in the gondola of a centrifuge and their performance was tested at normal gravity (1 G) and while exposed to sustained forces of 1.5 G and 3 G oriented from head to foot (+Gz). Using an isometric joystick, they attempted to produce force vectors with specific lengths and directions commanded in random order by a visual display. Acceleration had substantial effects on the magnitude of produced force. Compared with 1 G, maximum produced force was about 2 N higher at 1.5 G and about 10 N higher at 3 G. The size of this effect was constant across the different magnitudes, but varied with the direction of the prescribed force. Acceleration degrades control of force production. This finding may indicate that the motor system misinterprets the unusual gravitoinertial environment and/or that proprioceptive feedback is degraded due to increased muscle tone. The production of excessive isometric force could affect the safe operation of high-performance aircraft.

  8. [Topic efficacy of ialuronic acid associated with argentic sulphadiazine (Connettivina Plus) in the treatment of pressure sores: a prospective observational cohort study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paghetti, Angela; Bellingeri, Andrea; Pomponio, Giovanni; Sansoni, Julita; Paladino, Dario

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and methods of application of ialuronic acid associated with argentic sulphadiazine (Connettivina Plus) in routine clinical activity, on a target of "complex" patients with pressure sores, for the most realistic assessment possible. The study comprised 127 patients hospitalized between January 2006 and December 2007, who received ialuronic acid associated with argentic sulphadiazine in addition to the standard treatment. Inclusion criteria were th presence of at least one stage 2 or 3 pressure sore (NPUAP '89 classification), pressure sore that the researcher had already decided to treat using ialuronic acid associated with argentic sulphadiazine , according to hospital protocol, area of the lesion less than 25cm2, patient age 18 years or more, informed patient consensus. Patients with these characteristics were , however, excluded if they did not provide written consent or if they had one of the following: presence of pressure sores with escara, concomitant neoplastic disease, concomitant insulin-dependent diabetes or other pathologies that interfere with skin regeneration, allergic diasthesis (acclaimed or presumed) to ialuronic acid - argentic sulphadiazine, inability / refusal to undergo all the subsequent controls required by the study. Improvement or complete healing of the pressure sores was observed in 67% of patients at early follow-up (10 days), increasing to 76% and 87% at 20 and 35 day controls respectively. The Push tool further improved in patients who carried on treatment. Use of ialuronic acid associated with argentic sulphadiazine was effective for treating grade 2-3 pressure sores in patients with chronic lesions and its efficacy was confirmed in association with both advanced and traditional types of medication.

  9. Age-associated changes in muscle activity during isometric contraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arjunan, Sridhar P; Kumar, Dinesh K

    2013-04-01

    We investigated the effect of age on the complexity of muscle activity and the variance in the force of isometric contraction. Surface electromyography (sEMG) from biceps brachii muscle and force of contraction were recorded from 96 subjects (20-70 years of age) during isometric contractions. There was a reduction in the complexity of sEMG associated with aging. The relationship of age and complexity was approximated using a bilinear fit, with the average knee point at 45 years. There was an age-associated increase in the coefficient of variation (CoV) of the force of muscle contraction, and this increase was correlated with the decrease in complexity of sEMG (r(2) = 0.76). There was an age-associated increase in CoV and also a reduction in the complexity of sEMG. The correlation between these 2 factors can be explained based on the age-associated increase in motor unit density. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. The Relationship Between Maximum Isometric Strength and Ball Velocity in the Tennis Serve

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baiget Ernest

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The aims of this study were to analyze the relationship between maximum isometric strength levels in different upper and lower limb joints and serve velocity in competitive tennis players as well as to develop a prediction model based on this information. Twelve male competitive tennis players (mean ± SD; age: 17.2 ± 1.0 years; body height: 180.1 ± 6.2 cm; body mass: 71.9 ± 5.6 kg were tested using maximum isometric strength levels (i.e., wrist, elbow and shoulder flexion and extension; leg and back extension; shoulder external and internal rotation. Serve velocity was measured using a radar gun. Results showed a strong positive relationship between serve velocity and shoulder internal rotation (r = 0.67; p < 0.05. Low to moderate correlations were also found between serve velocity and wrist, elbow and shoulder flexion – extension, leg and back extension and shoulder external rotation (r = 0.36 – 0.53; p = 0.377 – 0.054. Bivariate and multivariate models for predicting serve velocity were developed, with shoulder flexion and internal rotation explaining 55% of the variance in serve velocity (r = 0.74; p < 0.001. The maximum isometric strength level in shoulder internal rotation was strongly related to serve velocity, and a large part of the variability in serve velocity was explained by the maximum isometric strength levels in shoulder internal rotation and shoulder flexion.

  11. An Intelligent FPGA Based Anti-Sweating System for Bed Sore Prevention in a Clinical Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. S. Jaichandar

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Bed sores, a common problem among immobile patients occur as a result of continuous sweating due to increase in skin to bed surface temperature in patients lying on same posture for prolonged period. If left untreated, the skin can break open and become infected. Currently adopted methods for bed sores prevention include: use of two hourly flip chat for repositioning patient or use of air fluidized beds. However, the setbacks of these preventive measures include either use of costly equipment or wastage of human resources. This paper introduces an intelligent low cost FPGA based anti-sweating system for bed sores prevention in a clinical environment. The developed system consists of bed surface implanted temperature sensors interfaced with an FPGA chip for sensing the temperature change in patient’s skin to bed surface. Based on the temperature change, the FPGA chip select the - mode (heater/cooler and speed of the fan module. Furthermore, an alarm module was implemented to alert the nurse to reposition the patient only if patient’s skin to bed surface temperature exceeds a predefined threshold thereby saving human resources. By integrating the whole system into a single FPGA chip, we were able to build a low cost compact system without sacrificing processing power and flexibility.

  12. Differential contributions of ankle plantarflexors during submaximal isometric muscle action

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Masood, Tahir; Bojsen-Møller, Jens; Kalliokoski, Kari K

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the relative contributions of superficial and deep ankle plantarflexors during repetitive submaximal isometric contractions using surface electromyography (SEMG) and positron emission tomography (PET). Myoelectric signals were obtained from twelve...

  13. The Pacman Perforator-Based V-Y Advancement Flap for Reconstruction of Pressure Sores at Different Locations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonomi, Stefano; Salval, André; Brenta, Federica; Rapisarda, Vincenzo; Settembrini, Fernanda

    2016-09-01

    Many procedures have been proposed for the treatment of pressure sores, and V-Y advancement flaps are widely used to repair a defect. Unfortunately, the degree of mobility of a V-Y advancement flap is dependent on the laxity of the underlying subcutaneous tissue. This is an important disadvantage of traditional V-Y advancement flap and limits its use.We used V-Y advancement flaps as perforator-based to overcome mobility restriction problem, with a further modification (Pacman-like shape) to improve the covering surface area of the flap. Between January 2012 and December 2014, the authors used 37 V-Y Pacman perforator-based flaps in 33 consecutive patients for coverage of defects located at sacral (n = 21), ischial (n = 13), trochanter (n = 1) regions. There were 27 male and 6 female patients with a mean age of 49.9 years (range, 15-74 years). All flaps survived completely (92.3%) except 3 in which one of them had undergone total necrosis due to hematoma and the other 2 had partial necrosis. No venous congestion was observed. The mean follow-up period was 14.9 months (range, 2-38 months). No flap surgery-related mortality or recurrence of pressure sores was noted. The V-Y Pacman perforator-based advancement flaps are safe and very effective for reconstruction of pressure sores at various regions. The advantage of our modification procedure include shorter operative time, lesser pedicle dissection, low donor site morbidity, good preservation of muscle, and offers remarkable excursion to the V-Y flap, which make the V-Y Pacman perforator-based flaps an excellent choice for large pressure sore coverage.

  14. Isometric and isokinetic muscle strength in the upper extremity can be reliably measured in persons with chronic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekstrand, Elisabeth; Lexell, Jan; Brogårdh, Christina

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the test-retest reliability of isometric and isokinetic muscle strength measurements in the upper extremity after stroke. A test-retest design. Forty-five persons with mild to moderate paresis in the upper extremity > 6 months post-stroke. Isometric arm strength (shoulder abduction, elbow flexion), isokinetic arm strength (elbow extension/flexion) and isometric grip strength were measured with electronic dynamometers. Reliability was evaluated with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), changes in the mean, standard error of measurements (SEM) and smallest real differences (SRD). Reliability was high (ICCs: 0.92-0.97). The absolute and relative (%) SEM ranged from 2.7 Nm (5.6%) to 3.0 Nm (9.4%) for isometric arm strength, 2.6 Nm (7.4%) to 2.9 Nm (12.6%) for isokinetic arm strength, and 22.3 N (7.6%) to 26.4 N (9.2%) for grip strength. The absolute and relative (%) SRD ranged from 7.5 Nm (15.5%) to 8.4 Nm (26.1%) for isometric arm strength, 7.1 Nm (20.6%) to 8.0 Nm (34.8%) for isokinetic arm strength, and 61.8 N (21.0%) to 73.3 N (25.6%) for grip strength. Muscle strength in the upper extremity can be reliably measured in persons with chronic stroke. Isometric measurements yield smaller measurement errors than isokinetic measurements and might be preferred, but the choice depends on the research question.

  15. Ear Acupuncture for Acute Sore Throat: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-09-26

    SEP 2014 2. REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Ear acupuncture for acute sore throat. A randomized controlled trial...Auncular Acupuncture is a low risk option for acute pain control •Battlefield acupuncture (BFA) IS a specific auncular acupuncture technique •BFA IS...Strengths: Prospect1ve RCT •Weaknesses Small sample stze. no sham acupuncture performed, patients not blinded to treatment •Th1s study represents an

  16. Relationships between Isometric Muscle Strength, Gait Parameters, and Gross Motor Function Measure in Patients with Cerebral Palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Hyung Ik; Sung, Ki Hyuk; Chung, Chin Youb; Lee, Kyoung Min; Lee, Seung Yeol; Lee, In Hyeok; Park, Moon Seok

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the correlation between isometric muscle strength, gross motor function, and gait parameters in patients with spastic cerebral palsy and to find which muscle groups play an important role for gait pattern in a flexed knee gait. Twenty-four ambulatory patients (mean age, 10.0 years) with spastic cerebral palsy who were scheduled for single event multilevel surgery, including distal hamstring lengthening, were included. Preoperatively, peak isometric muscle strength was measured for the hip flexor, hip extensor, knee flexor, and knee extensor muscle groups using a handheld dynamometer, and three-dimensional (3D) gait analysis and gross motor function measure (GMFM) scoring were also performed. Correlations between peak isometric strength and GMFM, gait kinematics, and gait kinetics were analyzed. Peak isometric muscle strength of all muscle groups was not related to the GMFM score and the gross motor function classification system level. Peak isometric strength of the hip extensor and knee extensor was significantly correlated with the mean pelvic tilt (r=-0.588, p=0.003 and r=-0.436, p=0.033) and maximum pelvic obliquity (r=-0.450, p=0.031 and r=-0.419, p=0.041). There were significant correlations between peak isometric strength of the knee extensor and peak knee extensor moment in early stance (r=0.467, p=0.021) and in terminal stance (r=0.416, p=0.043). There is no correlation between muscle strength and gross motor function. However, this study showed that muscle strength, especially of the extensor muscle group of the hip and knee joints, might play a critical role in gait by stabilizing pelvic motion and decreasing energy consumption in a flexed knee gait.

  17. One Point Isometric Matching with the Heat Kernel

    KAUST Repository

    Ovsjanikov, Maks

    2010-09-21

    A common operation in many geometry processing algorithms consists of finding correspondences between pairs of shapes by finding structure-preserving maps between them. A particularly useful case of such maps is isometries, which preserve geodesic distances between points on each shape. Although several algorithms have been proposed to find approximately isometric maps between a pair of shapes, the structure of the space of isometries is not well understood. In this paper, we show that under mild genericity conditions, a single correspondence can be used to recover an isometry defined on entire shapes, and thus the space of all isometries can be parameterized by one correspondence between a pair of points. Perhaps surprisingly, this result is general, and does not depend on the dimensionality or the genus, and is valid for compact manifolds in any dimension. Moreover, we show that both the initial correspondence and the isometry can be recovered efficiently in practice. This allows us to devise an algorithm to find intrinsic symmetries of shapes, match shapes undergoing isometric deformations, as well as match partial and incomplete models efficiently. Journal compilation © 2010 The Eurographics Association and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Reliability and fatigue characteristics of a standing hip isometric endurance protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutchler, Jessica A; Weinhandl, Joshua T; Hoch, Matthew C; Van Lunen, Bonnie L

    2015-08-01

    Muscle fatigue is a common consideration when evaluating and rehabilitating athletic injuries. The presence of muscular fatigue has been previously determined by quantifying median frequency (MF) through a power spectral analysis on EMG signals collected throughout an endurance task. Research has not yet determined if a prolonged isometric test in a standing position generates muscular fatigue of the hip. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and fatigue characteristics of a standing hip isometric endurance test. Twenty healthy participants completed one 60-s Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction of standing hip flexion, extension, adduction, and abduction. MF of the participants' dominant limb rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), gluteus maximus (GMax), gluteus medius (GMed) and adductor longus (ADD) was determined via surface electromyography during two sessions, 30-min apart. Reliability values (ICC2,1) were moderate-to-excellent for all time intervals of each action (FlexionRF: >0.80; ExtensionBF: >0.89; ExtensionGMax: >0.60; AdductionADD: >0.78; AbductionGMed: >0.60) and MF significantly decreased over time for all actions. Results suggest the endurance test is a reliable technique to generate muscular fatigue for hip flexion, extension, adduction and abduction. It can be used as a time efficient fatigue protocol specific to the RF, BF, GMax, ADD and GMed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Evidence for antibiotic use for sore throat and URTI in general practice

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    banzi

    508 C M E September 2003 Vol.21 No.9. There is a common misconception among many people that antibiotics are necessary for common colds and their symptoms. Evidence- based medicine can provide a rational approach to this problem. Evidence for antibiotic use for sore throat and URTI in general practice. G T J KA ...

  20. Association between isometric muscle strength and gait joint kinetics in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dallmeijer, A J; Baker, R; Dodd, K J; Taylor, N F

    2011-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the association between isometric muscle strength of the lower limbs and gait joint kinetics in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy (CP). Twenty-five participants (11 males) with bilateral spastic CP, aged 14-22 years (mean: 18.9, sd: 2.0 yr) and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level II (n=19) and III (n=6) were tested. Hand held dynamometry was used to measure isometric strength (expressed in Nm/kg) of the hip, knee, and ankle muscles using standardized testing positions and procedures. 3D gait analysis was performed with a VICON system to calculate joint kinetics in the hip, knee and ankle during gait. Ankle peak moments exceeded by far the levels of isometric strength of the plantar flexors, while the knee and hip peak moments were just at or below maximal isometric strength of knee and hip muscles. Isometric muscle strength showed weak to moderate correlations with peak ankle and hip extension moment and power during walking. Despite considerable muscle weakness, joint moment curves were similar to norm values. Results suggest that passive stretch of the muscle-tendon complex of the triceps surae contributes to the ankle moment during walking and that muscle strength assessment may provide additional information to gait kinetics. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The force dependence of isometric and concentric potentiation in mouse muscle with and without skeletal myosin light chain kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gittings, William; Aggarwal, Harish; Stull, James T; Vandenboom, Rene

    2015-01-01

    The isometric potentiation associated with myosin phosphorylation is force dependent. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of a pre-existing period of isometric force on the concentric force potentiation displayed by mouse muscles with and without the ability to phosphorylate myosin. We tested isometric (ISO) and concentric (CON) potentiation, as well as concentric potentiation after isometric force (ISO-CON), in muscles from wild-type (WT) and skeletal myosin light chain kinase-deficient (skMLCK(-/-)) mice. A conditioning stimulus increased (i.e., potentiated) mean concentric force in the ISO-CON and CON conditions to 1.31 ± 0.02 and 1.35 ± 0.02 (WT) and to 1.19 ± 0.02 and 1.21 ± 0.01 (skMLCK(-/-)) of prestimulus levels, respectively (data n = 6-8, p muscles.

  2. Isometric Back Exercise Has Different Effect on Pressure Pain Thresholds in Healthy Men and Women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gajsar, Hannah; Titze, Christina; Hasenbring, Monika Ilona

    2017-01-01

    .07). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this pilot study indicate that isometric back exercise produces local and remote hypoalgesia. Remote EIH was only demonstrated in women, supporting the influence of sex in the hypoalgesic response after exercise. The effect of isometric back exercise on pain sensitivity in patients......OBJECTIVE: Isometric exercises produce an acute decrease in the pain sensitivity, known as exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Existing EIH paradigms use exercises at the extremities with more pronounced EIH at local compared to remote body sites, indicating local inhibition in addition to central...... inhibitory mechanisms. So far the results on EIH in patients with low back pain (LBP) are equivocal and no studies have investigated an EIH paradigm targeting the lower back in order to assess EIH in patients with LBP. Thus, the aim of this pilot study was to assess pressure pain sensitivity at local...

  3. Dual-dermal-barrier fashion flaps for the treatment of sacral pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsiao, Yen-Chang; Chuang, Shiow-Shuh

    2015-02-01

    The sacral region is one of the most vulnerable sites for the development of pressure sores. Even when surgical reconstruction is performed, there is a high chance of recurrence. Therefore, the concept of dual-dermal-barrier fashion flaps for sacral pressure sore reconstruction was proposed. From September 2007 to June 2010, nine patients with grade IV sacral pressures were enrolled. Four patients received bilateral myocutaneous V-Y flaps, four patients received bilateral fasciocutaneous V-Y flaps, and one patient received bilateral rotation-advanced flaps for sacral pressure reconstruction. The flaps were designed based on the perforators of the superior gluteal artery in one patient's reconstructive procedure. All flaps' designs were based on dual-dermal-barrier fashion. The mean follow-up time was 16 months (range = 12-25). No recurrence was noted. Only one patient had a complication of mild dehiscence at the middle suture line, occurring 2 weeks after the reconstructive surgery. The dual-dermal fashion flaps are easily duplicated and versatile. The study has shown minimal morbidity and a reasonable outcome.

  4. Utility of the sore throat pain model in a multiple-dose assessment of the acute analgesic flurbiprofen: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schachtel, Bernard; Aspley, Sue; Shephard, Adrian; Shea, Timothy; Smith, Gary; Schachtel, Emily

    2014-07-03

    The sore throat pain model has been conducted by different clinical investigators to demonstrate the efficacy of acute analgesic drugs in single-dose randomized clinical trials. The model used here was designed to study the multiple-dose safety and efficacy of lozenges containing flurbiprofen at 8.75 mg. Adults (n=198) with moderate or severe acute sore throat and findings of pharyngitis on a Tonsillo-Pharyngitis Assessment (TPA) were randomly assigned to use either flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges (n=101) or matching placebo lozenges (n=97) under double-blind conditions. Patients sucked one lozenge every three to six hours as needed, up to five lozenges per day, and rated symptoms on 100-mm scales: the Sore Throat Pain Intensity Scale (STPIS), the Difficulty Swallowing Scale (DSS), and the Swollen Throat Scale (SwoTS). Reductions in pain (lasting for three hours) and in difficulty swallowing and throat swelling (for four hours) were observed after a single dose of the flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge (Pflurbiprofen-treated patients experienced a 59% greater reduction in throat pain, 45% less difficulty swallowing, and 44% less throat swelling than placebo-treated patients (all Pflurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges were shown to be an effective, well-tolerated treatment for sore throat pain. Other pharmacologic actions (reduced difficulty swallowing and reduced throat swelling) and overall patient satisfaction from the flurbiprofen lozenges were also demonstrated in this multiple-dose implementation of the sore throat pain model. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number: NCT01048866, registration date: January 13, 2010.

  5. Influence of fatigue, stress, muscle soreness and sleep on perceived exertion during submaximal effort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haddad, Monoem; Chaouachi, Anis; Wong, Del P; Castagna, Carlo; Hambli, Mourad; Hue, Olivier; Chamari, Karim

    2013-07-02

    The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the Hooper's Index variations (i.e., self-ratings of fatigue, stress, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and sleep) on rating of perceived exertion during a 10 min submaximal exercise training session (RPE-10 min) and then check the stability and the internal consistency of RPE-10 min. Seventeen junior soccer players took part in this study. The individual Hooper's indices taken before each training session were correlated with RPE-10 min during a constant intensity and duration effort (10 min) using Pearson product moment correlation. Intraclass correlation (ICC) was used to assess the internal consistency of the RPE-10 min. All individual correlations between RPE-10 min and quality of sleep and quantity of fatigue, stress, and DOMS were non-significant (p>0.05). No significant correlations were resulted between RPE-10 min and Hooper's Index in all athletes. The ICC of RPE-10 min was 0.77 thus demonstrating internal consistency. The results of the present study demonstrated the objectivity and utility of RPE as a psychological tool for monitoring training during traditional soccer training. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that fatigue, stress, DOMS and sleep are not major contributors of perceived exertion during traditional soccer training without excessive training loads. It seems that psychobiological factors other than fatigue, stress, DOMS and sleep may have mediated the 10 min exercise perceptual intensity. © 2013.

  6. Isometric Contractions Are More Analgesic Than Isotonic Contractions for Patellar Tendon Pain: An In-Season Randomized Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rio, Ebonie; van Ark, Mathijs; Docking, Sean; Moseley, G Lorimer; Kidgell, Dawson; Gaida, Jamie E; van den Akker-Scheek, Inge; Zwerver, Johannes; Cook, Jill

    2017-05-01

    This study aimed to compare the immediate analgesic effects of 2 resistance programs in in-season athletes with patellar tendinopathy (PT). Resistance training is noninvasive, a principle stimulus for corticospinal and neuromuscular adaptation, and may be analgesic. Within-season randomized clinical trial. Data analysis was conducted blinded to group. Subelite volleyball and basketball competitions. Twenty jumping athletes aged more than 16 years, participating in games/trainings 3 times per week with clinically diagnosed PT. Two quadriceps resistance protocols were compared; (1) isometric leg extension holds at 60 degrees knee flexion (80% of their maximal voluntary isometric contraction) or (2) isotonic leg extension (at 80% of their 8 repetition maximum) 4 times per week for 4 weeks. Time under load and rest between sets was matched between groups. (1) Pain (0-10 numerical rating score) during single leg decline squat (SLDS), measured preintervention and postintervention sessions. (2) VISA-P, a questionnaire about tendon pain and function, completed at baseline and after 4 weeks. Twenty athletes with PT (18 men, mean 22.5 ± 4.7 years) participated (isotonic n = 10, isometric n = 10). Baseline median SLDS pain was 5/10 for both groups (isotonic range 1-8, isometric range 2-8). Isometric contractions produced significantly greater immediate analgesia (P < 0.002). Week one analgesic response positively correlated with improvements in VISA-P at 4 weeks (r = 0.64). Both protocols appear efficacious for in-season athletes to reduce pain, however, isometric contractions demonstrated significantly greater immediate analgesia throughout the 4-week trial. Greater analgesia may increase the ability to load or perform.

  7. Comparison between electrically evoked and voluntary isometric contractions for biceps brachii muscle oxidative metabolism using near-infrared spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthalib, Makii; Jubeau, Marc; Millet, Guillaume Y; Maffiuletti, Nicola A; Nosaka, Kazunori

    2009-09-01

    This study compared voluntary (VOL) and electrically evoked isometric contractions by muscle stimulation (EMS) for changes in biceps brachii muscle oxygenation (tissue oxygenation index, DeltaTOI) and total haemoglobin concentration (DeltatHb = oxygenated haemoglobin + deoxygenated haemoglobin) determined by near-infrared spectroscopy. Twelve men performed EMS with one arm followed 24 h later by VOL with the contralateral arm, consisting of 30 repeated (1-s contraction, 1-s relaxation) isometric contractions at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for the first 60 s, and maximal intensity contractions thereafter (MVC for VOL and maximal tolerable current at 30 Hz for EMS) until MVC decreased approximately 30% of pre-exercise MVC. During the 30 contractions at 30% MVC, DeltaTOI decrease was significantly (P < 0.05) greater and DeltatHb was significantly (P < 0.05) lower for EMS than VOL, suggesting that the metabolic demand for oxygen in EMS is greater than VOL at the same torque level. However, during maximal intensity contractions, although EMS torque (approximately 40% of VOL) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than VOL, DeltaTOI was similar and tHb was significantly (P < 0.05) lower for EMS than VOL towards the end, without significant differences between the two sessions in the recovery period. It is concluded that the oxygen demand of the activated biceps brachii muscle in EMS is comparable to VOL at maximal intensity.

  8. Immediate and short-term effects of the combination of dry needling and percutaneous TENS on post-needling soreness in patients with chronic myofascial neck pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    León-Hernández, Jose V.; Martín-Pintado-Zugasti, Aitor; Frutos, Laura G.; Alguacil-Diego, Isabel M.; de la Llave-Rincón, Ana I.; Fernandez-Carnero, Josue

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background Dry needling (DN) and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) are widely used techniques in the treatment of myofascial pain. Objective To investigate the immediate and short-term effects of the combination of DN and PENS compared to DN alone on the upper trapezius muscle. Method This is a 72-hour follow-up single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Sixty-two volunteer patients with chronic myofascial neck pain with active Myofascial Trigger Points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius muscle were recruited. Randomization was performed, and 31 patients received DN treatment (DN group) and 31 received DN and PENS (DN+PENS group). The primary outcomes were neck disability index (NDI) and visual analog scale for pain for both post-needling soreness (PNS) and neck pain intensity (NPI). Pressure pain threshold (PPT) and cervical range of motion (CROM) were the secondary outcomes. Results We detected between-group differences in NPI and PNS in favor of the DN+PENS group immediately after treatment. No between-group differences in NDI were observed. Conclusion PENS application after dry needling treatment is more effective than dry needling alone for decreasing soreness in the short term and improving neck pain intensity immediately in patients with myofascial chronic neck pain. PMID:27410163

  9. Use of inferior gluteal artery and posterior thigh perforators in management of ischial pressure sores with limited donor sites for flap coverage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unal, Cigdem; Ozdemir, Jale; Yirmibesoglu, Oktay; Yucel, Ergin; Agir, Hakan

    2012-07-01

    Reconstructive surgery for ischial pressure sore defects presents a challenge because of high rates of recurrence. The aim of this study was to describe the use of inferior gluteal artery (IGA) and posterior thigh perforators in management of ischial pressure sores with limited donor sites. Between September 2005 and 2009, 11 patients (9 male, 2 female) with ischial sores were operated by using IGA and posterior thigh perforator flaps. The data of patients included age, sex, cause of paraplegia, flap size, perforator of flap, previous surgeries, recurrences, complications, and postoperative follow-up. Nine IGA and 5 posterior thigh perforator flaps were used. Six patients presented with recurrent lesions, 5 patients were operated for sacral and contralateral ischial pressure sores previously. In 2 patients, IGA and posterior thigh perforator flaps were used in combination. Patients were followed for an average of 34.3 months. In 2 recurrent cases, readvancement of IGA perforator flap and gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap were treatment of choice. Treatment of patients with recurrent lesions or multiple pressure sores is challenging because of limited available flap donor sites. In this study, posterior thigh perforator flaps were preferred in patients in whom the previous donor site was the gluteal region. IGA perforator flaps were the treatment of choice in patients for whom posterior thigh region was previously used. Alternately, preserved perforators of previous conventional myocutaneous flaps enabled us to use these perforators in recurrences.

  10. Validity and reliability of a low-cost digital dynamometer for measuring isometric strength of lower limb.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero-Franco, Natalia; Jiménez-Reyes, Pedro; Montaño-Munuera, Juan A

    2017-11-01

    Lower limb isometric strength is a key parameter to monitor the training process or recognise muscle weakness and injury risk. However, valid and reliable methods to evaluate it often require high-cost tools. The aim of this study was to analyse the concurrent validity and reliability of a low-cost digital dynamometer for measuring isometric strength in lower limb. Eleven physically active and healthy participants performed maximal isometric strength for: flexion and extension of ankle, flexion and extension of knee, flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, internal and external rotation of hip. Data obtained by the digital dynamometer were compared with the isokinetic dynamometer to examine its concurrent validity. Data obtained by the digital dynamometer from 2 different evaluators and 2 different sessions were compared to examine its inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. Intra-class correlation (ICC) for validity was excellent in every movement (ICC > 0.9). Intra and inter-tester reliability was excellent for all the movements assessed (ICC > 0.75). The low-cost digital dynamometer demonstrated strong concurrent validity and excellent intra and inter-tester reliability for assessing isometric strength in the main lower limb movements.

  11. [Value of the isometric exercise test in objectively evaluating the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygenation in ischemic heart disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efuni, S N; Kudriashov, V E; Rodionov, V V; Beletskiĭ, Iu V; Telegin, Iu N

    1984-05-01

    The isometric test was conducted prior to and after a hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) session in 31 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. The results were compared with the findings provided by the examination of 138 coronary patients and 23 normal subjects receiving no HBO treatment. It was shown that the isometric test makes it possible to objectively assess the HBO effect in CHD patients. The results of the test reflect reduction in the severity of angina pectoris or cardiac failure following hyperbarotherpy. The results obtained justify the recommendation of the isometric test for the individual evaluation of the hyperbaric treatment in CHD.

  12. Effects of isotonic and isometric exercises with mist sauna bathing on cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, and metabolic functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwase, Satoshi; Kawahara, Yuko; Nishimura, Naoki; Nishimura, Rumiko; Sugenoya, Junichi; Miwa, Chihiro; Takada, Masumi

    2014-08-01

    To clarify the effects of isometric and isotonic exercise during mist sauna bathing on the cardiovascular function, thermoregulatory function, and metabolism, six healthy young men (22 ± 1 years old, height 173 ± 4 cm, weight 65.0 ± 5.0 kg) were exposed to a mist sauna for 10 min at a temperature of 40 °C, and relative humidity of 100 % while performing or not performing ˜30 W of isometric or isotonic exercise. The effect of the exercise was assessed by measuring tympanic temperature, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, chest sweat rate, chest skin blood flow, and plasma catecholamine and cortisol, glucose, lactate, and free fatty acid levels. Repeated measures ANOVA showed no significant differences in blood pressure, skin blood flow, sweat rate, and total amount of sweating. Tympanic temperature increased more during isotonic exercise, and heart rate increase was more marked during isotonic exercise. The changes in lactate indicated that fatigue was not very great during isometric exercise. The glucose level indicated greater energy expenditure during isometric exercise. The free fatty acid and catecholamine levels indicated that isometric exercise did not result in very great energy expenditure and stress, respectively. The results for isotonic exercise of a decrease in lactate level and an increase in plasma free fatty acid level indicated that fatigue and energy expenditure were rather large while the perceived stress was comparatively low. We concluded that isotonic exercise may be a more desirable form of exercise during mist sauna bathing given the changes in glucose and free fatty acid levels.

  13. The effectiveness of isometric exercises as compared to general exercises in the management of chronic non-specific neck pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Muhammad; Soomro, Rabail Rani; Ali, Syed Shahzad

    2014-09-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of isometric exercises as compared to general exercises in chronic non-specific neck pain. For this randomised controlled trial total 68 patients (34 each group) with chronic non-specific neck pain were recruited from Alain Poly Clinic and Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi between May, 2012 and August, 2012. Simple randomisation method was used to assign participants into isometric exercise group and general exercise groups. The isometric exercise group performed exercises for neck muscle groups with a rubber band and general exercises group performed active range of movement exercises for all neck movements. Patients in both groups received 3 supervised treatment sessions per week for 12 weeks. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), North wick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire and goniometer were used to assess pain, disability and neck range of movements at baseline and after 12 weeks. Both interventions showed statistically significant improvements in pain, function and range of movement p = 0.001f or isometric exercise group, p = 0.04 for general exercises group and p = 0.001 for range of movement. However, mean improvements in post intervention VAS score and North wick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire score was better in isometric exercises group as compared to general exercise group. In conclusion, both interventions are effective in the treatment of chronic non-specific neck pain however; isometric exercises are clinically more effective than general exercises.

  14. Effects of plyometric and isometric training on muscle and tendon stiffness in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubo, Keitaro; Ishigaki, Tomonobu; Ikebukuro, Toshihiro

    2017-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of plyometric and isometric training on tendon properties during ramp and ballistic contractions and muscle stiffness under passive and active conditions. Eleven subjects completed 12 weeks (3 days/week) of a unilateral training program for the plantar flexors. They performed plyometric training on one side (PLY) and isometric training on the other side (ISO). Active muscle stiffness in the medial gastrocnemius muscle was calculated according to changes in estimated muscle force and fascicle length during fast stretching after submaximal isometric contractions. Passive muscle stiffness was also calculated from estimated passive muscle force and fascicle length during slow passive stretching. Stiffness and hysteresis of tendon structures were measured using ultrasonography during ramp and ballistic contractions. Passive muscle stiffness and tendon hysteresis did not change for PLY or ISO Active muscle stiffness significantly increased for PLY, but not for ISO Tendon stiffness during ramp and ballistic contractions increased significantly for ISO, but not for PLY In addition, tendon elongation values at force production levels beyond 100 N during ballistic contractions increased for PLY These results suggest that plyometric training (but not isometric training) enhances the extensibility of tendon structures during ballistic contractions and active muscle stiffness during fast stretching, and these changes may be related to improved performances during stretch-shortening cycle exercises. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

  15. Reliability of ultrasound thickness measurement of the abdominal muscles during clinical isometric endurance tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    ShahAli, Shabnam; Arab, Amir Massoud; Talebian, Saeed; Ebrahimi, Esmaeil; Bahmani, Andia; Karimi, Noureddin; Nabavi, Hoda

    2015-07-01

    The study was designed to evaluate the intra-examiner reliability of ultrasound (US) thickness measurement of abdominal muscles activity when supine lying and during two isometric endurance tests in subjects with and without Low back pain (LBP). A total of 19 women (9 with LBP, 10 without LBP) participated in the study. Within-day reliability of the US thickness measurements at supine lying and the two isometric endurance tests were assessed in all subjects. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the relative reliability of thickness measurement. The standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC) and the coefficient of variation (CV) were used to evaluate the absolute reliability. Results indicated high ICC scores (0.73-0.99) and also small SEM and MDC scores for within-day reliability assessment. The Bland-Altman plots of agreement in US measurement of the abdominal muscles during the two isometric endurance tests demonstrated that 95% of the observations fall between the limits of agreement for test and retest measurements. Together the results indicate high intra-tester reliability for the US measurement of the thickness of abdominal muscles in all the positions tested. According to the study's findings, US imaging can be used as a reliable method for assessment of abdominal muscles activity in supine lying and the two isometric endurance tests employed, in participants with and without LBP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Is a sphygmomanometer a valid and reliable tool to measure the isometric strength of hip muscles? A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toohey, Liam Anthony; De Noronha, Marcos; Taylor, Carolyn; Thomas, James

    2015-02-01

    Muscle strength measurement is a key component of physiotherapists' assessment and is frequently used as an outcome measure. A sphygmomanometer is an instrument commonly used to measure blood pressure that can be potentially used as a tool to assess isometric muscle strength. To systematically review the evidence on the reliability and validity of a sphygmomanometer for measuring isometric strength of hip muscles. A literature search was conducted across four databases. Studies were eligible if they presented data on reliability and/or validity, used a sphygmomanometer to measure isometric muscle strength of the hip region, and were peer reviewed. The individual studies were evaluated for quality using a standardized critical appraisal tool. A total of 644 articles were screened for eligibility, with five articles chosen for inclusion. The use of a sphygmomanometer to objectively assess isometric muscle strength of the hip muscles appears to be reliable with intraclass correlation coefficient values ranging from 0.66 to 0.94 in elderly and young populations. No studies were identified that have assessed the validity of a sphygmomanometer. The sphygmomanometer appears to be reliable for assessment of isometric muscle strength around the hip joint, but further research is warranted to establish its validity.

  17. An Investigation Into the Relationship Between Maximum Isometric Strength and Vertical Jump Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Christopher; Jones, Paul A; Rothwell, James; Chiang, Chieh Y; Comfort, Paul

    2015-08-01

    Research has demonstrated a clear relationship between dynamic strength and vertical jump (VJ) performance; however, the relationship of isometric strength and VJ performance has been studied less extensively. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between isometric strength and performance during the squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ). Twenty-two male collegiate athletes (mean ± SD; age = 21.3 ± 2.9 years; height = 175.63 ± 8.23 cm; body mass = 78.06 ± 10.77 kg) performed isometric midthigh pulls (IMTPs) to assess isometric peak force (IPF), maximum rate of force development, and impulse (IMP) (I100, I200, and I300). Force-time data, collected during the VJs, were used to calculate peak velocity, peak force (PF), peak power (PP), and jump height. Absolute IMTP measures of IMP showed the strongest correlations with VJ PF (r = 0.43-0.64; p ≤ 0.05) and VJ PP (r = 0.38-0.60; p ≤ 0.05). No statistical difference was observed in CMJ height (0.33 ± 0.05 m vs. 0.36 ± 0.05 m; p = 0.19; ES = -0.29) and SJ height performance (0.29 ± 0.06 m vs. 0.33 ± 0.05 m; p = 0.14; ES = -0.34) when comparing stronger to weaker athletes. The results of this study illustrate that absolute IPF and IMP are related to VJ PF and PP but not VJ height. Because stronger athletes did not jump higher than weaker athletes, dynamic strength tests may be more practical methods of assessing the relationships between relative strength levels and dynamic performance in collegiate athletes.

  18. Comparison of fasciocutaneous V-Y and rotational flaps for defect coverage of sacral pressure sores: a critical single-centre appraisal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djedovic, Gabriel; Metzler, Julia; Morandi, Evi M; Wachter, Tanja; Kühn, Shafreena; Pierer, Gerhard; Rieger, Ulrich M

    2017-12-01

    Pressure sore rates remain high in both nursing homes as well as in hospitals. Numerous surgical options are available for defect coverage in the sacral region. However, objective data is scarce as to whether a specific flap design is superior to another. Here, we aim to compare two fasciocutaneous flap designs for sacral defect coverage: the gluteal rotation flap and the gluteal V-Y flap. All primary sacral pressure sores of grades III-IV that were being covered with gluteal fasciocutaneous rotational or V-Y flaps between January 2008 and December 2014 at our institution were analysed. A total of 41 patients received a total of 52 flaps. Of these, 18 patients received 20 gluteal rotational flaps, and 23 patients received 32 V-Y flaps. Both groups were comparable with regards to demographics, comorbidities and complications. Significantly more V-Y flaps were needed to cover smaller defects. Mean length of hospital stay was significantly prolonged when surgical revision had to be carried out. Both flap designs have proven safe and reliable for defect coverage after sacral pressure sores. Gluteal rotational flaps appear to be more useful for larger defects. Both flap designs facilitate their reuse in case of pressure sore recurrence. Complication rates appear to be comparable in both designs and to the current literature. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. A novel technique for preventing skin pressure sores using a rubber tube during surgical treatment of mandibular condyle fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawase-Koga, Yoko; Mori, Yoshiyuki; Hoshi, Kazuhito; Takato, Tsuyoshi

    2013-11-01

    Craniofacial surgery occasionally results in sores and necrosis of the facial skin because of pressure from surgical instruments. During surgical treatment of mandibular condylar process fractures, the main mandibular fragment is routinely retracted downward using a wire to achieve a satisfactory anatomic reduction. This procedure may injure the facial skin. This potential complication is easily overlooked by medical staff, but it is easily preventable. We herein describe a method of using a rubber tube to avoid causing pressure sores of the facial skin during surgical treatment of mandibular condylar process fractures.

  20. Parasacral Perforator Flaps for Reconstruction of Sacral Pressure Sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chin-Ta; Chen, Shih-Yi; Chen, Shyi-Gen; Tzeng, Yuan-Sheng; Chang, Shun-Cheng

    2015-07-01

    Despite advances in reconstruction techniques, pressure sores continue to present a challenge to the plastic surgeon. The parasacral perforator flap is a reliable flap that preserves the entire contralateral side as a future donor site. On the ipsilateral side, the gluteal muscle itself is preserved and all flaps based on the inferior gluteal artery are still possible. We present our experience of using parasacral perforator flaps in reconstructing sacral defects. Between August 2004 and January 2013, 19 patients with sacral defects were included in this study. All the patients had undergone surgical reconstruction of sacral defects with a parasacral perforator flap. The patients' sex, age, cause of sacral defect, flap size, flap type, numbers of perforators used, rotation angle, postoperative complications, and hospital stay were recorded. There were 19 parasacral perforator flaps in this series. All flaps survived uneventfully except for 1 parasacral perforator flap, which failed because of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. The overall flap survival rate was 95% (18/19). The mean follow-up period was 17.3 months (range, 2-24 months). The average length of hospital stay was 20.7 days (range, 9-48 days). No flap surgery-related mortality was found. Also, there was no recurrence of sacral pressure sores or infected pilonidal cysts during the follow-up period. Perforator-based flaps have become popular in modern reconstructive surgery because of low donor-site morbidity and good preservation of muscle. Parasacral perforator flaps are durable and reliable in reconstructing sacral defects. We recommend the parasacral perforator flap as a good choice for reconstructing sacral defects.

  1. Task complexity and maximal isometric strength gains through motor learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuire, Jessica; Green, Lara A.; Gabriel, David A.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract This study compared the effects of a simple versus complex contraction pattern on the acquisition, retention, and transfer of maximal isometric strength gains and reductions in force variability. A control group (N = 12) performed simple isometric contractions of the wrist flexors. An experimental group (N = 12) performed complex proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) contractions consisting of maximal isometric wrist extension immediately reversing force direction to wrist flexion within a single trial. Ten contractions were completed on three consecutive days with a retention and transfer test 2‐weeks later. For the retention test, the groups performed their assigned contraction pattern followed by a transfer test that consisted of the other contraction pattern for a cross‐over design. Both groups exhibited comparable increases in strength (20.2%, P < 0.01) and reductions in mean torque variability (26.2%, P < 0.01), which were retained and transferred. There was a decrease in the coactivation ratio (antagonist/agonist muscle activity) for both groups, which was retained and transferred (35.2%, P < 0.01). The experimental group exhibited a linear decrease in variability of the torque‐ and sEMG‐time curves, indicating transfer to the simple contraction pattern (P < 0.01). The control group underwent a decrease in variability of the torque‐ and sEMG‐time curves from the first day of training to retention, but participants returned to baseline levels during the transfer condition (P < 0.01). However, the difference between torque RMS error versus the variability in torque‐ and sEMG‐time curves suggests the demands of the complex task were transferred, but could not be achieved in a reproducible way. PMID:25428951

  2. Effects of combined β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) and whey protein ingestion on symptoms of eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirato, Minayuki; Tsuchiya, Yosuke; Sato, Teruyuki; Hamano, Saki; Gushiken, Takeshi; Kimura, Naoto; Ochi, Eisuke

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of combined β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) and whey protein ingestion on muscle strength and damage following a single bout of eccentric exercise. Eighteen untrained male subjects were assigned to HMB and Whey protein (HMB + Whey; 3 g/day HMB and 36.6 g/day whey protein, n = 6), HMB (3 g/day, n = 6), or whey protein (36.6 g/day, n = 6) groups. Ingestion commenced 7 days before non-dominant elbow flexor eccentric exercise (30 deg/sec, 6 reps × 7 sets) and continued until 4 days post-exercise. The maximal isometric strength, muscle soreness, plasma creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assessed pre-exercise, and at 1, 2, 3, and 5 days after exercise. The change scores of maximal isometric strength significantly decreased at day 1, 2, and 5 in the whey protein group compared to pre value and that in HMB + Whey protein and HMB groups decreased at day 1 and 5. The muscle soreness significantly increased in the whey and HMB + Whey protein groups at day 3 compared to pre value (p HMB and whey protein does not have a role to inhibit muscle strength loss and soreness, and decrease in muscle damage markers after eccentric exercise in comparison with HMB and whey protein alone.

  3. Evaluation of the effectiveness of kinesiotaping in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness of the biceps brachii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boguszewski Dariusz

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available biological regeneration in athletes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of lymphatic kinesiotaping in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness of biceps brachii.

  4. Reproducibility of isometric shoulder protraction and retraction strength measurements in normal subjects and individuals with winged scapula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Jae-Seop; Kang, Min-Hyeok; Dvir, Zeevi

    2016-11-01

    The strength of the shoulder protractors and retractors may be compromised in individuals with winged scapula (IwWS). However, no standard approach to measuring the strength of these muscles has been described. The aim of this study was to study the intra-rater and inter-rater reproducibility of a fixed-base isometric dynamometer and to describe cutoff scores for clinically meaningful change for protraction and retraction isometric strength. Twice during a week, 20 normal subjects and 20 IwWS were tested by 2 independent raters. IwWS were significantly weaker (P isometric strength. Excellent intra-rater and inter-rater correlations were obtained in most combinations, leading to low cutoff scores for meaningful change expressed in terms of the smallest real difference. When it is properly used, the technique described in this paper is recommended as an effective clinical tool for the quantitative assessment of protraction and retraction isometric strength, both for status determination and for monitoring of change in IwWS during and after rehabilitation. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Absolute and relative reliability of isokinetic and isometric trunk strength testing using the IsoMed-2000 dynamometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Ralf; Donath, Lars; Kurz, Eduard; Zahner, Lukas; Faude, Oliver

    2017-03-01

    The present study aimed to assess the between day reliability of isokinetic and isometric peak torque (PT) during trunk measurement on an isokinetic device (IsoMed 2000). Test-retest-protocol on five separate days. Fifteen healthy sport students (8 female and 7 male) aged 21 to 26. PT was assessed in isometric back extension and flexion as well as right and left rotation. Isokinetic strength was captured at a speed of 60°/s and 150°/s for all tasks. For none of the assessed parameters a meaningful variation in PT during test days was observed. Relative reliability (ICC = 0.85-0.96) was excellent for all tasks. Estimates of absolute reliability as Coefficient of Variation (CoV) and Standard Error of Measurement (SEM in Nm/kg lean body mass) remained stable for isometric (6.9% strength measurement in flexion and extension or trunk rotation in either isometric or isokinetic condition is highly reliable. Therefore, it seems possible to elucidate changes which are smaller than 10% due to intervention programs when a preceding familiarization condition was applied. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Delayed onset muscle soreness : treatment strategies and performance factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Karoline; Hume, Patria; Maxwell, Linda

    2003-01-01

    Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a familiar experience for the elite or novice athlete. Symptoms can range from muscle tenderness to severe debilitating pain. The mechanisms, treatment strategies, and impact on athletic performance remain uncertain, despite the high incidence of DOMS. DOMS is most prevalent at the beginning of the sporting season when athletes are returning to training following a period of reduced activity. DOMS is also common when athletes are first introduced to certain types of activities regardless of the time of year. Eccentric activities induce micro-injury at a greater frequency and severity than other types of muscle actions. The intensity and duration of exercise are also important factors in DOMS onset. Up to six hypothesised theories have been proposed for the mechanism of DOMS, namely: lactic acid, muscle spasm, connective tissue damage, muscle damage, inflammation and the enzyme efflux theories. However, an integration of two or more theories is likely to explain muscle soreness. DOMS can affect athletic performance by causing a reduction in joint range of motion, shock attenuation and peak torque. Alterations in muscle sequencing and recruitment patterns may also occur, causing unaccustomed stress to be placed on muscle ligaments and tendons. These compensatory mechanisms may increase the risk of further injury if a premature return to sport is attempted.A number of treatment strategies have been introduced to help alleviate the severity of DOMS and to restore the maximal function of the muscles as rapidly as possible. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have demonstrated dosage-dependent effects that may also be influenced by the time of administration. Similarly, massage has shown varying results that may be attributed to the time of massage application and the type of massage technique used. Cryotherapy, stretching, homeopathy, ultrasound and electrical current modalities have demonstrated no effect on the alleviation of

  7. Unusual Wrist Tremor: Unilateral Isometric Tremor?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theresa A. Zesiewicz

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Tremors may be difficult to classify.Case Report: An 83‐year‐old male presented with an unusual left wrist tremor. The tremor could be reproducibly elicited by making a fist or carrying a weighted object (e.g., a shopping bag, bottle of water of approximately 1 lb or more, and it intensified with heavier weights. The tremor was difficult to classify, although it shared features with isometric tremor.Discussion: This specific presentation of tremor has not been reported previously. We hope that the detailed description we provide will aid other neurologists who encounter this or similar tremors in their clinics.

  8. A modified isometric test to evaluate blood pressure control with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Blood pressure at rest is not predictive of roundthe- clock values. Blood pressure should therefore be measured during effort to evaluate hypertension and its response to treatment. The effect of sustained-release verapamil (240 mg taken once a day) on blood pressure at rest and during isometric effort was therefore ...

  9. [Prescribing antibiotics for sore throat: a persistent habit].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damoiseaux, Roger A M J; Venekamp, Roderick P

    2015-01-01

    Recently the revision of the guideline of the Dutch College of General Practitioners on sore throat has been published. Again, one of the key messages is restricting the use of antibiotics. In the Netherlands general practitioners prescribe antibiotics in 50% of cases of tonsillitis. Although there has been a decrease in the number of antibiotic prescriptions for tonsillitis in the last 30 years, they are still being prescribed twice as often as is recommended by the guideline. The beliefs of both patient and doctor play an important role in prescribing and better communication might help to improve the situation. Public campaigns can also help by providing the best knowledge on the effectiveness of antibiotics to the public.

  10. Response of Coagulation Indices to Two Types of Exercise of Eccentric and Isometric in Male Bodybuilding Athletes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Azimpour

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background and Objectives: Although activation of blood coagulation system in response to physical activity has been identified to some extent, but the contribution of eccentric activity in comparison with isometric activity as resistance exercise, is not clear yet. Therefore, this research was carried out with the purpose of investigating the effect of one session of eccentric and isometric resistance exercise on some coagulation factors in male bodybuilders. Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 28 volunteers were randomly selected from male bodybuilders and divided into two experimental groups and one control group. One of the experimental groups performed eccentric exercise [controlled return (extension of the elbow flexion movement involving an eccentric contraction] and another group performed isometric exercises (holding barbell while flexing elbows at 45 degrees. In order to assess coagulation indices, blood sampling was performed 15 minutes before and immediately after the exercise. Results: Thromboplastin and prothrombin times did not significantly change immediately after the exercise, but the number of platelets significantly increased in both isometric and eccentric types of exercise immediately after the exercise. Conclusion: The results of isometric and eccentric acute resistance exercise showed that the exercise had no negative impact on blood coagulation factors, and increased coagulation system activity reflects the increased number of platelets. The difference between the results of researches carried out in this direction can be resulted from the difference between the exercise protocols, methods and measurement time, and level of preparedness of the participants in the research.

  11. Sore throat: effective communication delivers improved diagnosis, enhanced self-care and more rational use of antibiotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Velden, A W; Bell, J; Sessa, A; Duerden, M; Altiner, A

    2013-11-01

    The majority of throat infections are of viral origin and resolve without antibiotic treatment. Despite this, antibiotic use for sore throat infections remains high, partly because it is difficult to determine when antibiotics may be useful, on the basis of physical findings alone. Antibiotics may be beneficial in bacterial throat infections under certain clinical and epidemiological circumstances; however, even many of those infections in which bacteria play a role do resolve just as quickly without antibiotics. Furthermore, non-medical factors such as patient expectations and patient pressure are also important drivers of antibiotic use. To address these issues, a behavioural change is required that can be facilitated by improved communication between primary healthcare providers and patients. In this article, we provide doctors, nurses and pharmacy staff, working in primary care or in the community, with a structured approach to sore throat management, with the aim of educating and empowering patients to self-manage their condition. The first component of this approach involves identifying and addressing patients' expectations and concerns with regard to their sore throat and eliciting their opinion on antibiotics. The second part is dedicated to a pragmatic assessment of the severity of the condition, with attention to red-flag symptoms and risk factors for serious complications. Rather than just focusing on the cause (bacterial or viral) of the upper respiratory tract infections as a rationale for antibiotic use, healthcare providers should instead consider the severity of the patient's condition and whether they are at high risk of complications. The third part involves counselling patients on effective self-management options and providing information on the expected clinical course. Such a structured approach to sore throat management, using empathetic, non-paternalistic language, combined with written patient information, will help to drive patient

  12. EFFECTS OF TWO DIFFERENT DOSAGE OF BCAA SUPPLEMENTATION ON SERUM INDICES OF MUSCLE DAMAGE AND SORENESS IN SOCCER PLAYERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Payam Mohamad-Panahi

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigation of the effects of two different dose of BCAA supplementation on serum indices of muscle damage and soreness in soccer players. 30 male soccer players (age: 20.2+-0.6 yr participated as subjects in this study. Subjects were randomly divided into three groups (double-blind design. All subjects performed lower- body resistance exercise (6 sets, 10 repetitions, 70% 1RM. The BCAA was given at doses of 200 and 450 mg.kg -1 BW for supplemental groups 1 and 2, respectively, 30 minutes before and after to exercise tests and carbohydrate was given at dose of 200 mg.kg -1 BW for placebo group. To identify enzymes activity (IU/L, venous blood samples were collected 30 min prior to exercise and at 24 and 48 hrs post exercise. Data were statistically analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonfferoni test. Baseline CK, CK-MB and muscle soreness were determined 30 minutes before the exercise test. Baseline serum values for CK, CK-MB and baseline muscle soreness were not different between groups in the 30 minutes before the exercise test (p>0/05. However, there were significant increases between the pre-exercise and post-exercise values for CK, CK-MB and muscle soreness from 24 hrs to 48 hrs post-test (p<0/05, but there were no significant differences between two groups (p< 0.05(. These results suggested that two different dosages of BCAA supplementation did not affect muscle damage and muscle sureness during resistance exercise bout in soccer players.

  13. Baseline and Longitudinal Change in Isometric Muscle Strength Prior to Radiographic Progression in Osteoarthritic and Pre-Osteoarthritic Knees- Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckstein, Felix; Hitzl, Wolfgang; Duryea, Jeff; Kwoh, C. Kent; Wirth, Wolfgang

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To test whether cross-sectional or longitudinal measures of thigh muscle isometric strength differ between knees with and without subsequent radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), with particular focus on pre-osteoarthritic female knees (knees with risk factors but without definite radiographic KOA). METHODS Of 4796 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants, 2835 knees with Kellgren Lawrence grade (KLG) 0–3 had central X-ray readings, annual quantitative joint space width (JSW) and isometric muscle strength measurements (Good strength chair). Separate slope ANCOVA models were used to determine differences in strength between “progressor” and “non- progressor” knees, after adjusting for age, body mass index, and pain. RESULTS 466 participant knees exceeded the smallest detectable JSW change during each of two observation intervals (year 2→4 and year 1→3) and were classified as progressors (213 women, 253 men; 128 KLG0/1, 330 KLG2/3); 946 participant knees did not exceed this threshold in either interval and were classified as non-progressors (588 women, 358 from men; 288KLG0/1, 658KLG2/3). Female progressor knees, including those with KLG0/1, tended to have lower extensor and flexor strength at year2 and at baseline than those without progression, but the difference was not significant after adjusting for confounders. No significant difference was observed in longitudinal change of muscle strength (baseline→year2) prior to radiographic progression. No significant differences were found for muscle strength in men, and none for change in strength concomitant with progression. CONCLUSION This study provides no strong evidence that (changes in) isometric muscle strength precedes or is associated with structural (radiographic) progression of KOA. PMID:23473978

  14. Impact of Isometric Contraction of Anterior Cervical Muscles on Cervical Lordosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedorchuk, Curtis A; McCoy, Matthew; Lightstone, Douglas F; Bak, David A; Moser, Jacque; Kubricht, Brett; Packer, John; Walton, Dustin; Binongo, Jose

    2016-09-01

    This study investigates the impact of isometric contraction of anterior cervical muscles on cervical lordosis. 29 volunteers were randomly assigned to an anterior head translation (n=15) or anterior head flexion (n=14) group. Resting neutral lateral cervical x-rays were compared to x-rays of sustained isometric contraction of the anterior cervical muscles producing anterior head translation or anterior head flexion. Paired sample t-tests indicate no significant difference between pre and post anterior head translation or anterior head flexion. Analysis of variance suggests that gender and peak force were not associated with change in cervical lordosis. Chamberlain's to atlas plane line angle difference was significantly associated with cervical lordosis difference during anterior head translation (p=0.01). This study shows no evidence that hypertonicity, as seen in muscle spasms, of the muscles responsible for anterior head translation and anterior head flexion have a significant impact on cervical lordosis.

  15. Assessment of Isometric Trunk Strength - The Relevance of Body Position and Relationship between Planes of Movement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocjan, Andrej; Sarabon, Nejc

    2014-05-01

    The aim of the study was to assess the differences in maximal isometric trunk extension and flexion strength during standing, sitting and kneeling. Additionally, we were interested in correlations between the maximal strength in sagittal, frontal and transverse plane, measured in the sitting position. Sixty healthy subjects (24 male, 36 female; age 41.3 ± 15.1 yrs; body height 1.70 ± 0.09 m; body mass 72.7 ± 13.3 kg) performed maximal voluntary isometric contractions of the trunk flexor and extensor muscles in standing, sitting and kneeling position. The subjects also performed lateral flexions and rotations in the sitting position. Each task was repeated three times and average of maximal forces was used for data analysis. RANOVA with post-hoc testing was applied to the flexion and extension data. The level of statistical significance was set to p strength showed the strongest correlation, followed by frontal-transverse and sagittal-frontal plane correlation pairs (R(2) = 0.830, 0.712 and 0.657). The baseline trunk isometric strength data provided by this study should help further strength diagnostics, more precisely, the prevention of low back disorders. Key pointsMaximal voluntary isometric force of the trunk extensors increased with the angle at the hips (highest in sitting, medium in kneeling and lowest in upright standing).The opposite trend was true for isometric MVC force of trunk flexors (both genders together and men only).In the sitting position, the strongest correlation between MVC forces was found between sagittal (average flexion/extension) and transverse plane (average left/right rotation).IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE VALIDITY OF TRUNK STRENGTH TESTING THE LETTER SHOULD INCLUDE: specific warm-up, good pelvic fixation and visual feedback.

  16. Dosages of cold-water immersion post exercise on functional and clinical responses: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, A F; Almeida, A C; Micheletti, J K; Vanderlei, F M; Tribst, M F; Netto Junior, J; Pastre, C M

    2017-11-01

    Cold-water immersion (CWI) is one of the recovery techniques commonly used by athletes for post-exercise recovery. Nevertheless, the effects of CWI using different temperatures and the dose-response relationship of this technique have not yet been investigated. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of two strategies of CWI, using different water temperatures with passive recovery post exercise in the management of some markers of muscle damage, and to observe whether any of the techniques used caused deleterious effects on performance. Sixty healthy male participants performed an eccentric protocol to induce muscle damage and were then randomized to one of three groups (CWI1: 15 min at 9 °C; CWI2: 15 min at 14 °C; CG: control group). Levels of creatine kinase, muscle soreness, pain threshold, perception of recovery, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction were monitored up to 96 h post exercise. A large effect for time for all outcomes was observed [P < 0.001; CK (ES = 0.516), muscle soreness (ES = 0.368); pain threshold (ES = 0.184); perception of recovery (ES = 0.565); MVIC (ES = 0.273)]. CWI groups presented an earlier recovery for muscle soreness with lower ratings immediately post recovery. For delayed effects, the application of CWI2 (15 min at 14 °C) presented earlier recovery compared with CWI1 and control condition for maximal voluntary isometric contraction (P < 0.05). There were no significant group and interaction (Group × Time) effects. CWI groups acted more efficiently for muscle soreness and performance considering the time of recovery was observed. No evidence was found to suggest dose-response relationship and deleterious effects. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. [Cohort study of the incidence of heel pressure sores in patients with leg casts at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Hospital and of the associated risk factors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forni, Cristiana; Zoli, Marina; Loro, Loretta; Tremosini, Morena; Mini, Sandra; Pirini, Valter; Turrini, Roberta; Durante, Stefano; Nicolini, Annamaria; Riccioni, Francesca; Girolami, Roberto

    2009-01-01

    Pressure sores, especially at the heel, are a side effect of the cast. To assess the incidence of late skin complications (heel pressure sores) of a cast and determine risk factors. All consecutive patients treated with a leg cast over a 16 months observation time were recruited. Risk factors were identified by the nurse that placed the cast and skin lesions classified with the NPUAP scale when the cast was removed. In the 216 enrolled patients 17.6% (38) developed a pressure sore: 16/124 in orthopedic wards; 22/92 in oncology wards. The multivariate analysis identified the following risk factors: administration of cytotoxic drugs (p = 0.033; OR = 2.61; having a cancer did not increase the risk); skin redness before cast application (p = 0.001; OR = 4.44) and having reported symptoms after the application (p = 0.000; OR = 7.86). Pressure sores were mainly stage 1 and only 6/216 (2.4%) > or = stage II. The type of plaster cast, the material, the number of days it was worn and having had a surgery are not significant risk factors. Pressure sores related to leg plaster casts are a frequent complication in at risk sub-groups. The acknowledgement and identification of specific risk factors may allow to identify and evaluate preventive interventions to improve the care of these patients.

  18. Neuromuscular Activation of the Vastus Intermedius Muscle during Isometric Hip Flexion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akira Saito

    Full Text Available Although activity of the rectus femoris (RF differs from that of the other synergists in quadriceps femoris muscle group during physical activities in humans, it has been suggested that the activation pattern of the vastus intermedius (VI is similar to that of the RF. The purpose of present study was to examine activation of the VI during isometric hip flexion. Ten healthy men performed isometric hip flexion contractions at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of maximal voluntary contraction at hip joint angles of 90°, 110° and 130°. Surface electromyography (EMG was used to record activity of the four quadriceps femoris muscles and EMG signals were root mean square processed and normalized to EMG amplitude during an isometric knee extension with maximal voluntary contraction. The normalized EMG was significantly higher for the VI than for the vastus medialis during hip flexion at 100% of maximal voluntary contraction at hip joint angles of 110° and 130° (P < 0.05. The onset of VI activation was 230-240 ms later than the onset of RF activation during hip flexion at each hip joint angle, which was significantly later than during knee extension at 100% of maximal voluntary contraction (P < 0.05. These results suggest that the VI is activated later than the RF during hip flexion. Activity of the VI during hip flexion might contribute to stabilize the knee joint as an antagonist and might help to smooth knee joint motion, such as in the transition from hip flexion to knee extension during walking, running and pedaling.

  19. Glenohumeral range of motion (ROM) and isometric strength of professional team handball athletes, part III: changes over the playing season.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fieseler, Georg; Jungermann, Philipp; Koke, Alexander; Irlenbusch, Lars; Delank, Karl-Stefan; Schwesig, René

    2015-12-01

    The aim of our study was to investigate the relation of workload on range of motion and isometric strength of team handball athletes' shoulders over a competitive season. 31 Professional male handball athletes underwent clinical shoulder examinations. Athletes were examined subsequently during the complete playing season (week 0, 6, 22 and 40) to determine bilateral isometric shoulder rotational strength and active range of motion (ROM). In addition, relative (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and absolute (standard error of measurement) reliability were calculated. Intraobserver reliability was excellent (ICC 0.76-0.98) for isometric strength and flexibility measurements. Internal rotation (IR) and total arc ROM in the throwing shoulder (TS) decreased significantly (p handball players' shoulders changed significantly from the beginning to the end of a season. More specifically, the repetitive forces accumulated during the competitive season resulted in altered GIRD, ERG and isometric strength of the dominant glenohumeral joint.

  20. Trunk muscle fatigue during a lateral isometric hold test: what are we evaluating?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pagé Isabelle

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Side bridge endurance protocols have been suggested to evaluate lateral trunk flexor and/or spine stabilizer muscles. To date, no study has investigated muscle recruitment and fatigability during these protocols. Therefore the purpose of our study was to quantify fatigue parameters in various trunk muscles during a modified side bridge endurance task (i.e. a lateral isometric hold test on a 45° roman chair apparatus and determine which primary trunk muscles get fatigued during this task. It was hypothesized that the ipsilateral external oblique and lumbar erector spinae muscles will exhibit the highest fatigue indices. Methods Twenty-two healthy subjects participated in this study. The experimental session included left and right lateral isometric hold tasks preceded and followed by 3 maximal voluntary contractions in the same position. Surface electromyography (EMG recordings were obtained bilaterally from the external oblique, rectus abdominis, and L2 and L5 erector spinae. Statistical analysis were conducted to compare the right and left maximal voluntary contractions (MVC, surface EMG activities, right vs. left holding times and decay rate of the median frequency as the percent change from the initial value (NMFslope. Results No significant left and right lateral isometric hold tests differences were observed neither for holding times (97.2 ± 21.5 sec and 96.7 ± 24.9 sec respectively nor for pre and post fatigue root mean square during MVCs. However, participants showed significant decreases of MVCs between pre and post fatigue measurements for both the left and right lateral isometric hold tests. Statistical analysis showed that a significantly NMFslope of the ipsilateral external oblique during both conditions, and a NMFslope of the contralateral L5 erector spinae during the left lateral isometric hold test were steeper than those of the other side’s respective muscles. Although some participants

  1. The influence of isometric exercises of the quadriceps muscle on young female patients with anterior knee pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacek Wilczyński

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Anterior knee pain is a disease associated with abnormalities in the patellofemoral joint. It is a common reason for seeking advice from an orthopaedist. This problem is characterised by chronic pain in the anterior part of one or both knees. This issue often affects women, especially at a young age. The effect of this ailment is deterioration of the quality of life. This dysfunction significantly reduces abilities, and often prevents the performance of daily activities. Pain usually occurs during physical activity, but may also be accompanied by prolonged immobilisation of the knee joint. In defining the type of patellofemoral instability, orthopaedists use magnetic resonance imaging, arthroscopy, ultrasonography, and X-ray examination. A relatively effective method of treatment of pain in the patellofemoral joint is through isometric exercises of the quadriceps. They increase the strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle and reduce instability in the patellofemoral joint. Aim of the research: To evaluate the effectiveness of isometric exercises of the quadriceps muscle on young female patients with anterior knee pain. Material and methods : The study involved 30 women aged 13–44 years (mean age: 26.8 years, who had been diagnosed with pain in the front of the knee. Results and conclusions: Isometric exercises of the quadriceps muscle are an effective method of reducing anterior knee pain. Isometric exercises have a beneficial influence on improving physical activity, including performing basic activities of daily living. Student’s t distribution showed, that isometric exercises of the quadriceps muscle reduce pain at the front of the knee. Kruskal-Wallis test confirmed a significant reduction of anterior knee pain.

  2. Development of a cushion to prevent ischial pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowker, P; Davidson, L M

    1979-01-01

    A study was carried out jointly by nursing staff and technologists in an attempt to develop a cushion based on scientific principles and measurement that might prevent pressure sores. At each stage in the development clinical trials were carried out, and using the results of these together with the opinions of medical staff and patients who used the cushion the design was suitably modified. Over four years a seat was evolved that was simple to construct and fulfilled the clinical requirements for a wide range of patients while providing maximum relief of high-pressure points. The design was subsequently taken up commercially. Images Fig 3 PMID:509176

  3. Isometric muscle strength and mobility capacity in children with cerebral palsy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dallmeijer, Annet J.; Rameckers, Eugene A.; Houdijk, Han; de Groot, Sonja; Scholtes, Vanessa A.; Becher, Jules G.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the relationship between isometric leg muscle strength and mobility capacity in children with cerebral palsy (CP) compared to typically developing (TD) peers. Method: Participants were 62 children with CP (6-13 years), able to walk with (n=10) or without (n=52) walking aids,

  4. Estimation of 1RM for knee extension based on the maximal isometric muscle strength and body composition

    OpenAIRE

    Kanada, Yoshikiyo; Sakurai, Hiroaki; Sugiura, Yoshito; Arai, Tomoaki; Koyama, Soichiro; Tanabe, Shigeo

    2017-01-01

    [Purpose] To create a regression formula in order to estimate 1RM for knee extensors, based on the maximal isometric muscle strength measured using a hand-held dynamometer and data regarding the body composition. [Subjects and Methods] Measurement was performed in 21 healthy males in their twenties to thirties. Single regression analysis was performed, with measurement values representing 1RM and the maximal isometric muscle strength as dependent and independent variables, respectively. Furth...

  5. Relationship between isometric thigh muscle strength and minimum clinically important differences in knee function in osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruhdorfer, Anja; Wirth, Wolfgang; Eckstein, Felix

    2015-04-01

    To determine the relationship between thigh muscle strength and clinically relevant differences in self-assessed lower leg function. Isometric knee extensor and flexor strength of 4,553 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants (2,651 women and 1,902 men) was related to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) physical function scores by linear regression. Further, groups of male and female participant strata with minimum clinically important differences (MCIDs) in WOMAC function scores (6 of 68 units) were compared across the full range of observed values and to participants without functional deficits (WOMAC score 0). The effect of WOMAC knee pain and body mass index on the above relationships was explored using stepwise regression. Per regression equations, a 3.7% reduction in extensor strength and a 4.0% reduction in flexor strength were associated with an MCID in WOMAC function in women, and, respectively, a 3.6% and 4.8% reduction in men. For strength divided by body weight, reductions were 5.2% and 6.7%, respectively, in women and 5.8% and 6.7%, respectively, in men. Comparing MCID strata across the full observed range of WOMAC function confirmed the above estimates and did not suggest nonlinear relationships across the spectrum of observed values. WOMAC pain correlated strongly with WOMAC function, but extensor (and flexor) muscle strength contributed significant independent information. Reductions of approximately 4% in isometric muscle strength and of 6% in strength per body weight were related to a clinically relevant difference in WOMAC functional disability. Longitudinal studies will need to confirm these relationships within persons. Muscle extensor (and flexor) strength (per body weight) provided significant independent information in addition to pain in explaining variability in lower leg function. Copyright © 2015 by the American College of Rheumatology.

  6. Modular Organization of Exploratory Force Development Under Isometric Conditions in the Human Arm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roh, Jinsook; Lee, Sang Wook; Wilger, Kevin D

    2018-01-31

    Muscle coordination of isometric force production can be explained by a smaller number of modules. Variability in force output, however, is higher during exploratory/transient force development phases than force maintenance phase, and it is not clear whether the same modular structure underlies both phases. In this study, eight neurologically-intact adults isometrically performed target force matches in 54 directions at hands, and electromyographic (EMG) data from eight muscles were parsed into four sequential phases. Despite the varying degree of motor complexity across phases (significant between-phase differences in EMG-force correlation, angular errors, and between-force correlations), the number/composition of motor modules were found equivalent across phases, suggesting that the CNS systematically modulated activation of the same set of motor modules throughout sequential force development.

  7. Criterion and Construct Validity of an Isometric Midthigh-Pull Dynamometer for Assessing Whole-Body Strength in Professional Rugby League Players.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobbin, Nick; Hunwicks, Richard; Jones, Ben; Till, Kevin; Highton, Jamie; Twist, Craig

    2018-02-01

    To examine the criterion and construct validity of an isometric midthigh-pull dynamometer to assess whole-body strength in professional rugby league players. Fifty-six male rugby league players (33 senior and 23 youth players) performed 4 isometric midthigh-pull efforts (ie, 2 on the dynamometer and 2 on the force platform) in a randomized and counterbalanced order. Isometric peak force was underestimated (P  .05) between the predicted and peak force from the force platform and an adjusted R 2 (79.6%) that represented shrinkage of 0.4% relative to the cross-validation model (80%). Peak force was greater for the senior than the youth professionals using the dynamometer (2261.2 ± 222 cf 1725.1 ± 298.0 N, respectively; P isometric midthigh pull assessed using a dynamometer underestimates criterion peak force but is capable of distinguishing muscle-function characteristics between professional rugby league players of different standards.

  8. Eccentric and isometric shoulder rotator cuff strength testing using a hand-held dynamometer: reference values for overhead athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cools, Ann M J; Vanderstukken, Fran; Vereecken, Frédéric; Duprez, Mattias; Heyman, Karel; Goethals, Nick; Johansson, Fredrik

    2016-12-01

    In order to provide science-based guidelines for injury prevention or return to play, regular measurement of isometric and eccentric internal (IR) and external (ER) rotator strength is warranted in overhead athletes. However, up to date, no normative database exists regarding these values, when measured with a hand-held dynamometer. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to provide a normative database on isometric and eccentric rotator cuff (RC) strength values in a sample of overhead athletes, and to discuss gender, age and sports differences. A HHD was used to measure RC strength in 201 overhead athletes between 18 and 50 years old from three different sports disciplines: tennis, volleyball and handball. Isometric as well as eccentric strength was measured in different shoulder positions. Outcome variables of interest were isometric ER and IR strength, eccentric ER strength, and intermuscular strength ratios ER/IR. Our results show significant side, gender and sports discipline differences in the isometric and eccentric RC strength. However, when normalized to body weight, gender differences often are absent. In general, strength differences are in favour of the dominant side, the male athletes and handball. Intermuscular ER/IR ratios showed gender, sports, and side differences. This normative database is necessary to help the clinician in the evaluation of RC strength in healthy and injured overhead athletes. In view of the preventive screening and return-to-play decisions in overhead athletes, normalization to body weight and calculating intermuscular ratios are key points in this evaluation. Diagnostic study, Level III.

  9. Relationship of moderate and low isometric lumbar extension through architectural and muscular activity variables: a cross sectional study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio I; Gonzalez-Sanchez, Manuel

    2013-01-01

    No study relating the changes obtained in the architecture of erector spinae (ES) muscle were registered with ultrasound and different intensities of muscle contraction recorded by surface EMG (electromyography) on the ES muscle was found. The aim of this study was analyse the relationship in the response of the ES muscle during isometric moderate and light lumbar isometric extension considering architecture and functional muscle variables. Cross-sectional study. 46 subjects (52% men) with a group mean age of 30.4 (±7.78). The participants developed isometric lumbar extension while performing moderate and low isometric trunk and hip extension in a sitting position with hips flexed 90 degrees and the lumbar spine in neutral position. During these measurements, electromyography recordings and ultrasound images were taken bilaterally. Bilaterally pennation angle, muscle thickness, torque and muscle activation were measured. This study was developed at the human movement analysis laboratory of the Health Science Faculty of the University of Malaga (Spain). Strong and moderate correlations were found at moderate and low intensities contraction between the variable of the same intensity, with correlation values ranging from 0.726 (Torque Moderate – EMG Left Moderate) to 0.923 (Angle Left Light – Angle Right Light) (p < 0.001). This correlation is observed between the variables that describe the same intensity of contraction, showing a poor correlation between variables of different intensities. There is a strong relationship between architecture and function variables of ES muscle when describe an isometric lumbar extension at light or moderate intensity

  10. Validity and reliability of an instrumented leg-extension machine for measuring isometric muscle strength of the knee extensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruschel, Caroline; Haupenthal, Alessandro; Jacomel, Gabriel Fernandes; Fontana, Heiliane de Brito; Santos, Daniela Pacheco dos; Scoz, Robson Dias; Roesler, Helio

    2015-05-20

    Isometric muscle strength of knee extensors has been assessed for estimating performance, evaluating progress during physical training, and investigating the relationship between isometric and dynamic/functional performance. To assess the validity and reliability of an adapted leg-extension machine for measuring isometric knee extensor force. Validity (concurrent approach) and reliability (test and test-retest approach) study. University laboratory. 70 healthy men and women aged between 20 and 30 y (39 in the validity study and 31 in the reliability study). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values calculated for the maximum voluntary isometric torque of knee extensors at 30°, 60°, and 90°, measured with the prototype and with an isokinetic dynamometer (ICC2,1, validity study) and measured with the prototype in test and retest sessions, scheduled from 48 h to 72 h apart (ICC1,1, reliability study). In the validity analysis, the prototype showed good agreement for measurements at 30° (ICC2,1 = .75, SEM = 18.2 Nm) and excellent agreement for measurements at 60° (ICC2,1 = .93, SEM = 9.6 Nm) and at 90° (ICC2,1 = .94, SEM = 8.9 Nm). Regarding the reliability analysis, between-days' ICC1,1 were good to excellent, ranging from .88 to .93. Standard error of measurement and minimal detectable difference based on test-retest ranged from 11.7 Nm to 18.1 Nm and 32.5 Nm to 50.1 Nm, respectively, for the 3 analyzed knee angles. The analysis of validity and repeatability of the prototype for measuring isometric muscle strength has shown to be good or excellent, depending on the knee joint angle analyzed. The new instrument, which presents a relative low cost and easiness of transportation when compared with an isokinetic dynamometer, is valid and provides consistent data concerning isometric strength of knee extensors and, for this reason, can be used for practical, clinical, and research purposes.

  11. An audit of pressure sores caused by intermittent compression devices used to prevent venous thromboembolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skillman, Joanna; Thomas, Sunil

    2011-12-01

    When intermittent compression devices (ICDs) are used to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) they can cause pressure sores in a selected group of women, undergoing long operations. A prospective audit pre and post intervention showed a reduced risk with an alternative device, without increasing the risk of VTE.

  12. Comparison of isometric cervical flexor and isometric cervical extensor system exercises on patients with neuromuscular imbalance and cervical crossed syndrome associated forward head posture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jaejin; Kim, Dohyeon; Yu, Kyunghoon; Cho, Youngki; You, Joshua H

    2018-01-01

    Isometric cervical flexor system exercise (ICF) and isometric cervical extensor system exercise (ICE) are cervical stabilization techniques that have been used to restore cervical crossed syndrome (CCS)-associated forward head posture. However, the therapeutic effects and underlying motor control mechanisms remain elusive. The purpose of present study was investigating the concurrent therapeutic effects of ICF and ICE on muscle size, muscle imbalance ratio, and muscle recruitment sequence using ultrasound imaging and electromyography. A total of 18 participants (7 females; age=24±4.0 years) with CCS associated with forward head posture underwent ICF and ICE. Paired t-test analysis was used for statistical analysis. Paired t-test analysis showed that sternocleidomastoid thickness was greater during ICF than ICE. Similarly, cross-sectional area and horizontal thickness of the longus colli were greater during ICE than ICF. The upper trapezius/lower trapezius muscle imbalance ratio and the pectoralis major/lower trapezius muscle imbalance ratio were significantly decreased during the application of ICE compared to ICF. These results provide compelling, mechanistic evidence as to how ICE is more beneficial for the restoration of neuromuscular imbalance than ICF in individuals with CCS.

  13. Systemic Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia Following Isometric Exercise Reduces Conditioned Pain Modulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alsouhibani, Ali; Vaegter, Henrik Bjarke; Hoeger Bement, Marie

    2018-04-03

    Physically active individuals show greater conditioned pain modulation (CPM) compared with less active individuals. Understanding the effects of acute exercise on CPM may allow for a more targeted use of exercise in the management of pain. This study investigated the effects of acute isometric exercise on CPM. In addition, the between-session and within-session reliability of CPM was investigated. Experimental, randomized crossover study. Laboratory at Marquette University. Thirty healthy adults (19.3±1.5 years, 15 males). Subjects underwent CPM testing before and after isometric exercise (knee extension, 30% maximum voluntary contraction for three minutes) and quiet rest in two separate experimental sessions. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at the quadriceps and upper trapezius muscles were assessed before, during, and after ice water immersions. PPTs increased during ice water immersion (i.e., CPM), and quadriceps PPT increased after exercise (P CPM decreased similarly following exercise and quiet rest (P > 0.05). CPM within-session reliability was fair to good (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.43-0.70), and the between-session reliability was poor (ICC = 0.20-0.35). Due to the variability in the systemic exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) response, participants were divided into systemic EIH responders (N = 9) and nonresponders (N = 21). EIH responders experienced attenuated CPM following exercise (P = 0.03), whereas the nonresponders showed no significant change (P > 0.05). Isometric exercise decreased CPM in individuals who reported systemic EIH, suggesting activation of shared mechanisms between CPM and systemic EIH responses. These results may improve the understanding of increased pain after exercise in patients with chronic pain and potentially attenuated CPM.

  14. [Multicentre, prospective cohort study, to validate the Italian version of the Braden Q scale for the risk of the pressure sores in newborns and up to 8 years old children].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiari, Paolo; Poli, Marco; Magli, Claudia; Bascelli, Emanuele; Rocchi, Roberto; Bolognini, Silvia; Tartari, Piero; Armuzzi, Roberta; Rossi, Gianna; Peghetti, Angela; Biavati, Catia; Fontana, Mirella; Gazineo, Domenica; Cordella, Simona; Tiozzo, Emanuela; Ciliento, Gaetano; Carta, Giovanna; Taddia, Patrizia

    2012-01-01

    Multicenter prospective cohort study, to validate the Italian version of the Braden Q scale for the risk of pressure sores in newborns and up to 8 years old children. Children admitted to Intensive care Units (ICU), oncology and neurology/neurosurgery wards are at risk of developing pressure sores. To validate the Italian version of the Braden Q scale for the assessment of the risk of developing pressure sores in children. Children from 21 days to 8 years, admitted to intensive and sub intensive units were recruited. Premature babies, children admitted with a pressure sore and with a story of congenital cardiomiopathy were excluded. In this cohort, multicentre and with repeated measurements study, the first assessment was performed after 24 hours from hospital admission, using the Braden Q Scale (Suddaby's version). The pressure sores were assessed with the Skin assessment Tool and staged according to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. RESULTS. On the 157 children 524 observation were conducted. The incidence of pressure sores was 17.2%. Only the analysis on specific subgroups of patients showed a good diagnostic accuracy: 71.4% on children 3-8 years; 85.6% in sub intensive wards. The Braden Q scale may be reliably used and shows a good diagnostic accuracy in children 3-8 years of age admitted to sub-intensive, neurology, oncology and heamatology wards.

  15. Pelvic floor muscle training decreases hip adductors isometric peak torque in incontinent women: an exploratory study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grasiéla Nascimento Correia

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The pelvic floor muscle (PFM training is the most common treatment for urinary incontinence (UI, however many women performed the contraction of PFM with associated contraction of abdominal, gluteus and hip adductors muscles. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of pelvic floor muscle (PFM training on isometric and isokinetic hip adductors peak torque (PT among women suffering from urinary incontinence (UI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a longitudinal and prospective exploratory study. This study included 15 physically active women aged 45 years old and over, who presented complaints of UI. The PFM function (digital evaluation and perineometry, isometric and isokinetic hip adductors PT and one hour pad test were performed before and after treatment. The PFM training was performed in group, one hour once a week for 12 sessions. RESULTS: Significant improvement of PFM function and pressure level (p = 0.003, and significant decrease of hip adductors isometric PT and one-hour pad test, were found post-treatment. Moderate negative correlations between PFM contraction pressure and hip adductors isokinetic PT for dominant side (DS (r = -0.62; p = 0.03 and non-dominant side (NDS (r = -0.64; p = 0.02; and between PFM fast fibers contraction and hip adductors isometric PT for DS (r = -0.60; p = 0.03 and NDS (r = -0.59; p = 0.04 were also found. CONCLUSIONS: The PFM training decreased hip adductors PT and improved PFM functions and UI.

  16. Blood flow after contraction and cuff occlusion is reduced in subjects with muscle soreness after eccentric exercise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Souza-Silva, Eduardo; Wittrup Christensen, Steffan; Hirata, Rogerio Pessoto

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) occur within 1-2 days after eccentric exercise but the mechanism mediating hypersensitivity is unclear. This study hypothesized that eccentric exercise reduces the blood flow response following muscle contractions and cuff occlusion, which may result...... anterior muscle. All measures were done bilaterally at day-0 (pre-exercise), day-2 and day-6 (post-exercise). Subjects scored the muscle soreness on a Likert scale for 6 days. Results: Eccentric exercise increased Likert scores at day-1 and day-2 compared with day-0 (P... in accumulated algesic substances being a part of the sensitization in DOMS. Methods: Twelve healthy subjects (5 women) performed dorsiflexion exercise (5 sets of 10 repeated eccentric contractions) in one leg, while the contralateral leg was the control. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the tibialis...

  17. Baseline and longitudinal change in isometric muscle strength prior to radiographic progression in osteoarthritic and pre-osteoarthritic knees--data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckstein, F; Hitzl, W; Duryea, J; Kent Kwoh, C; Wirth, W

    2013-05-01

    To test whether cross-sectional or longitudinal measures of thigh muscle isometric strength differ between knees with and without subsequent radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), with particular focus on pre-osteoarthritic female knees (knees with risk factors but without definite radiographic KOA). Of 4,796 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants, 2,835 knees with Kellgren Lawrence grade (KLG) 0-3 had central X-ray readings, annual quantitative joint space width (JSW) and isometric muscle strength measurements (Good strength chair). Separate slope analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models were used to determine differences in strength between "progressor" and "non-progressor" knees, after adjusting for age, body mass index, and pain. 466 participant knees exceeded the smallest detectable JSW change during each of two observation intervals (year 2→4 and year 1→3) and were classified as progressors (213 women, 253 men; 128 KLG0/1, 330 KLG2/3); 946 participant knees did not exceed this threshold in either interval and were classified as non-progressors (588 women, 358 from men; 288KLG0/1, 658KLG2/3). Female progressor knees, including those with KLG0/1, tended to have lower extensor and flexor strength at year 2 and at baseline than those without progression, but the difference was not significant after adjusting for confounders. No significant difference was observed in longitudinal change of muscle strength (baseline→year 2) prior to radiographic progression. No significant differences were found for muscle strength in men, and none for change in strength concomitant with progression. This study provides no strong evidence that (changes in) isometric muscle strength precedes or is associated with structural (radiographic) progression of KOA. Copyright © 2013 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Relationships between Isometric Force-Time Characteristics and Dynamic Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Dos’Santos

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP force-time characteristics (peak force and time-specific force vales (100–250 ms and dynamic performance and compare dynamic performance between stronger and weaker athletes. Forty-three athletes from different sports (rowing, soccer, bicycle motocross, and hockey performed three trials of the squat jump (SJ, countermovement jump (CMJ, and IMTP, and performed a one repetition maximum power clean (PC. Reactive strength index modified (RSImod was also calculated from the CMJ. Statistically significant large correlations between IMTP force-time characteristics and PC (ρ = 0.569–0.674, p < 0.001, and moderate correlations between IMTP force-time characteristics (excluding force at 100 ms and RSImod (ρ = 0.389–0.449, p = 0.013–0.050 were observed. Only force at 250 ms demonstrated a statistically significant moderate correlation with CMJ height (ρ = 0.346, p = 0.016 and no statistically significant associations were observed between IMTP force-time characteristics and SJ height. Stronger athletes (top 10 demonstrated statistically significantly greater CMJ heights, RSImods, and PCs (p ≤ 0.004, g = 1.32–1.89 compared to weaker (bottom 10 athletes, but no differences in SJ height were observed (p = 0.871, g = 0.06. These findings highlight that the ability to apply rapidly high levels of force in short time intervals is integral for PC, CMJ height, and reactive strength.

  19. Plyometric training improves voluntary activation and strength during isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrens, Martin; Mau-Moeller, Anett; Mueller, Karoline; Heise, Sandra; Gube, Martin; Beuster, Nico; Herlyn, Philipp K E; Fischer, Dagmar-C; Bruhn, Sven

    2016-02-01

    This study investigated effects of plyometric training (6 weeks, 3 sessions/week) on maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) strength and neural activation of the knee extensors during isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions. Twenty-seven participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Maximum voluntary torques (MVT) during the different types of contraction were measured at 110° knee flexion (180°=full extension). The interpolated twitch technique was applied at the same knee joint angle during isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions to measure voluntary activation. In addition, normalized root mean square of the EMG signal at MVT was calculated. The twitch torque signal induced by electrical nerve stimulation at rest was used to evaluate training-related changes at the muscle level. In addition, jump height in countermovement jump was measured. After training, MVT increased by 20Nm (95% CI: 5-36Nm, P=0.012), 24Nm (95% CI: 9-40Nm, P=0.004) and 27Nm (95% CI: 7-48Nm, P=0.013) for isometric, concentric and eccentric MVCs compared to controls, respectively. The strength enhancements were associated with increases in voluntary activation during isometric, concentric and eccentric MVCs by 7.8% (95% CI: 1.8-13.9%, P=0.013), 7.0% (95% CI: 0.4-13.5%, P=0.039) and 8.6% (95% CI: 3.0-14.2%, P=0.005), respectively. Changes in the twitch torque signal of the resting muscle, induced by supramaximal electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve, were not observed, indicating no alterations at the muscle level, whereas jump height was increased. Given the fact that the training exercises consisted of eccentric muscle actions followed by concentric contractions, it is in particular relevant that the plyometric training increased MVC strength and neural activation of the quadriceps muscle regardless of the contraction mode. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Weathering reactions and isometric log-ratio coordinates: Do they speak to each other?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buccianti, Antonella; Zuo, Renguang

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this contribution is to explore the relationship among some concepts, often considered to be unrelated, such as weathering reactions, compositional data and fractals by means of distribution analysis. Weathering reactions represent the necessary transfer of heat and entropy to the environment in geochemical cycles. Compositional data express the relative abundance of chemical elements/species in a given total (i.e. volume or weight). Fractals are temporal or spatial objects with self-similarity and scale-invariance, so that internal structures repeat themselves over multiple levels of magnification or scales of measurement. Gibbs's free energy and the application of the Law Mass Action can be used to model weathering reactions, under the hypothesis of chemical equilibrium. Compositional data are obtained in the analytical phase after the determination of the concentrations of chemicals in sampled solid, liquid or gaseous materials. Fractals can be measured by using their fractal dimensions. In this paper, the presence of fractal structures is observed when the frequency distribution of isometric log-ratio coordinates is investigated, showing the logarithm of the cumulative number of samples exceeding a certain coordinate value plotted against the coordinate value itself. Isometric log-ratio coordinates (or balances) were constructed by using the sequential binary partition (SBP) method. The balances were identified to maintain, as far as possible, the similarity with a corresponding weathering reaction affecting the Arno river catchment (Tuscany, central Italy) as described by the Law of Mass Action. The emergence of fractal structures indicates the presence of dissipative systems, which require complexity, large numbers of inter-connected elements and stochasticity. - Highlights: • Frequency distribution analysis links compositional data and fractals. • Isometric log-ratio coordinates simulate chemical reactions in weathering processes. • Fractal

  1. Interleukin-6 and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Do Not Vary during the Menstrual Cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaffin, Morgan E.; Berg, Kris E.; Meendering, Jessica R.; Llewellyn, Tamra L.; French, Jeffrey A.; Davis, Jeremy E.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference in interleukin-6 (IL-6) and delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS) exists in two different phases of the menstrual cycle. Nine runners performed one 75-min high-intensity interval running session during the early follicular (EF) phase and once during the midluteal (ML) phase of the…

  2. Interactive effect of aging and local muscle heating on renal vasoconstriction during isometric handgrip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuipers, Nathan T; Sauder, Charity L; Kearney, Matthew L; Ray, Chester A

    2009-08-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the interactive effect of aging and forearm muscle heating on renal vascular conductance and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) during ischemic isometric handgrip. A tube-lined, water-perfused sleeve was used to heat the forearm in 12 young (27 +/- 1 yr) and 9 older (63 +/- 1 yr) subjects. Ischemic isometric handgrip was performed before and after heating. Muscle temperature (intramuscular thermistor) was 34.3 +/- 0.2 and 38.7 +/- 0.1 degrees C during normothermia and heating, respectively. At rest, heating had no effect on renal blood velocity (Doppler ultrasound) or renal vascular conductance in either group (young, n = 12; older, n = 8). Heating compared with normothermia caused a significantly greater increase in renal vasoconstriction during exercise and postexercise muscle ischemia (PEMI) in both groups. However, the increase in renal vasoconstriction during heating was greater in the older compared with the young subjects (18 +/- 3 vs. 8 +/- 3%). During handgrip, heating elicited greater increases in MSNA responses in the older group (young, n = 12; older, n = 6), whereas no statistical difference was observed between groups during PEMI. In summary, aging augments renal vascular responses to ischemic isometric handgrip during heating of the exercising muscle. The greater renal vasoconstriction was associated with augmented MSNA in the older subjects.

  3. Salient Point Detection in Protrusion Parts of 3D Object Robust to Isometric Variations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirloo, Mahsa; Ebrahimnezhad, Hosein

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, a novel method is proposed to detect 3D object salient points robust to isometric variations and stable against scaling and noise. Salient points can be used as the representative points from object protrusion parts in order to improve the object matching and retrieval algorithms. The proposed algorithm is started by determining the first salient point of the model based on the average geodesic distance of several random points. Then, according to the previous salient point, a new point is added to this set of points in each iteration. By adding every salient point, decision function is updated. Hence, a condition is created for selecting the next point in which the iterative point is not extracted from the same protrusion part so that drawing out of a representative point from every protrusion part is guaranteed. This method is stable against model variations with isometric transformations, scaling, and noise with different levels of strength due to using a feature robust to isometric variations and considering the relation between the salient points. In addition, the number of points used in averaging process is decreased in this method, which leads to lower computational complexity in comparison with the other salient point detection algorithms.

  4. Comparison of maximal voluntary isometric contraction and hand-held dynamometry in measuring muscle strength of patients with progressive lower motor neuron syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Visser, J.; Mans, E.; de Visser, M.; van den Berg-Vos, R. M.; Franssen, H.; de Jong, J. M. B. V.; van den Berg, L. H.; Wokke, J. H. J.; de Haan, R. J.

    2003-01-01

    Context. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction, a method quantitatively assessing muscle strength, has proven to be reliable, accurate and sensitive in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Hand-held dynamometry is less expensive and more quickly applicable than maximal voluntary isometric contraction.

  5. Reliability and Validity of a New Method for Isometric Back Extensor Strength Evaluation Using A Hand-Held Dynamometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hee-Won; Baek, Sora; Kim, Hong Young; Park, Jung-Gyoo; Kang, Eun Kyoung

    2017-10-01

    To investigate the reliability and validity of a new method for isometric back extensor strength measurement using a portable dynamometer. A chair equipped with a small portable dynamometer was designed (Power Track II Commander Muscle Tester). A total of 15 men (mean age, 34.8±7.5 years) and 15 women (mean age, 33.1±5.5 years) with no current back problems or previous history of back surgery were recruited. Subjects were asked to push the back of the chair while seated, and their isometric back extensor strength was measured by the portable dynamometer. Test-retest reliability was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). For the validity assessment, isometric back extensor strength of all subjects was measured by a widely used physical performance evaluation instrument, BTE PrimusRS system. The limit of agreement (LoA) from the Bland-Altman plot was evaluated between two methods. The test-retest reliability was excellent (ICC=0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.91). The Bland-Altman plots demonstrated acceptable agreement between the two methods: the lower 95% LoA was -63.1 N and the upper 95% LoA was 61.1 N. This study shows that isometric back extensor strength measurement using a portable dynamometer has good reliability and validity.

  6. Pain relief of sore throat with a new anti-inflammatory throat lozenge, ibuprofen 25 mg: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, international phase III study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouroubi, Athmane; Donazzolo, Yves; Donath, Franck; Eccles, Ron; Russo, Marc; Harambillet, Nadine; Gautier, Stéphanie; Montagne, Agnès

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a new oromucosal ibuprofen form, ibuprofen 25 mg lozenge, in single and repeat dosing for up to 4 days, to the matched placebo, in the treatment of acute sore throat pain in adults. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, adult patients with non-streptococcal sore throat and signs of moderate-to-severe associated pain (≥5 on the objective Tonsillo-Pharyngitis Assessment 21-point scale and ≥60 mm on the subjective 0-100 mm visual analogue Sore Throat Pain Intensity Scale [STPIS]) were assigned ibuprofen 25 mg (n=194) or matching placebo (n=191) lozenge treatment. Efficacy was assessed (at the investigating centre up to 2 hours after first dosing, then on an ambulatory basis) by parameters derived from patient's scores on scales of pain relief, pain intensity, and global efficacy assessment. The primary efficacy end-point was the time-weighted TOTal PAin Relief (TOTPAR) over 2 hours after first dosing using the Sore Throat Relief Scale (STRS). Safety and local tolerability were assessed. Ibuprofen 25 mg was superior to placebo on numerous pain relief parameters; TOTPAR was significantly higher with ibuprofen 25 mg over 2 hours after first dosing (Ppain (n=128), after an average 4 days (Prelief of sore throat pain and is as well tolerated as placebo. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01785862. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. The effect of short-term isometric training on core/torso stiffness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Benjamin; McGill, Stuart

    2017-09-01

    "Core" exercise is a basic part of many physical training regimens with goals ranging from rehabilitation of spine and knee injuries to improving athletic performance. Core stiffness has been proposed to perform several functions including reducing pain by minimising joint micro-movements, and enhancing strength and speed performance. This study probes the links between a training approach and immediate but temporary changes in stiffness. Passive and active stiffness was measured on 24 participants; 12 having little to no experience in core training (inexperienced), and the other 12 being athletes experienced to core training methods; before and after a 15 min bout of isometric core exercises. Passive stiffness was assessed on a "frictionless" bending apparatus and active stiffness assessed via a quick release mechanism. Short-term isometric core training increased passive and active stiffness in most directions for both inexperienced and experienced participants, passive left lateral bend among experienced participants being the exception (P core stiffness, in this case following a single session. This may influence performance and injury resilience for a brief period.

  8. 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.

  9. [Reliability and validity of the Braden Scale for predicting pressure sore risk].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boes, C

    2000-12-01

    For more accurate and objective pressure sore risk assessment various risk assessment tools were developed mainly in the USA and Great Britain. The Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk is one such example. By means of a literature analysis of German and English texts referring to the Braden Scale the scientific control criteria reliability and validity will be traced and consequences for application of the scale in Germany will be demonstrated. Analysis of 4 reliability studies shows an exclusive focus on interrater reliability. Further, even though examination of 19 validity studies occurs in many different settings, such examination is limited to the criteria sensitivity and specificity (accuracy). The range of sensitivity and specificity level is 35-100%. The recommended cut off points rank in the field of 10 to 19 points. The studies prove to be not comparable with each other. Furthermore, distortions in these studies can be found which affect accuracy of the scale. The results of the here presented analysis show an insufficient proof for reliability and validity in the American studies. In Germany, the Braden scale has not yet been tested under scientific criteria. Such testing is needed before using the scale in different German settings. During the course of such testing, construction and study procedures of the American studies can be used as a basis as can the problems be identified in the analysis presented below.

  10. The Effects of Eccentric Contraction Duration on Muscle Strength, Power Production, Vertical Jump, and Soreness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mike, Jonathan N; Cole, Nathan; Herrera, Chris; VanDusseldorp, Trisha; Kravitz, Len; Kerksick, Chad M

    2017-03-01

    Mike, JN, Cole, N, Herrera, C, VanDusseldorp, T, Kravitz, L, and Kerksick, CM. The effects of eccentric contraction duration on muscle strength, power production, vertical jump, and soreness. J Strength Cond Res 31(3): 773-786, 2017-Previous research has investigated the effects of either eccentric-only training or comparing eccentric and concentric exercise on changes related to strength and power expression, but no research to date has investigated the impact of altering the duration of either the concentric or the eccentric component on these parameters. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the duration of eccentric (i.e., 2-second, 4-second vs. 6-second) muscle contractions and their effect on muscle strength, power production, vertical jump, and soreness using a plate-loaded barbell Smith squat exercise. Thirty college-aged men (23 ± 3.5 years, 178 ± 6.8 cm, 82 ± 12 kg, and 11.6 ± 5.1% fat) with 3.0 ± 1.0 years of resistance training experience and training frequency of 4.3 ± 0.9 days per week were randomized and assigned to 1 of 3 eccentric training groups that incorporated different patterns of contraction. For every repetition, all 3 groups used 2-second concentric contractions and paused for 1 second between the concentric and eccentric phases. The control group (2S) used 2-second eccentric contractions, whereas the 4S group performed 4-second eccentric contractions and the 6S group performed 6-second eccentric contractions. All repetitions were completed using the barbell Smith squat exercise. All participants completed a 4-week training protocol that required them to complete 2 workouts per week using their prescribed contraction routine for 4 sets of 6 repetitions at an intensity of 80-85% one repetition maximum (1RM). For all performance data, significant group × time (G × T) interaction effects were found for average power production across all 3 sets of a squat jump protocol (p = 0.04) while vertical jump did not reach

  11. Blood flow after contraction and cuff occlusion is reduced in subjects with muscle soreness after eccentric exercise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Souza-Silva, Eduardo; Wittrup Christensen, Steffan; Hirata, Rogerio Pessoto

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) occur within 1-2 days after eccentric exercise but the mechanism mediating hypersensitivity is unclear. This study hypothesized that eccentric exercise reduces the blood flow response following muscle contractions and cuff occlusion, which may result ...

  12. Effects of winter military training on energy balance, whole-body protein balance, muscle damage, soreness, and physical performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margolis, Lee M; Murphy, Nancy E; Martini, Svein; Spitz, Marissa G; Thrane, Ingjerd; McGraw, Susan M; Blatny, Janet-Martha; Castellani, John W; Rood, Jennifer C; Young, Andrew J; Montain, Scott J; Gundersen, Yngvar; Pasiakos, Stefan M

    2014-12-01

    Physiological consequences of winter military operations are not well described. This study examined Norwegian soldiers (n = 21 males) participating in a physically demanding winter training program to evaluate whether short-term military training alters energy and whole-body protein balance, muscle damage, soreness, and performance. Energy expenditure (D2(18)O) and intake were measured daily, and postabsorptive whole-body protein turnover ([(15)N]-glycine), muscle damage, soreness, and performance (vertical jump) were assessed at baseline, following a 4-day, military task training phase (MTT) and after a 3-day, 54-km ski march (SKI). Energy intake (kcal·day(-1)) increased (P balance was lower (P military training provide the basis for future studies to evaluate nutritional strategies that attenuate protein loss and sustain performance during severe energy deficits.

  13. A simple concept for covering pressure sores: wound edge-based propeller perforator flap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelahmetoglu, Osman; Van Landuyt, Koenraad; Yagmur, Caglayan; Sommeling, Casper E; Keles, Musa K; Tayfur, Volkan; Simsek, Tekin; Demirtas, Yener; Guneren, Ethem

    2017-12-01

    We present a new surgical modification to allow propeller perforator flaps to cover pressure sores at various locations. We used a propeller perforator flap concept based on the detection of newly formed perforator vessels located 1 cm from the wound margin and stimulated by the chronic inflammation process. Between January 2009 and January 2017, 33 wound edge-based propeller perforator flaps were used to cover pressure sores at various locations in 28 patients. In four cases more than one flap was used on the same patient. The patients comprised 18 males and 10 females with a mean age of 41·25 (range, 16-70) years. All patients underwent follow-up for 0-12 months. The mean follow-up duration was 5·03 months. Venous congestion was observed in three flaps that were rotated by 180° (9·1%). However, there was a significant difference between flaps rotated by 90° and 180° according to the complication rate (P = 0·034). Out of 33 flaps, 29 flaps healed uneventfully. Patients were able to sit and lie on their flaps three weeks after surgery. In our study, we were able to obtain satisfying final results using these novel flaps. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Isometric handgrip does not elicit cardiovascular overload or post-exercise hypotension in hypertensive older women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olher RR

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Rafael dos Reis Vieira Olher,1,2,* Danilo Sales Bocalini,3,* Reury Frank Bacurau,4 Daniel Rodriguez,5 Aylton Figueira Jr,5 Francisco Luciano Pontes Jr,4 Francisco Navarro,6 Herbert Gustavo Simões,1 Ronaldo Carvalho Araujo,7 Milton Rocha Moraes8 1Universidade Católica de Brasília, Distrito Federal, 2Universidade Gama Filho, Rio de Janeiro, 3Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE, São Paulo, 4Universidade de São Paulo – Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, São Paulo, 5Universidade São Judas Tadeu (USJT, São Paulo, Brazil, 6Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Maranhão, 7Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, São Paulo, 8Universidade Federal de São Paulo – Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Arterial hypertension is a serious health problem affecting mainly the elderly population. Recent studies have considered both aerobic and resistance exercises as a non-pharmacological aid for arterial hypertension treatment. However, the cardiovascular responses of the elderly to isometric resistance exercise (eg, isometric handgrip [IHG] have not yet been documented. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate cardiovascular responses to different intensities of isometric exercise, as well as the occurrence of post-isometric exercise hypotension in hypertensive elderly people under antihypertensive medication treatment. Patients and methods: Twelve women volunteered to participate in the study after a maximal voluntary contraction test (MVC and standardization of the intervention workload consisting of two sessions of IHG exercise performed in four sets of five contractions of a 10-second duration. Sessions were performed both at 30% of the MVC and 50% of the MVC, using a unilateral IHG protocol. Both intensities were compared with a control session without exercise. Systolic blood pressure (SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP at rest

  15. Normal isometric strength of rotator cuff muscles in adults

    OpenAIRE

    Chezar, A.; Berkovitch, Y.; Haddad, M.; Keren, Y.; Soudry, M.; Rosenberg, N.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives The most prevalent disorders of the shoulder are related to the muscles of rotator cuff. In order to develop a mechanical method for the evaluation of the rotator cuff muscles, we created a database of isometric force generation by the rotator cuff muscles in normal adult population. We hypothesised the existence of variations according to age, gender and dominancy of limb. Methods A total of 400 healthy adult volunteers were tested, classified into groups of 50 men and women for e...

  16. Caffeine-induced increase in voluntary activation and strength of the quadriceps muscle during isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrens, Martin; Mau-Moeller, Anett; Weippert, Matthias; Fuhrmann, Josefin; Wegner, Katharina; Skripitz, Ralf; Bader, Rainer; Bruhn, Sven

    2015-05-13

    This study investigated effects of caffeine ingestion (8 mg/kg) on maximum voluntary torque (MVT) and voluntary activation of the quadriceps during isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions. Fourteen subjects ingested caffeine and placebo in a randomized, controlled, counterbalanced, double-blind crossover design. Neuromuscular tests were performed before and 1 h after oral caffeine and placebo intake. MVTs were measured and the interpolated twitch technique was applied during isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions to assess voluntary activation. Furthermore, normalized root mean square of the EMG signal was calculated and evoked spinal reflex responses (H-reflex evoked at rest and during weak isometric voluntary contraction) as well as twitch torques were analyzed. Caffeine increased MVT by 26.4 N m (95%CI: 9.3-43.5 N m, P = 0.004), 22.5 N m (95%CI: 3.1-42.0 N m, P = 0.025) and 22.5 N m (95%CI: 2.2-42.7 N m, P = 0.032) for isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions. Strength enhancements were associated with increases in voluntary activation. Explosive voluntary strength and voluntary activation at the onset of contraction were significantly increased following caffeine ingestion. Changes in spinal reflex responses and at the muscle level were not observed. Data suggest that caffeine ingestion induced an acute increase in voluntary activation that was responsible for the increased strength regardless of the contraction mode.

  17. Impact of thermal loading and other water quality parameters on the epizootiology of red-sore disease in centrarchids. Progress report, December 1, 1977--November 30, 1978

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esch, G.W.; Hazen, T.C.

    1978-07-01

    The implications from these studies are varied, sometimes clear and sometimes less so, for many of the results have raised new and even more critical questions. Thus, our data clearly show that Aeromonas hydrophila is the etiological agent for red-sore disease. Furthermore, they suggest that the effects of temperature are twofold, first in increasing the density of the pathogen in the water column and then in affecting the physiology of the host organism to such an extent as to increase the probability of acquiring the pathogen. On the other hand, organic loading, suggested by other investigators as being important in red-sore disease, was not identified as being significant in the present study. However, if organic loading, or any of its consequences, can be shown to induce stress, then it may be as important in other systems as temperature is in Par Pond. Thus it is quite conceivable that it (organic loading), or some other water quality parameter, may create conditions conducive to increasing densities of A. hydrophila while simultaneously producing water quality characteristics which would lead to stress in fish, and then to increasing the probability of fish acquiring red-sore disease. An enigmatic observation (see Hazen, 1978, for details) is that A. hydrophila has been recovered from a variety of habitats throughout the U.S., yet red-sore disease is known to occur only in the southeast. This peculiar distribution pattern raises several important questions regarding the epizootiology of red-sore, not the least of which is the possibility of there existing differentially virulent strains of A. hydrophila and/or more or less susceptible populations of potential hosts in various parts of the country. Other significant questions are related to the variability in amplitude of red-sore disease from one year to the next among bass in Par Pond, the mode of entry of the pathogen into largemouth bass, and the basic, cellular mechanisms of stress in largemouth bass.

  18. Impact of thermal loading and other water quality parameters on the epizootiology of red-sore disease in centrarchids. Progress report, December 1, 1977--November 30, 1978

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esch, G.W.; Hazen, T.C.

    1978-07-01

    The implications from these studies are varied, sometimes clear and sometimes less so, for many of the results have raised new and even more critical questions. Thus, our data clearly show that Aeromonas hydrophila is the etiological agent for red-sore disease. Furthermore, they suggest that the effects of temperature are twofold, first in increasing the density of the pathogen in the water column and then in affecting the physiology of the host organism to such an extent as to increase the probability of acquiring the pathogen. On the other hand, organic loading, suggested by other investigators as being important in red-sore disease, was not identified as being significant in the present study. However, if organic loading, or any of its consequences, can be shown to induce stress, then it may be as important in other systems as temperature is in Par Pond. Thus it is quite conceivable that it (organic loading), or some other water quality parameter, may create conditions conducive to increasing densities of A. hydrophila while simultaneously producing water quality characteristics which would lead to stress in fish, and then to increasing the probability of fish acquiring red-sore disease. An enigmatic observation (see Hazen, 1978, for details) is that A. hydrophila has been recovered from a variety of habitats throughout the U.S., yet red-sore disease is known to occur only in the southeast. This peculiar distribution pattern raises several important questions regarding the epizootiology of red-sore, not the least of which is the possibility of there existing differentially virulent strains of A. hydrophila and/or more or less susceptible populations of potential hosts in various parts of the country. Other significant questions are related to the variability in amplitude of red-sore disease from one year to the next among bass in Par Pond, the mode of entry of the pathogen into largemouth bass, and the basic, cellular mechanisms of stress in largemouth bass

  19. Influence of ginger and cinnamon intake on inflammation and muscle soreness endued by exercise in Iranian female athletes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nafiseh Shokri Mashhadi

    2013-01-01

    Conclusions: Administration of ginger and cinnamon in athlete women for six weeks did not show any significant change in the IL-6 level, but showed a decrease in muscle soreness in the cinnamon and ginger groups.

  20. Isometric and isokinetic muscle strength in patients with fibrositis syndrome. New characteristics for a difficult definable category of patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Søren; Danneskiold-Samsøe, B

    1987-01-01

    A common complaint among patients with fibrositis syndrome is exhaustion and fatique. It was therefore felt desirable to evaluate the muscle strength of these patients compared with normal subjects. Maximum isometric and isokinetic strength of knee extension was measured in 15 patients and 15...... healthy matched subjects, using an isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex II). Maximum isometric strength at various knee extension angles (90 degrees, 60 degrees and 30 degrees degrees) was significantly (p less than 0.001) lower in the fibrositis group than in controls, a reduction of approximately 58......-66%. Maximum isokinetic strength at various knee extension velocities (30-240 degrees per second) was also significantly (p less than 0.01) lower in the fibrositis group than in controls, the reduction being approximately 41-51%. In conclusion, isometric and isokinetic muscle strength is found to be lower...

  1. Activation of lower back muscles via FES for pressure sores prevention in paraplegia: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanoncini, M; Holderbaum, W; Andrews, B J

    2010-04-01

    The aim of this paper is to show the feasibility of the use of functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the lower back muscles for pressure sores prevention in paraplegia. The hypothesis under study is that FES induces a change in the pressure distribution on the contact area during sitting. Tests were conducted on a paraplegic subject (T5), sitting on a standard wheelchair and cushion. Trunk extensors (mainly the erector spinae) were stimulated using surface electrodes placed on the skin. A pressure mapping system was used to measure the pressure on the sitting surface in four situations: (a) no stimulation; (b) stimulation on one side of the spine only; (c) stimulation on both sides, at different levels; and (d) stimulation at the same level on both sides, during pressure-relief manoeuvres. A session of prolonged stimulation was also conducted. The experimental results show that the stimulation of the erector spinae on one side of the spine can induce a trunk rotation on the sagittal plane, which causes a change in the pressure distribution. A decrease of pressure on the side opposite to the stimulation was recorded. The phenomenon is intensified when different levels of stimulation are applied to the two sides, and such change can be sustained for a considerable time (around 5 minutes). The stimulation did not induce changes during pressure-relief manoeuvres. Finally, from this research we can conclude that the stimulation of the trunk extensors can be a useful tool for pressure sores prevention, and can potentially be used in a routine for pressure sores prevention based on periodical weight shifts.

  2. Supplementation with a Polyphenol-Rich Extract, TensLess® , Attenuates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and Improves Muscle Recovery from Damages After Eccentric Exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romain, Cindy; Freitas, Tomás T; Martínez-Noguera, Francisco J; Laurent, Caroline; Gaillet, Sylvie; Chung, Linda H; Alcaraz, Pedro E; Cases, Julien

    2017-11-01

    High-intensity exercises are known to provoke delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Delayed onset muscle soreness typically occurs within the first 24 h, peaks between 24 and 72 h, and can last as long as 5-7 days post-exercise. Delayed onset muscle soreness is a multifactorial process involving both mechanical and biochemical components, associated with clinical features that may limit range of motion, and athletes seek for effective recovery strategies to optimize future training sessions. TensLess ® is a food supplement developed to help manage post-exercise recovery. The supplement has been investigated on 13 recreationally active athletes of both sex, during a randomized, double-blind, and crossover clinical investigation, including a 3-week washout period. The clinical investigation was based on the study of TensLess ® effects for DOMS management and on the reduction of associated muscle damages following an eccentric exercise protocol. Supplementation with TensLess ® induced significant decrease in DOMS perception (-33%; p = 0.008) as of the first 24 h; this was significantly correlated with a lowered release of muscle damage-associated biomarkers, namely myoglobin, creatinine, and creatine kinase, for the whole length of the recovery period. Taken together, these positive results clearly indicate that post-exercise supplementation with TensLess ® may preserve myocytes and reduce soreness following eccentric exercise-induced damages, and, accordingly, significantly shorten muscle recovery. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. [Repair of pressure sores over ischial tuberosity with long head of biceps femoris muscle flap combined with semi-V posterior thigh fasciocutaneous flap].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hai, Heng-lin; Shen, Chuan-an; Chai, Jia-ke; Li, Hua-tao

    2012-02-01

    To explore the clinical effect of transplantation of the long head of biceps femoris muscle flap in combination with semi-V posterior thigh fasciocutaneous flap for repair of pressure sores over ischial tuberosity. Eight patients with 10 deep pressure sores over ischial tuberosity were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital to the PLA General Hospital and the 98th Hospital of PLA from April 2004 to June 2010. The wounds measured from 2 cm × 2 cm to 6 cm × 4 cm were covered with the long head of biceps femoris muscle flap and semi-V posterior thigh fasciocutaneous flap (ranged from 10 cm × 6 cm to 13 cm × 8 cm). The condition of flaps was observed and followed up for a long time. All flaps survived. Nine wounds healed by first intention. Subcutaneous accumulation of fluids occurred in one wound with formation of a sinus at drainage site, and it healed after dressing change for 25 days. Patients were followed up for 7 to 34 months. Sore recurred in one patient 9 months after surgery, and it was successfully repaired with the same flap for the second time. Flaps in the other 7 patients appeared satisfactory with soft texture and without ulceration. This combined flap is easy in formation and transfer, and it causes little side injury with good resistance against pressure. It is a new method for repair of pressure sore over sacral region.

  4. Dystonic neck muscles show a shift in relative autospectral power during isometric contractions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Bruijn, E.; Nijmeijer, S. W. R.; Forbes, P. A.; Koelman, J. H. T. M.; Van Der Helm, F. C. T.; Tijssen, M. A. J.; Happee, R.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To identify effects of a deviant motor drive in the autospectral power of dystonic muscles during voluntary contraction in cervical dystonia patients. Methods: Submaximal (20%) isometric head-neck tasks were performed with the head fixed, measuring surface EMG of the sternocleidomastoid,

  5. Effects of adding whole body vibration to squat training on isometric force/time characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamont, Hugh S; Cramer, Joel T; Bemben, Debra A; Shehab, Randa L; Anderson, Mark A; Bemben, Michael G

    2010-01-01

    Resistance training interventions aimed at increasing lower-body power and rates of force development have produced varying results. Recent studies have suggested that whole-body low-frequency vibration (WBLFV) may elicit an acute postactivation potentiation response, leading to acute improvements in power and force development. Potentially, the use of WBLFV between sets of resistance training rather than during training itself may lead to increased recruitment and synchronization of high-threshold motor units, minimize fatigue potential, and facilitate the chronic adaptation to resistance exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of applying TriPlaner, WBLFV, prior to and then intermittently between sets of Smith machine squats on short-term adaptations in explosive isometric force expression. Thirty recreationally resistance trained men aged 18-30 were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: resistance training only (SQT, n = 11), resistance plus whole-body vibration (SQTV, n = 13), or active control (CON, n = 6). An isometric squat test was performed prior to and following a 6-week periodized Smith machine squat program. Whole-body low-frequency vibration was applied 180 seconds prior to the first work set (50 Hz, 2-4 mm, 30 seconds) and intermittently (50 Hz, 4-6 mm, 3 x 10 seconds, 60 seconds between exposures) within a 240-second interset rest period. Subjects were instructed to assume a quarter squat posture while positioning their feet directly under their center of mass, which was modified using a handheld goniometer to a knee angle of 135 +/- 5 degrees . Instructions were given to subjects to apply force as fast and as hard as possible for 3.5 seconds. Isometric force (N) and rates of force development (N.s(-1)) were recorded from the onset of contraction (F(0)) to time points corresponding to 30, 50, 80, 100, 150, and 250 milliseconds, as well as the peak isometric rate of force development (PISORFD), and rate of force development to

  6. Effect of St.John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) oily extract for the care and treatment of pressure sores; a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yücel, Ali; Kan, Yüksel; Yesilada, Erdem; Akın, Onat

    2017-01-20

    Topical formulations such as oily extracts or ointments prepared with the flowering aerial parts of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L., Hypericaceae) have been used in the management of a wide range dermatological problems including superficial wounds and burns, bruises, contusions and many others in the worldwide traditional medicines. This is the first case study reporting the beneficial effects of an oily extract of St. John's wort in the treatment of pressure sores in a intensive care unit (ICU) patient. The oily extract of St. John's wort was applied to a volunteer patient at ICU daily for forty successive days for wound care and treatment. Healing status was monitored macroscopically by measuring the wound size and stages at certain intervals as well as histopathological evaluation of the tissue sections taken at the initial and final dates of treatment. Evaluation of the results obtained from the macroscopical and histopathological experimentation have shown that oily extract of St. John's wort provided significant efficacy for the treatment of pressure sore wounds. St. John's wort oily extract may be suggested as a cost-effective option for the prevention or treatment of pressure sores in ICU patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Evaluation of isometric strength and fatty infiltration of the subscapularis in latarjet surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dos Santos, Ricardo Barreto Monteiro; Kauffman, Fábio Neumann; de Lima, Gabriel Praxedes; Ferreira, Avraham Machado Costa; Dos Santos, Saulo Monteiro; Aguiar, José Lamartine de Andrade

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the function of the subscapularis muscle by means of isometric strength, clinical examination and analysis of fatty infiltration in patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder undergoing Latarjet-Patte surgery. 38 patients operated from March 2011 to March 2012, with minimum follow-up of two years were evaluated, being 26 males and 12 females, with a mean age of 28.7 years old. Isometric strength was measured using a portable dynamometer and measuring the distance from the back of the hand during the lift-off test. We used the Rowe and Walch-Duplay scores for clinical evaluation. The degree of fatty infiltration of the subscapularis belly was assessed by computed tomography. The mean scores in the Walch-Duplay and Rowe were 84.7 and 89.4, respectively. The mean distance to the back of the hand was 7.34 cm on the operated side and 8.72 cm on the opposite side (p strength measured in the lift-off test was 0.38 kg lower than on the contralateral side (p = 0.001). There was no fatty infiltration of the subscapularis in 16 patients (42.1%). Sixteen patients (42.1%) were classified as Goutallier grade 1 and six (15.8%) as grade 2. We found that the measured isometric strength decreases with increasing the degree of fatty infiltration (p strength, albeit of low magnitude (0.38 kg), was directly related to the degree of fatty infiltration and worse clinical outcomes. Level of Evidence III, Therapeutic Study - Investigating the Results of Treatment.

  8. Isometric force exaggeration in simulated weightlessness by water immersion: role of visual feedback.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalecki, Marc; Bock, Otmar

    2014-06-01

    Previous studies reported that humans produce exaggerated isometric forces (20-50%) in microgravity, hypergravity, and under water. Subjects were not provided with visual feedback and exaggerations were attributed to proprioceptive deficits. The few studies that provided visual feedback in micro- and hypergravity found no deficits. The present work was undertaken to find out whether visual feedback can reduce or eliminate isometric force exaggerations during shallow water immersion, a working environment for astronauts and divers. There were 48 subjects who had to produce isometric forces of 15 N with a joystick; targets were presented via screen. Procedures were similar to earlier studies, but provided visual feedback. Subjects were tested 16.4 ft (5 m) under water (WET) and on dry land (DRY). Response accuracy was calculated with landmarks such as initial and peak force magnitude, and response timing. Initial force and response timing were equal in WET compared to DRY. A small but significant force exaggeration (+5%) remained for peak force in WET that was limited to directions toward the trunk. Force exaggeration under water is largely compensated, but not completely eliminated by visual feedback. As in earlier studies without visual feedback, force exaggeration manifested during later but not early response parts, speaking for impaired proprioceptive feedback rather than for erroneous central motor planning. Since in contrast to micro/hypergravity, visual feedback did not sufficiently abolish force deficits under water, proprioceptive information seems to be weighted differently in micro/hypergravity and shallow water immersion, probably because only the latter environment produces increased ambient pressure, which is known to induce neuronal changes.

  9. The influence of an artificial playing surface on injury risk and perceptions of muscle soreness in elite Rugby Union.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, S; Trewartha, G; Kemp, S P T; Michell, R; Stokes, K A

    2016-01-01

    This prospective cohort study investigated the influence of an artificial playing surface on injury risk and perceptions of muscle soreness in elite English Premiership Rugby Union players. Time loss (from 39.5 matches) and abrasion (from 27 matches) injury risk was compared between matches played on artificial turf and natural grass. Muscle soreness was reported over the 4 days following one match played on each surface by 95 visiting players (i.e., normally play on natural grass surfaces). There was a likely trivial difference in the overall injury burden relating to time-loss injuries between playing surfaces [rate ratio = 1.01, 90% confidence interval (CI): 0.73-1.38]. Abrasions were substantially more common on artificial turf (rate ratio = 7.92, 90% CI: 4.39-14.28), although the majority of these were minor and only two resulted in any reported time loss. Muscle soreness was consistently higher over the 4 days following a match on artificial turf in comparison with natural grass, although the magnitude of this effect was small (effect sizes ranging from 0.26 to 0.40). These results suggest that overall injury risk is similar for the two playing surfaces, but further surveillance is required before inferences regarding specific injury diagnoses and smaller differences in overall injury risk can be made. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescent angiography-assisted modified superior gluteal artery perforator flap for reconstruction of sacral pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Chun-Kai; Wu, Chien-Ju; Chen, Chun-Yu; Wang, Chi-Yu; Chu, Tzi-Shiang; Hsu, Kuo-Feng; Chiu, Han-Ting; Liu, Hung-Hui; Chou, Chang-Yi; Wang, Chih-Hsin; Lin, Chin-Ta; Dai, Niann-Tzyy; Tzeng, Yuan-Sheng

    2017-12-01

    Pressure sores are often observed in patients who are bedridden. They can be a severe problem not only for patients and their caregivers but also for plastic surgeons. Here, we describe a new method of superior gluteal artery perforator flap harvesting and anchoring with the assistance of intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescent angiography. In this report, we describe the procedure and outcomes for 19 patients with grades III and IV sacral pressure sores who underwent the operation between September 2015 and November 2016. All flaps survived, and two experienced wound-edge partial dehiscence. With the assistance of this imaging device, we were able to acquire a reliable superior gluteal artery perforator flap and perform modified operations with it that are safe, easy to learn and associated with fewer complications than are traditional. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Diurnal and day-to-day variation of isometric muscle strength in myasthenia gravis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vinge, Lotte; Jakobsen, Johannes; Pedersen, Asger Roer

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: In patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), muscle strength is expected to decrease gradually during the day due to physical activities. METHODS: Isometric muscle strength at the shoulder, knee, and ankle was determined in 10 MG patients (MGFA class II-IV) who were receiving usual...

  12. Marine oil dietary supplementation reduces delayed onset muscle soreness after a 30 km run

    OpenAIRE

    Baum, Klaus; Telford, Richard D; Cunningham, Ross B

    2013-01-01

    Klaus Baum,1 Richard D Telford,2 Ross B Cunningham,3 1Trainingsinstitut Prof Baum, Köln, Germany; 2College of Medicine, Biology, and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; 3The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia Objective: Runners are prone to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) during long distance training. This especially holds for unaccustomed training volumes at moderate to high int...

  13. An investigation of the tri-bar gripping system on isometric muscular endurance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drury, Daniel G; Faggiono, Heath; Stuempfle, Kristin J

    2004-11-01

    Recently, a new product called the Tri-Bar has been introduced as an alternative to the standard round weightlifting bar. The Tri-Bar has the same weight, length, and circumference as a standard weightlifting bar and differs only in that the shape of the bar is formed like a triangle with rounded edges. Theoretically, the shape of the bar will enhance gripping comfort and increase muscular endurance. We studied 32 moderately trained males who were free from upper-body injury or limitation. Each participant completed 4 visits to the lab as part of 2 separate investigations. The first investigation was a comparison of straight-arm hang times while grasping a standard Olympic bar or a Tri-Bar attached to the top of a power rack. The second investigation involved grasping a standard revolving cable handle or a Tri-Bar revolving handle attached to a weight equal to half the subject's body weight. In both investigations, time was used as a measure of isometric muscular endurance. Differences were determined using a dependent t-test, and a level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Mean hang times were significantly longer when the men hung from the Tri-Bar (107.6 seconds) versus the standard bar (95.4 seconds) (p = 0.015). Conversely, in the investigation using the revolving handles, the round bar produced longer grasping times (71.5 seconds) than the Tri-Bar (62.6 seconds) (p = 0.000). The results of this investigation indicate that a fixed and stable Tri-Bar may help to increase hang time, but a Tri-Bar free to rotate within the grasp may decrease grasping time in comparison to a standard round handle. With regard to exercises that require isometric grasping, the Tri-Bar may be an effective alternative to the standard bar for increasing isometric grasping endurance.

  14. Test-retest reliability of a handheld dynamometer for measurement of isometric cervical muscle strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vannebo, Katrine Tranaas; Iversen, Vegard Moe; Fimland, Marius Steiro; Mork, Paul Jarle

    2018-03-02

    There is a lack of test-retest reliability studies of measurements of cervical muscle strength, taking into account gender and possible learning effects. To investigate test-retest reliability of measurement of maximal isometric cervical muscle strength by handheld dynamometry. Thirty women (age 20-58 years) and 28 men (age 20-60 years) participated in the study. Maximal isometric strength (neck flexion, neck extension, and right/left lateral flexion) was measured on three separate days at least five days apart by one evaluator. Intra-rater consistency tended to improve from day 1-2 measurements to day 2-3 measurements in both women and men. In women, the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for day 2 to day 3 measurements were 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.95) for neck flexion, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.76-0.94) for neck extension, 0.84 (95% CI, 0.68-0.92) for right lateral flexion, and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.78-0.95) for left lateral flexion. The corresponding ICCs among men were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.72-0.93) for neck flexion, 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85-0.97) for neck extension, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.65-0.91) for right lateral flexion and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.50-0.87) for left lateral flexion. This study describes a reliable and easy-to-administer test for assessing maximal isometric cervical muscle strength.

  15. Low-Budget Instrumentation of a Conventional Leg Press to Measure Reliable Isometric-Strength Capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baur, Heiner; Groppa, Alessia Severina; Limacher, Regula; Radlinger, Lorenz

    2016-02-02

    Maximum strength and rate of force development (RFD) are 2 important strength characteristics for everyday tasks and athletic performance. Measurements of both parameters must be reliable. Expensive isokinetic devices with isometric modes are often used. The possibility of cost-effective measurements in a practical setting would facilitate quality control. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of measurements of maximum isometric strength (Fmax) and RFD on a conventional leg press. Sixteen subjects (23 ± 2 y, 1.68 ± 0.05 m, 59 ± 5 kg) were tested twice within 1 session. After warm-up, subjects performed 2 times 5 trials eliciting maximum voluntary isometric contractions on an instrumented leg press (1- and 2-legged randomized). Fmax (N) and RFD (N/s) were extracted from force-time curves. Reliability was determined for Fmax and RFD by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the test-retest variability (TRV), and the bias and limits of agreement. Reliability measures revealed good to excellent ICCs of .80-.93. TRV showed mean differences between measurement sessions of 0.4-6.9%. The systematic error was low compared with the absolute mean values (Fmax 5-6%, RFD 1-4%). The implementation of a force transducer into a conventional leg press provides a viable procedure to assess Fmax and RFD. Both performance parameters can be assessed with good to excellent reliability allowing quality control of interventions.

  16. Isometric multimodal photoacoustic microscopy based on optically transparent micro-ring ultrasonic detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Biqin; Li, Hao; Zhang, Zhen; Zhang, Kevin; Chen, Siyu; Sun, Cheng; Zhang, Hao F

    2015-01-01

    Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is an attractive imaging tool complementary to established optical microscopic modalities by providing additional molecular specificities through imaging optical absorption contrast. While the development of optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (ORPAM) offers high lateral resolution, the acoustically-determined axial resolution is limited due to the constraint in ultrasonic detection bandwidth. ORPAM with isometric spatial resolution along both axial and lateral direction is yet to be developed. Although recently developed sophisticated optical illumination and reconstruction methods offer improved axial resolution in ORPAM, the image acquisition procedures are rather complicated, limiting their capabilities for high-speed imaging and being easily integrated with established optical microscopic modalities. Here we report an isometric ORPAM based on an optically transparent micro-ring resonator ultrasonic detector and a commercial inverted microscope platform. Owing to the superior spatial resolution and the ease of integrating our ORPAM with established microscopic modalities, single cell imaging with extrinsic fluorescence staining, intrinsic autofluorescence, and optical absorption can be achieved simultaneously. This technique holds promise to greatly improve the accessibility of PAM to the broader biomedical researchers.

  17. Histopathology of red-sore disease (aeromonas hydrophila) in naturally and experimentally infected largemouth bass micropterus salmoides(lacepede)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huizinga, H W [Illinois State Univ., Normal; Esch, G W; Hazen, T C

    1979-01-01

    The histopathology of red-sore disease, caused by the gram-negative bacterium, Aeromonas hydrophila, is described for largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Externally, lesions range from those affecting a few scales (pin-point), to those associated with extensive chronic ulcerations; there is focal hemorrhage, oedema and dermal necrosis which exposes underlying muscles producing infiltration of mononuclear and granulocytic inflammatory cells. Internally, the liver and kidneys are foci for toxic products produced by A. hydrophila with, in the most severe cases, complete destruction of the structural integrity of both organs. Pathological changes were not serious in either the spleen or heart, even in cases with massive damage in the liver and kidney. Internal and external lesions were similar in both natural and experimentally induced infections. The pathobiology of red-sore disease in bass was postulated to be linked to elevated water temperature stimulating increased metabolism, decreased body condition and stress, leading to the increased production of corticosteroids and the concommitant rise in susceptibility to infection.

  18. Deformation and three-dimensional displacement of fibers in isometrically contracting rat plantaris muscles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Savelberg, Hans H.C.M.; Willems, Paul J.B.; Willems, P.; Baan, Guus C.; Huijing, P.A.J.B.M.

    2001-01-01

    In this study, the deformation of different fibers of the rat m. plantaris during isometric contractions at different muscle lengths was considered. Because the m. plantaris has an obviously inhomogeneous architecture, its fibers on the medial side of the muscle belly are judged to be shorter than

  19. Estimations of One Repetition Maximum and Isometric Peak Torque in Knee Extension Based on the Relationship Between Force and Velocity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiura, Yoshito; Hatanaka, Yasuhiko; Arai, Tomoaki; Sakurai, Hiroaki; Kanada, Yoshikiyo

    2016-04-01

    We aimed to investigate whether a linear regression formula based on the relationship between joint torque and angular velocity measured using a high-speed video camera and image measurement software is effective for estimating 1 repetition maximum (1RM) and isometric peak torque in knee extension. Subjects comprised 20 healthy men (mean ± SD; age, 27.4 ± 4.9 years; height, 170.3 ± 4.4 cm; and body weight, 66.1 ± 10.9 kg). The exercise load ranged from 40% to 150% 1RM. Peak angular velocity (PAV) and peak torque were used to estimate 1RM and isometric peak torque. To elucidate the relationship between force and velocity in knee extension, the relationship between the relative proportion of 1RM (% 1RM) and PAV was examined using simple regression analysis. The concordance rate between the estimated value and actual measurement of 1RM and isometric peak torque was examined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Reliability of the regression line of PAV and % 1RM was 0.95. The concordance rate between the actual measurement and estimated value of 1RM resulted in an ICC(2,1) of 0.93 and that of isometric peak torque had an ICC(2,1) of 0.87 and 0.86 for 6 and 3 levels of load, respectively. Our method for estimating 1RM was effective for decreasing the measurement time and reducing patients' burden. Additionally, isometric peak torque can be estimated using 3 levels of load, as we obtained the same results as those reported previously. We plan to expand the range of subjects and examine the generalizability of our results.

  20. ANODAL TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION (TDCS) INCREASES ISOMETRIC STRENGTH OF SHOULDER ROTATORS MUSCLES IN HANDBALL PLAYERS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazime, Fuad Ahmad; da Cunha, Ronaldo Alves; Soliaman, Renato Rozenblit; Romancini, Ana Clara Bezerra; Pochini, Alberto de Castro; Ejnisman, Benno; Baptista, Abrahão Fontes

    2017-06-01

    Weakness of the rotator cuff muscles can lead to imbalances in the strength of shoulder external and internal rotators, change the biomechanics of the glenohumeral joint and predispose an athlete to injury. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that has demonstrated promising results in a variety of health conditions. However few studies addressed its potential approach in the realm of athletics. The purpose of this study was to investigate if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) technique increases the isometric muscle strength of shoulder external and internal rotators in handball athletes. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Eight female handball players aged between 17 and 21 years (Mean=19.65; SD=2.55) with 7.1 ± 4.8 years of experience in training, participating in regional and national competitions were recruited. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of shoulder external and internal rotator muscles was evaluated during and after 30 and 60 minutes post one session of anodal and sham current (2mA; 0.057mA/cm 2 ) with a one-week interval between stimulations. Compared to baseline, MVIC of shoulder external and internal rotators significantly increased after real but not sham tDCS. Between-group differences were observed for external and internal rotator muscles. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction of external rotation increased significantly during tDCS, and 30 and 60 minutes post-tDCS for real tDCS compared to that for sham tDCS. For internal rotation MVIC increased significantly during and 60 minutes post-tDCS. The results indicate that transcranial direct current stimulation temporarily increases maximal isometric contractions of the internal and external rotators of the shoulder in handball players. 2.

  1. Effect of functional isometric squats on vertical jump in trained and untrained men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berning, Joseph M; Adams, Kent J; DeBeliso, Mark; Sevene-Adams, Patricia G; Harris, Chad; Stamford, Bryant A

    2010-09-01

    Functional isometrics (FIs) combine dynamic and isometric muscle actions and may hyperstimulate the nervous system leading to an enhanced postactivation potentiation (PAP) and improved subsequent performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an FI squat on the countermovement vertical jump (CMVJ) in resistance trained and untrained men. Thirteen trained men (age: 22.8 +/- 3.2 years, mass: 90.0 +/- 16.3 kg, and height: 178.9 +/- 7.1 cm) and 8 untrained men (age: 28.5 +/- 5.9 years, mass: 101.5 +/- 23.0 kg, and height: 177.0 +/- 4.8 cm) participated. On separate days, subjects performed CMVJs after 2 different warm-up conditions. The warm-up conditions consisted of either 5 minutes of low-intensity cycling or 5 minutes of low-intensity cycling plus a 3-second FI squat with 150% of their 1 repetition maximum (1RM). A 2 x 3 repeated-measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni post hoc revealed that when comparing the 2 warm-up conditions in the trained subjects, a significant increase (p squat. This increase was maintained when subjects were retested at 5 minutes post (2.6 cm, + 5.5%). No significant difference in CMVJ was detected in the untrained group (p = 0.49). Results support the addition of an FI squat performed at 150% of 1RM to a low-intensity cycling warm-up to enhance PAP in resistance trained but not in untrained men as measured by CMVJ. Practically, adding functional isometrics to a warm-up scheme may significantly enhance acute, short-term power output in resistance trained men.

  2. A β-cyclodextrin, polyethyleneimine and silk fibroin hydrogel containing Centella asiatica extract and hydrocortisone acetate: releasing properties and in vivo efficacy for healing of pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, M S; Seo, S R; Kim, J-C

    2012-10-01

      Pressure sores are lesions caused by impaired blood flow. Conventional dressings can absorb exudates, but do not promote wound healing. A hydrogel composed of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), polyethyleneimine (PEI) and silk fibroin (SF) was assessed for use in healing of pressure sores. The hydrogel was prepared by crosslinking β-CD-grafted PEI and SF using epichlorohydrin. The gel was then immersed in an aqueous solution of Centella asiatica extract (CAE) 0.7 mg/mL and/or hydrocortisone acetate (HCA) 0.5 mg/mL. The in vivo pressure sore-healing efficacy of the dry gel (with or without the drugs) was investigated in terms of the hyperplasia of epidermis and the number of neutrophils in the skin tissue. The specific loading of CAE was 0.0091 g/g of dry gel. The percentage of CAE released at 24 h at pH 3.0, 5.0 and 7.4 was approximately 63.9%, 55.0% and 44.4%, respectively. This pH-dependent release is possibly due to the degree of gel swelling, which decreased with increasing pH. The specific loading of HCA was 0.0050 g/g dry gel, and the percentage release of HCA at 24 h was around 20% at all three pH points. It is likely that HCA release is independent of pH. HCA is a hydrophobic compound, and therefore the release of HCA is affected by the partitioning of HCA between the β-CD cavity and the bulk water phase, but not by the degree of swelling of the hydrogel. The pressure sores treated with the hydrogel healed in 6 days, compared with 10 days for controls. In this study, a β-CD/PEI/SF hydrogel containing CAE and HCA reduced the healing time for pressure sores. © The Author(s). CED © 2012 British Association of Dermatologists.

  3. An Indexed Bibliography on Tracking

    Science.gov (United States)

    1990-07-01

    1969). Level of maximum isometric strength and relative load isometric endurance. rgonomic, 12(3), 429. 0156 Caro , P. W., Jr. (1969). Adaptive training...spot. Electro- Tecnology, 39-47. 0746 Mendez , A. J., Freitag, M., & Zinn, W. (1972). Human factors analysis of forward looking infrared (FLIR) imagery in...J. R. 0154 Carlson, B. R. 0155 Caro , P. W., Jr. 0156 Carpp, L. 1067 Carretta, T. R. 0157 Casey, S. M. 0158 Cassel, T. Z. 0394 Catalano, J. F. 0159

  4. Acute effect of whole body vibration on isometric strength, squat jump, and flexibility in well-trained combat athletes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cem Kurt

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of whole body vibration (WBV training on maximal strength, squat jump, and flexibility of well-trained combat athletes. Twelve female and 8 male combat athletes (age: 22.8 ± 3.1 years, mass: 65.4 ± 10.7 kg, height: 168.8 ± 8.8 cm, training experience: 11.6 ± 4.7 years, training volume: 9.3 ± 2.8 hours/week participated in this study. The study consisted of three sessions separated by 48 hours. The first session was conducted for familiarization. In the subsequent two sessions, participants performed WBV or sham intervention in a randomized, balanced order. During WBV intervention, four isometric exercises were performed (26 Hz, 4 mm. During the sham intervention, participants performed the same WBV intervention without vibration treatment (0 Hz, 0 mm. Hand grip, squat jump, trunk flexion, and isometric leg strength tests were performed after each intervention. The results of a two-factor (pre-post[2] × intervention[2] repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction (p = 0.018 of pre-post × intervention only for the hand grip test, indicating a significant performance increase of moderate effect (net increase of 2.48%, d = 0.61 after WBV intervention. Squat jump, trunk flexion, and isometric leg strength performances were not affected by WBV. In conclusion, the WBV protocol used in this study potentiated hand grip performance, but did not enhance squat jump, trunk flexion, or isometric leg strength in well-trained combat athletes.

  5. Acute effect of whole body vibration on isometric strength, squat jump, and flexibility in well-trained combat athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurt, C; Pekünlü, E

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of whole body vibration (WBV) training on maximal strength, squat jump, and flexibility of well-trained combat athletes. Twelve female and 8 male combat athletes (age: 22.8 ± 3.1 years, mass: 65.4 ± 10.7 kg, height: 168.8 ± 8.8 cm, training experience: 11.6 ± 4.7 years, training volume: 9.3 ± 2.8 hours/week) participated in this study. The study consisted of three sessions separated by 48 hours. The first session was conducted for familiarization. In the subsequent two sessions, participants performed WBV or sham intervention in a randomized, balanced order. During WBV intervention, four isometric exercises were performed (26 Hz, 4 mm). During the sham intervention, participants performed the same WBV intervention without vibration treatment (0 Hz, 0 mm). Hand grip, squat jump, trunk flexion, and isometric leg strength tests were performed after each intervention. The results of a two-factor (pre-post[2] × intervention[2]) repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction (p = 0.018) of pre-post × intervention only for the hand grip test, indicating a significant performance increase of moderate effect (net increase of 2.48%, d = 0.61) after WBV intervention. Squat jump, trunk flexion, and isometric leg strength performances were not affected by WBV. In conclusion, the WBV protocol used in this study potentiated hand grip performance, but did not enhance squat jump, trunk flexion, or isometric leg strength in well-trained combat athletes.

  6. Effects of cryotherapy on muscle damage markers and perception of delayed onset muscle soreness after downhill running: A Pilot study

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    M. Rossato

    2015-06-01

    Conclusion: Use of cryotherapy after exercise with eccentric contractions was effective to reestablish the level of biochemical markers of muscle damage and reduce muscle soreness and pain perception in subjects submitted to downhill running.

  7. An Isometric Mapping Based Co-Location Decision Tree Algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, G.; Wei, J.; Zhou, X.; Zhang, R.; Huang, W.; Sha, H.; Chen, J.

    2018-05-01

    Decision tree (DT) induction has been widely used in different pattern classification. However, most traditional DTs have the disadvantage that they consider only non-spatial attributes (ie, spectral information) as a result of classifying pixels, which can result in objects being misclassified. Therefore, some researchers have proposed a co-location decision tree (Cl-DT) method, which combines co-location and decision tree to solve the above the above-mentioned traditional decision tree problems. Cl-DT overcomes the shortcomings of the existing DT algorithms, which create a node for each value of a given attribute, which has a higher accuracy than the existing decision tree approach. However, for non-linearly distributed data instances, the euclidean distance between instances does not reflect the true positional relationship between them. In order to overcome these shortcomings, this paper proposes an isometric mapping method based on Cl-DT (called, (Isomap-based Cl-DT), which is a method that combines heterogeneous and Cl-DT together. Because isometric mapping methods use geodetic distances instead of Euclidean distances between non-linearly distributed instances, the true distance between instances can be reflected. The experimental results and several comparative analyzes show that: (1) The extraction method of exposed carbonate rocks is of high accuracy. (2) The proposed method has many advantages, because the total number of nodes, the number of leaf nodes and the number of nodes are greatly reduced compared to Cl-DT. Therefore, the Isomap -based Cl-DT algorithm can construct a more accurate and faster decision tree.

  8. AN ISOMETRIC MAPPING BASED CO-LOCATION DECISION TREE ALGORITHM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Zhou

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Decision tree (DT induction has been widely used in different pattern classification. However, most traditional DTs have the disadvantage that they consider only non-spatial attributes (ie, spectral information as a result of classifying pixels, which can result in objects being misclassified. Therefore, some researchers have proposed a co-location decision tree (Cl-DT method, which combines co-location and decision tree to solve the above the above-mentioned traditional decision tree problems. Cl-DT overcomes the shortcomings of the existing DT algorithms, which create a node for each value of a given attribute, which has a higher accuracy than the existing decision tree approach. However, for non-linearly distributed data instances, the euclidean distance between instances does not reflect the true positional relationship between them. In order to overcome these shortcomings, this paper proposes an isometric mapping method based on Cl-DT (called, (Isomap-based Cl-DT, which is a method that combines heterogeneous and Cl-DT together. Because isometric mapping methods use geodetic distances instead of Euclidean distances between non-linearly distributed instances, the true distance between instances can be reflected. The experimental results and several comparative analyzes show that: (1 The extraction method of exposed carbonate rocks is of high accuracy. (2 The proposed method has many advantages, because the total number of nodes, the number of leaf nodes and the number of nodes are greatly reduced compared to Cl-DT. Therefore, the Isomap -based Cl-DT algorithm can construct a more accurate and faster decision tree.

  9. Quasi-local mass via isometric embeddings: a review from a geometric perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miao, Pengzi

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we review geometric aspects of quasi-local energies proposed by Brown–York, Liu–Yau, and Wang–Yau. These quasi-local energy functions, having the important positivity property, share a common feature that they are defined via the canonical Hamiltonian approach, and therefore an isometric embedding of the two-surface into a background space is used as a reference. (topical review)

  10. Functional and muscular adaptations in an experimental model for isometric strength training in mice.

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    Karsten Krüger

    Full Text Available Exercise training induces muscular adaptations that are highly specific to the type of exercise. For a systematic study of the differentiated exercise adaptations on a molecular level mouse models have been used successfully. The aim of the current study was to develop a suitable mouse model of isometric strength exercise training characterized by specific adaptations known from strength training. C57BL/6 mice performed an isometric strength training (ST for 10 weeks 5 days/week. Additionally, either a sedentary control group (CT or a regular endurance training group (ET groups were used as controls. Performance capacity was determined by maximum holding time (MHT and treadmill spirometry, respectively. Furthermore, muscle fiber types and diameter, muscular concentration of phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK, succinate dehydrogenase (SDHa, and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4 were determined. In a further approach, the effect of ST on glucose intolerance was tested in diabetic mice. In mice of the ST group we observed an increase of MHT in isometric strength tests, a type II fiber hypertrophy, and an increased GLUT4 protein content in the membrane fraction. In contrast, in mice of the ET group an increase of VO(2max, a shift to oxidative muscle fiber type and an increase of oxidative enzyme content was measured. Furthermore strength training was effective in reducing glucose intolerance in mice fed a high fat diet. An effective murine strength training model was developed and evaluated, which revealed marked differences in adaptations known from endurance training. This approach seems also suitable to test for therapeutical effects of strength training.

  11. Optimization measurement of muscle oxygen saturation under isometric studies using FNIRS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halim, A. A. A.; Laili, M. H.; Salikin, M. S.; Rusop, M.

    2018-05-01

    Development of functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technologies has advanced quantification signal using multiple wavelength and detector to investigate hemodynamic response in human muscle. These non-invasive technologies have been widely used to solve the propagation of light inside the tissues including the absorption, scattering coefficient and to quantify the oxygenation level of haemoglobin and myoglobin in human muscle. The goal of this paper is to optimize the measurement of muscle oxygen saturation during isometric exercise using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The experiment was carried out on 15 sedentary healthy male volunteers. All volunteers are required to perform an isometric exercise at three assessment of muscular fatigue's level on flexor digitalis (FDS) muscle in the human forearm using fNIRS. The slopes of the signals have been highlighted to evaluate the muscle oxygen saturation of regional muscle fatigue. As a result, oxygen saturation slope from 10% exercise showed steeper than the first assessment at 30%-50% of fatigues level. The hemodynamic signal response showed significant value (p=0.04) at all three assessment of muscular fatigue's level which produce a p-value (p<0.05) measured by fNIRS. Thus, this highlighted parameter could be used to estimate fatigue's level of human and could open other possibilities to study muscle performance diagnosis.

  12. Assessment of isometric muscle strength and rate of torque development with hand-held dynamometry: Test-retest reliability and relationship with gait velocity after stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mentiplay, Benjamin F; Tan, Dawn; Williams, Gavin; Adair, Brooke; Pua, Yong-Hao; Bower, Kelly J; Clark, Ross A

    2018-04-27

    Isometric rate of torque development examines how quickly force can be exerted and may resemble everyday task demands more closely than isometric strength. Rate of torque development may provide further insight into the relationship between muscle function and gait following stroke. Aims of this study were to examine the test-retest reliability of hand-held dynamometry to measure isometric rate of torque development following stroke, to examine associations between strength and rate of torque development, and to compare the relationships of strength and rate of torque development to gait velocity. Sixty-three post-stroke adults participated (60 years, 34 male). Gait velocity was assessed using the fast-paced 10 m walk test. Isometric strength and rate of torque development of seven lower-limb muscle groups were assessed with hand-held dynamometry. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated for reliability and Spearman's rho correlations were calculated for associations. Regression analyses using partial F-tests were used to compare strength and rate of torque development in their relationship with gait velocity. Good to excellent reliability was shown for strength and rate of torque development (0.82-0.97). Strong associations were found between strength and rate of torque development (0.71-0.94). Despite high correlations between strength and rate of torque development, rate of torque development failed to provide significant value to regression models that already contained strength. Assessment of isometric rate of torque development with hand-held dynamometry is reliable following stroke, however isometric strength demonstrated greater relationships with gait velocity. Further research should examine the relationship between dynamic measures of muscle strength/torque and gait after stroke. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Isometric and dynamic strength and neuromuscular attributes as predictors of vertical jump performance in 11- to 13-year-old male athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinlay, Brandon John; Wallace, Phillip J; Dotan, Raffy; Long, Devon; Tokuno, Craig; Gabriel, David A; Falk, Bareket

    2017-09-01

    In explosive contractions, neural activation is a major factor in determining the rate of torque development, while the latter is an important determinant of jump performance. However, the contribution of neuromuscular activation and rate of torque development to jump performance in children and youth is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the rate of neuromuscular activation, peak torque, rate of torque development, and jump performance in young male athletes. Forty-one 12.5 ± 0.5-year-old male soccer players completed explosive, unilateral isometric and dynamic (240°/s) knee extensions (Biodex System III), as well as countermovement-, squat-, and drop-jumps. Peak torque (pT), peak rate of torque development (pRTD), and rate of vastus lateralis activation (Q 30 ) during the isometric and dynamic contractions were examined in relation to attained jump heights. Isometric pT and pRTD were strongly correlated (r = 0.71) but not related to jump performance. Dynamic pT and pRTD, normalized to body mass, were significantly related to jump height in all 3 jumps (r = 0.38-0.66, p jump performance, while isometric contractions are not. These findings have implications in the choice of training and assessment methods for young athletes.

  14. The effects of a 28-Hz vibration on arm muscle activity during isometric exercise

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mischi, M.; Cardinale, M. (Marco)

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate activation and coactivation of biceps and triceps muscles during isometric exercise performed with and without superimposing a vibration stimulation. Methods: Twelve healthy volunteers (age = 22.7 +/- 2.6 yr) participated in this study. The subjects performed

  15. Avoiding Systematic Errors in Isometric Squat-Related Studies without Pre-Familiarization by Using Sufficient Numbers of Trials

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    Pekünlü Ekim

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available There is no scientific evidence in the literature indicating that maximal isometric strength measures can be assessed within 3 trials. We questioned whether the results of isometric squat-related studies in which maximal isometric squat strength (MISS testing was performed using limited numbers of trials without pre-familiarization might have included systematic errors, especially those resulting from acute learning effects. Forty resistance-trained male participants performed 8 isometric squat trials without pre-familiarization. The highest measures in the first “n” trials (3 ≤ n ≤ 8 of these 8 squats were regarded as MISS obtained using 6 different MISS test methods featuring different numbers of trials (The Best of n Trials Method [BnT]. When B3T and B8T were paired with other methods, high reliability was found between the paired methods in terms of intraclass correlation coefficients (0.93-0.98 and coefficients of variation (3.4-7.0%. The Wilcoxon’s signed rank test indicated that MISS obtained using B3T and B8T were lower (p < 0.001 and higher (p < 0.001, respectively, than those obtained using other methods. The Bland- Altman method revealed a lack of agreement between any of the paired methods. Simulation studies illustrated that increasing the number of trials to 9-10 using a relatively large sample size (i.e., ≥ 24 could be an effective means of obtaining the actual MISS values of the participants. The common use of a limited number of trials in MISS tests without pre-familiarization appears to have no solid scientific base. Our findings suggest that the number of trials should be increased in commonly used MISS tests to avoid learning effect-related systematic errors

  16. Effect of age and gender on the surface electromyogram during various levels of isometric contraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arjunan, Sridhar; Kumar, Dinesh; Kalra, Chandan; Burne, John; Bastos, Teodiano

    2011-01-01

    This study reports the effects of age and gender on the surface electromyogram while performing isometric contraction. Experiments were conducted with two age groups--Young (Age: 20-29) and Old (Age: 60-69) where they performed sustained isometric contractions at various force levels (50%, 75%, 100% of maximum voluntary contraction). Traditional features such as root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MDF) were computed from the recorded sEMG. The result indicates that the MDF of sEMG was not significantly affected by age, but was impacted by gender in both age groups. Also there was a significant change in the RMS of sEMG with age and gender at all levels of contraction. The results also indicate a large inter-subject variation. This study will provide an understanding of the underlying physiological effects of muscle contraction and muscle fatigue in different cohorts.

  17. A Comparison of Isometric Midthigh-Pull Strength, Vertical Jump, Sprint Speed, and Change-of-Direction Speed in Academy Netball Players.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Christopher; Comfort, Paul; Jones, Paul A; Dos'Santos, Thomas

    2017-08-01

    To investigate the relationships between maximal isometric strength, vertical jump (VJ), sprint speed, and change-of-direction speed (CoDS) in academy netball players and determine whether players who have high performance in isometric strength testing would demonstrate superior performance in VJ, sprint speed, and CoDS measures. Twenty-six young female netball players (age 16.1 ± 1.2 y, height 173.9 ± 5.7 cm, body mass 66.0 ± 7.2 kg) from a regional netball academy performed isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), squat jumps (SJs), countermovement jumps (CMJs), 10-m sprints, and CoDS (505). IMTP measures displayed moderate to strong correlations with sprint and CoDS performance (r = -.41 to -.66). The VJs, which included SJs and CMJs, demonstrated strong correlations with 10-m sprint times (r = -.60 to -.65; P strength to enhance VJ, sprint, and CoDS performance in youth netball players, with stronger athletes demonstrating superior VJ, sprint, and CoDS performances.

  18. The accordion gracilis muscle flap: a new design for coverage of recurrent and complicated ischeal pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Sabbagh, Ahmed H

    2011-10-01

    Management of patients with large or recurrent pressure ulcerations can be complicated by the lack of available local flap, whether already used or because adjacent lesions make such flap insufficient for complete coverage. In this article, the gracilis muscle was modified to cover large defects without help from its cutaneous territory. Twelve ischeal pressure sores were treated between August 2007 and 2009 with the modified gracilis muscle flap in a single-staged procedure. Five ulcers were recurrent and seven patients have associated pressure ulcers. All reconstructions were successful. Mean patient age was 35 years and nearly all patients had multiple significant comorbidities, including associated ulcers, diabetes and urethrocutaneous fistula. All flaps and donor sites healed uneventfully. There was one complication presented as cellulites at the donor site. Follow-up in some cases extend up to 1·5 years. No recurrence was observed. The accordion gracilis muscle flap is a handy, safe and fast flap for reconstruction of recurrent, difficult ischeal pressure sores. © 2011 The Author. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc.

  19. Comparative study of maximum isometric grip strength in different sports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noé Gomes Borges Junior

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to compare maximum isometric grip strength (Fmaxbetween different sports and between the dominant (FmaxD and non-dominant (FmaxND hand. Twenty-nine male aikido (AI, jiujitsu (JJ, judo (JU and rowing (RO athletes and 21non-athletes (NA participated in the study. The hand strength test consisted of maintainingmaximum isometric grip strength for 10 seconds using a hand dynamometer. The position of the subjects was that suggested by the American Society of Hand Therapy. Factorial 2X5 ANOVA with Bonferroni correction, followed by a paired t test and Tukey test, was used for statistical analysis. The highest Fmax values were observed for the JJ group when using the dominant hand,followed by the JU, RO, AI and NA groups. Variation in Fmax could be attributed to handdominance (30.9%, sports modality (39.9% and the interaction between hand dominance andsport (21.3%. The present results demonstrated significant differences in Fmax between the JJ and AI groups and between the JJ and NA groups for both the dominant and non-dominant hand. Significant differences in Fmax between the dominant and non-dominant hand were only observed in the AI and NA groups. The results indicate that Fmax can be used for comparisonbetween different sports modalities, and to identify differences between the dominant and nondominanthand. Studies involving a larger number of subjects will permit the identification of differences between other modalities.

  20. Knee extension isometric torque production differences based on verbal motivation given to introverted and extroverted female children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McWhorter, J Wesley; Landers, Merrill; Young, Daniel; Puentedura, E Louie; Hickman, Robbin A; Brooksby, Candi; Liveratti, Marc; Taylor, Lisa

    2011-08-01

    To date, little research has been conducted to test the efficacy of different forms of motivation based on a female child's personality type. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of female children to perform a maximal knee extension isometric torque test with varying forms of motivation, based on the child's personality type (introvert vs. extrovert). The subjects were asked to perform a maximal isometric knee extension test under three different conditions: 1) with no verbal motivation, 2) with verbal motivation from the evaluator only, and 3) with verbal motivation from a group of their peers and the evaluator combined. A 2×3 mixed ANOVA was significant for an interaction (F 2,62=17.530; pintroverted group showed that scores without verbal motivation were significantly higher than with verbal motivation from the evaluator or the evaluator plus the peers. The extroverted group revealed that scores with verbal motivation from the evaluator or the evaluator plus the peers were significantly higher than without verbal motivation. Results suggest that verbal motivation has a varying effect on isometric knee extension torque production in female children with different personality types. Extroverted girls perform better with motivation, whereas introverted girls perform better without motivation from others.

  1. Short-term vascular hemodynamic responses to isometric exercise in young adults and in the elderly

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hartog, R. (Renee); D. Bolignano (Davide); E.J.G. Sijbrands (Eric); Pucci, G. (Giacomo); F.U.S. Mattace Raso (Francesco)

    2018-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Vascular aging is known to induce progressive stiffening of the large elastic arteries, altering vascular hemodynamics under both rest and stress conditions. In this study, we aimed to investigate changes in vascular hemodynamics in response to isometric handgrip exercise

  2. Comparing the effect of ketamine and benzydamine gargling with placebo on post-operative sore throat: A randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Hamid Reza Faiz

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Air way intubation for general anesthesia usually leads to sore throat after surgery. Ketamine plays an important role to block a number of receptors related to pain. Benzydamine hydrochloride is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has been used to improve oropharyngeal disorders. In this study, it was intended to compare the effect of gargling different solutions before the surgery on post-operative sore throat (POST in patients who underwent general anesthesia for hysterectomy. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 patients who underwent the elective hysterectomy were entered to the randomized controlled trial regarding to the eligibility criteria. Patients were simply randomly allocated to three groups and received one code. Every code was representative for a specific drug: 20 cc normal saline (control group or 1.5 mg benzydamine in 20 cc solution or 20 mg ketamine in 20 cc solutions. All the research teams were blinded to the received solutions. POST was evaluated with numerical rating scale. The data were entered to SPSS software and analysis of variance (ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance test, were performed. Results: The mean ages of ketamine, benzydamine, and normal saline recipients were not significantly different. The trend of the severity of sore throat during the first 24 h after the operation in ketamine recipients was significantly lower than the other two groups (P < 0.001. Conclusion: The pain scale after surgery was reduced by using both ketamine and benzydamine, but the ketamine effect was more noticeable.

  3. The Effect of Pharyngeal Packing during Nasal Surgery on the Incidence of Post Operative Nausea, Vomiting, and Sore Throat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Karbasfrushan

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Nausea and vomiting after ear, nose and throat (ENT surgery is one of the most common and notable problems facing anesthesiologists in this area. This study was conducted to determine the effect of a pharyngeal pack on the severity of nausea, vomiting, and sore throat among patients after ear, pharynx, and throat surgeries.   Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical study was performed in 140 patients (61 men and 79 women; age range, 20–40 years who had undergone nasal surgery in 2010. Patients were divided into two groups: the first group were treated using a pharyngeal pack (case group and the second group were managed without a pharyngeal pack (control group. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test. SPSS software was used for data analysis.   Results: The mean severity of nausea and vomiting in the two groups was 2.057, 1.371 and 1.100, respectively, with no significant differences between groups. However, the mean severity of sore throat was 1.714 in the group with the pharyngeal pack and 1.385 in the group without pharyngeal pack (P=0.010.   Conclusion:  Not only does a pharyngeal pack in ENT surgery not reduce the extent and severity of nausea and vomiting, but it also increases the severity of sore throat in patients when leaving the recovery room and discharging hospital.

  4. Isometric strength, sprint power, and aerobic power in individuals with a spinal cord injury

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, T W; van Oers, C A; Hollander, A P; Veeger, DirkJan (H. E. J.); van der Woude, L H

    This study investigated in rather specific wheelchair tests the relationships among estimates of isometric upper-body strength (Fiso), sprint power (P30), aerobic power (VO2peak), and maximal power output (POaer) in a group of 44 men (age 34 +/- 12 yr) with longstanding spinal cord injuries ranging

  5. [Plastic surgery treatment techniques for interdisciplinary therapy of pressure sores].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Karin; Becker, Frederic; Pfau, Matthias; Werdin, Frank

    2017-06-01

    Pressure sores in geriatric patients represent a challenge for all disciplines involved in the treatment process; however, the prerequisite for successful treatment is the elaboration of an interdisciplinary treatment concept. The treatment goals should be adapted to the individual needs of the patients including the life situation, general condition and local findings. In addition to general basic operative techniques, such as wound cleansing and conditioning, plastic and reconstructive surgery provides a wide range of highly specialized operative techniques for the treatment of these patients by which a definitive defect coverage can be achieved. The aim of this article is to raise awareness for these complex and highly specialized procedures for all disciplines participating in the treatment in order to improve the interdisciplinary cooperation and ultimately the quality of treatment.

  6. Fractal based complexity measure and variation in force during sustained isometric muscle contraction: effect of aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arjunan, Sridhar P; Kumar, Dinesh K; Bastos, Teodiano

    2012-01-01

    This study has investigated the effect of age on the fractal based complexity measure of muscle activity and variance in the force of isometric muscle contraction. Surface electromyogram (sEMG) and force of muscle contraction were recorded from 40 healthy subjects categorized into: Group 1: Young - age range 20-30; 10 Males and 10 Females, Group 2: Old - age range 55-70; 10 Males and 10 Females during isometric exercise at Maximum Voluntary contraction (MVC). The results show that there is a reduction in the complexity of surface electromyogram (sEMG) associated with aging. The results demonstrate that there is an increase in the coefficient of variance (CoV) of the force of muscle contraction and a decrease in complexity of sEMG for the Old age group when compared with the Young age group.

  7. Comparison of regression models for estimation of isometric wrist joint torques using surface electromyography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Menon Carlo

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several regression models have been proposed for estimation of isometric joint torque using surface electromyography (SEMG signals. Common issues related to torque estimation models are degradation of model accuracy with passage of time, electrode displacement, and alteration of limb posture. This work compares the performance of the most commonly used regression models under these circumstances, in order to assist researchers with identifying the most appropriate model for a specific biomedical application. Methods Eleven healthy volunteers participated in this study. A custom-built rig, equipped with a torque sensor, was used to measure isometric torque as each volunteer flexed and extended his wrist. SEMG signals from eight forearm muscles, in addition to wrist joint torque data were gathered during the experiment. Additional data were gathered one hour and twenty-four hours following the completion of the first data gathering session, for the purpose of evaluating the effects of passage of time and electrode displacement on accuracy of models. Acquired SEMG signals were filtered, rectified, normalized and then fed to models for training. Results It was shown that mean adjusted coefficient of determination (Ra2 values decrease between 20%-35% for different models after one hour while altering arm posture decreased mean Ra2 values between 64% to 74% for different models. Conclusions Model estimation accuracy drops significantly with passage of time, electrode displacement, and alteration of limb posture. Therefore model retraining is crucial for preserving estimation accuracy. Data resampling can significantly reduce model training time without losing estimation accuracy. Among the models compared, ordinary least squares linear regression model (OLS was shown to have high isometric torque estimation accuracy combined with very short training times.

  8. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase reduces oxidative stress and improves skeletal muscle function in response to electrically stimulated isometric contractions in aged mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Michael J.; Jackson, Janna R.; Hao, Yanlei; Leonard, Stephen S.; Alway, Stephen E.

    2012-01-01

    Oxidative stress is a putative factor responsible for reducing function and increasing apoptotic signaling in skeletal muscle with aging. This study examined the contribution and functional significance of the xanthine oxidase enzyme as a potential source of oxidant production in aged skeletal muscle during repetitive in situ electrically stimulated isometric contractions. Xanthine oxidase activity was inhibited in young adult and aged mice via a subcutaneously placed time release (2.5 mg/day) allopurinol pellet, 7 days prior to the start of in situ electrically stimulated isometric contractions. Gastrocnemius muscles were electrically activated with 20 maximal contractions for three consecutive days. Xanthine oxidase activity was 65% greater in the gastrocnemius muscle of aged mice compared to young mice. Xanthine oxidase activity also increased after in situ electrically stimulated isometric contractions in muscles from both young (33%) and aged (28%) mice, relative to contralateral non-contracted muscles. Allopurinol attenuated the exercise-induced increase in oxidative stress, but it did not affect the elevated basal levels of oxidative stress that was associated with aging. In addition, inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity decreased caspase 3 activity, but it had no effect on other markers of mitochondrial associated apoptosis. Our results show that compared to control conditions, suppression of xanthine oxidase activity by allopurinol reduced xanthine oxidase activity, H2O2 levels, lipid peroxidation and caspase-3 activity, prevented the in situ electrically stimulated isometric contraction-induced loss of glutathione, prevented the increase of catalase and copper-zinc superoxide dismutase activities, and increased maximal isometric force in the plantar flexor muscles of aged mice after repetitive electrically evoked contractions. PMID:21530649

  9. EFFECT OF ISOMETRIC QUADRICEPS STRENGTHENING EXERCISE AT MULTIPLE ANGLES IN KNEE JOINT AMONG NORMAL ADULTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JibiPaul

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Strengthening exercises have been routinely used in persons with orthopaedic problems and athletes to increase force production or minimize muscle imbalance and joint injuries.Many studies have reported that isometric contractions can rapidly increases strength in quadriceps muscle. Objective: Objective of the study was to find out the effect of isometric strengthening exercise on strength of quadriceps at 45 and 90 degree of knee joint and also to compare the effect of strengthening exercise on strength of quadriceps at multiple angles of knee joint among control and experimental group. Methodology: This was a ccomparative experimental study with forty female healthy subjects from physiotherapy department of KPJ Healthcare University College, Malaysia. Convenient sampling method used to select the samples. The subjects were selected by inclusion criteria and randomly divided equally in to two with 20 subjects in each group. Isometric strengthening exercise and squatting exercise were given as intervention program for eight weeks respectively for experimental and control group. Pre and post data of quadriceps muscle strength measured were collected separately at 45 and 90 degree of knee joint using goniometry during resisted extension of knee in multi gym. Result: In experimental group Pre –Post statistical analysis found significant effect in increase of quadriceps strength at 45 and 90 degree with P<0.0001.****In control group quadriceps pre-post statistical analysis found no significant effect in increase of quadriceps strength at 45 and 90 degree with P<0.083NS and P<0.055 NS respectively. Comparative study between experimental and control groups for quadriceps strength at 90 degree of knee joint found significant effect in increase of quadriceps strength with P< 0.001.*** Comparative study between experimental and control groups for quadriceps strength at 45 degree of knee joint found significant effect in increase of

  10. Validity and reliability of isometric, isokinetic and isoinertial modalities for the assessment of quadriceps muscle strength in patients with total knee arthroplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lienhard, K; Lauermann, S P; Schneider, D; Item-Glatthorn, J F; Casartelli, N C; Maffiuletti, N A

    2013-12-01

    Reliability of isometric, isokinetic and isoinertial modalities for quadriceps strength evaluation, and the relation between quadriceps strength and physical function was investigated in 29 total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients, with an average age of 63 years. Isometric maximal voluntary contraction torque, isokinetic peak torque, and isoinertial one-repetition maximum load of the involved and uninvolved quadriceps were evaluated as well as objective (walking parameters) and subjective physical function (WOMAC). Reliability was good and comparable for the isometric, isokinetic, and isoinertial strength outcomes on both sides (intraclass correlation coefficient range: 0.947-0.966; standard error of measurement range: 5.1-9.3%). Involved quadriceps strength was significantly correlated to walking speed (r range: 0.641-0.710), step length (r range: 0.685-0.820) and WOMAC function (r range: 0.575-0.663), independent from the modality (P strength was also significantly correlated to walking speed (r range: 0.413-0.539), step length (r range: 0.514-0.608) and WOMAC function (r range: 0.374-0.554) (P 0.05). In conclusion, isometric, isokinetic, and isoinertial modalities ensure valid and reliable assessment of quadriceps muscle strength in TKA patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Descending pain modulation and its interaction with peripheral sensitization following sustained isometric muscle contraction in fibromyalgia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ge, H-Y; Nie, Hongling; Graven-Nielsen, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Sustained isometric muscle contraction (fatiguing contraction) recruits segmental and/or extrasegmental descending inhibition in healthy subjects but not in fibromyalgia (FM). We hypothesized that fatiguing contraction may shift descending pain modulation from inhibition towards...

  12. Oxygenation and EMG in the proximal and distal vastus lateralis during submaximal isometric knee extension

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Crenshaw, Albert G.; Bronee, Lars; Krag, Ida

    2010-01-01

    /or (2) fatigue development. Nine males performed 2-min sustained isometric knee extensions at 15% and 30% maximum voluntary contraction during which oxygenation and EMG were recorded simultaneously from proximal and distal locations of the vastus lateralis muscle. Near infrared spectroscopy variables...

  13. An Estimating Method of Contractile State Changes Come From Continuous Isometric Contraction of Skeletal Muscle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, H.J.; Lee, S.J. [Wonkwang University, Iksan (Korea)

    2003-01-01

    In this study was proposed that a new estimating method for investigation of contractile state changes which generated from continuous isometric contraction of skeletal muscle. The physiological changes (EMG, ECG) and the psychological changes by CNS(central nervous system) were measured by experiments, while the muscle of subjects contracted continuously with isometric contraction in constant load. The psychological changes were represented as three-step-change named 'fatigue', 'pain' and 'sick(greatly pain)' from oral test, and the method which compared physiological change with psychological change on basis of these three steps was developed. The result of analyzing the physiological signals, EMG and ECG signal changes were observed at the vicinity of judging point in time of psychological changes. Namely, it is supposed that contractile states have three kind of states pattern (stable, fatigue, pain) instead of two states (stable, fatigue). (author). 24 refs., 7 figs.

  14. Gargling with Ketamine Attenuates the Postoperative Sore Throat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Rudra

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Postoperative sore throat (POST is a common complication of anaesthesia with endotracheal tube that affects patient satisfaction after surgery. Therefore, this complication remains to be resolved in patients undergoing endotra-cheal intubation. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of ketamine gargles with placebo in prevent-ing POST after endotracheal intubation. Forty patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia were randomized into: Group C, water 30 ml; Group K, ketamine 50 mg in water 29 ml. Patients were asked to gargle this mixture for 40 seconds, 5 minutes before induction of anaesthesia. POST was graded at 4, 8 and 24 hours after operation on a four-point scale (0-3. In the Control group POST occurred more frequently, when compared with patients belonging to Ketamine group, at 4, 8, and 24 hours and significantly more patients suffered severe POST in Control group at 8 and 24 hours compared with Ketamine group (P< 0.05. We demonstrated that gargling with ketamine significantly attenuated POST, with no drug-related side effects were observed.

  15. Beta-1 vs. beta-2 adrenergic control of coronary blood flow during isometric handgrip exercise in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maman, Stephan R; Vargas, Alvaro F; Ahmad, Tariq Ali; Miller, Amanda J; Gao, Zhaohui; Leuenberger, Urs A; Proctor, David N; Muller, Matthew D

    2017-08-01

    During exercise, β-adrenergic receptors are activated throughout the body. In healthy humans, the net effect of β-adrenergic stimulation is an increase in coronary blood flow. However, the role of vascular β1 vs. β2 receptors in coronary exercise hyperemia is not clear. In this study, we simultaneously measured noninvasive indexes of myocardial oxygen supply (i.e., blood velocity in the left anterior descending coronary artery; Doppler echocardiography) and demand [i.e., rate pressure product (RPP) = heart rate × systolic blood pressure) and tested the hypothesis that β1 blockade with esmolol improves coronary exercise hyperemia compared with nonselective β-blockade with propranolol. Eight healthy young men received intravenous infusions of esmolol, propranolol, and saline on three separate days in a single-blind, randomized, crossover design. During each infusion, subjects performed isometric handgrip exercise until fatigue. Blood pressure, heart rate, and coronary blood velocity (CBV) were measured continuously, and RPP was calculated. Changes in parameters from baseline were compared with paired t -tests. Esmolol (Δ = 3296 ± 1204) and propranolol (Δ = 2997 ± 699) caused similar reductions in peak RPP compared with saline (Δ = 5384 ± 1865). In support of our hypothesis, ΔCBV with esmolol was significantly greater than with propranolol (7.3 ± 2.4 vs. 4.5 ± 1.6 cm/s; P = 0.002). This effect was also evident when normalizing ΔCBV to ΔRPP. In summary, not only does selective β1 blockade reduce myocardial oxygen demand during exercise, but it also unveils β2-receptor-mediated coronary exercise hyperemia. NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we evaluated the role of vascular β1 vs. β2 receptors in coronary exercise hyperemia in a single-blind, randomized, crossover study in healthy men. In response to isometric handgrip exercise, blood flow velocity in the left anterior descending coronary artery was significantly greater with esmolol compared with

  16. Penicillin for acute sore throat : randomised double blind trial of seven days versus three days treatment or placebo in adults

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zwart, S; Sachs, APE; Ruijs, GJHM; Gubbels, JW; Hoes, AW; de Melker, RA

    2000-01-01

    Objective To assess whether treatment with penicillin for three days and the traditional treatment for seven days were equally as effective at accelerating resolution of symptoms in patients with sore throat compared with placebo. Design Randomised double blind placebo controlled trial. Setting 43

  17. Randomized clinical study comparing Compeed (R) cold sore patch to acyclovir cream 5% in the treatment of herpes simplex labialis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karlsmark, T.; Goodman, J.J.; Drouault, Y.

    2008-01-01

    Background Hydrocolloid technology has been proven effective in treating dermal wounds. A previous study showed that a newly developed thin hydrocolloid patch [Compeed (R) cold sore patch (CSP)] provided multiple wound-healing benefits across all stages of a herpes simplex labialis (HSL) outbreak...

  18. Importance of diagnostic laboratory methods of beta hemolytic streptococcus group A in comparison with clinical findings in the diagnosis of streptococcal sore throat and unnecessary antibacterial therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peiman Eini

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Streptococcus Pyogenes (group A streptococcus, GAS is the most important cause of bacterial pharyngitis in children and adolescents. Acute pharyngitis is one of the most common conditions in all ages but it is most common in children. Over diagnosis of acute pharyngitis represents one of the major causes of antibiotic abuse. The goal of this study is to make an estimate of the frequency of group A streptococcus in sore throat patients in Farshchian hospital emergency department and clinic in Hamadan. Methods: For estimation of the clinical features role in diagnosis of streptococcal sore throat, we took samples of 100 patients with average age of 32.96±29.86 years with sore throat. We took samples from pharynx and used standard methods of bacteriology in order to detect streptococcus. Results: Group A Streptococcus (GAS accounts for 3 percent of all cases of pharyngitis. Clinically, all of the patients had sore throat. The percent breakdowns are as follows: 30% had exudate, 78% had fever, 8% had lymphadenopathy and 7.7 percent of exudative pharyngitis was streptococcal. The cost for unnecessary antibiotic therapy for every single patient who had negative pharynx culture was approximately 32160 Rails. Conclusion: The low frequency of streptococcus pharyngitis in treated patients reveal that diagnosis based on clinical features is not reliable. We recommend use of other diagnostic methods such as Rapid Antigen Detection Tests (RATs. Only reliable and scientific protocols for antibiotic to therapy.

  19. Isometric Shoulder Strength Reference Values for Physically Active Collegiate Males and Females

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westrick, Richard B.; Duffey, Michele L.; Cameron, Kenneth L.; Gerber, J. Parry; Owens, Brett D.

    2013-01-01

    Background: It is common clinical practice to assess muscle strength during examination of patients following shoulder injury or surgery. Strength comparisons are often made between the patient’s injured and uninjured shoulders, with the uninjured side used as a reference without regard to upper extremity dominance. Despite the importance of strength measurements, little is known about expected normal baselines of the uninjured shoulder. The purpose of this study was to report normative values for isometric shoulder strength for physically active college-age men and women without history of shoulder injury. Methods: University students—546 males (18.8 ± 1.0 years, 75.3 ± 12.2 kg) and 73 females (18.7 ± 0.9 years, 62.6 ± 7.0 kg)—underwent thorough shoulder evaluations by an orthopaedic surgeon and completed bilateral isometric strength measurements with a handheld dynamometer. Variables measured included internal rotation, external rotation, abduction, supine internal rotation and external rotation at 45°, and lower trapezius in prone flexion. Results: Significant differences were found between the dominant and nondominant shoulder for internal rotation, internal rotation at 45°, abduction, and prone flexion in males and in internal rotation at 45° and prone flexion for females (P ≤ 0.01). PMID:24381696

  20. A longitudinal study of the incidence of pressure sores and the associated risks and strategies adopted in Italian operating theatres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulfone, Giampiera; Marzoli, Ilaria; Quattrin, Rosanna; Fabbro, Carmen; Palese, Alvisa

    2012-02-01

    To explore the incidence of intraoperative pressure sores, the associated risk factors and the preventive strategies adopted by nurses, we adopted a longitudinal study in a 900-bed teaching hospital with multiple operating theatres, located in the North of Italy. Patients who underwent major surgery were evaluated four times: at the moment of operating theatre admission, at operating theatre discharge, and on their third and sixth postoperative day. Of the patients included (n = 102) who had an average age of 62.3 years (range 20-87), 12.7% (13/102) developed a pressure ulcer in the operating theatre; 46.1% (6/13) of these ulcers were still present on the third postoperative day. Some health conditions (diabetes mellitus, cardiac diseases) and intra-operative factors (lying on the operating table for more than 6.15 hours, intraoperative hypothermia) are associated with the occurrence of pressure sores.

  1. Comparative study of maximum isometric grip strength in different sports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noé Gomes Borges Junior

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2009v11n3p292   The objective of this study was to compare maximum isometric grip strength (Fmaxbetween different sports and between the dominant (FmaxD and non-dominant (FmaxND hand. Twenty-nine male aikido (AI, jiujitsu (JJ, judo (JU and rowing (RO athletes and 21non-athletes (NA participated in the study. The hand strength test consisted of maintainingmaximum isometric grip strength for 10 seconds using a hand dynamometer. The position of the subjects was that suggested by the American Society of Hand Therapy. Factorial 2X5 ANOVA with Bonferroni correction, followed by a paired t test and Tukey test, was used for statistical analysis. The highest Fmax values were observed for the JJ group when using the dominant hand,followed by the JU, RO, AI and NA groups. Variation in Fmax could be attributed to handdominance (30.9%, sports modality (39.9% and the interaction between hand dominance andsport (21.3%. The present results demonstrated significant differences in Fmax between the JJ and AI groups and between the JJ and NA groups for both the dominant and non-dominant hand. Significant differences in Fmax between the dominant and non-dominant hand were only observed in the AI and NA groups. The results indicate that Fmax can be used for comparisonbetween different sports modalities, and to identify differences between the dominant and nondominanthand. Studies involving a larger number of subjects will permit the identification of differences between other modalities.

  2. Force-Time Entropy of Isometric Impulse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Tsung-Yu; Newell, Karl M

    2016-01-01

    The relation between force and temporal variability in discrete impulse production has been viewed as independent (R. A. Schmidt, H. Zelaznik, B. Hawkins, J. S. Frank, & J. T. Quinn, 1979 ) or dependent on the rate of force (L. G. Carlton & K. M. Newell, 1993 ). Two experiments in an isometric single finger force task investigated the joint force-time entropy with (a) fixed time to peak force and different percentages of force level and (b) fixed percentage of force level and different times to peak force. The results showed that the peak force variability increased either with the increment of force level or through a shorter time to peak force that also reduced timing error variability. The peak force entropy and entropy of time to peak force increased on the respective dimension as the parameter conditions approached either maximum force or a minimum rate of force production. The findings show that force error and timing error are dependent but complementary when considered in the same framework with the joint force-time entropy at a minimum in the middle parameter range of discrete impulse.

  3. Relationship Between Erectores Spinae Voltage and Back-Lift Strength for Isometric, Concentric, and Eccentric Contractions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashton, T. Edwin J.; Singh, Mohan

    1975-01-01

    This study determined the maximal mean values for concentric and eccentric back-lift strength as well as isometric, and examined and compared the relationships between the mean peak voltage of the erectores spinae muscle(s) and maximal force exerted for the three types of muscle contractions. (RC)

  4. Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiographic correlation of dipyridamole-thallium stress testing with isometric handgrip

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whitfield, S.; Aurigemma, G.; Pape, L.; Leppo, J.

    1991-01-01

    To determine how frequently new wall-motion abnormalities that are indicative of ischemia accompany thallium redistribution, 47 consecutive patients underwent two-dimensional, echocardiography during routine dipyridamole-thallium stress testing. A secondary aim of the study was to determine whether the addition of isometric handgrip exercises to the standard dipyridamole imaging protocol increased the frequency of wall-motion abnormalities or thallium redistribution. Echocardiograms and thallium scans were independently interpreted, and wall-motion abnormalities that appeared with dipyridamole, handgrip exercise, or both were compared with results of thallium imaging. Five of 24 patients with thallium redistribution had new wall-motion abnormalities, and the extent (number of segments) of thallium redistribution in these five patients was significantly greater than in those who did not have well-motion abnormalities (p less than 0.03). The addition of isometric handgrip exercises to the imaging protocol did not distinguish between patients with and without new wall-motion abnormalities or thallium redistribution. Thus new wall-motion abnormalities infrequently accompany thallium redistribution in routine dipyridamole stress testing in spite of the addition of handgrip exercises, but when new wall-motion abnormalities are present, they are associated with a greater area of thallium redistribution

  5. Comparison of the Relationship between Lying and Standing Ultrasonography Measures of Muscle Morphology with Isometric and Dynamic Force Production Capabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John P. Wagle

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the current study was (1 to examine the differences between standing and lying measures of vastus lateralis (VL, muscle thickness (MT, pennation angle (PA, and cross-sectional area (CSA using ultrasonography; and (2 to explore the relationships between lying and standing measures with isometric and dynamic assessments of force production—specifically peak force, rate of force development (RFD, impulse, and one-repetition maximum back squat. Fourteen resistance-trained subjects (age = 26.8 ± 4.0 years, height = 181.4 ± 6.0 cm, body mass = 89.8 ± 10.7 kg, back squat to body mass ratio = 1.84 ± 0.34 agreed to participate. Lying and standing ultrasonography images of the right VL were collected following 48 hours of rest. Isometric squat assessments followed ultrasonography, and were performed on force platforms with data used to determine isometric peak force (IPF, as well as RFD and impulse at various time points. Forty-eight hours later, one-repetition maximum back squats were performed by each subject. Paired-samples t-tests revealed statistically significant differences between standing and lying measurements of MT (p < 0.001, PA (p < 0.001, and CSA (p ≤ 0.05, with standing values larger in all cases. Further, standing measures were correlated more strongly and abundantly to isometric and dynamic performance. These results suggest that if practitioners intend to gain insight into strength-power potential based on ultrasonography measurements, performing the measurement collection with the athlete in a standing posture may be preferred.

  6. Stakeholders' views of recurrent sore throat, tonsillitis and their management: a qualitative interview study for the NAtional Trial of Tonsillectomy IN Adults (NATTINA Part 1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    McSweeney, L A; Rousseau, N S; Wilson, J A; Wilkes, S; Haighton, C A

    2017-04-01

    To determine the impact of recurrent sore throats and tonsillitis in adults and stakeholder views of treatment pathways. Qualitative semistructured interview design reporting novel data from a feasibility study for a UK national trial of tonsillectomy in adults. Nine study sites linked to ear, nose and throat departments in National Health Service hospitals located across the United Kingdom. Fifteen patients, 11 general practitioners and 22 ear, nose and throat staff consented to in-depth interviews, which were analysed using a framework analysis approach. Views of stakeholder groups. Recurrent sore throats were reported to severely impact patients' family, work and social life. Ear, nose and throat staff stated that patients faced increasing barriers to secondary care service access. General practitioners were under pressure to reduce 'limited clinical value' surgical procedures. The findings from this study suggest that there is a disconnect between the attitudes of the stakeholders and the reality of recurrent sore throat, tonsillectomy procedures and service provision. More evidence for the role of tonsillectomy is needed from randomised controlled trials to determine whether it should continue to be ranked as a procedure of limited clinical effectiveness. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Acute Improvement of Vertical Jump Performance After Isometric Squats Depends on Knee Angle and Vertical Jumping Ability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsoukos, Athanasios; Bogdanis, Gregory C; Terzis, Gerasimos; Veligekas, Panagiotis

    2016-08-01

    Tsoukos, A, Bogdanis, GC, Terzis, G, and Veligekas, P. Acute improvement of vertical jump performance after isometric squats depends on knee angle and vertical jumping ability. J Strength Cond Res 30(8): 2250-2257, 2016-This study examined the acute effects of maximum isometric squats at 2 different knee angles (90 or 140°) on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in power athletes. Fourteen national-level male track and field power athletes completed 3 main trials (2 experimental and 1 control) in a randomized and counterbalanced order 1 week apart. Countermovement jump performance was evaluated using a force-plate before and 15 seconds, 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after 3 sets of 3 seconds maximum isometric contractions with 1-minute rest in between, from a squat position with knee angle set at 90 or 140°. Countermovement jump performance was improved compared with baseline only in the 140° condition by 3.8 ± 1.2% on the 12th minute of recovery (p = 0.027), whereas there was no change in CMJ height in the 90° condition. In the control condition, there was a decrease in CMJ performance over time, reaching -3.6 ± 1.2% (p = 0.049) after 12 minutes of recovery. To determine the possible effects of baseline jump performance on subsequent CMJ performance, subjects were divided into 2 groups ("high jumpers" and "low jumpers"). The baseline CMJ values of "high jumpers" and "low jumpers" differed significantly (CMJ: 45.1 ± 2.2 vs. 37.1 ± 3.9 cm, respectively, p = 0.001). Countermovement jump was increased only in the "high jumpers" group by 5.4 ± 1.4% (p = 0.001) and 7.4 ± 1.2% (p = 0.001) at the knee angles of 90 and 140°, respectively. This improvement was larger at the 140° angle (p = 0.049). Knee angle during isometric squats and vertical jumping ability are important determinants of the acute CMJ performance increase observed after a conditioning activity.

  8. Eccentric and Isometric Hip Adduction Strength in Male Soccer Players With and Without Adductor-Related Groin Pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorborg, Kristian; Branci, Sonia; Nielsen, Martin Peter; Tang, Lars; Nielsen, Michael Bachmann; Hölmich, Per

    2014-01-01

    Background: Adductor-related pain is the most common clinical finding in soccer players with groin pain and can be a long-standing problem affecting physical function and performance. Hip adductor weakness has been suggested to be associated with this clinical entity, although it has never been investigated. Purpose: To investigate whether isometric and eccentric hip strength are decreased in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain compared with asymptomatic soccer controls. The hypothesis was that players with adductor-related groin pain would have lower isometric and eccentric hip adduction strength than players without adductor-related groin pain. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Male elite and subelite players from 40 teams were contacted. In total, 28 soccer players with adductor-related groin pain and 16 soccer players without adductor-related groin pain (asymptomatic controls) were included in the study. In primary analysis, the dominant legs of 21 soccer players with adductor-related groin pain (≥4 weeks duration) were compared with the dominant legs of 16 asymptomatic controls using a cross-sectional design. The mean age of the symptomatic players was 24.5 ± 2.5 years, and the mean age of the asymptomatic controls was 22.9 ± 2.4 years. Isometric hip strength (adduction, abduction, and flexion) and eccentric hip strength (adduction) were assessed with a handheld dynamometer using reliable test procedures and a blinded assessor. Results: Eccentric hip adduction strength was lower in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain in the dominant leg (n = 21) compared with asymptomatic controls (n = 16), namely 2.47 ± 0.49 versus 3.12 ± 0.43 N·m/kg, respectively (P strength differences were observed between symptomatic players and asymptomatic controls for the dominant leg (P = .35-.84). Conclusion: Large eccentric hip adduction strength deficits were found in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain

  9. Combined V-Y Fasciocutaneous Advancement and Gluteus Maximus Muscle Rotational Flaps for Treating Sacral Sores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyun Ho Han

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The sacral area is the most common site of pressure sore in bed-ridden patients. Though many treatment methods have been proposed, a musculocutaneous flap using the gluteus muscles or a fasciocutaneous flap is the most popular surgical option. Here, we propose a new method that combines the benefits of these 2 methods: combined V-Y fasciocutaneous advancement and gluteus maximus muscle rotational flaps. A retrospective review was performed for 13 patients who underwent this new procedure from March 2011 to December 2013. Patients’ age, sex, accompanying diseases, follow-up duration, surgical details, complications, and recurrence were documented. Computed tomography was performed postoperatively at 2 to 4 weeks and again at 4 to 6 months to identify the thickness and volume of the rotational muscle portion. After surgery, all patients healed within 1 month; 3 patients experienced minor complications. The average follow-up period was 13.6 months, during which time 1 patient had a recurrence (recurrence rate, 7.7%. Average thickness of the rotated muscle was 9.43 mm at 2 to 4 weeks postoperatively and 9.22 mm at 4 to 6 months postoperatively (p=0.087. Muscle thickness had not decreased, and muscle volume was relatively maintained. This modified method is relatively simple and easy for reconstructing sacral sores, provides sufficient padding, and has little muscle donor-site morbidity.

  10. Protocol for north of England and Scotland study of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in children (NESSTAC). A pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment in children with recurrent sore throats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, John; Wilson, Janet; Eccles, Martin; Vanoli, Alessandra; Steen, Nick; Clarke, Ray; Zarod, Andrew; Lock, Catherine; Brittain, Katie; Speed, Chris; Rousseau, Nikki

    2006-08-09

    Uncertainties surrounding the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of childhood tonsillectomy for recurrent sore throat led the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme to commission this research to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in comparison with standard non-surgical management in children aged under 16 with recurrent throat infections. The aim is to evaluate if tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy reduces the number of episodes of sore throats among children to a clinically significant extent. A simple prospective pragmatic randomised controlled trial with economic analysis and prospective cohort study of non-trial participants comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment. The treatment arm will receive tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy while in the control arm non-surgical conventional medical treatment only will be used. The primary outcome measure will be reported number of episodes of sore throat over two years with secondary outcomes measures of reported number of episodes of sore throat, otitis media and upper respiratory tract infection which invoke a GP consultation; reported number of symptom-free days; reported severity of sore throats and surgical and anaesthetic morbidity. The study will take place in five hospitals in the UK. The trial population will be 406 children aged 4-15 on their last birthday with recurrent sore throat referred by primary care to the 5 otolaryngology departments. The duration of the study is seven years (July 2001-July 2008). As with all pragmatic randomised controlled trials it is impossible to control the external environment in which the research is taking place. Since this trial began a number of factors have arisen which could affect the outcome including; a reduction in the incidence of respiratory tract infections, marked socio-economic differences in consultation rates, the results from the National Prospective Tonsillectomy

  11. Protocol for north of England and Scotland study of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in children (NESSTAC. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment in children with recurrent sore throats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lock Catherine

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Uncertainties surrounding the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of childhood tonsillectomy for recurrent sore throat led the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme to commission this research to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in comparison with standard non-surgical management in children aged under 16 with recurrent throat infections. The aim is to evaluate if tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy reduces the number of episodes of sore throats among children to a clinically significant extent. Methods/design A simple prospective pragmatic randomised controlled trial with economic analysis and prospective cohort study of non-trial participants comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment. The treatment arm will receive tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy while in the control arm non-surgical conventional medical treatment only will be used. The primary outcome measure will be reported number of episodes of sore throat over two years with secondary outcomes measures of reported number of episodes of sore throat, otitis media and upper respiratory tract infection which invoke a GP consultation; reported number of symptom-free days; reported severity of sore throats and surgical and anaesthetic morbidity. The study will take place in five hospitals in the UK. The trial population will be 406 children aged 4–15 on their last birthday with recurrent sore throat referred by primary care to the 5 otolaryngology departments. The duration of the study is seven years (July 2001- July 2008. Discussion As with all pragmatic randomised controlled trials it is impossible to control the external environment in which the research is taking place. Since this trial began a number of factors have arisen which could affect the outcome including; a reduction in the incidence of respiratory tract infections, marked socio-economic differences in

  12. The Gait Deviation Index Is Associated with Hip Muscle Strength and Patient-Reported Outcome in Patients with Severe Hip Osteoarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosenlund, Signe; Holsgaard-Larsen, Anders; Overgaard, Søren

    2016-01-01

    ) and with severe primary hip osteoarthritis underwent 3-dimensional gait analysis. Mean Gait Deviation Index, pain after walking and maximal isometric hip muscle strength (flexor, extensor, and abductor) were recorded. All patients completed the 'Physical Function Short-form of the Hip disability...... was to investigate associations between Gait Deviation Index as a measure of gait 'quality' and hip muscle strength and between Gait Deviation Index and patient-reported outcomes in patients with primary hip osteoarthritis. METHOD: Forty-seven patients (34 males), aged 61.1 ± 6.7 years, with BMI 27.3 ± 3.4 (kg/m2...... and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS-Physical Function) and the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales for pain (HOOS-Pain) and quality-of-life (HOOS-QOL). RESULTS: Mean Gait Deviation Index was positively associated with hip abduction strength (pstrength (p = 0...

  13. [The practice guideline 'Sore throat' (second revision) from the Dutch College of General Practitioners; a response from the perspective of otorhinolaryngology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marres, H.A.M.

    2008-01-01

    In this comment, the practice guideline 'Sore throat' (second revision) is discussed. This guideline, composed by the Dutch College of General Practitioners, offers general practitioners a well-appreciated overview of the common practices regarding diagnostic tests and treatment of pharyngitis and

  14. Behaviour of motor units of human arm muscles: differences between slow isometric contraction and relaxation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Denier van der Gon, J.J.; Haar Romenij, ter B.M.; Zuylen, Van E.J.

    1985-01-01

    The behaviour of motor units in the m. biceps brachii (long head), in the m. brachialis and in the m. supinator during slow isometric contraction and relaxation was studied when subjects were performing different motor tasks. These tasks were: flexion of the elbow joint, supination of the forearm

  15. Effects of age and content of augmented feedback on learning an isometric force-production task

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dijk, Henk; Mulder, Theo; Hermens, Hermie J.

    2007-01-01

    This study addressed the interaction between age and the informational content of feedback on learning an isometric force-production task. Healthy men and women (30 young adults: 20 to 35 years; 30 older adults: 55 to 70 years) were randomly assigned to a certain type of feedback: knowledge of

  16. SUSTAINED ISOMETRIC SHOULDER CONTRACTION ON MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Natalie L; Toonstra, Jenny L; Smith, Jacob S; Padgett, Cooper A; Uhl, Tim L

    2015-12-01

    The Advanced Throwers Ten Exercise Program incorporates sustained isometric contractions in conjunction with dynamic shoulder movements. It has been suggested that incorporating isometric holds may facilitate greater increases in muscular strength and endurance. However, no objective evidence currently exists to support this claim. The purpose of this research was to compare the effects of a sustained muscle contraction resistive training program (Advanced Throwers Ten Program) to a more traditional exercise training protocol to determine if increases in shoulder muscular strength and endurance occur in an otherwise healthy population. It was hypothesized that utilizing a sustained isometric hold during a shoulder scaption exercise from the Advanced Throwers Ten would produce greater increases in shoulder strength and endurance as compared to a traditional training program incorporating a isotonic scapular plane abduction (scaption) exercise. Randomized Clinical Trial. Fifty healthy participants were enrolled in this study, of which 25 were randomized into the traditional training group (age: 26 ± 8, height:172 ± 10 cm, weight: 73 ± 13 kg, Marx Activity Scale: 11 ± 4) and 25 were randomized to the Advanced Throwers Ten group (age: 28 ± 9, height: 169 ± 23 cm, weight: 74 ± 16 kg, Marx Activity Scale: 11 ± 5). No pre-intervention differences existed between the groups (P>0.05). Arm endurance and strength data were collected pre and post intervention using a portable load cell (BTE Evaluator, Hanover, MD). Both within and between group analyses were done in order to investigate average torque (strength) and angular impulse (endurance) changes. The traditional and Advanced Throwers Ten groups both significantly improved torque and angular impulse on both the dominant and non-dominant arms by 10-14%. There were no differences in strength or endurance following the interventions between the two training groups (p>0

  17. Effect of Acute Effort on Isometric Strength and Body Balance: Trained vs. Untrained Paradigm.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanisław Sterkowicz

    Full Text Available Years of training in competitive sports leads to human body adaptation to a specific type of exercise. In judo bouts, maintaining hand grip on an opponent's clothes and postural balance is essential for the effective technical and tactical actions. This study compares changes after maximal anaerobic exercise among judo athletes and untrained subjects regarding 1 maximum isometric handgrip strength (HGSmax and accuracy at the perceived 50% maximum handgrip force (1/2HGSmax and 2 the balance of 13 judo athletes at national (n = 8 and international (n = 5 competitive levels and 19 untrained university students. The groups did not differ in age, body height, and weight. Body mass index (BMI and body composition (JAWON were evaluated. The Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT, Monark 875E measured recommended anaerobic capacity indices. Hand grip strength (Takei dynamometer and balance (biplate balance platform were measured before warm-up (T1, before the WAnT test (T2, and after (T3. Parametric or non-parametric tests were performed after verifying the variable distribution assumption. Judoists had higher BMI and fat-free mass index (FFMI than the students. The athletes also showed higher relative total work and relative peak power and lower levels of lactic acid. The difference in judoists between HGSmax at T1 and HGSmax at T3 was statistically significant. Before warm-up (T1, athletes showed higher strength (more divergent from the calculated ½HGSmax value compared to students. Substantial fatigue after the WAnT test significantly deteriorated the body stability indices, which were significantly better in judo athletes at all time points. The findings suggest specific body adaptations in judoists, especially for body composition, anaerobic energy system efficiency, and postural balance. These characteristics could be trained for specifically by judo athletes to meet the time-motion and anaerobic demands of contemporary bouts.

  18. Effect of Acute Effort on Isometric Strength and Body Balance: Trained vs. Untrained Paradigm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sterkowicz, Stanisław; Jaworski, Janusz; Lech, Grzegorz; Pałka, Tomasz; Sterkowicz-Przybycień, Katarzyna; Bujas, Przemysław; Pięta, Paweł; Mościński, Zenon

    2016-01-01

    Years of training in competitive sports leads to human body adaptation to a specific type of exercise. In judo bouts, maintaining hand grip on an opponent's clothes and postural balance is essential for the effective technical and tactical actions. This study compares changes after maximal anaerobic exercise among judo athletes and untrained subjects regarding 1) maximum isometric handgrip strength (HGSmax) and accuracy at the perceived 50% maximum handgrip force (1/2HGSmax) and 2) the balance of 13 judo athletes at national (n = 8) and international (n = 5) competitive levels and 19 untrained university students. The groups did not differ in age, body height, and weight. Body mass index (BMI) and body composition (JAWON) were evaluated. The Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT, Monark 875E) measured recommended anaerobic capacity indices. Hand grip strength (Takei dynamometer) and balance (biplate balance platform) were measured before warm-up (T1), before the WAnT test (T2), and after (T3). Parametric or non-parametric tests were performed after verifying the variable distribution assumption. Judoists had higher BMI and fat-free mass index (FFMI) than the students. The athletes also showed higher relative total work and relative peak power and lower levels of lactic acid. The difference in judoists between HGSmax at T1 and HGSmax at T3 was statistically significant. Before warm-up (T1), athletes showed higher strength (more divergent from the calculated ½HGSmax value) compared to students. Substantial fatigue after the WAnT test significantly deteriorated the body stability indices, which were significantly better in judo athletes at all time points. The findings suggest specific body adaptations in judoists, especially for body composition, anaerobic energy system efficiency, and postural balance. These characteristics could be trained for specifically by judo athletes to meet the time-motion and anaerobic demands of contemporary bouts.

  19. Motor Unit Activity during Fatiguing Isometric Muscle Contraction in Hemispheric Stroke Survivors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lara McManus

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Enhanced muscle weakness is commonly experienced following stroke and may be accompanied by increased susceptibility to fatigue. To examine the contributions of central and peripheral factors to isometric muscle fatigue in stroke survivors, this study investigates changes in motor unit (MU mean firing rate, and action potential duration during, and directly following, a sustained submaximal fatiguing contraction at 30% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC. A series of short contractions of the first dorsal interosseous muscle were performed pre- and post-fatigue at 20% MVC, and again following a 10-min recovery period, by 12 chronic stroke survivors. Individual MU firing times were extracted using surface EMG decomposition and used to obtain the spike-triggered average MU action potential waveforms. During the sustained fatiguing contraction, the mean rate of change in firing rate across all detected MUs was greater on the affected side (-0.02 ± 0.03 Hz/s than on the less-affected side (-0.004 ± 0.003 Hz/s, p = 0.045. The change in firing rate immediately post-fatigue was also greater on the affected side than less-affected side (-13.5 ± 20 and 0.1 ± 19%, p = 0.04. Mean MU firing rates increased following the recovery period on the less-affected side when compared to the affected side (19.3 ± 17 and 0.5 ± 20%, respectively, p = 0.03. MU action potential duration increased post-fatigue on both sides (10.3 ± 1.2 to 11.2 ± 1.3 ms on the affected side and 9.9 ± 1.7 to 11.2 ± 1.9 ms on the less-affected side, p = 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively, and changes in action potential duration tended to be smaller in subjects with greater impairment (p = 0.04. This study presents evidence of both central and peripheral fatigue at the MU level during isometric fatiguing contraction for the first time in stroke survivors. Together, these preliminary observations indicate that the response to an isometric fatiguing contraction differs between the

  20. ISOMETRIC EXERCISE AND ITS EFFECT ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE, BEFORE AND AFTER TRAINING IN YOUNG HEALTHY MALES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Isometric exercise is a normal part of everyday activities and many occupational tasks. Preventive services are important as they give physicians an opportunity and responsibility to promote regular physical activity, reduc e high blood pressure, and help in weight control. Physical inactivity is recognized as a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Regular aerobic physical activity increases exercise capacity and plays a role in both primary and secondary prevention of ca rdiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of isometric handgrip training on Blood pressure and Heart rate in healthy young males in the age group of 18 - 22 years. MATERIALS AND METHOD : Study subjects consisted of 30 healthy adult males in the age group of 18 - 22 yrs. Age and sex matched adults who were not active in sports or in physical activities constituted the control group (n=30. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded and eval uated after a defined protocol of handgrip sustained static (isometric contractions performed with the handgrip dynamometer at Rest and Post Exercise. BP and HR were recorded with the help of automated blood pressure monitor and power lab 8/30 series inst rument available in the Department of Physiology , Navodaya Medical college, Raichur. RESULTS: There was no change in Resting Blood pressure and Heart rate between the subject and control group before the training sessions. There was significant decrease in resting Blood pressure and Heart rate in trained subject group when compared to untrained control group after 5 weeks of training sessions. CONCLUSION : Isometric hand grip training is effective in lowering arterial pressure in normotensive subjects. Isome tric training may be an effective intervention in the prevention and treatment of hypertension

  1. Effects of Jaw Clenching and Jaw Alignment Mouthpiece Use on Force Production During Vertical Jump and Isometric Clean Pull.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Charles R; Fu, Yang-Chieh; Cazas-Moreno, Vanessa; Valliant, Melinda W; Gdovin, Jacob R; Williams, Charles C; Garner, John C

    2018-01-01

    Allen, CR, Fu, Y-C, Cazas-Moreno, V, Valliant, MW, Gdovin, JR, Williams, CC, and Garner, JC. Effects of jaw clenching and jaw alignment mouthpiece use on force production during vertical jump and isometric clean pull. J Strength Cond Res 32(1): 237-243, 2018-This study examined the effects of jaw clenching, a self-adapted, jaw-repositioning mouthpiece on force production during maximum countermovement vertical jump and maximum isometric midthigh clean pull assessments in an attempt to determine any ergogenic effect attributable to clenching, jaw-repositioning mouthpiece use, or the combination of both. Thirty-six male subjects performed vertical jump and isometric clean pull assessments from a force platform under various mouthpiece and clench conditions. A 3 × 2 (mouthpiece × clench) repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to analyze each of the following force production variables for both assessments: peak force, normalized peak force, and rate of force development. In addition, jump height was analyzed for the vertical jump. Results revealed improvements in peak force (F1,35 = 15.84, p ≤ 0.001, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.31), normalized peak force (F1,35 = 16.28, p ≤ 0.001, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.32), and rate of force development (F1,35 = 12.89, p = 0.001, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.27) during the isometric clean pull assessment when participants maximally clenched their jaw, regardless of mouthpiece condition. There were no statistically significant differences in jump height, peak force, normalized peak force, or rate of force development during the vertical jump for any treatment condition. This study supports previous research demonstrating that the implementation of remote voluntary contractions such as jaw clenching can lead to concurrent activation potentiation and a resulting ergogenic effect during activities involving and requiring high-force production.

  2. Effects of a 16-week Pilates exercises training program for isometric trunk extension and flexion strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kliziene, Irina; Sipaviciene, Saule; Vilkiene, Jovita; Astrauskiene, Audrone; Cibulskas, Gintautas; Klizas, Sarunas; Cizauskas, Ginas

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the effects of Pilates exercises designed to improve isometric trunk extension and flexion strength of muscles in women with chronic low back pain (cLBP). Female volunteers with cLBP were divided into an experimental group (EG; n = 27) and a control group (CG; n = 27). Pilates exercises were performed twice per week by the EG; the duration of each session was 60 min. The program lasted for 16 weeks; thus patients underwent a total of 32 exercise sessions. The maximum isometric waist bending strength of the EG had improved significantly (p = 0.001) after 16 weeks of the Pilates program. The results of trunk flexion muscle endurance tests significantly depended on the trunk extension muscle endurance before the intervention, and at 1 month (r = 0.723, p Pilates exercise program. At the end of the 16-week exercise program, cLBP intensity decreased by 2.01 ± 0.8 (p Pilates exercise program the pain intensified and the functional state deteriorated much faster than the maximum trunk muscle strength. Therefore, it can be concluded that, to decrease pain and improve functional condition, regular exercise (and not only improved strength and endurance) is required. We established that, although the 16-week lumbar stabilization exercise program increased isometric trunk extension and flexion strength and this increase in strength persisted for 2 months, decreased LBP and improved functional condition endured for only 1 month. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Foam Rolling for Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness and Recovery of Dynamic Performance Measures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearcey, Gregory E. P.; Bradbury-Squires, David J.; Kawamoto, Jon-Erik; Drinkwater, Eric J.; Behm, David G.; Button, Duane C.

    2015-01-01

    Context: After an intense bout of exercise, foam rolling is thought to alleviate muscle fatigue and soreness (ie, delayed-onset muscle soreness [DOMS]) and improve muscular performance. Potentially, foam rolling may be an effective therapeutic modality to reduce DOMS while enhancing the recovery of muscular performance. Objective: To examine the effects of foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense exercise protocol through assessment of pressure-pain threshold, sprint time, change-of-direction speed, power, and dynamic strength-endurance. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: University laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 8 healthy, physically active males (age = 22.1 ± 2.5 years, height = 177.0 ± 7.5 cm, mass = 88.4 ± 11.4 kg) participated. Intervention(s): Participants performed 2 conditions, separated by 4 weeks, involving 10 sets of 10 repetitions of back squats at 60% of their 1-repetition maximum, followed by either no foam rolling or 20 minutes of foam rolling immediately, 24, and 48 hours postexercise. Main Outcome Measure(s): Pressure-pain threshold, sprint speed (30-m sprint time), power (broad-jump distance), change-of-direction speed (T-test), and dynamic strength-endurance. Results: Foam rolling substantially improved quadriceps muscle tenderness by a moderate to large amount in the days after fatigue (Cohen d range, 0.59 to 0.84). Substantial effects ranged from small to large in sprint time (Cohen d range, 0.68 to 0.77), power (Cohen d range, 0.48 to 0.87), and dynamic strength-endurance (Cohen d = 0.54). Conclusions: Foam rolling effectively reduced DOMS and associated decrements in most dynamic performance measures. PMID:25415413

  4. The reliability of a maximal isometric hip strength and simultaneous surface EMG screening protocol in elite, junior rugby league athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charlton, Paula C; Mentiplay, Benjamin F; Grimaldi, Alison; Pua, Yong-Hao; Clark, Ross A

    2017-02-01

    Firstly to describe the reliability of assessing maximal isometric strength of the hip abductor and adductor musculature using a hand held dynamometry (HHD) protocol with simultaneous wireless surface electromyographic (sEMG) evaluation of the gluteus medius (GM) and adductor longus (AL). Secondly, to describe the correlation between isometric strength recorded with the HHD protocol and a laboratory standard isokinetic device. Reliability and correlational study. A sample of 24 elite, male, junior, rugby league athletes, age 16-20 years participated in repeated HHD and isometric Kin-Com (KC) strength testing with simultaneous sEMG assessment, on average (range) 6 (5-7) days apart by a single assessor. Strength tests included; unilateral hip abduction (ABD) and adduction (ADD) and bilateral ADD assessed with squeeze (SQ) tests in 0 and 45° of hip flexion. HHD demonstrated good to excellent inter-session reliability for all outcome measures (ICC (2,1) =0.76-0.91) and good to excellent association with the laboratory reference KC (ICC (2,1) =0.80-0.88). Whilst intra-session, inter-trial reliability of EMG activation and co-activation outcome measures ranged from moderate to excellent (ICC (2,1) =0.70-0.94), inter-session reliability was poor (all ICC (2,1) Isometric strength testing of the hip ABD and ADD musculature using HHD may be measured reliably in elite, junior rugby league athletes. Due to the poor inter-session reliability of sEMG measures, it is not recommended for athlete screening purposes if using the techniques implemented in this study. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Which medical device and/or which local treatment for prevention in patients with risk factors for pressure sores in 2012? Developing French guidelines for clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicolas, B; Moiziard, A S; Barrois, B; Colin, D; Michel, J M; Passadori, Y; Ribinik, P

    2012-10-01

    Implementation of a prevention strategy after the identification of risk factors is essential at the entrance in a care unit or in a medical-social unit. Determine which medical devices and which treatments may be used in order to prevent pressure sore in 2012. Systematic review of the literature using databases: Pascal, Biomed, PubMed, and Cochrane library between 2000 and 2010. Nursing care including use of soft product, non-irritating for the cleaning, hydration of the skin with emollients, protection of fragile skin in case of incontinence by applying a skin protector and application of dressings in front of bony prominences to reduce shear forces, remain valid (level C). Nursing cares and use of dressing in patients with high risks of pressure sores are the responsibility of the nurses. The engagement of health care teams involves screening of risk factors and the knowledge of treatments and local devices. Local preventive treatment in a patient with risk factors of pressure sore is of great interest at entrance in a care unit or in a medical-social unit. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  6. Efficacy of Interactive Whiteboard on Psychomotor Skills Achievement of Students in Isometric and Orthographic Projection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gambari, Isiaka A.; Balogun, Sherifat A.; Alfa, Ahmadu S.

    2014-01-01

    This paper discusses importance of technology education and evidences of declining performance of junior secondary school students in basic technology subject. Potentials on interactive whiteboard (IWB) as one of the new technologies to meet the challenges of the 21st century are also discussed. The efficacy of IWB for teaching Isometric and…

  7. Isometric strength ratios of the hip musculature in females with patellofemoral pain: a comparison to pain-free controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magalhães, Eduardo; Silva, Ana Paula M C C; Sacramento, Sylvio N; Martin, RobRoy L; Fukuda, Thiago Y

    2013-08-01

    The purpose of the study was to compare hip agonist-antagonist isometric strength ratios between females with patellofemoral pain (PFP) syndrome and pain-free control group. One hundred and twenty females between 15 and 40 years of age (control group: n = 60; PFP group: n = 60) participated in the study. Hip adductor, abductor, medial rotator, lateral rotator, flexor, and extensor isometric strength were measured using a hand-held dynamometer. Comparisons in the hip adductor/abductor and medial/lateral rotator and flexor/extensor strength ratios were made between groups using independent t-tests. Group comparisons also were made between the anteromedial hip complex (adductor, medial rotator, and flexor musculature) and posterolateral hip complex (abductor, lateral rotator, and extensor musculature). On average, the hip adductor/abductor isometric strength ratio in the PFP group was 23% higher when compared with the control group (p = 0.01). The anteromedial/posterolateral complex ratio also was significantly higher in the PFP group (average 8%; p = 0.04). No significant group differences were found for the medial/lateral rotator ratio and flexor/extensor strength ratios. The results of this study demonstrate that females with PFP have altered hip strength ratios when compared with asymptomatic controls. These strength imbalances may explain the tendency of females with PFP to demonstrate kinematic tendencies that increase loading on the patellofemoral joint (i.e., dynamic knee valgus).

  8. Browse Title Index

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 151 - 200 of 242 ... Vol 12, No 1 (2013), Pattern of Pressure Sores in Spinal Injured Patients with in the First Six Months of Injury, Abstract. CU Nwadinigwe, K Amaefule, AO Uduezue. Vol 6, No 1 (2007), Pattern of requests for major limb amputations as seen in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital, Abstract. AA Musa. Vol 4, No 1 ...

  9. Electromyographic signal and force comparisons during maximal voluntary isometric contraction in water and on dry land.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Stephanie Santana; Liedtke, Giane Veiga; Alberton, Cristine Lima; da Silva, Eduardo Marczwski; Cadore, Eduardo Lusa; Kruel, Luiz Fernando Martins

    2010-11-01

    This study was designed to compare surface electromyographic (sEMG) signal and force production during maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVCs) in water and on dry land. The reproducibility of sEMG and isometric force measurements between water and dry land environments was also assessed. Nine women performed MVC for elbow flexion and extension, hip flexion, and extension against identical fixed resistance in both environments. The sEMG signal from biceps brachii, triceps brachii, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris was recorded with waterproof adhesives placed over each electrode. The sEMG and force production showed no significant difference between water and dry land, except for HEX (p = 0.035). In addition, intraclass correlation coefficient values were significant and ranged from moderate to high (0.66-0.96) for sEMG and force production between environments. These results showed that the environment did not influence the sEMG and force in MVC.

  10. Isometric shoulder muscle activation patterns for 3-D planar forces: a methodology for musculo-skeletal model validation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groot, J.H.; Rozendaal, L.A.; Meskers, C.G.M.; Arwert, H.J.

    2004-01-01

    Objective. To present an isometric method for validation of a shoulder model simulation by means of experimentally obtained electromyography and addressing all muscles active around the shoulder joints. Background. Analysis of muscle force distribution in the shoulder by means of electromyography

  11. Effects of Isometric Hand-Grip Muscle Contraction on Young Adults' Free Recall and Recognition Memory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomporowski, Phillip D.; Albrecht, Chelesa; Pendleton, Daniel M.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if physical arousal produced by isometric hand-dynamometer contraction performed during word-list learning affects young adults' free recall or recognition memory. Method: Twenty-four young adults (12 female; M[subscript age] = 22 years) were presented with 4 20-item word lists. Moderate arousal…

  12. Discharge properties of motor units during steady isometric contractions performed with the dorsiflexor muscles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jesunathadas, Mark; Klass, Malgorzata; Duchateau, Jacques; Enoka, Roger M

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to record the discharge characteristics of tibialis anterior motor units over a range of target forces and to import these data, along with previously reported observations, into a computational model to compare experimental and simulated measures of torque variability during isometric contractions with the dorsiflexor muscles. The discharge characteristics of 44 motor units were quantified during brief isometric contractions at torques that ranged from recruitment threshold to an average of 22 ± 14.4% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque above recruitment threshold. The minimal [range: 5.8-19.8 pulses per second (pps)] and peak (range: 8.6-37.5 pps) discharge rates of motor units were positively related to the recruitment threshold torque (R(2) ≥ 0.266; P recruitment was positively associated with recruitment threshold torque (R(2) = 0.443; P recruitment threshold torque. The variability in the simulated torque did not differ from the experimental values once the recruitment range was set to ∼85% MVC torque, and the association between motor twitch contraction times and peak twitch torque was defined as a weak linear association (R(2) = 0.096; P motor units in the tibialis anterior.

  13. The Advantages of Normalizing Electromyography to Ballistic Rather than Isometric or Isokinetic Tasks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suydam, Stephen M; Manal, Kurt; Buchanan, Thomas S

    2017-07-01

    Isometric tasks have been a standard for electromyography (EMG) normalization stemming from anatomic and physiologic stability observed during contraction. Ballistic dynamic tasks have the benefit of eliciting maximum EMG signals for normalization, despite having the potential for greater signal variability. It is the purpose of this study to compare maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) to nonisometric tasks with increasing degrees of extrinsic variability, ie, joint range of motion, velocity, rate of contraction, etc., to determine if the ballistic tasks, which elicit larger peak EMG signals, are more reliable than the constrained MVIC. Fifteen subjects performed MVIC, isokinetic, maximum countermovement jump, and sprint tasks while EMG was collected from 9 muscles in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and lower leg. The results revealed the unconstrained ballistic tasks were more reliable compared to the constrained MVIC and isokinetic tasks for all triceps surae muscles. The EMG from sprinting was more reliable than the constrained cases for both the hamstrings and vasti. The most reliable EMG signals occurred when the body was permitted its natural, unconstrained motion. These results suggest that EMG is best normalized using ballistic tasks to provide the greatest within-subject reliability, which beneficially yield maximum EMG values.

  14. Selective visual scaling of time-scale processes facilitates broadband learning of isometric force frequency tracking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Adam C; Newell, Karl M

    2015-10-01

    The experiment investigated the effect of selectively augmenting faster time scales of visual feedback information on the learning and transfer of continuous isometric force tracking tasks to test the generality of the self-organization of 1/f properties of force output. Three experimental groups tracked an irregular target pattern either under a standard fixed gain condition or with selectively enhancement in the visual feedback display of intermediate (4-8 Hz) or high (8-12 Hz) frequency components of the force output. All groups reduced tracking error over practice, with the error lowest in the intermediate scaling condition followed by the high scaling and fixed gain conditions, respectively. Selective visual scaling induced persistent changes across the frequency spectrum, with the strongest effect in the intermediate scaling condition and positive transfer to novel feedback displays. The findings reveal an interdependence of the timescales in the learning and transfer of isometric force output frequency structures consistent with 1/f process models of the time scales of motor output variability.

  15. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ISOMETRIC THIGH MUSCLE STRENGTH AND MINIMAL CLINICALLY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES (MCIDS) IN KNEE FUNCTION IN OSTEOARTHRITIS – DATA FROM THE OSTEOARTHRITIS INITIATIVE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruhdorfer, Anja; Wirth, Wolfgang; Eckstein, Felix

    2014-01-01

    Objective To determine the relationship between thigh muscle strength and clinically relevant differences in self-assessed lower limb function. Methods Isometric knee extensor and flexor strength of 4553 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants (2651 women/1902 men) was related to Western Ontario McMasters Universities (WOMAC) physical function scores by linear regression. Further, groups of Male and female participant strata with minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) in WOMAC function scores (6/68) were compared across the full range of observed values, and to participants without functional deficits (WOMAC=0). The effect of WOMAC knee pain and body mass index on the above relationships was explored using stepwise regression. Results Per regression equations, a 3.7% reduction in extensor and a 4.0% reduction in flexor strength were associated with an MCID in WOMAC function in women, and a 3.6%/4.8% reduction in men. For strength divided by body weight, reductions were 5.2%/6.7% in women and 5.8%/6.7% in men. Comparing MCID strata across the full observed range of WOMAC function confirmed the above estimates and did not suggest non-linear relationships across the spectrum of observed values. WOMAC pain correlated strongly with WOMAC function, but extensor (and flexor) muscle strength contributed significant independent information. Conclusion Reductions of approximately 4% in isometric muscle strength and of 6% in strength/weight were related to a clinically relevant difference in WOMAC functional disability. Longitudinal studies will need to confirm these relationships within persons. Muscle extensor (and flexor) strength (per body weight) provided significant independent information in addition to pain in explaining variability in lower limb function. PMID:25303012

  16. Experimental knee pain impairs submaximal force steadiness in isometric, eccentric, and concentric muscle actions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, David A; McNair, Peter J; Lewis, Gwyn N; Mannion, Jamie

    2015-09-12

    Populations with knee joint damage, including arthritis, have noted impairments in the regulation of submaximal muscle force. It is difficult to determine the exact cause of such impairments given the joint pathology and associated neuromuscular adaptations. Experimental pain models that have been used to isolate the effects of pain on muscle force regulation have shown impaired force steadiness during acute pain. However, few studies have examined force regulation during dynamic contractions, and these findings have been inconsistent. The goal of the current study was to examine the effect of experimental knee joint pain on submaximal quadriceps force regulation during isometric and dynamic contractions. The study involved fifteen healthy participants. Participants were seated in an isokinetic dynamometer. Knee extensor force matching tasks were completed in isometric, eccentric, and concentric muscle contraction conditions. The target force was set to 10 % of maximum for each contraction type. Hypertonic saline was then injected into the infrapatella fat pad to generate acute joint pain. The force matching tasks were repeated during pain and once more 5 min after pain had subsided. Hypertonic saline resulted in knee pain with an average peak pain rating of 5.5 ± 2.1 (0-10 scale) that lasted for 18 ± 4 mins. Force steadiness significantly reduced during pain across all three muscle contraction conditions. There was a trend to increased force matching error during pain but this was not significant. Experimental knee pain leads to impaired quadriceps force steadiness during isometric, eccentric, and concentric contractions, providing further evidence that joint pain directly affects motor performance. Given the established relationship between submaximal muscle force steadiness and function, such an effect may be detrimental to the performance of tasks in daily life. In order to restore motor performance in people with painful arthritic conditions of the

  17. Development, validity and reliability of a new pressure air biofeedback device (PAB) for measuring isometric extension strength of the lumbar spine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pienaar, Andries W; Barnard, Justhinus G

    2017-04-01

    This study describes the development of a new portable muscle testing device, using air pressure as a biofeedback and strength testing tool. For this purpose, a pressure air biofeedback device (PAB ® ) was developed to measure and record the isometric extension strength of the lumbar multifidus muscle in asymptomatic and low back pain (LBP) persons. A total of 42 subjects (age 47.58 years, ±18.58) participated in this study. The validity of PAB ® was assessed by comparing a selected measure, air pressure force in millibar (mb), to a standard criterion; calibrated weights in kilograms (kg) during day-to-day tests. Furthermore, clinical trial-to-trial and day-to-day tests of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of L5 lumbar multifidus were done to compare air pressure force (mb) to electromyography (EMG) in microvolt (μV) and to measure the reliability of PAB ® . A highly significant relationship were found between air pressure output (mb) and calibrated weights (kg). In addition, Pearson correlation calculations showed a significant relationship between PAB ® force (mb) and EMG activity (μV) for all subjects (n = 42) examined, as well as for the asymptomatic group (n = 24). No relationship was detected for the LBP group (n = 18). In terms of lumbar extension strength, we found that asymptomatic subjects were significantly stronger than LBP subjects. The results of the PAB ® test differentiated between LBP and asymptomatic subject's lumbar isometric extension strength without any risk to the subjects and also indicate that the lumbar isometric extension test with the new PAB ® device is reliable and valid.

  18. A New Option for the Reconstruction of Primary or Recurrent Ischial Pressure Sores: Hamstring-Adductor Magnus Muscle Advancement Flap and Direct Closure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burm, Jin Sik; Hwang, Jungil; Lee, Yung Ki

    2018-04-01

    Owing to the high recurrence rates of ischial pressure sores, surgeons should consider the possibility of future secondary flap surgery during flap selection. The purpose of this article is to present a new surgical option for the reconstruction of primary or recurrent ischial pressure sores using a simple hamstring-adductor magnus advancement flap and direct closure. After horizontal fusiform skin excision, complete bursa excision and ischiectomy were performed. The tenomuscular origin of the adductor magnus and the conjoined tenomuscular origin of the biceps femoris long head and semitendinosus were isolated and completely detached from the inferior border of the ischial tuberosity. They were then advanced in a cephalad direction without detachment of the distal tendon or muscle and securely affixed to the sacrotuberous ligament. The wound was directly closed without further incision or dissection. Twelve ischial pressure sores (6 primary and 6 recurrent; 12 patients) were surgically corrected. The follow-up period was 12 to 65 months. All patients healed successfully without early postoperative complications, such as hematoma, seroma, infection, wound dehiscence, or partial necrosis. Late complications included wound disruption 5 weeks after surgery that spontaneously healed in 1 case and recurrence 3 years later in another case. The new surgical option presented herein, which involves hamstring-adductor magnus advancement flap and direct closure, is a simple and reliable method for providing sufficient muscle bulk to fill the dead space and proper padding to the bone stump while preserving the main vascular perforators and pedicles as well as future surgical options.

  19. The Effect of Isometric Massage on Global Grip Strength after Conservative Treatment of Distal Radial Fractures. Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratajczak, Karina; Płomiński, Janusz

    2015-01-01

    The most common fracture of the distal end of the radius is Colles' fracture. Treatment modalities available for use in hand rehabilitation after injury include massage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of isometric massage on the recovery of hand function in patients with Colles fractures. For this purpose, the strength of the finger flexors was assessed as an objective criterion for the evaluation of hand function. The study involved 40 patients, randomly divided into Group A of 20 patients and Group B of 20 patients. All patients received physical therapy and exercised individually with a physiotherapist. Isometric massage was additionally used in Group A. Global grip strength was assessed using a pneumatic force meter on the first and last day of therapy. Statistical analysis was performed using STATISTICA. Statistical significance was defined as a P value of less than 0.05. In both groups, global grip strength increased significantly after the therapy. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups. The men and women in both groups equally improved grip strength. A statistically significant difference was demonstrated between younger and older patients, with younger patients achieving greater gains in global grip strength in both groups. The incorporation of isometric massage in the rehabilitation plan of patients after a distal radial fracture did not significantly contribute to faster recovery of hand function or improve their quality of life.

  20. Reliability of isometric lower-extremity muscle strength measurements in children with cerebral palsy: implications for measurement design

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Willemse, Lydia; Brehm, Merel A.; Scholtes, Vanessa A.; Jansen, Laura; Woudenberg-Vos, Hester; Dallmeijer, Annet J.

    2013-01-01

    Children with cerebral palsy (CP) typically show muscle weakness of the lower extremities, which can be measured with the use of handheld dynamometry (HHD). The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine test-retest reliability and measurement error of isometric lower-extremity strength

  1. Isometric surfaces with a common mean curvature and the problem of Bonnet pairs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabitov, Idzhad Kh

    2012-01-01

    Simple methods are used to give new proofs, and sometimes to make them more precise, of basic theorems on isometric surfaces with a common mean curvature, which are usually called Bonnet pairs. The considerations are conducted under the assumption of minimally admissible smoothness of the objects in question, and certain necessary or sufficient criteria are given for the non-existence of Bonnet pairs with a common non-constant mean curvature among compact surfaces. Bibliography: 26 titles.

  2. Quantification and localisation of damage in rat muscles after controlled loading; a new approach to study the aetiology of pressure sores

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bosboom, E.M.H.; Bouten, C.V.C.; Oomens, C.W.J.; Straaten, van H.W.M.; Baaijens, F.P.T.; Kuipers, H.

    2001-01-01

    To obtain more insight in the aetiology of deep pressure sores, an animal model was developed to relate controlled externalloading to local muscle damage. The tibialis anterior muscle (TA) and overlying skin of a rat were compressed between indentorand tibia. Loads of 10, 70 and 250 kPa at skin

  3. Modulation of Isometric Quadriceps Strength in Soccer Players With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A Crossover Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Valentine Z; Baptista, Abrahão F; Pereira, Guilherme O C; Pochini, Alberto C; Ejnisman, Benno; Santos, Marcelo B; João, Silvia M A; Hazime, Fuad A

    2018-05-01

    Vargas, VZ, Baptista, AF, Pereira, GOC, Pochini, AC, Ejnisman, B, Santos, MB, João, SMA, and Hazime, FA. Modulation of isometric quadriceps strength in soccer players with transcranial direct current stimulation: a crossover study. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1336-1341, 2018-The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the maximum isometric muscle contraction (MVIC) of the knee extensors in soccer players at the preprofessional level. Twenty female soccer players aged 15-17 years (mean = 16.1; SD = 0.9) with 5.2 ± 2.6 years of training were randomly divided into 2 groups to receive either active or sham tDCS in a single session (2 mA; 0.057 mA·cm). The MVIC of the knee extensors was evaluated in both lower limbs by manual dynamometry in 5 sets of contractions divided into 4 blocks: (a) prestimulation, (b) during tDCS, (c) 30 minutes after tDCS, and (d) 60 minutes after tDCS. After an interval of 7 days, the groups were evaluated again, and the type of initial stimulation was inverted between participants. The MVIC of the knee extensors increased significantly during active tDCS (dominant limb (DL) = 0.4; IC = 0.1-0.8 N·Kg), 30 minutes after active tDCS (DL = 0.9; IC 0.4-1.4 N·Kg), and 60 minutes after active tDCS (DL = 1.0; IC 0.3-1.6 N·Kg) but not for sham tDCS. Our conclusion was that tDCS temporarily increases isometric quadriceps strength in adolescent female soccer players, which may be useful for both strength training and rehabilitation.

  4. Novel Use of the Nintendo Wii Board for Measuring Isometric Lower Limb Strength: A Reproducible and Valid Method in Older Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gronbech Jorgensen, Martin; Andersen, Stig; Ryg, Jesper; Masud, Tahir

    2015-01-01

    Portable, low-cost, objective and reproducible assessment of muscle strength in the lower limbs is important as it allows clinicians to precisly track progression of patients undergoing rehabilitation. The Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) is portable, inexpensive, durable, available worldwide, and may serve the above function. The purpose of the study was to evaluate (1) reproducibility and (2) concurrent validity of the WBB for measuring isometric muscle strength in the lower limb. A custom hardware and software was developed to utilize the WBB for assessment of isometric muscle strength. Thirty older adults (69.0 ± 4.2 years of age) were studied on two separate occasions on both the WBB and a stationary isometric dynamometer (SID). On each occasion, three recordings were obtained from each device. For the first recording, means and maximum values were used for further analysis. The test-retest reproducibility was examined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Standard Error of Measurement (SEM), and limits of agreement (LOA). Bland-Altman plots (BAP) and ICC's were used to explore concurrent validity. No systematic difference between test-retest was detected for the WBB. ICC within-device were between 0.90 and 0.96 and between-devices were from 0.80 to 0.84. SEM ranged for the WBB from 9.7 to 13.9%, and for the SID from 11.9 to 13.1%. LOA ranged for the WBB from 20.3 to 28.7% and for the SID from 24.2 to 26.6%. The BAP showed no relationship between the difference and the mean. A high relative and an acceptable absolute reproducibility combined with a good validity was found for the novel method using the WBB for measuring isometric lower limb strength in older adults. Further research using the WBB for assessing lower limb strength should be conducted in different study-populations.

  5. Novel Use of the Nintendo Wii Board for Measuring Isometric Lower Limb Strength: A Reproducible and Valid Method in Older Adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Gronbech Jorgensen

    Full Text Available Portable, low-cost, objective and reproducible assessment of muscle strength in the lower limbs is important as it allows clinicians to precisly track progression of patients undergoing rehabilitation. The Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB is portable, inexpensive, durable, available worldwide, and may serve the above function.The purpose of the study was to evaluate (1 reproducibility and (2 concurrent validity of the WBB for measuring isometric muscle strength in the lower limb.A custom hardware and software was developed to utilize the WBB for assessment of isometric muscle strength. Thirty older adults (69.0 ± 4.2 years of age were studied on two separate occasions on both the WBB and a stationary isometric dynamometer (SID. On each occasion, three recordings were obtained from each device. For the first recording, means and maximum values were used for further analysis. The test-retest reproducibility was examined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC, Standard Error of Measurement (SEM, and limits of agreement (LOA. Bland-Altman plots (BAP and ICC's were used to explore concurrent validity.No systematic difference between test-retest was detected for the WBB. ICC within-device were between 0.90 and 0.96 and between-devices were from 0.80 to 0.84. SEM ranged for the WBB from 9.7 to 13.9%, and for the SID from 11.9 to 13.1%. LOA ranged for the WBB from 20.3 to 28.7% and for the SID from 24.2 to 26.6%. The BAP showed no relationship between the difference and the mean.A high relative and an acceptable absolute reproducibility combined with a good validity was found for the novel method using the WBB for measuring isometric lower limb strength in older adults. Further research using the WBB for assessing lower limb strength should be conducted in different study-populations.

  6. Bed rest attenuates sympathetic and pressor responses to isometric exercise in antigravity leg muscles in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamiya, Atsunori; Michikami, Daisaku; Shiozawa, Tomoki; Iwase, Satoshi; Hayano, Junichiro; Kawada, Toru; Sunagawa, Kenji; Mano, Tadaaki

    2004-05-01

    Although spaceflight and bed rest are known to cause muscular atrophy in the antigravity muscles of the legs, the changes in sympathetic and cardiovascular responses to exercises using the atrophied muscles remain unknown. We hypothesized that bed rest would augment sympathetic responses to isometric exercise using antigravity leg muscles in humans. Ten healthy male volunteers were subjected to 14-day 6 degrees head-down bed rest. Before and after bed rest, they performed isometric exercises using leg (plantar flexion) and forearm (handgrip) muscles, followed by 2-min postexercise muscle ischemia (PEMI) that continues to stimulate the muscle metaboreflex. These exercises were sustained to fatigue. We measured muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in the contralateral resting leg by microneurography. In both pre- and post-bed-rest exercise tests, exercise intensities were set at 30 and 70% of the maximum voluntary force measured before bed rest. Bed rest attenuated the increase in MSNA in response to fatiguing plantar flexion by approximately 70% at both exercise intensities (both P antigravity leg muscles.

  7. Range of motion and isometric strength of shoulder joints of team handball athletes during the playing season, Part II: changes after midseason.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fieseler, Georg; Jungermann, Philipp; Koke, Alexander; Irlenbusch, Lars; Delank, Karl-Stefan; Schwesig, Rene

    2015-03-01

    Our objective was to investigate the influence of workload and consecutive changes on active range of motion and isometric strength of team handball athletes' throwing shoulders (TSs) because the available data are insufficient. In a longitudinal investigation, 31 professional male handball athletes underwent a clinical shoulder examination. Athletes were examined at the beginning (week 0), at the end (week 6) of the preseasonal training, and at the end of the half-season (week 22) on both shoulders to determine isometric rotational strength (hand held dynamometer) and active range of motion (goniometer). This analysis demonstrates the results subsequently from week 6 to week 22 and from week 0 to week 22. The glenohumeral internal rotation (IR) deficit (GIRD), external rotation (ER) gain, and ER at the TS increased significantly (P 0.10, d > 0.30) in the first sequence (week 6 to week 22) but not significantly from week 0 to week 22. The total range of motion remained stable, and IR changed but not significantly. There was no influence on IR, ER, and total range of motion at the non-TS. The isometric strength of the TS and non-TS IR did not change. The isometric strength in ER significantly increased bilaterally during the investigation period. Our data verify changes and influences, such as an increasing GIRD, at the overhead TS joint in accordance with the workload during team handball season. ER gain did improve after the half-season period but did not fully compensate the GIRD at the TS. Copyright © 2015 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Influence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in the fluctuation of the submaximal isometric torque of knee extensors in patients with early-grade osteoarthritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Andressa; Mello, Marco T.; Serrão, Paula R.; Luz, Roberta P.; Bittencourt, Lia R.; Mattiello, Stela M.

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) alters the fluctuation of submaximal isometric torque of the knee extensors in patients with early-grade osteoarthritis (OA). METHOD: The study included 60 male volunteers, aged 40 to 70 years, divided into four groups: Group 1 (G1) - Control (n=15): without OA and without OSA; Group 2 (G2) (n=15): with OA and without OSA; Group 3 (G3) (n=15): without OA and with OSA; and Group 4 (G4) (n=15) with OA and with OSA. Five patients underwent maximal isometric contractions of 10 seconds duration each, with the knee at 60° of flexion to determine peak torque at 60°. To evaluate the fluctuation of torque, 5 submaximal isometric contractions (50% of maximum peak torque) of 10 seconds each, which were calculated from the standard deviation of torque and coefficient of variation, were performed. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between groups for maximum peak torque, while G4 showed a lower value compared with G1 (p=0.005). Additionally, for the average torque exerted, G4 showed a lower value compared to the G1 (p=0.036). However, no differences were found between the groups for the standard deviation (p=0.844) and the coefficient of variation (p=0.143). CONCLUSION: The authors concluded that OSA did not change the parameters of the fluctuation of isometric submaximal torque of knee extensors in patients with early-grade OA. PMID:26443974

  9. The effect of topical thiocolchicoside in preventing and reducing the increase of muscle tone, stiffness, and soreness: A real-life study on top-level road cyclists during stage competition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gervasi, Marco; Sisti, Davide; Benelli, Piero; Fernández-Peña, Eneko; Calcabrini, Cinzia; Rocchi, Marco B L; Lanata, Luigi; Bagnasco, Michela; Tonti, Andrea; Vilberto, Stocchi; Sestili, Piero

    2017-07-01

    In professional road cyclists, the majority of overuse injuries affect the lower limbs and are mostly represented by contractures or muscle shortening, characterized by an increase of tone and stiffness and a variation of elasticity. Treatment and prevention of these specific conditions may include physical, supplementary, and pharmacologic support. The aim of this real-life study was to determine: first, the alterations of tone, stiffness, elasticity, and soreness of rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) in top class cyclists engaged in 3 multistage races, and second, whether any variable in the management of the athletes may affect the prevention and/or reduction of such alterations.Twenty-three professional cyclists competing in 3 international, cycling stage races were assessed. Athletes could receive, upon the approval of the medical staff, physical, dietary, and/or pharmacological management which could include treatments with topical over-the-counter myorelaxants to prevent and/or reduce muscle contractures. MyotonPro was used to daily measure tone, stiffness, and elasticity in RF and BF in relaxed and contracted state after every stage. In parallel, BF and RF soreness was also assessed with a Likert scale.All athletes received the same general massage management; none of them received dietary supplements; some of the athletes were treated with a topical myorelaxant thiocolchicoside (TCC 0.25%) foam 3 times daily. TCC was identified as the only variable able to affect these muscle parameters in the cyclists. Tone, stiffness (regardless of the state), and soreness significantly increased over time either in BF or RF in all athletes. In the group of athletes that used TCC (n = 11; TCC+) the increase in tone, stiffness, and soreness was significantly lower than in the group not receiving TCC (n = 12; No-TCC). Elasticity varied coherently with tone and stiffness.A very intense and protracted sport activity increases muscular tone, stiffness, and

  10. Temperature dependence of the kinetics of isometric myocardium relaxation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Izakov, V.Ya.; Bykov, B.L.; Kimmelman, I.Ya.

    1981-11-01

    The dependence of the exponential decay constant expressing the isometric relaxation of the myocardium on temperature is investigated in animals with various specific contents of myocardial sarcoplasmic reticulum. Experiments were performed on cardiac ventricles and atria isolated from rabbits, frogs and turtles and electrically stimulated to produce maximal contraction at temperatures from 10 to 35 C. Arrhenius plots derived from the data are found to be linear in the myocardia of the rabbit and frog, with a greater activation energy for the relaxation found in the rabbit. The Arrhenius plot for the turtle, which has a sarcoplasmic reticulum content intermediate between those of the frog and rabbit, corresponds to two straight lines with different activation energies. Results thus support the hypothesis of two separate mechanisms of calcium removal, involving the sarcoplasmic reticulum and cellular membrane, in muscle relaxation.

  11. Fault diagnosis of rotating machine by isometric feature mapping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yun; Li, Benwei; Wang, Lin; Wang, Wen; Wang, Zibin

    2013-01-01

    Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminate analysis (LDA) are well-known linear dimensionality reductions for fault classification. However, since they are linear methods, they perform not well for high-dimensional data that has the nonlinear geometric structure. As kernel extension of PCA, Kernel PCA is used for nonlinear fault classification. However, the performance of Kernel PCA largely depends on its kernel function which can only be empirically selected from finite candidates. Thus, a novel rotating machine fault diagnosis approach based on geometrically motivated nonlinear dimensionality reduction named isometric feature mapping (Isomap) is proposed. The approach can effectively extract the intrinsic nonlinear manifold features embedded in high-dimensional fault data sets. Experimental results with rotor and rolling bearing data show that the proposed approach overcomes the flaw of conventional fault pattern recognition approaches and obviously improves the fault classification performance.

  12. Association between isometric muscle strength and gait joint kinetics in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dallmeijer, A.J.; Baker, R.; Dodd, K.; Taylor, N.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the association between isometric muscle strength of the lower limbs and gait joint kinetics in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy (CP). Twenty-five participants (11 males) with bilateral spastic CP, aged 14-22 years (mean: 18.9, sd: 2.0. yr)

  13. Effects of Isometric Brain-Body Size Scaling on the Complexity of Monoaminergic Neurons in a Minute Parasitic Wasp

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Woude, van der Emma; Smid, Hans M.

    2017-01-01

    Trichogramma evanescens parasitic wasps show large phenotypic plasticity in brain and body size, resulting in a 5-fold difference in brain volume among genetically identical sister wasps. Brain volume scales linearly with body volume in these wasps. This isometric brain scaling forms an exception to

  14. New approach to isometric transformations in oblique local coordinate systems of reference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stępień Grzegorz

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The research article describes a method of isometric transformation and determining an exterior orientation of a measurement instrument. The method is based on a designation of a “virtual” translation of two relative oblique orthogonal systems to a common, known in the both systems, point. The relative angle orientation of the systems does not change as each of the systems is moved along its axis. The next step is the designation of the three rotation angles (e.g. Tait-Bryan or Euler angles, transformation of the system convoluted at the calculated angles and moving the system to the initial position where the primary coordinate system was. This way eliminates movements of the systems from the calculations and makes it possible to calculate angles of mutual rotation angles of two orthogonal systems primarily involved in the movement. The research article covers laboratory calculations for simulated data. The accuracy of the results is 10-6 m (10-3 regarding the accuracy of the input data. This confi rmed the correctness of the assumed calculation method. In the following step the method was verifi ed under fi eld conditions, where the accuracy of the method raised to 0.003 m. The proposed method enabled to make the measurements with the oblique and uncentered instrument, e.g. total station instrument set over an unknown point. This is the reason why the method was named by the authors as Total Free Station - TFS. The method may be also used for isometric transformations for photogrammetric purposes.

  15. Blackcurrant Alters Physiological Responses and Femoral Artery Diameter during Sustained Isometric Contraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew David Cook

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Blackcurrant is rich in anthocyanins that may affect exercise-induced physiological responses. We examined tissue oxygen saturation, muscle activity, cardiovascular responses and femoral artery diameter during a submaximal sustained isometric contraction. In a randomised, double-blind, crossover design, healthy men (n = 13, age: 25 ± 4 years, BMI: 25 ± 3 kg·m−2, mean ± SD ingested New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC extract (600 mg∙day−1 CurraNZ™ or placebo (PL for 7-days separated by 14-days washout. Participants produced isometric maximal voluntary contractions (iMVC and a 120-s 30%iMVC of the quadriceps with electromyography (EMG, near-infrared spectroscopy, hemodynamic and ultrasound recordings. There was no effect of NZBC extract on iMVC (NZBC: 654 ± 73, PL: 650 ± 78 N. During the 30%iMVC with NZBC extract, total peripheral resistance, systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure were lower with increased cardiac output and stroke volume. With NZBC extract, EMG root mean square of the vastus medialis and muscle oxygen saturation were lower with higher total haemoglobin. During the 30%iMVC, femoral artery diameter was increased with NZBC extract at 30 (6.9%, 60 (8.2%, 90 (7.7% and 120 s (6.0%. Intake of NZBC extract for 7-days altered cardiovascular responses, muscle oxygen saturation, muscle activity and femoral artery diameter during a 120-s 30%iMVC of the quadriceps. The present study provides insight into the potential mechanisms for enhanced exercise performance with intake of blackcurrant.

  16. Computerized analysis of isometric tension studies provides important additional information about vasomotor activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent M.B.

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Concentration-response curves of isometric tension studies on isolated blood vessels are obtained traditionally. Although parameters such as Imax, EC50 and pA2 may be readily calculated, this method does not provide information on the temporal profile of the responses or the actual nature of the reaction curves. Computerized data acquisition systems can be used to obtain average data that represent a new source of otherwise inaccessible information, since early and late responses may be observed separately in detail

  17. Telemedicine Physical Examination Utilizing a Consumer Device Demonstrates Poor Concordance with In-Person Physical Examination in Emergency Department Patients with Sore Throat: A Prospective Blinded Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhtar, Moneeb; Van Heukelom, Paul G; Ahmed, Azeemuddin; Tranter, Rachel D; White, Erinn; Shekem, Nathaniel; Walz, David; Fairfield, Catherine; Vakkalanka, J Priyanka; Mohr, Nicholas M

    2018-02-22

    Telemedicine allows patients to connect with healthcare providers remotely. It has recently expanded to evaluate low-acuity illnesses such as pharyngitis by using patients' personal communication devices. The purpose of our study was to compare the telemedicine-facilitated physical examination with an in-person examination in emergency department (ED) patients with sore throat. This was a prospective, observational, blinded diagnostic concordance study of patients being seen for sore throat in a 60,000-visit Midwestern academic ED. A telemedicine and a face-to-face examination were performed independently by two advanced practice providers (APP), blinded to the results of the other evaluator. The primary outcome was agreement on pharyngeal redness between the evaluators, with secondary outcomes of agreement and inter-rater reliability on 14 other aspects of the pharyngeal physical examination. We also conducted a survey of patients and providers to evaluate perceptions and preferences for sore throat evaluation using telemedicine. Sixty-two patients were enrolled, with a median tonsil size of 1.0. Inter-rater agreement (kappa) for tonsil size was 0.394, which was worse than our predetermined concordance threshold. Other kappa values ranged from 0 to 0.434, and telemedicine was best for detecting abnormal coloration of the palate and tender superficial cervical lymph nodes (anterior structures), but poor for detecting abnormal submandibular lymph nodes or asymmetry of the posterior pharynx (posterior structures). In survey responses, telemedicine was judged easier to use and more comfortable for providers than patients; however, neither patients nor providers preferred in-person to telemedicine evaluation. Telemedicine exhibited poor agreement with the in-person physical examination on the primary outcome of tonsil size, but exhibited moderate agreement on coloration of the palate and cervical lymphadenopathy. Future work should better characterize the importance of

  18. Isometric muscle fatigue of the paravertebral and upper extremity muscles after whiplash injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rastovic, Pejana; Gojanovic, Marija Definis; Berberovic, Marina; Pavlovic, Marko; Lesko, Josip; Galic, Gordan; Pandza, Maja

    2017-01-01

    Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) result from injury of neck structures that most often occur during traffic accidents as a result of rapid acceleration-deceleration. The dominant symptoms manifest in the musculoskeletal system and include increased fatigue. Because of the frequency of whiplash injuries, a simple, cheap and useful diagnostic tool is needed to differentiate whiplash injury from healthy patients or those faking symptoms. To determine muscle fatigue in patients with whiplash injury in six body positions. Analytical cross-sectional study. Emergency center, university hospital. We studied patients with whiplash injury from vehicular traffic accidents who presented to the emergency center within 6 hours of sustaining the injury. We determined whiplash injury grade according to the Quebec Task Force (QTF) classification and measured isometric muscle endurance in six different body positions. Control subjects for each patient were matched by age, gender and anthropomorphic characteristics. Cut-off values were determined to distinguish patients with whiplash injury from controls and for determination of injury grade . QTF grade, time to muscle fatigue in seconds. From September 2013 to September 2016, we enrolled 75 patients with whiplash injury and 75 matching control subjects. In all six positions, the patients with whiplash injury felt muscle fatigue faster than equivalent controls (P whiplash injury grade in all six positions (P whiplash injury and grade. The size of the sample was small. An objective parameter such as electromyography is needed to confirm isometric muscle fatigue.

  19. Sweat production during global heating and during isometric exercise in people with diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrofsky, Jerrold Scott; Lee, Scott; Patterson, Chris; Cole, Melissa; Stewart, Brian

    2005-11-01

    While sweat production in response to heat is impaired in people with diabetes, sweat production has not been examined during isometric exercise. Eight subjects with type 2 diabetes and 9 control subjects exerted a fatiguing isometric contraction of the handgrip muscles at a tension of 40% of the maximum voluntary strength (MVC) after exposure to a 32 deg C environment for 30 min. compared to 10 controls and 10 subjects with diabetes exposed to a 39 deg C environment. Sweat was impaired to all areas of the body during heat exposure in patients with diabetes under both environmental conditions. For example, on the chest, the average sweat rates after exposure to the 32 deg environment was 259.2 +/- 55.2 nanoliters/min in control subjects and 198.3 +/- 46.2 nanoliters/min for subjects with diabetes. Compared to the 32 deg C environment, control subjects increased sweat in all 4 areas proportionally more than subjects with diabetes. Sudomotor rhythm was present in sweat in control subjects at a rate of repetition of 11 and 50 seconds but almost absent in subjects with diabetes. During exercise, sweat rates slowly increased from the beginning to the end of the exercise. But the head of the subjects with diabetes showed hypersweating while the other areas showed diminished sweating compared to control subjects. Thus some of the impairment in sweating may be due to central mechanisms associated with heat sensitivity or in the hypothalamus and not to the sweat glands themselves.

  20. Probiotic Streptococcus thermophilus FP4 and Bifidobacterium breve BR03 Supplementation Attenuates Performance and Range-of-Motion Decrements Following Muscle Damaging Exercise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ralf Jäger

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Probiotics have immunomodulatory effects. However, little is known about the potential benefit of probiotics on the inflammation subsequent to strenuous exercise. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, crossover design separated by a 21-day washout, 15 healthy resistance-trained men ingested an encapsulated probiotic Streptococcus (S. thermophilus FP4 and Bifidobacterium (B. breve BR03 at 5 bn live cells (AFU concentration each, or a placebo, daily for 3 weeks prior to muscle-damaging exercise (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02520583. Isometric strength, muscle soreness, range of motion and girth, and blood interleukin-6 (IL-6 and creatine kinase (CK concentrations were measured from pre- to 72 h post-exercise. Statistical analysis was via mixed models and magnitude-based inference to the standardized difference. Probiotic supplementation resulted in an overall decrease in circulating IL-6, which was sustained to 48 h post-exercise. In addition, probiotic supplementation likely enhanced isometric average peak torque production at 24 to 72 h into the recovery period following exercise (probiotic–placebo point effect ±90% CI: 24 h, 11% ± 7%; 48 h, 12% ± 18%; 72 h, 8% ± 8%. Probiotics also likely moderately increased resting arm angle at 24 h (2.4% ± 2.0% and 48 h (1.9% ± 1.9% following exercise, but effects on soreness and flexed arm angle and CK were unclear. These data suggest that dietary supplementation with probiotic strains S. thermophilus FP4 and B. breve BR03 attenuates performance decrements and muscle tension in the days following muscle-damaging exercise.