Hamstring injuries are common. The hamstrings and gluteus maximus (GM) work as synergists during hip extension. When contraction of GM is delayed relative to Biceps Femoris (BF) the hamstrings may be predisposed to injury due to increased demand. This study investigated whether specific training affected neuromuscular control of BF and ...

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation initiated by a surface electromyographic biofeedback threshold (sEMG-triggered NMES) has been studied in populations of patients with neurological problems, but has not been applied to orthopedic populations. The purpose of this single-blinded, randomized clinical trial was to investigate sEMG-triggered NMES on knee extension active range of motion ...

CONTEXT: Posterior calf stretching is believed to improve active ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (AADFROM) after acute ankle-inversion sprain. OBJECTIVE: To describe AADFROM at baseline (postinjury) and at 2-wk time periods for 6 wk after acute inversion sprain. DESIGN: Randomized trial. SETTING: Sports clinic. PARTICIPANTS: 11 men and 11 women ...

OBJECTIVE: To understand the mechanical and sensorimotor adaptations that may occur with ankle osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: Case-control. SETTING: Biodynamics research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects with ankle OA (n=8; 4 males, 4 females) were matched to healthy controls (n=8; 4 males, 4 females). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mechanical joint stability ...

STUDY DESIGN: Experimental laboratory study. OBJECTIVES: To quantify and compare electromyographic signal amplitude of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles during exercises of varying difficulty to determine which exercise most effectively recruits these muscles. BACKGROUND: Gluteal muscle weakness has been proposed to be associated with lower extremity injury. Exercises ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether weight-bearing (WB) exercise enhances functional capacity to a greater extent than nonweight-bearing (NWB) exercise in participants with knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Kinesiology laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=106) were randomly assigned to WB exercise, NWB exercise, or a control group (no exercise). INTERVENTION: WB exercise ...

The implementation of a robotic system (ACT(3D)) that allowed for a quantitative measurement of abnormal joint torque coupling in chronic stroke survivors and, most importantly, a quantitative means of initiating and progressing an impairment-based intervention, is described. Individuals with chronic moderate to severe stroke (n = 8) participated in this ...

Ankle exercise increases venous blood velocity while supine, but the effect of ankle exercise on venous blood velocity while sitting is not known. In this investigation, we test the hypothesis that venous blood velocity can be increased while sitting by repetitive dorsiflexion of the foot. Time-averaged peak velocity (TAPV) in ...

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and functional efficacy of 2 different non-weight-bearing exercise regimens, proprioceptive training (PrT) versus strength training (ST), for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). BACKGROUND: Both strength and proprioceptive training are important interventions for individuals with knee OA. The benefits of weight-bearing ...

To assess anthropometry as a predictor of high-speed performance, subjects performed four seated knee- and hip-extension workouts with their left leg on an inertial exercise trainer (Impulse Technologies, Newnan GA). Workouts, done exclusively in either the tonic or phasic contractile mode, entailed two one-minute sets separated by a 90-second rest ...

Preoperative exercise/rehabilitation is currently being considered to improve outcomes for orthopaedic surgery. This article presents an evidence-based practice review of the current research literature from 1998 to 2008 to determine whether preoperative exercise alone will be beneficial to patients preparing for total knee or hip arthroplasty. Only 3 studies met ...

To compare patellofemoral compressive force and stress during the one-leg squat and two variations of the wall squat. Eighteen subjects used their 12 repetition maximum (12 RM) weight while performing the wall squat with the feet closer to the wall (wall squat short), the wall squat with the feet farther ...

PURPOSE: Wavelet transform is a time-frequency analysis method that quantifies temporal changes of the frequency content of nonstationary signals without losing resolution in time or frequency. It may be used to analyze surface EMG (sEMG) signals under dynamic conditions. However, this method is difficult to apply clinically because it generates ...

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: To assess an eccentric based intervention on an Australian Football player with recurrent hamstring injuries. CASE DESCRIPTION: The athlete attempted several conventional rehabilitation programs in the past (e.g. physical therapy, manual therapy, acupuncture, active release, medial gluteal strengthening) with no sustained progress in regards to ...

BACKGROUND: Treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is controversial. Only a few studies have compared the effects of intraarticular injection of hyaluronate with those of home exercise for knee OA. We prospectively evaluated the therapeutic effects of each treatment. METHODS: A total of 102 female subjects (mean age 70.4 ...

The purpose of this study was to compare the electrical activity of the knee stabilizers, in patients with ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) reconstructed and uninjured individuals during different balance board stimuli. Eleven post-surgery individuals and eleven uninjured controls participated in the study. The muscular activity of the vastus medialis obliquus, ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to synthesize the literature on studies that investigate electromyographic activity of abdominal muscles during abdominal exercises performance. METHODS: MEDLINE and Sportdiscus databases were searched, as well as the Web pages of electronic journals access, ScienceDirect, and Swetswise, from 1950 to 2008. The terms ...

The ankle is frequently injured in sporting activities, and therefore it is frequently protected with prophylactic ankle taping. This study aimed first, to compare the mechanical fatigue of two types of prophylactic ankle taping after 30 minutes of intense exercise, one made with elastic tape (ET) and the other with ...

Regular passive ROM exercise (PROME) by a physical therapist is often incorporated in rehabilitation protocols after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This randomized, controlled trial examined whether or not the incorporation of PROME to a postoperative rehabilitation protocol would offer a better clinical outcome after TKA. Fifty consecutive patients who underwent ...

McGill, SM, Karpowicz, A, Fenwick, CMJ, and Brown, SHM. Exercises for the torso performed in a standing posture: spine and hip motion and motor patterns and spine load. J Strength Cond Res 23(2): xxx-xxx, 2009-The purpose of this study was to document the muscle activity, spine motion, spine load, and ...

This study examined the amount and time-course of shifts in the moment-knee angle relation of the quadriceps (QF) and hamstring (HAM) muscles in response to different length-restricted strength training regimens. Thirty-two athletes were divided into three different training groups (G1-3): G1 performed isometric training at knee joint angles corresponding to ...

This study sought to determine if prophylactic ankle taping and bracing influenced vertical leg stiffness during hopping. Twenty healthy and physically active participants completed testing under three ankle stabilizer conditions, ankle tape, semi-rigid ankle brace or control (no stabilizer) during three separate sessions. Immediately following stabilizer application, participants completed an ...

Debate exists as to whether the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) can be activated to a greater degree than the vastus lateralis to produce preferential strengthening. This systematic review aims to determine whether preferential activation of VMO can be achieved by altering lower limb joint orientation or muscular co-contraction. A search ...

CONTEXT: Functional exercises are often used in strengthening programs after lower extremity injury. Activation levels of the stabilizing hip muscles have not been documented. OBJECTIVE: To document the progression of hip-muscle activation levels during 3 lower extremity functional exercises. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: 44 healthy individuals, 22 women and ...

There is a growing body of literature associating abnormal scapular positions and motions, and, to a lesser degree, clavicular kinematics with a variety of shoulder pathologies. The purpose of this manuscript is to (1) review the normal kinematics of the scapula and clavicle during arm elevation, (2) review the evidence ...

PURPOSE: To compare cruciate ligament forces during wall squat and one-leg squat exercises. METHODS: Eighteen subjects performed the wall squat with feet closer to the wall (wall squat short), the wall squat with feet farther from the wall (wall squat long), and the one-leg squat. EMG, force, and kinematic variables ...

The recently published American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) guidelines for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing hip or knee surgery conflict with long-established and widely used American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines. Both guidelines accepted that the most important goal of thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing ...

The ProFitter 3-D Cross Trainer is a labile surface device used in the clinic and claimed to train spine stability. The purpose of this study was to quantify the spine mechanics (compression and shear forces and stability), together with muscle activation mechanics (surface electromyography) of the torso and hip, during ...

Exercise remains an extremely popular leisure time activity in many countries throughout the western world. It is widely promoted in the lay press as having salutory benefits for weight control, disease management advantages for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, in addition to improving psychological well-being amongst an array of other benefits. ...

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of whole body vibration (WBV) exercise on muscle strength and proprioception in female patients with osteoarthritis in the knee (knee-OA). A single blinded, randomised, controlled trial was performed in an outpatient clinic on 52 female patients diagnosed with knee-OA (mean ...

OBJECTIVE: Arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) contributes to quadriceps weakness and atrophy in knee arthritis and following joint injury. This laboratory-based study examined the efficacy of cryotherapy in reducing quadriceps AMI caused by intraarticular swelling. METHODS: Sixteen subjects without knee pathology participated, and were randomly assigned to a cryotherapy (n = ...

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the acute effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on muscular strength, flexibility, and heart rate (HR). Twenty adults (10 men, 10 women) untrained to WBV participated in the study. All subjects completed assessment of lower-extremity isokinetic torque, flexibility, and HR immediately before and ...

BACKGROUND: This article provides the rationale and methodology, of the first randomised controlled trial to our knowledge designed to assess the efficacy of progressive resistance training on cartilage morphology in women with knee osteoarthritis.Development and progression of osteoarthritis is multifactorial, with obesity, quadriceps weakness, joint malalignment, and abnormal mechanical joint ...

BACKGROUND: Hip and knee osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and disability, which can be improved by exercise interventions. However, regular exercise is uncommon in this group because the low physical activity level in the general population is probably reduced even further by pain related fear of movement. The ...

The rotator cuff performs multiple functions during shoulder exercises, including glenohumeral abduction, external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR). The rotator cuff also stabilizes the glenohumeral joint and controls humeral head translations. The infraspinatus and subscapularis have significant roles in scapular plane abduction (scaption), generating forces that are two to ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of massage applied to the thigh muscles on joint repositioning error (JRE) in patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA).We hypothesized that stimulating massage of the muscles around an osteoarthritic knee joint, could improve the neuromuscular function and thereby optimize the ...

The influence of the tibial tuberosity conformation on cranial cruciate ligament (CrCl) rupture was evaluated and the size of the tibial tuberosity of healthy dogs (group H) was compared with dogs with CrCl rupture (group R) and dogs treated by tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) (group T). The medio-lateral radiographs of ...

BACKGROUND: Research on foot orthoses has shown that their effect on the kinematics of the rearfoot is variable, with no consistent patterns of changes being demonstrated. It has also been hypothesized that the mechanical effect of foot orthoses could be subject specific. The purpose of our study was to determine ...

BACKGROUND: Low-Dye taping is used for excessive pronation at the subtalar joint of the foot. Previous research has focused on the tape's immediate effect on plantar pressure. Its effectiveness following exercise has not been investigated. Peak plantar pressure distribution provides an indirect representation of subtalar joint kinematics. The objectives of ...

To determine whether dietary intervention or knee strengthening exercise, or both, can reduce knee pain and improve knee function in overweight and obese adults in the community. Pragmatic factorial randomised controlled trial. Five general practices in Nottingham. 389 men and women aged 45 and over with a body mass index ...

Successful recovery from a lateral ankle sprain often requires the use of several different ankle braces during different stages of rehabilitation. During the initial time period after the injury, a highly restrictive ankle-foot orthosis or walking boot may be implemented to severely limit lateral ankle movement. As the ankle heals, ...

BACKGROUND: Obesity is the most modifiable risk factor, and dietary induced weight loss potentially the best nonpharmacologic intervention to prevent or to slow osteoarthritis (OA) disease progression. We are currently conducting a study to test the hypothesis that intensive weight loss will reduce inflammation and joint loads sufficiently to alter ...

A relationship exists between lumbar paraspinal muscle fatigue and quadriceps muscle activation. The objective of this study was to determine whether hip and knee joint moments during jogging changed following paraspinal fatiguing exercise. Fifty total subjects (25 with self-reported history of low back pain) performed fatiguing, isometric lumbar extension exercise ...

BACKGROUND: Athletic tape has been used on the ankle to decrease range of motion and to prevent injuries. Results from previous research found that with physical exercise athletic tape loses some of its restricting properties; recently, a new self-adherent taping product was developed that may restrict range of motion regardless ...

The mechanics of the modern human foot and its specialization for habitual bipedalism are well understood. The windlass mechanism gives it the required stability for propulsion generation, and flattening of the arch and stretching of the plantar aponeurosis leads to energy saving. What is less well understood is how an ...

BACKGROUND: NSAIDs are not considered disease modifying in osteoarthritis (OA), though there has been debate that some may be chondroprotective and others chondrodestructive. We performed a case control study comparing NSAID use in subjects with hip or knee OA who had been treated surgically vs. medically. The purpose was to ...

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. BACKGROUND: After 2 attempts at conservative care for a diagnosis of hamstring strain, the patient had a surgical hamstring allograft reconstruction. The purpose of this report is to describe the physical therapy approach to postoperative management of a hamstring reconstruction. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 24-year-old female coach ...

Running exercises are frequently related to muscular injuries, which may be a result of muscular imbalance. The present study aimed to verify the effects of heavy-intensity continuous running exercise on the functional and conventional hamstrings:quadriceps ratios, and also in the knee flexors and extensors EMG activity in active non-athletic individuals. ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Task-related training (TRT) but not resistive exercise (RE) was found to improve the path of the hand of a hemiparetic upper extremity when reaching to targets. Forward movement of the trunk, however, compensated for the poststroke motor impairment. Prior studies also demonstrated that short-term practice of reaching ...

Compared with walking (W), Nordic walking (NW) exhibits greater cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular benefits. Some authors conjecture that compared with W or running (R), NW imposes smaller mechanical loads on the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of the current study was to quantify any differences in joint loading of the lower extremities ...