Guiding Evidence-Based Classification in Para Sporting Populations: A Systematic Review of Impairment Measures and Activity Limitations.

Background: As the focus of classification shifts towards an evidence-based approach, it is crucial to establish a robust system that relies on valid and reliable measures of impairment to ensure legitimate and competitive opportunities for all Para athletes. However, the lack of methods that possess the necessary measurement properties for assessing impairments in Para sporting populations presents significant challenges to developing an evidence-based classification system.

Objective: This review aimed to identify and evaluate measures of impairment and activity limitation measures that have been used to assess eligible impairments in Para sport athletes for potential use in evidence-based classification.

Joint contact forces during semi-recumbent seated cycling.

Semi-recumbent cycling performed from a wheelchair is a popular rehabilitation exercise following spinal cord injury (SCI) and is often paired with functional electrical stimulation. However, biomechanical assessment of this cycling modality is lacking, even in unimpaired populations, hindering the development of personalised and safe rehabilitation programs for those with SCI. This study developed a computational pipeline to determine lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and joint contact forces (JCF) in 11 unimpaired participants during voluntary semi-recumbent cycling using a rehabilitation ergometer.

Functional electrical stimulation combined with voluntary cycling accentuates VO response in people with severe multiple sclerosis: A pilot study.

Background: Lower limb muscle weakness and reduced balance due to disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) may make robust aerobic exercise difficult. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling combined with voluntary cycling may allow people with severe MS to enhance the intensity of aerobic exercise. The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiorespiratory, power, and participant-reported perceptions during acute bouts of FES cycling, voluntary cycling, and FES cycling combined with voluntary cycling (FES assist cycling).

The effects of hybrid functional electrical stimulation interval training on aerobic fitness and fatigue in people with advanced multiple sclerosis: An exploratory pilot training study.

Background: Improving aerobic fitness in people with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS) may reduce fatigue, and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, as has been found for people with mild to moderate MS. Training targeting aerobic fitness can be challenging due to paresis, access to suitable equipment and fatigue. The aim of this study was to investigate whether people with advanced multiple sclerosis could perform functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling combined with arm crank interval exercise (hybrid FES interval training) training, and its effects on aerobic fitness and fatigue.

Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Combined With Arm Cranking Exercise on Cardiorespiratory Fitness in People With Central Nervous System Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To examine the evidence regarding the potential of hybrid functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling for improving cardiorespiratory fitness for people with a mobility disability related to a central nervous system (CNS) disorder.

Data Sources: Nine electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycInfo, SPORTDiscus, Pedro, Cochrane, and Scopus, were searched from inception until October 2022.

Study Selection: Search terms included multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, synonyms of FES cycling, arm crank ergometry (ACE) or hybrid exercise, and V̇o.

An exploratory study of exercise behaviours and barriers to participation in people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a focus on resistance training.

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the exercise behaviours and barriers in people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), with a particular focus on resistance training (RT). Ninety-four Australian adults with a diagnosis of CMT completed an online survey. Fifty-seven percent of respondents reported performing some form of RT each week.

Playing Disability Rugby League with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease: A Case Study.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a common inherited neurological disorder that causes damage to peripheral nerves. Reports of CMT patients participating in team-based sports such as disability rugby league are scarce. The objective of this case report was to evaluate the benefits of participation in disability rugby league in a 50-year-old male with CMT.

Impact of maximal strength training on countermovement jump phase characteristics in athletes with cerebral palsy.

Analysis of the countermovement jump (CMJ) force-time curve phases provides insight into athlete neuromuscular function and methods by which jump height improves in response to training. A CMJ phase analysis and the dynamic strength index (DSI) have yet to be explored in athletes with cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to address this knowledge gap.

Pilot Study of Enhancing Cardiorespiratory Exercise Response in People With Advanced Multiple Sclerosis With Hybrid Functional Electrical Stimulation.

Objective: To investigate through a pilot study the acute cardiorespiratory responses during functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling, arm crank ergometry (ACE), and a combination of ACE and FES cycling (hybrid FES cycling) in people with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS) to provide preliminary guidance for effective aerobic exercise prescription.

Design: Acute repeated measures.

Setting: Laboratory setting.

Strength Training to Improve Performance in Athletes With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence.

Fleeton, JRM, Sanders, RH, and Fornusek, C. Strength training to improve performance in athletes with cerebral palsy: A systematic review of current evidence. J Strength Cond Res 34(6): 1774-1789, 2020-Persons with cerebral palsy (CP) can partake in many different forms of organized sport including elite competition at state and international levels.

Acute Effect of Kettlebell Swings on Sprint Performance.

Previous research has shown that kettlebell swings (KBS), utilizing the hip-hinge technique, exhibit similar lower-limb muscle activation patterns to sprint running. This study investigated whether the inclusion of KBS in the warm-up enhances sprint performance. Moderately trained males ( = 12) and females ( = 8) performed KBS and a control (CON) condition (passive rest) in random order before performing three 20-m sprint trials separated by 4 minutes.

The duty cycle in Functional Electrical Stimulation research. Part II: Duty cycle multiplicity and domain reporting.

In part I of this review, we introduced the duty cycle as a fundamental parameter in controlling the effect of electrical stimulation pulse trains on muscle structural and functional properties with special emphasis on fatigue. Following on from a survey of the literature, we discuss here the relative ability of intermittent and continuous stimulation to fatigue muscle. In addition, pertinent literature is explored on a more deeper level, highlighting contentions regarding the duty cycle across studies.

Reporting for Duty: The duty cycle in Functional Electrical Stimulation research. Part I: Critical commentaries of the literature.

There are several parameters that can be modulated during electrical stimulation-induced muscle contraction to obtain external work, i.e., Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES).

Lessons from Vienna: stakeholder perceptions of functional electrical stimulation technology and a conceptual model for practice.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a technology that can be used on paralyzed muscles to allow them to move. It has been used in populations with muscle paralysis or weakness for exercise, such as spinal cord injury (SCI) and multiple sclerosis. In order to improve technology, it is vital to understand from a qualitative perspective, issues surrounding device development and implementation.

The effect of auditory stimulus training on swimming start reaction time.

Task-specific auditory training can improve sensorimotor processing times of the auditory reaction time (RT). The majority of competitive swimmers do not conduct habitual start training with the electronic horn used to commence a race. We examined the effect of four week dive training interventions on RT and block time (BT) of 10 male adolescent swimmers (age 14.

Comparison of strategies and performance of functional electrical stimulation cycling in spinal cord injury pilots for competition in the first ever CYBATHLON.

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) can elicit muscular contraction and restore motor function in paralyzed limbs. FES is a rehabilitation technique applied to various sensorimotor deficiencies and in different functional situations, e.g.

The Vienna FES Interview Protocol - A mixed-methods protocol to elucidate the opinions of various individuals responsible for the provision of FES exercise.

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is the production of electrically elicited muscle contractions to perform a function or task. It has been used as a method to regain lost body functions or support weak body functions, and as such, has been clinically available since the early seventies. Some methods are applied routinely while others have not been translated to the bedside, or are still largely restricted to laboratory use.

Body composition and its association with physical performance, quality of life, and clinical indictors in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a pilot study.

Aim: To investigate whether the amount and distribution of lean body mass and fat mass is associated with disease severity in adults with Charcot-Marie Tooth.

Methods: Ten participants (age 46 ± 13 y, height 1.7 ± 0.

A novel motion sensor-driven control system for FES-assisted walking after spinal cord injury: A pilot study.

This pilot study reports the development of a novel closed-loop (CL) FES-gait control system, which employed a finite-state controller that processed kinematic feedback from four miniaturized motion sensors. This strategy automated the control of knee extension via quadriceps and gluteus stimulation during the stance phase of gait on the supporting leg, and managed the stimulation delivered to the common peroneal nerve (CPN) during swing-phase on the contra-lateral limb. The control system was assessed against a traditional open-loop (OL) system on two sensorimotor 'complete' paraplegic subjects.

Relationship between physical performance and quality of life in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a pilot study.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) is a rare inherited peripheral neuropathy in which quality of life (QoL) is reduced compared with the general population. This paper investigates the relationship between QoL and physical performance in people with CMT with the aim of identifying avenues for future research into rehabilitation strategies. Cross-sectional data was obtained from 10 participants (5 men, 5 women, age 46 ± 13 years, height 1.

Examining hand dominance using dynamometric grip strength testing as evidence for overwork weakness in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review with a meta-analysis of studies was carried out to evaluate the potential of overwork weakness on the basis of grip strength of dominant and nondominant hands in individuals with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). Numerous electronic databases were searched from the earliest records to February 2016. Studies of any design including participants older than 18 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of CMT that measured grip strength of both hands using dynamometric testing were eligible for inclusion.

The effect of nitrate supplementation on muscle contraction in healthy adults.

This study examined the effect of dietary supplementation with inorganic nitrate ([Formula: see text] ) on markers of contractile function in human knee extensors. In a double-blinded, randomized cross-over design, 18 (12 M) healthy participants undertook four days of supplementation with either nitrate-rich beetroot juice (NITRATE; days 1-3: 525 mg [Formula: see text], day 4: 1050 mg [Formula: see text]) or nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (PLACEBO). On the fourth day, isometric knee extension force was assessed during a series of voluntary and electrically evoked (stimulation) tests.

Cardiorespiratory and Muscle Metabolic Responses During Conventional Versus Motion Sensor-Assisted Strategies for Functional Electrical Stimulation Standing After Spinal Cord Injury.

This is a case series study with the objective of comparing two motion sensor automated strategies to avert knee buckle during functional electrical stimulation (FES)-standing against a conventional hand-controlled (HC) FES approach. The research was conducted in a clinical exercise laboratory gymnasium at the University of Sydney, Australia. The automated strategies, Aut-A and Aut-B, applied fixed and variable changes of neurostimulation, respectively, in quadriceps amplitude to precisely control knee extension during standing.

Systematic review of exercise for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a slowly progressive hereditary degenerative disease and one of the most common neuromuscular disorders. Exercise may be beneficial to maintain strength and function for people with CMT, however, no comprehensive evaluation of the benefits and risks of exercise have been conducted. A systematic review was completed searching numerous electronic databases from earliest records to February 2015.

Evoked EMG versus muscle torque during fatiguing functional electrical stimulation-evoked muscle contractions and short-term recovery in individuals with spinal cord injury.

This study investigated whether the relationship between muscle torque and m-waves remained constant after short recovery periods, between repeated intervals of isometric muscle contractions induced by functional electrical stimulation (FES). Eight subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) were recruited for the study. All subjects had their quadriceps muscles group stimulated during three sessions of isometric contractions separated by 5 min of recovery.