WATSU (Water-Shiatsu) increases body awareness and improves pain and mood: A randomised controlled study.

Background And Purpose: WATSU (Water-Shiatsu) is a body-oriented therapy in warm-water pool with passive movements, massage and breathing techniques. The present study investigated the short-term effect of a single session of WATSU on body awareness.

Materials And Methods: In a randomized-controlled study 60 volunteers (18-65 years) were assigned to a 20-min intervention of WATSU or to a 20-min lecture on WATSU.

Early active rehabilitation after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: a prospective randomized pilot study.

Objective: To compare two different rehabilitation strategies, primary passive motion versus early isometric loading of the rotator cuff.

Design: Prospective randomized controlled observer-blinded pilot study.

Setting: Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Unique approach to sensorimotor training with a new device combining air cushion with stochastic translations-A prospective randomized controlled clinical trial.

Sensorimotor training with a wide variety of available devices represents an important component in rehabilitation and prevention of different sports injuries and chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a sensorimotor training with a newly developed device, which consists of an instable platform moving on an air cushion, providing dynamic balance training by tilting and unanticipated stochastic translations on postural control. Seventy-two healthy young subjects were included in this prospective, randomized, controlled, and observer-blinded study.

Effects of a multidisciplinary programme on postural stability in patients with chronic recurrent low back pain: preliminary findings.

Purpose: This longitudinal study investigated the effects of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme on postural stability in patients with low back pain. While the consequences of such rehabilitation programme have been described for pain, mobility, strength, and functional disability, the effects on postural stability have not been examined so far.

Methods: Thirty-four patients suffering from chronic low back pain were included to participate in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of intravenous L-ornithine-L-aspartate on postural control in patients with cirrhosis.

Introduction: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complication of liver disease. Several treatments have been introduced but only L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) shows proven efficacy. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the effect of LOLA on postural control in cirrhotics.

Postural control in patients with liver cirrhosis: a posturographic study.

Background: Ataxia has been suggested in the literature to be a symptom of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), but so far has not been objectively quantified. In this study, we wanted to objectively quantify ataxia in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: One hundred and seven patients with liver cirrhosis were tested for postural control using posturography and compared with 25 controls.

Reliability and validity of the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale and a modified scale for testing muscle strength in patients with radial palsy.

Objective: To assess the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability and validity of the original and a modified Medical Research Council scale for testing muscle strength in radial palsy.

Design: Prospective, randomized validation study.

Patients: Thirty-one patients with peripheral paresis of radial innervated forearm muscles were included.

Low-back pain assessment based on the Brief ICF Core Sets: diagnostic relevance of motor performance and psychological tests.

Objective: The Brief International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for chronic low-back pain (cLBP) have included the three body functional categories sensation of pain, muscle functions, and emotional functions. As the latter two categories represent umbrella terms, the objective of this research was to identify those clinical tests that most expediently substantiate these two categories.

Design: This case-control study included 32 consecutive cLBP patients and 19 nonathletic healthy controls (HC), matched in age, body mass index, and sex.

Improved postural control after computerized optokinetic therapy based on stochastic visual stimulation in patients with vestibular dysfunction.

Balance is accomplished by the congruent integration of visual, vestibular and somatosensory input and the execution of adequate control movements. With increasing age, nonlinear dynamics of central control systems become more regular. In unilateral vestibular dysfunction, sensory input to central systems is similarly less complex, because of one sided reduction of information influx.

Effects of whole-body vibration in patients with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study.

Objective: To examine whether a whole-body vibration (mechanical oscillations) in comparison to a placebo administration leads to better postural control, mobility and balance in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Design: Double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Outpatient clinic of a university department of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Impact of depressive mood on relapse in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective 18-month follow-up study.

Objective: There is evidence of an interaction between psychological factors and activity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We examined the influence of depressive mood and associated anxiety on the course of IBD over a period of 18 months in a cohort of patients after an episode of active disease.

Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal, observational study, 60 patients (37 women and 23 men) with clinically inactive IBD (Crohn disease, n = 47, 78%; ulcerative colitis, n = 13, 22%) were enrolled after a flare of disease.

Fourier analysis of impedance rheography for peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

This study identified those harmonics from the frequency spectrum of electrical impedance rheographic signals that discriminate between patients with and without peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Ninety-four patients with suspected PAOD were evaluated by impedance rheography and ankle-arm blood pressure index. The leg with the lower ankle-arm index was used in the analysis and a haemodynamically relevant PAOD was assumed at an ankle-arm index lower than 0.

Change of complexity patterns in human posture during aging.

Human posture is a prototypical example of a complex control system. The joint output of several physiological - most likely nonlinearly interacting - processes leads to correctional movements which enable us to stand upright. These correctional body movements reflect some features of the underlying control mechanisms.