Reactive Strength as a Metric for Informing Return-to-Sport Decisions: A Case-Control Study.

Objective: Current return-to-sport decisions are primarily based on elapsed time since surgery or injury and strength measures. Given data that show rates of successful return to competitive sport at around 55%, there is strong rationale for adopting tools that will better inform return to sport decisions. The authors' objective was to assess reactive strength as a metric for informing return-to-sport decisions.

Effectiveness of an Unexpected Disturbance Program in the Early Stage of Rehabilitation in Athletes With Unilateral Knee Ligament Injury.

Context: Sensorimotor, proprioceptive, and neuromuscular programs are critical for the successful rehabilitation of injured athletes, and these decrease reinjury rates.

Objective: To investigate the effects of an unexpected disturbance program (UDP) on balance and unilateral strength metrics in athletes with unilateral knee ligament injury.

Design: A 3-week parallel-group experimental design consisting of 9 rehabilitation sessions.

Using stochastic resonance and strength training as part of a rehabilitation programme for recurrent low back pain treatment: a case study.

Low back pain (LBP) is a common disabling health problem that can cause decreased spine proprioception. Stochastic resonance (SR) can influence detection performance, besides improving patients with significant sensory deficits, but have not been thoroughly tested for LBP. This study aimed to examine the application of SR therapy (SRT) and strength training for LBP treatment.

Improvement of Elite Female Athletes' Physical Performance With a 3-Week Unexpected Disturbance Program.

Context: Sensorimotor training is commonly used in a rehabilitative setting; however, the effectiveness of an unexpected disturbance program (UDP) to enhance performance measures in uninjured elite athletes is unknown.

Objective: To assess the impact of a 3-wk UDP program on strength, power, and proprioceptive measures.

Design: Matched-group, pre-post design.

Sensory-motor training targeting motor dysfunction and muscle weakness in long-term care elderly combined with motivational strategies: a single blind randomized controlled study.

Background: This study evaluated the effects of a combined innovative training regime consisting of stochastic resonance whole-body vibration (SR-WBV) and a dance video game (DVG) on physical performance and muscle strength in long-term-care dwelling elderly.

Methods: Thirthy long-term-care elderly were randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG; n = 16) receiving combined SR-WBV training and DVG, or a sham group (SG; n = 14). IG performed five sets one minute of SR-WBV, with one minute rest between sets (base frequency 3 Hz up to 6 Hz, Noise 4) during the first five weeks on three days per week.

Preliminary inconclusive results of a randomised double blinded cross-over pilot trial in long-term-care dwelling elderly assessing the feasibility of stochastic resonance whole-body vibration.

Background: This randomised double-blinded controlled cross-over pilot study examined feasibility and preliminary effects of stochastic resonance whole-body vibration training applied in long term care elderly.

Findings: Nine long term care elderly were recruited and randomized to group A (6 Hz, Noise 4 SR-WBV/ Sham) or B (Sham / 1 Hz, Noise 1 SR-WBV). Feasibility outcomes included recruitment rate, attrition, adherence and safety.

Feasibility and effects of applying stochastic resonance whole-body vibration on untrained elderly: a randomized crossover pilot study.

Background: Aging is associated with loss of balance and activity in daily life. It impacts postural control and increases the risk of falls. The current study was conducted to determine the feasibility and long-term impact of stochastic resonance whole-body vibration (SR-WBV) on static and dynamic balance and reaction time among elderly individuals.

Unexpected-Disturbance Program for Rehabilitation of High-Performance Athletes.

Context: The Unexpected-Disturbance Program (UDP) promotes exercises in response to so-called involuntary short- to midlatency disturbances.

Objective: This study investigated the effectiveness of the UDP in the last 6 wk of rehabilitation.

Design: Pre-post study with 2-tailed paired t tests for limited a priori comparisons to examine differences.

Immediate effects after stochastic resonance whole-body vibration on physical performance on frail elderly for skilling-up training: a blind cross-over randomised pilot study.

Objective: This pilot study examined the feasibility outcome recruitment, safety and compliance of the investigation for stochastic resonance whole-body vibration (SR-WBV) training. Another aim was to evaluate the effect size of one SR-WBV intervention session on Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Expanded Timed Get Up-and-Go (ETGUG), isometric maximal voluntary contraction (IMVC) and rate of force development (IRFD) and chair rising (CR).

Design: Randomised double-blinded controlled cross-over pilot study.

Influence of a 2-year strength training programme on power performance in elite youth soccer players.

In soccer, strength, power and speed are very important because of the large number of power actions performed during the game. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the influence of periodised strength training for power performance more than 2 years. In this study, 134 elite youth soccer players were recruited from two youth training centres.

Static stretching of the hamstring muscle for injury prevention in football codes: a systematic review.

Purpose: Hamstring injuries are common among football players. There is still disagreement regarding prevention. The aim of this review is to determine whether static stretching reduces hamstring injuries in football codes.

Long-term strength training effects on change-of-direction sprint performance.

The requirement profiles for sports such as soccer, football, tennis, and rugby demonstrate the importance of strength and speed-strength abilities, in addition to other conditional characteristics. During a game, the athletes complete a large number of strength and speed-strength actions. In addition to the linear sprints, athletes perform sprints while changing the direction (change-of-direction sprint [COD]).

Is there a difference between active and less active children and adolescents in jump performance?

Training and activity level are important predictors of motor development. At present, many children and adolescents do not participate in any sport activity in their leisure time. In this investigation, we analyzed the level of performance of the stretch and shortening cycle (SSC) in childhood and youth.

Effects of functional exercises in the warm-up on sprint performances.

The process of warming up prepares athletes for subsequent stress and increases their level of performance. Functional exercises are often included in warm-up programs for power sports, although a positive effect of functional exercises has not been confirmed. The aim of this study was to measure a possible effect of functional exercises on sprint performance included in a warm-up program.

Influence of squatting depth on jumping performance.

It is unclear if increases in 1 repetition maximum (1RM) in quarter squats result in higher gains compared with full depth squats in isometric force production and vertical jump performance. The aim of the research projects was to compare the effects of different squat variants on the development of 1RM and their transfer effects to Countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ) height, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and maximal rate of force development (MRFD). Twenty-three women and 36 men (mean age: 24.

Training effects of two different unstable shoe constructions on postural control in static and dynamic testing situations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare training effects on postural control using two different unstable shoe constructions.

Subjects And Setting: Twenty-nine healthy subjects participated in this study and were randomly divided into three groups. Two experimental groups (10 subjects in each group) were assigned to a 6 week training program of specific sensorimotor exercises with unstable shoe constructions, one group using MBT(®) shoes and one group wearing Reflex Control(®) shoes (RC).

Outcome effects of single-set versus multiple-set training--an advanced replication study.

The starting point of this review is the assumption that single-set training (SST) can be regarded as an equal alternative to multiple-set strength training. On the basis of 72 primary studies, the meta-analysis dealt with the problem of single-set vs. multiple-set training (MST).

Effects of heavy resistance training on strength and power in upper extremities in wheelchair athletes.

Little is known about strength training in subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI), especially in athletes performing competitive sports. Sixteen male subjects participated in this study-8 with SCI and 8 healthy physical education students (control subjects). The 8-week program consisted of heavy-resistance exercise performed twice per week with 10 to 12 repetitions in 5 sets.

Effects of different periodization models on rate of force development and power ability of the upper extremity.

The purpose of our study was to compare the effects of 2 different periodization models on strength and power variables under dynamic and static conditions in the bench press. Participants of the experimental groups were male sport students experienced in weight training (age: 23.98 +/- 3.

Skeletal muscle IL-4, IL-4Ralpha, IL-13 and IL-13Ralpha1 expression and response to strength training.

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) are Th2 cytokines involved in various immune responses and only a few reports examine skeletal muscle and the possible role of Th2 cytokines in myoblast fusion and myotube maturation. We hypothesized that IL-4, IL-13 and their receptors are involved in skeletal muscle adaptations to strength training. We investigated the effects of 6 weeks of strength training with different muscle load on IL-4, IL-13, IL-4Ralpha and IL-13Ralpha1 expression in skeletal muscle: training with maximal contractions (Max group, n = 12) and training with lower load combined with ballistic and stretch-shortening contractions (Combi group, n = 12).

Proprioceptive and sensorimotor performance in Parkinson's disease.

We explored the effects of random whole-body vibration on leg proprioception in Parkinson's disease (PD). In earlier studies it was found that this treatment leads to improved postural control in these patients. Thus, one could speculate that these effects result from modified proprioceptive capabilities.

The risk of involuntary firearms discharge.

Objectives: To investigate whether unintended muscle activity induced by motor overflow can result in the unintentional discharge of a firearm.

Background: In the past few years an increasing number of people have been injured, sometimes fatally, as a result of police weapons being discharged involuntarily.

Methods: Two experiments were performed using a pistol fitted with sensors to register the pressure exerted on the hand stock and the trigger.

The effects of random whole-body-vibration on motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

It is well known that applying vibrations to men influences multiple physiological functions. The authors analysed post effects of whole-body-vibration (WBV) on motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Sixty-eight persons with PD were randomly subdivided into one experimental and one control group.

Effects of random whole-body vibration on postural control in Parkinson's disease.

We investigated spontaneous effects of random whole-body vibration (rWBV) on postural control in Parkinsonian subjects. Effects were examined in biomechanical tests from a total of 52 patients divided equally into one experimental and one control group. Postural control was tested pre- and post-treatment in two standardized conditions (narrow standing and tandem standing).