Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Stroke frequently leads to motor impairments, with almost half of the affected individuals experiencing diminished sensation, impacting their overall quality of life and autonomy. Rehabilitation efforts, however, often overlook somatosensory functions of the lower limbs. While plantar sensory stimulation activates receptors in the foot sole, its precise impact on the motor functions and gait of individuals with stroke is yet to be ascertained.

Biomechanics of sit-to-stand with dual tasks in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment.

Background: The decline in cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may contribute to a change in movement pattern during sit-to-stand transitions (STS). However, when comparing older adults with MCI to older adults without MCI, there is a lack of evidence of kinematic and kinetic data during STS. Furthermore, while significant cognitive dual-task interference has been demonstrated in older adults with MCI, studies on the effects of dual motor tasks in MCI, particularly during STS, have not been reported.

Spinal displacement during thoracic manipulative therapy in mechanical neck pain patients: an observational study.

Introduction: Thoracic manipulative therapy (TMT) is recommended for treating patients with mechanical neck pain (MNP). However, there are multiple proposed recommendations for the mechanism for neck pain reduction.

Objective: To investigate displacement of the cervicothoracic spine during the application of TMT in patients with MNP.

Reliability and minimal detectable change of nonlinear analysis measure of postural control in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Background: Evaluating quiet stance under various conditions using nonlinear analysis may be an effective method of measuring postural control in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, no studies have examined the reliability of using sample entropy (SampEn) in older adults with MCI.

Research Question: What are the within- and between-session reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of a nonlinear analysis measure of postural control during quiet stance in older adults with MCI?

Methods: Fourteen older adults with MCI performed static standing under four conditions, and the center of pressure signal was calculated and applied to SampEn nonlinear analysis.

Effects of sensory cues on dynamic trunk control in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Background: There is a lack of evidence whether the combined visual and verbal cues could improve dynamic trunk control in the sitting position in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP).

Objective: To investigate the immediate effects of visual, verbal, and combined visual and verbal cues on dynamic trunk control in the sitting position in children with and without SDCP. Twenty children with SDCP and 20 typically developing (TD) children aged eight to 12 years in sitting positions maneuvered their trunks to lean forward, backward, to the left, and to the right under conditions of no sensory cues, visual cues, verbal cues, and combined visual and verbal cues.

Comparison of the effects of chair height and anterior seat inclination on sit-to-stand ability in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

The present study aimed to compare the effects of chair height and anterior seat inclination on sit-to-stand (STS) performance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP). Twelve children with SDCP were tested with three conditions of STS task: low chair with horizontal seat (control), low chair with anterior seat inclination (AiC), and high chair with horizontal seat (HiC) conditions. A 3D motion analysis system and two force plates were used to collect and analyze the movement time, mechanical work, kinematics, and kinetics.

The development of sit-to-stand in typically developing children aged 4 to 12 years: Movement time, trunk and lower extremity joint angles, and joint moments.

Background: Sit-to-stand (STS) movement is an important transition movement for daily life. STS movement is typically seen in children aged 1 year and older. According to the motor development process, the ability of children in different age groups to perform STS movement would be different before they meet the mutuality.

The effects of anterior seat inclination on movement time, mechanical work and kinematics during sit-to-stand in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Background: Anterior seat inclination has been applied in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP) to adjust alignment during sitting. However, there has been a lack of evidence reporting the effects of anterior seat inclination on sit-to-stand (STS) performance in children with SDCP. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the effects of anterior seat inclination on STS performance in children with SDCP.

Timed Up and Go test in typically developing children: Protocol choice influences the outcome.

Background: The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is one of the most popular functional dynamic balance tests in children with typical and atypical development. However, the TUG protocol varies in terms of turning-point markers and verbal commands.

Research Question: Would the outcomes of TUG be different if a different TUG protocol, especially turning-point markers and verbal commands, was used in different age and gender?

Methods: Two hundred and ten typically developing children aged 6-12 years participated in the study.

Mechanical work, kinematics, and kinetics during sit-to-stand in children with and without spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Background: Sit-to-stand (STS) is one of the most common fundamental activity in daily life. The pathology of the neuromuscular control system in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP) could contribute to atypical movement patterns leading to the inefficiency performance including the STS task. However, there was also a lack of evidence about kinematics, kinetics, and especially mechanical work during the STS task in children with SDCP aged 7-12 years old.

Effect of interferential current stimulation in management of hemiplegic shoulder pain.

Objective: To study the immediate effects of interferential current stimulation (IFC) on shoulder pain and pain-free passive range of motion (PROM) of the shoulder in people with hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP).

Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Setting: Institutional physical therapy clinic, neurologic rehabilitation center.