Can transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the motor cortex increase endurance running performance? a randomized crossover-controlled trial.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, has been shown to increase exercise performance in strength and cycling studies but its effects on running endurance remain unclear. The objectives of this randomized sham-controlled crossover trial were to assess tDCS efficacy on submaximal treadmill running time to exhaustion (TTE). Forty-five healthy male runners aged between 18 and 32 years (mean maximal oxygen consumption: 46.

Strength and activity of the protractor and retractor muscles of the asymptomatic dyskinetic scapula.

The role of scapular dyskinesis as a risk factor of shoulder injury has been largely discussed. However, most studies have focused on symptomatic patients and less is known on the asymptomatic dyskinetic scapula. Removing the confounding effects of the pathologies could contribute to better characterize the scapula dyskinesis.

Characterization of Running Intensity in Canadian Football Based on Tactical Position.

This study aimed to use a data-driven approach to identify individualized speed thresholds to characterize running demands and athlete workload during games and practices in skill and linemen football players. Data were recorded from wearable sensors over 28 sessions from 30 male Canadian varsity football athletes, resulting in a total of 287 performances analyzed, including 137 games and 150 practices, using a global positioning system. Speed zones were identified for each performance by fitting a 5-dimensional Gaussian mixture model (GMM) corresponding to 5 running intensity zones from minimal (zone 1) to maximal (zone 5).

Short-term changes in the physiology of the primary motor cortex following head impact exposure during a Canadian football game.

Objective: This study investigated the association between head impact exposure (HIE) during varsity Canadian football games and short-term changes in cortical excitability of the primary motor cortex (M1) using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Methods: Twenty-nine university-level male athletes wore instrumented mouth guards during a football game to measure HIE. TMS measurements were conducted 24 hours before and 1-2 hours after the game.

Differences in Strength and Fatigue Resistance of Scapular Protractors and Retractors Between Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Dyskinesis.

Context: Scapular dyskinesis is a shoulder dysfunction that can be asymptomatic or associated with pain or weakness. Reduced strength and fatigue resistance of the scapular protractor and retractor muscles that stabilize the scapula might contribute to dyskinesis.

Objectives: To determine the strength and fatigue resistance profiles of participants with symptomatic or asymptomatic scapular dyskinesis and compare them with healthy control (HC) individuals using isokinetic assessment.

Sham-controlled randomized multicentre trial of transcranial direct current stimulation for prolonged disorders of consciousness.

Background And Purpose: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to improve signs of consciousness in a subset of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). However, no multicentre study confirmed its efficacy when applied during rehabilitation. In this randomized controlled double-blind study, the effects of tDCS whilst patients were in rehabilitation were tested at the group level and according to their diagnosis and aetiology to better target DoC patients who might repond to tDCS.

Feasibility and Validity of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised for Accelerated Standardized Testing: A Practical Assessment Tool for Detecting Consciousness in the Intensive Care Unit.

We developed and validated an abbreviated version of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), the CRS-R For Accelerated Standardized Testing (CRSR-FAST), to detect conscious awareness in patients with severe traumatic brain injury in the intensive care unit. In 45 consecutively enrolled patients, CRSR-FAST administration time was approximately one-third of the full-length CRS-R (mean [SD] 6.5 [3.

Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Short-Term Perceived Change in Physical Performance among Elite Athletes: An International Survey.

COVID-19 vaccination raised concerns about its potential effects on physical performance. To assess the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the perceived change in physical performance, we conducted an online survey among elite athletes from Belgium, Canada, France and Luxembourg, with questions about socio-demographics, COVID-19 vaccination, perceived impact on physical performance and perceived pressure to get vaccinated. Full vaccination was defined as two doses of mRNA or vector vaccine or a heterologous vaccine scheme.

Survey of physicians' and physiotherapists' ankle muscle strength assessment practices for safe return to sports after lateral ankle sprain: A short report.

Background And Purpose: Ankle muscle strength is an important criterion to consider and assess for return to play (RTP) after lateral ankle sprain (LAS). This study therefore focuses on the reported ankle muscle strength consideration for RTP by physicians and physiotherapists, both clinicians involved in RTP decisions, and how they assess it in daily practice. The primary aim is to compare reported clinical practice on ankle muscle strength evaluation between physicians and physiotherapists.

Gender Specificities in Sleep Disturbances following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Preliminary Study.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, can lead to persistent cognitive and functional symptoms that impede quality of life to a varying extent. This condition is referred to as post-concussive syndrome (PCS). Sleep disturbances are part of it but their distribution among different genders remains scarcely investigated.

Common Bias and Challenges in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Research: How to Tackle Them.

The importance of evidence-based medicine is crucial, especially in physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM), where there is a need to conduct rigorous experimental protocols, as in any medical field. Currently, in clinical practice, therapeutic approaches are often based on empirical data rather than evidence-based medicine. However, the field of PRM faces several challenges that may complicate scientific research.

Transcranial Pulsed-Current Stimulation versus Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness: A Pilot, Sham-Controlled Cross-Over Double-Blind Study.

Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the prefrontal cortex can improve signs of consciousness in patients in a minimally conscious state. Transcranial pulsed-current stimulation (tPCS) over the mastoids can modulate brain activity and connectivity in healthy controls. This study investigated the feasibility of tPCS as a therapeutic tool in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) and compared its neurophysiological and behavioral effects with prefrontal tDCS.

Neurophysiological Biomarkers of Persistent Post-concussive Symptoms: A Scoping Review.

Persistent post-concussive symptoms (PCS) consist of neurologic and psychological complaints persisting after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). It affects up to 50% of mTBI patients, may cause long-term disability, and reduce patients' quality of life. The aim of this review was to examine the possible use of different neuroimaging modalities in PCS.

A novel closed-loop EEG-tDCS approach to promote responsiveness of patients in minimally conscious state: A study protocol.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the prefrontal cortex has been shown to improve behavioral responsiveness in patients with disorders of consciousness following severe brain injury, especially those in minimally conscious state (MCS). However, one potential barrier of clinical response to tDCS is the timing of stimulation with regard to the fluctuations of vigilance that characterize this population. Indeed, a previous study showed that the vigilance of MCS patients has periodic average cycles of 70 min (range 57-80 min), potentially preventing them to be in an optimal neural state to benefit from tDCS when applied randomly.

Auditory localization should be considered as a sign of minimally conscious state based on multimodal findings.

Auditory localization (i.e. turning the head and/or the eyes towards an auditory stimulus) is often part of the clinical evaluation of patients recovering from coma.

Simplified evaluation of CONsciousness disorders (SECONDs) in individuals with severe brain injury: A validation study.

Background: The Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) is the gold standard to assess severely brain-injured patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DoC). However, the amount of time needed to complete this examination may limit its use in clinical settings.

Objective: We aimed to validate a new faster tool to assess consciousness in individuals with DoC.