Fibrous muscular contractures: treatment with a new direct contact microwave applicator operating at 915 MHz.

A patient having bilateral contractures of the rectus femoris and brachial biceps muscles due to pentazocine injection was treated with a regime of heat and stretch. Heat was provided by a new air cooled direct contact applicator operating at 915 MHz. Stretch was applied by adding weights to a cable which was attached to the arm or leg to be stretched.

Temperatures in human thighs after hot pack treatment followed by ultrasound.

Temperature distributions were measured in the anterior thigh of human volunteers after preheating with a hot pack followed by ultrasound, a frequently used therapeutic procedure. The skin surface temperature is elevated by this procedure but the highest temperature is still produced at the bone-muscle interface at the end of the treatment session.

Knee lock device for knee ankle orthoses for spinal cord injured patients: an evaluation.

The effect of a specially designed knee lock in a knee ankle orthosis was studied in 2 able-bodied volunteers and in 2 patients with spinal cord lesions. This lock allows the knee to bend during the swing phase but locks the knee securely during the stance phase. The device is intended to improve gait pattern and reduce oxygen consumption more than a standard knee lock which keeps the knee straight throughout the entire gait cycle.