The Impact of Baseline Pain Intensity on the Effectiveness of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) for Nonspecific Chronic Back Pain.

Introduction: Recent clinical studies confirmed that whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) training is a safe and time-efficient therapeutic method for patients with nonspecific chronic back pain (NSCBP). However, significant variations in initial pain intensity among subjects in these studies have been observed. This study aims to determine if patients with differing initial pain intensities experience varying degrees of benefit from WB-EMS and to assess the overall correlation between initial pain levels and pain reduction.

Intramuscular Oxygenation and Muscle Activity of Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis During Piano Performance: An Observational Study.

Background: Repetitive piano movements have been associated with playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) such as forearm myalgia and symptoms of lateral epicondylopathy. Despite the high prevalence of PRMDs among pianists, there is poor understanding regarding the underlying physiological mechanisms. Intramuscular oxygenation may play a role in the development of PRMDs.

Continuous relative phases of walking with an articulated passive ankle-foot prosthesis in individuals with a unilateral transfemoral and transtibial amputation: an explorative case-control study.

Background: A mechanical ankle-foot prosthesis (Talaris Demonstrator) was developed to improve prosthetic gait in people with a lower-limb amputation. This study aims to evaluate the Talaris Demonstrator (TD) during level walking by mapping coordination patterns based on the sagittal continuous relative phase (CRP).

Methods: Individuals with a unilateral transtibial amputation, transfemoral amputation and able-bodied individuals completed 6 minutes of treadmill walking in consecutive blocks of 2 minutes at self-selected (SS) speed, 75% SS speed and 125% SS speed.

Effects of Rehearsal Time and Repertoire Speed on Upper Trapezius Activity in Conservatory Piano Students.

Background: Repetitive piano play may overload neck and shoulder muscles and tendons, leading to playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs).

Methods: In this pilot study (EMG data of the extensor carpi radialis have been published separately), surface electromyography (sEMG) activity of the upper trapezius (UT) was captured in 10 conservatory piano students while playing a fast and a slow music score selected from the individual's repertoire, each 3 minutes long. Measurements were made at baseline and again after 2 hrs and 4 hrs of rehearsal time of the piano études.

Correlation of muscle and bone parameters, daily function and participation in women with generalized joint hypermobility: a descriptive evaluation.

Objectives: Generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) has a prevalence in women of 15% to 35%. GJH may lead to impaired movement control, frequent sprains or subluxations and pain, and can be associated with early osteoarthritis or chronic fatigue. Aim of this project was to analyse muscle strength, muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA) and daily function in women with GJH and to analyse correlations between these measurements.

Do Sex and Pain Characteristics Influence the Effectiveness of Pain Neuroscience Education in People Scheduled for Total Knee Arthroplasty? Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: This explorative study investigates the moderating effect of sex and baseline pain characteristics on the effectiveness of preoperative pain neuroscience education (PNE) plus knee joint mobilization versus biomedical education plus knee joint mobilization in patients who have knee osteoarthritis and are scheduled to undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: After baseline assessment of self-reported questionnaires (pain intensity, disability, symptoms of central sensitization and pain cognitions) and quantitative sensory testing, 44 participants with knee osteoarthritis were randomized into the PNE plus knee joint mobilization or biomedical education plus knee joint mobilization group. The questionnaires were retaken directly after and 1 month after 4 sessions of treatment and at 3 months after surgery.

An Exploratory Meta-Analytic Review on the Empirical Evidence of Differential Learning as an Enhanced Motor Learning Method.

Differential learning (DL) is a motor learning method characterized by high amounts of variability during practice and is claimed to provide the learner with a higher learning rate than other methods. However, some controversy surrounds DL theory, and to date, no overview exists that compares the effects of DL to other motor learning methods. To evaluate the effectiveness of DL in comparison to other motor learning methods in the acquisition and retention phase.

Can usual gait speed be used as a prognostic factor for early palliative care identification in hospitalized older patients? A prospective study on two different wards.

Background: Timely palliative care in frail older persons remains challenging. Scales to identify older patients at risk of functional decline already exist. However, factors to predict short term mortality in older hospitalized patients are scarce.

The effects of whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) in comparison to a multimodal treatment concept in patients with non-specific chronic back pain-A prospective clinical intervention study.

Background: According to present guidelines, active exercise is one key component in the comprehensive treatment of nonspecific chronic back pain (NSCBP). Whole body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is a safe, and time-effective training method, that may be effective in NSCBP-patients.

Methods: In this prospective and controlled nonrandomized clinical study, two therapeutic approaches were compared.

Effects of Rehearsal Time and Repertoire Speed on Extensor Carpi Radialis EMG in Conservatory Piano Students.

Background: Repetitive actions while playing piano may overload forearm muscles and tendons, leading to playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs), including lateral epicondylitis.

Methods: In this pilot study, surface electromyography (sEMG) activity of the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) was captured in 10 conservatory piano students while playing a fast and a slow music score selected from the individual's repertoire, each 3 minutes long. Measurements were made at baseline and again after 2 hrs and 4 hrs of rehearsal time of the piano études.

Statistical parametric mapping of biomechanical one-dimensional data with Bayesian inference.

Recent developments in Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) for continuum data (e.g. kinematic time series) have been adopted by the biomechanics research community with great interest.

Short-term effects of differential learning and contextual interference in a goalkeeper-like task: Visuomotor response time and motor control.

In this experiment, we compared changes in visuomotor performance and motor control after a single session of differential learning (DL) and contextual interference (CI) in a reaching task to mimic goalkeeping. Subjects (n = n = 16) stood in front of a wall with six LED-light targets that flashed on in a random order and subjects had to move their hand in front of it as fast as possible in order to extinguish the target. After the pre-test subjects followed a DL or CI training session, followed immediately by a post-test, followed by one hour of rest and a retention test.

Pelvic floor muscle displacement during jumps in continent and incontinent women: An exploratory study.

Introduction: The prevalence of stress urinary incontinence during high-impact activities is high. Enhanced comprehension of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) displacement and activity is clinically relevant for the development of specific approaches in rehabilitation. The aim of the study is to investigate and to compare PFM displacement between the continent and incontinent women during jumps.

Reliability and validity of pelvic floor muscle displacement measurements during voluntary contractions.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Understanding the functioning of pelvic floor muscles (PFM) is crucial in female PFM rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to determine the intra-session retest reliability and validity to evaluate the quantity of PFM displacement.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study examined the PFM displacement of 17 young healthy nulliparous women in the midsagittal plane.

Questioning the "SPIN and SNOUT" rule in clinical testing.

Specificity (SP) and sensitivity (SE) answer the question 'what is the chance of a positive or negative test in response to the presence or absence of a clinical condition?'. Related to SP and SE are the diagnostic procedures of SNOUT and SPIN. SNOUT is the acronym for 'Sensitive test when Negative rules OUT the disease', SPIN for, 'Specific test when Positive rules IN the disease'.

Four-dimensional CT as a valid approach to detect and quantify kinematic changes after selective ankle ligament sectioning.

The objective of the current study was to explore the potential of dynamic computed tomography to detect kinematic changes, induced by sequential sectioning of the lateral collateral ligaments of the ankle, during full motion sequence of the talocrural joint. A custom-made device was used to induce cyclic controlled ankle inversion movement in one fresh frozen cadaver leg. A 256-slice CT scanner was used to investigate four different scenarios.

Wavelet analyses of electromyographic signals derived from lower extremity muscles while walking or running: A systematic review.

Surface electromyography is often used to assess muscle activity and muscle function. A wavelet approach provides information about the intensity of muscle activity and motor unit recruitment strategies at every time point of the gait cycle. The aim was to review papers that employed wavelet analyses to investigate electromyograms of lower extremity muscles during walking and running.

The Uncontrolled Manifold Concept Reveals That the Structure of Postural Control in Recurve Archery Shooting Is Related to Accuracy.

In this study, we examine the structure of postural variability in six elite-level recurve archers using the uncontrolled manifold concept. Previous research showed equivocal results for the relationship between postural control and shooting accuracy, but these studies were mainly limited to a descriptive approach to postural variability/stability and did not take the simultaneous movements of the upper limb joints into account. In this study, we show that the goal-equivalent variability which stabilizes the orientation of the arrow in space is significantly larger than that of the non-goal-equivalent variability in arrows of high accuracy (score 9 or 10).