Immersive virtual reality improves movement patterns in patients after ACL reconstruction: implications for enhanced criteria-based return-to-sport rehabilitation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of immersion in a virtual reality environment on knee biomechanics in patients after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). It was hypothesized that virtual reality techniques aimed to change attentional focus would influence altered knee flexion angle, knee extension moment and peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) in patients following ACLR.

Methods: Twenty athletes following ACLR and 20 healthy controls (CTRL) performed a step-down task in both a non-virtual reality environment and a virtual reality environment displaying a pedestrian traffic scene.

Quadriceps function following ACL reconstruction and rehabilitation: implications for optimisation of current practices.

Purpose: To determine the most effective practices for quadriceps strengthening after ACL reconstruction.

Methods: An electronic search has been performed for the literature appearing from January 1990 to January 2012. Inclusion criteria were articles written in English, German or Dutch with unilateral ACL-reconstructed patients older than 13 years, RCT rehabilitation programmes containing muscle strengthening, protocol described in detail and time frame of measurements reported.

Anaphylaxis.

Purpose Of Review: This article aims to make a review of the up-to-date knowledge on anaphylaxis and outline the recent advances on pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of anaphylaxis.

Recent Findings: New data confirm the increase in prevalence of anaphylaxis and emphasize immunopathologic mechanisms. However, anaphylaxis is often underdiagnosed and guidelines are poorly applied, particularly in emergency departments.

Chronic diseases and depression: the modifying role of psychosocial resources.

Psychosocial coping resources have been found to protect against depressive symptoms in people with and without chronic diseases. It has not been established, however, whether these resources have the same effects across patients with different diseases. Therefore, the aim of the study was to estimate the direct and buffer effects of psychosocial resources on depression, and to examine whether these effects are different for various chronic diseases.