Reliability of the Soleus H-Reflex in Different Sitting Postures.

The Soleus (SOL) Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) is commonly recorded in sitting position. However, the reliability of recording is unknown. We assessed the reliability of SOL H-reflex amplitude measurements across multiple traces and sessions during erect, slumped, and slouched sitting postures using the generalizability theory.

Electrodiagnosis-based management of patients with radiculopathy: The concept and application involving a patient with a large lumbosacral disc herniation.

Objectives: The evaluation of patients with lower back pain (LBP) is based mainly on clinical examinations and imaging procedures that are subjective or anatomic in nature. The treatments, either physical therapy or osteopathy, lack evidence-based protocol and may be disruptive to the spine. Therefore, a neurophysiologic-based approach to managing such patients is necessary.

Electromyographic activity of quadriceps muscle during sit-to-stand in patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: The sit-to-stand (STS) is a simple test to evaluate the functional performance of the quadriceps muscle in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The aim was to evaluate the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the ipsilateral quadriceps during STS task at different seat heights and feet positions in patients with severe unilateral OA. The EMG activity was recorded in a group of eight participants with unilateral OA during the performance of STS task in four conditions: (1) knee-height seat with feet together, (2) knee-height seat with feet askew (feet side by side and heel-to-toe), (3) low-height seat (25% lower than knee-height seat) with feet together, and (4) low-height seat with feet askew.

Similarities and differences in cervical and thoracolumbar multisegmental motor responses and the combined use for testing spinal circuitries.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Objective: To determine similarities and differences of C7 and T11-12 multisegmental motor responses (MMR) studies for the upper limbs (UL) and lower limbs (LL).

Settings: Neuroscience Lab, TWU (School of Physical Therapy, TX, USA).

Intersession reliability of thoracolumbar multisegmental motor responses.

Study Design: Experimental design. Objective To determine test-retest reliability across sessions of the thoracolumbar multisegmental motor responses (MMR) in the upper and lower limbs of healthy subjects. Test-retest reliability of MMR has not been established or examined in previous studies.

Similarities and differences of the soleus and gastrocnemius H-reflexes during varied body postures, foot positions, and muscle function: multifactor designs for repeated measures.

Background: Although the soleus (Sol), medial gastrocnemius (MG), and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscles differ in function, composition, and innervations, it is a common practice is to investigate them as single H-reflex recording. The purpose of this study was to compare H-reflex recordings between these three sections of the triceps surae muscle group of healthy participants while lying and standing during three different ankle positions.

Methods: The Sol, MG and LG muscles' H-reflexes were recorded from ten participants during prone lying and standing with the ankle in neutral, maximum dorsiflexion, and maximum plantarflexion positions.

H-reflex amplitude asymmetry is an earlier sign of nerve root involvement than latency in patients with S1 radiculopathy.

Background: Based on our clinical experience, the H-reflex amplitude asymmetry might be an earlier sign of nerve root involvement than latency in patients with S1 radiculopathy. However, no data to support this assumption are available. The purpose of this study was to review and report the electrophysiological changes in H-reflex amplitude and latency in patients with radiculopathy in order to determine if there is any evidence to support the assumption that H-reflex amplitude is an earlier sign of nerve root involvement than latency.

Flexor carpi radialis H-reflex modulation during spinal loading and unloading with varied forearm postures.

Flexor carpi radialis (FCR) H-reflex is usually recorded with the patient in lying or sitting postures while the forearm is positioned in supination or pronation to detect C7 radiculopathy. Its amplitude is smaller during forearm supination compared with pronation for unclear reasons and its recordings during postural loading conditions (i.e.

Vastus medialis H-reflex reliability during standing.

Vastus medialis H-reflex is a valid measure to examine quadriceps muscle voluntary activation and inhibition after knee injury. Its reliability during repeated sessions has not been established. The purpose of this study was to establish the intrasession and intersession reliability of vastus medialis H-reflex amplitude recordings during standing with varied knee flexion angles (0, 30, 45, and 60 degrees).

Soleus and vastus medialis H-reflexes: similarities and differences while standing or lying during varied knee flexion angles.

The H-reflex may be a useful measure to examine the lower extremity muscles activation and inhibition following an injury. Recording the vastus medialis H-reflex amplitudes in healthy subjects while standing or lying during varied knee flexion angles may establish a reference for comparison for patients with ACL injury. Vastus medialis and soleus H-reflexes were recorded from 14 healthy subjects while lying and standing during 0, 30, 45, and 60 degrees knee flexion.