Between-day reliability of centre of pressure measures for balance assessment in hemiplegic stroke patients.

Background: Stroke patients have impaired postural balance that increases the risk of falls and impairs their mobility. Assessment of postural balance is commonly carried out by recording centre of pressure (CoP) displacements, but the lack of data concerning reliability of these measures compromises their interpretation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the between-day reliability of six CoP-based variables, in order to provide i) reliability data for monitoring postural sway and weight-bearing asymmetry of stroke patients in clinical practice and ii) consistent assessment method of measurement error for applications in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Effects of knee and ankle muscle fatigue on postural control in the unipedal stance.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of acute muscle fatigue of the ankle and knee musculature on postural control by immediate measures after performing fatiguing tasks (POST condition). One group of subjects (n = 8) performed a fatiguing task by voluntary contractions of the triceps surae (group TRI) and the other (n = 9) performed a fatiguing task by voluntary contractions of the quadriceps femoris (group QUA). Each muscle group was exercised until the loss of maximal voluntary contraction torque reached 50% (isokinetic dynamometer).

Posture analysis on young women before and after 60 days of -6 degrees head down bed rest (Wise 2005).

Twenty-four women divided into three groups: control, exercise and nutrition, have been involved in a -6 degrees head down bed rest (HDBR) experiment for 60 days. The objective was to analyse the effects of microgravity on balance function regulation. Group comparisons assessed the efficiency of countermeasures (specific exercises and in particular diet) on the deleterious effects of simulated microgravity.

Effects of two types of neuromuscular electrical stimulation training on vertical jump performance.

This study examined the effects of different types of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) programs on vertical jump performance. Twenty seven healthy trained male students in sports-sciences were recruited and randomized into three groups. The control group (C group, n = 8) did not perform NMES training.

Effects of fatigue induced by neuromuscular electrical stimulation on postural control.

The aim was to investigate the effects of fatigue induced by electrical stimulation superimposed onto voluntary muscular contractions on postural abilities and strategy (n=8). Two groups of subjects performed a fatiguing of the triceps surae, the first by voluntary muscular contractions (group VOL) and the second (n=8) by electrical stimulation superimposed onto voluntary muscle contractions (group VOL+ES). Balance was measured before and after the completion of both fatiguing tasks, by using a force platform which recorded centre of foot pressure (COP).

Do sensorial manipulations affect subjects differently depending on their postural abilities?

Objectives: To examine whether sensorial manipulation affects subjects differently according to their postural performance and the strategies used. The literature showed that the level of competition of soccer players influences their postural performance and strategy.

Methods: Eight high-level (HL) professional soccer players and nine regional-level (RL) soccer players were tested (1) in a reference condition and (2) in a manipulated sensorial condition (MAN).

Dynamic balance sensory motor control and symmetrical or asymmetrical equilibrium training.

Objective: Determine whether symmetrical or asymmetrical equilibrium training can enhance the proprioceptive input of the left versus right supporting leg (SL) motor control.

Methods: Proprioceptive input was tested using a seesaw platform through a cross-sectional study. The total spectral energy was recorded and divided into 0-2 and 2-20Hz frequency bands.

Postural performance and strategy in the unipedal stance of soccer players at different levels of competition.

Context: Sport training enhances the ability to use somatosensory and otolithic information, which improves postural capabilities. Postural changes are different according to the sport practiced, but few authors have analyzed subjects' postural performances to discriminate the expertise level among highly skilled athletes within a specific discipline.

Objective: To compare the postural performance and the postural strategy between soccer players at different levels of competition (national and regional).

Postural adaptations specific to preferred throwing techniques practiced by competition-level judoists.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the judoists' postural regulation adopted to accommodate their favorite throwing technique (tokui-waza). The tokui-waza is a technique performed in bipodal or monopodal stance. Twenty three judoists aged between 16 and 20 took part in the protocol.

Influence of postural regulation in male judokas' direction of falls.

In competitions, judokas tend to have a predominant direction of fall: forwards or backwards. A relationship was hypothesized between the direction of fall and certain parameters of the judokas' postural activities. 20 judokas, 16 to 19 yr.

Electrical stimulation superimposed onto voluntary muscular contraction.

Electrical stimulation (ES) reverses the order of recruitment of motor units (MU) observed with voluntary muscular contraction (VOL) since under ES, large MU are recruited before small MU. The superimposition of ES onto VOL (superimposed technique: application of an electrical stimulus during a voluntary muscle action) can theoretically activate more motor units than VOL performed alone, which can engender an increase of the contraction force. Two superimposed techniques can be used: (i) the twitch interpolation technique (ITT), which consists of interjecting an electrical stimulus onto the muscle nerve; and (ii) the percutaneous superimposed electrical stimulation technique (PST), where the stimulation is applied to the muscle belly.

Short-term effects of electrical stimulation superimposed on muscular voluntary contraction in postural control in elderly women.

Thirty-two women between 62 and 75 years old were randomized into 3 groups. Each group performed a program of 4 sessions a week over 6 weeks. Group SC (n = 11) climbed up and down stairs, group ES (n = 11) practiced electrostimulation, and group SC + ES (n = 10) superimposed the 2 activities simultaneously.

A foot-pointing task and spatiotemporal gait parameters during walking in sportsmen.

Unlike many sports, karate imposes pointing to a target with the lower limb. The nature of each sport could influence gait variables of sportsmen. The aim of this study was to examine the pointing accuracy of limb swing and the spatial and temporal parameters of the walking cycle during walking in karate experts (Group K, n=6) compared to accuracy of nonkarate sportsmen (Group S, n = 11).