Cutaneous and muscular afferents from the foot and sensory fusion processing: Physiology and pathology in neuropathies.

The foot-sole cutaneous receptors (section 2), their function in stance control (sway minimisation, exploratory role) (2.1), and the modulation of their effects by gait pattern and intended behaviour (2.2) are reviewed.

Vertical Jump on a Force Plate for Assessing Muscle Strength and Power in Women With Severe Obesity: Reliability, Validity, and Relations With Body Composition.

Bellicha, A, Giroux, C, Ciangura, C, Menoux, D, Thoumie, P, Oppert, J-M, and Portero, P. Vertical jump on a force plate for assessing muscle strength and power in women with severe obesity: reliability, validity, and relations with body composition. J Strength Cond Res 36(1): 75-81, 2022-Muscle strength and power, particularly when assessed during multijoint movements such as vertical jump (VJ), are important predictors of health status and physical function.

Association between intelligence quotient and disability: The role of socioeconomic status.

Background: No study has investigated the association between intelligence quotient (IQ) and disability (i.e., difficulties in activities of daily living [ADL] or instrumental activities of daily living [IADL]) in the general population.

The relationship of childhood sexual and physical abuse with adulthood disability.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association of childhood sexual and physical abuse with disability in adulthood, and to assess how several demographic, physical, behavioral, psychosocial, and psychiatric factors may influence this association.

Methods: This study used nationally representative cross-sectional data from 7403 people aged≥16 years who participated in the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. Information on childhood sexual talk, sexual touching, sexual intercourse, and physical abuse occurring before the age of 16, and disability in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living in adulthood were collected.

Isokinetic assessment of trunk muscles in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 patients.

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 is the third most common inherited myopathy. Its severity is proportionate to the loss of microsatellite D4Z4 repetitions, which are below 10. Patients suffer from weakness in facial muscles, shoulder girdles and ankle dorsiflexors.

Effect of unloading brace treatment on pain and function in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: the ROTOR randomized clinical trial.

Evidence is still inconclusive for the benefits of bracing in patients with knee osteoarthritis. To assess the effect of REBEL RELIEVER unloading knee brace in conservative treatment of knee osteoarthritis, a randomized controlled trial was conducted in 67 patients with symptomatic medial knee osteoarthritis, who randomly received 6-week treatment with either REBEL RELIVER unloading knee brace + usual care (Brace group, N = 32) or usual care alone (Control group, N = 35). Primary outcome was the global last 24h-pain relief (100-mm visual analogic scale [VAS]) at 6 weeks.

The benefits and tolerance of exercise in myasthenia gravis (MGEX): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Research exploring the effects of physical exercise in auto-immune myasthenia gravis (MG) is scarce. The few existing studies present methodological shortcomings limiting the conclusions and generalisability of results. It is hypothesised that exercise could have positive physical, psychological as well as immunomodulatory effects and may be a beneficial addition to current pharmacological management of this chronic disease.

How far do stabilometric and clinical parameters correlate in peripheral neuropathies?

Peripheral neuropathies are characterized by the impairment of motor and sensitive nervous fibers. We aimed to investigate the correlation between proprioception, force and the limits of equilibrium parameter (LOE), by assessing 38 patients diagnosed with characterized bilateral neuropathy and 11 healthy subjects. Clinical evaluation, based on a motor and pallesthesic score, enabled their classification into groups corresponding to motor, sensitive or mixed neuropathies.

Postrehabilitation Functional Improvements in Patients With Inflammatory Myopathies: The Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the medium-term functional effect and the effect on quality of life of a standardized rehabilitation program in patients with inflammatory myopathies (IMs).

Design: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Four university hospitals.

Good vs Poor Results After Total Hip Arthroplasty: An Analysis Method Using Implant and Anatomic Parameters With the EOS Imaging System.

Background: Existing imaging techniques and single-parameter analyses, in nonfunctional positions, fail to detect the differences between patients with good vs poor results after total hip arthroplasty.

Methods: The present study developed an analysis method using the EOS full-body, low-dose, biplanar, weightbearing imaging system to compare good vs poor patients after total hip arthroplasty and to report on our preliminary experiences (17 good, 18 poor).

Results: All revision cases were found to have at least 4 high or low implant or anatomic parameters relative to the good group.

Design of multiple axis robotic platform for postural stability analysis.

This paper presents the design and implementation of IsiMove, a new dynamic posturography platform. It allows the evaluation of the static and dynamic balance of a human placed on a force plate. IsiMove is a robotic platform open kinematic with four degrees of freedom: anteroposterior tilt, mediolateral tilt, vertical rotation, and horizontal translation.

Balance training in ataxic neuropathies. Effects on balance and gait parameters.

A rehabilitation program including foot sensory stimulation, balance and gait training with limited vision was followed by 30 patients with ataxic neuropathy in order to stimulate multi-sensory compensation in a no-controlled and no-blinded study. Ataxic neuropathy was graded by a pallesthetic score. The evaluation of patients and healthy subjects was performed with clinical tests (Berg Balance Scale, Functional Reach Test and Timed up and Go test) and instrumental tests for balance (force platform) and gait (Locometre).

Musculo-tendinous stiffness of head-neck segment in the sagittal plane: an optimization approach for modeling the cervical spine as a single-joint system.

Despite the multi-linked architecture of the cervical spine, all previous studies that have made estimations of mechanical properties of the neck have considered the head-neck segment as a rigid link, with a fixed center of rotation at C7. The aim of this study was to consider the head-neck segment as a changeable geometry system for locating the resultant center of rotation and for calculating the musculo-tendinous stiffness by the quick-release method. Head kinematics during quick-releases was analyzed by recording the trajectory of surface markers.

Management recommendations for knee osteoarthritis: how usable are they?

Objectives: Despite the availability of practice guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis, inadequacies in practices of clinicians and patients have been found, leading to suboptimal outcomes. Literature has shown that simply disseminating management recommendations does not lead to adherence. Research suggests that barriers to use should be identified and addressed to improve adherence.

Effectiveness of a lumbar belt in subacute low back pain: an open, multicentric, and randomized clinical study.

Study Design: Multicentric, randomized, and controlled study of clinical evaluation of medical device in subacute low back pain.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of an elastic lumbar belt on functional capacity, pain intensity in low back pain treatment, and the benefice on medical cost.

Summary Of Background Data: There is limited evidence of efficiency of lumbar supports for treatment of low back pain.

A critical appraisal of guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis using Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation criteria.

Clinical practice guidelines have been elaborated to summarize evidence related to the management of knee osteoarthritis and to facilitate uptake of evidence-based knowledge by clinicians. The objectives of the present review were summarizing the recommendations of existing guidelines on knee osteoarthritis, and assessing the quality of the guidelines using a standardized and validated instrument--the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) tool. Internet medical literature databases from 2001 to 2006 were searched for guidelines, with six guidelines being identified.

External anal sphincter contraction during cough: not a simple spinal reflex.

Aims: To assess whether the anal contraction during voluntary coughing is a simple spinal reflex-mediated activity or not. To address this question we studied the external intercostal (EIC) muscle activity and external anal sphincter (EAS) response to cough.

Materials And Methods: Electromyographic recordings were made from pre-gelled disposable surface electrodes.

Osteoarthritis of the knee and hip and activity: a systematic international review and synthesis (OASIS).

Unlabelled: The goal of this study was to determine which activities in four domains, daily life, exercises, sports and occupational activities, should be recommended, in favor or against, for the patient suffering from knee or hip OA.

Methods: Scientific literature was searched in Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases for articles in French or English, reporting original data. The articles were evaluated with standardized epidemiological criteria.

Cough anal reflex: strict relationship between intravesical pressure and pelvic floor muscle electromyographic activity during cough. Urodynamic and electrophysiological study.

Purpose: Cough and more generally abdominal strain determine a pelvic floor contraction which allows an increase in sphincter pressure to prevent leakage during stress. Many electrophysiological studies have demonstrated this reflex (formally cough anal reflex). We postulated that the perineal muscle contraction following cough is not a simple binary response but proportional to the intensity of the cough.