Yoga-based exercise to prevent falls in community-dwelling people aged 60 years and over: study protocol for the Successful AGEing (SAGE) yoga randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Falls significantly reduce independence and quality of life in older age. Balance-specific exercise prevents falls in people aged 60+ years. Yoga is growing in popularity and can provide a high challenge to balance; however, the effect of yoga on falls has not been evaluated.

Plantarflexor muscle and spatiotemporal gait characteristics of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: an observational study.

Objective: The study investigated associations between the active and passive mechanical properties of the calf muscle in children with cerebral palsy and the spatiotemporal features of their gait on both level ground and over stairs.

Methods: 26 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (age 4 - 10 years) walked barefoot across a level ten metre pathway and a staircase. Walking speed, stride length and cadence were calculated and spasticity, maximum isometric strength, stiffness and hysteresis of the affected side calf muscle measured.

Enhancing physical activity and brain reorganization after stroke.

It is becoming increasingly clear that, if reorganization of brain function is to be optimal after stroke, there needs to be a reorganisation of the methods used in physical rehabilitation and the time spent in specific task practice, strength and endurance training, and aerobic exercise. Frequency and intensity of rehabilitation need to be increased so that patients can gain the energy levels and vigour necessary for participation in physical activity both during rehabilitation and after discharge. It is evident that many patients are discharged from inpatient rehabilitation severely deconditioned, meaning that their energy levels are too low for active participation in daily life.

No change in calf muscle passive stiffness after botulinum toxin injection in children with cerebral palsy.

Aim: Stiffness and shortening of the calf muscle due to neural or mechanical factors can profoundly affect motor function. The aim of this study was to investigate non-neurally mediated calf-muscle tightness in children with cerebral palsy (CP) before and after botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injection.

Method: Sixteen children with spastic CP (seven females, nine males; eight at Gross Motor Function Classification System level I, eight at level II; age range 4-10 y) and calf muscle spasticity were tested before and during the pharmaceutically active phase after injection of BoNT-A.

Evaluation of spasticity in children with cerebral palsy using Ashworth and Tardieu Scales compared with laboratory measures.

The content validity of the Tardieu Scale and the Ashworth Scale was assessed in 27 independently ambulant children with cerebral palsy (gender: 17 males, 10 females; age: 5-9 years; Gross Motor Function Classification: level I and II). Ashworth and Tardieu Scale scores and laboratory measures of spasticity and contracture were collected from the plantarflexor muscles by 2 examiners who were blinded to the results. The Tardieu Scale was more effective than the Ashworth Scale in identifying the presence of spasticity (88.

Mechanical properties of the plantarflexor musculotendinous unit during passive dorsiflexion in children with cerebral palsy compared with typically developing children.

Aim: To examine the passive length-tension relations in the myotendinous components of the plantarflexor muscles of children with and without cerebral palsy (CP) under conditions excluding reflex muscle contraction.

Method: A cross-sectional, non-interventional study was conducted in a hospital outpatient clinic. Passive torque-angle characteristics of the ankle were quantified from full plantarflexion to full available dorsiflexion in 26 independently ambulant children with CP (11 females, 15 males; mean age: 6 y 11 mo, range 4 y 7 mo-9 y 7 mo) and 26 age-matched typically developing children (18 females, 8 males; mean age 7 y 2 mo, range 4 y 1 mo-10 y 4 mo).

A randomized controlled trial of the effects of intensive sit-to-stand training after recent traumatic brain injury on sit-to-stand performance.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of intensive practice of sit-to-stand on motor performance, exercise capacity and exercise efficiency in traumatic brain-injured patients during early inpatient rehabilitation.

Design: Single-blind randomized controlled pilot study.

Setting: Brain injury rehabilitation unit.