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.

Immediate Effect of Whole Body Vibration on Sauté Height and Balance in Female Professional Contemporary Dancers A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This randomized controlled trial examined the immediate effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on first position sauté height, and on static and dynamic balance, in 59 female professional contemporary dancers. Following instruction, a warm-up, and a training session, participants received a 75-second randomly assigned WBV intervention under four conditions: static demi-plié (0 Hz), static demi-plié (30 Hz), dynamic demi-plié (0 Hz), and dynamic demi-plié (30 Hz). Before and immediately after intervention, participants performed three sautés on the Just Jump Mat System, provided dynamic balance data via the Star Excursion Balance Test, and static balance data via the Balance Error Scoring System.

Assessment of Countermovement Jump Performance in First Position (Sauté) in Healthy Adults.

Background:: Prior studies have examined muscle power via the countermovement jump (CMJ). Studies to date have examined neither the reliability nor the construct validity of the ballet first position CMJ (hips in lateral rotation, toes facing away from one another, legs straight) as a measure of power.

Hypotheses:: There would be (1) good interrater reliability in the visual assessment of the best-quality first position CMJ (κ ≥ 0.

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.

Can metabolic function and physical fitness improve without weight loss for inactive, obese, Hispanic adolescents? A feasibility study.

Introduction: A case series that examines the effects of a 12-week combined resistance and aerobic training program for four sedentary obese, Hispanic adolescents without weight loss.

Subjects/methods: Baseline and post-intervention anthropometric, metabolic and physical fitness measures were obtained. Body composition, hepatic, visceral, and intramuscular fat contents were analyzed via imaging.

Translation and Validation of the Arabic Version of the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire in Patients With Low Back Pain.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study of a cross-cultural low back pain (LBP) questionnaire OBJECTIVE.: The objectives of the present study were to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) to create a version in Arabic and to test its psychometric properties.

Summary Of Background Data: The FABQ measures the effects that fear and avoidance beliefs have on work and on physical activity.

Qualitative assessment of component-specific, fall-risk screening procedures to create a fall risk screening form.

Background: The Day Center, Case Management, and Home Care components of a local senior health agency each have used different screening forms for assessing their clients for fall risk. A common instrument, easily administered by all components as part of their routine practice, would be helpful in systematically identifying elders at risk of falling. Developing a common screening instrument would be useful at other senior health agencies as well.

Inter-rater reliability of a musculoskeletal screen as administered to female professional contemporary dancers.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the inter-rater reliability of commonly used musculoskeletal screening components in a population of contemporary professional dancers.

Participants: Study participants were 30 women from six contemporary dance companies between the ages of 18 and 32, with a mean age of 24, and Body Mass Index of 22.4.

Effect of a home exercise program on dynamic balance in elderly with a history of falls.

Objective: To determine exercise efficacy in improving dynamic balance in community-dwelling elderly with a fall history.

Methods: Thirty-five participants were randomly assigned to a treatment (TG; n = 19, 77 ± 7 yr) or control group (CG; n = 16, 75 ± 8 yr). The TG received an individualized home exercise program, and the CG received phone calls twice per week for 12 weeks.

Concurrent validity and reliability of two-dimensional video analysis of hip and knee joint motion during mechanical lifting.

Movement patterns used during mechanical lifting are usually assessed subjectively by clinicians as a stoop or squat based on visual estimation of joint motion and position. Two-dimensional (2D) video analysis has the potential to objectively measure joint motion during a mechanical lifting task. This study investigated concurrent validity, intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability of 2D video analysis using Dartfish software for the measurement of sagittal plane angles at the hip and knee during mechanical lifting.

Landing mechanics during side hopping and crossover hopping maneuvers in noninjured women and women with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Objective: To compare, landing mechanics and electromyographic activity of the lower extremities during side hopping and crossover hopping maneuvers, in noninjured women and women with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Design: A case-control study.

Setting: A 3-dimensional motion analysis laboratory.

Diagnostic value of clinical grind test for carpometacarpal osteoarthritis of the thumb.

Study Design: Clinical Measurement.

Introduction: Thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis is a frequent cause of thumb pain.

Purpose Of The Study: To evaluate the interrater reliability and the criterion validity of the grind test for thumb CMC osteoarthritis.

Fatigue effects on knee joint stability during two jump tasks in women.

Dynamic knee joint stability may be affected by the onset of metabolic fatigue during sports participation that could increase the risk for knee injury. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of metabolic fatigue on knee muscle activation, peak knee joint angles, and peak knee internal moments in young women during 2 jumping tasks. Fifteen women (mean age: 24.

Effectiveness of surface electromyographic biofeedback-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation on knee rehabilitation.

Background: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation initiated by a surface electromyographic biofeedback threshold (sEMG-triggered NMES) has been studied in populations of patients with neurological problems, but has not been applied to orthopedic populations.

Objectives: The purpose of this single-blinded, randomized clinical trial was to investigate sEMG-triggered NMES on knee extension active range of motion (AROM), function, and torque in patients with post-operative arthroscopic knee surgery.

Methods: Twenty-five participants were randomly assigned to either: (1) sEMG-triggered NMES with exercise group, or (2) exercise-only comparison group.

Landing mechanics between noninjured women and women with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during 2 jump tasks.

Background: Women with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction have different neuromuscular strategies than noninjured women during functional tasks after ligament reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Hypothesis: Landing from a jump creates high loads on the knee creating dynamic instability in women with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, whereas noninjured women have stable knee landing mechanics.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Kinematic and kinetic reliability of two jumping and landing physical performance tasks in young adult women.

Background: Jumping and landing tasks are commonly used functional measurement tools to assess lower extremity performance in female athletes. However, few studies have established the number of trials needed to achieve reliability of measurement for evaluating landing mechanics.

Objective: To determine the reliability of peak hip and knee joint angles and peak ground reaction forces during two anterior-posterior unilateral functional tasks performed by young women.

Psychometric properties of the Berg Balance Scale in a community-dwelling elderly resident population in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: To investigate the psychometric properties (acceptability, internal consistency reliability, interrater reliability, construct validity) and identify the most challenging items of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for elderly people living in the community.

Methods: A total of 268 community-dwelling adults 65 years of age or older volunteered to participate in this study. Each subject's performance was assessed with the BBS, timed up and go (TUG) test, and usual gait speed.

Shoulder dysfunction assessment: self-report and impaired scapular movements.

Background And Purpose: Shoulder dysfunction is common in various patient populations. This investigation was performed to assess shoulder dysfunction with self-report and performance-based functional measures.

Subjects: Fifty men (25 with shoulder dysfunction and 25 without shoulder dysfunction) participated in this study.

Altered patterns of muscle activation during performance of four functional tasks in patients with shoulder disorders: interpretation from voluntary response index.

Altered motor control of the shoulder muscles during performance of a specific motor task in patients with shoulder disorders (SDs) has been an interesting subject to researchers. This study compared shoulder muscle activation patterns by surface electromyography (sEMG), including the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) muscles, during four functional tasks in 25 patients with SDs and controls. A voluntary response index (VRI) was calculated, including magnitude and similarity index (SI), to quantify sEMG patterns during four functional tasks.

Functional activity characteristics of individuals with shoulder dysfunctions.

Shoulder-related dysfunction affects individuals' ability to function independently and thus decreases quality of life. Functional task assessment is a key concern for a clinician in diagnostic assessment, outcome measurement, and planning of treatment programs. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability of the FASTRAK 3-dimensional (3-D) motion analysis and surface electromyography (sEMG) systems to analyze 3-D shoulder complex movements during functional tasks and compare motion patterns between subjects with and without shoulder dysfunctions (SDs).

Physical-performance tests to evaluate mobility disability in community-dwelling elders.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate community-dwelling elderly adults with different levels of perceived mobility with 5 physical-performance tests, determine the cutoff values of the 5 tests, and identify the best tests for classifying mobility status. The community-mobility statuses of 203 community-dwelling elders were classified as able, decreased, or disabled based on their self-reported ability to walk several blocks and climb stairs. They also performed the functional reach, timed 50-ft walk, timed 5-step, timed floor transfer, and 5-min-walk endurance tests.

Functional activities characteristics of shoulder complex movements: Exploration with a 3-D electromagnetic measurement system.

The high prevalence of shoulder-related dysfunction has focused increased attention on functional activity assessment. This study (1) tested the reliability of three-dimensional shoulder complex movements during four functional tasks representing different levels of task difficulty, (2) characterized the four functional tasks, and (3) examined the relationships between age and shoulder movements. Twenty-five asymptomatic subjects, all veterans aged 30-82, performed the four functional tasks.

Reliability of selected physical performance tests in young adult women.

The purposes of this investigation were to establish the reliability of selected physical performance tests in women athletes and nonathletes and to determine performance differences between groups. Fifty women (25 athletes, 25 nonathletes) performed 5 tests in 2 sessions. The performance tests included the figure-eight hop test, up-and-down hop test, side-to-side hop test, hexagon hop test, and zigzag run test.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Flexilevel Scale of Shoulder Function.

Background: Existing measures of self-reported shoulder function fail to measure effectively the full range of shoulder functioning. The classic approach for improving the reliability of a scale is adding items, but a scale with a substantial number of items imposes a large response burden on participants. A more efficient approach is to use modern psychometric methods to construct an adaptive scale in which patients respond only to items that are targeted at their level of shoulder function.