Biomechanical mechanisms of jumping performance in youth elite female soccer players.

We aimed to determine key biomechanical parameters explaining age-related jumping performance differences in youth elite female soccer players. Multiple biomechanical parameters from countermovement (CMJ) squat (SJ) and drop (DJ) jump testing of elite female soccer players (n = 60) within the same national training centre were analysed across ages 9-11y, 12-14y and 15-19y. Effects of age group and jump type on jump height were found, with the older jumping higher than the younger groups in all jumps (P < 0.

The Magnitude and Time Course of Muscle Cross-section Decrease in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Objective: Bedriddenness and immobilization of patients at an intensive care unit may result in muscle atrophy and devaluation in quality of life. The exact effect of immobilization on intensive care unit patients is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the magnitude and time course of muscle cross-section decrease in acute critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

Switch hands! Mapping proactive and reactive cognitive control across the life span.

We investigated the effects of age on proactive and reactive cognitive control in a large population sample of 809 individuals, ranging in age between 5 and 97 years. For that purpose, we used an anticue paradigm, which required a consistent remapping of cue location and response hand: Left-sided cues required right-hand responses and vice versa. After a random preparation interval of 100-850 ms, these anticues were followed by a target stimulus, which prompted a response with the index or middle finger of 1 of 2 hands.

Screening Poststroke Fatigue; Feasibility and Validation of an Instrument for the Screening of Poststroke Fatigue throughout the Rehabilitation Process.

Objective: Our objective is to investigate the feasibility and validity of a new instrument to screen for determinants of poststroke fatigue during the rehabilitation process.

Design And Setting: This prospective cohort study was conducted within the stroke department of a rehabilitation center.

Participants: The participants in the study were postacute adult stroke patients.

Switch hands! Mapping temporal dynamics of proactive manual control with anticues.

This study uses a novel behavioral paradigm-the anticue task-to investigate the temporal dynamics of proactive control aimed at the resolution of response conflict in the manual motor system. The anticue task is a 4-choice reaction time (RT) task, with left and right anticues indicating mirror-symmetrical response hands. In particular, anticues require participants to prepare fingers on the hand opposite to the side of the cue (counter-corresponding mapping), which contrasts with the more standard procues that prompt participants to prepare fingers on the hand spatially in line with the cue (corresponding mapping).

Dynamic testing of learning potential in adults with cognitive impairments: A systematic review of methodology and predictive value.

Dynamic testing includes procedures that examine the effects of brief training on test performance where pre- to post-training change reflects patients' learning potential. The objective of this systematic review was to provide clinicians and researchers insight into the concept and methodology of dynamic testing and to explore its predictive validity in adult patients with cognitive impairments. The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, PsychINFO, and Embase/Medline.

The closer the better: Hand proximity dynamically affects letter recognition accuracy.

A growing literature has suggested that processing of visual information presented near the hands is facilitated. In this study, we investigated whether the near-hands superiority effect also occurs with the hands moving. In two experiments, participants performed a cyclical bimanual movement task requiring concurrent visual identification of briefly presented letters.

Practical research-based guidance for motor imagery practice in neurorehabilitation.

Purpose: The purpose of this appraisal is to offer guidance to clinicians on applying motor imagery in neurorehabilitation and provide guidance to support this process.

Method: We used evidence from a variety of fields as well as clinical experience with motor imagery to develop guidance for employing motor imagery during neurorehabilitation.

Results: Motor imagery is a relatively new intervention for neurorehabilitation supported by evidence from areas such as cognitive neuroscience and sports psychology.

Spared within-hands but impaired between-hands response preparation in aging.

Objectives: Older people can use advance information to prepare a subset of finger responses. It is debated, however, whether aging affects the preparation of finger responses on two hands (between-hands preparation) more strongly than the preparation of finger responses on one hand (within-hands preparation). The present study examined the role of temporal uncertainty in this issue.

Agreement between two different scoring procedures for goal attainment scaling is low.

Objective: To investigate the agreement between a patient's therapist and an independent assessor in scoring goal attainment by a patient.

Methods: Data were obtained on hospital patients with neurological disorders participating in a randomized trial. The patients' therapists set 2-4 goals using a goal attainment scaling method.

Writing SMART rehabilitation goals and achieving goal attainment scaling: a practical guide.

Objective: To describe a practical method of setting personalized but specific goals in rehabilitation that also facilitates the use of goal attainment scaling.

Background: Rehabilitation is a complex intervention requiring coordinated actions by a team, a process that depends upon setting interdisciplinary goals that are specific, clear and personal to the patient. Goal setting can take much time and still be vague.

Mental techniques during manual stretching in spasticity--a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and effects of using motor imagery during therapeutic stretching in individuals with spasticity.

Design: Randomized single-blind controlled pilot trial.

Setting: Chronic day care unit, neurological rehabilitation unit and in the community.