Kinematics of turning during walking over ground and on a rotating treadmill.

Background: After neurological injury, gait rehabilitation typically focuses on task oriented training with many repetitions of a particular movement. Modern rehabilitation devices, including treadmills, augment gait rehabilitation. However, they typically provide gait training only in the forward direction of walking, hence the mechanisms associated with changing direction during turning are not practiced.

Toward minimum effort reaching trajectories formation in robot-based rehabilitation after stroke: an innovative guidance scheme proposition.

In therapy after stroke, intensive and repetitive training is crucial for relearning of motor abilities and functionalities. Besides conventional therapy, rehabilitation robotic systems are used in the treatment, where a minimum jerk model is used widely in the formation of the point-to-point movement trajectory, which is not necessarily the appropriate choice for hemiparetic upper extremity training. This paper examines and analyzes the influence of a selected form of a flexor muscle tightness on trajectory formation and proposes a guidance scheme that yields minimum effort in robot-assisted arm reaching movement.

Effect of eccentric versus concentric exercise training on mitochondrial function.

Introduction: The effect of eccentric (ECC) versus concentric (CON) training on metabolic properties in skeletal muscle is understood poorly. We determined the responses in oxidative capacity and mitochondrial H2 O2 production after eccentric (ECC) versus concentric (CON) training performed at similar mechanical power.

Methods: Forty-eight rats performed 5- or 20-day eccentric (ECC) or concentric (CON) training programs.

A comparison of the University of New Brunswick Test of Prosthetic Function and the Assessment of Capacity for Myoelectric Control.

Background: Valid outcome measures are required for gathering evidence on when, how and using which prosthetic components to start prosthetic fitting to children with congenital upper limb deficiencies and those following acquired upper limb amputation. We have been using the University of New Brunswick Test of Prosthetic Function (UNB, which measures skill and spontaneity of prosthetic use) in our country since 1996, and the Assessment of Capacity for Myoelectric Control (ACMC, which was developed for persons using a myoelectric prosthesis) since 2008.

Aim: We wanted to explore whether the UNB and the ACMC measure the same construct (i.

Microbiopsies versus Bergström needle for skeletal muscle sampling: impact on maximal mitochondrial respiration rate.

Introduction: Microbiopsies are increasingly used as an alternative to the standard Bergström technique for skeletal muscle sampling. The potential impact of these two different procedures on mitochondrial respiration rate is unknown. The objective of this work was to compare microbiopsies versus Bergström procedure on mitochondrial respiration in skeletal muscle.

Evaluation of competencies in the field of vocational rehabilitation and the employment of persons with disabilities.

For decades, employment of a person with disabilities has been considered a key indicator of the success of vocational rehabilitation. There is a link between the quality of vocational rehabilitation and a better quality of life for service users; these services have a significant impact on efficiency in the field of work. Very few authors have researched the qualification and skills of rehabilitation experts essential for successfully carrying out their professional activities.

Evaluation of treatment in the Smart Home IRIS in terms of functional independence and occupational performance and satisfaction.

The development of assistive technologies, home modifications, and smart homes has rapidly advanced in the last two decades. Health professionals have recognised the benefits of these technologies in improving individual's quality of life. The Smart Home IRIS was established in 2008 within the University Rehabilitation Institute in Ljubljana with the aim to enable persons with disabilities and elderly people to test various assistive technologies and technical solutions for their independent living.

Equivalence of computer codes for calculation of coincidence summing correction factors.

The aim of the study was to check for equivalence of computer codes that can perform calculations of true coincidence summing correction factors. All calculations were performed for a set of well-defined detector and sample parameters, without any reference to empirical data. For a p-type detector model the application of different codes resulted in satisfactory agreement in the calculated correction factors.

Electromyographic latency of postural evoked responses from the leg muscles during EquiTest Computerised Dynamic Posturography: Reference data on healthy subjects.

No normative data are available for the latencies of the EMG signals from the ankle muscles in response to sudden sagittal tilt (toes-UP or toes-DOWN) or shift (shift-FOR or shift-BACK) of the support surface during standing. In this study the postural evoked response (PER) paradigm on the EquiTest™ force platform was applied to 31 healthy adults (18 women and 13 men; mean age 29 years). The EMG latencies (PEREMG) were computed both through the standard manual procedure and through a specially designed automated algorithm.

Exercise testing as a screening measure for ability to walk with aprosthesis after transfemoral amputation due to peripheral vascular disease.

Purpose: To establish at which exercise-power level is the vascular response, as measured by oxygen uptake, closest to the response during the 6-min walk test (6 MWT) in people after lower-limb amputation due to peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

Method: A prospective exploratory cohort study was conducted. 6 MWT and exercise testing using a hand-wheel ergometer (starting at 10 W and increasing the workload by 10 W) were performed in 101 consecutively recruited participants after transfemoral amputation due to PVD.

Effect of custom-made and prefabricated orthoses on grip strength in persons with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Background: Based on the literature, patients with carpal tunnel syndrome are suggested to wear a custom-made wrist orthosis immobilizing the wrist in a neutral position. Many prefabricated orthoses are available on the market, but the majority of those do not assure neutral wrist position.

Objectives: We hypothesized that the use of orthosis affects grip strength in persons with carpal tunnel syndrome in a way that supports preference for custom-made orthoses with neutral wrist position over prefabricated orthoses.

Eccentric exercise training: modalities, applications and perspectives.

Eccentric (ECC) exercise is classically used to improve muscle strength and power in healthy subjects and athletes. Due to its specific physiological and mechanical properties, there is an increasing interest in employing ECC muscle work for rehabilitation and clinical purposes. Nowadays, ECC muscle actions can be generated using various exercise modalities that target small or large muscle masses with minimal or no muscle damage or pain.

Driving ability following upper limb amputation.

Background: In the existing literature, there is scarce information about subjects with upper limb amputation and driving.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to find out how frequently subjects following upper limb amputation have problems when driving; most frequently proposed adaptations and, when possible, factors that influence driving ability.

Study Design: Retrospective clinical study.

Adaptive changes in the dominant shoulders of female professional overhead athletes: mutual association and relation to shoulder injury.

The aim of our study was to evaluate adaptive changes in the dominant shoulders of female professional overhead athletes, their mutual association, and relation between adaptive changes and shoulder injury. Thirty-six female professional volleyball and handball players were divided into two groups: 14 athletes were included in the symptomatic group (positive shoulder injury history and specific shoulder tests) and 22 athletes were included in the asymptomatic group (negative shoulder injury history and specific shoulder tests). Clinical examinations with specific shoulder tests, evaluation of rotational mobility, and symptoms of malposition and dyskinesis of the dominant scapula (SICK scapula syndrome) were performed.

Organization of functional postural responses following perturbations in multiple directions in elderly fallers standing quietly.

The objective of the study was to assess functional postural responses by analyzing the center-of-pressure trajectories resulting from perturbations delivered in multiple directions to elderly fallers. Ten elderly individuals were standing quietly on two force platforms while an apparatus delivered controlled perturbations at the level of pelvis in eight directions: 'forward (FW)' and 'backward (BW)' [anterioposterior plane (AP)], 'left (LT)' and 'right (RT)' [mediolateral plane (ML)] and four combinations of these principal directions: forward-left (FL), forward-right (FR), backward-left (BL) and backward-right (BR). Perturbations were repeated randomly four times in each direction.

Adjusting kinematics and kinetics in a feedback-controlled toe walking model.

Background: In clinical gait assessment, the correct interpretation of gait kinematics and kinetics has a decisive impact on the success of the therapeutic programme. Due to the vast amount of information from which primary anomalies should be identified and separated from secondary compensatory changes, as well as the biomechanical complexity and redundancy of the human locomotion system, this task is considerably challenging and requires the attention of an experienced interdisciplinary team of experts. The ongoing research in the field of biomechanics suggests that mathematical modeling may facilitate this task.

Sensitivity and specificity of von Frey's hairs for the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate von Frey's hairs as a diagnostic tool for peripheral neuropathy in type-2 diabetes patients with symptoms typical for diabetic neuropathy with respect to nerve conduction studies (NCSs) and a combination of clinical examination and NCS.

Patients And Methods: 65 patients with type-2 diabetes (33 men) with mean age 62.1 (SD 6.

Psychophysiological responses to robot training in different recovery phases after stroke.

Psychophysiological responses have become a valuable tool in human-robot interaction since they provide an objective estimate of the user's psychological state. Unfortunately, their usefulness in rehabilitation robotics is uncertain since they are influenced by both physical activity and pathological conditions such as stroke. We performed psychophysiological measurements in subacute and chronic stroke patients as well as healthy controls during a reaching and grasping exercise task performed in a multimodal virtual environment.

Content validity and inter-rater reliability of the Halliwick-concept-based instrument 'Swimming with Independent Measure'.

The Halliwick concept is widely used in different settings to promote joyful movement in water and swimming. To assess the swimming skills and progression of an individual swimmer, a valid and reliable measure should be used. The Halliwick-concept-based Swimming with Independent Measure (SWIM) was introduced for this purpose.

On stability and passivity of haptic devices characterized by a series elastic actuation and considerable end-point mass.

Series elastic actuators have considerable potential in rehabilitation robotics. However, the reflected mass of the motor and considerable robot's end-point mass, both linked by an elastic element, result in a potentially unstable coupled mechanical oscillator. Since rehabilitation devices are in constant contact with patients, safety concerns and consequently the devices' stability are very important.

Use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation: linking issues and general perspectives.

Objective: The aims of this study were to summarize the possible benefits of using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) in rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury and to explore the technical aspects of linking existing medical records to the ICF in such cases.

Design: A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Collaboration, and Trip. Medical records of 100 patients admitted to University Rehabilitation Institute of Slovenia in 2007-2009 were linked to the ICF.

Rehabilitation of critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy patients: an observational study.

Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy (CIPNM) frequently develops in patients hospitalized in intensive care units. The number of patients with CIPNM admitted to inpatient rehabilitation is increasing. The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the outcome of their rehabilitation.

Influence of casting method on effectiveness of foot orthoses using plantar pressure distribution: a preliminary study.

Background: Existing techniques of taking foot impressions for producing foot orthoses are static, while walking is a dynamic process.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate a newly developed dynamic casting method for foot orthoses in comparison with static casts.

Study Design: Double-blind, randomized two-period cross-over trial.

Can the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) be used in a prosthetics and orthotics outpatient clinic?

Background: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) covers all aspects and levels of human functioning.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to find out whether the ICF can be used in everyday prosthetics and orthotics (P&O) clinical practice for description of human functioning, and whether it can demonstrate the influence of a prosthesis or an orthosis on a person's functioning.

Study Design: Prospective clinical study.