TY - JOUR A1 - Weiss, Lina A1 - Pfestorf, Hans A1 - May, Felix A1 - Körner, Katrin A1 - Boch, Steffen A1 - Fischer, Markus A1 - Müller, Jörg A1 - Prati, Daniel A1 - Socher, Stephanie A. A1 - Jeltsch, Florian T1 - Grazing response patterns indicate isolation of semi-natural European grasslands JF - Oikos N2 - Identifying drivers of species diversity is a major challenge in understanding and predicting the dynamics of species-rich semi-natural grasslands. In particular in temperate grasslands changes in land use and its consequences, i.e. increasing fragmentation, the on-going loss of habitat and the declining importance of regional processes such as seed dispersal by livestock, are considered key drivers of the diversity loss witnessed within the last decades. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00957.x SN - 0030-1299 SN - 1600-0706 VL - 123 IS - 5 SP - 599 EP - 612 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kirchhecker, Sarah A1 - Tröger-Müller, Steffen A1 - Bake, Sebastian A1 - Antonietti, Markus A1 - Taubert, Andreas A1 - Esposito, Davido T1 - Renewable pyridinium ionic liquids from the continuous hydrothermal decarboxylation of furfural-amino acid derived pyridinium zwitterions JF - Green chemistry N2 - Fully renewable pyridinium ionic liquids were synthesised via the hydrothermal decarboxylation of pyridinium zwitterions derived from furfural and amino acids in flow. The functionality of the resulting ionic liquid (IL) can be tuned by choice of different amino acids as well as different natural carboxylic acids as the counterions. A representative member of this new class of ionic liquids was successfully used for the synthesis of ionogels and as a solvent for the Heck coupling. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c5gc00913h SN - 1463-9262 SN - 1463-9270 VL - 8 IS - 17 SP - 4151 EP - 4156 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kirchhecker, Sarah A1 - Tröger-Müller, Steffen A1 - Bake, Sebastian A1 - Antonietti, Markus A1 - Taubert, Andreas A1 - Esposito, Davide T1 - Renewable pyridinium ionic liquids from the continuous hydrothermal decarboxylation of furfural-amino acid derived pyridinium zwitterions JF - Green chemistry : an international journal and green chemistry resource N2 - Fully renewable pyridinium ionic liquids were synthesised via the hydrothermal decarboxylation of pyridinium zwitterions derived from furfural and amino acids in flow. The functionality of the resulting ionic liquid (IL) can be tuned by choice of different amino acids as well as different natural carboxylic acids as the counter-ions. A representative member of this new class of ionic liquids was successfully used for the synthesis of ionogels and as a solvent for the Heck coupling. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c5gc00913h SN - 1463-9262 SN - 1463-9270 VL - 17 IS - 8 SP - 4151 EP - 4156 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Prieske, Olaf A1 - Mühlbauer, Thomas A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Krüger, Tom A1 - Kibele, Armin A1 - Behm, David George A1 - Granacher, Urs T1 - Effects of surface instability on neuromuscular performance during drop jumps and landings JF - European journal of applied physiology N2 - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of surface instability on measures of performance and activity of leg and trunk muscles during drop jumps and landings. Drop jumps and landings were assessed on a force plate under stable and unstable (balance pad on top of the force plate) conditions. Performance measures (contact time, jump height, peak ground reaction force) and electromyographic (EMG) activity of leg and trunk muscles were tested in 27 subjects (age 23 +/- A 3 years) during different time intervals (preactivation phase, braking phase, push-off phase). The performance of drop jumps under unstable compared to stable conditions produced a decrease in jump height (9 %, p < 0.001, f = 0.92) and an increase in peak ground reaction force (5 %, p = 0.022, f = 0.72), and time for braking phase (12 %, p < 0.001, f = 1.25). When performing drop jumps on unstable compared to stable surfaces, muscle activity was reduced in the lower extremities during the preactivation, braking and push-off phases (11-25 %, p < 0.05, 0.48 a parts per thousand currency sign f a parts per thousand currency sign 1.23). Additionally, when landing on unstable compared to stable conditions, reduced lower limb muscle activities were observed during the preactivation phase (7-60 %, p < 0.05, 0.50 a parts per thousand currency sign f a parts per thousand currency sign 3.62). Trunk muscle activity did not significantly differ between the test conditions for both jumping and landing tasks. The present findings indicate that modified feedforward mechanisms in terms of lower leg muscle activities during the preactivation phase and/or possible alterations in leg muscle activity shortly after ground contact (i.e., braking phase) are responsible for performance decrements during jumping on unstable surfaces. KW - Stretch-shortening cycle KW - Trunk muscle strength KW - Jump height KW - Electromyography Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2724-6 SN - 1439-6319 SN - 1439-6327 VL - 113 IS - 12 SP - 2943 EP - 2951 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wassermann, Birgit A1 - Abdelfattah, Ahmed A1 - Wicaksono, Wisnu Adi A1 - Kusstatscher, Peter A1 - Müller, Henry A1 - Cernava, Tomislav A1 - Goertz, Simon A1 - Rietz, Steffen A1 - Abbadi, Amine A1 - Berg, Gabriele T1 - The Brassica napus seed microbiota is cultivar-specific and transmitted via paternal breeding lines JF - Microbial biotechnology N2 - Seed microbiota influence germination and plant health and have the potential to improve crop performance, but the factors that determine their structure and functions are still not fully understood. Here, we analysed the impact of plant-related and external factors on seed endophyte communities of 10 different oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars from 26 field sites across Europe. All seed lots harboured a high abundance and diversity of endophytes, which were dominated by six genera: Ralstonia, Serratia, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, and Sphingomonas. The cultivar was the main factor explaining the variations in bacterial diversity, abundance and composition. In addition, the latter was significantly influenced by diverse biotic and abiotic factors, for example host germination rates and disease resistance against Plasmodiophora brassicae. A set of bacterial biomarkers was identified to discriminate between characteristics of the seeds, for example Sphingomonas for improved germination and Brevundimonas for disease resistance. Application of a Bayesian community approach suggested vertical transmission of seed endophytes, where the paternal parent plays a major role and might even determine the germination performance of the offspring. This study contributes to the understanding of seed microbiome assembly and underlines the potential of the microbiome to be implemented in crop breeding and biocontrol programmes. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14077 SN - 1751-7915 VL - 15 IS - 9 SP - 2379 EP - 2390 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Baritello, Omar A1 - Khajooei, Mina A1 - Engel, Tilman A1 - Kopinski, Stephan A1 - Quarmby, Andrew James A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Neuromuscular shoulder activity during exercises with different combinations of stable and unstable weight mass JF - BMC sports science, medicine and rehabilitation N2 - Background Recent shoulder injury prevention programs have utilized resistance exercises combined with different forms of instability, with the goal of eliciting functional adaptations and thereby reducing the risk of injury. However, it is still unknown how an unstable weight mass (UWM) affects the muscular activity of the shoulder stabilizers. Aim of the study was to assess neuromuscular activity of dynamic shoulder stabilizers under four conditions of stable and UWM during three shoulder exercises. It was hypothesized that a combined condition of weight with UWM would elicit greater activation due to the increased stabilization demand. Methods Sixteen participants (7 m/9 f) were included in this cross-sectional study and prepared with an EMG-setup for the: Mm. upper/lower trapezius (U.TA/L.TA), lateral deltoid (DE), latissimus dorsi (LD), serratus anterior (SA) and pectoralis major (PE). A maximal voluntary isometric contraction test (MVIC; 5 s.) was performed on an isokinetic dynamometer. Next, internal/external rotation (In/Ex), abduction/adduction (Ab/Ad) and diagonal flexion/extension (F/E) exercises (5 reps.) were performed with four custom-made-pipes representing different exercise conditions. First, the empty-pipe (P; 0.5 kg) and then, randomly ordered, water-filled-pipe (PW; 1 kg), weight-pipe (PG; 4.5 kg) and weight + water-filled-pipe (PWG; 4.5 kg), while EMG was recorded. Raw root-mean-square values (RMS) were normalized to MVIC (%MVIC). Differences between conditions for RMS%MVIC, scapular stabilizer (SR: U.TA/L.TA; U.TA/SA) and contraction (CR: concentric/eccentric) ratios were analyzed (paired t-test; p <= 0.05; Bonferroni adjusted alpha = 0.008). Results PWG showed significantly greater muscle activity for all exercises and all muscles except for PE compared to P and PW. Condition PG elicited muscular activity comparable to PWG (p > 0.008) with significantly lower activation of L.TA and SA in the In/Ex rotation. The SR ratio was significantly higher in PWG compared to P and PW. No significant differences were found for the CR ratio in all exercises and for all muscles. Conclusion Higher weight generated greater muscle activation whereas an UWM raised the neuromuscular activity, increasing the stabilization demands. Especially in the In/Ex rotation, an UWM increased the RMS%MVIC and SR ratio. This might improve training effects in shoulder prevention and rehabilitation programs. KW - EMG KW - instability KW - overhead athlete KW - unstable resistance training KW - water KW - pipe KW - rotator cuff Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-020-00168-x SN - 2052-1847 VL - 12 IS - 1 PB - BioMed Central CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Stoll, Josefine A1 - Mueller, Juliane A1 - Cassel, Michael A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Trunk Muscle Activity during Drop Jump Performance in Adolescent Athletes with Back Pain JF - Frontiers in physiology N2 - In the context of back pain, great emphasis has been placed on the importance of trunk stability, especially in situations requiring compensation of repetitive, intense loading induced during high-performance activities, e.g., jumping or landing. This study aims to evaluate trunk muscle activity during drop jump in adolescent athletes with back pain (BP) compared to athletes without back pain (NBP). Eleven adolescent athletes suffering back pain (BP: m/f: n = 4/7; 15.9 +/- 1.3 y; 176 +/- 11 cm; 68 +/- 11 kg; 12.4 +/- 10.5 h/we training) and 11 matched athletes without back pain (NBP: m/f: n = 4/7; 15.5 +/- 1.3 y; 174 +/- 7 cm; 67 +/- 8 kg; 14.9 +/- 9.5 h/we training) were evaluated. Subjects conducted 3 drop jumps onto a force plate (ground reaction force). Bilateral 12-lead SEMG (surface Electromyography) was applied to assess trunk muscle activity. Ground contact time [ms], maximum vertical jump force [N], jump time [ms] and the jump performance index [m/s] were calculated for drop jumps. SEMG amplitudes (RMS: root mean square [%]) for all 12 single muscles were normalized toMIVC (maximum isometric voluntary contraction) and analyzed in 4 time windows (100 ms pre- and 200 ms post-initial ground contact, 100 ms pre- and 200 ms post-landing) as outcome variables. In addition, muscles were grouped and analyzed in ventral and dorsal muscles, as well as straight and transverse trunk muscles. Drop jump ground reaction force variables did not differ between NBP and BP (p > 0.05). Mm obliquus externus and internus abdominis presented higher SEMG amplitudes (1.3-1.9-fold) for BP (p < 0.05). Mm rectus abdominis, erector spinae thoracic/lumbar and latissimus dorsi did not differ (p > 0.05). The muscle group analysis over the whole jumping cycle showed statistically significantly higher SEMG amplitudes for BP in the ventral (p = 0.031) and transverse muscles (p = 0.020) compared to NBP. Higher activity of transverse, but not straight, trunk muscles might indicate a specific compensation strategy to support trunk stability in athletes with back pain during drop jumps. Therefore, exercises favoring the transverse trunk muscles could be recommended for back pain treatment. KW - SEMG-pattern KW - back pain KW - pre-activity KW - drop jump KW - neuromuscular KW - trunk KW - performance KW - young athletes Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00274 SN - 1664-042X VL - 8 SP - 124 EP - 132 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gossner, Martin M. A1 - Lewinsohn, Thomas M. A1 - Kahl, Tiemo A1 - Grassein, Fabrice A1 - Boch, Steffen A1 - Prati, Daniel A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Renner, Swen C. A1 - Sikorski, Johannes A1 - Wubet, Tesfaye A1 - Arndt, Hartmut A1 - Baumgartner, Vanessa A1 - Blaser, Stefan A1 - Blüthgen, Nico A1 - Börschig, Carmen A1 - Buscot, Francois A1 - Diekötter, Tim A1 - Jorge, Leonardo Re A1 - Jung, Kirsten A1 - Keyel, Alexander C. A1 - Klein, Alexandra-Maria A1 - Klemmer, Sandra A1 - Krauss, Jochen A1 - Lange, Markus A1 - Müller, Jörg A1 - Overmann, Jörg A1 - Pasalic, Esther A1 - Penone, Caterina A1 - Perovic, David J. A1 - Purschke, Oliver A1 - Schall, Peter A1 - Socher, Stephanie A. A1 - Sonnemann, Ilja A1 - Tschapka, Marco A1 - Tscharntke, Teja A1 - Türke, Manfred A1 - Venter, Paul Christiaan A1 - Weiner, Christiane N. A1 - Werner, Michael A1 - Wolters, Volkmar A1 - Wurst, Susanne A1 - Westphal, Catrin A1 - Fischer, Markus A1 - Weisser, Wolfgang W. A1 - Allan, Eric T1 - Land-use intensification causes multitrophic homogenization of grassland communities JF - Nature : the international weekly journal of science N2 - Land-use intensification is a major driver of biodiversity loss(1,2). Alongside reductions in local species diversity, biotic homogenization at larger spatial scales is of great concern for conservation. Biotic homogenization means a decrease in beta-diversity (the compositional dissimilarity between sites). Most studies have investigated losses in local (alpha)-diversity(1,3) and neglected biodiversity loss at larger spatial scales. Studies addressing beta-diversity have focused on single or a few organism groups (for example, ref. 4), and it is thus unknown whether land-use intensification homogenizes communities at different trophic levels, above-and belowground. Here we show that even moderate increases in local land-use intensity (LUI) cause biotic homogenization across microbial, plant and animal groups, both above- and belowground, and that this is largely independent of changes in alpha-diversity. We analysed a unique grassland biodiversity dataset, with abundances of more than 4,000 species belonging to 12 trophic groups. LUI, and, in particular, high mowing intensity, had consistent effects on beta-diversity across groups, causing a homogenization of soil microbial, fungal pathogen, plant and arthropod communities. These effects were nonlinear and the strongest declines in beta-diversity occurred in the transition from extensively managed to intermediate intensity grassland. LUI tended to reduce local alpha-diversity in aboveground groups, whereas the alpha-diversity increased in belowground groups. Correlations between the alpha-diversity of different groups, particularly between plants and their consumers, became weaker at high LUI. This suggests a loss of specialist species and is further evidence for biotic homogenization. The consistently negative effects of LUI on landscape-scale biodiversity underscore the high value of extensively managed grasslands for conserving multitrophic biodiversity and ecosystem service provision. Indeed, biotic homogenization rather than local diversity loss could prove to be the most substantial consequence of land-use intensification. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20575 SN - 0028-0836 SN - 1476-4687 VL - 540 SP - 266 EP - + PB - Nature Publ. Group CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Allan, Eric A1 - Bossdorf, Oliver A1 - Dormann, Carsten F. A1 - Prati, Daniel A1 - Gossner, Martin M. A1 - Tscharntke, Teja A1 - Blüthgen, Nico A1 - Bellach, Michaela A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Boch, Steffen A1 - Böhm, Stefan A1 - Börschig, Carmen A1 - Chatzinotas, Antonis A1 - Christ, Sabina A1 - Daniel, Rolf A1 - Diekötter, Tim A1 - Fischer, Christiane A1 - Friedl, Thomas A1 - Glaser, Karin A1 - Hallmann, Christine A1 - Hodac, Ladislav A1 - Hölzel, Norbert A1 - Jung, Kirsten A1 - Klein, Alexandra-Maria A1 - Klaus, Valentin H. A1 - Kleinebecker, Till A1 - Krauss, Jochen A1 - Lange, Markus A1 - Morris, E. Kathryn A1 - Müller, Jörg A1 - Nacke, Heiko A1 - Pasalic, Esther A1 - Rillig, Matthias C. A1 - Rothenwoehrer, Christoph A1 - Schally, Peter A1 - Scherber, Christoph A1 - Schulze, Waltraud X. A1 - Socher, Stephanie A. A1 - Steckel, Juliane A1 - Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf A1 - Türke, Manfred A1 - Weiner, Christiane N. A1 - Werner, Michael A1 - Westphal, Catrin A1 - Wolters, Volkmar A1 - Wubet, Tesfaye A1 - Gockel, Sonja A1 - Gorke, Martin A1 - Hemp, Andreas A1 - Renner, Swen C. A1 - Schöning, Ingo A1 - Pfeiffer, Simone A1 - König-Ries, Birgitta A1 - Buscot, Francois A1 - Linsenmair, Karl Eduard A1 - Schulze, Ernst-Detlef A1 - Weisser, Wolfgang W. A1 - Fischer, Markus T1 - Interannual variation in land-use intensity enhances grassland multidiversity JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America N2 - Although temporal heterogeneity is a well-accepted driver of biodiversity, effects of interannual variation in land-use intensity (LUI) have not been addressed yet. Additionally, responses to land use can differ greatly among different organisms; therefore, overall effects of land-use on total local biodiversity are hardly known. To test for effects of LUI (quantified as the combined intensity of fertilization, grazing, and mowing) and interannual variation in LUI (SD in LUI across time), we introduce a unique measure of whole-ecosystem biodiversity, multidiversity. This synthesizes individual diversity measures across up to 49 taxonomic groups of plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria from 150 grasslands. Multidiversity declined with increasing LUI among grasslands, particularly for rarer species and aboveground organisms, whereas common species and belowground groups were less sensitive. However, a high level of interannual variation in LUI increased overall multidiversity at low LUI and was even more beneficial for rarer species because it slowed the rate at which the multidiversity of rare species declined with increasing LUI. In more intensively managed grasslands, the diversity of rarer species was, on average, 18% of the maximum diversity across all grasslands when LUI was static over time but increased to 31% of the maximum when LUI changed maximally over time. In addition to decreasing overall LUI, we suggest varying LUI across years as a complementary strategy to promote biodiversity conservation. KW - biodiversity loss KW - agricultural grasslands KW - Biodiversity Exploratories Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1312213111 SN - 0027-8424 VL - 111 IS - 1 SP - 308 EP - 313 PB - National Acad. of Sciences CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Manning, Pete A1 - Gossner, Martin M. A1 - Bossdorf, Oliver A1 - Allan, Eric A1 - Zhang, Yuan-Ye A1 - Prati, Daniel A1 - Blüthgen, Nico A1 - Boch, Steffen A1 - Böhm, Stefan A1 - Börschig, Carmen A1 - Hölzel, Norbert A1 - Jung, Kirsten A1 - Klaus, Valentin H. A1 - Klein, Alexandra-Maria A1 - Kleinebecker, Till A1 - Krauss, Jochen A1 - Lange, Markus A1 - Müller, Jörg A1 - Pasalic, Esther A1 - Socher, Stephanie A. A1 - Tschapka, Marco A1 - Türke, Manfred A1 - Weiner, Christiane A1 - Werner, Michael A1 - Gockel, Sonja A1 - Hemp, Andreas A1 - Renner, Swen C. A1 - Wells, Konstans A1 - Buscot, Francois A1 - Kalko, Elisabeth K. V. A1 - Linsenmair, Karl Eduard A1 - Weisser, Wolfgang W. A1 - Fischer, Markus T1 - Grassland management intensification weakens the associations among the diversities of multiple plant and animal taxa JF - Ecology : a publication of the Ecological Society of America N2 - Land-use intensification is a key driver of biodiversity change. However, little is known about how it alters relationships between the diversities of different taxonomic groups, which are often correlated due to shared environmental drivers and trophic interactions. Using data from 150 grassland sites, we examined how land-use intensification (increased fertilization, higher livestock densities, and increased mowing frequency) altered correlations between the species richness of 15 plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate taxa. We found that 54% of pairwise correlations between taxonomic groups were significant and positive among all grasslands, while only one was negative. Higher land-use intensity substantially weakened these correlations(35% decrease in rand 43% fewer significant pairwise correlations at high intensity), a pattern which may emerge as a result of biodiversity declines and the breakdown of specialized relationships in these conditions. Nevertheless, some groups (Coleoptera, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera and Orthoptera) were consistently correlated with multidiversity, an aggregate measure of total biodiversity comprised of the standardized diversities of multiple taxa, at both high and lowland-use intensity. The form of intensification was also important; increased fertilization and mowing frequency typically weakened plant-plant and plant-primary consumer correlations, whereas grazing intensification did not. This may reflect decreased habitat heterogeneity under mowing and fertilization and increased habitat heterogeneity under grazing. While these results urge caution in using certain taxonomic groups to monitor impacts of agricultural management on biodiversity, they also suggest that the diversities of some groups are reasonably robust indicators of total biodiversity across a range of conditions. KW - Biodiversity indicators KW - correlation KW - fertilization KW - grassland management KW - grazing KW - land-use change KW - land-use intensity KW - mowing KW - multidiversity KW - multitrophic interactions Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1890/14-1307.1 SN - 0012-9658 SN - 1939-9170 VL - 96 IS - 6 SP - 1492 EP - 1501 PB - Wiley CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mugele, Hendrick A1 - Plummer, Ashley A1 - Steffen, Kathrin A1 - Stoll, Josefine A1 - Mayer, Frank A1 - Müller, Juliane T1 - General versus sports-specific injury prevention programs in athletes BT - A systematic review on the effect on injury rates JF - PLOS ONE N2 - Introduction Annually, 2 million sports-related injuries are reported in Germany of which athletes contribute to a large proportion. Multiple sport injury prevention programs designed to decrease acute and overuse injuries in athletes have been proven effective. Yet, the programs’ components, general or sports-specific, that led to these positive effects are uncertain. Despite not knowing about the superiority of sports-specific injury prevention programs, coaches and athletes alike prefer more specialized rather than generalized exercise programs. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to present the available evidence on how general and sports-specific prevention programs affect injury rates in athletes. Methods PubMed and Web of Science were electronically searched throughout April 2018. The inclusion criteria were publication dates Jan 2006–Dec 2017, athletes (11–45 years), exercise-based injury prevention programs and injury incidence. The methodological quality was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration assessment tools. Results Of the initial 6619 findings, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. In addition, 13 studies were added from reference lists and external sources making a total of 28 studies. Of which, one used sports-specific, seven general and 20 mixed prevention strategies. Twenty-four studies revealed reduced injury rates. Of the four ineffective programs, one was general and three mixed. Conclusion The general and mixed programs positively affect injury rates. Sports-specific programs are uninvestigated and despite wide discussion regarding the definition, no consensus was reached. Defining such terminology and investigating the true effectiveness of such IPPs is a potential avenue for future research. KW - randomized-controlled-trial KW - cruciate ligament injury KW - amateur soccer players KW - hamstring injuries KW - training-program KW - exercise program KW - adolescent sport KW - youth football KW - team handball KW - risk-factors Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205635 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 13 IS - 10 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Public Library of Science CY - San Francisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Plummer, Ashley A1 - Mugele, Hendrik A1 - Steffen, Kathrin A1 - Stoll, Josefine A1 - Mayer, Frank A1 - Müller, Juliane T1 - General versus sports-specific injury prevention programs in athletes BT - A systematic review on the effects on performance JF - PLoS ONE N2 - Introduction Injury prevention programs (IPPs) are an inherent part of training in recreational and professional sports. Providing performance-enhancing benefits in addition to injury prevention may help adjust coaches and athletes’ attitudes towards implementation of injury prevention into daily routine. Conventional thinking by players and coaches alike seems to suggest that IPPs need to be specific to one’s sport to allow for performance enhancement. The systematic literature review aims to firstly determine the IPPs nature of exercises and whether they are specific to the sport or based on general conditioning. Secondly, can they demonstrate whether general, sports-specific or even mixed IPPs improve key performance indicators with the aim to better facilitate long-term implementation of these programs? Methods PubMed and Web of Science were electronically searched throughout March 2018. The inclusion criteria were randomized control trials, publication dates between Jan 2006 and Feb 2018, athletes (11–45 years), injury prevention programs and included predefined performance measures that could be categorized into balance, power, strength, speed/agility and endurance. The methodological quality of included articles was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration assessment tools. Results Of 6619 initial findings, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. In addition, reference lists unearthed a further 6 studies, making a total of 28. Nine studies used sports specific IPPs, eleven general and eight mixed prevention strategies. Overall, general programs ranged from 29–57% in their effectiveness across performance outcomes. Mixed IPPs improved in 80% balance outcomes but only 20–44% in others. Sports-specific programs led to larger scale improvements in balance (66%), power (83%), strength (75%), and speed/agility (62%). Conclusion Sports-specific IPPs have the strongest influence on most performance indices based on the significant improvement versus control groups. Other factors such as intensity, technical execution and compliance should be accounted for in future investigations in addition to exercise modality. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221346 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 14 IS - 8 PB - PLOS 1 CY - San Francisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Baur, Heiner A1 - Hirschmüller, Anja A1 - Cassel, Michael A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Gender-specific neuromuscular activity of the M. peroneus longus in healthy runners : a descriptive laboratory study N2 - Background: Gender-specific neuromuscular activity for the ankle (e.g., peroneal muscle) is currently not known. This knowledge may contribute to the understanding of overuse injury mechanisms. The purpose was therefore to analyse the neuromuscular activity of the peroneal muscle in healthy runners. Methods: Fifty-three male and 54 female competitive runners were tested on a treadmill at 3.33 m s(-1). Neuromuscular activity of the M. peroneus longus was measured by electromyography and analysed in the time domain (onset of activation, time of maximum of activation, total time of activation) in % of stride time in relation to touchdown (= 1.0). Additionally, mean amplitudes for the gait cycle phases preactivation, weight acceptance and push-off were calculated and normalised to the mean activity of the entire gait cycle. Findings: Onset of activation (mean; female: 0.86/male: 0.90, p<0.0001) and time of maximum of activation (female: 1.13/male: 1.16, p<0.0001) occurred earlier in female compared to male and the total time of activation was longer in women (female: 0.42/male: 0.39, p=0.0036). In preactivation, women showed higher amplitudes (+ 21%) compared to men (female: 1.16/male: 0.92, p<0.0001). Activity during weight acceptance (female: 2.26/male: 2.41, p = 0.0039) and push-off (female: 0.93/male: 1.07, p = 0.0027) were higher in men. Interpretation: Activation strategies of the peroneal muscle appear to be gender-specific. Higher preactivation amplitudes in females indicate a different neuromuscular control in anticipation of touchdown ("pre-programmed activity"). These data may help interpret epidemiologically reported differences between genders in overuse injury frequency and localisation. Y1 - 2010 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02680033 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2010.06.009 SN - 0268-0033 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wochatz, Monique A1 - Rabe, Sophie A1 - Engel, Tilman A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Scapular kinematics during unloaded and maximal loaded isokinetic concentric and eccentric shoulder flexion and extension movements JF - Journal of electromyography & kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology N2 - Characterization of scapular kinematics under demanding load conditions might aid to distinguish between physiological and clinically relevant alterations. Previous investigations focused only on submaximal external load situations. How scapular movement changes with maximal load remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate 3D scapular kinematics during unloaded and maximal loaded shoulder flexion and extension. Twelve asymptomatic individuals performed shoulder flexion and extension movements under unloaded and maximal concentric and eccentric loaded isokinetic conditions. 3D scapular kinematics assessed with a motion capture system was analyzed for 20° intervals of humeral positions from 20° to 120° flexion. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to evaluate kinematic differences between load conditions for scapular position angles, scapulohumeral rhythm and scapular motion extent. Increased scapular upward rotation was seen during shoulder flexion and extension as well as decreased posterior tilt and external rotation during eccentric and concentric arm descents of maximal loaded compared to unloaded conditions. Load effects were further seen for the scapulohumeral rhythm with greater scapular involvement at lower humeral positions and increased scapular motion extent under maximal loaded shoulder movements. With maximal load applied to the arm physiological scapular movement pattern are induced that may imply both impingement sparing and causing mechanisms. KW - Isokinetics KW - Motion analysis KW - Scapular dyskinesis KW - Scapulohumeral rhythm KW - Scapulothoracic Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2021.102517 SN - 1050-6411 SN - 1873-5711 VL - 57 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Baur, Heiner A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Hirschmüller, Anja A1 - Cassel, Michael A1 - Weber, Josefine A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Comparison in lower leg neuromuscular activity between runners with unilateral mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy and healthy individuals JF - Journal of electromyography and kinesiology N2 - Neuromuscular control in functional situations and possible impairments due to Achilles tendinopathy are not well understood. Thirty controls (CO) and 30 runners with Achilles tendinopathy (AT) were tested on a treadmill at 3.33 m s(-1) (12 km h(-1)). Neuromuscular activity of the lower leg (tibialis anterior, peroneal, and gastrocnemius muscle) was measured by surface electromyography. Mean amplitude values (MAV) for the gait cycle phases preactivation, weight acceptance and push-off were calculated and normalised to the mean activity of the entire gait cycle. MAVs of the tibialis anterior did not differ between CO and AT in any gait cycle phase. The activation of the peroneal muscle was lower in AT in weight acceptance (p = 0.006), whereas no difference between CO and AT was found in preactivation (p = 0.71) and push-off (p = 0.83). Also, MAVs of the gastrocnemius muscle did not differ between AT and CO in preactivity (p = 0.71) but were reduced in AT during weight acceptance (p = 0.001) and push-off (p = 0.04). Achilles tendinopathy does not seem to alter pre-programmed neural control but might induce mechanical deficits of the lower extremity during weight bearing (joint stability). This should be addressed in the therapy process of AT. KW - Ankle joint KW - Electromyography KW - Overuse injury KW - Running gait Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2010.11.010 SN - 1050-6411 VL - 21 IS - 3 SP - 499 EP - 505 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - König, Niklas A1 - Reschke, Antje A1 - Wolter, Martin A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Mayer, Frank A1 - Baur, Heiner T1 - Plantar pressure trigger for reliable nerve stimulus application during dynamic H-reflex measurements JF - Gait & posture N2 - In dynamic H-reflex measurements, the standardisation of the nerve stimulation to the gait cycle is crucial to avoid misinterpretation due to altered pre-synaptic inhibition. In this pilot study, a plantar pressure sole was used to trigger the stimulation of the tibialis nerve with respect to the gait cycle. Consequently, the intersession reliability of the soleus muscle H-reflex during treadmill walking was investigated. Seven young participants performed walking trials on a treadmill at 5 km/h. The stimulating electrode was placed on the tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa. An EMG was recorded from the soleus muscle. To synchronize the stimulus to the gait cycle, initial heel strike was detected with a plantar pressure sole. Maximum H-reflex amplitude and M-wave amplitude were obtained and the Hmax/Mmax ratio was calculated. Data reveals excellent reliability, ICC = 0.89. Test-retest variability was 13.0% (+/- 11.8). The Bland-Altman analysis showed a systematic error of 2.4%. The plantar pressure sole was capable of triggering the stimulation of the tibialis nerve in a reliable way and offers a simple technique for the evaluation of reflex activity during walking. KW - Monosynaptic reflexes KW - Reflex reproducibility KW - Treadmill walking Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.09.021 SN - 0966-6362 VL - 37 IS - 4 SP - 637 EP - 639 PB - Elsevier CY - Clare ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Baur, Heiner A1 - Hirschmueller, Anja A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Validität des COP-Verlaufes zur Quantifizierung der funktionalen Gangentwicklung bei Kindern N2 - Functional gait development in children is discussed controversially. Differentiated information about the roll- over process of the foot, represented by the "Center of Pressure" (COP), are still missing. The purpose of the study was the validation of the COP-path to quantify the functional gait development of children. Plantar pressure distribution was measured barefoot with an individual speed on a walkway (tartan) - in 255 children aged between 2 and 15 years. The medial and lateral area enclosed between the COP-path and the bisection of plantar angle (A(med), A(lat), Sigma: A(ml)) was calculated from plantar pressure data. Furthermore, the duration of the COP-path in the heel (COPtimeF), midfoot (COPtimeM) and forefoot (COPtimeV) was analysed. The load distribution under the medial and lateral forefoot was also calculated. The variation coefficient (VC) was calculated as a measure of interindividual variability. The medio-lateral divergency of the COP (Aml) initially decreases with advancing age (-20.2%), followed by a continuous increase (+27.2%). No changes in VC (A(med), A(lat), and A(ml)) appeared during age-related development. COPtimeM remains constant in all children over time. In contrast to COPtimeM, Cop(time)F decreases from youngest to oldest children (-31.0%), and COPtimeV increases (+41.7%). After initial descent up to 8 years of age, VC (COPtimeF, COPtimeM, COPtimeV) remains constant. The mediolateral load under the forefoot did not change. The COP-Path is able to characterise the functional gait development of children. VC values indicate high individual variability of gait pattern. In this context, age-based standard values should be critically discussed Y1 - 2006 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Intziegianni, Konstantina A1 - Cassel, Michael A1 - König, Niklas A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Fröhlich, Katja A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Ultrasonography for the assessment of the structural properties of the Achilles tendon in asymptomatic individuals: An intra-rater reproducibility study JF - Isokinetics and exercise science : official journal of the European Isokinetic Society N2 - BACKGROUND: Reproducible measurements of tendon structural properties are a prerequisite for accurate diagnosis of tendon disorders and for determination of their mechanical properties. Despite the widely used application of Ultrasonography (US) in musculoskeletal assessment, its operator dependency and lack of standardization influences the consistency of the measurement. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intra-rater reproducibility of a standardized US method assessing the structural properties of the Achilles tendon (AT). METHODS: Sixteen asymptomatic participants were positioned prone on an isokinetic dynamometer with the knee extended and ankle at 90. flexion. US was used to assess AT-length, cross-sectional area (CSA), and AT-elongation during isometric plantarflexion contraction. The intra-rater reproducibility was assessed by ICC (2.1), Test-Retest Variability (TRV, %), Bland-Altman analyses (Bias +/- LoA [1.96*SD]), and Standard-Error of Measurement (SEM). RESULTS: Measurements of AT-length demonstrated an ICC of 0.93, TRV of 4.5 +/- 3.9%, Bias +/- LoA of -2.8 +/- 25.0 mm and SEM of 6.6 mm. AT-CSA showed an ICC of 0.79, TRV of 8.7 +/- 9.6%, Bias +/- LoA of 1.7 +/- 19.4 mm(2) and SEM of 5.3 mm(2). AT-elongation revealed an ICC of 0.92, TRV of 12.9 +/- 8.9%, Bias +/- LoA of 0.3 +/- 5.7 mm and SEM of 1.5 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The presented methodology allows a reproducible assessment of Achilles tendon structural properties when performed by a single rater. KW - Ultrasonography KW - Achilles tendon KW - reproducibility KW - isokinetic Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3233/IES-150586 SN - 0959-3020 SN - 1878-5913 VL - 23 IS - 4 SP - 263 EP - 270 PB - IOS Press CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eichler, Sarah A1 - Rabe, Sophie A1 - Salzwedel, Annett A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Stoll, Josefine A1 - Tilgner, Nina A1 - John, Michael A1 - Wegschneider, Karl A1 - Mayer, Frank A1 - Völler, Heinz T1 - Effectiveness of an interactive telerehabilitation system with home-based exercise training in patients after total hip or knee replacement BT - Study protocol for a multicenter, superiority, no-blinded randomized controlled trial JF - Trials N2 - Background Total hip or knee replacement is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures. Physical rehabilitation following total hip or knee replacement is an essential part of the therapy to improve functional outcomes and quality of life. After discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, a subsequent postoperative exercise therapy is needed to maintain functional mobility. Telerehabilitation may be a potential innovative treatment approach. We aim to investigate the superiority of an interactive telerehabilitation intervention for patients after total hip or knee replacement, in comparison to usual care, regarding physical performance, functional mobility, quality of life and pain. Methods/design This is an open, randomized controlled, multicenter superiority study with two prospective arms. One hundred and ten eligible and consenting participants with total knee or hip replacement will be recruited at admission to subsequent inpatient rehabilitation. After comprehensive, 3-week, inpatient rehabilitation, the intervention group performs a 3-month, interactive, home-based exercise training with a telerehabilitation system. For this purpose, the physiotherapist creates an individual training plan out of 38 different strength and balance exercises which were implemented in the system. Data about the quality and frequency of training are transmitted to the physiotherapist for further adjustment. Communication between patient and physiotherapist is possible with the system. The control group receives voluntary, usual aftercare programs. Baseline assessments are investigated after discharge from rehabilitation; final assessments 3 months later. The primary outcome is the difference in improvement between intervention and control group in 6-minute walk distance after 3 months. Secondary outcomes include differences in the Timed Up and Go Test, the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test, the Stair Ascend Test, the Short-Form 36, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and postural control as well as gait and kinematic parameters of the lower limbs. Baseline-adjusted analysis of covariance models will be used to test for group differences in the primary and secondary endpoints. Discussion We expect the intervention group to benefit from the interactive, home-based exercise training in many respects represented by the study endpoints. If successful, this approach could be used to enhance the access to aftercare programs, especially in structurally weak areas. KW - Telerehabilitation KW - Home-based KW - Total hip replacement KW - Total knee replacement KW - Exercise therapy KW - Aftercare Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-2173-3 SN - 1745-6215 VL - 18 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - BioMed Central CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Appiah-Dwomoh, Edem Korkor A1 - Müller, Steffen A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Reproducibility of Static and Dynamic Postural Control Measurement in Adolescent Athletes with Back Pain JF - Rehabilitation Research and Practice N2 - Static (one-legged stance) and dynamic (star excursion balance) postural control tests were performed by 14 adolescent athletes with and 17 without back pain to determine reproducibility. The total displacement, mediolateral and anterior-posterior displacements of the centre of pressure in mm for the static, and the normalized and composite reach distances for the dynamic tests were analysed. Intraclass correlation coefficients, 95% confidence intervals, and a Bland-Altman analysis were calculated for reproducibility. Intraclass correlation coefficients for subjects with (0.54 to 0.65), (0.61 to 0.69) and without (0.45 to 0.49), (0.52 to 0.60) back pain were obtained on the static test for right and left legs, respectively. Likewise, (0.79 to 0.88), (0.75 to 0.93) for subjects with and (0.61 to 0.82), (0.60 to 0.85) for those without back pain were obtained on the dynamic test for the right and left legs, respectively. Systematic bias was not observed between test and retest of subjects on both static and dynamic tests. The one-legged stance and star excursion balance tests have fair to excellent reliabilities on measures of postural control in adolescent athletes with and without back pain. They can be used as measures of postural control in adolescent athletes with and without back pain. KW - Excursion Balance Test KW - Female Collegiate Soccer KW - Test-Retest Reliability KW - Lower-Extremity Injury KW - Lumbar Spine KW - Performance KW - Basketball KW - Children KW - Prevalence KW - Stability Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8438350 SN - 2090-2875 SN - 2090-2867 VL - 2018 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Hindawi CY - New York ER -