Department Sport- und Gesundheitswissenschaften
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Background/Purpose
Muscular reflex responses of the lower extremities to sudden gait disturbances are related to postural stability and injury risk. Chronic ankle instability (CAI) has shown to affect activities related to the distal leg muscles while walking. Its effects on proximal muscle activities of the leg, both for the injured- (IN) and uninjured-side (NON), remain unclear. Therefore, the aim was to compare the difference of the motor control strategy in ipsilateral and contralateral proximal joints while unperturbed walking and perturbed walking between individuals with CAI and matched controls.
Materials and methods
In a cross-sectional study, 13 participants with unilateral CAI and 13 controls (CON) walked on a split-belt treadmill with and without random left- and right-sided perturbations. EMG amplitudes of muscles at lower extremities were analyzed 200 ms after perturbations, 200 ms before, and 100 ms after (Post100) heel contact while walking. Onset latencies were analyzed at heel contacts and after perturbations. Statistical significance was set at alpha≤0.05 and 95% confidence intervals were applied to determine group differences. Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated to evaluate the extent of differences.
Results
Participants with CAI showed increased EMG amplitudes for NON-rectus abdominus at Post100 and shorter latencies for IN-gluteus maximus after heel contact compared to CON (p<0.05). Overall, leg muscles (rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and gluteus medius) activated earlier and less bilaterally (d = 0.30–0.88) and trunk muscles (bilateral rectus abdominus and NON-erector spinae) activated earlier and more for the CAI group than CON group (d = 0.33–1.09).
Conclusion
Unilateral CAI alters the pattern of the motor control strategy around proximal joints bilaterally. Neuromuscular training for the muscles, which alters motor control strategy because of CAI, could be taken into consideration when planning rehabilitation for CAI.
Objectives-The purpose of this study was to determine the dependence of breast tissue elasticity on the menstrual cycle of healthy volunteers by means of real-time sonoelastography.
Methods-Twenty-two healthy volunteers (aged 18-33 years) were examined once weekly during two consecutive menstrual cycles using sonoelastography. Group 1 (n = 10) was not taking hormonal medication; group 2 (n = 12) was taking oral contraceptives.
Results-The breast parenchyma appeared softer than the dermis and harder than the adipose tissue, and elasticity varied over the menstrual cycle and between groups. Group 1 (no hormone intake) showed continuously increasing elasticity with relatively soft breast parenchyma in the menstrual and follicular phases and harder parenchyma in the luteal phase (P = .012). Group 2 (oral contraceptives) showed no statistically significant changes in breast parenchymal elasticity according to sonoelastography. The parenchyma was generally softer in group 1 compared with group 2 throughout the menstrual cycle (P = .033). The dermis, the subcutaneous adipose tissue, and the pectoralis major muscle showed no changes in elasticity. Comparison of measurements made during the first and the second menstrual cycles showed similar patterns of elasticity in both groups.
Conclusions-Sonoelastography is a reproducible method that can be used to determine the dependence of breast parenchyma elasticity on the menstrual cycle and on the intake of hormonal contraceptives.
Neuromuscular activity of the lower leg is dependent on the task performed, speed of movement and gender. Whether training volume influences neuromuscular activity is not known. The EMG of physically active persons differing in running mileage was analysed to investigate this. 55 volunteers were allocated to a low (LM: < 30 km), intermediate (IM: > 30 km & < 45 km) or high mileage (HM: > 45 km) group according to their weekly running volume. Neuromuscular activity of the lower leg was measured during running (3.33 m.s(-1)). Mean amplitude values for preactivation, weight acceptance and push-off were calculated and normalised to the mean activity of the entire gait cycle. Higher activity in the gastrocnemius group was observed in weight acceptance in LM compared to IM (+30%) and HM (+25%) but lower activity was present in the push-off for LM compared to IM and HM. For the peroneal muscle, differences were present in the push-off where HM showed increased activity compared to IM (+24%) and LM (+60%). The tibial muscle revealed slightly lower activity during preactivation for the high mileage runners. Neuromuscular activity differs during stance between the high and intermediate group compared to low mileage runners. Slight adaptations in neuromuscular activation indicate a more target-oriented activation strategy possibly due to repetitive training in runners with higher weekly mileage.
This paper investigates the role of ability profiles and profiles of vocational interests at the transition from "Realschule" (lower secondary level) into the academic and vocational oriented "Gymnasium" (upper secondary track) school. Based on Guttman's (1954) radex model of cognitive and academic abilities as well as Holland's (1997) circumplex model of vocational interests, we developed statistical models for assessing individual differences in intraindividual profiles. The empirical results underscore the validity of our profile approach. Particularly (1) profiles derived on basis of test scores, grades, and interests were associated with all educational choices under consideration, and (2) decisions for different gymnasia types were systematically and meaningfully associated with individual profile parameters. In addition (3) criterion correlations of interest and ability measures could be explained by individual profile parameters.
Background: Deficits in strength, power and balance represent important intrinsic risk factors for falls in seniors. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between variables of lower extremity muscle strength/power and balance, assessed under various task conditions. Methods: Twenty-four healthy and physically active older adults (mean age: 70 8 5 years) were tested for their isometric strength (i.e. maximal isometric force of the leg extensors) and muscle power (i.e. countermovement jump height and power) as well as for their steady-state (i.e. unperturbed standing, 10-meter walk), proactive (i.e. Timed Up & Go test, Functional Reach Test) and reactive (i.e. perturbed standing) balance. Balance tests were conducted under single (i.e. standing or walking alone) and dual task conditions (i.e. standing or walking plus cognitive and motor interference task). Results: Significant positive correlations were found between measures of isometric strength and muscle power of the lower extremities (r values ranged between 0.608 and 0.720, p < 0.01). Hardly any significant associations were found between variables of strength, power and balance (i.e. no significant association in 20 out of 21 cases). Additionally, no significant correlations were found between measures of steady-state, proactive and reactive balance or balance tests performed under single and dual task conditions (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: The predominately nonsignificant correlations between different types of balance imply that balance performance is task specific in healthy and physically active seniors. Further, strength, power and balance as well as balance under single and dual task conditions seem to be independent of each other and may have to be tested and trained complementarily.
Background: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a multifunctional peptide, which is implicated in the renal and cardiac physicology as well as in many pathologies of these systems. ET-1's actions take place after the activation of two receptors: ETA and ETB. The expression of these receptors may be modulated during the pathologic process. The analysis of the distribution and level of expression of the receptors in animal models is therefore crucial.
Methods: We developed a protocol for non-radioactive in situ hybridization for the mRNA of the two endothelin receptors on paraffin-embedded tissue using digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes.
Results: In heart and kidney, the staining was reliable and specific. In a mouse model for endothelin/nitric oxide imbalance, cardiac ETB expression was reduced. The distribution of the receptors was in accordance with the actual knowledge. Differences in cell specific expression are discussed.
Conclusions: We developed a protocol for the in situ hybridization of the endothelin receptors in mice. Given that the endothelin system is implicated in the development of many diseases, we believe that this protocol may be useful for a number of future preclinical studies.
Objective: How do patients with severe aphasia perform in the clock test? Methods:Ten patients with severe aphasia performed the clock test in two modes: copy a given clock (copy condition) and set a clock by drawing the clock hands, where a given digital display (11:10) should be transformed into an analogue display (time setting condition). Results: Not a single patient with severe aphasia was able to master any mode of the clock test. Both copy and time conditions were severely impaired by executive, conceptual, motoric visuospatial and apraxic disorders - impairments of language system were only one of numerous influencing factors. Conclusions and clinical relevance:The clock test measures and requires for its execution so many different cognitive, motoric and perceptual functions that it cannot adequately differentiate between patients with severe aphasia and other severe brain damage.
Background: Isokinetic measurements are widely used to assess strength capacity in a clinical or research context. Nevertheless, the validity of isokinetic measures for identifying strength deficits and the evaluation of therapeutic process regarding different pathologies is yet to be established. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to evaluate the validity of isokinetic measures in a specific case: that of muscular capacity in low back pain (LBP).
Methods: A literature search (PubMed; ISI Web of Knowledge; The Cochrane Library) covering the last 10 years was performed. Relevant papers regarding isokinetic trunk strength measures in healthy and patients with low back pain (PLBP) were searched. Peak torque values [Nm] and peak torque normalized to body weight [Nm/kg BW] were extracted for healthy and PLBP. Ranked mean values across studies were calculated for the concentric peak torque at 60 degrees/s as well as the flexion/extension (F/E) ratio.
Results: 34 publications (31 flexion/extension; 3 rotation) were suitable for reporting detailed isokinetic strength measures in healthy or LBP (untrained adults, adolescents, athletes). Adolescents and athletes were different compared to normal adults in terms of absolute trunk strength values and the F/E ratio. Furthermore, isokinetic measures evaluating therapeutic process and isokinetic rehabilitation training were infrequent in literature (8 studies).
Conclusion: Isokinetic measurements are valid for measuring trunk flexion/extension strength and F/E ratio in athletes, adolescents and (untrained) adults with/without LBP. The validity of trunk rotation is questionable due to a very small number of publications whereas no reliable source regarding lateral flexion could be traced. Therefore, isokinetic dynamometry may be utilized for identifying trunk strength deficits in healthy adults and PLBP.
The initial interview is important for psychological counseling regarding the acquisition of diagnostic information and in terms of establishing a professional counseling relationship. In applied sports psychology there so far exist no clear guidelines to structure this process. To improve the quality of sports psychological consultations, the present study introduces and evaluates a semi-structured guideline for an initial interview in which the content and form of the consultation are determined, the concerns of the client are systematically explored, and the objectives of the collaboration and the further process are defined. Eleven sport psychology trainees participated in our study and conducted initial interviews with actors. One interview was conducted by using the initial interview guide and the other interview was created individually by each sport psychology trainee based on his own expertise. The results showed that the quality of the interview process (i.e., formal requirements, use of open questions) as well as the satisfaction of the consultant with the interview was significantly higher when following the guideline. No differences were found regarding the quality of the consultation findings and the satisfaction of the athletes with the interview. The results are discussed with respect to their theoretical and practical implications.
Background Uptake of self-testing and self-management of oral coagulation has remained inconsistent, despite good evidence of their effectiveness. To clarify the value of self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation, we did a meta-analysis of individual patient data addressing several important gaps in the evidence, including an estimate of the effect on time to death, first major haemorrhage, and thromboembolism.
Methods We searched Ovid versions of Embase (1980-2009) and Medline (1966-2009), limiting searches to randomised trials with a maximally sensitive strategy. We approached all authors of included trials and requested individual patient data: primary outcomes were time to death, first major haemorrhage, and first thromboembolic event. We did prespecified subgroup analyses according to age, type of control-group care (anticoagulation-clinic care vs primary care), self-testing alone versus self-management, and sex. We analysed patients with mechanical heart valves or atrial fibrillation separately. We used a random-effect model method to calculate pooled hazard ratios and did tests for interaction and heterogeneity, and calculated a time-specific number needed to treat.
Findings Of 1357 abstracts, we included 11 trials with data for 6417 participants and 12 800 person-years of follow-up. We reported a significant reduction in thromboembolic events in the self-monitoring group (hazard ratio 0.51; 95% CI 0.31-0.85) but not for major haemorrhagic events (0.88, 0.74-1.06) or death (0.82, 0.62-1.09). Participants younger than 55 years showed a striking reduction in thrombotic events (hazard ratio 0.33, 95% CI 0.17-0.66), as did participants with mechanical heart valve (0.52, 0.35-0.77). Analysis of major outcomes in the very elderly (age >= 85 years, n=99) showed no significant adverse effects of the intervention for all outcomes.
Interpretation Our analysis showed that self-monitoring and self-management of oral coagulation is a safe option for suitable patients of all ages. Patients should also be offered the option to self-manage their disease with suitable health-care support as back-up.