Effects of Indoor Rowing Exercise on the Body Composition and the Scoliosis of Visually Impaired People: A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of rowing exercise on body composition, laboratory data, fitness and scoliosis in visually impaired people. The majority of visually impaired people do not participate in active sports due to efficiency and safety issues. Rowing is a safe whole-body exercise with aerobic and anaerobic components. METHODS: Twenty subjects were recruited from among those admitted to a facility for visually impaired people (16 men and 4 women). Laboratory data, body composition, physical fitness, Cobb's angle, and fall index were checked before and after 6 weeks (5 days a week) of indoor rowing using Concept2 Model E. RESULTS: After the training, fat mass and total body fat percent decreased significantly. In the fitness test, back strength and trunk flexion score increased significantly. Laboratory data showed significant increases in serum protein and albumin and decreases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. There were 9 subjects with scoliosis and after the training Cobb's angle decreased by 1.11degrees+/-1.55degrees, though this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Visually impaired people frequently have abnormal body composition, low physical fitness, and scoliosis. A rowing exercise program can be helpful, with a positive effect on body composition and physical fitness; however, with respect to scoliosis, we need an earlier intervention program in visually impaired people.

Traumatic Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation Presenting With Dysphagia as the Chief Complaint: A Case Report

We report a patient with traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation who presented with dysphagia as the chief complaint. A 59-year-old man complained of swallowing difficulty for 2 months after trauma to the neck. On physical examination, there was atrophy of the right sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius muscles, and the tongue was deviated to the right. In a videofluoroscopic swallowing study, penetration and aspiration were not seen, food residue remained in the right vallecula and pyriform sinus, and there was decreased motion of the soft palate, pharynx and larynx. Electromyography confirmed a right spinal accessory nerve lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed atlanto-occipital dislocation. Dysphagia in atlanto-occipital dislocation is induced by medullary compression and lower cranial nerve injury. Therefore, in survivors who are diagnosed with atlanto-occipital dislocation, any neurological symptoms should be carefully evaluated.

Effects of the Off-Loading Brace on the Activation of Femoral Muscles: A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVE: To provide the off-loading knee brace was designed relief for the pain associated with osteoarthritis by reduce loads on the degenerative compartment of the knee. This study examined the effects of the off-loading knee brace on activation of femoral muscles during squatting, slow and fast walking exercise in healthy young individuals. METHOD: Ten healthy male subjects without a history of knee pain were recruited. Each subject was asked to do squatting, slow and fast walking exercises with a brace secured to the dominant leg. The same exercises were repeated without the brace. Surface electromyographic (sEMG) data was collected from the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateralis (VL) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles from the dominant side of the leg. All dynamic root mean squre (RMS) values of sEMG were standardized to static RMS values of the maximal isometric contraction and expressed as a percentage of maximal activity. RESULTS: We found that VMO activity was significantly decreased with application of the off-loading knee brace during squatting and fast walking exercise. However there were no significant differences in VMO activity with application of the off-loading knee brace during slow walking exercise. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the external moment of the brace which effectively stabilized the patella in the movement in which the knee joints become relatively unstable. The brace could be useful in the short term, but for long-term use, weakening of the VMO is predicted. Therefore the program of selective muscular strength strengthening for the VMO should be emphasized.