ABSTRACT
Objective: Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders. Structural and functional alteration of cervical muscles is a commonly-reported complication of chronic neck pain [CNP]. Measurement of muscle thickness is an acceptable way to evaluate muscle morphological structure. Therefore, this study aimed to measure cervical extensor muscles thickness in individuals with chronic nonspecific neck pain and healthy controls using ultrasonography so as to evaluate structural differences between the 2 groups
Materials and Methods: A total of 30 female volunteers [15 individuals with nonspecific CNP and 15 controls] participated in this casual comparative study. Thickness of cervical extensor muscles, including multifidus, semispinalis cervicis, semispinalis capitis, splenius capitis, and upper trapezius at the level of the forth cervical vertebrae were measured using ultrasonography in resting position. Independent t-test was performed to analyze the data by using the spss 20 software
Results: The thicknesses of cervical multifidus and semispinalis cervicis muscles in patients with CNP were smaller than those of controls with P=0.03 and P=0.01, respectively. There were no significant differences between two groups regarding the thicknesses of semispinalis capitis, splenius capitis, and upper trapezius muscles [P>0.05]
Conclusion: Reduced multifidus and semispinalis cervicis thickness seen in the present study indicates deep neck extensor muscles atrophy and weakness in patients with neck pain. However, there were no differences between two groups with regard to superficial muscles thicknesses. Accordingly, exercise therapy for deep muscles should be considered in the management of patients with nonspecific CNP
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of consecutively supervised core stability training on postural control and functional disability in female patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. Twenty nine female participants with non-specific chronic low back pain participated in the study. They were randomly divided into two groups: experimental group [10 days consecutively core stability exercises under physical therapist's supervision] and control group [without intervention]. Before and after the intervention, stability situations, pain intensity and functional disability were assessed with Biodex, visual Analogue Scale, Oswestry and Quebec questionnaire scales respectively. Data were analyzed by using statistical methods, independent T test and ANCOVA. The study results indicated no statistically significant differences in all variables except age between two groups before intervention. Analysis by ANCOVA showed a significant difference in disability, pain intensity, Overall Stability Index with Double Leg Eyes Closed, Anterior-Posterior Stability Index with Double Leg Eyes Closed and Medio-Lateral Stability Index with Double Leg Eyes Closed scores between two groups after intervention. However, other variable differences were not significant while these changes were greater in the intervention group. The present study indicates that consecutively supervised core stability training is an effective approach in pain relief and improving postural control in female patients with non-specific chronic low back pain
ABSTRACT
Knowledge about gender differences in intra-limb coordination during walking provides insight into the adaptability of central nervous system for controlling gait in older adults. We assessed the variability and phase dynamic of the intra-limb coordination in older men and women during walking. Twenty two older people, 11 female and 11 male, participated in this study. They were asked to perform walk on a treadmill at their preferred speed. Deviation phase and mean absolute relative phase values -indicators of variability and phase dynamic of intra-limb coordination, respectively- were calculated using the data collected by a motion capture system. We used independent sample t-test for statistical analysis. The results showed that women had a significant higher deviation phase in pelvis-thigh intersegmental relationships on both sides. Additionally, the mean absolute relative phase of left pelvis-thigh, thigh-shank and shank-foot were significantly different between men and women. While women showed a lower mean absolute relative phase in pelvis-thigh, men had a lower mean absolute relative phase in shank-thigh inter-segmental relationships. We suggest that gender could affect the intra-limb coordination variability and phase dynamic during walking in older people. This may be a reflection of the great adaptability of neuromuscular system to modify control strategies for walking in older women/ men
ABSTRACT
Purpose: LBP is one of the most common health issues throughout the world and has multiple causes which one of them is the defect in motor patterns. This study compared the effectiveness of stability, general and mixed exercises on the electromyographic activity of ipsilateral erector spinae muscle [IES], contralateral erector spinae muscle [CES], gluteus maximus [GM] and medial hamstring [MH] during prone hip extension [PHE] in patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain [NSCLBP]
Methods: The study used an interventional quasi-experimental design. Thirty patients with NSCLBP between the ages of 20 to 40 years were randomly divided into 3 groups [each with ten patients] including stability, general and mixed groups. The study was conducted in Spring and Summer of 2014 in Amir Physical Clinic in Isfahan. MVEA of the muscles was measured using surface electromyography [EMG] prior and after exercises during PHE. Exercises were done for 10 sessions and 3 times per week. The obtained data by SPSS [version 22] and using the Kolmogorov- Smirnov test, Independent t-test Paired t test and ANCOVA were analyzed
Results: MVEA of GM [P=0.036] significantly increased in the group who practiced with mixed4exercises. Also the exercises decreased MVEA of IES MH and CES. Besides, this decrease for IES [P=0.024] was significant but for MH [P=0.973] and CES [P=0.111] were not. However, the4statistical results did not show any significance among any two and or all three groups
Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that mixed exercises are more effective than stability and general exercises on the EMG activity of lumbo- pelvic muscles and could alter the electrical activity pattern of these muscles
ABSTRACT
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of creatine supplementation in combination with vibration exercise on physical fitness and neuromuscular performance of elderly women.
Materials and Methods: The study population included women aged over 60 years. For this purpose, 22 healthy elderly females were selected and randomly divided into three groups: vibration exercise with creatine supplementation [n=8], vibration exercise with placebo [n=7], and control [n=7] groups. Vibration exercise with creatine supplementation group, performed exercises which included six posture exercises, based on the principle of overload, for 10 days, with a frequency of 30-35 Hz and amplitude of 5 mm; and at the same time, received 20 grams creatine, for the first 5-day, and 5 grams creatine, for the later 5-day, daily. Vibration exercise with placebo group, instead of creatine, received dextrose. Evaluation factors were the static strength of hands and feet [dynamometer], the dynamic power of leg [knee open device], the static balance [standing on one leg], and dynamic balance [lifted and walking], the lower body performance [30 meters walk, tandem gate and get up and sit on a chair], and flexibility [sit and delivery]. ANOVA and analysis of covariance statistical tests were used to examine the main effects; and post hoc Tukey and Sidak tests, were used to compare pairs of groups [P
Results: The results of ANOVA showed that there was no significant difference between the groups in the static power [P=0.89], lower body function in tandem gate test [P=0.25], and flexibility [P=0.59]; but the static power and performance of leg in 30-meter walk test, was better in vibration exercise with creatine supplementation group than the control group [P<0.016 and 0.02, respectively]. In addition, the results of covariance test showed that there was no significant difference between the groups in the static balance variables [P=0.11] and the getting up and sitting on performances [P=0.68]; but both groups of vibration exercise with creatine supplementation, and vibration exercise and placebo, had better performance in the dynamic balance [P=0.001and P=0.009, respectively], and the dynamic power of leg [P=0.001and P=0.001, respectively], than the control group.
Conclusion: Regarding to the results of the present study, it seems that vibration exercise with creatine supplementation in the short term, can lead to a significant improvement in the static and dynamic power of feet, dynamic balance and 30-meter walk performance in elderly women. Furthermore, it appears that creatine supplementation along with whole-body vibration exercise may have further impact on the static power of leg, and 30-meter walk performance.
ABSTRACT
To examine the effects of consecutive supervised stability training on postural control of Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] population. Thirty-eight subjects with Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Concise Supervised Stability Training [CSST] group [n=20] and electrotherapy [E] group [n=18]. Bilateral and unilateral stance ability with eyes open or closed was assessed by using Biodex Balance System. Postural indices including overall, anterior/posterior, medial/lateral stability indices and limit of stability parameters as time to complete and functional performance of subjects were recorded. Qualitative and quantitative variables were not significant between groups before treatment. Most postural indices showed significant decrease after stability training comparing with E group. CSST may improve postural balance in patients with Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] because of facilitating feed forward mechanism, proprioception and postural strategies. Nevertheless, more investigations are needed to evaluate the effects of CSST in Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] patients
Subject(s)
Humans , Posture , Teaching , Random Allocation , Postural Balance , Electric Stimulation Therapy , Proprioception , RehabilitationABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of dynamic standing balance in individuals with and without low back pain [LBP] using Biodex Balance System [BBS]. Twenty three patients with LBP and 20 age-matched healthy subjects participated in this study. Bilateral and unilateral stance both with eyes open and eyes closed with the BBS over a period of 20s was assessed. The subjects were assigned to two groups [with and without LBP] by an independent observer. The tester was unaware of the group assignment and completed balance test using BBS. Two days after the first measurement session, the tester retested the subjects in the second measurement session in a random order, different from the first measurement session. The results of this study showed that the intra-class correlation coefficient in normal subjects and those with LBP was between [0.91-0.95] and [0.88-0.96] respectively. The results showed that BBS is reliable for evaluating dynamic postural balance in subjects with and without LBP. A significant difference was found in Medial-Lateral Stability Index [MLSI] and Overall Stability Index [OSI] between subjects with and without LBP. The findings of this study showed high reliability for BBS to evaluate dynamic postural balance in subjects with and without LBP