The Brief Kinesthesia test is feasible and sensitive: a study in stroke

BACKGROUND: Clinicians lack a quantitative measure of kinesthetic sense, an important contributor to sensorimotor control of the hand and arm. OBJECTIVES: The objective here was to determine the feasibility of administering the Brief Kinesthesia Test (BKT) and begin to validate it by 1) reporting BKT scores from persons with chronic stroke and a healthy comparison group and 2) examining the relationship between the BKT scores and other valid sensory and motor measures. METHOD: Adults with stroke and mild to moderate hemiparesis (N=12) and an age-, gender-, and handedness-matched healthy comparison group (N=12) completed the BKT by reproducing three targeted reaching movements per hand with vision occluded. OTHER MEASURES: the Hand Active Sensation Test (HASTe), Touch-Test(tm) monofilament aesthesiometer, 6-item Wolf Motor Function Test (Wolf), the Motor Activity Log (MAL), and the Box and Blocks Test (BBT). A paired t-test compared BKT scores between groups. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients assessed the relationship between BKT scores and other measures. RESULTS: Post-stroke participants performed more poorly on the BKT than comparison participants with their contralesional and ipsilesional upper extremity. The mean difference for the contralesional upper extremity was 3.7 cm (SE=1.1, t=3.34; p<0.008). The BKT score for the contralesional limb was strongly correlated with the MAL-how much (r=0.84, p=0.001), the MAL-how well (r=0.76, p=0.007), Wolf (r=0.69, p=0.02), and the BBT (r=0.77, p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The BKT was feasible to administer and sensitive to differences in reaching accuracy between persons with stroke and a comparison group. With further refinement, The BKT may become a valuable clinical measure of post-stroke kinesthetic impairment.

Estudo comparativo de variáveis bioperacionais entre atletas de desportos de diferentes demandas / Study comparative of variables bioperational among athletes of sports of different demands

Este estudo teve por função mensurar e comparar os escores de atletas de desportos de diferentes demandas, em variáveis bioperacionais. Para tanto, selecionou-se trinta (N=30) atletas do gênero masculino, com idade entre 13 e 16 anos, sendo 15 atletas de basquetebol e 15 velocistas do atletismo. As variáveis coordenação geral, percepção cinestésica e tempo de reação motriz foram mensuradas por meio de testes aplicados na seguinte ordem, teste de Burpee, teste de Salto Percepção Cinestésica e teste de Tempo de Reação Motriz. Os dados obtidos foram tratados e analisados no programa SSPS 10. Na versão descritiva utilizou-se os escores mínimos e máximos, as médias e desvios-padrão, na estatística inferencial, o teste “t” student. O teste da hipótese do estudo teve como referência o valor de alfa p≤0,05. Os resultados apontaram o tempo de reação dos atletas de basquetebol como variável que obteve significância estatística na comparação entre grupos.

This study had the task of comparing and measuring the scores of sports athletes of different demands raised here, the basketball and athletics, in varying bioperacionais. Thirty (N = 30) athletes of the masculine gender were selected, with age between 13 and 16 years, 15 basketball athletes and 15 athletes velocitys. The variables overall coordination, cinestesic perception and reaction time, were measured by means of tests that were applied in the following order, Burpee test; Jump Cinestesic Perception and test the reaction time. Data from the testing procedures were processed and analyzed in the program SSPS 10. In the version used to the descriptive means and standard deviations for the two times of testing. In statistical inference used to test the “t” student. The test of the hypothesis of the study was to reference the value of alpha p≤0.05. The basketball athletes were pointed to have a better score in this variable. The results pointed to the reaction time of driving as the variable that has obtained statistical significance between the groups.

EEG changes during sequences of visual and kinesthetic motor imagery / Alterações no EEG durante sequencias de imagética motora visual e cinestésica

The evoked cerebral electric response when sequences of complex motor imagery (MI) task are executed several times is still unclear. This work aims at investigating the existence of habituation in the cortical response, more specifically in the alpha band peak of parietal and occipital areas (10-20 international system electroencephalogram, EEG, protocol). The EEG signals were acquired during sequences of MI of volleyball spike movement in kinesthetic and visual modalities and also at control condition. Thirty right-handed male subjects (18 to 40 years) were assigned to either an 'athlete' or a 'non-athlete' group, both containing 15 volunteers. Paired Wilcoxon tests (with α=0.05) indicates that sequential MI of complex tasks promotes cortical changes, mainly in the power vicinity of the alpha peak. This finding is more pronounced along the initial trials and also for the athletes during the modality of kinesthetic motor imagery.

A resposta elétrica cerebral evocada quando sequencias de imagética motora (MI) de tarefas complexas são executadas seguidamente no tempo permanecem desconhecidas. Este trabalho objetivou investigar a existência de habituação da resposta cortical, mais especificamente na banda do pico de alfa de áreas parietais e occipitais (sistema internacional 10-20, eletroencefalograma, protocolo de EEG). Os sinais de EEG foram adquiridos durante sequências de MI do movimento de ataque do voleibol nas modalidades cinestésica e visual, e também em condição de controle. Trinta voluntários adultos (entre 18 e 40 anos), destros, do gênero masculino foram agrupados como 'atletas' ou 'não-atletas', sendo cada grupo composto de 15 voluntários. Testes pareados de Wilcoxon (com α=0.05) indicaram que a MI sequencial de tarefas complexas promoveram alterações nas respostas corticais, mais especificamente na região ao redor do pico de alfa. Este achado foi mais pronunciado ao longo dos trechos iniciais e também nos atletas durante a modalidade cinestésica de imagética motora.

La propiocepción en el proceso formativo juvenil de un club profesional de fútbol chileno / Proprioception in the formative process in the minor divisions of a professional Chilean football club

Propósito: El fútbol está clasificado como deporte con alto riesgo de lesión. La Injuria en un futbolista puede generar complicaciones personales, grupales e institucionales, por lo que su rehabilitación es un objetivo prioritario y una de las variables en este proceso es la propiocepción. El propósito del estudio, consistió en investigar las lesiones deportivas en este deporte y el abordaje propiocepción en ellas, considerando la medición específica de la propiocepción, su relación con la terapia deportiva y los abordajes preventivos en el fútbol; orientados especialmente al proceder kinésico en el proceso formativo de divisiones menores de un club profesional de fútbol chileno. Conclusiones: La propiocepción es un factor importante en la rehabilitación deportiva. SI bien existe controversia en su medición y grado de participación en el control motor, permanentemente debe estar considerada en las intervenciones terapéuticas. La prevención de lesiones deportivas está relacionada con el uso de elementos profilácticos y actualmente se está aplicando como alternativa viable el trabajo propiocepción en pretemporadas y entrenamientos regulares. El abordaje kinésico en divisiones menores de un club, además de concentrarse en la rehabilitación deportiva, debiese siempre considerar el componente educativo implícito en la formación integral de un futuro futbolista profesional.

Purpose: Football is classified as a sport with a high risk of injury. The injury in a football player can generate personal, grupal and Institutional complications for what his rehabilitation is a priority objective and one of the variables in this process is the propiocepcion. The purpose of the study was to investigate the injuries In football and the propioceptive boarding in them, considering the specific measurement of propiocepcion., its relation with the sports therapy and the preventive boarding in this sport, specially orientated on the physical therapy procedure in the formative process in the minor divisions of a professional Chilean football club. Conclusions: Propiocepcion is an important factor in sports rehabilitation. Though controversy exists in Its measurement and degree of participation in the motor control, it should permanently be considered in therapeutic interventions. The prevention of sports injuries is related to the use of prophylactic elements and nowadays propiocepcion. Is been used as viable alternative during pre-seasons and regular trainings. The physical therapy boarding in minor divisions, besides focusing in sports rehabilitation, should always think in the implicit educational component in the integral formation of a future professional football player.

A kinesthetic motor imagery study in patients with writer' cramp / Estudo da imagem motora cinestésica em pacientes com cãibra do escrivão

The aim was to determine if patients with writer' cramp (WC) have abnormalities in kinesthetic motor imagery of hand movements. We timed the execution and simulation of a "finger tap task" and a "writing task" in 9 patients with simple WC and 9 matched healthy controls. In the "finger tap task, patients tended to be slower than controls to execute without vision (p=0.190) and to simulate the movements (p=0.094). In the "writing task", patients were slower than controls to execute writing with vision (p=0.0001) and without vision of the movements (p=0.0001) and to mentally simulate it (p=0.04). Patients were slower to execute writing than to simulate it (p=0.021) In general, there were not significant correlations between times of execution and simulation of both tasks. In conclusion, patients with WC seem to have slowing in the processes of mental simulation of hand movements that is not specific for writing.

O objetivo do estudo foi determinar se pacientes com cãibra do escrivão (CE) teriam anormalidades na imagem motora de movimentos manuais. Foi cronometrado o tempo gasto para a execução e simulação de uma tarefa de "batida dos dedos" e outra de "escrita" em 9 pacientes com CE simples e 9 controles pareados. Na tarefa de "batida dos dedos" os pacientes apresentaram tendência a serem mais lentos que os controles para executá-la com visão dos movimentos (p=0,190) e para simulá-la (p=0,094). Na tarefa de "escrita", os pacientes foram mais lentos que os controles para executá-la com visão (p=0.0001) e sem visão dos movimentos (p=0,0001) e também para simulá-la (p=0,04). Os pacientes foram mais lentos para escrever que para simular a escrita (p=0,021). Não encontramos correlação entre os tempos de execução e simulação das tarefas. Pacientes com CE apresentam alentecimento no processo de simulação mental de movimentos manuais.

Alterações na banda alfa do eletrencefalograma durante imagética motora visual e cinestésica / Changes in the electroencephalogram alpha band during visual and kinesthetic motor imagery

Foi investigada a contribuição em potência na vizinhança do pico da banda alfa (BPA) do EEG durante imagética motora (IM). Sinais EEG (derivações occipitais e parietais) foram adquiridos em sujeitos destros (18-40 anos), durante repouso (ESP) e IM nas modalidades cinestésica (IMC) e visual (IMV), sendo 15 atletas de voleibol e 15 não-atletas. O Revised Movement Imagery Questionnaire não indicou diferenças entre grupos ou modalidades de IM; todavia os atletas imaginaram-se melhor que os não-atletas. Para ambos os grupos, a potência em BPA resultou menor em IM do que em ESP, sendo mais reduzida em IMC. Ativação cortical similar ocorreu em ambos os hemisférios de não-atletas e mais pronunciada no hemisfério esquerdo de atletas, principalmente durante IMC. Tais resultados sugerem que IM reduz a atividade de alfa de acordo com o conhecimento real da tarefa e a modalidade de IM.

This study aims at statistically assessing the differences in alpha band power, particularly in the vicinity of the alpha peak (BPA), during motor imagery (MI). Multi-channel EEG (occipital and parietal regions) was acquired at rest condition (ESP) and MI kinesthetic (MIC) and visual (MIV) modalities from right-handed male subjects (18-40 years), 15 ‘athletes’ (experienced volleyball players) and 15 ‘non-athletes’. The Revised Movement Imagery Questionnaire indicated no differences between groups or MI modalities, but athletes imagine themselves more clearly than non-athletes during MI. The power within BPA reduces in both groups, but greater in MIC than in MIV. The cortical activation was similar in both hemispheres of non-athletes but more pronounced in left hemisphere of athletes, mainly in MIC. The findings suggest that MI reduces alpha activity according to individual knowledge of real execution of motor task and MI modalities.

Negligencia espacial y anosognosia / Spatial negligence and anosognosia

La negligencia espacial y corporal unilaterales y la anosognosia que con frecuencia las acompaña son síndromes neurológicos característicos de lesiones parietales derechas. La líneas actuales de investigación sugieren que la negligencia espacial se debe a un defecto en mecanismos de atención que dependen de modelos o códigos perceptivos, genéticamente determinados, que son distorsionados por la lesión parietal o bien sufren una desconexión de sistemas lingüísticos, congnitivos u otros. La negligencia corporal dependería de una distorsión unilateral del esquema o modelo kinestésico y por tanto sería homóloga a la negligencia espacial. El cuerpo es a la vez un objeto ajeno, percibido, y el centro de orientación de nuestros actos del cual tenemos una "conciencia lateral", semejante a la que poseemos de los signos. Luego, si los modelos perceptivos son sistemas de signos, la deformación unilateral del lenguaje kinestésico implicará una pérdida del sentido de pertenencia o familiaridad de un hemicuerpo, por lo que el problema de su capacidad motora carecerá de sentido para el paciente