[Effect of Iliopsoas muscle tightness with active motion on extensor-flexor muscle strength of femor and thoracolumbar curves in adolescent soccer player]

Background and Objective: Stiffness and restricted range of movement [ROM] affect muscle balance and body alignment. The purpose of this research is the study the relationship between Iliopsoas tightness and hip active range of motion, extensor-flexor muscle strength and thoracolumbar curves

Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 15 adolescent's male soccer players with short length of Iliopsoas muscle as case group and 15 healthy adolescents witch matched based on age, height, weight, BMI, dominant leg and sport experience as control group. The range of motion was measured with universal goniometer, kyphosis and lordosis with flexible ruler and muscle strength with manual dynamometer

Results: The range of motion of the hip extension and the strength of the Iliopsoas muscle in the case group were statistically lower than the control group [P<0.05]. The rate of lumbar lordosis and the ratio of gluteus maximus to the strength of the Iliopsoas muscle in the case group were significantly higher than the control group [P<0.05]. There was no statistically significant difference between the range of motion of hip flexion, dyspnea kyphosis, and gluteus maximus muscle strength in the studied groups

Conclusion: Adolescents with Iliopsoas tightness have limited hip extension and greater lumbar lordosis and weaker Iliopsoas strength in comparison to healthy counterparts

Association of ultrasonography findings with pain, range of motion, disability, and pressure pain threshold in subjects with Upper Trapezius Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association of ultrasonography findings with pain, range of motion, disability, and pressure pain threshold in patients with upper trapezius myofascial pain syndrome

Methods: A total of 60 subjects with upper trapezius myofascial pain syndrome [mean age: 25.90 +/- 4.47 y; mean weight: 63.53 +/- 7.76 kg; mean height: 166.55 +/- 5.65 cm; and pain duration: 9.75 +/- 6.04 month] were selected with nonprobability convenient sampling method and examined. After methodological study, all participants were evaluated regarding their pain, cervical range of motion, functional disability, pressure pain threshold [PPT], maximum muscle and fascia thickness as well as strain ratio by the following instruments, respectively: visual analogue scale, goniometry, neck disability index, algometer, sonography, and sonoelastography

Results: The ICC values for intra- and inter-examiner reliability of variables were high to very high [0.72-0.96]. The correlation coefficients between pain [r=0.22], range of motion [r=0.11], disability [r=0.13], PPT [r=0.32], and maximum thickness of muscle were moderate. The correlation coefficients between pain [r=0.13], range of motion [r=0.23], disability [r=0.17], PPT [r=0.23] and maximum thickness of fascia were low. The correlation coefficients between pain [r=-0.65], range of motion [r=-0.23], disability [r=-0.41], PPT [r=0.71] were high. Values of betafor strain ratio and pain were -0.35 [P=0.01], range of motion, -0.14, [P=0.03]; disability, -0.19, [P=0.03]; and PPT, 0.41 [P<0.001]

Conclusion: Strain ratio of upper trapezius muscle in subjects with myofascial pain syndrome has strong correlation with pain, disability, and PPT. However, maximum muscle thickness and fascia of the upper trapezius are correlated with these variables poorly. PPT is the highly correlated factor with strain ratio