Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity after electrical stimulation-assisted cycling in people with spinal cord injury.

DESIGN: Longitudinal training. OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to determine the effect of electrical stimulation (ES)-assisted cycling (30 min/day, 3 days/week for 8 weeks) on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: The Steadward Centre, Alberta, Canada. METHODS: Seven participants with motor complete SCI (five males and two females aged 30 to 53 years, injured 3-40 years, C5-T10) underwent 2-h oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT, n=7) and hyperglycaemic clamp tests (n=3) before and after 8 weeks of training with ES-assisted cycling. RESULTS: Results indicated that subjects' glucose level were significantly lower at 2 h OGTT following 8 weeks of training (122.4+/-10 vs 139.9+/-16, P=0.014). Two-hour hyperglycaemic clamps tests showed improvement in all three people for glucose utilisation and in two of three people for insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that exercise with ES-assisted cycling is beneficial for the prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus in people with SCI. SPONSORSHIP: Supported by Alberta Paraplegic Foundation, Therapeutic Alliance.

Preliminary outcome analysis of a long-term rehabilitation program for severe acquired brain injury.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the general characteristics and functional outcomes of individuals treated in a publicly funded, long-term, acquired brain injury rehabilitation program and investigate variables affecting functional outcomes in this patient population. DESIGN: Retrospective database review of demographic, descriptive, and functional outcome assessment data. SETTING: Publicly funded, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, long-term, residential brain injury rehabilitation program in Alberta, Canada (64 beds). PATIENTS: All rehabilitation patients admitted to and discharged from the brain injury program from February 1991 to March 1999 (n = 349). INTERVENTIONS: Multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic and descriptive information included sex, age at admission, type and severity of injury, time from injury to long-term program admission, and length of stay (LOS). Functional outcome information included level of care required at admission and discharge, admission and discharge Rappaport disability rating scale scores, and admission and discharge FIM instrument and Functional Assessment Measure scores for a subset of patients. RESULTS: Fifty-nine percent of the subjects had severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and 41% had severe nontraumatic brain injuries (NTBI) of various causes. Mean age at admission was older and LOS was longer for NTBI compared with TBI; there were no other differences between the groups in demographic or descriptive measures. The TBI group had significantly lower admission motor subscale scores than the NTBI group, but the groups did not differ on cognitive scores. All functional assessment measures showed statistically significant improvement from admission to discharge, and 85.6% of patients were discharged to community living after a mean LOS of 359.5 days. Functional status at admission, age at admission, length of time between injury and admission, and LOS in the rehabilitation program significantly correlated with functional improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severe TBI and NTBI who were not candidates for other more conventional forms of rehabilitation showed significant improvement in functional outcomes after extended program admissions. Consideration was also given to the potential insensitivity of commonly used outcome assessment measures in this population.

Functional electrical stimulation effect on orthostatic hypotension after spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of using functional electrical stimulation (FES) to control orthostatic hypotension in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to clarify the mechanism of the response. DESIGN: Subjects were tilted by 10 degree increments with varying intensities of lower-extremity FES. Stimulation over muscles was compared to stimulation over noncontractile sites. SETTING: Physical therapy department of a major rehabilitation center. PATIENTS: Six patients with SCI above T6 (3 with recent injury recruited consecutively from an inpatient spinal cord rehabilitation unit, and 3 from the community with longstanding injury, recruited as volunteers). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure, heart rate, and perceived presyncope score recorded at each tilt angle and analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance statistical methodology. RESULTS: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased with increasing stimulation intensities (systolic, p = .001; diastolic, p = .0019) and decreased with increasing angle of tilt (p < .001) regardless of the site of stimulation. Subjects tolerated higher angles of incline with electrical stimulation than without (p = .03). CONCLUSIONS: FES causes a dose-dependent increase in blood pressure independent of stimulation site that may be useful in treating orthostatic hypotension.

The effect of polytrauma in persons with traumatic spine injury. A prospective database of spine fractures.

STUDY DESIGN: A mixed cross-sectional survey and cohort study using a prospectively gathered database of persons with traumatic spine injury. OBJECTIVES: To identify demographic and injury mechanism factors that predict greater injury severity, and to determine the effect of injury severity on outcomes in traumatic spine fracture. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Traumatic spine fracture outcome studies have focused on defining type and level of vertebral fracture without considering the severity of associated injuries. In the trauma population, greater injury severity has been shown to be related to worse outcome. No studies have been reported on the effect of injury severity on outcome in the traumatic spine fracture population. METHODS: Prospectively collected data on 830 persons with traumatic spine injury who were admitted to a trauma hospital were reviewed. Patient demographics; injury mechanism; hospital events; and disability, employment, and pain status at discharge, 1 year, and 2 years after injury were recorded. Associations between these factors and trauma severity (Injury Severity Score) were explored using Pearson's correlation and analysis of variance. RESULTS: Trauma was more severe in patients who had been married previously, who were involved in a motor vehicle accident, were ejected from the vehicle, had loss of consciousness, had higher-level and multiple complicated vertebral fractures, or had neurologic deficit. Those more severely injured had longer lengths of stay, more surgery, more complications, higher mortality, more disability, and less return to work. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with traumatic spine injury and polytrauma have poorer short- and long-term outcomes. This high-risk group may require aggressive interventions, more hospital resources, and close follow-up observation after discharge from hospital to optimize outcome.

Quantitative MR imaging of carpal tunnel syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Previous MR imaging studies have produced evidence of changes to structures within the wrist believed to be associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. In an attempt to resolve the conflicting and inconclusive results of these studies, we report here the results of an MR imaging study at a field strength of 3.0 T, which is higher than that previously reported. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and control groups of asymptomatic subjects were studied using MR imaging. We evaluated electrophysiologically the median nerve function of the affected wrists of all patients. A gradient-recalled echo pulse sequence was used to study 13 3-mm-thick slices within the wrist of each patient or asymptomatic subject. Spatial resolution was approximately 0.3 x 0.3 mm2. The median nerve and other structures associated with the carpal tunnel, which were clearly shown on the MR images, were analyzed to yield structural data. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that the cross-sectional area of the nerve within and proximal to the carpal tunnel was approximately 50% larger in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome than in asymptomatic subjects. We found no significant difference in the area of the nerve within the carpal tunnel compartment compared with the area of the nerve proximal to the carpal tunnel either in patients or in asymptomatic subjects. Also, flattening of the nerve on entering the carpal tunnel was not significantly different in patients than in asymptomatic subjects. In patients an increase in the palmar bowing of the flexor retinaculum was found only at the level of the hamate compared with that found in asymptomatic subjects. The cross-sectional area of the carpal tunnel was of a similar size in patients and in asymptomatic subjects. Comparison of electrodiagnostic results indicated no correlations between the MR parameters and electrophysiologic dysfunction of the median nerve for patients. CONCLUSION: The only statistically significant differences found between patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and asymptomatic subjects were that the median nerve was approximately 50% larger within and proximal to the carpal tunnel in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and palmar bowing of the flexor retinaculum occurred in patients only at the level of the hamate.

The effects of surface anaesthesia on the autonomic dysreflexia response during functional electrical stimulation.

Recently, increases in blood pressure (BP) and concomitant bradycardia, suggestive of autonomic dysreflexia (AD), have been documented during functional electrical stimulation (FES) in individuals with a high spinal cord injury (SCI). If uncontrolled, this response could preclude the safe use of FES among such individuals. FES induced pain is partly related to stimulation of skin nociceptors. Therefore, measures to reduce skin sensitivity may reduce the risk of AD during FES. The purpose of this study was to determine if topical anaesthetic applied over the site of electrical stimulation could minimize the AD cardiovascular and hormonal responses to FES in individuals with SCI above the T6 level. Seven subjects with a SCI above T6 received FES to the quadriceps muscle of each leg under two conditions on two different testing days. The two treatment conditions, topical anaesthetic and placebo creams, were double blinded and randomized. The cream was administered to an area the size of the electrode (10 x 10 cm) 1 h prior to stimulation. Stimulation began at 0 mAmps and increased by 16 mAmps every 2 min until an intensity of 160 mAmps was achieved. HR and BP were measured at each stimulation intensity level. Catecholamines were analyzed three times during the stimulation protocol (pre, mid and post stimulation intensities). At the end of the stimulation protocol, FES induced isometric quadriceps contraction force at 160 mAmps intensity was measured using a hand held dynamometer. As FES stimulation intensity increased, significant rises in systolic and diastolic BP were seen, with a concomitant progressive drop in HR. The AD response to stimulation was not significantly different between the topical anaesthetic and placebo conditions. Serum catecholamine (epinephrine and norepinephrine) levels tended to rise with increasing FES intensity levels but did not reach statistical significance. The two treatment conditions did not significantly affect serum catecholamine levels or FES-induced quadriceps contraction force. In summary, FES application to the quadriceps muscle in high level SCI subjects resulted in significant increases in BP, decreases in HR (AD-like response), a trend towards elevations in catecholamine levels, and no difference in quadriceps muscular strength. However, these responses were unaffected by the use of topical anaesthetic cream on the skin at the stimulation site. This suggests that other mechanisms than skin nociception are operative in FES-induced AD.

Assessment of isokinetic and hand-held dynamometer measures of shoulder rotator strength among individuals with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the intrarater reliability of the hand-held dynamometer (HHD) for the measurement of shoulder rotation and to examine the relationship between the peak force values of the HHD and the isokinetic dynamometer. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five spinal cord injured individuals, 12 persons with paraplegia and 13 persons with tetraplegia between the ages of 18 and 42 years, were recruited from the community. SETTING: Private practice clinic. PROCEDURES: All participants were tested with the HHD by one examiner to determine reliability. On the same day, these participants underwent isokinetic testing to determine the relationship of the HHD and Cybex dynamometer measurements. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficients for the intrarater reliability ranged from .89 to .96. The Pearson product moment correlation was used to analyze the relationship between the two devices. All coefficients (.52 to .88) were statistically significant (p < .01); however, separate analyses for the persons with paraplegia and tetraplegia differed considerably. There was substantial variability of the isokinetic strength values at the lower levels of isometric strength. CONCLUSIONS: The HHD can be used reliably to measure shoulder rotation in paraplegic and tetraplegic spinal cord injured individuals. Although it appears that the relationship between HHD and isokinetic measurement is poor for the participants with tetraplegia, the variability of the isokinetic scores indicates that this observation may be a function of the method of isokinetic measurements. Further study with a modified isokinetic testing protocol is needed to clarify the results of the participants with tetraplegia.

Factors predicting employment 1 year after traumatic spine fracture.

STUDY DESIGN: This prospective cohort study evaluates the employment status of 489 persons after traumatic spine fracture. OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate, type, and predictors of employment 1 year after traumatic spine fracture. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The limited existing literature regarding employment after spine fracture reports variable return-to-work rates, tends to be retrospective, and generally evaluates a limited number of predictor factors at a time. METHODS: Four hundred eighty-nine persons ranging in age from 15 to 64 years who had experienced a spine fracture were assessed by a single examiner at hospital discharge and 1 year postinjury. Employment status and type. discharge neural and functional status, pain level, demographics, injury level and severity, and early treatment details were evaluated. RESULTS: At 1 year postinjury, 54% of subjects were working. A higher percentage of the employed were working part time and for fewer weeks per year than preinjury. A higher percentage were working at unskilled clerical, sales, or service jobs than preinjury. The significant positive (+) and negative (-) predictors of employment were (from strongest to weakest); worked in year previous to injury (+); employed at time of injury (+); Worker's compensation Board coverage (-); spinal fracture surgery (+); high-level spine fracture (-); pain (-); Functional Independence Measure score (+); and days of stay in intensive care unit and spinal unit (-). CONCLUSIONS: For the first year after spinal fracture, unemployment is common. Those who do return to work are more likely to modify the amount and type of work they do and to have been employed preinjury.

Prophylactic ankle bracing vs. taping: effects on functional performance in female basketball players.

Ankle support devices are commonly used for prevention and treatment of ankle injury, but the effect of these on sport performance has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different ankle support devices on four basketball-related performance tests. Eleven female basketball players underwent four performance tests (vertical jump, jump shot, sprint drill, and submaximal treadmill run) while wearing five different types of ankle support on both ankles (no support, tape, Swede-O-Universal, Active Ankle, and Aircast). Ankle support effect on overall performance was assessed using Friedman's analysis of variance (ANOVA) by ranks and on specific performance parameters using one-way ANOVA for repeated measures. Overall performance was impaired by ankle support. The Active Ankle brace impaired performance the least out of the support devices. Vertical jump was less with ankle tape as compared with no tape (p < .05), whereas jump shot accuracy was better with tape as compared with the Swede-O-Universal (p < .05). Oxygen consumption (VO2) and energy expenditure were higher with the Aircast as compared with tape (p < .05). It was concluded that the use of ankle support by female basketball players does adversely affect basketball-related performance tests, and the prophylactic benefit of bracing needs to be weighed against performance impairment.

Reliability and validity of tympanic temperature measurement in persons with high spinal cord injuries.

Tympanic temperature measurements in the able bodied have been well studied and validated in previous investigations. This validation has not been studied in individuals with high spinal cord injuries where autonomic control is different above and below the level of the lesion, which makes the accuracy of this measurement for core body temperature questionable. In this correlational study we look at the reliability and validity of tympanic temperature measurement in individuals with high spinal cord injuries in comparison to oral and rectal temperature measures. The rectal measurement proved to be the most reliable with an r value of 0.975 overall. The oral was minimally better than the tympanic with r values of 0.88 and 0.86, respectively. The validity of the oral measure in predicting changes in the rectal temperature (gold standard) was slightly better than the tympanic with r values of 0.88 and 0.77, respectively. Both the oral and tympanic measures accurately reflected changes in the rectal (core) temperature.

Physiological correlates of simulated wheelchair racing in trained quadriplegics.

This study examined the physiological responses during a 7.5-km simulated wheelchair race (SR) performed on rollers by 8 male quadriplegic marathon racers and analyzed the factors associated with SR time. Cardiac output (Q) was estimated during the SR using carbon dioxide rebreathing, from which stroke volume (SV) and (alpha-v)O2 diff were calculated. Subjects raced at 90 and 93% of peak oxygen uptake (VO2) and peak heart rate, respectively. SR time was inversely related (p < 0.05) to peak VO2, and VO2, Q, and SV during the SR, but not (alpha-v)O2 diff, age, and lesion level. Multiple regression analysis included only absolute SR VO2 in the equation to predict SR time: Y = -29.7X + 65.9; SE = 5.8. SR VO2 was significantly (p < 0.05) related to Q and SV but not to (alpha-v)O2 diff. These descriptive data suggest that SR performance in trained male quadriplegics might be limited by central, as opposed to peripheral, factors that determine VO2.

Shoulder abduction strength measurement in football players: reliability and validity of two field tests.

Musculoskeletal and neurologic injuries affecting shoulder strength are common in contact sports. Full-strength recovery is desired before resumption of competition. On-field assessment of shoulder strength is usually done by manual muscle testing, which lacks sensitivity and reliability. Our objective was to determine the reliability and validity of two field instruments capable of quantifying shoulder abduction strength. Twenty junior football players underwent bilateral isokinetic (60 degrees/s) and isometric shoulder abduction strength measurements using a Cybex 340 isokinetic dynamometer. Test-retest measurements of both shoulders of each player were made using strain gauge (SG) and handheld dynamometer (HHD) instruments. Players were tested during rested and competition conditions. Within and between session reliabilities were calculated using the intraclass coefficient, and validity was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Overall reliability for each device was calculated using Lisrel analysis. SG was found to be superior to HHD in overall reliability and validity. Within-session reliability in the rested and competition states was 0.75 and 0.78, respectively, for SG and 0.60 and 0.81, respectively, for HHD. Between-session reliability in the rested and competition states dropped to 0.51 and 0.63, respectively, for SG and 0.55 and 0.70, respectively, for HHD. Validity was 0.41 and 0.70 for SG when correlated with Cybex at 0 degree and 60 degrees/s respectively. Validity for HHD was 0.28 and 0.42 for Cybex speeds of 0 degree and 60 degrees/s, respectively. SG reliability and validity were similar when testing was done one shoulder at a time or both shoulders concurrently.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Upper extremity peripheral nerve entrapments among wheelchair athletes: prevalence, location, and risk factors.

Wheelchair athletes commonly experience hand pain and numbness. This investigation studied the prevalence, location, and risk factors of upper extremity peripheral nerve entrapment among wheelchair athletes. Clinical and electrodiagnostic assessments were performed on both upper extremities of 28 wheelchair athletes and 30 able-bodied controls. Included in the assessment were short-segment stimulation techniques of the median nerve across the carpal tunnel and the ulnar nerve across the elbow. By clinical criteria, the prevalence of nerve entrapment among the wheelchair athletes was 23%, whereas it was 64% electrodiagnostically. The most common electrodiagnostic dysfunction was of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel (46%), and the portion of the nerve within the proximal carpal tunnel was most frequently affected. Ulnar neuropathy was the second most common entrapment electrodiagnostically (39%) and occurred at the wrist and forearm segments. Disability duration correlated significantly with electrophysiologic median nerve dysfunction.

Shoulder pain in wheelchair athletes. The role of muscle imbalance.

Shoulder rotator cuff impingement syndrome is a common and disabling problem for the wheelchair athlete. In this study we investigated the role of shoulder strength imbalance as a factor for the development of this syndrome. Nineteen paraplegic male athletes underwent clinical and isokinetic examination of both shoulders with peak torque values measured in abduction, adduction, and internal and external rotation. Twenty athletic, able-bodied men without shoulder problems were tested as controls. Ten (26%) of the paraplegic athletes had rotator cuff impingement syndrome. The results of the isokinetic testing demonstrated that 1) the paraplegics' shoulders were stronger than the controls in all directions (P < 0.05); 2) the strength ratio of abduction: adduction was higher for paraplegic athletes (P < 0.05); 3) paraplegics' shoulders with rotator cuff impingement syndrome were weaker in adduction and external and internal rotation than the paraplegic athletes without impingement syndrome (P < 0.05); and 4) paraplegics' shoulders with rotator cuff impingement syndrome had higher abduction:adduction and abduction:internal rotation strength ratios than the shoulders of paraplegics without impingement syndrome (P < 0.05). We concluded that shoulder muscle imbalance, with comparative weakness of the humeral head depressors (rotators and adductors), may be a factor in the development and perpetuation of rotator cuff impingement syndrome in wheelchair athletes.

Lower extremity flexibility patterns in classical ballet dancers and their correlation to lateral hip and knee injuries.

Knee and hip problems account for up to 40% of injuries in classical ballet. Despite apparent flexibility, many dancers appeared to have tight iliotibial bands that contributed to lower limb problems. Thirty senior female ballet dancers were contrasted with thirty age-matched active volunteers for hip and knee range of motion, and the information derived was correlated with their orthopaedic medical histories. Dancers spent a reasonable period of time warming up, but it was usually with an unbalanced routine that emphasized hip abduction and external rotation to the exclusion of adduction work. This was reflected in the significantly lower range of passive hip adduction and internal rotation compared to the controls. Furthermore, the older and more experienced the dancer, the more this trend was exaggerated. This unbalanced flexibility may play a role in the production of lateral knee pain (30% of the dancers) and anterior hip pain (33% of the dancers). It is suggested that more attention should be given to a balanced stretching regimen as part of the dancers' warmup in an effort to reduce the frequency of some of the chronic hip and knee complaints.