Comparing Three Wearable Brassiere Braces Designed to Correct Rounded Posture.

Rounded shoulder posture (RSP) causes shoulder pain and can lead to shoulder impingement and thoracic outlet syndromes, ultimately resulting in a frozen shoulder. Altered scapular positions in RSP patients affect muscle activity. Many studies have explored methods to correct and prevent RSP, including shoulder braces, muscle strengthening, stretching, and inhibition techniques. Using a shoulder brace reduces RSP and improves shoulder discomfort and function, similar to conventional rehabilitation. However, despite their effectiveness, these braces are bulky and inconvenient, which makes continuous daily wear challenging. This is especially true for women who are sensitive to their appearance. To address this issue, methods have been developed to convert women's underwear bra straps into braces. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of three underwear-mounted rounded shoulder braces and to identify the brace that is most effective in decreasing RSP and upper trapezius (UT) muscle activity and increasing lower trapezius (LT) muscle activity in patients with RSP. The study included 18 patients with an RSP. The RSP amount and UT and LT muscle activities were measured before and after three interventions. The interventions were scapular posterior tilting (SPT) exercises with the X strap, X + 8 strap, and inner brace. Compared with the baseline value, the RSP amount was significantly lower with the three braces. The RSP was significantly lower with the X + 8 strap and the inner brace than with the X strap. The inner brace showed significantly lower UT muscle activity than those with the X strap and X + 8 straps and significantly greater LT muscle activity than that with the X + 8 strap. These results show underwear-mounted braces as a potential RSP solution, but long-term sustainability and improving comfort, especially for those concerned about appearance, require further research and development.

Effects of Log-Rolling Position on Hip-Abductor Muscle Activation During Side-Lying Hip-Abduction Exercise in Participants With Gluteus Medius Weakness.

CONTEXT: Weakness of the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus is associated with a variety of musculoskeletal disorders. However, activation of synergistic muscles that are not targeted should be considered when prescribing side-lying hip-abduction (SHA) exercises. Log-rolling positions may affect hip-abductor activity during SHA. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of log-rolling positions on gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and tensor fasciae latae activity during SHA in participants with gluteus medius weakness. DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. SETTING: University research laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one participants with gluteus medius weakness. INTERVENTION(S): Three types of SHA were performed: frontal-plane SHA in neutral position (SHA-neutral), frontal-plane SHA in anterior log-rolling position (SHA-anterior rolling), and frontal-plane SHA in posterior log-rolling position (SHA-posterior rolling). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Surface electromyography was used to measure hip-abductor activity. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was calculated to assess the statistical significance of the muscle activity. RESULTS: The SHA-anterior rolling showed greater gluteus medius and gluteus maximus activation than the SHA-neutral (P = .003 and P < .001, respectively) and SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively). The SHA-neutral demonstrated greater gluteus medius and gluteus maximus activation than the SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001 and P = .001, respectively). The SHA-anterior rolling produced less tensor fasciae latae activation than the SHA-neutral (P < .001) and SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001). The SHA-neutral showed less tensor fasciae latae activation than the SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The SHA-anterior rolling may be an effective exercise for increasing activation of the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus while decreasing activation of the tensor fasciae latae in participants with gluteus medius weakness.

Tactile cues change trunk and scapular muscle activity, scapular winging, and thoracic kyphosis during knee push-up plus in subjects with scapular winging: The cross-sectional study.

Serratus anterior muscle weakness causes scapular winging, characterized by scapular downward rotation and scapular anterior tipping in the resting position. Knee push-up plus (KPP), a modified push-up plus that is generally used in early rehabilitation programs, is performed to elicit SA activation. However, excessive thoracic kyphosis can easily occur as a compensatory movement during KPP. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of tactile cues during KPP on activities of the thoracic erector spinae, rectus abdominis, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, and upper trapezius; scapular winging; and thoracic kyphosis in subjects with scapular winging.Thirteen men with scapular winging performed KPP exercises under 3 different tactile cue conditions (no cue, to the thoracic spinous process [TSP], and to the interscapular region [ISR]). Electromyography was used to collect the muscle activity; in addition, a scapulometer and ImageJ software were used to measure the amount of scapular winging and thoracic kyphosis, respectively. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni correction were used to assess for statistical significance.The activity of the thoracic erector spinae, rectus abdominis, serratus anterior, and upper trapezius had significant difference among three conditions (P < .05). Lower trapezius activity was no significantly different among 3 conditions. Degrees of scapular winging and thoracic kyphosis had also significant difference among 3 conditions (P < .05).These results suggest that the tactile cue to the TSP and ISR in KPP exercise can be an effective method for decreasing scapular winging as well as correcting compensatory thoracic kyphosis during the KPP in subjects with scapular winging.

Thera-Band application changes muscle activity and kyphosis and scapular winging during knee push-up plus in subjects with scapular winging: The cross-sectional study.

Scapular winging (SW) is defined as increased prominence of the whole medial border of the scapula. Many researchers recently recommended knee push-up plus (KPP) for enhancing serratus anterior (SA) activation. However, during push-up plus, thoracic kyphosis (TK) may usually occur as a compensatory movement. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Thera-Band application during KPP on rectus abdominis (RA) activity, TK angle (TKA), SA activity, and amount of SW in subjects with SW.Fifteen subjects performed KPP with Thera-Band applied to different posterior body parts (no Thera-Band, in the occiput, and in the thoracic region). Electromyography was used to record the RA and SA activities. Image J software was used to calculate the compensatory TKA during KPP, and a scapulometer was used to measure SW in the quadruped position. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to test for significance.KPP with Thera-Band in the occiput showed significantly lower RA activity (P = .001) and TKA (P < .001) than KPP with no Thera-Band. SA activity (P = .020, P = .047) and SW (P < .001, P < .001) were significantly lower with Thera-Band applied to the occiput and thoracic regions than in KPP with no Thera-Band.Thera-Band applied to the occiput and thorax can be beneficial as it decreases RA and SA muscle activity and reduces TKA and SW during KPP in subjects with SW.

Effect of spatial target reaching training based on visual biofeedback on the upper extremity function of hemiplegic stroke patients.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the effect of spatial target reaching training (TRT) based on visual biofeedback (VB) on the upper extremity (UE) function of hemiplegic subjects. [Subjects and Methods] Forty subjects between six and eighteen months post-stroke were enrolled in this study. They were randomly allocated to an experimental group (EG, n=20) and a control group (CG, n=20). All subjects received an hour of routine therapy for stroke three times a week for four weeks. Subjects in EG received additional spatial TRT based on VB using a 2-dimensional motion capture analysis system. Both groups were tested at pre and post-intervention. The motor function of each subject's UE was assessed using the Fugl-Meyer (FM) test of UE and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). The reaching speed, angle and maximum reach distance were recorded using the motion capture analysis system. The experimental data were analyzed using the paired and independent t-tests. [Results] The mean change scores of the FM Test of UE and WMFT show there was significantly more improvement at post-intervention in EG than in CG. Also, the speed and angle reached showed significantly more increase in the EG compared with the CG. [Conclusions] The findings indicate that UE motor recovery of hemiplegic stroke patients can be enhanced through the use of TRT based on VB.