ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the acute effect of scapular mobilization with associated myofascial release compared to scapular mobilization without myofascial release on butterfly stroke sports performance. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. METHOD: Pilot study that non-probabilistically convenience sampling that selected butterfly swimmers who were simply randomized into three groups to receive the standard protocol (scapular mobilization with release of the subscapularis muscle by the lateral edge of the scapula and rib cage detachment) in intervention group (IG), sham group (SG) (scapular mobilization without subscapularis muscle release and without rib cage detachment) or no intervention in control group (CG). We evaluated the stroke frequency, length, and average speed of 30 swimmers using the 8.15 Kinovea® motion analysis system. RESULTS: The findings showed that, compared to the CG and IG, the SG showed a significant reduction in mean velocity (p = 0.002; p = 0.02, respectively), stroke frequency (p = 0.002; p = 0.003, respectively), and stroke length (p = 0.01; p = 0.05, respectively). DISCUSSION: The results showed that manual therapy through scapular mobilization without associated myofascial release with detachment of the scapula from the rib cage worsened the swimming efficiency indicators even after 30 min of application of the technique. The limitations of the studies are related to the sample size, the risk of non-probabilistic contraction bias and the lack of blinding of the evaluators. Thus, the results of this study should be evaluated with caution.
Subject(s)
Athletic Performance , Myofascial Release Therapy , Humans , Pilot Projects , Research Design , ScapulaABSTRACT
PURPOSE: There are still no normative data in balance sway for school-age children in Brazil. We aimed to establish the reference ranges for balance scores and to develop prediction equations for estimation of balance scores in children aged 8 to 12 years old. METHODS: The study included 165 healthy children (83 boys and 82 girls; age, 8-12 years) recruited from a public school in the city of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. We used the Sensory Organization Test to assess the balance scores and both a digital scale and a stadiometer to measure the anthropometric variables. We tested a stepwise multiple-regression model with sex, height, weight, and mid-thigh circumference of the dominant leg as predictors of the balance score. RESULTS: For all experimental conditions, girls' age accounted for over 85% of the variability in balance scores; while, boys' age accounted only 55% of the variability in balance scores. Therefore, balance scores increase with age for boys and girls. CONCLUSION: This study described the ranges of age- and sex-specific normative values for balance scores in children during 6 different testing conditions established by the sensory organization test. We confirmed that age was the predictor that best explained the variability in balance scores in children between 8 and 12 years old. This study stimulates a new and more comprehensive study to estimate balance scores from prediction equations for overall Brazilian pediatric population.
Subject(s)
Postural Balance/physiology , Anthropometry , Body Weight , Brazil , Child , Exercise Test/methods , Female , Humans , Male , Reference Values , Regression AnalysisABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Introduction: So far, little is known about the behavior of electromyographic activity of vastus lateralis oblique muscle during treadmill gait in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the electromyographic activity of the patellar stabilizers muscles and the angle of the knee joint flexion in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome. Method: Fifteen subjects without (21 ± 3 years) and 12 with patellofemoral pain syndrome (20 ± 2 years) were evaluated. The electromyographic activity and flexion angle of the knee joint were obtained during gait on the treadmill with a 5 degree inclination. Results: The knee flexion angle was significantly lower in the subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome when compared with the healthy controls. The electromyographic activity of vastus lateralis longus was significantly greater during gait on the treadmill with inclination in subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome. The results also showed that the electromyographic activity of vastus lateralis oblique and vastus medialis oblique were similar in both groups, regardless of the condition (with/without inclination). Conclusion: We have shown that knee kinematics during gait differs among patients with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome and healthy controls and that a different motor strategy persists even when the pain is no longer present. In addition, the findings suggested that the vastus lateralis oblique has a minor role in patellar stability during gait.
RESUMO Introdução: Até o presente, pouco é conhecido sobre o comportamento da atividade eletromiográfica do músculo vasto lateral oblíquo durante a marcha em esteira em sujeitos com e sem síndrome da dor femoropatelar. Objetivo: A finalidade deste estudo foi investigar a atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos estabilizadores patelares e o ângulo de flexão do joelho em sujeitos com e sem síndrome da dor femoropatelar. Método: Quinze sujeitos sem (21 ± 3 anos) e 12 com síndrome da dor femoropatelar (20 ± 2 anos) foram avaliados. A atividade eletromiográfica e o ângulo de flexão da articulação do joelho foram obtidos durante a marcha em esteira com inclinação de 5 graus. Resultados: O ângulo de flexão do joelho foi significativamente menor nos sujeitos com síndrome da dor femoropatelar quando comparados aos controles saudáveis. A atividade eletromiográfica do vasto lateral longo foi significativamente maior durante a marcha na esteira com inclinação nos sujeitos com síndrome da dor femoropatelar. Os resultados também mostraram que a atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos vasto lateral oblíquo e vasto medial oblíquo foram similares em ambos os grupos, independentemente da condição (com e sem inclinação). Conclusão: Mostramos que a cinemática do joelho durante a marcha é diferente entre sujeitos com e sem síndrome da dor femoropatelar e que a estratégia motora diferente persiste mesmo quando a dor não está mais presente. Adicionalmente, os achados sugerem que o vasto lateral oblíquo tem papel secundário na estabilidade patelar durante a marcha.
RESUMEN Introducción: Hasta la fecha, se sabe poco sobre el comportamiento de la actividad electromiográfica del músculo vasto lateral oblicuo durante la marcha sobre una cinta rodante en sujetos con y sin síndrome del dolor femoropatelar. Objetivo: El propósito de este estudio fue investigar la actividad electromiográfica de los músculos estabilizadores de la rótula y el ángulo de flexión de la articulación de la rodilla en sujetos con y sin síndrome del dolor femoropatelar. Método: Se evaluaron 15 sujetos sin (21 ± 3 años) y 12 con dolor femoropatelar (20 ± 2 años). La actividad electromiográfica y el ángulo de flexión de la articulación de la rodilla se obtuvieron analizando la marcha en una cinta rodante con inclinación de 5 grados. Resultados: El ángulo de flexión de la articulación de la rodilla fue significativamente menor en los sujetos con síndrome femoropatelar en comparación con los controles sanos. La actividad electromiográfica del músculo vasto lateral largo fue significativamente mayor durante la marcha en cinta rodante con inclinación en sujetos con síndrome femoropatelar. Los resultados también mostraron que la actividad electromiográfica de los músculos vasto lateral oblicuo y vasto medial oblicuo fueron similares en ambos grupos, independientemente de la condición (plana e inclinada). Conclusión: Hemos demostrado que la cinemática de la rodilla durante la marcha difiere entre los sujetos con y sin síndrome femoropatelar y la estrategia motora diferente persiste también cuando el dolor ya no está presente. Además, los hallazgos sugieren que el músculo vasto lateral oblicuo tiene un papel menor en la estabilidad de la rótula durante la marcha.
