To clarify the association between gait performance and the trunk extension range of motion in post-stroke hemiplegia.[Participants and Methods] The study involved 12 patients with post-stroke hemiplegia during the maintenance phase.Their active/passive trunk extension ranges of motion were measured, adopting the Japanese Orthopaedic Association's method.As for gait performance, the patients' gait velocity, cadence, and stride length were calculated from their 10-m Test scores and examined using Pearson's correlation analysis.[Results] The active trunk extension range of motion showed strong correlations with the gait velocity and stride length.[Conclusion] The trunk extension range of motion of the patients with post-stroke hemiplegia represented their gait performance.Based on this, the active trunk extension range of motion may be associated with gait in post-stroke hemiplegia.
Capacitive and resistive electric transfer (CRET) therapy can improve flexibility and increase muscle activity and may be useful as a warm-up technique. This study examined the effects of short-time CRET on jump performance. Thirty healthy men (age range, 20-40 years) were randomly divided into passive (
Musculoskeletal pain is common. Because pain is subjective, objectively describing it is crucial. However, pain assessment may cause distress in patients; therefore, physical therapists (PTs) should conduct these tests quickly and accurately. Simple and clear instructions are recommended for pain assessment. However, few studies have provided evidence to support this hypothesis. Correspondingly, this study aimed to confirm the effectiveness of specific verbal instructions for pain location during five consecutive Passive Straight Leg Raise (PSLR) tests. The 28 asymptomatic participants (age 27.4 ± 9.6 years) who provided informed consent received five consecutive PSLR tests: three without and two with specific verbal instructions to ascertain pain intensity, quality, and location. The participants drew pain locations on a body chart and described the pain intensity and quality after each test. All participants were interviewed regarding the differences they noted in the presence and absence of specific verbal instructions. Each pain location was classified into one of ten areas for statistical analysis. The proportion of participants who changed the pain location was compared between the tests using McNemar’s test, and the kappa coefficient was confirmed for consistency of pain location. There was a significant difference in the proportion of participants who changed their pain location between the second and third tests and from the third to the fourth test (McNemar’s test: p = 0.003). Kappa coefficients had low consistency (κ = 0.28) just after receiving the specific verbal instructions in the fourth test compared to the third test. Consistency improved in the fifth test (κ = 0.57); 93% of the participants answered that the pain location had become clearer. This study revealed the effects of specific verbal instructions in identifying pain locations. This detailed information may help PTs provide appropriate treatment and contribute to reducing pain in clinical settings.
[Purpose] In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy in patients with chronic low back pain. [Participants and Methods] The study included 24 patients with chronic low back pain (12 patients each in the intervention and sham groups). Pain intensity, superficial and deep lumbar multifidus stiffness and maximum forward trunk flexion and associated activation level of the iliocostalis (thoracic and lumbar component) and lumbar multifidus muscles were measured. [Results] Post-intervention pain intensity and muscle stiffness were significantly lower than pre-intervention measurements in the intervention group. However, no between-group difference was observed in the muscle activation level at the end-point of standing trunk flexion. [Conclusion] Our findings highlight a significant therapeutic benefit of capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy in patients with chronic low back pain and muscle stiffness.
Abstract Background: Capacitive and resistive electric transfer (CRET) is becoming popular in sports settings. Although CRET is effective for improving pain and healing injured tissues, its influence on muscle function and morphology is still unclear. This study confirmed the immediate effects of CRET on the duration of muscular stiffness and the range of motion (ROM). Methods: This paper describes the protocol for a single arm trial with non-blinding of participants and researcher. Twenty-four healthy men participated in the study. They received CRET therapy for their lower back areas. The muscular stiffness of the multifidus muscle (superficial and deep) and the ROM using the active straight leg raise (ASLR) test were measured pre-intervention, post-intervention (immediately), and 15 minutes and 30 minutes post-intervention. We compared these parameters with one-way analysis of variance and Dunnett’s test (multiple comparison tests for subtests). Results: The muscular stiffness of the superficial and deep multifidus muscles became significantly lesser, and the ASLR test showed a significant increase compared to that obtained at pre-intervention. In addition, these effects persisted for 30 minutes. Conclusions: Warm-up is vital for improving muscular stiffness and for increasing the ROM. CRET is a useful device to achieve these aims as a passive warm-up method in sports settings. Trial registration number: UMIN000046304. Registered 7 December 2021 - Retrospectively registered, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000052845
[Purpose] This study aimed to compare the results of two questionnaires administered in 2013 and 2020, on the level of awareness and understanding of trunk muscle training. [Participants and Methods] In total, 238 soccer club members in high schools responded to our questionnaire regarding trunk muscle training. Two teams were recruited from the top (top 4), middle (top 16), and bottom levels (first-round losers), according to the prefectural tournament's results in 2019. This questionnaire comprised questions divided into four parts: 1. Prevalence of trunk muscle training; 2. Knowledge of the classification of trunk muscles (local and global); 3. Consciousness of local and global muscles during trunk muscle training; and 4. Knowledge of the role of each muscle. These results were compared to those obtained from the survey in 2013. [Results] A significant difference was observed only in the responses to question 2. Regarding question 2 in 2020, several student-athletes in the top-level teams were aware of muscle classification compared to those in the middle- and lower-level teams. [Conclusion] The number of athletes who understood the classification of trunk muscles increased significantly in 2020. Therefore, in the future, we would need to better educate young athletes concerning the purpose of trunk muscle training and the role of each muscle.
[Purpose] Capacitive and resistive electric transfer (CRET) is becoming prevalent in sports settings. CRET is effective for improving pain and healing injured tissue; however, its influence on muscle function and morphology is still unclear. This study confirmed the immediate effects of CRET on the duration of muscular stiffness and range of motion (ROM). [Method] This study describes the protocol for a single-arm trial with the non-blinding of participants and researchers. Twenty-four healthy men participated in the study. They received CRET therapy for their low back areas. The muscular stiffness of the multifidus muscle (superficial and deep) and the ROM using the active straight leg raise (ASLR) test were measured pre-intervention, post-intervention (immediately), and 15 and 30 min post-intervention. We compared these parameters using a one-way analysis of variance and Dunnett's test (multiple comparison tests for subtests). [Results] The muscular stiffness of the superficial and deep multifidus muscles was significantly decreased, and the ASLR test showed a significant increase compared with the test performed pre-intervention. In addition, these effects persisted for 30 min. [Conclusion] Warm-up is vital for improving muscular stiffness and increasing the ROM. CRET is a useful device for achieving these aims, particularly as a passive warm-up method in sports settings.
Capacitive and resistive electric transfer (CRET) therapy is used to reduce pain and improve functional disability, and the effect on low back pain remains to be investigated. This study aimed to examine the immediate effect on the onset time of the muscles after irradiating CRET therapy for non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP). Thirty patients with NSCLBP were randomly divided into an intervention group (n = 15) and a sham group (n = 15). Participants and statisticians were blinded to participant allocation. The intervention group received one 15-minute session of CRET therapy on their lower back; the sham group similarly received one 15-minute session of sham therapy. Before and immediately after the intervention, the onset time of the trunk and lower limb muscles was measured during prone hip extension, and pain intensity was recorded using a visual analog scale. The intervention group showed a significant reduction in pain and a significantly earlier onset time of the thoracic part of the iliocostalis lumborum, lumbar part of the iliocostalis lumborum, lumbar multifidus, and gluteus maximus. These results showed that CRET therapy not only reduced pain, but also facilitated trunk muscle activity. Improvement in muscle activity patterns may improve activities of daily living. This study was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network in Japan (UMIN-CTR: 000046301).
[Purpose] We aimed to determine the relationship between gait speed and diaphragm thickness in community-residing patients with hemiplegia caused by cerebrovascular accidents. [Participants and Methods] We recruited 11 elderly participants (six male and five female, mean age 71.1 ± 13.6 years) from an outpatient rehabilitation unit. The inclusion criteria were as follows: patients with hemiplegia caused by cerebrovascular accidents, those able to walk without assistance, and those able to understand our instructions. We measured the diaphragm thickness on both the paretic and non-paretic sides in each participant during maximum exhalation and inhalation during three laboured breaths by ultrasonography with a 7.5-MHz linear scanner. The liner scanner was placed on the eighth or ninth rib between the anterior and middle axillary lines. And their gait speed was measured during a 10 m walk. [Results] There was a strong positive correlation between gait speed and the ratio of diaphragm thickness between the paretic and the non-paretic sides during maximal inspiration. The other measured parameters did not show significant correlation with gait speed. [Conclusion] The symmetrical thickness of the diaphragm is a key factor in increasing gait speed in patients with hemiplegia. These findings may contribute to the development of trunk muscle strength-training programs that improve trunk function and gait speed in patients with hemiplegia.
