The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of isokinetic exercise on strength, joint position sense and functionality in recreational athletes with functional ankle instability (FAI). Strength, proprioception and balance of 24 recreational athletes with unilateral FAI were evaluated by using isokinetic muscle strength measurement, ankle joint position sense and one leg standing test. The functional ability was evaluated using five different tests. These were; single limb hopping course (SLHC), one legged and triple legged hop for distance (OLHD-TLHD), and six and cross six meter hop for time (SMHT-CSMHT). Isokinetic peak torque of the ankle invertor and evertor muscles were assessed eccentrically and concentrically at test speeds of 120 degrees /s. Isokinetic exercise protocol was carried out at an angular velocity of 120 degrees /s. The exercise session was repeated three times a week and lasted after 6 weeks. At baseline, concentric invertor strength was found to be significantly lower in the functionally unstable ankles compared to the opposite healthy ankles (p < 0.001). This difference was not present after executing the 6 weeks exercise sessions (p > 0.05). Ankle joint position sense in the injured ankles declined significantly from 2.35 +/- 1.16 to 1.33 +/- 0.62 degrees for 10 degrees of inversion angle (p < 0.001) and from 3.10 +/- 2.16 to 2.19 +/- 0.98 degrees for 20 degrees of inversion angle (p < 0.05) following the isokinetic exercise. One leg standing test score decreased significantly from 15.17 +/- 8.50 to 11.79 +/- 7.81 in the injured ankles (p < 0.001). Following the isokinetic exercise protocol, all of the worsened functional test scores in the injured ankles as compared to the opposite healthy ankles displayed a significant improvement (p < 0.01 for OLHD and CSMHT, p < 0.001 for SLHC, TLHD, and SMHT). These results substantiate the deficits of strength, proprioception, balance and functionality in recreational athletes with FAI. The isokinetic exercise program used in this study had a positive effect on these parameters.

The muscle torque ratios of eccentric antagonist/concentric agonist are different between dominant and non-dominant shoulders of skilled overhead athletes at terminal ranges. This functional assessment of strength testing that reflects dynamic shoulder joint stability during the throwing activity at these specific ranges may provide valuable information either during preventive exercise programs or in the evaluation of the injured shoulder of the overhead athlete. We recommended functional exercises that improve eccentric external rotation strength on the dominant shoulder during the rehabilitation and prevention programs in overhead athletes.

The results of this study show that SBO and TV increase the severity of the clinical picture whether or not they have a causal relationship. Additionally, transitional vertebrae seem to increase nerve-root symptoms whereas spina bifida occulta does not.

Isokinetic exercises have positive effects on passive position sense of knee joints, increasing the muscular strength and work capacity. These findings show that using the present isokinetic exercise in rehabilitation protocols of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome not only improves the knee joint stabilization but also the proprioceptive acuity.

We found that there was statistically significant improvement in all indicators for both groups. BTX treatment was found to be superior to JPS treatment in terms of the indicator variables of our study.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of gabapentin in the earlier stage of reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD). Twenty-two patients diagnosed with RSD were enrolled. Initial gabapentin dosage was 600 mg/day. This dosage is increased gradually until a satisfactory pain level was reached. After this level, this dosage was maintained throughout the study. An exercise program was also applied to the patients. Provoked and static pain scores of the patients were obtained initially, at 3-day intervals for maintenance dosage determining, and at 6 weeks after the discharge. Functional improvement parameters were volumetric measurement; dynamometric measurement and third finger pulp-distal palmar crease distance measurement for hands; and metric circumferential measurement and range of motion for elbow, knee, and foot initially, at baseline, on the tenth day, upon discharge, and 6 weeks after the discharge. The mean maintenance dose of gabapentin was 1,145.46+/-377.6 mg/day (range, 900-1,800 mg/day). Improvements in spontaneous and provoked pain intensities were statistically significant. No statistically significant difference was obtained in functional improvement parameters. Dizziness in three patients, headache in two patients, and mild burning feeling in the tongue in one patient were the reported side effects. These symptoms resolved spontaneously in few days. Gabapentin cannot be recommended as the drug of choice, but it may be considered as one of the therapeutic alternatives in the management of pain due to RSD. We suggest that it is effective only for the pain and not for other symptoms of RSD. Serious side effects that will cause the patient to stop using the drug are rare.

Clinicians should keep in mind that heterotopic ossification can occur in non-hemiplegic extremities as well as hemiplegic extremities in patients with TBI in whom the extent of neurologic damage cannot be definitely established.

Aim:In contrast to the one-sided evaluation methods used in the past, combining multiple tests allows one to obtain a global assessment of the ankle joint. Materials and Methods:Twenty healthy male volunteers participated in this study. One component of the test battery included five different functional ability tests, which included: single limb hopping course, onelegged and triple-legged hop for distance, and six-meter (6-m) and cross 6-m hop for time. Ankle joint position sense and one leg standing test were used for proprioceptive evaluation. Isokinetic strength of the ankle invertor and evertor muscles were evaluated at a velocity of 120°/sec. Reliability of the test battery was assessed by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results:The ICCs for ankle functional and proprioceptive ability showed good to high reliability (ICC ranging from 0.89 to 0.98). Furthermore, isokinetic ankle joint inversion and eversion strength measurements represented good reliability (ICCs between 0.86-0.89). Conclusions:The functional test battery investigated in this study proved to be a reliable tool in the assessment of the ankle joints of healthy recreational athletes. Clinicians may use the information of the functional test battery to detect changes in ankle joint performance as a component of a screening evaluation.Key Words: Reliability, clinical functional test battery, functional ability, proprioception, strength, ankle joint Ayak Bileği Ekleminin Fonksiyonelliğini, Propriosepsiyonunu ve Kuvvetini Değerlendiren Fonksiyonel Test Bataryasının GüvenirliğiAmaç: Geçmişte kullanılan tek yönlü değerlendirme yöntemlerinin aksine birden fazla testin birleştirilmesi ayak bileği eklemi için daha geniş çaplı bir değerlendirme yapılmasına olanak sağlayacaktır. Yöntem ve Gereç:Çalışmaya 20 sağlıklı erkek denek katıldı. Kullanılan test bataryasının bir bölümü beş farklı fonksiyonel testi kapsadı. Bunlar arasında parkur testi, tek adım ve üç adım sıçrama mesafesinin ve altı metreyi düz ve çapraz sıçrama zamanının ölçümü vardı. Ayak bileği propriosepsiyonu eklem pozisyon hissi ve tek bacak durma testi ile değerlendirildi. Ayak bileği invertör ve evertör kaslarının izokinetik kuvveti 120°/sn'lik açısal hız ile ölçüldü. Test bataryasının güvenirliği sınıf içi korelasyon katsayısının (ICC) hesaplanması ile değerlendirildi.Bulgular: Ayak bileğinin fonksiyonel ve proprioseptif becerisi için elde edilen ICC değerleri iyi ve yüksek bir güvenirliğe işaret etti (0.89-0.98 arasında değişim göstermiştir). Bunun yanısıra, ayak bileği izokinetik invertör ve evertör kuvvet ölçümleri de iyi düzeyde bir güvenirliği yansıttı (0.86-0.89 arasında değişim göstermiştir). Sonuç:Bu çalışmada incelenen fonksiyonel test bataryası sağlıklı rekreasyonel sporcuların ayak bileği eklemlerinin değerlendirilmesinde güvenilir bir yöntem olduğunu kanıtlamıştır. Klinisyenler fonksiyonel test bataryasından elde edecekleri bilgileri tarama muayeneleri kapsamında ayak bileği performansındaki değişiklikleri tespit etmek için kullanabilirler.