Objective measurements derived from digitized laryngeal stroboscopic images were used to demonstrate changes in vocal fold vibration and in the size of benign lesions after 3 months of voice therapy. Forty chronically dysphonic patients were studied. By means of a rigid stroboscope, pretreatment and posttreatment recordings were made of the vocal folds at rest and under stroboscopic light during phonation. From each recording, images of the positions at rest and during vibration at maximal opening and at maximal closure were digitized. The surface areas of any lesions and of the glottal gap were independently measured in the digitized images by 2 experienced laryngologists. Referential distances were determined in order to compensate for discrepancies in magnification in the various recordings. After 3 months of voice therapy, significant improvement in lesion size and degree of maximal closure during vibration could be demonstrated in about 50% of the patients. The degree of maximal opening did not prove to be a significant parameter.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 4 weeks of soleus stretching on ankle flexibility and dynamic balance, as well as selected monitoring and performance tests in soccer. Forty-five healthy female soccer players were randomly divided into a regular stretching group, a regular stretching group with soleus stretching, and a control group. Dynamic stretching protocols were performed for 4 weeks during three sessions per week as part of routine exercises. The regular group stretched three muscle groups (i.e., gastrocnemius, quadriceps, and hamstrings), while the regular + soleus group also stretched the soleus muscle. Before and after the stretching intervention, the ankle range of motion test, Y-balance test, drop jump test, dynamic knee valgus test, and Illinois Agility Running Test were performed. Ankle ROM, Y-balance, and DJ significantly improved in both intervention groups compared to controls. Only the regular + soleus group showed improvement in the Illinois Agility Running Test. Additionally, athletes performing the additional soleus stretching had greater improvements in ankle ROM and DJ but not in DKV or Y-balance. The results showed that adding soleus stretching into regular protocols can provide benefits for female soccer players in terms of performance parameters.
Purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament injury is one of the most severe knee injuries that often has a non-contact mechanism and follows an incorrect knee joint alignment. The present study aimed to compare the effect of predictable and unpredictable cutting direction on knee joint kinematics in ball and racket athletes. Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental, and the subjects included 48 female adolescent athletes from badminton (n=12), table tennis (n=12), basketball (n=12), and handball (n=12). After the initial evaluations, the cutting maneuver was performed in predictable and unpredictable ways and recorded by a three-dimension motion analysis. Also, 1-way ANOVA and post hoc tests were used to compare the kinematic parameters of the knee between the ball and racket athletes. Results: The results of the statistical test showed a significant difference in the kinematic parameters of knee flexion (P=0.003), knee valgus (P=0.001), and tibia rotation (P=0.001) between the ball (basketball and handball) and racket athletes (badminton and table tennis) in the predictable cutting. But in the unpredictable cutting, there were no significant differences in the kinematic parameters of the knee flexion (P=0.86), knee valgus (P=0.56), and tibia rotation (P=0.18). Conclusion: The results indicated that ball athletes showed an increased kinematic risk factor such as decreased knee flexion, increased knee valgus, and tibia rotation more than rocket athletes. Therefore, injury prevention programs are more critical in ball athletes.
Clinical tests for the assessment of postural balance in people with intellectual disabilities have been the most commonly used single-item tests or multi-item tests, but new tests have been developed, such as the BESTest. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the test–retest reliability and limits of agreement of the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) in youth with intellectual disabilities. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 65 youth (ages 16–25 years) with intellectual disabilities. The BESTest (27 items) was completed twice by the participants. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated to determine the test–retest reliability of the BESTest. The BESTest overall scores' test-retest reliability was rated as excellent (0.75). Stability limits/verticality, reactive fair to good (≥ 0.40–<0.75) and biomechanical constraints, transitions/anticipatory, transitions/anticipatory, sensory orientation, and stability in gait excellent (≥ 0.75). Current evidence suggests that children with intellectual disabilities have impaired postural balance. However, there appears to be a lack of assessment tools that reliably evaluate the postural balance of this population. The results from this investigation suggest that the BESTest provides "excellent reliability" (≥ 0.75) to assess postural balance in youth with intellectual disabilities.
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