OBJECTIVE To examine the psychometric properties (test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, construct validity) of the Balance Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) during testing of sensory integration processes in healthy adults and individuals with vestibular disorders. DESIGN Experimental cross-sectional design. SETTING Vestibular disorders clinic. PARTICIPANTS Participants (N= 90); 30 subjects with vestibular disorders (18 to 85 years); 30 young healthy adults (18 to 50 years); and 30 older healthy adults (60 to 85 years). INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were tested twice with the BRU and once with the Smart Equitest Sensory Organization Test (SOT) The Center of Pressure (COP) was recorded in the anteroposterior (COPap) and mediolateral (COPml) directions. The COPap and COPml time series were used to estimate the COP area andvelocity. RESULTS The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of the BRU COP area and velocity measures for all subjects were at least 0.76 in all sensory organization conditions (p<.001). Significant correlations were found between the BRU and SOT, ranging from 0.64 to 0.81 for COP area and from 0.44 to 0.76 for COP velocity. The older control group had significantly greater COP area and velocity compared with the younger controls for BRU and SOT. COP (area, velocity) was significantly higher for the younger vestibular group compared with the younger controls. CONCLUSIONS The reliability and validity of COP measurements obtained during testing of sensory integration processes were demonstrated using the BRU. Future work should examine the responsiveness of these measures when individuals with balance disorders participate in rehabilitation.

ObjectivesTo determine whether age, body mass index (BMI), hand length and forearm circumference were predictive of hand grip strength in healthy Saudi Arabian adult males.MethodsThis cross-sectional descriptive study recruited healthy adult male volunteers. Their anthropometric characteristics including age, BMI, hand length and forearm circumference were measured using routine techniques. Hand grip strength was assessed using a Jamar® Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer. The data were analysed using Pearson correlation coefficient (r) as well as by a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsThe study included 116 healthy males who satisfied the inclusion criteria. A Pearson correlation coefficient matrix demonstrated that all the four measures, age, BMI, hand length and forearm circumference, were significantly correlated with hand grip strength. Age had an inverse correlation with hand grip strength. The anthropometric measures of hand length, age and forearm circumference accounted for 44.2% (R2 0.442) of the variation of the hand grip strength.ConclusionHand length, age and forearm circumference significantly impacted on hand grip strength in Saudi Arabian healthy adult males.

We examined outcomes in persons with vestibular disorders after receiving virtual reality based therapy (VRBT) or customized vestibular physical therapy (PT) as an intervention for habituation of dizziness symptoms. Twenty subjects with vestibular disorders received VRBT and 18 received PT. During the VRBT intervention, subjects walked on a treadmill within an immersive virtual grocery store environment, for 6 sessions approximately one week apart. The PT intervention consisted of gaze stabilization, standing balance and walking exercises individually tailored to each subject. Before, one week after, and at 6-months after the intervention, subjects completed self-report and balance performance measures. Before and after each VRBT session, subjects also reported symptoms of nausea, headache, dizziness, and visual blurring. In both groups, significant improvements were noted on the majority of self-report and performance measures one week after the intervention. Subjects maintained improvements on self report and performance measures at 6 months follow up. There were not between group differences. Nausea, headache, dizziness and visual blurring increased significantly during the VRBT sessions, but overall symptoms were reduced at the end of the six-week intervention. While this study did not find a difference in outcomes between PT and VRBT, the mechanism by which subjects with chronic dizziness demonstrated improvement in dizziness and balance function may be different.

Graphical abstract

Highlights•Neutral head and target head position tests evaluate cervical proprioception.•Clinics commonly use those position tests, and it is important to test their reliability.•Intra- and inter-rater reliability was moderate to high for these tests.

Collectively, our results suggest DNA damage-mediated activation by FXY-1 in lung cancer cells leading to extensive apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway.

Background Neck proprioception is critical in maintaining neuromuscular control in and around cervical joints. Kinesio™ tape may assist in rehabilitating joint position sense. The current study compares Kinesio™ tape’s effects versus a placebo on proprioception in college athletes experiencing mechanical neck pain. Methods This study randomized sixty-six athletes with mechanical neck pain into a Kinesio™ tape group (n = 33, mean age = 22.73 years) or placebo group (n = 33, mean age = 23.15 years). The Kinesio™ tape group received standard Kinesio™ taping applications with appropriate tension, while the placebo group received taping applications without tension. Outcome measures: The study assessed cervical joint position errors with a cervical range-of-motion (CROM) device, pain intensity with a visual analog scale (VAS), and neck functional disability with a neck disability index (NDI). It tested joint position errors through cervical flexion, extension, rotation left, and rotation right. All the outcome measures were recorded at the baseline and twice more following 3 and 7 days of tape applications. Results Multivariate analysis of variance test demonstrated a significant reduction in joint position errors in flexion, extension and right rotation following 3 days and 7 days of tape application among the Kinesio™ tape group. There was a significant main effect of time (P < 0.05) for joint position errors in left rotation and VAS after 3 days (p > 0.05), NDI after 3 and 7 days (p > 0.05). Conclusions The Kinesio™ tape application after 3 and 7 days effectively decreased joint position errors and neck pain intensity in mechanical neck pain participants compared to placebo, while there was no difference between both groups in the NDI. Trial registration (CTRI/2011/07/001925). This study was retrospectively registered on the 27th July, 2011. Level of evidence IIB

Cervical joint position sense is impaired in subjects with chronic neck pain.