We investigated changes in postural sway and its fractions associated with manipulations of the dimensions of the support area. Nine healthy adults stood as quietly as possible, with their eyes open, on a force plate as well as on 5 boards with reduced support area. The center of pressure (COP) trajectory was computed and decomposed into rambling (Rm) and trembling (Tr) trajectories. Sway components were quantified using RMS (root mean square) value, average velocity, and sway area. During standing on the force plate, the RMS was larger for the anterior-posterior (AP) sway components than for the mediolateral (ML) components. During standing on boards with reduced support area, sway increased in both directions. The increase was more pronounced when standing on boards with a smaller support area. Changes in the larger dimension of the support area also affected sway, but not as much as changes in the smaller dimension. ML instability had larger effects on indices of sway compared to AP instability. The average velocity of Rm was larger while the average velocity of Tr was smaller in the AP direction vs. the ML direction. The findings can be interpreted within the hypothesis of an active search function of postural sway. During standing on boards with reduced support area, increased sway may by itself lead to loss of balance. The findings also corroborate the hypothesis of Duarte and Zatsiorsky that Rm and Tr reveal different postural control mechanisms.

RESUMO: O desenvolvimento da Fisioterapia, aliado às mudanças na educação e na saúde, faz com que a autonomia e os dilemas éticos do fisioterapeuta sejam maiores a cada dia, expandindo seu papel no cuidado do paciente. Para além do Código de Ética, as noções de Bioética são centrais no preparo de graduandos para os desafios profissionais. Este estudo verificou a capacidade de tomar decisões éticas de alunos no último ano de Fisioterapia de duas universidades na cidade de São Paulo, das quais uma oferece no currículo a disciplina Bioética e a outra não. Cinqüenta alunos de cada universidade responderam a um questionário sobre dilemas éticos correspondentes a artigos do Código de Ética; cada questão oferecia três alternativas de resposta: uma bioética, outra referente ao Código e uma não-ética. As respostas foram analisadas estatisticamente. Os resultados mostraram um bom preparo ético em pouco mais de metade dos alunos das duas universidades, sugerindo que ambas oferecem preparo ético similar aos graduandos, independente da diferença curricular. No entanto, os alunos da universidade que oferece Bioética tiveram resultados significantemente melhores nos quesitos referentes à relação com outros profissionais da saúde, sugerindo que essa disciplina oferece melhores condições para o relacionamento interprofissional, fator importante tanto na prática clínica quanto para elevar o status da Fisioterapia. DESCRITORES: Bioética; Ética profissional; Fisioterapia/educação ABSTRACT: Physical therapy recent expansion, along with changes in education and health, enhance physical therapists' role in patient care, while increasing both their autonomy and the ethical challenges they face in daily clinic. In addition to knowledge of the professional ethical code, notions of Bioethics are thought to be central to students training. This study analysed the ability to make ethical decisions among 100 physical therapy undergraduate students at two universities in São Paulo, of which only one offers the discipline Bioethics. Fifty students of each university answered a questionnaire of dilemmas related to items of the Physical Therapy Code of Ethics; for each question there was a choice between three answers, bioethical, in accordance with the ethical code, or non-ethical. Answers were statistically analysed. About half the students of both universities seemed to be satisfactorily prepared to act ethically, thus suggesting that both offer similar ethical training, regardless of curricula differences. However, students from the university that offers Bioethics had significantly better results in questions concerning the relationship with other health providers, thereby suggesting that this discipline may provide better student training for inter-professional relationship, which is important both to clinical practice and to raise physical therapy status.

RESUMOO controle postural é tão complexo quanto o controle de movimentos. Duas grandezas que podem ser obtidas por meio da biomecânica para o estudo da postura são o centro de massa do corpo (COM) e o centro de pressão (COP) resultante das forças aplicadas no apoio. O objetivo deste artigo é discutir as relações entre estas grandezas. O balanço postural é a oscilação natural que o corpo apresenta quando está na postura ereta e é tradicionalmente representado por meio da trajetória do COM. O COP é uma medida de deslocamento e é classicamente associada aos estudos do controle postural por causa de sua relação com o COM, por ser a resposta neuromuscular ao balanço do COM. A diferença entre COM e COP se dá no domínio temporal e de freqüências. Busca-se minimizar a diferença entre o COP e o COM para manter a postura ereta em equilíbrio. O COM pode ser estimado por meio de três diferentes procedimentos: cinemático, cinético e filtragem. Como principais variáveis de estudo, COP e COM apresentam particularidades nos processos de mensuração e no significado físico, sugerindo diferentes interpretações para o controle do equilíbrio.

Background: The effects of jaw movement pattern on masticatory activity during chewing remains unclear in chronic temporomandibular joint disorders individuals. Objective: to assess the effect of habitual and non-habitual mastication patterns based upon the activation of the masseter and temporalis muscles in individuals with or without temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD). Methods: Fifty-four participants (age: 18–44 years) were divided into two groups: the TMJD (n=27) and control (n=27) groups. TMJD was identified using the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD). Electromyographic activity of the masticatory muscles was measured during 2 tasks: habitual mastication with parafilm (HM) and non-habitual mastication with parafilm (NHM). MATLAB software was used to process electromyography (EMG) signals. The root mean square, symmetry index (SI%), anteroposterior coefficient (APC%) and torque coefficient (TC%) were determined from the processed EMG signal. Results: Reduced right masseter activation was observed for the TMJD group (p<0.05) during jaw agonist phase. During the jaw agonist phase, all muscles presented with more activation during NHM. Symmetry of temporalis (ST%) and APC% were the lowest for HM. TC% was increased for HM. Conclusion: Habitual and non-habitual mastication differ in masticatory activity during jaw agonist and antagonist phase and TMJD individuals presented a different way to recruit muscles under these circumstances. Non-habitual mastication has a more coordinating and stable motor pattern in masticatory activity and has less variability than habitual mastication to assess masticatory activity.

Error in measurement of a posture evaluation system is related to the digitalization, camera resolution and distance in relation to the volunteer studied, among others. These errors are summed up during the process and many of them are not possible to be avoided; however, they must be known and quantified. Objective: to quantify the error of the positions measured by SAPO (postural assessment software) in different experimental situations. Methods: 16 photos of a 1.40m tall articulated mannequin were taken at the anterior, posterior, right lateral and left lateral planes with 3.2 and 12.0 megapixels resolution cameras, at 3.0m and 5.0m from the model. To quantify the error, the differences between the measurements obtained by SAPO and the ones made directed on the mannequin were calculated. Results: the mean values of the horizontal, vertical, angular and distance measurements are close to zero; however, some angles were larger for the left and right measurements. The 3.2 megapixel digital camera located 3 m away showed the lowest error. The digitalization position is not influenced by the experience of the evaluators. Conclusion: SAPO is an accurate method for clinical use. Further studies are necessary to verify the effect of the position plane of the volunteer in relation to the camera, the effect of the relocation and the measurement palpation provided by the software.

The table vault is an event of male and female Artistics Gymnastics. Although it can be performed in a variety of rotations and body positions in different phases, it can be separated in three groups: handspring, Yurchenko and Tsukahara. It is believed that kinematic variables of vault may vary according to group of vault or gymnast body position, but few studies compares the real differences among the three groups of vaults, comparing and describing the variables in different phases. Vault kinematic variables could be diversifying according to the approach or position of the vaulting, but little has been studied about the biomechanical differences, comparing and describing behaviours at different stages. The aim of this study was to organize critical, objective and to systematize the most relevant kinematic variables to performance on vaulting. A Meta analysis over the basis Pubmed, Sport Discus and Web of Science were performed about this issue. From the selected references, we described and analyzed the kinematics of the table vault. Vault can be characterized in seven phases of analysis. Most of the studies are descriptive, and some do not descript all phases. Differences among vault variables according to group vaults, technical level and gender were analysed only in recent studies. There still gaps of knowledge about kinematic variables of table vault, in order to provide comprehensive information about all possibilities of vaults in this gymnastic event. It is concluded that kinematic variables of table vault depends upon vault group and may be considered to the improvement of technical performance. More researches are needed to approach the coaching interface with biomechanics applicable knowledge.

Abstract--The maintenance of posture is a constant challenge for the body, as it requires rapid and accurate responses to unforeseen disturbances, which are needed to prevent falls and maintain balance. The purpose of the present study was to compare different types of plantar arch in relation to postural balance, and analyze the relationships between variations the plantar arch and anthropometric characteristics of the feet with unipedal static balance. We evaluated 100 men and women between the ages of 20 and 40 years old, to determine anthropometry and posturography with a force platform. There was a weak correlation between plantar arches and anthropometric measurements and postural balance, except for the length of the male foot, which showed a correlation between increased size and poorer static balance. We conclude that the type of plantar arch does not influence postural balance, and of the anthropometric factors, only foot length was related to postural balance.

The aim of this review is to evaluate studies about gait training and exercise interventions applied to patients following chronic stroke on gait and balance. The studies included in this review were random clinical trials, including only chronic post-stroke individuals that evaluated gait and balance outcomes and with a PEDro scale score ≥ 7.0. Eight studies were selected. The results suggest gait and balance will only be affected in chronic post-stroke patients if training sessions last at least 30 minutes, are repeated three times a week, and maintained for at least five weeks. Gait training affects how chronic post-stroke individuals walk. They will probably walk faster and with a lower risk of falling; however, it is unclear whether the consequences of these procedures affect the quality of life.