The findings indicate trunk flexion and extension muscle weakness in unihemispheric stroke patients, which can interfere with balance, stability, and functional disability.

No abstract

The purpose of this randomized, double-blind study was to determine the acute effects of kinesio taping on pain, strength, joint position sense and balance in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Twenty-two subjects with PFPS participated in the study. Subjects were separated into two groups; kinesio taping (KT) and placebo kinesiotaping (PKT). All subjects were assessed before and 45-min after the applications. Muscle strength, joint position sense, static and dynamic balance and pain intensity were used as the main outcome measures. Among all outcome parameters significant differences were found between strength of quadriceps muscle at 60 and 180 • /s, and static and dynamic balance scores before and 45-min after application of KT. There was also a significant difference between strength of quadriceps muscle at 60 • /s and static balance scores before and 45 minutes after application of the PKT. Therefore KT application does not seem to be an effective treatment method for both decreasing pain and improving joint position sense for patients with PFPS.

This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate correlations between muscle strength and regional bone mineral density (BMD) in sedentary postmenopausal women. Sixty-two women who ranged in age from 41 to 76 years were investigated. Hip and trunk muscle strength was measured by isokinetic dynamometry. Grip strength of the nondominant hand was measured using a hand-held dynamometer. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, femur, and distal radius was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Only the correlation between hip abductor strength and femoral BMD was significant (P = 0.009, r = 0.327). There was no correlation between trunk muscle strength and lumbar vertebral BMD or between grip strength and distal radius BMD. Subjects with osteoporosis (T score < -2.5) or osteopenia T (-2.5 to -1) and normal subjects (T > -1) exhibited similar isokinetic hip and trunk muscle strength. Women with osteoporotic distal radii had significantly lower grip strength than subjects who were osteopenic or normal at this site, but the osteoporotic group was also significantly older. In conclusion, our results indicate that the isokinetic strength of hip abductors weakly correlates with femoral BMD in postmenopausal women with and without osteoporosis. Trunk muscle strength did not correlate with lumbar vertebral BMD in either of these groups. The weaker handgrip we observed in the women with osteoporotic radii may be attributed to older age.

No abstract

Background: The body is a kinetic chain and all the systems and muscle groups play important roles in this chain. Core stability, strength and balance are important components of performance within many sports, and in particular soccer. However, the relationship between these components is not fully understood. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between core stability, balance and strength in amputee soccer players. Study Design: Clinical pilot trial. Methods: Eleven amputee soccer players (mean age = 24.63 ± 6.48 years) participated in our study. A Kinesthetic Ability Trainer device was used to assess balance. Trunk strength was evaluated by isokinetic dynamometer. Gillet test was used to evaluate the sacroiliac joint movement. Modified plank test was used to determined dynamic core stability. Disability was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index. Results: The results showed that there was a correlation between flexor isokinetic trunk muscle strength at the velocity of 60°/sec and modified plank test ( r = 0.630, p = 0.038). There was a negative correlation between flexor isokinetic trunk muscle strength at the velocity of 180°/sec and Oswestry Disability Index score ( r = −0.649, p = 0.031). Conclusions: Amputee soccer is a sport which is generally performed with one limb balance with crutches. It is therefore perceived that a relationship between balance and sacroiliac mobility, and should be considered for evaluation process and performance analysis in amputee soccer. However, in future studies, we recommend that such evaluations on amputee soccer players should be carried out with increased numbers. Clinical relevance Many aspects should be considered in the evaluation of amputee soccer players. Core stability, balance and strength should not be ignored when designing a training program for an amputee soccer team.

Patients with ASP are more sensitive to toxic effects of alcohol. Alternatively chronic alcoholism leads to frontal lobe dysfunction recognised as ASP in the clinical setting.

In hemiplegia, the results of WGS showed that this visual scale together with the gait velocity is valuable for assessing gait deviations and monitoring gains in gait performance in patients with hemiparesis. Certain correlations between variables on the WGS pointed out the problems of dominating limb synergies.