Assessment of a practice effect in serial sensory organization testing scores of healthy adults.

This study assessed whether a practice effect occurs across five serial administrations of the sensory organization test. Composite equilibrium scores and mean equilibrium scores from 30 healthy volunteers (M age=36.9, SD = 12.2 yr.) performing each of the six test conditions were examined using a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Analysis yielded a significant interaction between testing condition and time, as well as significant main effects for both condition and time. Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences among test conditions and the first and second times of test administration. Analysis of simple effects between the two administrations identified significant increases in composite equilibrium scores and mean equilibrium scores on two sway-referenced support surface conditions, vision removed and sway-referenced visual surround. An immediate increase in equilibrium scores suggests clinicians and researchers allow one pracatice trial before recording test scores for baseline measurements.

Effect of fluidotherapy on superficial radial nerve conduction and skin temperature.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the superficial heating modality, Fluidotherapy, on skin temperature and on sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) conduction latency and amplitude of the superficial radial nerve in healthy individuals. BACKGROUND: Fluidotherapy is a dry, superficial heating modality, which also provides tactile stimulation through the bombardment of air-fluidized cellulose particles. Previous literature has documented a direct relationship between skin temperature and neural conduction velocity; however, there is an absence of published research examining the effects of Fluidotherapy, and of tactile stimulation specifically, on neural conduction. METHODS AND MEASURES: Twenty-one subjects between the ages of 22 and 31 years (mean+/-SD, 25.5+/-0.7 years) and without prior history of diabetes, alcoholism, renal or metabolic dysfunction, current pregnancy, or heat sensitivity were invited to participate. Subjects completed an upper quarter screening exam and medical history form prior to participation. One group underwent heat (46.7 degrees C-48.9 degrees C) and tactile stimulation, a second group underwent tactile stimulation alone, while a third served as controls. Dependent variables were assessed at 3 intervals: before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 20 minutes after the intervention. All interventions were 20 minutes in length. RESULTS: A mixed 2-way analysis of variance indicated a significant interaction between time of neural conduction velocity assessment and treatment group for the dependent variables of sensory nerve action potential latency (P< .001) and skin temperature (P< .001). Appropriate post hoc tests were performed for simple effect comparisons. An inverse linear relationship existed between skin temperature and latency (r2 = .65; Pearson product coefficient, -.81). CONCLUSIONS: Fluidotherapy treatment, which combines the effects of heat and tactile stimulation, significantly elevated superficial skin temperature, while tactile stimulation alone and no treatment (control group) did not bring about a temperature change. As the superficial skin temperature increased, there was a concomitant decrease in the distal sensory latency of the superficial radial sensory nerve action potential. These results should be an important consideration for the clinician using superficial heating modalities.