Change in Electromyographic Activity of Wrist Extensor by Cylindrical Brace

PURPOSE: To verify the effect of a newly-developed cylindrical type forearm brace, which was designed to give focal counterforce perpendicularly on the muscle belly of the wrist extensor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dominant hands of 24 (12 males, 12 females) healthy subjects were tested. Two types of forearm braces (focal cylindrical type and broad pneumatic type) were examined. The braces were applied at the extensor carpi radialis brevis, 5 to 7 cm distal to the lateral epicondyle. Two surface electrodes were attached to the proximal and distal parts of the brace. By quantitative electromyography, the mean amplitudes of voluntary extensor carpi radialis brevis contraction before and after applying each brace were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean amplitudes of the focal cylindrical brace and broad pneumatic brace were reduced significantly compared to no brace (p<0.05), with a larger reduction for the cylindrical brace than the pneumatic brace (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the proximal and distal mean amplitudes with each brace. CONCLUSION: A cylindrical type brace decreased electromyographic activity in the wrist extensor more effectively than did the pneumatic type brace.

Accessory flexor carpi ulnaris muscle: a case report of a rare variation in human

This study describes a rare case of the accessory muscle originated from the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. Anunusual variation of the flexor muscle was observed during the male cadaver dissection. The presence of ananatomical variation muscle was verified in the forearm on the left side of a 59 year old corpse settled in formol10%. Morphological variability and clinical significance are reviewed.

Avaliação artroscópica e macroscópica do complexo da fibrocartilagem triangular do punho. Estudo em cadáveres / Arthroscopic and gross evaluation of the triangular fibrocartilage complex of the wrist: a cadaver-based study

O complexo da fibrocartilagem triangular tem importante papel na biomecânica do punho. O diagnóstico preciso das lesões é fundamental para se obter sucesso no tratamento. Há controvérsias acerca da especificidade e sensibilidade dos métodos de imagem empregados atualmente. A artroscopia de punho é um método pouco empregado para o diagnóstico das lesões do CFCT em nosso meio, embora apresente grandes vantagens, como possibilidade de visão direta das lesões e tratamento no mesmo tempo cirúrgico. O objetivo deste estudo foi o de avaliar o papel da artroscopia de punho na inspeção do CFCT, bem como na detecção de possíveis lesões, comparando os dados com a dissecção macroscópica. Foram avaliados 15 punhos de cadáveres sexo masculino, média de idade de 56,1 anos. A artroscopia demonstrou presença de lesões em 33,3 por cento dos punhos avaliados. Estes achados foram coincidentes após estudo anatômico com ampla dissecção. Concluímos que houve absoluta correlação entre o exame artroscópico e a dissecção macroscópica na detecção de lesões do CFCT.

The triangular fibrocartilage complex plays a key role on wrist biomechanics. An accurate injuries diagnosis is paramount for a successful treatment. There are controversies regarding specificity and sensitiveness of imaging methods employed today. Wrist arthroscopy is a method uncommonly used for diagnosing TFCC injuries in our environment, although it presents good advantages, such as the potential of direct viewing injuries, and treatment at the same surgical time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of wrist arthroscopy for inspecting TFCC, as well as for detecting potential injuries, comparing those data to gross dissection. Fifteen wrists of male cadavers (mean age: 56.1 years old) were assessed. Arthroscopy showed the presence of injuries in 33.3 percent of the assessed wrists. Those findings showed consistency after an anatomical study with broad dissection. We concluded that an absolute correlation existed between arthroscopic test and gross dissection in detecting TFCC injuries.

Evaluation of a Bio-impedance Method for Measuring Human Arm Movement

This study proposes a new method for measuring upper limb movement using a bio-impedance technique. Bio-impedance and joint angle were simultaneously measured during the wrist and elbow movements of 12 normal subjects. The joint angles of the wrist and elbow were estimated by measuring the bio-impedances of the forearm and upper arm, respectively. Although the measured bio-impedances on upper limbs varied among individuals, changes in the bio-impedances and joint angles of the wrist and elbow during their extension and flexion were very highly correlated, having correlation coefficients of 0.96 +/- 0.04 and -0.98 +/- 0.02, respectively. The reproducibilities of wrist and elbow bio-impedance changes were 2.1 +/- 1.0% and 1.8 +/- 1.0%, respectively. Since the proposed method is not restricted by size or the duration of measurements, it is expected to be useful for the analysis of athletic movement.

Potencial evocado por estimulaçäo do nervo mediano: comparaçäo do tempo de conduçäo central definido por diferentes pontos de medida / Evoked potentials by median nerve stimulation: comparation of central conduction time defined by different measure points

Neste estudo é feita comparaçäo entre a latência interpicos N13-N20 e entre inícios N11-N20. É evidenciada diferença significante entre essas medidas. Os achados sugerem ainda que as montagens usualmente utilizadas para a medida interpicos podem ser utilizadas para determinaçäo das latências de inícios das ondas, bem como para determinaçäo do ponto de fracionamento da medida entre inícios. É salientado o diferente signficado fisiológico das duas medidas