The effects of electromyography-triggered electrical stimulation on shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, pain, and function in persons with stroke: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of task-oriented electromyography-triggered stimulation for shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, pain and upper extremity function in hemiparetic stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty participants with subacute hemiparetic stroke were recruited for this study and were randomly divided into two groups: experimental group (n = 10) and control group (n = 10). Subjects in the experimental group participated in task-oriented electromyography triggered stimulation for 30 minutes, five times a week for four weeks, whereas the control group received cyclic functional electrical stimulation for 30 minutes, five times a week for four weeks. Subjects in both groups received conventional physical therapy for four weeks (30 min/day, five times/week). Data collected included the degree of shoulder subluxation which had been confirmed by X-ray, muscle activation of the supraspinatus and posterior deltoid muscles by electromyography, pain by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and hand function by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) before and after the four week exercise period. RESULTS: The results showed significant improvement in shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, and VAS results in the experimental group, compared with the control group(p < 0.05). FMA scores showed no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, task-oriented electromyography-triggered stimulation improved shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, pain and upper extremity function. These results suggest that task-oriented electromyography-triggered stimulation is effective and beneficial for individuals with subacute stroke, and that further studies should be conducted on multivarious anatomical regions.

The Effects of a Home-Based Connective Tissue Targeting Therapy on Hip Development in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Six Case Reports.

Hip subluxation in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) has an incidence of 10-30 %, and children with severe CP having the highest incidence. The condition deteriorates if left untreated. Surgery is the most common method used in managing hip subluxation because standard conservative therapies do not improve it. Surgery may have to be repeated and comes at a biological cost to the child. A new home-based CAM, Advanced Biomechanical Rehabilitation (ABR), has shown encouraging results leading to improved spinal stability and stability in sitting in children with severe CP. This case report examines hip development over time in six children with severe CP in the ABR Program. Changes in their clinical picture and pelvic X-Rays are reported. ABR appeared to help stabilize and improve hip subluxation, resulting in these children not requiring further surgical intervention. These findings warrant further investigation of ABR as a noninvasive therapy for hip subluxation.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PHYSICAL FACTORS IN THE TREATMENT OF COMPRESSION-DISLOCATION DYSFUNCTION OF THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT.

The aim of the study was clinical and functional assessment of the effectiveness of physical factors in the treatment of patients with compression-dislocation dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. We observed two groups of patients. All patients were undergone the repositioning of the joint heads of the lower jaw. Patients of the index group were assigned a vibrating massage of all masseter muscles, tourmaline ceramic on the joint area and a local physical therapy. Patients in the control group had only lidocaine blockade of periarticular area twice a week. Treatment efficacy was evaluated on the eighth day after the start of the treatment according to the bioelectric activity of the genuine masseter and temporal muscles, the intensity of pain according to in Visual Analog Scale, and according to the results of the clinical examination. In most patients of the index group the electromyography data after treatment were approaching to norm, the phenomenon of dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints was reversed. In the control group the full restoration of the functional activity of muscle did not occur. The addition to the complex of therapeutic measures a vibration massage, tourmaline ceramics and local physical therapy for patients with dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints allows to get a positive effect.

Hinged external fixation for complex fracture-dislocation of the elbow in elderly people.

The authors report their experience of treating complex elbow fracture-dislocations in elderly people, using a minimally-invasive approach with a new articulated external fixator that is associated with minimal internal fixation. The clinical results for 19 patients are presented according to outcome factors, such as range of motion, pain and function, rate and type of complications, and reoperation rate. The results indicate that this treatment strategy should be considered as a good alternative to other treatment options reported in the literature, including conservative treatment, ORIF with angular stable plates and total elbow arthroplasty.

Closed manual reduction maneuver of atlantoaxial rotatory dislocation in pediatric age.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to characterize the clinical and radiological features of type 1 and type 2 atlantoaxial rotatory dislocations (AARD) and to evaluate the outcome of the manual reduction maneuver for these types of dislocations in pediatric patients. METHODS: This study considered 12 pediatric patients with AARD who were treated between January 2003 and March 2013. The diagnosis was established by clinical findings and 3D-CT. All of the patients were treated by closed manual reduction and then a cervical orthosis was performed. All of the patients were followed up at regular intervals. RESULTS: The causes of the AARD were trauma (91.67 %) and infection (8.33 %). The time between onset of symptoms and admission to the hospital ranged from 16 days to 6 months. In radiological evaluation, the mean rotational angulation of the patients was 30.58°. The 3D-CT examination showed that six patients (50 %) had type 1 dislocation and six patients (50 %) had type 2 dislocation. All of the patients were treated by closed manual reduction and then a cervical orthosis was performed. For 11 patients (91.67 %), dislocation was successfully reducted and maintained. One patient (8.33 %) underwent surgery, following recurrence of the second closed reduction maneuver. CONCLUSION: This preceding treatment method has successfully produced a fast and recurrence-free alignment on all except one of our patients. This technique can be a useful treatment alternative in carefully selected AARD cases. Future research is encouraged to improve decision making in the application of this treatment method and provide additional validation of the current findings.

Medial subtalar dislocation: importance of clinical diagnosis in distinguishing from other dislocations.

In an emergency situation, the clinical picture of ankle and subtalar dislocation may be similar. This may lead to the use of the improper technique of reduction, especially in a subtalar dislocation, resulting in the failure of reduction and further damage to the articular surfaces. A case of medial subtalar dislocation is presented, which was managed as an ankle dislocation and manipulated inappropriately, leading to a failure of reduction. The clinical signs of ankle and subtalar dislocation, including points of differentiation between the two are discussed, and the correct method of reduction of subtalar dislocation is described.

The effect of electrostimulation and high load exercises in patients with patellofemoral joint dysfunction. A preliminary report.

Traditional conservative treatment for patellar disorders is successful in about 80 percents of cases. We introduced two new conservative treatment protocols for patellar pathology in order to further improve the success rate. The first protocol consisted of high load/low repetition quadriceps femoris training (10 patients) while the second enclosed selective electrostimulation of vastus medialis muscle (7 patients). Results were evaluated clinically and neurophysiologically. High load/low repetition training resulted in significant increase of maximal voluntary contraction of quadriceps muscle (P < 0.001). Significant gain of Activity (P = 0.017) and Kujala scores (P = 0.07) was observed in group with high load/low repetition quadriceps training compared to patients with electrostimulation. There was no significant change in neurophysiological or clinical status between the beginning and the end of treatment with electrostimulation. Our results indicate that high load/low repetition quadriceps femoris training poses an important alternative to traditional conservative treatment protocol for patellar disorders.

Reflex effects of vertebral subluxations: the peripheral nervous system. An update.

BACKGROUND: The traditional chiropractic vertebral subluxation hypothesis proposes that vertebral misalignment cause illness, disease, or both. This hypothesis remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To briefly review and update experimental evidence concerning reflex effects of vertebral subluxations, particularly concerning peripheral nervous system responses to vertebral subluxations. DATA SOURCE: Information was obtained from chiropractic or scientific peer-reviewed literature concerning human or animal studies of neural responses to vertebral subluxation, vertebral displacement or movement, or both. CONCLUSION: Animal models suggest that vertebral displacements and putative vertebral subluxations may modulate activity in group I to IV afferent nerves. However, it is not clear whether these afferent nerves are modulated during normal day-to-day activities of living and, if so, what segmental or whole-body reflex effects they may have.

Reflex effects of subluxation: the autonomic nervous system.

BACKGROUND: The collective experience of the chiropractic profession is that aberrant stimulation at a particular level of the spine may elicit a segmentally organized response, which may manifest itself in dysfunction within organs receiving autonomic innervation at that level. This experience is at odds with classic views of neuroscientists about the potential for somatic stimulation of spinal structures to affect visceral function. OBJECTIVE: To review recent findings from basic physiologic research about the effects of somatic stimulation of spinal structures on autonomic nervous system activity and the function of dependent organs. DATA SOURCE: Findings were drawn from a major recent review of the literature on the influences of somatic stimulation on autonomic function and from recent original physiologic studies concerning somatoautonomic and spinovisceral reflexes. CONCLUSIONS: Recent neuroscience research supports a neurophysiologic rationale for the concept that aberrant stimulation of spinal or paraspinal structures may lead to segmentally organized reflex responses of the autonomic nervous system, which in turn may alter visceral function.

Treatment of simple elbow dislocation using an immediate motion protocol.

The results of treatment after closed reduction of elbow dislocation vary. Twenty consecutive patients with closed posterior elbow dislocations were treated prospectively on a rapid motion, nonimmobilized functional regimen. This treatment protocol emphasizes immediate active range of motion under close supervision. No slings or splints were employed. Final range of motion averaged -4 degrees to 139 degrees. All patients attained final extension within 5 degrees of the contralateral side. Each patient achieved his final range of motion within an average of 19 days after reduction of the dislocation. Arm circumference returned to normal at an average of 6.5 days. There was one redislocation. After treatment, all patients met qualification for graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy and were able to pursue unrestricted athletic and career options. Our findings suggest that an aggressive immediate motion rehabilitation allows nearly full final elbow motion and an excellent functional outcome.

Electromyographic biofeedback use in the treatment of voluntary posterior dislocation of the shoulder: a case study.

Voluntary posterior dislocation of the shoulder has been difficult to treat successfully. Electromyographic biofeedback is a nonoperative treatment measure that has been successfully used for this condition in three previously reported cases. The purpose of this article is to present a case history in which electromyographic biofeedback was used successfully as part of a nonoperative treatment program for voluntary posterior dislocation of the shoulder.

Selective training of the vastus medialis muscle using EMG biofeedback.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if, in three weeks, the vastus medialis muscle could be trained to contract independently of the vastus lateralis muscle. Ten subjects attended electromyographic biofeedback training sessions five days a week for three weeks for one half hour each day. During the first two weeks the subjects concentrated on decreasing the activity level of the vastus lateralis muscle, and during the final week they tried to increase the vastus medialis muscle activity level. Significant differences were found in the change in muscle activity level of the vastus lateralis muscle over the first two weeks, in the change of muscle activity level of the vastus medialis muscle over the third week, and in the difference between vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscle activity levels from the first to the third weeks.