The use of adaptive neuro-stimulation for rebalancing posture and muscular tone in a soccer team.

BACKGROUND: Posture and somatic structure could positively influence athletic gestures for their biomechanical implications. Working on neuromuscular activity, offers the possibility of intervention on postural control. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the possibility of interacting with the human body system through the spinal reflex pathway, starting from the stimulation of cutaneous receptors. METHODS: Twenty soccer players were recruited: all were male aged 25.5±10.6 years. Patients were divided using a single-blind criterion into two groups, each containing ten subjects. The experimental group was treated with 2 pre-set programs 4 times a week with an adaptive neuro-stimulation (ANS) able to interact with cutaneous receptors through an ENF Physio® device with a range of electrical frequency of about 15-350 Hz; the placebo-controlled group received the treatment with the device switched off. Patients performed a myometric evaluation with the MyotonPRO® system and a postural one with the Rarog software at T0 before the treatment and at T1 after the four-week treatment. RESULTS: After our intervention, we identified an improvement in muscular tone, in particular in the hamstring muscles (17.69%, right P<0.01 / left P<0.05) and a rebalancing of the principal bone points in the postural system (shoulder 71%, P<0.05, hips 65.6%, P=0.056, sagittal AP and frontal LL center of gravity, respectively 40%, P<0.05 and 52.7%, P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we could hypothesize the usefulness of an ANS to act on these parameters. ANS could be used not only for treatment of injuries but also in the field of prevention.

Rehabilitation of Neuromotor Disabilities in Aquatic Microgravity Environment.

The aquatic environment has a high potential in rehabilitation treatment of acute lesions and in chronic diseases. The Safe Bearing Back method is proposed to stimulate the reorganization of deteriorated sensory neuromotor skills. The aim of the present study was to verify the effectiveness and the long-term maintenance of the benefits of a specific thermal rehabilitation training in neuromotor and neurological disabilities. Seventy four patients were evaluated using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Tinetti Gait-Balance Scale (TIN), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain. In addition, a general health index was developed, conceived as a linear combination, with unit weights, of the normalized FIM, TIN, and VAS indicators. Measurements were made at T1 (baseline before treatment), T2 (after a five-month treatment, which was the end of treatment), and T3 (6 months after the end of treatment). Self-sufficiency, walking ability, and subjective pain perception were improved after the treatment. The improvement tapered off during the six-month-long follow-up, but the patients' condition remained well compared with the baseline level before the implementation of the treatment program. We conclude that hydrokinesitherapy with the Safe Bearing Back method demonstrates is clearly effective in the immediate and medium-term rehabilitation of neuromotor diseases.

Effects of Manual Somatic Stimulation on the Autonomic Nervous System and Posture.

Low back pain frequently involves a multifactorial etiology and requires medical attention. The aim of the study was to assess the associations among pain, posture, and autonomic nervous system function in patients with low back pain, using neuromuscular manual therapy versus a generic peripheral manual stimulation (back massage therapy). Twenty young patients with low back pain were enrolled into the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: treated with neuromuscular manual therapy performed after a specific structural evaluation and treated with back massage therapy. Both groups performed eight sessions of 30 min each, once a week for two months. There were three main time points of the assessment: during the first, the fourth, and the last eighth session. In each of these three sessions, data were collected before onset of session (baseline), 5 min from onset, at end of session, and 5 min after the end. All patients were subjected to stabilometric evaluation and were assessed on a visual analogue scale to quantify postural and pain changes. Tabletop capnography and pulse oximetry were used to monitor autonomic changes. The findings were that the improvement in posture and pain reduction were appreciably better in patients subjected to neuromuscular manual therapy than in those subjected to back massage therapy, with a comparable autonomic response in both groups. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that posture modification was significantly more advantageous in patient treated with neuromuscular manual therapy.