Kinesio Taping Increases Peak Torque of Quadriceps Muscle After Arthroscopic Meniscectomy, Double-Blinded RCT.

Purpose: This study was conducted to release the debate and examine the short-term impact of KT on the quadriceps muscle following arthroscopic surgery for partial meniscectomy. Patients and Methods: As part of a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 40 people who had an arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) were randomly put into two groups, A and B. Group A received Kinesio tape (KT) for the superficial heads of the quadriceps muscle, while group B received placebo KTk. After 10 minutes of KT application, the peak torque of both groups was measured using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer. Results: Peak torque showed a significant increase in group A in comparison with group B during angular velocity 60◦/Sec. (F (1, 130) = 58.9, p <0.001, ƞ2 =0.31) and during angular velocity 180◦/Sec. (F (1, 38) = 25.0, p <0.001, ƞ2 =0.40). Conclusion: After APM, individuals experienced an immediate and significant improvement in the quadriceps' peak torque following KT application to the Rectus femoris, Vastus medialis, and Vastus lateralis muscles from origin to insertion.

Immediate effect of physical activity on the autonomic nervous system in individuals with autism spectrum disorders of different age groups: a randomised trial.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most complex neurodevelopmental disorders. It affects almost all human physiological systems. Individuals with ASD often display dysregulation in their autonomic nervous system (ANS), which may elicit differing effects across age groups. Also, studying the ANS missed several important parameters related to ANS. Studying the ANS is crucial in developing adaptive behavioural strategies and maintaining communication abilities and social behaviours. Thus, this study compared the immediate effect of physical activity on the ANS in individuals with ASD in different age groups. Methods: 200 participants (106 males and 94 females) took part in a double-blinded randomised design. All participants were divided into four groups according to their age (4-7, 7-10, 10-13 and 14-18 years old). Participants performed a 60 min treadmill walk. The main outcome measurements were heart rate (HR), saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2), respiratory rate (RR) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (etCO2). Results: Before the study, there were non-significant differences between groups in their physical characteristics (body mass index, Childhood Autism Rating Scale, physical activity level, both parents' existence, aerobic capacity and gender) (p>0.05). At baseline measurements, there were non-significant differences between all groups for all outcome measurements (p>0.05). Immediately after physical activity, there was significant difference between group 1 and other groups (p<0.05), while all other differences were non-significant (p>0.05). At the follow-up (after 15 min of rest), group 1 maintained significant differences with the other groups for all outcome measurements (p<0.05), while there were non-significant differences between the other three groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that the SpO2 significantly decreased immediately after the physical activity, while HR, RR and etCO2 significantly increased immediately after physical activity in comparison to the baseline measurements. Contrary to other ANS parameters (SpO2, RR and etCO2), HR in early ages (4-7 years old) was higher after physical activity and remained elevated longer than other ages. The early ages (4-7 years old) take more time to return to the normal status of ANS parameters including SpO2, HR, RR and etCO2. Trial registration number: NCT05725733.

Adolescents with hemophilic knee arthropathy can improve their gait characteristics, functional ability, and physical activity level through kinect-based virtual reality: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Hemophilic arthropathy is caused by recurrent intra-articular bleeding, most commonly in the knee joints. In terms of physical impact, this arthropathy causes significant disability and hampers the physical activity and functionality of he affected individuals. Objective: This study intended to examine the effect of a physical rehabilitation program incorporating Kinect-based virtual reality (KBVR) on gait characteristics, functional ability, and physical activity level in adolescents diagnosed with hemophilic knee arthropathy (HKA). Materials and methods: In a randomized clinical trial, 56 boys, aged 10-14 years, with moderate HKA, were randomly allocated into two groups. The control group (n = 28) received conventional physical therapy (CPT), while the KBVR group (n = 52) received a 30-min KBVR exercise program in addition to the CPT. Training was conducted three times/week for 12 successive weeks. Gait characteristics (step length, cadence, velocity, peak knee extension moment during stance, and knee flexion amplitude during swing) were assessed using a gait analysis system, the functional ability was assessed through the 6-min walk test, and physical activity level assessed by the Adolescents' Physical Activity Questionnaire on the pre- and post-treatment occasions. Results: The KBVR group achieved more favorable changes in the gait characteristics [step length (P = 0.015), cadence (P = 0.004), velocity (P = 0.024), peak knee extension moment during stance (P = 0.018), and Knee flexion amplitude during swing (P = 0.032)], functional capacity (P = 0.002), and physical activity levels (P = 0.007) compared to the control group. Conclusion: The use of KBVR exercises within a rehabilitation program is a potentially effective therapeutic option for the total care of adolescents with HKA.

Optimization of Postural Control, Balance, and Mobility in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Comparative Analysis of Independent and Integrated Effects of Pilates and Plyometrics.

The paradigm of comprehensive treatment approaches for children with cerebral palsy has gained traction, prompting clinicians to deliberate between independent and integrated treatment delivery. However, this decision-making process is often hindered by the dearth of empirical evidence available to inform optimal therapeutic strategies. This study, therefore, sought to compare the effects of Pilates-based core strengthening (PsCS), plyometric-based muscle loading (PlyoML), and their combination on postural control, balance, and mobility in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (ULCP). Eighty-one children with ULCP (age: 12-18 years) were randomized to PsCS (n = 27), PlyoML (n = 27), or a combined intervention (n = 27; equated for total sets/repetitions) group. The three interventions were applied twice/week over 12 successive weeks. Postural control (directional and overall limits of stability-LoS), balance, and mobility (Community Balance and Mobility Scale-CB&M; Functional Walking Test-FWT; Timed Up and Down Stair test-TUDS) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The combined group exhibited greater increases in directional LoS compared to PsCS and PlyoML including the backward (p = 0.006 and 0.033, respectively), forward (p = 0.015 and 0.036, respectively), paretic (p = 0.017 and 0.018, respectively), and non-paretic directions (p = 0.006 and 0.004, respectively)], and this was also the case for overall LoS (p < 0.001 versus PsCS and PlyoML). In addition, the combined group displayed greater improvements compared to the PsCS and PlyoML groups regarding CB&M (p = 0.037 and p = 0.002, respectively), FWT (p = 0.012 and p = 0.038, respectively), and TUDS (p = 0.046 and p = 0.021, respectively). In conclusion, the combined PsCS and PlyoML exercise program promotes considerably greater improvements in postural control, balance, and mobility compared to unimodal training in children with ULCP.

Factors Contributing to the Change in Overweight/Obesity Prevalence Among Indian Adults: A multivariate decomposition analysis of data from the National Family Health Surveys.

INTRODUCTION: Concerns over the escalating burden of non-communicable diseases call for the redressal of behavioral risk factors like increased body mass index. Most studies have failed to quantify the contribution of socio-demographic characteristics in a linear trend. The present study aims to estimate the current prevalence of overweight and obesity in Indian adults and the contribution of different socio-demographic factors to the increasing prevalence. METHODS: We carried out a secondary data analysis of two National Family Health Survey (NFHS) rounds. The final sample includes 558,122 women and 84,477 men from round 4, and 574,099 women and 74,761 men were included from round 5, using a multi-stage stratified random sampling approach. Overweight/obesity was our primary dependent variable. Weighted bivariate analysis was used to ascertain the prevalence, and the adjusted odds ratios were computed to ascertain the potential predictors. The contribution of different factors towards rising burden over two time points was estimated using multivariate decomposition analysis for non-linear response models. RESULTS: Overall weighted prevalence of overweight and obesity in males and females per NFHS-5 was 44.02% and 41.16%, respectively, compared to 37.71% and 36.14% in NFHS-4. Decomposition analyses depict that the proportion of obesity increased by 6.37% and 5.10% points among men and women, respectively, over the two rounds. Compositional differences of participants (endowment) attributed to 16.54 and 49.90% differences, and the difference in coefficient or effect accounted for 83.46 and 50.10%, respectively, of the increase in the prevalence. The most significant factors contributing to increased prevalence were age, improving socio-economic status, smoking, unclean cooking fuel, and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The incremental rise in such a short period, mainly attributed to the effect of socio-demographic variables, is concerning. Policy interventions should prioritize health advocacy programs and aggressively target behavioral modifications while preparing the health systems to manage the people living with obesity.