Intra tester reliability of sympathetic skin responses in subjects with primary palmar hyperhidrosis.

BACKGROUND: Primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH) is a disorder related to sympathetic dysfunction. Iontophoresis can be used to reduce sweating rate. Sympathetic skin response (SSR) is commonly used to evaluate the sympathetic system. However, scarce evidence exists about the reliability of SSR parameters. OBJECTIVE: To assess the relative and absolute reliability of SSR before and after the application of iontophoresis with aluminum chloride hexahydrate (ACH) gel or tap water in subjects with PPH. METHODS: Twenty subjects were randomized to receive either iontophoresis with ACH gel or tap water. Three SSRs (amplitude and latency) with 5 s intervals from both hands in both groups were recorded before and after the application of iontophoresis for 30 min. Reliability of amplitude and latency of the SSR was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals, standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC). RESULTS: Amplitudes and latencies of SSR showed good to excellent test-retest reliability for ICC in both groups before iontophoresis. Except for right hand latency which was moderate (0.5-0.75). After iontophoresis, the ACH gel group still showed good to excellent agreement for SSR parameters, while the reliability of SSR parameters in the tap water group was reduced. CONCLUSION: Subjects with PPH showed high intra-rater reliability for SSR parameters which was maintained after ACH gel iontophoresis and decreased after tap water iontophoresis. It seems that media used for iontophoresis or the state of media (gel vs liquid) may affect the reliability of SSR. Further research is recommended.

Improvements in strength and functional performance after Kinesio taping in semi-professional male soccer players with and without functional ankle instability.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to compare the immediate effects of two methods of Kinesio taping on muscle strength, functional performance, and balance in athletes with and without functional ankle instability (FAI). METHODS: The present study investigated the effects of distal taping (muscle application over peroneus longus) and proximal- distal taping (muscle application over gluteus medius and peroneus longus) on the strength of evertor and hip abductor muscles, side hop test, figure of 8 hop test, and star excursion balance test in semi-professional male soccer players with and without FAI (n=15 in each group). A Multifactorial repeated measure ANOVA was used for comparison. RESULTS: There were significant differences for factor effect in all outcome measures (P<0.05), except for the figure of 8 hop test. No significant differences for group effects and group by factor interaction effects (P>0.05) was observed except for the side hop test. CONCLUSION: Kinesio taping had immediate effects on improving strength, performance and balance. However, there were no differences on the method of application. Clinicians can consider the application Kinesio taping during the rehabilitation process of athletes with FAI, to improve balance and strength. The long-term impacts of taping on the functional, balance and strength measures should be investigated in future studies.

Effects of the head lift exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on swallowing muscles activity in healthy older adults: a randomized pilot study.

PURPOSE: Swallowing physiology exhibits several changes in advanced ages. The present study aimed to investigate and compare effects of a period of the head lift exercise (HLE) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on swallowing muscles activity in healthy elderly. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 23 older adults were randomized to either the HLE or NMES group for ten therapy sessions. They received pre- and post-therapy surface electromyography (sEMG) during water swallowing. RESULTS: For the HLE group, duration of suprahyoid muscles activity was significantly reduced at post-intervention compared to pre-intervention (p=0.036). Moreover after treatments, duration and latency between onset and peak amplitude of suprahyoid muscles activity was significantly shorter in the HLE group compare to the NMES group (respectively, p=0.007 and p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the HLE, against the NMES, may be effective in reducing some aging effects on the suprahyoid muscles activity, especially in elders who demonstrate prolonged duration and latency between onset and peak of the suprahyoid muscles activity during swallowing.

Reliability of digital photography for assessing lower extremity alignment in individuals with flatfeet and normal feet types.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the intratester reliability of digital photographic method for quantifying static lower extremity alignment in individuals with flatfeet and normal feet types. METHODS: Thirteen females with flexible flatfeet and nine females with normal feet types were recruited from university communities. Reflective markers were attached over the participant's body landmarks. Frontal and sagittal plane photographs were taken while the participants were in a standardized standing position. The markers were removed and after 30 min the same procedure was repeated. Pelvic angle, quadriceps angle, tibiofemoral angle, genu recurvatum, femur length and tibia length were measured from photographs using the Image j software. RESULTS: All measured variables demonstrated good to excellent intratester reliability using digital photography in both flatfeet (ICC: 0.79-0.93) and normal feet type (ICC: 0.84-0.97) groups. CONCLUSION: The findings of the current study indicate that digital photography is a highly reliable method of measurement for assessing lower extremity alignment in both flatfeet and normal feet type groups.

Effect of cognitive task on postural control of the patients with chronic ankle instability during single and double leg standing.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a cognitive task on standing postural control of the injured and non-injured leg of athletes with chronic ankle instability. METHODS: Postural stability was measured by center of pressure parameters while chronic ankle instability patients (n = 8) randomly performed single and double leg standing in isolation or concurrently with a digit-backward cognitive task. RESULTS: After performing a concurrent cognitive task, anteroposterior sway significantly decreased in injured leg (P < 0.05) and area significantly decreased in both injured and non-injured legs (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in all center of pressure parameters between injured and non-injured legs. CONCLUSION: The findings confirm the effect of a concurrent digit-backwards memory task on single leg standing balance in chronic ankle instability patients but the response to cognitive loading was not significantly different between the injured and non-injured legs.

Vocal Function Exercises for Muscle Tension Dysphonia: Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation and Self-Assessment Rating.

OBJECTIVE: Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a functional dysphonia, which appears with an excessive tension in the intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal musculatures. MTD can affect voice quality and quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of vocal function exercises (VFEs) on perceptual and self-assessment ratings in a group of 15 subjects with MTD. METHODS: The study comprised 15 subjects with MTD (8 men and 7 women, mean age 39.8 years, standard deviation 10.6, age range 24-62 years). All participants were native Persian speakers who underwent a 6-week course of VFEs. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) (the self-assessment scale) and Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain (GRBAS) scale (perceptual rating of voice quality) were used to compare pre- and post-VFEs. RESULTS: GRBAS data of patients before and after VFEs were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and VHI data of patients pre- and post-VFEs were compared using Student paired t test. These perceptual parameters showed a statistically significant improvement in subjects with MTD after voice therapy (significant at P < 0.05 (*) and P < 0.004 (**)). Also results indicated statistically noticeable reduction in the mean VHI scores across subjects with MTD (significant at P < 0.05 (*) and P < 0.004 (**)). CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvement after therapy for participants has been observed by the aid of auditory-perceptual ratings of voice quality (with the GRBAS scale) and the patient's self-assessment ratings measurements (with the VHI). As a result, the data provide evidence regarding the efficacy of VFEs in the treatment of patients with MTD.

Muscle timing in injured and non-injured leg of athletes with chronic ankle instability in response to a visual stimulus during forward jumping.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate premotor time, motor time and reaction time of the injured and non-injured leg muscles of athletes with chronic ankle instability in response to a visual stimulus during forward jumping. METHODS: Surface electromyography was performed on injured and non-injured leg of eight athletes with chronic ankle instability during forward jumping. RESULTS: Results showed that premotor time of the peroneus longus was significantly longer in non-injured leg compared with injured leg (489.37 ± 220.22 ms vs. 306.46 ± 142.92 ms, P = 0.031); on the contrary, motor time of the peroneus longus was significantly shorter in non-injured leg compared with injured leg (569.04 ± 318.62 ms vs. 715.12 ± 328.72 ms, P = 0.022). No significant difference was noted in the timing of other calf muscles (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, rehabilitation protocols, regarding ankle instability, need to put greater emphasis on tasks that require proper timing of muscles and muscle re-education so that protocols could reduce residual symptoms after sprain and prevent recurrent sprains.

Surface electrical stimulation for treating swallowing disorders after stroke: a review of the stimulation intensity levels and the electrode placements.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for treating dysphagia is a relatively new therapeutic method. There is a paucity of evidence about the use of NMES in patients with dysphagia caused by stroke. The present review aimed to introduce and discuss studies that have evaluated the efficacy of this method amongst dysphagic patients following stroke with emphasis on the intensity of stimulation (sensory or motor level) and the method of electrode placement on the neck. The majority of the reviewed studies describe some positive effects of the NMES on the neck musculature in the swallowing performance of poststroke dysphagic patients, especially when the intensity of the stimulus is adjusted at the sensory level or when the motor electrical stimulation is applied on the infrahyoid muscles during swallowing.

The assessment methods of laryngeal muscle activity in muscle tension dysphonia: a review.

The purpose of this paper is to review the methods used for the assessment of muscular tension dysphonia (MTD). The MTD is a functional voice disorder associated with abnormal laryngeal muscle activity. Various assessment methods are available in the literature to evaluate the laryngeal hyperfunction. The case history, laryngoscopy, and palpation are clinical methods for the assessment of patients with MTD. Radiography and surface electromyography (EMG) are objective methods to provide physiological information about MTD. Recent studies show that surface EMG can be an effective tool for assessing muscular tension in MTD.