Voluntary Contraction of the Abdominal Muscles During Shoulder Exercises Increases Scapular Muscle Activation: A Critically Appraised Topic.

CLINICAL SCENARIO: The fascial relationship between scapular muscles and abdominal muscles has been documented from previous studies. However, it is not yet clear whether voluntary abdominal contraction has a beneficial effect on scapular muscle activity during shoulder exercises. CLINICAL QUESTION: Do scapulothoracic muscle activation levels increase if shoulder exercises are performed with voluntary abdominal activation? Summary of Key Finding: After the literature review, 4 cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this critically appraised topic. CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE: There is moderate evidence to support dynamic shoulder exercises with voluntary abdominal contraction can increase trapezius and serratus anterior muscle activation level in asymptomatic shoulders. Strength and Recommendation: Findings from 4 cross-sectional trials indicate that there is moderate evidence supporting that dynamic shoulder exercises performed with voluntary abdominal contraction can increase scapular muscle activity.

Voluntary Contraction of the Abdominal Muscles Increases Hip Muscle Activation During Lower-Extremity Exercises: A Critically Appraised Topic.

CLINICAL SCENARIO: Existing studies have posited that incorporating abdominal enhancement techniques during lower-extremity exercises might mitigate compensatory pelvic motions and enhance the engagement of specific hip muscles. CLINICAL QUESTION: Does performing lower-extremity exercises with abdominal enhancement techniques increase hip muscle activation levels in healthy individuals? Summary of Key Finding: After the literature review, 4 cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this critically appraised topic. CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE: There is moderate evidence to support that prone hip extension with abdominal enhancement may increase gluteus maximus and hamstring muscle activity. Gluteus medius activity may not be affected by abdominal enhancement during hip abduction exercises. Strength and Recommendation: The collective findings from the 4 cross-sectional trials indicate that the incorporation of abdominal enhancement techniques during lower-extremity exercises may have the potential to enhance targeted muscle activation levels in healthy individuals. Further research is recommended to establish more robust conclusions.

Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Avoidance of Daily Activities Photo Scale for Turkish patients with shoulder pain: Reliability and validity assessment according to the COSMIN guideline.

CONTEXT: People with chronic or long-term pain may develop various psychosocial symptoms such as fear and avoidance of behavior due to pain. Reliable and valid quality of life tools must be available in Turkish to specifically assess avoidance of behavior in people with shoulder pain. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Avoidance of Daily Activities Photo Scale for Patients with Shoulder Pain and to evaluate the psychometric properties of its Turkish version (ADAP-Tr) in patients with shoulder pain. METHODS: Translation, adaptation, and validation were performed according to the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) guidelines. The internal consistency, reliability, construct validity, and discriminant validity of the ADAP-Tr were tested. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) were applied for validation purposes. RESULTS: The study included a total of 162 participants with shoulder pain. The internal consistency of the ADAP-Tr showed excellent reliability with a Cronbach's α of 0.94 and a test-retest assessment of 0.88 ICC (95% CI, 0.83-0.91). The standard error of measurement was 1.85 points, and the minimal detectable change was determined 5.12 points. There was a low to high correlation among the ADAP-Tr and PCS (r = 0.481, p < .001), TSK (r = 0.448, p < .001), and SPADI (r = 0.826, p < .001) scores. CONCLUSIONS: The ADAP-Tr was shown to be a valid and strong reliability tool to use in clinical and research settings as a shoulder-specific measurement tool.