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Objectives: The static and dynamic correlations of postural stability to its three potential contributors, namely, proprioception, tactile sensation, and strength remain unclear among people with chronic ankle instability (CAI). This study aimed to compare static and dynamic postural stability, along with proprioception, tactile sensation, and strength between people with and without CAI and explore their correlations. Methods: Sixty-seven participants with CAI and 67 participants without CAI were enrolled in this study. Ankle proprioception, plantar tactile sensation, and lower limb strength were measured by a proprioception test device, a set of monofilaments, and a strength testing system, respectively. Static and dynamic postural stability were measured during standing and jump landing on a force plate and indicated by the root mean square of center of pressure and time to stability. Results: Compared to people without CAI, people with CAI had poorer postural stability, proprioception, tactile sensation, and strength. Both groups demonstrated correlation between proprioception and static postural stability, but only people without CAI showed correlation between proprioception and dynamic postural stability. Both groups demonstrated a correlation between tactile sensation and static postural stability, but not with dynamic stability. Both groups demonstrated a correlation between strength and both static and dynamic postural stability. Conclusions: People with CAI had deficits in static and dynamic postural stability, proprioception, tactile sensation, and strength. Among people with CAI, proprioception, tactile sensation, and strength can help maintain static postural stability; strength can help maintain dynamic postural stability, whereas proprioception may not provide sufficient information for dynamic postural stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysfunctional depressogenic cognitions are considered a key factor in the etiology and maintenance of depression. In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the current gold-standard psychotherapeutic treatment for depression, cognitive restructuring techniques are employed to address dysfunctional cognitions. However, high drop-out and non-response rates suggest a need to boost the efficacy of CBT for depression. This might be achieved by enhancing the role of emotional and kinesthetic (i.e., body movement perception) features of interventions. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive restructuring task augmented with the performance of anti-depressive facial expressions in individuals with and without depression. Further, we aim to investigate to what extent kinesthetic markers are intrinsically associated with and, hence, allow for the detection of, depression. Methods: In a four-arm, parallel, single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT), we will randomize 128 individuals with depression and 128 matched controls without depression to one of four study conditions: (1) a cognitive reappraisal training (CR); (2) CR enhanced with instructions to display anti-depressive facial expressions (CR + AFE); (3) facial muscle training focusing on anti-depressive facial expressions (AFE); and (4) a sham control condition. One week after diagnostic assessment, a single intervention of 90–120-minute duration will be administered, with a subsequent follow-up two weeks later. Depressed mood will serve as primary outcome. Secondary outcomes will include current positive mood, symptoms of depression, current suicidality, dysfunctional attitudes, automatic thoughts, emotional state, kinesthesia (i.e., facial expression, facial muscle activity, body posture), psychophysiological measures (e.g., heart rate (variability), respiration rate (variability), verbal acoustics), as well as feasibility measures (i.e., treatment integrity, compliance, usability, acceptability). Outcomes will be analyzed with multiple methods, such as hierarchical and conventional linear models and machine learning. Discussion: If shown to be feasible and effective, the inclusion of kinesthesia into both psychotherapeutic diagnostics and interventions may be a pivotal step towards the more prompt, efficient, and targeted treatment of individuals with depression. Trial registration: The study was preregistered in the Open Science Framework on August 12, 2022 (https://osf.io/mswfg/) and retrospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register on November 25, 2024. Clinical Trial Number: DRKS00035577. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between kinesthesia and motor performance in young adults with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH). A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar were scoured to select relevant papers. Ten papers were selected for the review. The study found no significant impact of GJH on the kinesthetic domains. Several studies suggested varying impacts of GJH on motor performance, with some indicating potential benefits and others indicating possible detriments. Interestingly, the impact of GJH on motor performance was found to be influenced by other factors such as fitness, body mass index, and the use of specific assessment tools. The results suggest that GJH does not significantly impact motor performance in young adults. However, the relationship between GJH and motor performance appears to be complex and may be influenced by several other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One task of the Greek literary critic was to help his reader understand how style moves audiences. This paper explores the implications of such a task and thereby reveals how Greco-Roman dance traditions were reflected by and embedded in conceptualizations of verbal art in antiquity. Kinaesthetics—a system of physiological and psychological responses to movement—is offered as the key to unlocking style's kinetic essence and the far-reaching influences of performance over theories of verbal art. As the criticism of Longinus and Dionysius of Halicarnassus demonstrates, dance offered aesthetic lessons that could be translated into a variety of contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Localizing one's body parts is important for movement control and motor learning. Recent studies have shown that the precision with which people localize their hand places constraints on motor adaptation. Although these studies have assumed that hand localization remains equally precise across learning, we show that precision decreases rapidly during early motor learning. In three experiments, healthy young participants (n = 92) repeatedly adapted to a 45° visuomotor rotation for a cycle of two to four reaches, followed by a cycle of two to four reaches with veridical feedback. Participants either used an aiming strategy that fully compensated for the rotation (experiment 1), or always aimed directly at the target, so that adaptation was implicit (experiment 2). We omitted visual feedback for the last reach of each cycle, after which participants localized their unseen hand. We observed an increase in the variability of angular localization errors when subjects used a strategy to counter the visuomotor rotation (experiment 1). This decrease in precision was less pronounced in the absence of reaiming (experiment 2), and when subjects knew that they would have to localize their hand on the upcoming trial, and could thus focus on hand position (experiment 3). We propose that strategic reaiming decreases the precision of perceived hand position, possibly due to attention to vision rather than proprioception. We discuss how these dynamics in precision during early motor learning could impact on motor control and shape the interplay between implicit and strategy-based motor adaptation. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Recent studies indicate that the precision with which people localize their hand limits implicit visuomotor learning. We found that localization precision is not static, but decreases early during learning. This decrease is pronounced when people apply a reaiming strategy to compensate for a visuomotor perturbation and is partly resistant to allocation of attention to the hand. We propose that these dynamics in position sense during learning may influence how implicit and strategy-based motor adaption interact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compression garments (CGs) are commonly used in rehabilitation and sports contexts to enhance performance and speed up recovery. Despite the growing use of CGs in recent decades, there is no unanimous consensus on their overall influence on joint proprioception. In this current meta‐analysis, we aim to fill this knowledge gap by assessing the impact of CGs on joint proprioception. We conducted a literature search across seven databases and one registry. Ultimately, we included 27 studies with 671 participants. The meta‐analysis revealed that wearing CGs resulted in a significant reduction in absolute error during joint position sensing (Hedges' g: −0.64, p = 0.006) as compared to no CGs. However, further analyses of variables such as constant error (p = 0.308), variable error (p = 0.541) during joint position sense tests, threshold to detect passive motion (p = 0.757), and active movement extent discrimination (p = 0.842) did not show a significant impact of CGs. The review also identified gaps in the reporting of certain outcomes, such as parameters of CGs, reporting of performance, individual‐reported outcomes, and lack of placebo comparators. Consequently, this review provides guidelines for future studies that may facilitate evidence‐based synthesis and ultimately contribute to a better understanding of the overall influence of CGs on joint proprioception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive efforts in providing upper limb amputees with sensory feedback have primarily focused on the restoration of tactile capabilities, while challenges in evoking proprioceptive sensations have been poorly addressed. Previously, an human–machine interface (HMI) was proposed based on permanent magnets implanted in residual muscles of an amputee, namely the myokinetic interface, to control robotic limb prostheses. Besides control, implanted magnets offer an unprecedent opportunity to trigger musculotendon proprioceptors via untethered selective vibrations. Herein, the challenge of tracking multiple moving magnets is addressed (e.g., following muscle contractions) while being vibrated by controlled magnetic fields produced by external coils. Results demonstrate the viability of a real‐time (RT) system capable of simultaneously tracking and vibrating multiple moving magnets within a three‐dimensional workspace. Highly selective torsional vibrations in the frequency span eliciting movement illusions (70, 80, and 90 Hz) are achieved on two moving magnets, with efficiencies above 0.82 (over 80% of spectral power at the desired frequency). Tracking accuracy and precision remain robust to the coil magnetic field, with position median errors below 1.2 mm and median displacement errors below 0.95 mm. This study represents a crucial step towards the development of a bench system to study proprioception in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality sensory perception and body scheme (somatognosis) are important aspects for sport performance. This study compares stereognosis, body scheme, and kinesthesia in a group of 36 competitive karate athletes against a control group of 32 general population participants. The stereognosis Petrie test, two body scheme tests, and three kinesthesia tests served as outcome measurement tools. No significant difference was found in the stereognosis Petrie test, for the dominant (p = .389) or the nondominant (p = .791) hand, nor in the kinesthesia test (dominant, p = .661 and nondominant, p = .051). Karate athletes performed significantly better in the body scheme tests, that is, fist width estimation (p = .024) and shoulder width estimation (p = .019), as well as in karate-specific kinesthesia tests, that is, single punch (p = .010) and triple punch (p = .001). This study confirms competitive karate athletes have significantly better somatognosis, and better accuracy when performing quick dynamic movements compared with the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The correlations of postural stability with proprioception and strength may explain the recurrent sprains among individuals with functional ankle instability (FAI). This study aimed to compare anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) postural stability, along with ankle proprioception and strength between individuals with and without FAI and investigated their correlations. Methods: Forty participants with FAI and another 40 without FAI were recruited. Their postural stability, represented by time to stabilization (TTS) in the AP (TTSAP) and ML (TTSML) directions, was calculated by the ground reaction force during jumping onto a force plate. Their ankle proprioception and strength during plantarflexion/dorsiflexion and inversion/eversion were measured using a proprioception device and a strength testing system, separately. Results: Individuals with FAI had longer TTSAP (p = 0.015) and TTSML (p = 0.006), larger ankle proprioception thresholds (p = 0.000-0.001), and less strength (p = 0.001-0.017) than those without FAI. Correlations between strength and TTSAP were detected among individuals with (ankle plantarflexion, r = -0.409, p = 0.009) and without FAI (ankle plantarflexion, r = -0.348, p = 0.028; ankle dorsiflexion, r = -0.473, p = 0.002). Correlations of proprioception (ankle inversion, r = 0.327, p = 0.040; ankle eversion, r = 0.354, p = 0.025) and strength (ankle eversion, r = -0.479, p = 0.002) with TTSML were detected among individuals without FAI but not among those with FAI. Conclusion: Individuals with FAI have worse postural stability and proprioception and less strength. Their proprioception and strength decreased to a point where they could not provide sufficient functional assistance to the ML postural stability. Improvements in proprioception and strength may be keys to prevent recurrent ankle sprains among individuals with FAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: There is no established clinical standard to evaluate ankle proprioception in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study compared ankle position sense of children with CP to age-matched children who are typically developing (TD). METHODS: Children aged 6–17 years participated (15 CP, 58 TD). Using a custom-built device, the ankle was passively rotated to two positions for 25 trials. Using a psychophysical forced-choice paradigm, participants indicated which position was more plantarflexed. A psychometric function was fitted to the response data to determine the just noticeable difference (JND) threshold and the associated uncertainty (random error) for ankle position sense. RESULTS: Median JND thresholds for the CP group were elevated (CP: 4.3°, TD: 3.0°). Three children with CP exceeded the 95th percentile of TD. No differences in random error were found. CONCLUSION: This method assessed ankle proprioception relative to norm data and identified position sense impairments in children with CP. Using this method can provide data on proprioceptive status in CP, augmenting the assessment of motor impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tendon vibration is used extensively to assess the role of peripheral mechanoreceptors in motor control, specifically, the muscle spindles. Periodic tendon vibration is known to activate muscle spindles and induce a kinesthetic illusion that the vibrated muscle is longer than it actually is. Noisy tendon vibration has been used to assess the frequency characteristics of proprioceptive reflex pathways during standing; however, it is unknown if it induces the same kinesthetic illusions as periodic vibration. The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of both periodic and noisy tendon vibration in a kinesthetic targeting task. Participants (N = 15) made wrist extension movements to a series of visual targets without vision of the limb, while their wrist flexors were either vibrated with periodic vibration (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 Hz), or with noisy vibration which consisted of filtered white noise with power between ~ 20 and 100 Hz. Overall, our results indicate that both periodic and noisy vibration can induce robust targeting errors during a wrist targeting task. Specifically, the vibration resulted in an undershooting error when moving to the target. The findings from this study have important implications for the use of noisy tendon vibration to assess proprioceptive reflex pathways and should be considered when designing future studies using noisy vibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illuminates kinesthesia's role in ballet training by revealing findings of a study regarding non-tactile corporeal communication termed kinesthetic dialogue. Even before the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) heightened awareness of physical distancing, physical interaction between teacher and student was already increasingly scrutinized. The findings of this study show that during kinesthetic dialogue, tactile communication is non-existent, facilitating collaboration and learning. In a complex pedagogical landscape, where touch is increasingly risky, the conscious application of kinesthetic dialogue during physically distanced studio classes and over online platforms is an effective pedagogical tool. Kinesthetic dialogue becomes central to learning, as teachers may no longer have the option of in-person classes or tactile communication and dancers' technologically mediated identities established during COVID-19 lockdown will continue to represent them online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the effects of a completely passive isokinetic cycle (PIC) exercise with electromyostimulation (EMS) on improving muscle strength and the changes in kinesthesia during daily activities. Methods: Twenty-nine sedentary females were divided into three groups. The EMS anterior and whole groups performed the PIC exercise without EMS 3 times a week for 3 weeks, followed by a 1-week break, and then performed it with EMS applied to the anterior and entire thigh muscles, respectively, 3 times a week for 3 weeks. The control group did not perform any training. Results: The PIC exercise with EMS significantly increased the 30s chair stand test scores by 12-16% and the maximum isometric knee extension and flexion torques by 38-68% in both EMS-applied groups. The participants found its exercise easy and felt more comfortable with daily physical activities. The exercise without EMS did not show similar improvements. Muscle soreness was significantly greater in the EMS anterior group than in the EMS whole group; however, it was not severe. Conclusions: The PIC exercise with EMS resulted in significant increases in muscle strength, facilitating a perceived ease of daily physical activities, while minimizing difficulties, effort, and notable muscle soreness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) often becomes a persistent problem and is one of the leading causes of disability in the world. It is a costly condition for individuals, for insurance companies, and for society. Guidelines for the management of WAD have not been updated since 2014, and the use of computer-based sensorimotor exercise programs in treatment for this patient group has not been well documented. The purpose of this randomized clinical trial is to explore the degree of association between self-reported and clinical outcome measures in WAD. Methods Individuals (n  = 180) with subacute WAD grades I and II will be randomized into 3 groups using block randomization. The 2 primary intervention groups (A and B) will receive physical therapy involving manual therapy and either a remote, novel, computer-based cervical kinesthetic exercise (CKE) program starting at visit 2 (Group A) or neck exercises provided by the corresponding physical therapist (Group B). These groups will be compared to a "treatment as usual" Group C. Movement control, proprioception, and cervical range of motion will be measured. Neck disability and pain intensity, general health, self-perceived handicap, and physical, emotional, and functional difficulties due to dizziness will be measured using questionnaires. The short-term effects will be measured 10 to 12 weeks after the baseline measurements, and the long-term effects will be measured 6 to 12 months after the baseline measurements. Impact The successful completion of this trial will help guide clinicians in the selection of outcome measures for patients with subacute WAD in the assessment of the short- and long-term effectiveness of treatment combining manual therapy with computer-based CKE compared with manual therapy and non–computer-based exercises. This trial will also demonstrate the potential of using a computer-based intervention to increase the exercise dose for this patient group and how this influences outcomes such as levels of pain and disability in the short and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Rehabilitation approaches take advantage of vision’s important role in kinesthesia, using the mirror paradigm as a means to reduce phantom limb pain or to promote recovery from hemiparesis. Notably, it is currently applied to provide a visual reafferentation of the missing limb to relieve amputees’ pain. However, the efficiency of this method is still debated, possibly due to the absence of concomitant coherent proprioceptive feedback. We know that combining congruent visuo-proprioceptive signals at the hand level enhances movement perception in healthy people. However, much less is known about lower limbs, for which actions are far less visually controlled in everyday life than upper limbs. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore, with the mirror paradigm, the benefit of combined visuo-proprioceptive feedback from the lower limbs of healthy participants. Methods: We compared the movement illusions driven by visual or proprioceptive afferents and tested the extent to which adding proprioceptive input to the visual reflection of the leg improved the resulting movement illusion. To this end, 23 healthy adults were exposed to mirror or proprioceptive stimulation and concomitant visuo-proprioceptive stimulation. In the visual conditions, participants were asked to voluntarily move their left leg in extension and look at its reflection in the mirror. In the proprioceptive conditions, a mechanical vibration was applied to the hamstring muscle of the leg hidden behind the mirror to simulate an extension of the leg, either exclusively or concomitantly, to the visual reflection of the leg in the mirror. Results: (i) Visual stimulation evoked leg movement illusions but with a lower velocity than the actual movement reflection on the mirror; (ii) proprioceptive stimulation alone provided more salient illusions than the mirror illusion; and (iii) adding a congruent proprioceptive stimulation improved the saliency, amplitude, and velocity of the illusion. Conclusion: The present findings confirm that visuo-proprioceptive integration occurs efficiently when the mirror paradigm is coupled with mechanical vibration at the lower limbs, thus providing promising new perspectives for rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Forward Head Posture is a functional ailment observed due to alterations in cervical and shoulder muscular function. Kinesthesia is an objective measure of cervical proprioception. It has been observed that muscle functions do affect the joint proprioception and function. There are no studies focused on electromyographic parameters of Forward Head Posture and kinesthesia. Aim: To identify electromyographical parameters and its correlation with forward head posture and kinesthesia in Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS) patients. Materials and Methods: A correlational cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Physiotherapy, SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana, India was conducted for three months on a total number of 45 subjects with UCS who had undergone electromyographical testing for 12 muscles of both side (Upper, middle and lower trapezius, serratus anterior, pectoralis major, anterior scalene). Participants were asked to perform a set of dynamic exercise (Y and W exercise) post familiarisation using elastic resistance band during which Root-mean-square (RMS) value for muscle activation and activation ratio were calculated by surface electrodes using 4-channel electromyographic system (26T PowerLab, ADInstruments Inc.). Average of three trial were considered. Kinesthesia of neck position was measured using Joint Position Sense Error (JPSE) test. Forward Head Posture (FHP) was measured using photogrammetric and ruler method. Mean and standard deviation of all dependent variables of both the groups were calculated. Correlation between all the variables were done by using Pearson’s correlation test. The significance level was set at 95% (p≤0.05). Results: A statistical significant correlation was found between average amplitude of Upper Trapezius (UT), Lower Trapezius (LT) and Serratus Anterior (SA) with both FHP and kinesthetic sense (p≤0.05). Muscle activation ratio of UT:LT and UT:SA also found to be significantly correlated to FHP (p≤0.05). Conclusion: Altered muscle activation in UCS patients is strongly correlated with forward head posture and joint position sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neck proprioception is commonly assessed with head repositioning tests. In such a test, an operator rotates the head of a blindfolded individual to a target position. After returning to the rest position, the participant actively repositions the head to the target. Joint Position Error (JPE) is the angular difference between the target angle (however oriented in a 3D space) and the actively reached positions (the smaller the difference, the better the proprioception). This study aimed to validate a head-to-target (HTT) repositioning test using an optoelectronic system for also measuring the components of the JPE in the horizontal, frontal, and sagittal planes. The head movements requested by the operator consisted of 30° left-right rotations and 25° flexion-extension. The operators or subjects could not obtain these movements without modest rotations in other planes. Two operators were involved. Twenty-six healthy participants (13 women) were recruited (mean (SD): 33.4 (6.3) years). The subjects' JPE in the requested (intended) plane of motion (JPEint-component) was a few degrees only and smaller for flexion-extensions than for left-right rotations (right rotation: 5.39° (5.29°); left rotation: 5.03° (4.51°), extension: 1.79° (3.94°); flexion: 0.54° (4.35°)). Participants' average error in unintended planes was around 1° or less. Inter-operator consistency and agreement were high. The smallest detectable change, at p < 0.05, for JPEint-component ranged between 4.5° and 6.98°. This method of optoelectronic measurement in HTT repositioning tests provides results with good metric properties, fostering application to clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this essay is an attempt to map the energetic and (peri)thermodynamic background of theories about poetry from the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, also included in the horizon of interest of Romanian critics. In the present essay, I trace the route by which the literary critic E. Lovinescu arrives at his unique stylistic and conceptual approach to the poetry of G. Bacovia from the article he dedicates to him in 1922 and from the sequence reserved for the same poet in the study Poezia nouă (1923), both capitalized, further, in his literary histories. It is about the interpretation or even the definition of Bacovian poetry as an “expression” of “a neurosis,” as a “poetry” of “(deeply animalistic) kinesthesia,” as an “almost direct expression” of a “sick kinesthesia” or, even more abruptly, as “secretion of a sick organism, as moisture is the tear of damp walls.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this essay is to map the energetic and (peri)thermodynamic background of theories about poetry from the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, also included in the horizon of interest of Romanian critics. In the present essay, I trace the route by which the literary critic E. Lovinescu arrives at his unique stylistic and conceptual approach to the poetry of G. Bacovia from the article he dedicates to him in 1922 and from the sequence reserved for the same poet in the study Poezia nouă (1923), both capitalized, further, in his literary histories. It is about the interpretation or even the definition of Bacovian poetry as an “expression” of “a neurosis,” as a “poetry” of “(deeply animalistic) kinesthesia,” as an “almost direct expression” of a “sick kinesthesia” or, even more abruptly, as “secretion of a sick organism, as moisture is the tear of damp walls.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examined eccentric-induced fatigue effects on knee flexor (KF) neuromuscular function and on knee position sense. This design was repeated across two experimental sessions performed 1 week apart to investigate potential repeated bout effects. Methods: Sixteen participants performed two submaximal bouts of KF unilateral eccentric contractions until reaching a 20% decrease in maximal voluntary isometric contraction force. Knee position sense was evaluated with position-matching tasks in seated and prone positions at 40° and 70° of knee flexion so that KF were either antagonistic or agonistic during the positioning movement. The twitch interpolation technique was used to assess KF neuromuscular fatigue. Perceived muscle soreness was also assessed. Measurements were performed before, immediately (POST) and 24 h after (POST24) each eccentric bout. Results: No repeated bout effect on neuromuscular function and proprioceptive parameters was observed. At POST, central and peripheral factors contributed to the force decrement as shown by significant decreases in voluntary activation level (− 3.8 ± 4.8%, p < 0.01) and potentiated doublet torque at 100 Hz (− 10 ± 15.8%, p < 0.01). At this time point, position-matching errors significantly increased by 1.7 ± 1.9° in seated position at 40° (p < 0.01). At POST24, in presence of muscle soreness (p < 0.05), although KF neuromuscular function had recovered, position-matching errors increased by 0.6 ± 2.6° in prone position at 40° (p < 0.01). Conclusion: These results provide evidence that eccentric-induced position sense alterations may arise from central and/or peripheral mechanisms depending on the testing position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aim of this study is to explore factor structure of audiences’ physical experience and their related bodily sensations when watching dance choreographies. This study also includes the process of developing an instrument for measuring the observers’ physical experience of dance choreographies and their related kinesthetic responses to watching dance. In the main study, participants rated their physical experiences and kinesthetic responses when watching 16 different dance choreographies of various dance forms, including contemporary dance, jazz, tango, and hip-hop. Three factors of the observers’ physical experiences when watching dance were identified: Action Tendency, Arousal, and Relaxation. Furthermore, the results show that the structure of the observers’ kinesthetic responses when watching dance consisted of three factors: Focus, Excitement and Embodied Anticipation. The spectators’ physical experiences and bodily sensations in response to an observed dance are the result of their engagement in the dance, the pleasure they draw from the dance, the emotions provoked in them, and their admiration for the performance. These findings are in line with the concept of kinesthetic empathy, which can be understood as the experience of sharing a dancer’s movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: Deficits in proprioception and postural control are common in patients with different musculoskeletal pain syndromes. It has been proposed that pain can negatively affect proprioception and postural control at a peripheral level, however research is limited to animal studies. Human studies have shown that it is more likely, that the link between pain and proprioceptive deficits, lies within changes in the central nervous system where noxious and non-noxious stimuli may overlap. In clinical studies, causality cannot be determined due to other factors which could confound the assessment such as pathophysiological features of the underlying musculoskeletal disorder and different psycho-social influences especially in patients with chronic pain. On the other hand, experimentally induced pain in healthy participants is able to control most of these confounding factors and perhaps offers an assessment of the effects of pain on proprioception and postural control. The aim of this paper is to critically appraise the literature related to the effect of experimentally induced pain on proprioception and postural control. Results from these studies are discussed and limitations are highlighted for future research. Methods: A search of databases (Medline, Scopus, PubMed) was conducted as well as reference check from relevant articles published since 2000. Fifteen studies which explored the effect of experimentally induced pain on postural control and ten studies which explored the effect of experimentally induced pain on proprioception were included. Results: We found that in the majority of the studies, postural control was negatively affected by experimentally induced pain. Results for proprioception were mixed depending on the body region and the way the painful stimuli were delivered. Kinesthesia was negatively affected in two studies, while in one study kinesthesia was enhanced. Joint position sense was not affected in four out of five studies. Finally, force sense was affected in three out of four studies. Conclusions: From a clinical point of view, findings from the available literature suggest that experimentally induced pain impairs postural control and could potentially increases the risk for falls in patients. Interventions aiming to reduce pain in these patients could lead to preservation or improvement of their balance. On the other hand, the same conclusion cannot be drawn for the effect of experimentally induced pain on kinesthesia and joint position sense due to the limited number of studies showing such an effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ICT in Muzical Field / Tehnologii Informatice si de Comunicatie in Domeniul Muzical is the property of Tehnologii Informatice si de Comunicatie in Domeniul Muzical / ICT in Musical Field and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: It has been well established that proprioception plays a decisive role in shoulder stability and sport performance. Notwithstanding, there is a lack of clear association between active joint position sense (AJPS) and the performance of upper-extremity functional performance tests. The aim of this study was to determine whether the AJPS of the shoulder complex is associated with the performance of college volleyball players with the following functional tests: Y-Balance Test-Upper Quarter (YBT-UQ), Closed Kinetic Chain Upper-Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), and Seated Medicine Ball Throw (SMBT). The secondary aim was to investigate whether the magnitude of the proprioception error through the AJPS had the ability to act as a predictor for functional test scores. Methods: Cross-sectional study with a convenience sampling. Healthy college volleyball players (≥12 h of training/week), 30 males and 22 females, between 18 and 26 years of age were included. AJPS of the shoulder (90° of flexion (90°Flex), 90° of internal rotation at 90° of abduction (90°IR/ABD), 90° of external rotation at 90° of abduction (90°ER/ABD)) and three upper-extremity functional performance tests (YBT-UQ, CKCUEST and SMBT) were assessed. A Pearson's test and a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were used to determine possible associations and relationships between outcome measures, respectively. Results: The analysis revealed that AJPS at 90°IR/ABD and 90°ER/ABD were the only proprioceptive variables with an association to the YBT-UQ and SMBT. Despite these relationships, only the AJPS at 90°IR/ABD was associated with the performance of the YBT-UQ in; superolateral direction (β = -0.7; 95% CI [-1.3 to 0.1]; p = 0.025); inferolateral direction (β = -1.5; 95% CI [-2.1 to -0.8]; p = 0.001); and composite score (β = -0.8; 95% CI [-1.3 to -0.3]; p = 0.002). From these, AJPS at 90°IR/ABD mainly explained the variability of YBT-UQ (inferolateral direction) performance (R² = 0.32; % R² = 0.32). Our findings allow for a possible expanded role for proprioception as a contributing factor in upper limb motor control during functional movements. Further research is required to explore and distinguish the associations between proprioception, motor control and sport performance involving the upper limbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proprioception is the sense of position and movement of body segments. The widespread distribution of proprioceptors in human anatomy raises questions about proprioceptive uniformity across different body parts. For the upper limbs, previous research, using mostly active and/or contralateral matching tasks, has suggested better proprioception of the non-preferred arm, and at the elbow rather than the wrist. Here we assessed proprioceptive perception through an ipsilateral passive matching task by comparing the elbow and wrist joints of the preferred and non-preferred arms. We hypothesized that upper limb proprioception would be better at the elbow of the non-preferred arm. We found signed errors to be less variable at the non-preferred elbow than at the preferred elbow and both wrists. Signed errors at the elbow were also more stable than at the wrist. Across individuals, signed errors at the preferred and non-preferred elbows were correlated. Also, variable signed errors at the preferred wrist, non-preferred wrist, and preferred elbow were correlated. These correlations suggest that an individual with relatively consistent matching errors at one joint may have relatively consistent matching errors at another joint. Our findings also support the view that proprioceptive perception varies across upper limb joints, meaning that a single joint assessment is insufficient to provide a general assessment of an individual's proprioception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We can accurately reach to touch our index fingertip to various points on the body without vision. Awareness of location/motion of the index fingertip and other body parts through proprioception is required for such movements. Proprioception involves processing sensory information, but it is also debated whether internal model estimates of body state from motor commands improve proprioception. We tested the hypothesis that proprioceptive errors increase with increases in speed of hand movement and whether an internal model contributes to more accurate proprioception, especially in higher speed movements. Ten subjects made voluntary reaching movements with their dominant arm to touch its index-tip to the index-tip of the non-dominant arm that was moved passively or actively at three speeds (slow, comfortable, fast) in various directions. Four conditions required the experimenter to passively move the subject's target arm at slow, comfortable and fast speeds and in different directions. A fifth condition required the subject to actively move both arms to perform the task. Subjects performed these tasks with high accuracy during slow and comfortable speed movements of the target arm. Errors averaged 3.7 mm larger when the target was moved faster and were equivalent to errors for slower movements (p < 0.014). Errors in the active and passive target movement conditions were also equivalent (p < 0.001). These findings show that proprioception is accurate across many different speeds of passive and active target motion and that there was no evidence than an internal model contributes to improved accuracy of proprioception during active movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Threshold to detect passive motion (TTDPM) tests of the knee joint are commonly implemented among individuals with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to assess proprioceptive acuity. Their psychometric properties (PMPs), i.e. reliability, validity and responsiveness, are however unclear. This systematic review aimed to establish the PMPs of existing knee joint TTDPM tests among individuals with ACL injury. Methods: The databases PubMed, AMED, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL and ProQuest were searched to identify studies that assessed the properties of knee joint TTDPM tests in individuals with ACL injury. The risk of bias for each included study was assessed at the outcome level for each test. Overall quality and levels of evidence for each property were rated according to established criteria. Meta-analyses with mean differences were conducted using random-effects models when adequate data were available. Results: Fifty-one studies covering 108 TTDPM tests and 1632 individuals with unilateral ACL injury were included. A moderate-to-strong level of evidence indicated insufficient quality for all of the following: convergent validity, known-groups validity, discriminative validity, responsiveness between subgroups, and responsiveness to intervention. Subgroup meta-analyses for known-groups validity did however find that a starting angle of 15° resulted in significantly worse TTDPM for knees with ACL injury compared to those of asymptomatic persons (mean difference 0.28°; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.53; P = 0.03), albeit based on only three studies. Due to the lack of evidence, it was not possible to estimate the quality of reliability, measurement error, and criterion validity, nor responsiveness from a criterion and construct approach. Conclusions: Among persons with ACL injury, existing tests of knee joint TTDPM lack either sufficient quality or evidence for their reliability, validity and responsiveness. Significantly worse thresholds for ACL-injured knees compared to those of asymptomatic controls from a 15° starting angle and trends towards significance for some validity measures nevertheless encourage the development of standardised tests. Further research investigating the influence of modifiable test components (e.g. starting angle and motion direction) on the PMPs of knee joint TTDPM tests following ACL injury is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proprioception, which can be defined as the awareness of the mechanical and spatial state of the body and its musculoskeletal parts, is critical to motor actions and contributes to our sense of body ownership. To date, clinical proprioceptive tests have focused on a person's ability to detect, discriminate, or match limb positions or movements, and reveal that the strength of the relationship between deficits in proprioception and physical function varies widely. Unfortunately, these tests fail to assess higher-level proprioceptive abilities. In this Perspective, we propose that to understand fully the link between proprioception and function, we need to look beyond traditional clinical tests of proprioception. Specifically, we present a novel framework for human proprioception assessment that is divided into two categories: low-level and high-level proprioceptive judgments. Lowlevel judgments are those made in a single frame of reference and are the types of judgments made in traditional proprioceptive tests (i.e., detect, discriminate or match). High-level proprioceptive abilities involve proprioceptive judgments made in a different frame of reference. For example, when a person indicates where their hand is located in space. This framework acknowledges that proprioception is complex and multifaceted and that tests of proprioception should not be viewed as interchangeable, but rather as complimentary. Crucially, it provides structure to the way researchers and clinicians can approach proprioception and its assessment. We hope this Perspective serves as the catalyst for discussion and new lines of investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the example of Russian avant-garde artists, the article discusses art as a means of producing knowledge. Nabokina analyzes the ever-current problem of the mutual relations between embodied and theoretical knowledge by referring to arguments of “pre-contextual ethnography” (Michael Jackson, Anne Line Dalsgård, Ryszard Nycz), research on the role of kinesthesia in contemporary art (Irina Sirotkina, Roger Smith), and by placing artists’ activities in a historical-scientific context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of kinesiology tape (KT) on lower limb muscle activation during computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) tasks and ankle kinesthesia in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Methods: Thirty-five men with CAI participated in this study. The experimental procedure followed a repeated measures design. Muscle activation of lower extremity and ankle kinesthesia of participants were measured using four taping treatments, namely, KT, athletic tape (AT), sham tape (ST), and no tape (NT) in a randomized order. Muscle activation was assessed using surface electromyography (sEMG) synchronized with CDP tests from seven lower extremity muscles of the unstable limb. Ankle kinesthesia was measured by using a threshold to detect the passive motion direction of the unstable ankle. Parameters were analyzed by using a one-way repeated measures ANOVA and followed by pairwise comparisons with a Bonferroni correction. Results: No significant difference was observed among different taping treatments for the majority of parameters during CDP. Except for condition 4 with open eyes, sway-referenced surface, and fixed surround in the sensory organization test (SOT), gastrocnemius medialis root mean square (RMS) was 28.19% lower in AT compared with NT (p = 0.021, 95% CI = 0.002–0.039), while gastrocnemius lateralis RMS was 20.25% lower in AT compared with KT (p = 0.038, 95% CI = 0.000–0.021). In forward-small sudden translation from motor control test (MCT), for peroneal longus (PL), RMS was 24.04% lower in KT compared with ST (p = 0.036, 95% CI = 0.000–0.018). In toes-down sudden rotation from adaption test (ADT), for PL, RMS was 23.41% lower in AT compared with ST (p = 0.015, 95% CI = 0.002–0.027). In addition, no significant difference was observed for a threshold to the detection of passive motion direction among different taping treatments. Conclusion: This study indicated that KT had minimal effect on the muscle activation of the unstable lower limb during static stance, self-initiated, and externally triggered perturbation tasks from CDP and ankle kinesthesia among individuals with CAI, suggesting that the benefit of KT was too small to be clinically worthwhile during application for CAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The music of Tōru Takemitsu's Rain Tree Sketch II (1994) entails a procession of discrete gestures that are delineated by moments of repose. The performer's grasp of the piece lies in its physicality of movement: each gesture and in-between stillness are both heard and felt as an aggregate of velocities, directions, and intentions of the body. Drawing upon Carrie Noland's concept of "vitality affects," I take the performative gesture, encompassing both visually accessible movement and inwardly felt kinesthesia, as a starting point for the analysis of Rain Tree Sketch II. Concepts of effort and shape taken from Rudolf Laban's dance theory provide a framework for creating a new methodology of enhanced trace-forms to analyze gesture and kinesthesia. The analysis of gestures reveals the coexistence of opposite effort qualities and shapes in an expanded corporeal space, resonating with Takemitsu's ideal of reconciling contradictory sounds, as noted in his collection of essays Confronting Silence (1995). Husserl's notions of retention and protention, viewed through the lens of embodiment, and Laban's concepts of effort states and effort recovery are brought to bear on the still moments, showing the piece to have a throbbing, embodied rhythmic structural arc. This new methodology centering on gestural-kinesthetic details provides the tools to articulate structural sensations that are often overlooked but lie at the center of musical experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, I will draw parallels between the notion of contagion of diseases and the potential effect of movement as contagion, while juxtaposing some of the selected theoretical approaches that analyse the term contagion as a threat on the one hand and as a potential weapon in the processes of sensibilization of humanity, emphasizing empathy as a tool and medium for social politicization on the other. I will try to answer to the following questions: what does it mean to see the contagioned body as infectious toward other bodies? What is the impact of the medical-epidemiological concept of infection on the wider political discourse? How have the metaphoric notions of contagion been used as its counter-side? How contagious are social and artistic practices and what are the reasons for their success or/and their downfall? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Drawing from my research experience with the Catalonian artist Fina Miralles (b.1950), in this article I demonstrate how perceptual experiences provide a genuine tool to develop embodied methodologies focused on kinesthetic empathy. This generates corporeal practices of knowledge making. I discuss how embodied ways of researching performance challenge the critical distance of 'the good eye' in art history. In this article I argue for an interdisciplinary methodology of feminist embodied research, and propose ways of doing/knowing, explaining different strategies as possibilities to build and generate somatic knowledge and corporeal agency drawing mainly upon 'kinesthesia' (as elaborated by Noland 2009) and 'kinesthetic empathy' (Sklar 1994, Reynolds and Reason 2012). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When humans handle a tool, such as a tennis racket or hammer, for the first time, they often wield it to determine its inertial properties. The mechanisms that contribute to perception of inertial properties are not fully understood. The present study's goal was to investigate how proprioceptive afferents contribute to effortful perception of heaviness and length of a manually wielded object in the absence of vision. Blindfolded participants manually wielded specially designed objects with different mass, the static moment, and the moment of inertia at different wrist angles and angular kinematics. These manipulations elicited different tonic and rhythmic activity levels in the muscle spindles of the wrist, allowing us to relate differences in muscle activity to perceptual judgments of heaviness and length. Perception of heaviness and length depended on an object's static moment and the moment of inertia, respectively. Manipulations of wrist angle and angular kinematics affected perceived heaviness and length in distinct ways. Ulnar deviation resulted in an object being perceived heavier but shorter. Compared to static holding, wielding the object resulted in it being perceived heavier but wielding did not affect perceived length. These results suggest that proprioceptive afferents differentially contribute to effortful perception of object heaviness and length. Critically, the role of afferent is specific to the mechanical variable used to derive a given object property. These findings open a new possibility of studies on the link between physiology, and different mechanical variables picked up by the perceptual system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into gaming and dancing has tended to highlight educational benefits, such as positive effects on problem-solving, creativity, and motivation (Hutton E and Sundar S, 2010. Can video games enhance creativity? Effects of emotion generated by Dance Dance Revolution. Creativity Research Journal 22(3): 294–303.). This article focuses on a game called Bound (2016), developed by Plastic Studios for PlayStation 4 and VR, to show how dancing can be defined as an embodied epistemology and a form of creative exploration that contributes to emotional intelligence. Using methodologies generated by Brendan Keogh, I show how and why dominant understandings of gameplay are insufficient to analyze the experience and meaning produced by playing Bound. Keogh's theories are relevant to both game studies and dance studies and allow us to examine the fruitful intersections of game studies and screendance. Ultimately I introduce 'choreographic thinking' as a mode of engagement that is activated by gameplay and that resonates with Keogh's theories: by calling attention to the choreographic potential of Bound, I demonstrate the value of noncompetitive gaming models for producing embodied knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estúdio (1647-6158) is the property of Revista Estudio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study was to compare the ability to control elbow joint angle under conditions with and without imposed external load, and to obtain fundamental data on this issue. Fourteen male college students (21.4 ± 0.7 yr) participated in the experiment. The participants attempted to flex their elbow to a target angle with their eyes closed, with and without an external load. For the external load condition, 6 levels of external load starting at 10%1RM with 10% increments up to 60%1RM were applied. The target angles were 15º, 30º, 45º, 60º, and 90º. We calculated the difference between the target angle and the actual joint angle. It was found that, regardless of the external load, participants were able to control and grade their elbow joint angle to the various targets. For the 15º target, the absolute error was greater than for the 30º target. %iEMG of the biceps and triceps became smaller as the target angle increased, and %iEMG increased along with the external load. These findings suggest that an external load can not influence the ability to control the elbow joint angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Playing the piano involves rapid and precise upper limb movements, which require seamless integration of the proprioceptive and motor systems. In this study, we comprehensively assessed active and passive proprioception and different domains of motor function in young pianists, aiming to understand how their proprioceptive and motor functions are improved. Fifty-seven participants, including seventeen 11- to 12-yr-old (young) pianists, 20 children, and 20 adults, were included. The children in the pianist group had received piano training for 6 yr, whereas the children and adults in the control groups had no previous experience with instrumental training. All participants performed a psychophysical discrimination threshold hunting task and an ipsilateral joint position reproduction task, both of which measured the position sense acuity of the wrist. Their motor function was evaluated by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition. The results revealed that the young pianists showed a significantly lower position sense discrimination threshold (31%) and fewer joint position reproduction errors (49%) than the nontrained children. Second, a higher level of manual dexterity, but not of ball skills or balance, was found in the young pianist group. Third, a higher proprioceptive acuity (i.e., decreased position sense discrimination threshold) significantly correlated with higher manual dexterity. This study documents that a high wrist position sense is a common characteristic among young pianists. The increased upper limb position sense acuity is correlated with better manual dexterity, suggesting that piano practice may benefit untrained fine motor skills in children. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We document that improved proprioceptive acuity is a common feature in young pianists. This proprioceptive improvement is associated with both proprioceptive processing and proprioceptive-motor integration. Higher wrist proprioceptive acuity in young pianists is linked to enhanced manual dexterity, which suggests that intensive piano training may improve untrained fine motor skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For any type of goal-directed hand and eye movement, it is important to determine the position of the target. Though many of these movements are directed toward visual targets, humans also perform movements to targets derived by somatosensory information only, such as proprioceptive (sensory signals about static limb position), kinesthetic (sensory signals about limb movement), and tactile signals (sensory signals about touch on skin). In this study we investigated how each of these types of somatosensory information influences goal-directed hand and eye movements. Furthermore, we examined whether somatosensory target information has a differential influence on isolated and combined eye-hand movements. Participants performed right-hand reaching, eye, or coordinated eye-hand movements to their left index or middle fingers in the absence of any visual information. We varied somatosensory target information by allowing proprioceptive, proprioceptive-kinesthetic, proprioceptive-tactile, or proprioceptive-kinesthetic-tactile information. Reach endpoint precision was poorest when the target was derived by proprioceptive information only but improved when two different types of input were available. In addition, reach endpoints in conditions with kinesthetic target information were systematically shifted toward the direction of movement, while static somatosensory information decayed over time and led to systematic undershoots of the reach target location. In contrast to the effect on reaches, somatosensory information did not influence gaze endpoint accuracy or precision. When performing coordinated eye-hand movements reach accuracy and gaze endpoint precision improved, suggesting a bidirectional use of efferent information. We conclude that somatosensory target information influence endpoint control differently for goal-directed hand and eye movements to unseen targets. NEW & NOTEWORTHY A systematic investigation of contributions of different somatosensory modalities (proprioception, kinesthesia, tactile) for goal-directed movements is missing. Here we demonstrate that while eye movements are not affected by different types of somatosensory information, reach precision improves when two different types of information are available. Moreover, reach accuracy and gaze precision to unseen somatosensory targets improve when performing coordinated eye-hand movements, suggesting bidirectional contributions of efferent information in reach and eye movement control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ERAS: European Review of Artistic Studies is the property of European Review of Artistic Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Performing activities of daily living depends, among other factors, on awareness of the position and movements of limbs. Neural injuries, such as stroke, might negatively affect such an awareness and, consequently, lead to degrading the quality of life and lengthening the motor recovery process. With the goal of improving the sense of hand position in three-dimensional (3D) space, we investigate the effects of integrating a pertinent training component within a robotic reaching task.Methods: In the proof-of-concept study presented in this paper, 12 healthy participants, during a single session, used their dominant hand to attempt reaching without vision to two targets in 3D space, which were placed at locations that resembled the functional task of self-feeding. After each attempt, participants received visual and haptic feedback about their hand's position to accurately locate the target. Performance was evaluated at the beginning and end of each session during an assessment in which participants reached without visual nor haptic feedback to three targets: the same two targets employed during the training phase and an additional one to evaluate the generalization of training.Results: Collected data showed a statistically significant [39.81% (p=0.001)] reduction of end-position reaching error when results of reaching to all targets were combined. End-position error to the generalization target, although not statistically significant, was reduced by 15.47%.Conclusions: These results provide support for the effectiveness of combining an arm position sense training component with functional motor tasks, which could be implemented in the design of future robot-assisted rehabilitation paradigms to potentially expedite the recovery process of individuals with neurological injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Imago is the property of kopaed Verlags GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)