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Background: Recent studies revealed the connection between the endurance of neck muscles and pain, neck awareness, and fear of movement in patients with chronic neck pain in literature. Objectives: To investigate the association between cervical, scapular, trunk, and upper extremity muscles' endurance and neck pain, disability, neck awareness, and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic neck pain. Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Methods: Thirty-six patients with chronic neck pain (aged 18–65 years) were included in the study. Endurance tests were performed for 9 muscles/muscle groups in the cervical and scapular region, upper limb, and trunk. Pain severity, neck disability, neck awareness, and fear of movement were measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire (FreNAQ), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), respectively. Results: Negative, weak-to-moderate relations were found between VAS (at rest and during activity) and the endurance of muscles evaluated in the cervical and scapular regions, upper extremity, and trunk as well as between NDI and endurance of the same muscles, similar to the relations between FreNAQ scores and the endurance of the cervical flexor, anterior trunk flexor, and upper extremity muscles (p < 0.05). No relation was found between the endurance of the muscles and TSK (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Since the decrease in upper extremity, scapular region, and trunk muscles' endurance may contribute to neck pain and disability, and decrease neck awareness in patients with chronic neck pain; the evaluation of muscular endurance of upper body and trunk should also be considered. Clinical Trials: NCT05121467 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate validity, reliability and feasibility of the Four Square Step Test (FSST) in children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The study included 44 children with DMD aged 5–12 years. The functional level of the children was determined by using the Brooke Lower Extremity Functional Classification (BLEFC). The concurrent validity of the FSST, a dynamic balance assessment, was investigated by analyzing the association between FSST and Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) and Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) distance. The intra- and inter-rater reliability of the FSST was determined by using the Intra Class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) while the feasibility of the test was determined by calculating the percentage of children who successfully completed the test in accordance with the test instructions. The FSST score of the children (mean age 9.25 ± 2.14 years) was 11.91 ± 3.43 and the BLEFC level ranged from Level 1 (65.9%) to Level 3 (9.1%). FSST had positive, moderate relation with BLEFC (r = 0.447; p =.002); positive, strong relation with TUG (rs = 0.623), and negative, moderate correlations with NSAA (rs = −0.529) and 6MWT distance (rs = −0.592) (p <.001). Intra-rater (ICC: 0.965) and inter-rater (ICC: 0.991) reliability was "excellent," and the test was feasible with successful performance of 88% children. The FSST is a valid, reliable and feasible instrument to assess dynamic balance as well as having the ability to reflect falling risk and different functional levels of children with DMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate whether trunk control is associated with the upper limb function of children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Methods: The children included in the study were divided into two groups according to the Trunk Control Measurement Scale total scores. Twenty-five children whose trunk control levels were lower than 30.5 points were included in Group 1 while 31 children who had good levels of trunk control between 30.5 and 58 points were included in Group 2. General functional levels, muscular strength, and function of the upper limb were assessed and compared between the groups. Results: According to the results of the assessments, children in Group 2 were found to have better upper limb function and muscular strength than Group 1 (p <.001). Conclusions: The current study demonstrated better upper limb functional performance of children with DMD that had good-level trunk control thus suggesting the possible association between trunk stability and upper limb function. The results reveal the need to improve and protect trunk muscle strength and stability as well as upper limb strength, and to optimize trunk stability during upper limb movement in rehabilitation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abnormal foot anthropometry and posture of patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) can be considered as possible risk factors for performance and ambulation. It was aimed to examine the effects of foot posture and anthropometric characteristics, which deteriorated from the early period, on ambulation and performance of patients with DMD., Methods: The foot arch height (FAH), the metatarsal width (MW), subtalar pronation angle, and ankle limitation degree (ALD) were evaluated to determine the foot anthropometric characteristics of the patients. Foot Posture Index-6 (FPI-6) was used to evaluate foot posture. The performance of the patients was determined by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), the 10-meter walk test (10MWT), and ascend/descend a standard 4-step test, and the ambulation was determined by the North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA). Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the relationship between foot anthropometric characteristics and posture, and performance and ambulation., Results: The sample consisted of 48 patients with DMD aged 5.5 to 12 years. Both of the right and left foot FPI-6 scores were associated with all parameters, except descending 4-step. The left FAH was associated with 6MWT and NSAA, and the left MW was associated with 6MWT. The ALD of right foot was associated with 6MWT, ascending/descending 4 steps, and NSAA, and left ankle limitation was associated with NSAA (p<0.05). There was no relationship between other parameters., Conclusions: These findings suggest that postural disorders in the foot and ankle may contribute to the decrease in performance and ambulation in patients with DMD.