Search

[Purpose] To evaluate the effects of Pilates on patients with chronic low back pain through a systematic review of high-quality articles on randomized controlled trials. [Subjects and Methods] Keywords and synonyms for "Pilates" and "Chronic low back pain" were used in database searches. The databases included PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Medline, and the Cochrane Library. Articles involving randomized controlled trials with higher than 5 points on the PEDro scale were reviewed for suitability and inclusion. The methodological quality of the included randomized controlled trials was evaluated using the PEDro scale. Relevant information was extracted by 3 reviewers. [Results] Eight randomized controlled trial articles were included. Patients with chronic low back pain showed statistically significant improvement in pain relief and functional ability compared to patients who only performed usual or routine health care. However, other forms of exercise were similar to Pilates in the improvement of pain relief and functional capacity. [Conclusion] In patients with chronic low back pain, Pilates showed significant improvement in pain relief and functional enhancement. Other exercises showed effects similar to those of Pilates, if waist or torso movement was included and the exercises were performed for 20 cumulative hours.

A project-based laboratory for learning embedded system design with support from industry is presented in this paper. The aim of this laboratory is to motivate students to learn the building blocks of embedded systems and practical control algorithms by constructing a line-following robot using the quadratic interpolation technique to predict the line position. For those students who have acquired basic microcontroller hardware and software programming skills from previous courses, the hands-on exercises in the laboratory include several specific hardware circuits and software algorithms for the final project of constructing the line-following robot. The students are allowed to discuss the hardware and software problems with each other while solving each exercise, although they have to answer the teacher's questions individually to earn the score. To enhance the learning outcomes, a racing contest for the students' line-following robots is also organized to see how well the techniques learned in the laboratory are applied in the final project. The support from the local branch of Microchip Inc. allows students to obtain C-compilers and microcontrollers at no cost. The feedback from students shows that the final project of constructing line-following robots and the racing contest motivates the students to learn actively all the skills included in the laboratory for embedded system design.

This paper presents a hands-on laboratory for autonomous mobile robot design courses, which will be offered to the third or fourth year students of the department of electronic engineering in the Lunghwa University of Science and Technology. The aim of the hands-on laboratory is to introduce to the students the basic implementation issues of autonomous mobile robots from a practical point of view. Therefore, a simple line following robot with automatic control algorithms to detect the line position and to steer the motors, and a micro-mouse capable of solving a given maze are devised for the hands-on laboratory. These two autonomous mobile robot kits based on the dsPIC microcontroller are used to help students learn easily both the hardware and software implementation issues. SIMULINK behaviour models are also developed to help students quickly grasp the working principles of these two autonomous mobile robots. All the necessary software is given at no cost to the students during the class.

This paper presents a hands-on laboratory for introductory automatic control courses, which will be offered to the third or fourth year students of the department of electronic engineering in the Lunghwa University of Science and Technology. The aim of the hands-on laboratory is to help reinforce the learning process of the students in introductory automatic control courses from a practical point of view. Therefore, a low cost (~D 60) but versatile educational platform based on the dsPIC microcontroller is devised as a learning aid to implement practical control algorithms for motion control systems. A monitor and control software running on the PC side is also developed to collect experimental results from and send commands via universal serial bus (USB) to the platform. All the necessary softwares are given at no cost to the students during the class. In addition to the theoretical part of automatic control systems and microcontroller structures, the hands-on laboratory consists of four parts of exercises which are used to help students learn step by step the automatic control theory, how to implement control algorithms in a microcontroller, and the performance requirements of motion control systems.

Background More than 1000 scientific papers have been devoted to flatfoot issue. However, a bimodal distribution of flatfoot indices in school-aged children has never been discovered. The purposes of this study were to establish a new classification of flatfoot by characteristic in frequency distribution of footprint index and to endue the classification with discrepancy in physical fitness. Methods/principal findings In a longitudinal survey of physical fitness and body structure, weight bearing footprints and 3 physical fitness related tests were measured in 1228 school-aged children. Frequency distribution of initial data was tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality and a unique bimodal distribution of footprint index was identified. The frequency distribution of footprint index manifests two distinct modes, flatfoot and non-flatfoot, by deconvolution and bootstrapping procedures. A constant intersection value of 1.0 in Staheli's arch index and 0.6 in Chippaux-Smirak index could distinguish the two modes of children, and the value was constant in different age, sex, and weight status. The performance of the one leg balance was inferior in flatfoot girls (median, 4.0 seconds in flatfoot girls vs. 4.3 seconds in non-flatfoot girls, p = 0.04, 95% CI 0.404-0.484). Discussion The natural bimodality lends itself to a flatfoot classification. Bimodality suggests development of the child's foot arch would be a leap from one state to another, rather than a continuous growth as body height and weight. The underlying dynamics of the human foot arch and motor development will trigger research prospects.

1.1 History of spine biomechanics Spine biomechanics is the physical science that forms a substantial portion of the foundation of modern spine surgery. Plato’s conceptualization of mathematics as the life force of science created the birth and growth of the science of mechanics and spine biomechanics. Aristotle was the first to discuss human kinesiology and spine biomechanics under pure logical analysis. Leonardo da Vinci was the first to accurately describe the human adult S-shape spinal posture with its curvature, articulations and vertebrae. Borelli provided many calculations regarding spine biomechanics [1]. Bone trabecular architecture to its mechanical and load-bearing attributed to the Wolff’s law [2]. It contributed to the development of spine biomechanics as a discipline.

Two methods have been used to produce a maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the superficial quadriceps femoris muscles for normalization of electromyographic (EMG) data. The purposes of this study were to compare the myoelectic activity of MVIC of manual muscle testing (MMT) versus Cybex maximal isometric testing. Eighteen normal subjects were recruited. MMT and Cybex testing for MVIC of the dominant leg were performed. EMG activities of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris were recorded during MMT and Cybex trials. EMG amplitude and median frequency obtained from the two methods (MMT and Cybex testing) were used for statistical analysis of these three muscles. Statistically, the difference in the mean of the EMG signal amplitude and median frequency between MMT and Cybex testing were not significant. Considering cost and time, MMT for MVIC technique appears to be reliable and highly valuable.

Background and Purpose. Translational mobilization techniques are frequently used by physical therapists as an intervention for patients with limited ranges of motion (ROMs). However, concrete experimental support for such practice is lacking. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of simulated dorsal and ventral translational mobilization (DTM and VTM) of the glenohumeral joint on abduction and rotational ROMs. Methods. Fourteen fresh frozen shoulder specimens from 5 men and 3 women (mean age=77.3 years, SD=10.1, range=62–91) were used for this study. Each specimen underwent 5 repetitions of DTM and VTM in the plane of scapula simulated by a material testing system (MTS) in the resting position (40° of abduction in neutral rotation) and at the end range of abduction with 100 N of force. Abduction and rotation were assessed as the main outcome measures before and after each mobilization procedure performed and monitored by the MTS (abduction, 4 N·m) and by a servomotor attached to the piston of the actuator of the MTS (medial and lateral rotation, 2 N·m). Results. There were increases in abduction ROM for both DTM (X̄=2.10°, SD=1.76°) and VTM (X̄=2.06°, SD=1.96°) at the end-range position. No changes were found in the resting position following the same procedure. Small increases were also found in lateral rotation ROM after VTM in the resting position (X̄=0.90°, SD=0.92°, t=3.65, P=.003) and in medial rotation ROM after DTM (X̄=0.97°, SD=1.45°, t=2.51, P=.026) at the end range of abduction. Discussion and Conclusion. The results indicate that both DTM and VTM procedures applied at the end range of abduction improved glenohumeral abduction range of motion. Whether these changes would result in improved function could not be determined because of the use of a cadaver model.

Background To investigate how unilateral cage-instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) affects the three-dimensional flexibility in degenerative disc disease by comparing the biomechanical characteristics of unilateral and bilateral cage-instrumented PLIF. Methods Twelve motion segments in sheep lumbar spine specimens were tested for flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending by nondestructive flexibility test method using a nonconstrained testing apparatus. The specimens were divided into two equal groups. Group 1 received unilateral procedures while group 2 received bilateral procedures. Laminectomy, facectomy, discectomy, cage insertion and transpedicle screw insertion were performed sequentially after testing the intact status. Changes in range of motion (ROM) and neutral zone (NZ) were compared between unilateral and bilateral cage-instrumented PLIF. Results Both ROM and NZ, unilateral cage-instrumented PLIF and bilateral cage-instrumented PLIF, transpedicle screw insertion procedure did not revealed a significant difference between flexion-extension, lateral bending and axial rotation direction except the ROM in the axial rotation. The bilateral group's ROM (-1.7 ± 0. 8) of axial rotation was decreased significantly after transpedicle screw insertion procedure in comparison with the unilateral group (-0.2 ± 0.1). In the unilateral cage-instrumented PLIF group, the transpedicle screw insertion procedure did not demonstrate a significant difference between right and left side in the lateral bending and axial rotation direction. Conclusions Based on the results of this study, unilateral cage-instrumented PLIF and bilateral cage-instrumented PLIF have similar stability after transpedicle screw fixation in the sheep spine model. The unilateral approach can substantially reduce exposure requirements. It also offers the biomechanics advantage of construction using anterior column support combined with pedicle screws just as the bilateral cage-instrumented group. The unpleasant effect of couple motion resulting from inherent asymmetry was absent in the unilateral group.