Search

Evaluation the effects of dry needling on sonographic, biomechanical and functional parameters of spastic upper extremity muscles. Twenty-four patients (35–65 years) with spastic hand were randomly allocated into two equal groups: intervention and sham-controlled groups. The treatment protocol was 12-sessions neurorehabilitation for both groups and 4-sessions dry needling or sham-needling for the intervention group and sham-controlled group respectively on wrist and fingers flexor muscles. The outcomes were muscle thickness, spasticity, upper extremity motor function, hand dexterity and reflex torque which were assessed before, after the 12th session, and after one-month follow-up by a blinded assessor. The analysis showed that there was a significant reduction in muscle thickness, spasticity and reflex torque and a significant increment in motor function and dexterity in both groups after treatment (p < 0.01). However, these changes were significantly higher in the intervention group (p < 0.01) except for spasticity. Moreover, a significant improvement was seen in all outcomes measured one-month after the end of the treatment in the intervention group (p < 0.01). Dry needling plus neurorehabilitation could decrease muscle thickness, spasticity and reflex torque and improve upper-extremity motor performance and dexterity in chronic stroke patients. These changes were lasted one-month after treatment.Trial Registration Number: IRCT20200904048609N1 Upper extremity spasticity is one of the stroke consequences which interfere with motor function and dexterity of patient hand in activity of daily living Applying the dry needling accompanied with neurorehabilitation program in post-stroke patients with muscle spasticity can reduce the muscle thickness, spasticity and reflex torque and improve upper extremity functions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Thoracic hyperkyphosis, one of the most common spinal deformities, may lead to undesirable pulmonary outcomes . Objective: To study, the efficacy of virtual reality exercise training on thoracic hyperkyphosis and respiratory parameters in young women. Design: Randomized clinical trial. Se#ing. Laboratory setting. Participants and Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two 4-week exercise training groups: regular training (RT), which involved stretch and strength training, or virtual reality with RT (VRRT), which involved dance training with the Xbox 360 Kinect® game in addition to the exercises, which the RT group received. Main Outcome Measures : The authors measured kyphosis angle with a Flexicurve ruler and recorded respiratory parameters (forced vital capacity [FVC] and forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV i ]) with a spirometer in each participant at baseline and postintervention. Separate 2x2 repeated-measure analysis of variances were used to analyze differences between means for kyphosis angle, FEVI, and FVC. Based on the significant interactions between time and group, the paired t test was used to compare the results at baseline and postintervention, and the independent sample t test was used to compare the differences in changes between groups. Level of significance was considered at P <.05 except for paired t test that was adjusted to P <.025 for each variable in 2 groups. Results: The results showed statistically significant interactions between time and group for kyphosis angle, FEVi, and FVC. Postintervention thoracic kyphosis angle decreased and FVC increased significantly in both groups and FEVI improved significantly in virtual reality with RT group. The improvements in thoracic kyphosis, FVC, and FEV 1 in the virtual reality with RT group were significantly greater ( P <. 001 ) than in the RT group . Conclusion: Dance training with the Xbox 360 Kinect game was an effective therapy in improving thoracic kyphosis angle, FVC, and FEVi in young women with thoracic hyperkyphosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In migraine headaches, motor control of muscles is impaired. In this research, thickness measurement of bilateral muscle thickness of upper trapezius (UT) and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles was conducted and intra-rater reliability of the thickness measurement of these muscles was assessed in migraine headache and healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study to measure bilateral ultrasound images of UT and SCM muscles in 15 patients with migraine headaches and 15 healthy controls. A linear array probe with a 50-mm footprint and frequency range of 7.5 MHz measured the thickness of UT and SCM, parallel to the orientation of the muscle fibers. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were used for data analysis. Results: The ICC and SEM for thickness measurement of left UT were 0.88 and 0.06 (excellent) and it was 0.87 and 0.07 (excellent) for right UT thickness. The ICC and SEM for left SCM muscle thickness were 0.88 and 0.06 (excellent) and it was 0.85 and 0.08 (excellent) for right SCM thickness. Muscle thickness of the right UT muscle was 13.38±0.92 mm and 11.12±1.00 mm, in migraine and healthy groups, respectively. Also, muscle thickness of the right SCM muscle was 7.24±0.70 mm and 9.16±0.67 mm in migraine and healthy groups, respectively. Conclusion: The present study showed that ultrasonography can be a reliable tool to measure cervical muscle thickness in migraine patients. Additionally, the ultrasonography protocol of the current study, the position, and the measurement level can be used with high reliability in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Thoracic hyperkyphosis, one of the most common spinal deformities, may lead to undesirable pulmonary outcomes., Objective: To study, the efficacy of virtual reality exercise training on thoracic hyperkyphosis and respiratory parameters in young women., Design: Randomized clinical trial., Setting: Laboratory setting., Participants and Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two 4-week exercise training groups: regular training (RT), which involved stretch and strength training, or virtual reality with RT (VRRT), which involved dance training with the Xbox 360 Kinect® game in addition to the exercises, which the RT group received., Main Outcome Measures: The authors measured kyphosis angle with a Flexicurve ruler and recorded respiratory parameters (forced vital capacity [FVC] and forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1]) with a spirometer in each participant at baseline and postintervention. Separate 2 × 2 repeated-measure analysis of variances were used to analyze differences between means for kyphosis angle, FEV1, and FVC. Based on the significant interactions between time and group, the paired t test was used to compare the results at baseline and postintervention, and the independent sample t test was used to compare the differences in changes between groups. Level of significance was considered at P < .05 except for paired t test that was adjusted to P < .025 for each variable in 2 groups., Results: The results showed statistically significant interactions between time and group for kyphosis angle, FEV1, and FVC. Postintervention thoracic kyphosis angle decreased and FVC increased significantly in both groups and FEV1 improved significantly in virtual reality with RT group. The improvements in thoracic kyphosis, FVC, and FEV1 in the virtual reality with RT group were significantly greater (P < .001) than in the RT group., Conclusion: Dance training with the Xbox 360 Kinect game was an effective therapy in improving thoracic kyphosis angle, FVC, and FEV1 in young women with thoracic hyperkyphosis.