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2022 AUG 13 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Current study results on Cerebrovascular Diseases and Conditions - Stroke have been [...]

2022 AUG 6 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- New study results on translational myology have been published. According to news [...]

Background. The ability to sit independently is fundamental for function but delayed in infants with cerebral palsy (CP). Studies of interventions directed specifically toward sitting in infants with CP have not been reported. Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare 2 interventions for improving sitting postural control in infants with CP. Design. For this randomized longitudinal study, infants under 2 years of age and at risk for CP were recruited for intervention directed toward sitting independence. Setting. The intervention was conducted at home or at an outpatient facility. Patients and Intervention. Fifteen infants with typical development (mean age at entry=5 months, SD=0.5) were followed longitudinally as a comparison for postural variables. Thirty-five infants with delays in achieving sitting were recruited. Infants with delays were randomly assigned to receive a home program (1 time per week for 8 weeks; mean age= 15.5 months, SD=7) or a perceptual-motor intervention (2 times per week for 8 weeks; mean age= 14.3 months, SD=3). Measurements. The primary outcome measure was center-of-pressure (COP) data, from which linear and nonlinear variables were extracted. The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) sitting subsection was the clinical outcome measure. Results. There was a main effect of time for the GMFM sitting subscale and for 2 of the COP variables. Interaction of group x time factors indicated significant differences between intervention groups on 2 COP measures, in favor of the group with perceptual-motor intervention. Limitations. The small number of infants limits the ability to generalize the findings. Conclusions. Although both groups made progress on the GMFM, the COP measures indicated an advantage for the group with perceptual-motor intervention. The COP measures appear sensitive for assessment of infant posture control and quantifying intervention response., Sitting Postural Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have several fundamental limitations that are pervasive among the varying types and severities of this diagnostic group. [...]

Suspension trauma (ST), also known as orthostatic intolerance, is a physiological disorder that results from restraining the human body motionless in a head-erect position for an extended period of time. [...]

Background and Purpose. Physical therapists and occupational therapists frequently use adaptive seating devices to improve stability in sitting for children with neuromotor impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a contoured foam seat (CFS) on postural alignment and on the ability of infants with neuromotor impairments to engage with toys. Parental perceptions regarding the use and effects of the CFS also were assessed via semistructured interviews. Subjects. Subjects were 4 infants, ages 9 to 18 months, who were unable to sit independently. Method. A time-series, alternating-treatments design was used, with data collected under 3 conditions: (1) a regular highchair, (2) a regular highchair with a thin foam liner, and (3) a CFS used as an insert in a regular highchair. The primary dependent measures were postural alignment and engagement with toys. Engagement with toys was defined as percentage of intervals with 2 hands on a toy and percentage of intervals with no hands on a highchair tray and 1 or 2 hands on a toy. Results. Results showed a sustained effect of the CFS on improving postural alignment for all subjects. Effects of the CFS on increasing the number of intervals of bimanual play were not demonstrated for any subjects, although some improvement in the infant's ability to free the arms from support was observed for 2 subjects. Mothers reported acceptability of the CFS for everyday use and described benefits for themselves and their infants. Discussion and Conclusion. The results support the use of a CFS for improving postural alignment. Future research on adaptive seating should focus on interventions and outcomes that help children participate in functional activities relevant to them and their families. [Washington K, Deitz JC, White OR, Schwartz IS. The effects of a contoured foam seat on postural alignment and upper-extremity function in infants with neuromotor impairments. Phys Ther. 2002;82:1064-1076.] Key Words: Adaptive seating, Cerebral palsy, Infants., Children with neuromotor impairments frequently demonstrate difficulty balancing and stabilizing their body relative to the supporting surface. Adaptive seating, the customized prescription and application of sitting support devices based on [...]

Children with many types of motor dysfunction have problems maintaining postural stability. Because maintenance of postural stability is an integral part of all movements, therapists evaluate and treat to improve postural stability in these children. This article reviews current pediatric assessment tools for postural stability and issues affecting testing this construct in children. The tests and measurements are classified according to their testing purpose and the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research disablement framework, focusing on the impairment and functional limitation dimensions. Postural stability is defined from a systems perspective with tests related to the sensory, motor, and biomechanical systems described. Reliability and validity information on the measurements is discussed. Relatively few measurements of postural stability in children are available that have acceptable reliability and validity documentation. Suggestions for research on test development in this area are discussed., [Westcott SL. Lowes LP, Richardson PK. Evaluation of postural stability in children: current theories and assessment tools. Phys Ther. 1997;77:629-645.] Key Words: Balance, Evaluation, Motor dysfunction, Pediatrics, Postural stability, Tests [...]

The quality of sensory information that is necessary for balance and postural Stability will depend to a great extent on head stability as the body moves. How older persons coordinate head and body motion for balance during volitional activities is not known. The purposes of this article are to present a basis for understanding the influence of aging on head control during voluntary motion and to discuss some data that demonstrate how elderly people might control head movement to improve gaze and the quality of vestibular inputs. A "top-down" or "head-first" control scheme is proposed as the mechanism that elderly people without disabilities use to maintain head position during self-initiated motion, This type of control ensures that the angular position of the head in space remains relatively constant--through the use of a head-stabilization-in-space (HSS) strategy--regardless of the magnitude or direction of displacements in the body's center of force. The HSS strategy is thought to reduce potential ambiguities in the interpretation of sensory inputs for balance and is derived primarily from a geocentric (orientation to the vertical) frame of reference. Egocentric (orientation of the head with respect to the body) or exocentric (orientation to objects in the environment) frames of reference, however, refine the control of head stabilization. Preliminary research suggests that elderly people use the HSS strategy to control head pitch during difficult balance tasks. These findings, if supported by more definitive studies, may be useful in the treatment of patients with balance disorders. The treatment of patients with balance dysfunction is discussed within the conceptual framework of a "head-first" organization Scheme. [Di Fabio RP, Emasithi A. Aging and the mechanisms underlying head and postural control during voluntary motion. Phys Ther. 1997;77:458-475.], Key Words: Balance, Head control, Posture, Sensory integration. The quality of sensory information that is necessary for balance and postural stability depends to a great extent on head stabilization as [...]

The treatment of two patients with cerebellar dysfunction is described. One patient was a 36-year-old woman with a 7-month history of dizziness and unsteadiness following surgical resection of a recurrent pilocystic astrocytoma located in the cerebellar vermis. The other patient was a 48-year-old man with cerebrotendinous xanthamatosis (CTX) and diffuse cerebellar atrophy, and a 10-year history of progressive gait and balance difficulties. Each patient was treated with a 6-week course of physical therapy that emphasized the practice of activities that challenged stability. The patient with the cerebellar tumor resection also performed eye-head coordination exercises. Each patient had weekly therapy and performed selected balance retraining exercises on a daily basis at home. Measurements taken before and after treatment for each patient included self-perception of symptoms, clinical balance tests, and stability during selected standing and gait activities; for the patient with the cerebellar tumor resection, vestibular function tests and posturography were also performed. Both patients reported improvements in symptoms and demonstrated similar improvements on several kinematic indicators of stability during gait. The patient with the cerebellar tumor resection improved on posturography following treatment, whereas the patient with CTX improved on clinical balance tests. This case report describes two individualized treatment programs and documents functional improvements in two patients with different etiologies, durations, and clinical presentations of cerebellar dysfunction. The outcomes suggest that patients with cerebellar lesions, acute or chronic, may be able to learn to improve their postural stability. [Gill-Body KM, Popat RA, Parker SW, Krebs DE. Rehabilitation of balance in. two patients with cerebellar dysfunction. Phys Ther. 1997;77:534-552.], Key Words: Balance rehabilitation, Cerebellar rehabilitation, Postural control. The cerebellum controls limb, posture, and eye-head coordination and may also be involved in nonmotor functions such as cognition(1) and attention.(2) Anterior [...]

This article reviews the neural control of posture as understood through studies of automatic responses to mechanical perturbations. Recent studies of responses to postural perturbations have provided a new view of how postural stability is controlled, and this view has profound implications for physical therapy practice. We discuss the implications for rehabilitation of balance disorders and demonstrate how an understanding of the specific systems underlying postural control can help to focus and enrich our therapeutic approaches. By understanding the basic systems underlying control of balance, such as strategy selection, rapid latencies, coordinated temporal spatial patterns, force control, and context-specific adaptations, therapists can focus their treatment on each patient's specific impairments. Research on postural responses to surface translations has shown that balance is not based on a fixed set of equilibrium reflexes but on a flexible, functional motor skill that can adapt with training and experience. More research is needed to determine the extent to which quantification of automatic postural responses has practical implications for predicting falls in patients with constraints in their postural control system. [Horak FB, Henry SM, Shumway-Cook A. Postural perturbalions: new insights for treatment of balance disorders. Phys Ther. 1997;77:517-533.], Postural control, although poorly understood, is critical for the efficient and effective performance of all goal-directed activities. A useful experimental approach to understanding neural control of posture is the disrupting [...]

Background and Purpose. This study explored whether two exercise programs would affect the ability to minimize postural sway of 72 relatively inactive, older subjects who participated in the Atlanta FICSIT trial. Subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to (1) a computerized balance training group, (2) a tai chi group, or (3) an educational group serving as a control for exercise. Each group. consisted of 24 members. Methods. All subjects were evaluated under four postural conditions before, immediately after, and 4 months following their respective interventions, each of which was given over 15 weeks. Results. Platform balance measures revealed greater stability after training among subjects in the balance training group but little change in stability among subjects in the tai chi and educational group. Subjects in the tai chi group were less afraid of falling after training compared with subjects in other groups with similar covariates. Conclusion and Discussion. Unlike computerized balance training, tai chi does not improve measures of postural stability. Because tai chi delayed onset to first or multiple falls in older individuals, this effect does not appear to be associated with measures of enhanced postural stability. Tai chi may gain its success, in part, from promoting confidence without reducing sway rather than primarily facilitating a reduction in sway-based measures. [Wolf SL, Barnhart HX, Ellison GL, et al. The effect of tai chi quan and computerized balance training on postural stability in older subjects. Phys Ther. 1997;77:371-381.], Many authors[1-4] have noted that exercise is a generic intervention with demonstrated physiological and psychosocial benefits for all age groups, including older individuals with specified chronic conditions. Improvements in muscle [...]

Background and Purpose. Most clinical evaluations of postural control in children are relatively subjective and have not been tested for reliability of scoring. The purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of measurements obtained with two tiltboard tests. Subjects. Subjects were 18 children, aged 53 to 81 months (X=64.4, SD=8.3), who were typically developing (TD group) and 18 children, aged 50 to 79 months (X=63.3, SD=8.4), with developmental delays (DD group). Methods. Each child was tested using the two tiltboard tests and was then retested using the same tests approximately I week later. The maximum angle of tiltboard tilt prior to any postural adjustment by the child was recorded Results. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability (two-way, random-effects, repeated-measures model) ranged from .49 to .54 for the TD group and from .52 to. 82f or the DD group. Angles were higher for both groups for the second test Conclusion and Discussion. The results suggest that these tiltboard tests do not give stable and reliable measurements across test sessions. Before these tests can be used to document change in postural control abilities across time, further research is warranted. [Broadstone BJ, Westcott SL, Deitz JC. Test-retest reliability of two tiltboard tests in children. Phys Ther 1993;73: 618-625.], Key Words: Equilibrium; Pediatrics, general; Posture, tests and measurements; Tests and measurements, functional. According to Horak,[1] there are at least three major components to postural control that physical therapists and [...]

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine, which can involve lateral (sideways) or rotational movement of the vertebral axis. Lateral bends of the spine have usually been thought to be caused by an uneven pelvis, but few studies have analyzed this relationship, and results have been conflicting. Part of the difficulty has been in how the pelvic level has been measured. In addition, one authority suggested that differences in leg lengths (which result in an uneven pelvis) not exceeding 3/4 inch have no effect on scoliosis and therefore do not need correction. The effect of correcting unlevel pelvises in 42 patients with a pelvic unlevelness up to 17 mm and who had lateral scoliosis with spinal bends from 2 to 19 degrees was evaluated. Pelvic unevenness was determined from X-rays of the sacral base, the uppermost portion of the pelvis. Unevenness was gradually corrected by addition of 1.6 mm thick heel lifts to shoes every two weeks. Some patients had musculoskeletal discomfort with additional lift height, but this generally lessened within 10 days. Patients who had a greater initial scoliosis tended to experience muscle pain, occasional nausea, and malaise during correction of the final 20 percent of unlevelness. Pelvic unlevelness decreased significantly from an average of 6.7 mm to 2.6 mm with heel lift treatments. Lateral bending of the spine significantly decreased, from 7.5 degrees to 5.3 degrees on average. The results indicate that even mild pelvic unevenness can cause lateral scoliosis, and correction of the pelvic distortion can improve the condition. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

People with back pain or posture problems might benefit from a massage and alignment regiment known as structural therapy. Structural therapy is similar to rolfing. The therapist gives the patient a deep-tissue massage and helps correct posture and movement problems.

Byline: Ator, Jen Straighten up! Slouchy looks good on bags and boots... on you, not so much. Here's why bad posture can derail your fitness goals--plus, head-to-toe fixes. Slumping your [...]

Byline: Hartman, Bill The Posture Principles Is your body out of line? Take this simple self-test, and then use our exercises to fix your form, soothe your pain, and maximize [...]

Competition win jump-starts early stage balance aid firm By KIM URQUHART Medical Device Daily Staff Writer Balance is something that comes naturally to most of us, as automatic as breathing. [...]

PURPOSE: Neutral posture is important for proper functioning of the body. Habitual poor posture can contribute to and may exacerbate musculoskeletal and neuromuscular dysfunction through prolonged ineffective dispersion of contact forces on the joints. The purpose of this research was to establish the efficacy of a home therapeutic stretching program on total body posture. It was hypothesized that therapeutic stretching would significantly reduce postural malalignments. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty-four volunteer subjects with visible postural deviations were recruited locally. Specific bony landmarks were marked and photographs were taken from the anterior, posterior, right and left sagittal views on three separate occasions. The initial photographs were taken prior to intervention. Subjects then received instruction in a home stretching program for 1 or more (to a maximum of 5) postural deviations as determined by their initial presentation. Subsequent photographs were taken at 3 weeks and 6 weeks post intervention. Markers were used to quantify positions of the body segments to obtain measures of postural alignment. Comparison of postural alignment was made between weeks 0, 3, and 6 and between sexes. ANALYSES AND RESULTS: ANOVA was used followed by post-hoc Tukey's HSD test when significance was found. Comparison across weeks revealed that postural deviations were significantly less at week 6 when compared to week 0 for forward head (p=.045) and pelvic tilt (p=.016), but not significantly different for scapula abduction or rounded shoulders. Comparison across sexes revealed hip abduction position significantly greater in females versus males across all time periods (p=.000). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that an independent home therapeutic stretching program is effective for decreasing forward head and anterior pelvic tilt postural deviations, but was not effective for changing scapular abduction or rounded shoulders. Future research including some measure of stretching competence or motivation is needed to better determine the relationship between postural alignment and home therapeutic stretching., Repanich E, Anderson K, Sweany J, McKenzie A, Brechter J. Department of Physical Therapy, Chapman University, Orange, CA, [...]

PURPOSE: Postural mal-alignments and faulty scapular mechanics may contribute to the development of muscle imbalances and cervical/shoulder pain. Shoulder taping is a clinical intervention used to diminish the effects of these postural mal-alignments. However, little evidence exists in the literature addressing the effectiveness of taping procedures. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to investigate the effectiveness of compressive taping of the upper trapezius muscle in inhibiting its activity and 2) to determine if a compensatory increase in muscle activity occurred in the middle and lower trapezius. SUBJECTS: Forty subjects (20 female, 20 male) between the ages of 23 and 37 (mean age 26) volunteered for this study. All subjects denied a current presence or history of cervical/shoulder dysfunction. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Surface EMG electrodes were placed on the upper, middle and lower trapezius muscles of the dominant arm. Manual muscle testing of each of the trapezius muscles was performed to obtain maximal electromyographic (EMG) readings for subsequent normalization. Data were then collected during humeral elevation to 140 [degrees] in the scapular plane under both taped and no-taped conditions. ANALYSES: After calculating the difference score between the taped and no-taped conditions, EMG data were analyzed with a 1 x 3 repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: A significant effect for taping condition was found (p = .0002), and follow-up procedures indicated there was a significant decrease in upper trapezius EMG activity with taping but no change in the middle and lower trapezius. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this investigation provide evidence that compressive taping of the upper trapezius is an effective way to inhibit its firing during a functional movement. However, no compensatory increase was found in the activity of the middle and lower trapezius muscles. Therefore, taping should be used in conjunction with therapeutic exercises to achieve a more balanced musculature and improve scapular mechanics., Bravard SL, Lillie S, Piccirillo M, VanderWeide H, Wilson L; Program in Physical Therapy, University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, Des Moines, IA, [...]

Bad posture can be a cause of back pain and therefore it should be corrected to prevent constant discomfort. The Feldenkrais Method works on releasing tension and making easier movements to help allay back pain. Pilates is a method of strengthening muscles, including back muscles, through using exercise machines and workouts on the mat. The Alexander technique is taught over 20-30 weeks. Practitioners learn how to free tension in their muscles. Each of the methods can be taught in small groups or on an individual basis. Physiotherapy, drugs and surgery are also used to relieve back pain.

Exercise regimens for improving posture include the Alexander Technique, Callanetics, Feldenkrais, hatha yoga, Laban Movement Analysis and Pilates. The philosophy behind each regimen is described.

In a slump? Experts say improving your posture can make you feel and look better. 'By perking up your posture, you'll dramatically improve your appearance and look pounds lighter, and [...]

Cyclists' slouch is a type of postural disorder that is caused by long hours of biking and using a computer. The disorder affects the muscles of the shoulder causing undue pain and discomfort. A specialist recommends five exercises that prevent a slope-shouldered posture., How to get out of a slump Do you have cyclists' slouch - that stoop-shouldered, round-backed posture that makes super-fit riders look like osteoporosis victims when they get off the [...]