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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[The piriformis syndrome--a possible cause of sciatica].

In a 50-year-old patient with unilateral pain in the buttocks and in the sciatica, a radicular compression syndrome was diagnosed. Because conservative therapy failed, surgical intervention for herniated disc was suggested. Clinical examination revealed a painfully contracted piriform muscle and irritation of the sciatic nerve. Through specific stretch exercises, quick recovery was effected. Based on this case report, typical clinical diagnoses and therapeutical possibilities for the piriformis syndrome are discussed.

Contracture↗
PubMed1978

[On crossed reflexes in human leg motoricity (author's transl)].

Crossed reflexes induced in the muscles of the calf were studied in 30 neurologically healthy volunteers. Almost half of the volunteers showed a pronounced reaction of the contralateral gastrocnemius muscle and of the soleus on ipsilateral stimulation of the corresponding muscle. The results vary, but they show that fundamentally there are processes of facilitation and inhibition due to the stimulation of the tension receptors or Golgi tendon organs of the stimulated muscle and also to the muscle spindle afferents of the antagonistically stretched muscle. It is assumed that the contralateral reflexes can exercise a modulatory effect on the central locomotor program, although they do not monitor it.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Upper extremity overuse injuries in swimming. A discussion of swimmer's shoulder.

Treatment of shoulder pain includes the following: 1. Avoid all painful activities. 2. A 2-week course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication and ice. 3. Decreased anterior capsule stretching and increased posterior capsule stretching. 4. Increased rotator cuff exercise with emphasis on external rotators. 5. Scapular-positioning muscle exercises and increasing body roll. Shoulder pain can be prevented by the following: 1. Avoid all painful activities, and notify coach of shoulder pain immediately. 2. Do not use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications or ice on a chronic basis. 3. Spend equal time stretching the posterior and anterior capsules. 4. Perform general rotator cuff exercises. 5. Perform scapular-positioning muscle exercises, with emphasis on body roll. [figure: see text] Shoulder pain in swimmers is common and can be debilitating. Most of the pain is caused by instability, which stems from swimming-specific demands that increase performance but decrease shoulder stability. These sport-specific demands are (1) increased shoulder range of motion, (2) increased internal rotation and adduction strength, and (3) prolonged, fatiguing, shoulder-intensive training. Instability leads to [figure: see text] inflammation and pain and can become a self-perpetuating process. Treatment consists of patient education, cessation of all activities that cause pain, activity modifications to increase shoulder stability, and pharmacologic treatment of the inflammation. In patients who do not improve using this regimen, surgery can be of benefit, either to reduce capsular laxity or to remove chronic inflammation and scar tissue. The patient must be aware of the risk of decreased performance.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders↗
PubMed2007

Myogenous temporomandibular disorders: diagnostic and management considerations.

Myogenous temporomandibular disorders (or masticatory myalgia) are characterized by pain and dysfunction that arise from pathologic and functional processes in the masticatory muscles. There are several distinct muscle disorder subtypes in the masticatory system, including myofascial pain, myositis, muscle spasm, and muscle contracture. The major characteristics of masticatory myalgia include pain, muscle tenderness, limited range of motion, and other symptoms (eg, fatigability, stiffness, subjective weakness). Comorbid conditions and complicating factors also are common and are discussed. Management follows with stretching, posture, and relaxation exercises, physical therapy, reduction of contributing factors, and as necessary, muscle injections.

Analgesics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hamstring injuries. Proposed aetiological factors, prevention, and treatment.

Injuries to the hamstring muscles can be devastating to the athlete because these injuries frequently heal slowly and have a tendency to recur. It is thought that many of the recurrent injuries to the hamstring musculotendinous unit are the result of inadequate rehabilitation following the initial injury. The severity of hamstring injuries is usually of first or second degree, but occasionally third-degree injuries (complete rupture of the musculotendinous unit) do occur. Most hamstring strain injuries occur while running or sprinting. Several aetiological factors have been proposed as being related to injury of the hamstring musculotendinous unit. They include: poor flexibility, inadequate muscle strength and/or endurance, dyssynergic muscle contraction during running, insufficient warm-up and stretching prior to exercise, awkward running style, and a return to activity before complete rehabilitation following injury. Treatment for hamstring injuries includes rest and immobilisation immediately following injury and then a gradually increasing programme of mobilisation, strengthening, and activity. Permission to return to athletic competition should be withheld until full rehabilitation has been achieved (complete return of muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility in addition to a return of co-ordination and athletic agility). Failure to achieve full rehabilitation will only predispose the athlete to recurrent injury. The best treatment for hamstring injuries is prevention, which should include training to maintain and/or improve strength, flexibility, endurance, co-ordination, and agility.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMed2001

Soleus stretch reflex during cycling.

The modulation and strength of the human soleus short latency stretch reflex was investigated by mechanically perturbing the ankle during an unconstrained pedaling task. Eight subjects pedaled at 60 rpm against a preload of 10 Nm. A torque pulse was applied to the crank at various positions during the crank cycle, producing ankle dorsiflexion perturbations of similar trajectory. The stretch reflex was greatest during the power phase of the crank cycle and was decreased to the level of background EMG during recovery. Matched perturbations were induced under static conditions at the same crank angle and background soleus EMG as recorded during the power phase of active pedaling. The magnitude of the stretch reflex was not statistically different from that during the static condition throughout the power phase of the movement. The results of this study indicate that the stretch reflex is not depressed during active cycling as has been shown with the H-reflex. This lack of depression may reflect a decreased susceptibility of the stretch reflex to inhibition, possibly originating from presynaptic mechanisms.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Estimation of errors in mechanical efficiency.

Errors in measurements of mechanical work, net energy expenditure and mechanical efficiency (ME) were calculated, when subjects performed isolated eccentric or concentric muscle actions and combinations of these actions [stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) exercises] with a special sledge apparatus. The relative error of mechanical work was 6.1%. When estimating the error of energy metabolism from oxygen consumption the error would be about 4% (McArdle et al. 1981). The maximum error of ME was the sum of these two values (10.1%). Obviously the error of ME was less than 5%, because 30 muscle actions were averaged and, in addition, the errors of mechanical work and energy expenditure were not in the same direction every time. It was concluded that mechanical work can be determined accurately when the force is measured as a function of the moved distance of the sledge. Thus calculation of ME can be performed quite reliably in isolated eccentric and concentric exercises. The greatest problems were, however, in the SSC exercises, where the errors were higher, because of the problems of dividing the net energy expenditure into eccentric and concentric phases. Therefore, further developments must be made to minimize the errors in measurement and calculation during SSC-exercise.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed2002

The effect of exercise-induced muscle damage on isometric and dynamic knee extensor strength and vertical jump performance.

In this study, we assessed the effect of exercise-induced muscle damage on knee extensor muscle strength during isometric, concentric and eccentric actions at 1.57 rad x s(-1) and vertical jump performance under conditions of squat jump, countermovement jump and drop jump. The eight participants (5 males, 3 females) were aged 29.5+/-7.1 years (mean +/- s). These variables, together with plasma creatine kinase (CK), were measured before, 1 h after and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 days after a bout of muscle damaging exercise: 100 barbell squats (10 sets x 10 repetitions at 70% body mass load). Strength was reduced for 4 days (P< 0.05) but no significant differences (P> 0.05) were apparent in the magnitude or rate of recovery of strength between isometric, concentric and eccentric muscle actions. The overall decline in vertical jump performance was dependent on jump method: squat jump performance was affected to a greater extent than countermovement (91.6+/-1.1% vs 95.2+/-1.3% of pre-exercise values, P< 0.05) and drop jump (95.2+/-1.4%, P< 0.05) performance. Creatine kinase was elevated (P < 0.05) above baseline 1 h after exercise, peaked on day 1 and remained significantly elevated on days 2 and 3. Strength loss after exercise-induced muscle damage was independent of the muscle action being performed. However, the impairment of muscle function was attenuated when the stretch-shortening cycle was used in vertical jumping performance.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Passive and active wrist joint stiffness following eccentric exercise.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise-induced muscle injury on passive and active wrist joint stiffness. Ten male subjects were repeatedly tested over a period of 11 days, once prior to, and four times following a bout of eccentric exercise with the wrist extensor muscles. Static wrist stiffness was measured by applying a 3 degrees ramp and hold displacement of the manipulandum, which stretched the wrist extensor muscles. Wrist extension maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) declined by 24.5% from pre-exercise to 24 h after the exercise bout (P < 0.001). There was a reduced passive range of motion (ROM) from 82.8 degrees pre-exercise to 70.2 degrees on day 1 (P < 0.01), but no change in the passive joint stiffness at the neutral joint position, suggesting mechanical changes in the non-contractile tissues, or swelling that only resisted movement at the extremes of the ROM. Active joint stiffness at 50% pre-exercise MVC declined from 0.299 Nm deg(-1) pre-exercise to 0.254 Nm deg(-1) on day 1 (P < 0.025). Active joint stiffness at 10% pre-exercise MVC did not change on any of the days of testing compared to pre-exercise. These findings may indicate that large muscle fibers were more affected by the injury than small muscle fibers.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Quantitative histology and MGF gene expression in rats following SSC exercise in vivo.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of muscle length during stretch-shortening cycles (SSC) in vivo on changes in MGF gene expression and quantitative morphometry in rat skeletal muscle. METHODS: Dorsiflexor muscles of male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to seven sets of 10 SSC at 500 degrees .s(-1). Animals were randomly assigned to a long muscle length injury group (L-inj), short muscle length injury group (S-inj), or isometric group (Iso), with recoveries examined at 6 or 48 h post-injury for each group. Following exposure, animals were euthanized, and the tissue was prepared for either histology (quantitative morphometry) or RNA isolation, followed by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. mRNA levels were measured for mechano-growth factor (MGF), while 18S ribosomal RNA served as the internal reference sample. RESULTS: Stereological measures indicative of edema and myofiber degeneration were significantly increased in the L-inj SSC group at 48 h when compared with the S-inj or Iso group. MGF mRNA was increased transiently at 6 h in the isometric group. In contrast, MGF mRNA was increased at 48 h in the S-inj, but was not increased at either time point in the L-inj group. CONCLUSION: These data strongly indicate that exposure to SSC at longer muscle lengths result in greater morphometric indices of inflammation and degeneration than SSC conducted at a shorter muscle lengths or isometric contractions, at the same time that the adaptation to SSC was prolonged and, apparently, not resolved in the L-inj group that was manifested by the lack of up-regulation in MGF mRNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Reflex effect of skeletal muscle mechanoreceptor stimulation on the cardiovascular system.

To determine the potential for mechanical stimulation of skeletal muscle to contribute to the reflex cardiovascular response to static contraction (exercise reflex), we examined the cardiovascular effects caused by either passive stretch or external pressure applied to the triceps surae muscles. First, the triceps surae were stretched to an average developed tension of 4.8 +/- 0.3 kg. This resulted in increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 28 +/- 7 mmHg, dP/dt of 1,060 +/- 676 mmHg/s, and heart rate (HR) of 6 +/- 2 beats/min (P less than 0.05). Additionally, increments of 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 kg of tension produced by passive stretch elicited pressor responses of -6 +/- 1, 7 +/- 1, 16 +/- 3, 21 +/- 8, 28 +/- 6, and 54 +/- 9 mmHg, respectively. External pressure, applied with a cuff to the triceps surae to produce intramuscular pressures (125-300 mmHg) that were similar to those seen during static contraction, also elicited small increases in MAP (4 +/- 1 to 10 +/- 1 mmHg) but did not alter HR. Transection of dorsal roots L5-L7 and S1 abolished the responses to passive stretch and external pressure. Moreover, when the triceps surae were stretched passively to produce a pattern and amount of tension similar to that seen during static hindlimb contraction, a significant reflex cardiovascular response occurred. During this maneuver, the pressor response averaged 51% of that seen during contraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1998

The effects of a physical training program on patients with osteoarthritis of the knees.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate physical function in patients with severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the knees during and after a general physical training program. DESIGN: Randomized control trial, blinded observer, follow-up at 3 months and 1 year. SETTING: Outpatient clinic. PATIENTS: Consecutive sample of 25 patients (3 men, 22 women) with OA of the knees according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). Two patients (8%) failed to complete the study. There were no withdrawals for adverse effects. INTERVENTION: Twelve patients received training in groups of 6, twice a week for 3 months. Training focused on general fitness, balance, coordination, stretching, and lower extremity muscle strength, and included a daily home exercise program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Muscle strength across the knee (extension and flexion), Algofunctional Index (AFI), pain (0 to 10 point scale), walking speed, clinical findings. RESULTS: Patients participated in 96 of 96 assessments (100%) and in 218 of 280 training sessions (77.9%). From baseline to 3 months, isokinetic quadriceps strength (30 degrees/sec) improved 20% (confidence interval [CI] 2alpha = .05, 8% to 50%) in the least affected leg; isometric strength improved 21%. By 1 year, AFI had decreased 3.8 points (CI2alpha = .05, 1.0 to 7.0), pain had decreased 2.0 points (CI2alpha = 05, 0.0 to 4.0), and walking speed had increased 13% (CI2alpha = .05, 4% to 23%). There was an increase in the frequency of palpable joint effusions (p < .01) on the most affected side. Frequency of crepitus decreased on the least affected side (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: General physical training appears to be beneficial to patients with OA of the knee. As shown by the high compliance and low dropout frequency, such a program is feasible even in patients with severe OA of the knee.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Forefoot morphotype study and planning method for forefoot osteotomy.

In the reconstruction of the hip, knee, or any other joint, preoperative planning is necessary for avoiding mistakes during surgery. Since 1995, the authors have been doing this before forefoot surgery to increase the accuracy of the surgery. As much as possible, they try to correct only the lesion and to avoid preventive or extensive surgery on adjacent rays, except if the correction leads to a modified dysharmonious new morphotype with high risk of transfer lesion. The tolerance length seems to be 2 mm, particularly on the middle metatarsals (M2 and M3). This surgery should be performed only if the midfoot and backfoot are correct and if the gastrocnemius muscle has been checked on to eliminate a retraction needing stretching exercises before and generally after surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Upper arm radial nerve palsy after muscular effort: report of three cases.

Three healthy men were engaged in continuous repetitive arm exercise when a sudden forceful contraction and stretch of the arm muscles led to a delayed upper arm radial nerve palsy. Radial nerve "entrapment" at the lateral head of the triceps muscles is a recognizable occupational nerve injury.

Action Potentials↗