ACCIDENTAL FALLS AND IMBALANCE IN MULTIPLE SCEROSIS: DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGES, NEUROPATHOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND TREATMENT STRATEGIES

Lack of balance is common in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and is among the most disabling symptoms, since it reduces mobility and independence, leads to falls and injuries, and impacts upon overall quality of life. In this research we aimed to report the efforts made to: (i) establish an objective and reliable method to measure imbalance in MS by means of static posturography; (ii) estimate the role of this method in predicting patients at risk of falls; (iii) investigate the neuropathological features leading to imbalance in MS by combining static posturography and conventional / non-coventional magnetic resonance imaging; (iv) verify the effectiveness of visuo-proprioceptive rehabilitation in reducing balance deficit and risk of falls in these patients

Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on disability, virtual reality and associated technologies (ICDVRAT 2000)

The proceedings of the conferenc

Estudio del comportamiento muscular y estabilidad en pacientes amputados transtibiales. Análisis del impacto de la amputación en la imagen corporal, la autoestima y su calidad de vida

La marcha en el ser humano consiste en un proceso complejo cuyo objetivo básico es realizar el movimiento de traslación entre dos puntos de manera eficaz y segura, patrón que es altamente automatizado y eficiente. El conocimiento de los aspectos esenciales que intervienen en una marcha funcional es imprescindible para el estudio de la marcha patológica, de tal manera, que se puede establecer una correlación y adjudicar así la causa y el efecto a cualquier anomalía. La amputación de miembros inferiores supone nuevos patrones biomecánicos de carga y marcha, pudiendo aparecer lesiones por sobrecarga o desuso. Los amputados de miembro inferior presentan en situación estática mayores desplazamientos de su centro de gravedad que sujetos sin amputación, dependiendo en mayor medida de la información visual, lo que supone un patrón alterado en la estabilidad. La pérdida de una parte del cuerpo perturba la integridad del cuerpo y afecta el estado físico y psicológico, significa un impacto drástico en el cuerpo del paciente y su percepción, lo que puede suponer una alteración en la autoestima, percepción de la imagen corporal y su calidad de vida..

The frequency of falls in children judo training

Purpose: Falling techniques are inseparable part of youth judo training. Falling techniques are related to avoiding injuries exercises (Nauta et al., 2013). There is not good evidence about the ratio of falling during the training in children. Methods: 26 children (age 8.88±1.88) were video recorded on ten training sessions for further indirect observation and performance analysis. Results: Research protocol consisted from recording falls and falling techniques (Reguli et al., 2015) in warming up, combat games, falling techniques, throwing techniques and free fighting (randori) part of the training session. While children were taught almost exclusively forward slapping roll, backward slapping roll and sideward direct slapping fall, in other parts of training also other types of falling, as forward fall on knees, naturally occurred. Conclusions: Judo coaches should stress also on teaching unorthodox falls adding to standard judo curriculum (Koshida et al., 2014). Various falling games to teach children safe falling in different conditions should be incorporated into judo training. Further research to gain more data from groups of different age in various combat and non-combat sports is needed

Fear of crime and victimization among the elderly participating in the self-defence course

Purpose. Self-defence training could enhance seniors´ defensive skills and fitness. There is lack of evidence about fear and concerns of seniors participating in the self-defence course. Methods. 18 elderly persons (16 female, 1 male; age 66.2, SD=5.86) participated in the self-defence course lasting 8 training units (each unit 60 minutes). Standardized tool for fear of crime and victimization analysis previously used in Euro-Justis project in the Czech Republic (2011) was used in pretest and posttest. Results. We explored the highest fear of crime by participants in their residence area after dark (mean=2,77; median=3; SD=0,80), lower fear at the night in their homes (mean=2,29; median=2; SD=0,75) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,77) at the beginning of the course. We noticed certain decrease of fear of crime after the intervention. Participant were less afraid of crime in their residence area after dark (mean=2,38; median=2; SD=0,77), they felt lower fear of crime at the night in their homes (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,48) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=1,82; median=2; SD=0,63). Conclusions. The approach to self-defence teaching for elderly should be focused not just on the motor development, but also on their emotional state, fear of crime, perception of dangerousness of diverse situations and total wellbeing. Fear of crime analysis can contribute to create tailor made structure of the self-defence course for specific groups of citizens