The Relationship between Postural Control and Muscle Quality in Older Adults

This study aimed to determine relationships between muscle quality, the ratio of muscle strength to muscle mass, and postural control and compare postural control of older adults with higher and lower muscle quality. Twenty-five older adults had leg muscle quality and postural control with eyes open and closed measured. Linear and non-linear postural control variables were calculated from centre of pressure movements. There was a significant canonical correlation between muscle quality and sway complexity, but no relationship between muscle quality and sway magnitude. Higher muscle quality older adults had greater medio-lateral sway complexity than lower muscle quality older adults. These findings suggest that higher muscle quality relates to greater sway complexity in older adults, suggesting maintenance of muscle quality should be considered important to attenuate postural control declines

The Effect of Cycling Intensity on Cycling Economy During Seated and Standing Cycling

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that cycling in a standing position reduces cycling economy compared with seated cycling. It is unknown whether the cycling intensity moderates the reduction in cycling economy while standing. PURPOSE: The aim was to determine whether the negative effect of standing on cycling economy would be decreased at a higher intensity. METHODS: Ten cyclists cycled in 8 different conditions. Each condition was either at an intensity of 50% or 70% of maximal aerobic power, at a gradient of 4% or 8% and in the seated or standing cycling position. Cycling economy and muscle activation level of 8 leg muscles were recorded. RESULTS: There was an interaction between cycling intensity and position for cycling economy (P = 0.03), the overall activation of the leg muscles (P = 0.02) and the activation of the lower leg muscles (P = 0.05). The interaction showed decreased cycling economy when standing compared with seated cycling, but the difference was reduced at higher intensity. The overall activation of the leg muscles and the lower leg muscles respectively increased and decreased, but the differences between standing and seated cycling were reduced at higher intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Cycling economy was lower during standing cycling than seated cycling, but the difference in economy diminishes when cycling intensity increases. Activation of the lower leg muscles did not explain the lower cycling economy while standing. The increased overall activation therefore suggests that increased activation of the upper leg muscles explains part of the lower cycling economy while standing

The acute effects of integrated myofascial techniques on lumbar paraspinal blood flow compared with kinesio-taping: A pilot study

Background: Myofascial techniques and Kinesio Taping are therapeutic interventions used to treat low back pain. However, limited research has been conducted into the underlying physiological effects of these types of treatments. Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of integrated myofascial techniques (IMT) and Kinesio Tape (KT) on blood flow at the lumbar paraspinal musculature. Methods Forty-four healthy participants (18 male and 26 female) (age, 26 ± SD 7) volunteered for this study and were randomly assigned to one of three interventions, IMT, KT or a control group (Sham TENS). Paraspinal blood flow was measured at the L3 vertebral level, using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), before and after a 30-minute treatment. Pain Pressure Threshold (PPT) was also measured before and after treatments. Results A one-way ANOVA indicated a significant difference between groups for O2Hb [F (2-41) = 41.6, P<0.001], HHb [F (2-41) = 14.6, P<0.001] and tHb [F (2-41) = 42.2, P <0.001]. Post hoc tests indicated that IMT was significantly greater, from the KT and the control treatments (P<0.001), for changes in O2Hb, HHb, and tHb. There were no significant differences for PPT [F (2-41) = 2.69, p = 0.08], between groups. Conclusions This study demonstrated that IMT increases peripheral blood flow at the paraspinal muscles in healthy participants compared to KT and sham TENS. The change in blood flow had no impact on pain perception in the asymptomatic population group

An ultrasound evaluation of the relationship between changes in the lumbar perimuscular layer and Body Mass Index in people with non-specific lower back pain

BACKGROUND Mechanisms underlying non-specific lower back pain are still poorly understood. In an ultrasound-based study, Langevin et al. [1] found differences in the lumbar connective tissue structures in people with non-specific lower back pain (LBP) compared to people without (no-LBP). The aim of this study is to extend the work of Langevin and colleagues, and evaluate the relationship between the lumbar perimuscular layer and Body Mass Index (BMI) in LBP and no-LBP people. METHODS This study is a cross-sectional study design. Ultrasound imaging was used to investigate the echogenicity and thickness of the lumbar perimuscular layer in 45 participants (31 LBP, 14 no-LBP). The outcome measures were the thickness and echogenicity of the lumbar perimuscular layer. Longitudinal B-Mode ultrasound images were taken bi-laterally on an area 2 cm lateral to the midpoint between the spinous processes of L2-3,at a frequency of 18MHz, depth of 3 cm, (EsoateMyLab 25Gold, Firenze, Italy) using a 4 cm linear probe (Esaote LA435, Firenze, Italy) . Images were converted to grey-scale in Matlab (Mathworks, USA). The borders of the perimuscular layer were identified by a blinded investigator. Thickness was calculated in pixels and echogenicity as the average grey-scale value. Data was analysed using ANCOVA and linear regression. RESULTS The LBP and no-LBP groups did not significantly differ in age, sex, BMI or level of physical activity. Age (r= .452, p =.002) and BMI (r= .374, p =.013) showed significant positive correlations with perimuscular thickness, but not with perimuscular echogenicity. BMI significantly predicted perimuscular thickness (ANCOVA: p = .016), whereas group membership did not (ANCOVA:p=.168). Perimuscular echogenicity could be significantly predicted only by considering the interaction between group membership and BMI. The interaction between BMI and group membership accounted for 16% of the observed changes in perimuscular echogenicity (ANCOVA:p=.006). The interaction arose because in the no-LBP group, echogenicity significantly decreased as BMI increased (Regression:p = .005). In contrast, there was no systematic relationship between perimuscular echogenicity and BMI in the LBP group (Regression:p = .391). CONCLUSIONS Measurements of echogenicity can only be accounted for by considering group membership (LBP and no-LBP) and BMI values jointly. The relationship between BMI and echogenicity (negative correlation) in the no-LBP group is not found in participants with LBP. Possible causes, which require further investigation, include: sub-failure, changes in movement patterns, chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and/or fatty tissue infiltration

A pilot study of a single intermittent arm cycling exercise programme on people affected by Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD)

For patients affected by Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), alternate methods for increasing physical activity engagement that may benefit shoulder function and wider health are needed. Arm cycling has been proposed as a potential method for achieving this although dosage parameters and evidence is limited. The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot study evaluating the effect of a single intermittent arm cycling exercise programme on people affected by FSHD. People with confirmed genetic diagnosis of FSHD between the ages 18–60 years were recruited to attend a single session for the exercise intervention (5 exercise efforts lasting 2 minutes each with 30 seconds of rest between each effort). Prior to exercise, measures of shoulder function (Oxford shoulder score), strength and range of movement were recorded. During the exercise participants were video recorded to quantify range of movement and extract movement profile features. Participants comments were recorded and followed up four days later to check for adverse events. Fifteen participants, (6F:9M) were recruited with median (IQR) Oxford Shoulder Scores of 25 (18 to 39). All participants successfully completed the exercise intervention with only transient symptoms consistent with exercise being reported and achieving a median (IQR) rate of perceived exertion scores of 13 (12 to 13). Movement profile data was available for 12 out of 15 participants and suggests that exercise intensity did not compromise movement. An association between strength and shoulder function (R2 = 0.5147), Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of the final effort against shoulder function and strength (R2 = 0.2344 and 0.1743 respectively) was identified. Participant comments were positive regarding the exercise intervention. Our study demonstrates that an intermittent arm cycling programme is feasible for people affected by FSHD. Further work is needed to evaluate physiological responses to exercise across variations in programme variables and equipment set up in a larger sample of people affected by FSHD.Funder: The Orthopaedic Institute Limited; Grant(s): RPG16

A pilot study of a single intermittent arm cycling exercise programme on people affected by Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD)

From PLOS via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2021-07-28, collection 2022, accepted 2022-05-06, epub 2022-06-24Publication status: PublishedFunder: The Orthopaedic Institute Limited; Grant(s): RPG162For patients affected by Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), alternate methods for increasing physical activity engagement that may benefit shoulder function and wider health are needed. Arm cycling has been proposed as a potential method for achieving this although dosage parameters and evidence is limited. The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot study evaluating the effect of a single intermittent arm cycling exercise programme on people affected by FSHD. People with confirmed genetic diagnosis of FSHD between the ages 18–60 years were recruited to attend a single session for the exercise intervention (5 exercise efforts lasting 2 minutes each with 30 seconds of rest between each effort). Prior to exercise, measures of shoulder function (Oxford shoulder score), strength and range of movement were recorded. During the exercise participants were video recorded to quantify range of movement and extract movement profile features. Participants comments were recorded and followed up four days later to check for adverse events. Fifteen participants, (6F:9M) were recruited with median (IQR) Oxford Shoulder Scores of 25 (18 to 39). All participants successfully completed the exercise intervention with only transient symptoms consistent with exercise being reported and achieving a median (IQR) rate of perceived exertion scores of 13 (12 to 13). Movement profile data was available for 12 out of 15 participants and suggests that exercise intensity did not compromise movement. An association between strength and shoulder function (R2 = 0.5147), Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of the final effort against shoulder function and strength (R2 = 0.2344 and 0.1743 respectively) was identified. Participant comments were positive regarding the exercise intervention. Our study demonstrates that an intermittent arm cycling programme is feasible for people affected by FSHD. Further work is needed to evaluate physiological responses to exercise across variations in programme variables and equipment set up in a larger sample of people affected by FSHD

Stable and Unstable Load Carriage Effects on the Postural Control of Older Adults

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of backpack load carriage on quiet standing postural control and limits of stability (LOS) of older adults. Fourteen older adults (65 [6] y) performed quiet standing and a forward, right, and left LOS test in 3 conditions, unloaded, stable, and unstable backpack loads while activity of 4 leg muscles was recorded. Stable and unstable loads decreased postural sway (main effect η2p=.84, stable P < .001, unstable P < .001), mediolateral (main effect η2p=.49, stable P = .002, unstable P = .018) and anterior–posterior (main effect η2p=.64, stable P < .001, unstable P = .001) fractal dimension, and LOS distance (main effect η2p=.18, stable P = .011, unstable P = .046) compared with unloaded. Rectus femoris (main effect η2p=.39, stable P = .001, unstable P = .010) and gastrocnemius (main effect η2p=.30, unstable P = .027) activity increased in loaded conditions during LOS and quiet standing. Gastrocnemius–tibialis anterior coactivation was greater in unstable load than stable loaded quiet standing (main effect η2p=.24, P = .040). These findings suggest older adults adopt conservative postural control strategies minimizing the need for postural corrections in loaded conditions. Reduced LOS may also increase fall risk when carrying a load. However, there was no difference between unstable and stable loads for postural control variables