An Electromyographic Study of the Quadriceps and Hamstrings Recruitment during Two Closed Kinetic Chain Activities

Knee pain and injury are a commonly seen diagnosis in physical therapy practice. Closed kinetic chain activities are frequently used to treat these diagnoses, because of their safety and functional properties. However isolation of specific muscles is difficult with closed kinetic chain exercises. The researchers chose to further study closed kinetic chain exercises in order to compare traditional closed kinetic chain exercises with a recently developed closed kinetic chain device. The purpose of this study is to assess EMG activity of the quadriceps and hamstrings during two different closed kinetic chain activities of the knee, one a traditional method and the other a new, untested device. The first is a traditional wall slide, consisting of the participant leaning with the back on the wall and squatting. The second is a squat using a closed kinetic chain device (CCD) that holds the leg below the knee stationary. Seventeen healthy subjects between the ages of 22-26 years of age, mean age of 23.5, performed a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and 2 trials of each exercise. EMG activity of the quadriceps (vastus medialis and vastus lateralis) and hamstrings (semitendinosus and biceps femoris) was recorded through surface electrodes. This data was then normalized to percent MVC by comparing the muscle activity in the trial with the muscle activity in the reference MVC. Results of this study showed a significant difference in % MVC between exercises in the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and semitendinosus. There was no significant difference in the % MVC for the biceps femoris. In conclusion, the CCD resulted in a higher % MVC in the quadriceps than the wall slide. It also resulted in a decrease in the % MVC of the semitendinosus as compared to the wall slide

Painting the ideal home: using art to express visions of technologically supported independent living for older people in North East England

This paper describes the investigation of the development of future technological products to support older people in everyday living through the agency of a community art group. Recent research has identified a number of challenges facing designers seeking to use traditional participatory design approaches to gather technology requirements data from older people. Here, a project is described that sought to get a group of older people to think creatively about their needs and desires for technological support through the medium of paint. The artistic expression technique described in this article allowed the identification of issues that had also been found by previous research that used a range of different techniques. This indicates that the approach shows promise, as it allows information to be gathered in an environment that is comfortable and familiar using methods already known by the participants and which they find enjoyable. It provides a complement (or possible alternative) to standard protocols and has the potential benefit of extracting even richer information as the primary task for participants is enjoyable in its own right and is not associated with an interrogative process. Furthermore, it is argued that some of the key risks of traditional approaches are lessened or removed by the naturalistic setting of this approach

Conducting Evaluation Research with Exercise Referral Schemes as an Insider

The case study aims to highlight key methodological and ethical challenges faced whilst conducting mixed methods evaluation research as an insider with a senior position in an exercise referral organization. This case derives from a PhD study exploring the expectations and experiences of participants in an exercise referral scheme for people with non-communicable diseases in northeast England. This case focuses mainly on the qualitative element of the evaluation and gives insight into the value of longitudinal semi-structured interviews as a research tool and the use of a framework approach to analyse the data. It explores some the benefits and dilemmas involved in conducting insider research, and discusses how using a reflective diary can raise awareness of bias; help develop research skills and aid analysis

Risk and Prognostic Factors of Low Back Pain: Repeated Population-based Cohort Study in Sweden

Study Design. Prospective longitudinal cohort study. Objective. To determine the associations for workload and health-related factors with incident and recurrent low back pain (LBP), and to determine the mediating role of health-related factors in associations between physical workload factors and incident LBP. Summary of Background Data. It is not known whether the risk factors for the development of LBP are also prognostic factors for recurrence of LBP and whether the associations between physical workload and incident LBP are mediated by health-related factors. We used data from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health study. Those responding to any two subsequent surveys in 2010 to 2016 were included for the main analyses (N = 17,962). Information on occupational lifting, working in twisted positions, weight/height, smoking, physical activity, depressive symptoms, and sleep problems were self-reported. Incident LBP was defined as pain limiting daily activities in the preceding three months in participants free from LBP at baseline. Recurrent LBP was defined as having LBP both at baseline and follow-up. For the mediation analyses, those responding to three subsequent surveys were included (N = 3516). Methods. Main associations were determined using generalized estimating equation models for repeated measures data. Mediation was examined with counterfactual mediation analysis. Results. All risk factors at baseline but smoking and physical activity were associated with incident LBP after adjustment for confounders. The strongest associations were observed for working in twisted positions (risk ratio = 1.52, 95% CI 1.37, 1.70) and occupational lifting (risk ratio = 1.52, 95% CI 1.32, 1.74). These associations were not mediated by health-related factors. The studied factors did not have meaningful effects on recurrent LBP. Conclusion. The findings suggest that workload and health-related factors have stronger effects on the development than on the recurrence or progression of LBP, and that health-related factors do not mediate associations between workload factors and incident LBP.Peer reviewe