Quo vadis, geografia?

Cet article passe en revue les differents thbmes traités lors du Congrés des Etudiants de Géographie qui s'est tenu a Toulouse au mois de Novembre de 1991. Le Congrés a été consacré au debat de probltmes epistemologiques de la géographie, mais aussi a des thèmes qui affectent directement les étudiants comme ceux de la formation des géographes et des actuels débouchés professionnels.This article reviews the different issues covered in the Geography Students Congress held in Toulouse in November 1991. The Congress focused on epistemology problems in Geography but also on problems directly affecting the student body such as the education of geographers and current professional opportunities.El articulo comenta los diferentes contenidos tratados en el Congreso de Estudiantes de Geografia, celebrado en Toulouse en noviembre de 1991. Un congreso dedicado al debate y a la discusión tanto de los problemas epistemológicos de la geografia como de la problemática de los estudiantes, al contenido de la formación y a las salidas profesionales actuales.L'article fa un repàs dels diferents continguts tractats en el Congrés d'Estudiants de Geografia, celebrat a Tolosa de Llenguadoc el novembre de 1991. Un congrés que estigué dedicat al debat i a la discussió tant dels problemes epistemològics de la geografia com a la problemàtica dels estudiants, al contingut de la formació i a les sortides professionals actuals

Gemelli-obturator complex in the deep gluteal space: an anatomic and dynamic study

Objective: To investigate the behavior of the sciatic nerve during hip rotation at subgluteal space. Materials and methods: Sonographic examination (high-resolution ultrasound machine at 5.0–14 MHZ) of the gemelli-obturator internus complex following two approaches: (1) a study on cadavers and (2) a study on healthy volunteers. The cadavers were examined in pronation, pelvis-fixed position by forcing internal and external rotations of the hip with the knee in 90° flexion. Healthy volunteers were examined during passive internal and external hip rotation (prone position; lumbar and pelvic regions fixed). Subjects with a history of major trauma, surgery or pathologies affecting the examined regions were excluded. Results: The analysis included eight hemipelvis from six fresh cadavers and 31 healthy volunteers. The anatomical study revealed the presence of connective tissue attaching the sciatic nerve to the structures of the gemellus-obturator system at deep subgluteal space. The amplitude of the nerve curvature during rotating position was significantly greater than during resting position. During passive internal rotation, the sciatic nerve of both cadavers and healthy volunteers transformed from a straight structure to a curved structure tethered at two points as the tendon of the obturator internus contracted downwards. Conversely, external hip rotation caused the nerve to relax. Conclusion: Anatomically, the sciatic nerve is closely related to the gemelli-obturator internus complex. This relationship results in a reproducible dynamic behavior of the sciatic nerve during passive hip rotation, which may contribute to explain the pathological mechanisms of the obturator internal gemellus syndrome.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Sciatic nerve movement in the deep gluteal space during hip rotations maneuvers

We hypothesize that the sciatic nerve in the subgluteal space has a specific behavior during internal and external coxofemoral rotation and during isometric contraction of the internal and external rotator muscles of the hip. In 58 healthy volunteers, sciatic nerve behavior was studied by ultrasound during passive internal and external hip rotation movements and during isometric contraction of internal and external rotators. Using MATLAB software, changes in nerve curvature at the beginning and end of each exercise were evaluated for longitudinal catches and axial movement for transverse catches. In the long axis, it was observed that during the passive internal rotation and during the isometric contraction of external rotators, the shape of the curve increased significantly while during the passive external rotation and the isometric contraction of the internal rotators the curvature flattened out. During passive movements in internal rotation, on the short axis, the nerve tended to move laterally and forward, while during external rotation the tendency of the nerve was to move toward a medial and backward position. During the isometric exercises, this displacement was less in the passive movements. Passive movements of hip rotation and isometric contraction of the muscles affect the sciatic nerve in the subgluteal space. Retrotrochanteric pain may be related to both the shear effect of the subgluteus muscles and the endoneural and mechanosensitive aggression to which the sciatic nerve is subjected.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Quo vadis, geografia?

Cet article passe en revue les differents thbmes traités lors du Congrés des Etudiants de Géographie qui s'est tenu a Toulouse au mois de Novembre de 1991. Le Congrés a été consacré au debat de probltmes epistemologiques de la géographie, mais aussi a des thèmes qui affectent directement les étudiants comme ceux de la formation des géographes et des actuels débouchés professionnels.This article reviews the different issues covered in the Geography Students Congress held in Toulouse in November 1991. The Congress focused on epistemology problems in Geography but also on problems directly affecting the student body such as the education of geographers and current professional opportunities.El articulo comenta los diferentes contenidos tratados en el Congreso de Estudiantes de Geografia, celebrado en Toulouse en noviembre de 1991. Un congreso dedicado al debate y a la discusión tanto de los problemas epistemológicos de la geografia como de la problemática de los estudiantes, al contenido de la formación y a las salidas profesionales actuales.L'article fa un repàs dels diferents continguts tractats en el Congrés d'Estudiants de Geografia, celebrat a Tolosa de Llenguadoc el novembre de 1991. Un congrés que estigué dedicat al debat i a la discussió tant dels problemes epistemològics de la geografia com a la problemàtica dels estudiants, al contingut de la formació i a les sortides professionals actuals

Gemelli-obturator complex in the deep gluteal space: an anatomic and dynamic study

Objective: To investigate the behavior of the sciatic nerve during hip rotation at subgluteal space. Materials and methods: Sonographic examination (high-resolution ultrasound machine at 5.0–14 MHZ) of the gemelli-obturator internus complex following two approaches: (1) a study on cadavers and (2) a study on healthy volunteers. The cadavers were examined in pronation, pelvis-fixed position by forcing internal and external rotations of the hip with the knee in 90° flexion. Healthy volunteers were examined during passive internal and external hip rotation (prone position; lumbar and pelvic regions fixed). Subjects with a history of major trauma, surgery or pathologies affecting the examined regions were excluded. Results: The analysis included eight hemipelvis from six fresh cadavers and 31 healthy volunteers. The anatomical study revealed the presence of connective tissue attaching the sciatic nerve to the structures of the gemellus-obturator system at deep subgluteal space. The amplitude of the nerve curvature during rotating position was significantly greater than during resting position. During passive internal rotation, the sciatic nerve of both cadavers and healthy volunteers transformed from a straight structure to a curved structure tethered at two points as the tendon of the obturator internus contracted downwards. Conversely, external hip rotation caused the nerve to relax. Conclusion: Anatomically, the sciatic nerve is closely related to the gemelli-obturator internus complex. This relationship results in a reproducible dynamic behavior of the sciatic nerve during passive hip rotation, which may contribute to explain the pathological mechanisms of the obturator internal gemellus syndrome.Peer Reviewe