Physical Treatments: Specific Physical Therapy Journal
Year:2014 | Volume:4 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Facial nerve palsy (FNP) changes facial expression and leads to functional problems in facial movement and negative psychological effect on patients. Fortunately, some of FNP problems recover completely, but some others remain with some sequelae like asymmetry, muscle contracture, synkinesis, and hyperkinesias that need rehabilitation. This article aimed to investigate physiotherapy modalities on these sequelae. Generally, exercise therapy in the form of neuromuscular reeducation was effective when the sequelae of FNP are analyzed. Then, we could select the type of exercise therapy according to that signs and sequelae (symptom). No acceptable researches about physiotherapy modalities like electrical nerve stimulation have been reported. Therefore, using electrical stimulation is not advised. Biofeedback therapy has been approved to be suitable.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare head and neck alignment in children with visual and hearing impairments and its relation with anthropometrical parameters.Methods: The study was a descriptive, correlational analysis within which the relations between dependent and independent variables have been studied. Thirty children with poor vision, 30 children with hearing loss and finally 30 healthy ones ranged 6-12 years old were selected randomly. Anteroposterior and mediolateral photographs of the neck were obtained to check forward head and torticollis postures. Anthropometric parameters (head, neck and thorax circumference, neck, shoulder and thorax width, neck length, the distance from tragus to sternal notch and sitting-height) were measured. Statistical analysis of data was performed by 1-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient.Results: The statistical results indicated that forward head angle was less in the visually impaired group than the group with hearing loss (P = 0.001) and the healthy group (P = 0.017). The lateral flexion angle was more in the group with hearing loss than the healthy group (P = 0.001). There is also a positive significant correlation between head circumference (P = 0.025), neck length (P = 0.001), sternal notch-tragus distance (P = 0.003), and sitting-height (P = 0.014) with forward head posture. No significant relation was observed between other anthropometrical parameters with structural profile variable (Forward head and torticollis).Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that visual and hearing impairments can affect the head and neck alignment of children and this alignment has a significant relation with some of the anthropometrical dimensions. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to treatment exercises in order to correct and improve body posture and changed anthropometrical dimensions in children with visual and hearing impairments.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the differences of kinetic and kinematic variables in middle-aged women with genu varum and normal knee angle during walking and running.Methods: Eight middle-aged women with genu varum (age: 45.12 ±12.74 y, height: 160.62 ± 5.26 cm, weight: 71.75 ± 16.38 kg, right tibiofemoral angle: -4 ± 3.9, left tibiofemoral angle: -5.1 ± 4.6) and 7 with normal knee (age: 40.71 ± 11.32 y, height: 157.85 ± 5.01 cm, weight: 71.71 ± 14.00 kg, right tibiofemoral angle: 7.2 ± 2.1, left tibiofemoral angle: 7.8 ± 1.8) volunteered to participate in this study. We measured knee angle in frontal plane based on anatomical axis of femur and tibia by goniometer. This factor was labeled as tibiofemoral angle.Results: Participants walked a 7-m pathway 6 times with self-selected speed, then they ran the same route 3 times. Independent t tests were used to determine statistical differences. Significance level was P<0.05. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the groups in walking with self-selected speed regarding knee normalized ground reaction force, in medial-lateral and vertical plane, but this variable was significantly greater in anterior-posterior plane among normal knee group (P<0.05). There was also no significant difference in medial lateral plane in normalized ground reaction force between the groups while they ran. However, this variable in both vertical and anterior-posterior planes was significantly greater in normal knee group (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results did not show any difference between the groups in angular velocity of knee joint in sagittal plane during swing phase under two situations. According to the findings, the genu varum in dynamic activities such as walking and running is more related to kinetic variables like ground reaction force. These effects are not limited to the frontal plane, however, this variable in vertical and anterior-posterior planes is significantly lower in genu varum knee angle group.

Purpose: Everything that impairs joint proprioception system can harm joints. It has been stated that stretching exercises can change properties of the proprioceptive receptors and as a result changes the sensibility of the joints proprioception. Due to fact that static stretching has greater use between athletes, it is necessary to give useful information about the safety of these stretching exercises and their effect on knee joint position sense. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of static stretching of selected muscles around knee on knee joint position sense in football players.Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental research with pretest and posttest design. In this study, 30 soccer players at the college level, with the mean age of 23.20 ± 1.45 years were selected through purposeful sampling. Before performing stretching exercises and measuring, subjects had 5 minutes warm up on a fixed bike with the same speed. Then, knee joint position sense were measured by electro goniometer SG150 model and the achieved figures were recorded as pretest record in the record sheet. Then static stretching exercise protocol was applied on the selected muscle and immediately after that, joint position sense was measured. The obtained data were recorded as posttest record. The paired t test was used to compare the mean of pretest to the posttest mean.Results: The results of the study showed that there is no significant difference between the mean of knee joint position sense before doing static stretching exercises and thereafter (P = 0.13).Conclusion: According to the results of this study, athletes, trainers and coaches can use the static stretching without fear of negative effects on the proprioception.

Purpose: The proper neuromuscular recruitment patterns of hip and knee muscles are essential for dynamic stabilization of the knee. According to the kinematic chain, weakness in the performance of one motor segment can affect other segments of motion. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the isometric strength of selected muscles of lower extremities in the hyper pronated foot with the same muscles in healthy male athletes.Materials and methods: The present study is descriptive and correlational. Forty male athletes in two groups of hyper pronated foot and healthy male athletes (20 in each group) participated in this study. Pronated foot was examined by navicular drop and isometric strength of selected muscles in lower extremities was examined by Manual Muscle Test system (MMT). Then, the ratio of isometric strength of each muscle to body weight was compared between two groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS software, version 20 and the independent t test was used to compare the variables between the two groups.Results: The results showed that isometric strength of muscles, hip abductors (P = 0.002), external rotators of hip (P = 0.007), and quadriceps muscles (P = 0.031) have decreased significantly in the the group of hyper pronated foot.Conclusion: The hyper pronated foot changes the muscle strength of lower extremity. These changes may be due to neuromuscular compensation because of the changes in the medial longitudinal arch. More research is needed to determine whether these changes in muscle strength are related to lower extremity injury.

dyskinesia is a change in position or movement of scapula, which is highly prevalent in athletes with overhead activities. In addition to biomechanical changes in shoulder complex, neurocognitive impairments can have a significant role in its creation. Thus, this study aimed to compare neurocognitive scores between athletes with and without scapular dyskinesia. In this study, 30 athletes with overhead activities participated. Caliper and SART (Speed Anticipation and Reaction Time) sets were used for assessing subjects’ scapular dyskinesia, reaction time, and anticipation skill. Athletes with scapular dyskinesia had significantly a slower visual and auditory complex choice of reaction time, and a lower auditory choice of reaction time compared to athletes without scapular dyskinesia. No significant difference was seen between two groups in terms of visual choice of reaction time and anticipation skill. Thus, athletes with scapular dyskinesia had poorer performance in more complex neurocognitive tests compared to athletes without it.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinematic and kinetic variables, which predict anterior tibia shear force during single-leg landing in female athletes.Methods: Forty-three subjects (mean and standard deviation for age 21.12 ± 2.00 y, height 168.58 ± 7.62 cm, and weight 60.27 ± 7.80 kg) participated in this study. Kinematic and kinetic variables of lower extremity and trunk during single-leg landing were collected by 5 Vicon cameras and Kistler force plate. Stepwise multiple regression and Pearson correlation were used to identify predictor variables of anterior shear force (P £ 0.05).Results: Peak of extensor moment (P = 0.004, r = -0.394) and maximum knee flexion (P = 0.007, r = -0.370) were the best predictors that explained 30% of the variance of the shear force data. Therefore, rise in maximum extensors moment of knee and knee maximum flexion causes increase and decrease in anterior shear force, respectively. In addition, a significant relationship between trunk flexion (P = 0.039) and knee flexion angular velocity (P = 0.048) at the moment of initial contact with the anterior shear force.Conclusion: On the basis of previous research, and the relationship between clinical findings, the noncontact of anterior cruciate ligament injury during landing was confirmed. These results can be used in prospective studies examining modifiable noncontact risk factors of ACL injury.

Purpose: Mechanical loading is said to be an important factor in the development of low back pain (LBP). One of the main concerns in manual material handling (MMH) tasks is lifting loads, as this activity is present in most jobs. Despite the controversy about their effectiveness, belts are used in industry as either protective or assistive devices in manual load handling. The present investigation aimed to determine whether a commonly used back belt could improve maximum center of pressure displacement (COPMD) and center of pressure velocity (COPV) as the balance parameters during each of three common styles of lifting (squat, semi-squat, stoop).Methods: Twenty healthy female subjects participated in this study who were selected by nonprobability convenience sampling. The participants stood barefoot on the force plate. They lifted a box, weighting 4.53 kg (10 pound). The subjects were instructed to bend their knees (squat) or their lumbar (stoop) or both their knees and lumbar (semi-squat), to grasp the box handles, and to lift the load to the level of greater trochanter height. Half of the subjects performed the 3 trials with wearing belt at first try and the other half performed the trials without wearing the belt at first try.Results: The mean of maximum displacement and velocity showed that there was a trend of increase in these variables in all 3 styles of lifting (squat, semi-squat and stoop) after wearing belt. One-way ANOVA with repeated measures results for COPMD and COPV showed that ‘Belt condition’ significantly affected the dependent variables.Conclusion: Wearing belt may decrease stability caused by increased COPMD and COPV.