Rehab Centers: Electromyography Evaluation of Abdominal Muscle Function With and Without Concomitant Pelvic Floor Muscle Contraction.

Electromyography Evaluation of Abdominal Muscle Function With and Without Concomitant Pelvic Floor Muscle Contraction.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

J Sport Rehabil. 2013 Jan 7;
Tahan N, Arab AM, Vaseghi B, Khademi K

CONTEXT: Co-activation of abdominal and pelvic floor muscles is an issue considered by researchers recently. Electromyography (EMG) studies showed that the abdominal muscle activity is a normal response to PFM activity and increase in EMG activity of the PFM in concomitant with abdominal muscle contraction was also reported. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in EMG activity of the deep abdominal muscles during abdominal muscle contraction (abdominal hollowing and bracing) with and without concomitant PFM contraction in healthy and LBP subjects. DESIGN: A 2 × 2 repeated-measures design. SETTING: Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: 30 subjects (15 with LBP, 15 without LBP). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak rectified EMG of abdominal muscles. RESULTS: No difference in EMG of abdominal muscles with and without concomitant PFM contraction in abdominal hollowing (P=0.84) and abdominal bracing (P=0.53). No difference in EMG signal abdominal muscles with and without PFM contraction between LBP and healthy in both abdominal hallowing (P=0.88) and abdominal bracing (P=0.98) maneuvers. CONCLUSION: Adding PFM contraction had no significant effect on abdominal muscles contraction in subjects with LBP and those without LBP.
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The Chernobyl accident as a source of new radiological knowledge: implications for Fukushima rehabilitation and research programmes.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

J Radiol Prot. 2013 Jan 7; 33(1): 27-40
Balonov M

The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine in 1986 caused a huge release of radionuclides over large areas of Europe. During large scale activities focused on overcoming of its negative consequences for public health, various research programmes in radioecology, dosimetry and radiation medicine were conducted. New knowledge was applied internationally in substantial updating of radiation protection systems for emergency and existing situations of human exposure, for improvement of emergency preparedness and response. Radioecological and dosimetry models were significantly improved and validated with numerous measurement data, guidance on environmental countermeasures and monitoring elaborated and tested.New radiological knowledge can be of use in the planning and implementation of rehabilitation programmes in Japan following the Fukushima nuclear accident. In particular, the following activity areas would benefit from application of the Chernobyl experience: strategy of rehabilitation, and technology of settlement decontamination and of countermeasures applied in agriculture and forestry. The Chernobyl experience could be very helpful in planning research activities initiated by the Fukushima radionuclide fallout, i.e. environmental transfer of radionuclides, effectiveness of site-specific countermeasures, nationwide dose assessment, health effect studies, etc.
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International Spinal Cord Injury Data Sets for non-traumatic spinal cord injury.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Spinal Cord. 2013 Jan 8;
New PW, Marshall R

Study design:Multifaceted: extensive discussions at workshop and conference presentations, survey of experts and feedback.Objectives:Present the background, purpose and development of the International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Data Sets for Non-Traumatic SCI (NTSCI), including a hierarchical classification of aetiology.Setting:International.Methods:Consultation via e-mail, presentations and discussions at ISCoS conferences (2006-2009), and workshop (1 September 2008). The consultation processes aimed to: (1) clarify aspects of the classification structure, (2) determine placement of certain aetiologies and identify important missing causes of NTSCI and (3) resolve coding issues and refine definitions. Every effort was made to consider feedback and suggestions from participants.Results:The International Data Sets for NTSCI includes basic and an extended versions. The extended data set includes a two-axis classification system for the causes of NTSCI. Axis 1 consists of a five-level, two-tier (congenital-genetic and acquired) hierarchy that allows for increasing detail to specify the aetiology. Axis 2 uses the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Related Health Problems for coding the initiating diseases(s) that may have triggered the events that resulted in the axis 1 diagnosis, where appropriate. Additional items cover the timeframe of onset of NTSCI symptoms and presence of iatrogenicity. Complete instructions for data collection, data sheet and training cases are available at the websites of ISCoS (http://www.iscos.org.uk) and ASIA (http://www.asia-spinalinjury.org).Conclusions:The data sets should facilitate comparative research involving NTSCI participants, especially epidemiological studies and prevention projects. Further work is anticipated to refine the data sets, particularly regarding iatrogenicity.Spinal Cord advance online publication, 8 January 2013; doi:10.1038/sc.2012.160.
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The effect of low-frequency TENS in the treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Spinal Cord. 2013 Jan 8;
Celik EC, Erhan B, Gunduz B, Lakse E

Study design:Prospective, randomized and controlled study.Objectives:The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (LF-TENS) in the treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:A total of 33 SCI patients with neuropathic pain were included in the study. History, duration, localization and characteristics of pain were recorded. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to investigate the effect of LF-TENS four times during the day. Patients were randomly assigned to study and control groups. The study group was treated with 30?min of LF-TENS daily for 10 days while the placebo group with 30?min of sham TENS.Results:The mean age of the patients was 36.55±10.36 years. Out of 33 patients, 7 were tetraplegic and 26 were paraplegic. Twenty-three patients had complete SCI while 10 patients had incomplete injuries. Two groups were similar with respect to age, gender, duration, level and severity of injury. In the LF-TENS treatment group, a statistically significant reduction of the VAS values was observed, however, such an effect was not evident in the control group.Conclusion:This study revealed that in treatment of neuropathic pain of SCI patients, LF-TENS may be effective.Perspective:This article presents LF-TENS may effectively complement pharmacological treatment in patients with SCI and neuropathic pain.Spinal Cord advance online publication, 8 January 2013; doi:10.1038/sc.2012.159.
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