Neuromuscular training

PURPOSE: Artificial Intelligence (AI), and specifically ChatGPT, has shown potential in healthcare, yet its performance in specialized medical examinations such as the Orthopaedic Surgery In-Training Examination and European Board Hand Surgery diploma has been inconsistent. This study aims to evaluate the capability of ChatGPT-4 to pass the American Hand Surgery Certifying Examination. METHODS: ChatGPT-4 was tested on the 2019 American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) Self-Assessment Exam...

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in the rapid implementation of remote consultations to maintain musculoskeletal physiotherapy services. However, little is known about UK musculoskeletal physiotherapists' experiences of providing services during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES: To explore musculoskeletal physiotherapists' experiences of using remote consultations in one area of England during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Qualitative study using hermeneutic phenomenology based on the approach of Gadamer...

The binding affinity of pillar[6]MaxQ toward a panel of neuromuscular blockers and neurotransmitters was measured in phosphate buffered saline by isothermal titration calorimetry and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. In vivo efficacy studies showed that P6MQ sequesters rocuronium and vecuronium and reverses their influence on the recovery of the train-of-four (TOF) ratio.

Investigation on long-term effects of robot-assisted poststroke rehabilitation is challenging because of the difficulties in administration and follow-up of individuals throughout the process. A mobile hybrid neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)-robot, i.e., exoneuromusculoskeleton (ENSM) was adopted for a single-group trial to investigate the long-term effects of the robot-assisted self-help telerehabilitation on upper limb motor function after stroke. Twenty-two patients with chronic stroke were recruited to attend a 20-session telerehabilitation program assisted by the wrist/hand module of the ENMS (WH-ENMS)...

BACKGROUND: Residual neuromuscular blockade (rNMB) remains a persistent and preventable problem, with serious risks. METHODS: Our objective was to describe and assess patterns in the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), neuromuscular transmission (NMT) monitoring, and factors associated with the use of sugammadex. We performed a retrospective, observational cohort study based on electronic medical records in a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands that introduced an integrated NMT monitoring module with automatic recording in 2017...

BACKGROUND: Female sex is a significant determinant of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. It is not understood if sex is a key determinant of other sports-related injuries. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to identify where differences in injury profiles are most apparent between the sexes in all sports across the six-tiered participant classification framework. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and the 'implementing PRISMA in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport medicine and SporTs science'(PERSiST) guidance...

This study compared the acute physiological responses and performance changes during an integrated high-intensity interval aerobic and power protocol. Sixteen moderately trained athletes (age: 20.1 ± 2.2 years, body height: 180.0 ± 6.5 cm, body mass: 75.7 ± 6.4 kg, VO2max : 55.8 ± 4.3 mL/kg/min) performed a 2 × 6 min interval training protocol with 2 min passive recovery between sets on two different occasions in random and counterbalanced order. Each 6 min set included repeated periods of 15 s exercise interspersed with 15 s passive rest...

Hamstring injuries in soccer continue to be a challenge for professionals who work with soccer players daily. Although its origin is multifactorial, the proper management of neuromuscular fatigue during the training microcycle is a very important factor to consider. There are no clear guidelines regarding the weekly distribution of certain exercises that demand the hamstrings. The main objective of this study was to describe the usual training practices of professional European soccer teams. An international observational survey design was applied to some of the strength and conditioning coaches of professional soccer teams...

Successful performance in grappling combat sports (GCS) can be influenced by the fighter's capacity to sustain high-intensity contractions of the handgrip muscles during combat. This study investigated the influence of GCS experience on the critical torque (CT), impulse above CT (W'), tolerance, and neuromuscular fatigue development during severe-intensity handgrip exercise by comparing fighters and untrained individuals. Eleven GCS fighters and twelve untrained individuals participated in three experimental sessions for handgrip muscles: (1) familiarization with the experimental procedures and strength assessment; (2) an all-out test to determine CT and W'; and (3) intermittent exercise performed in the severe-intensity domain (CT + 15%) until task failure...

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is characterized by muscle weakness and impaired neuromuscular control. This study aimed (a) to assess the impact of external verbal feedback on the dynamic balance of athletes with CAI and (b) to examine the maintenance of dynamic balance ability after the end of the completion of the intervention balance program. Thirty athletes (mean age 21.63 ± 1.53) were randomly divided into three groups: an experimental group with external verbal feedback, 1st control group without external verbal feedback and the 2nd control group without balance training and without feedback...

The reflexive responses to resist external forces and maintain posture result from the coordination between the vestibular system, muscle, tendon, and joint proprioceptors, and vision. Aging deteriorates these crucial functions, increasing the risk of falls. This study aimed to verify whether a training program with water bags, an Instability Neuromuscular training (INT) using the inertial load of water, could positively impact balance ability and dynamic stability. This study was conducted with twenty-two healthy older women aged ≥ 65 (mean age: 74...

Participating in sports has been shown to promote overall wellness and, at the same time, reduce health risks. As more people are participating in sports, competitions have increased, and every aspect of the game has been focused by coaches and athletes in order to improve performance. One of these aspects is the warm-up session. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of a dynamic warm-up versus a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) warm-up on the sprint and jump performance of recreationally active men...

The most important gold standard treatment following advanced knee osteoarthritis is total knee arthroplasty. Following surgery of total knee replacement, the majority of patients report decreased pain and successful long-term results, but recovery is unpredictable, and most patients continue to exhibit muscle weakness in their lower limbs and functional limitations in comparison to similarly aged control individuals. The goal of this review article was to systematically review different articles containing controlled and randomized studies to find out the effectiveness of outpatient care postoperatively on short- and long-term functional recovery...

Prior studies suggest resistance exercise as a potential form of motor learning due to task-specific corticospinal responses observed in single sessions of motor skill and resistance training. While existing literature primarily focuses on upper limb muscles, revealing a task-dependent nature in eliciting corticospinal responses, our aim was to investigate such responses after a single session of lower limb motor skill and resistance training. Twelve participants engaged in a visuomotor force tracking task, self-paced knee extensions, and a control task...

OBJECTIVE: Physical therapists and clinicians commonly confirm craniocervical posture (CCP), cervical retraction, and craniocervical flexion as screening tests because they contribute to non-specific neck pain (NSNP). We compared the predictive performance of statistical machine learning (ML) models for classifying individuals with and without NSNP using datasets containing CCP and cervical kinematics during pro- and retraction (CKdPR). DESIGN: Exploratory, cross-sectional design...

BACKGROUND: Physiotherapists in Australia play a vital first-contact role in identifying suspected serious pathologies and navigating their management pathways. Current literature highlights challenges faced by physiotherapists including implications of ineffective identification and management of suspected serious pathologies, yet the perspectives of new-graduate physiotherapists related to this area of practice remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore new-graduate physiotherapists' perspectives and developmental needs related to identifying suspected serious pathologies and navigating their management pathways in patients with musculoskeletal complaints...

INTRODUCTION: Cupping therapy is a widely used technique in Brazilian physical therapy for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the profile, training, clinical practice, and scientific updates of Brazilian Physical Therapists who use cupping therapy as a therapeutic resource for musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire, including 646 Physical Therapists who use cupping therapy in their practice...

BACKGROUND: Facial weakness is a key feature of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and may lead to altered facial expression and subsequent psychosocial impairment. There is no cure and supportive treatments focus on optimizing physical fitness and compensation of functional disabilities. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesize that symptomatic treatment options and psychosocial interventions for other neurological diseases with altered facial expression could be applicable to FSHD...

Introduction: Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally and a primary factor contributing to disability. Unilateral limb motor impairment caused by stroke is the most common scenario. The bilateral movement pattern plays a crucial role in assisting stroke survivors on the affected side to relearn lost skills. However, motion compensation often lead to decreased coordination between the limbs on both sides. Furthermore, muscle fatigue resulting from imbalanced force exertion on both sides of the limbs can also impact the rehabilitation outcomes...

Activity-based training and lumbosacral spinal cord epidural stimulation (scES) have the potential to restore standing and walking with self-balance assistance after motor complete spinal cord injury (SCI). However, improvements in upright postural control have not previously been addressed in this population. Here, we implemented a novel robotic postural training with scES, performed with free hands, to restore upright postural control in individuals with chronic, cervical ( n  = 5) or high-thoracic ( n  = 1) motor complete SCI, who had previously undergone stand training with scES using a walker or a standing frame for self-balance assistance...