Physiotherapy - Research Publications
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ItemBrain motor control assessment of upper limb function in patients with spinal cord injury(TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2016-03)BACKGROUND: The brain motor control assessment (BMCA) for the upper limb has been developed to add resolution to the clinical evaluation in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). BMCA is a surface electromyography (sEMG)-based measure of motor output from the central nervous system during a variety of reflex and voluntary motor tasks performed under strictly controlled conditions. METHOD: Nine participants were recruited and assessed four times over a period of 1 year in a prospective cohort study design. The sEMG of 15 muscles (7 muscles from each upper limb and rectus abdominis) were recorded throughout the following stages of the BMCA protocol: (i) relaxation, (ii) reinforcement maneuvers, (iii) voluntary tasks, (iv) tendon-tap reflex responses, (v) vibration responses. RESULTS: Similarity index (SI) values were significantly lower in the SCI group for unilateral shoulder abduction (P = 0.006) and adduction (P = 0.021), elbow extension (P = 0.038), wrist flexion/extension with palm up (P < 0.001; P < 0.001) and wrist flexion with palm down (P = 0.016). sEMG magnitudes were also significantly lower in the SCI group for wrist flexion/extension with palm up (P < 0.001; P = 0.042). SI changes over time were significant for tasks related to wrist joint (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Clinicians who are involved in rehabilitation of patients with SCI can use the BMCA to assess their patients' motor control abilities and monitor their progression throughout their rehabilitation process. The results of this type of neurophysiological assessment might be useful to tailor therapeutic strategies for each patient.
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ItemGait recovery following spinal cord injury in mice: Limited effect of treadmill training(TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2016)BACKGROUND: Several studies in rodents with complete spinal cord transections have demonstrated that treadmill training improves stepping movements. However, results from studies in incomplete spinal cord injured animals have been conflicting and questions regarding the training dosage after injury remain unresolved. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of treadmill-training regimen (20 minutes daily, 5 days a week) for 3, 6 or 9 weeks on the recovery of locomotion in hemisected SCI mice. METHODS: A randomized and blinded controlled experimental trial used a mouse model of incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). After a left hemisection at T10, adult male mice were randomized to trained or untrained groups. The trained group commenced treadmill training one week after surgery and continued for 3, 6 or 9 weeks. Quantitative kinematic gait analysis was used to assess the spatiotemporal characteristics of the left hindlimb prior to injury and at 1, 4, 7 and 10 weeks post-injury. RESULTS: One week after injury there was no movement of the left hindlimb and some animals dragged their foot. Treadmill training led to significant improvements in step duration, but had limited effect on the hindlimb movement pattern. Locomotor improvements in trained animals were most evident at the hip and knee joints whereas recovery of ankle movement was limited, even after 9 weeks of treadmill training. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that treadmill training may lead to only modest improvement in recovery of hindlimb movement after incomplete spinal cord injury in mice.
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ItemEffects Of treadmill training on hindlimb muscles of spinal cord-injured mice(WILEY, 2017-02)INTRODUCTION: Treadmill training is known to prevent muscle atrophy after spinal cord injury (SCI), but the training duration required to optimize recovery has not been investigated. METHODS: Hemisected mice were randomized to 3, 6, or 9 weeks of training or no training. Muscle fiber type composition and fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) of medial gastrocnemius (MG), soleus (SOL), and tibialis anterior (TA) were assessed using ATPase histochemistry. RESULTS: Muscle fiber type composition of SCI animals did not change with training. However, 9 weeks of training increased the CSA of type IIB and IIX fibers in TA and MG muscles. CONCLUSIONS: Nine weeks of training after incomplete SCI was effective in preventing atrophy of fast-twitch muscles, but there were limited effects on slow-twitch muscles and muscle fiber type composition. These data provide important evidence of the benefits of exercising paralyzed limbs after SCI. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 55: 232-242, 2017.