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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of neuromuscular electric stimulation applied to the erector spinae on balance, motor function and functional capacity in patients with stroke in a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Sixty patients with stroke were recruited and randomly distributed into two groups: control group and neuromuscular electric stimulation group. All participants underwent conventional physical therapy five times a week for six weeks. The neuromuscular electric stimulation group received additional electrical stimulation. Outcome measures were evaluated with Brunnel Balance Assessment, Stroke Rehabilitation Movement Assessment, Functional Ambulation Classification, Adapted Patient Evaluation and Conference System, Postural Assesment Scale for Stroke patients, Short Form-36, and Minimental State Examination scales. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in all scores at the end of the study in both groups. Postural Assesment Scale for Stroke patients and Stroke Rehabilitation Movement Assessment scores were higher in the neuromuscular electric stimulation group compared to the control group (p

Lumbar stabilization exercises (LSE) lead to high levels of erector spinae muscle (ESM) activation, which has a positive effect on improving physical function. The purpose of this study is to identify factors explaining changes in muscle strength after 7 weeks of LSE and to evaluate changes in stiffness and contraction of the ESM. All participants (male: n = 42, age = 28.26 ± 10.97) were assessed for 60°/s isokinetic extensor muscle strength and tension using a tensiomyography (TMG) and isokinetic device before and after LSE. Maximum displacement (Dm) and average velocity up to 90% Dm (Vc 90) were significantly different before and after LSE. Additionally, participants’ 60°/s isokinetic extensor strength was significantly higher after exercise. A regression analysis was conducted to test the explanatory power of the variables, and positive results were obtained in the increase in extensor strength before and after Vc 90 and LSE. Furthermore, statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. After LSE, the increase in 60°/s isokinetic extensor strength and ESM’s Dm and Vc 90 can be interpreted as positive changes post-exercise in endurance muscles with a higher percentage of type I fibers. Our results can contribute to predicting the long-term exercise effect in sedentary workers and developing an individualized strategic exercise program.

• Common methodological variations in paraspinal muscle (PSM) measurement significantly affect cross-sectional area and fat percentage measurements. • The lack of standardization of PSM measurements complicates comparisons of findings between studies and prevents pooling of data for meta-analyses. • Standardization in PSM measurements is needed to move the field forward

Weight loss is a factor that affects prognosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) independent of lung function. One of the major factors for weight loss is energy malnutrition. There have been no reports on the factors related to energy malnutrition in COPD patients. This retrospective observational study aimed to investigate these factors. We included 163 male subjects with COPD. Respiratory quotient (RQ), an index of energy malnutrition, was calculated by expiratory gas analysis using an indirect calorimeter. RQ < 0.85 was defined as the energy-malnutrition group and RQ ≥ 0.85 as the no energy-malnutrition group. Factors related to energy malnutrition were examined by multivariate and decision-tree analysis. We finally analyzed data from 56 selected subjects (median age: 74 years, BMI: 22.5 kg/m2). Energy malnutrition was observed in 43%. The independent factors associated with energy malnutrition were tidal volume (VT) (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.985–0.998; p = 0.015) and Th12 erector spinae muscle cross-sectional area SMI (Th12ESMSMI) (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.535–0.946; p = 0.019). In decision-tree profiling of energy malnutrition, VT was extracted as the first distinguishable factor, and Th12ESMSMI as the second. In ROC analysis, VT < 647 mL (AUC, 0.72) or Th12ESMSMI < 10.1 (AUC, 0.70) was the cutoff value for energy malnutrition. Energy malnutrition may be an early warning sign of nutritional disorders.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if there was a difference between activities of multifi - dus and erector spinae muscles, when trained using the same patterns through a trunk training machine (TTM) and conventional exercises for trunk extensors (CETE), and to investigate the postural changes in weight bearing between groups after interventions of TTM and CETE, respectively. Methods: 20 healthy males with a mean age of 24.5±3.7 years participated in the study. First day, muscle EMG activities were recorded while all of the participants performed TTM and CETE exercises. Next day, they were separated into two groups. TTM (n=10) and CETE groups (n=10) were trained for 5 bouts. The body weight distribution was measured before and after the training periods. Results: There was a significant difference between total TTM-Work output and CETE-Work output (p

Prolonged and static sitting postures provoke physical inactivity at VDU workplaces and are therefore discussed as risk factors for the musculoskeletal system. Manufacturers have designed specific dynamic office chairs featuring structural elements which promote dynamic sitting and therefore physical activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of four specific dynamic chairs on erector spinae and trapezius EMG, postures/joint angles and physical activity intensity (PAI) compared to those of a conventional standard office chair. All chairs were fitted with sensors for measurement of the chair parameters (backrest inclination, forward and sideward seat pan inclination), and tested in the laboratory by 10 subjects performing 7 standardized office tasks and by another 12 subjects in the field during their normal office work. Muscle activation revealed no significant differences between the specific dynamic chairs and the reference chair. Analysis of postures/joint angles and PAI revealed only a few differences between the chairs, whereas the tasks performed strongly affected the measured muscle activation, postures and kinematics. The characteristic dynamic elements of each specific chair yielded significant differences in the measured chair parameters, but these characteristics did not appear to affect the sitting dynamics of the subjects performing their office tasks. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society.

Automation in healthcare is necessary to improve efficiency and productivity. Researchers deal with many time-consuming tasks which directly affect their daily work. This project arises from the need of the fat-free muscle area (FFMA) evaluation in the erector spinae muscle as a prognostic marker in cirrhotic patients. In the same way, a study of this area is a marker of sarcopenia, or muscle loss. The aim of the work is to develop a medical application able to facilitate the erector spinae muscle segmentation to quantify FFMA. A set of magnetic resonance images (MRI) have been the given data to study the issue and make the tests during software development. Due to the dissimilarity between the MRIs, it was decided to provide the user with a two-alternative method: automatic and semi-automatic segmentation. To achieve the tool, it has been done a thorough investigation based on the physiological issue, deep research on the possible image processing techniques and segmentation methods to implement the most suitable ones to the final code. The programming language is MATLAB and it is the same software used to design the Graphical User Interface (GUI). The final application has been successfully performed, even though it has some inaccuracies. The automatic segmentation misses in the images which the intensity value of the erector spinae muscle pixels is closed to the ones of surrounding anatomic parts. Nevertheless, semi-automatic segmentation visibly improves the total muscle area localization. The FFMA results deviate from the current method in clinical investigation, it is needed more data to determine the fiability of the new proposed method.