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Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is a common orthopedic surgery procedure whose incidence has increased over the past few decades. Nevertheless, it is believed that neuromuscular control remains altered from the early stages after ACLR to later years. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the magnitude of co-contraction during functional tasks in subjects with unilateral ACLR., Methods: A systematic review design was followed. The search strategy was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from inception to March 2024. The inclusion criteria involved studies using electromyography (EMG) data to calculate muscle pair activation via the co-contraction index (CCI) in ACLR individuals during functional tasks. The Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, and study quality was evaluated using National Institutes of Health (NIH) Study Quality Assessment Tools., Results: The search strategy found a total of 792 studies, of which 15 were included in this systematic review after reviewing the eligibility criteria. The magnitude of co-contraction was assessed in a total of 433 ACLR individuals and 206 controls during functional tasks such as hop, drop-land, step-up/step-down, and gait. Overall, approximately 79.6% of individuals who had undergone ACLR exhibited increased levels of co-contraction magnitude in the ACLR limb, while 8.5% showed low co-contraction levels., Conclusions: The findings of the review suggest that, during functional tasks, most individuals who have undergone ACLR exhibit changes of co-contraction magnitude in the involved limb., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies analyzing morphometry of neck extensor musculature have mostly used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Panoramic Ultrasound View could be used for obtaining high-quality 2D cross-sectional images with a wide field of view more cost-effectively imaging acquisition by creating an automatic construction of 2D cross-sectional images., Objective: To measure neck extensors cross-sectional area (CSA) using panoramic ultrasound view in healthy subjects., Design: Cross-sectional study., Methods: Panoramic B-mode ultrasound images of the neck extensor muscles at C4/C5 level were acquired in 25 healthy subjects (40% women, mean age: 24 ± 5 years) by an experienced assessor. The CSA of the upper trapezius, splenius (layer), semispinalis (layer), multifidi, short rotators, and levator scapulae were calculated. The relative percentage in the total neck extensor muscle volume of each CSA was also determined. Sex and side-to-side comparisons were conducted., Results: Men showed larger CSAs than women in all muscles (all, P < 0.01). No side-to-side differences were found in either men or women (all, P > 0.05). Significant positive associations between CSA with weight (r: 0.654 to 0.375, P < 0.01), height (r: 0.386 to 0.581, P < 0.05), and BMI (r: 0.369 to 0.563, P < 0.05) were found. Men showed greater percentage of upper trapezius and semispinalis muscle layers than women (P < 0.01), whereas women had a greater percentage of levator scapulae muscle than men (P < 0.01) from the total volume of the neck extensors. No side-to-side differences were found either., Conclusions: The current study describes CSA, as assessed with panoramic ultrasound view, of the neck extensors in healthy people. Men exhibited greater CSA than women with no side-to-side differences., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Evidence suggests that medial pterygoid muscle plays an important role in temporomandibular pain. Therapeutic approaches targeting this muscle are needed., Objective: To determine if a solid needle accurately penetrates the medial pterygoid muscle during the application of dry needling., Design: A cadaveric and human descriptive study., Methods: Needling insertion of the medial pterygoid was conducted in 5 fresh cadaver and 5 subjects with temporomandibular pain. Needling insertion was performed using a 40 mm needle inserted at the inferior angle of the mandibular bone. The needle was advanced from an inferior to superior direction into the medial pterygoid to a maximum depth of 30 mm. In cadavers, medial pterygoid placement was assessed by observation after resecting the superficial overlying tissues. In patients, medial pterygoid placement was assessed by self-reported pain referral during insertion., Results: Accurate needle penetration of the medial pterygoid was observed in all fresh cadavers and pain referral was reported by 4/5 patients during needling insertion., Conclusion: Results from both cadavers and patients support the assertion that needling of the medial pterygoid can be accurately conducted., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies have analyzed muscle morphometry of cervical multifidus by using ultrasound imaging, but its reliability is not clearly determined., Objective: To investigate intra- and inter-rater reliability of imaging capturing (probe assessment/patient positioning) and imaging calculation (scan assessment) of cervical multifidus cross sectional area (CSA) by considering the assessor's experience in asymptomatic individuals., Design: Reliability study., Methods: The CSA of C4/C5 cervical multifidus was assessed in 16 asymptomatic subjects. Two examiners performed the imaging capture and also repeated the procedure (probe placement/patient positioning) twice with a 10-min period between each. Other two raters conducted imaging calculations of CSA. Intra-examiner imaging capturing reliability, each rater (experienced and novice) calculated multifidus CSA of both images obtained by each examiner. Inter-examiner imaging capturing reliability, each rater calculated the CSA obtained by each examiner at the first imaging attempt. For imaging calculation reliability, each rater calculated multifidus CSA of all images captured by both examiners. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated., Results: Intra- (ICC 3,1 0.988-0.996, SEM 0.3%-0.7%) and inter- (ICC 3,2 0.958-0.965, SEM 2.6%-3.2%) examiner reliability of imaging capturing was excellent. Intra- and inter-rater reliability of imaging calculation was also excellent for both raters (experienced/novice). No significant differences between experienced or novice examiners or testers were found., Conclusions: This study found that intra- and inter-examiner/rater reliability of imaging capturing (probe assessment/patient positioning) and imaging calculation (scan assessment) of the cervical multifidus CSA at C4/C5 level was excellent in asymptomatic subjects., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Evidence suggests that suboccipital musculature plays an important role in headache. Proper therapeutic approaches targeting this muscle are needed., Objective: Our aim was to determine with fresh cadavers and ultrasound imaging if a solid needle is able to properly penetrate the obliquus capitis inferior muscle during the application of dry needling., Design: A cadaveric and human descriptive study., Methods: Needling insertion and ultrasound imaging of the obliquus capitis inferior muscle was conducted on 10 pain-free healthy subjects and 5 fresh cadavers. Needling insertion was performed using a 40 mm needle inserted midway between the spinous process of C2 and transverse process of C1. The needle was advanced from a posterior to anterior direction into the obliquus capitis inferior muscle with an inferior-lateral angle to reach the lamina of C2. For the cadaveric study, the obliquus capitis inferior placement was verified by resecting the superficial upper trapezius, splenius capitis, and semispinalis capitis muscles. For ultrasographic study, a linear transducer was aligned with the long axis of the obliquus capitis inferior muscle after needle insertion., Results: Both the cadaveric and ultrasonic studies showed that the needle penetrated the obliquus capitis inferior muscle during its insertion and that the tip of the needle rested against C2 laminae, thereby reaching the targeted muscle., Conclusion: This anatomical and ultrasound imaging study supports the assertion that needling insertion of the obliquus capitis inferior muscle can be properly conducted by an experienced clinician., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)