The dance is a possibility of non-verbal communication. It is supposed that, like therapy, the dance can embrace and interconnect cerebral areas which are responsible for the cognition, emotion and motor action. To investigate the effect of Dance therapy as tool for improves the quality of life, ROM and functionality of subjects with neuromotor disorders. This controlled and randomized clinical trial was composed by two groups: Dance Therapy and Kinesiotherapy. Both of them were undergone to an 1-hour treatment, twice a week, along two months. The assessment instruments used were: The questionnaire about quality of Life Short-Form 36 (Brazilian version), goniometer (to ROM), and Protocol for Evaluating Motor and Functional Performance of Durigon. The applied procedures in the groups Dance therapy and Kinesiotherapy were conducted in suitable locations for their conducts. Twenty-six subjects were proportionally allocated into two groups of study. The findings suggest impairment in quality of life in various rules in both groups when analyzed through SF-36. The worst scores of quality of life were observed for the field of physical limitation in both groups (Dance Therapy 20.76±6.76, Kinesiotherapy 37.69±8.05). Significant improvement was observed for the items functional capacity (p=0.019), general health (p=0.015), social aspects (p=0.002) and limitation for emotional aspects (p=0.039) only for the group Dance Therapy after treatment. In Group Dance Therapy the sampling variances showed significant improvements in range of motion in all joints and axes of movements (p < .05). The exception was adduction movement in the shoulder joint (p=.174 and p=.082, right and left limbs, respectively). In Group Kinesiotherapy there was significant increase in the passive range of motion in some joints of the upper (p≤.015) and some joints of the lower limbs (p≤.05). A significant enhancement was observed in all of static and dynamic functional activities (p≤.04), except to anterior (p=.083) and posterior gaits (p=.157) for the Dance Therapy group. In the Kinesiotherapy group, there was a significant improvement only for sitting (p=.016) and kneeling postures (p=.025). The Dance Therapy promoted enhancement on the quality of life, the range of motion and the static and dynamic functions in patients with brain-related neuromotor disabilities. / A dança é uma possibilidade de comunicação. Supõe-se que, como terapia, ela possa abranger e interconectar áreas cerebrais responsáveis pela cognição, emoção e ação motriz. Investigar o efeito da Dançaterapia como ferramenta para melhorar a funcionalidade, mobilidade e qualidade de vida de sujeitos com transtornos neuromotores. Este ensaio clínico, controlado e com distribuição aleatória foi composto por dois grupos: Dançaterapia e Cinesioterapia. Ambos os grupos foram tratados com duração de uma hora, duas vezes por semana, por um período de dois meses. Os instrumentos de avaliação utilizados foram: Questionário de Qualidade de Vida SF-36, goniômetro (para mobilidade articular) e avaliação funcional de Durigon. Os procedimentos aplicados nos grupos Dançaterapia e Cinesioterapia foram realizados em locais adequados para as respectivas condutas. Vinte e seis indivíduos foram proporcionalmente distribuídos nos dois grupos de pesquisa. Os resultados encontrados apontam comprometimento na qualidade de vida nos diversos domínios em ambos os grupos quando analisados através do SF-36. Os piores escores de qualidade de vida foram observados quanto ao domínio capacidade funcional em ambos os grupos (Dançaterapia: 20,76±6,76; Cinesioterapia: 37,69±8,05). Melhora estatisticamente significativa para os itens capacidade funcional (p=0,019), estado geral de saúde (p=0,015), aspectos sociais (p=0,002) e limitações por aspectos emocionais (p=0,039) apenas para o grupo Dançaterapia. No Grupo Dançaterapia, as variâncias amostrais demonstraram significativa melhora na amplitude de movimento em todas as articulações e eixos de movimento (p < 0,05). A exceção foi na articulação do ombro no movimento de adução (p=0,174 e p=0,082, membros direito e esquerdo, respectivamente). No Grupo Cinesioterapia, ocorreu acréscimo significativo da amplitude passiva de movimento em algumas articulações de membros superiores (p≤0,015) e algumas articulações de membros inferiores (p≤0,05) Os resultados encontrados apontam, no Grupo Dançaterapia, melhora significativa em todas as atividades funcionais estáticas e dinâmicas (p≤0,04), com exceção de marcha anterior (p=0,083) e posterior (p=0,157). No Grupo Cinesioterapia, houve melhora significativa para sedestação (p=0,016) e ajoelhado (p=0,025). A dança, como terapia, promoveu melhora na qualidade de vida, na mobilidade articular e na função estática e dinâmica de pacientes com transtornos neuromotores de origem cerebral.

A síndrome fêmoro-patelar (SFP) acomete adultos jovens e caracteriza-se por dor no joelho durante a realização de atividades funcionais. Os fatores etiológicos incluem o aumento do ângulo Q e desequilíbrios musculares e para seu tratamento normalmente são realizados exercícios de fortalecimento do músculo quadríceps femoral, não sendo encontradas referências quanto ao uso de alongamento muscular no reequilíbrio da articulação fêmoro-patelar. Dessa forma, os objetivos deste estudo foram comparar a eficácia de exercícios de fortalecimento do músculo quadríceps femoral e alongamento dos músculos da cadeia posterior na recuperação funcional de pacientes com SFP. Para isso, foram selecionadas 40 mulheres sedentárias com idade entre 18 e 32 anos com SFP. Antes do tratamento foram avaliados: medida da flexibilidade, do encurtamento dos músculos isquiotibiais, do ângulo Q, aplicação de escalas da capacidade funcional (escala de contagem de Lysholm e escala de avaliação para a articulação fêmoro-patelar) e eletromiografia (EMG) dos músculos vasto medial (VM), vasto lateral (VL), bíceps femoral (BF) e gastrocnêmio porção lateral (GT) durante contrações isométricas de flexão e extensão da perna. Posteriormente, os pacientes foram divididos em quatro grupos de tratamento: o Grupo 1 (G1) realizou alongamento dos músculos da cadeia posterior pela técnica de reeducação postural global, o Grupo 2 (G2) realizou alongamento segmentar dos músculos isquiotibiais e gastrocnêmio, o Grupo 3 (G3) fortaleceu o músculo quadríceps femoral em cadeia cinética aberta e o Grupo 4 (G4) fortaleceu o mesmo músculo em cadeia cinética fechada, ambos com aumento progressivo da carga. Antes e após cada sessão de tratamento, as pacientes preenchiam a intensidade da dor no joelho numa escala visual analógica. O tratamento durou oito semanas com freqüência de duas vezes semanais. As variáveis obtidas antes e após o tratamento para cada grupo foram analisadas pelo teste de Wilcoxon e entre os grupos pela Anova e teste de Duncan ou Anova de Friedman ou Manova (&#945; < 0,05). Comparando as variáveis antes e após o tratamento, os resultados mostram que a intensidade da dor apresentou melhora significante no G1 e G3 e o ângulo Q diminuiu no G1 e G2. Para a atividade EMG, o músculo VM não sofreu alteração após o tratamento, o músculo VL aumentou no G2 e G3, o músculo BF aumentou apenas no G3 e o músculo GT aumentou no G3 e G4. Em todos os grupos, as escalas mostram melhora da capacidade funcional, diminuição do encurtamento dos músculos isquiotibiais e aumento da flexibilidade. Entre os grupos, o G1 tendeu a apresentar maior flexibilidade, o G4 maior atividade EMG do músculo BF, enquanto o G1 e G3 mostraram maior ativação do músculo GT. Os dados sugerem que os exercícios de alongamento muscular, em especial o global, também devem ser indicados no tratamento de pacientes com SFP, principalmente nas fases iniciais, onde se objetiva uma redução efetiva da intensidade da dor. Além disso, também possibilitou maior realinhamento do joelho (redução do ângulo Q) e aumento da flexibilidade, o que pode facilitar o fortalecimento muscular. / The patellofemoral syndrome (PFS) affects young adults and is characterized by knee pain during functional activities. PFS etiology includes bigger Q angle and muscular imbalances. For treatment, quadriceps femoris strengthening are normally performed, but we were unable to locate documentation about the application of stretching exercises in the patellofemoral joint rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of quadriceps femoris muscle strengthening and posterior chain stretching exercises in the functional recovery of PFS patients. Forty female nonathletes aged between 18 and 32 years old were recruited. Before treatment, it was measured: flexibility, hamstring tightness, Q angle, functional injury level of the knee by the application of questionnaires and electromyography (EMG) of the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF) and lateral gastrocnemius(LG) muscles during isometric contractions of leg flexion and extension. After this initial evaluation, patients were divided into four treatment groups: Group 1 (G1) performed posterior chain global stretching exercises, Group 2 (G2) segmentary stretching exercises of hamstring and gastrocnemius muscles, Group 3 (G3) quadriceps femoris strengthening exercises in open kinetic chain and Group 4 (G4) quadriceps femoris strengthening exercises in closed kinetic chain, with progressively resistance increases. This treatment lasted eight weeks, twice a week. Before and after each treatment session, the visual analogue scale accessed pain intensity. The data obtained before and after treatment for all groups were analyzed by Wilcoxon test, and the data between groups by Anova and Duncan test or Friedman Anova or Manova (&#945; < 0.05). Comparing the data before and after treatment, the results showed a significant improvement in pain intensity in G1 and G3 and a decreased Q angle in G1 and G2. For the EMG activity, VM muscle activity was not modified after treatment, VL activity increased in G2 and G3, BF activity increased only in G3 and LG activity increased in G3 and G4. Between groups, G1 showed greatest flexibility, G4 greatest EMG activity of BF muscle, while G1 and G3 showed greatest activity of LG muscle. Based on these results, we suggest that stretching exercises, specifically in global modality, can be prescribed in PFS treatment, especially in its initial phases, for an effective reduction of pain intensity. Moreover, this treatment caused a knee alignment (by reducing Q angle)and flexibility improvement, which may facilitate muscular strengthening.

A Distrofia Muscular Congênita (DMC) se caracteriza clinicamente por hipotonia e fraqueza muscular, retardo do desenvolvimento motor e retrações fibrotendíneas. Instrumentos de avaliação clínica, como as escalas funcionais, motoras e de qualidade de vida, têm como objetivo quantificar o impacto da doença sobre as atividades diárias da vida do paciente, além de auxiliarem na caracterização de grupos de estudo heterogêneos. Sendo a DMC altamente heterogênea, traçar o perfil funcional dos pacientes com diferentes subtipos seria útil para caracterizar padrões funcionais e auxiliar no tratamento em equipe multidisciplinar. Objetivos: Caracterizar o perfil de funcionalidade e qualidade de vida de pacientes com DMC de diferentes subtipos e correlacioná-lo com a força muscular e grau de amplitude de movimento. Metodologia: Em uma amostra de 18 pacientes com DMC com idade de 12 + 3,2 anos e 13 pacientes com outras miopatias congênitas com idade de 13 + 2,6 anos foram aplicados em três visitas (V1, V2 e V3) os questionários SF-36 e Índice de Barthel (IB), além de realizada avaliação físico-motora (goniometria, força muscular) seguido de correlação com a escala funcional MFM-32 (Medida de Função Motora). Resultados: Houve significativa queda na qualidade de vida em pacientes Merosina (-) e em outras formas de DMC. O índice de Barthel (IB) apontou \"grave dependência\" final em pacientes merosina (-) e \"moderada dependência\" em outras formas de DMC. A goniometria mostrou diminuição da movimentação global em todos os grupos articulares avaliados em pacientes com merosina (-). Em outras formas de DMC, houve exceção de diminuição apenas em articulação distal de membros superiores. A força de todos os grupos musculares é significativamente afetada em ambos os grupos. Pacientes merosina (-) mostram diminuição significativa de funcionalidade nas três dimensões da escala MFM-32 (D1, D2 e D3), e em outras formas de DMC, apenas diminuição em D2 e D3. Houve moderada correlação positiva entre força muscular e D1 da escala MFM-32, forte correlação positiva entre goniometria e D2 e D3 em pacientes com merosina (-), não havendo correlação entre nenhuma variável e MFM-32 em outras formas de DMC. Conclusão: Pacientes com DMC apresentaram perfil funcional \"gravemente dependente\", com diminuição da qualidade de vida, observada em cinco de oito quesitos do questionário SF-36. A força muscular e a amplitude de movimento articular foram afetadas de forma generalizada em ambos os grupos de pacientes. Pacientes com merosina (-) mostraram-se mais afetados funcionalmente em posturas eretas e transferências, sendo correlacionada positivamente com a força muscular dos grupos dessa tarefa / Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD) is characterized by hypotonia and weakness, motor development delay and muscular contractures. Instruments of clinical assessment, such as functional motor and quality of life scales are essential to quantify the impact of the disease on daily activities of the patient\'s life in addition to helping in the characterization of heterogeneous study groups. As the DMC highly heterogeneous, trace the functional profile of patients with different subtypes would be useful to characterize functional patterns and aid in the treatment by a multidisciplinary team. Objectives: To characterize the functionality and quality of life of children with different subtypes of DMC and to correlate them with the degree of muscle strength and range of motion. Methods: In a sample of 18 patients with CMD (aged 12 + 3.2 years) and 13 patients with other congenital myopathies (aged 13 ± 2.6 years) were applied in three visits (V1, V2 and V3) the SF-36 and Barthel Index (BI), and performed physical-motor assessment (goniometry, muscle strength) followed by correlation with functional scale MFM-32 (motor Function Measure. ). Results: There was a significant decrease in the quality of life in patients Merosin (-) and other forms of CMD. IB indicated \"severe dependence\" final in Merosin patients (-) and \"moderate dependence\" in other forms of CMD. Goniometry showed a decrease of the overall joint movement in all groups evaluated in patients with merosin (-).In other forms of DMC was decreased joint movement in all joint groups, except for the distal joint of the upper limbs. The strength of each muscle group was significantly affected in both groups. Patients merosin (-) show a significant decrease in the functionality on the 3 dimensions of MFM-32 scale (D1, D2, D3) in patients with other forms of DMC only reduction in D2 and D3. There was a moderate positive correlation between muscle strength and D1 of the SF-32 scale, strong positive correlation between goniometry and D2 and D3 in patients with Merosin (-), there was no correlation between this variable and MFM-32 in other forms of CMD. Conclusion: Patients with CMD showed functional profile \"severely dependent\" to low quality of life observed in five of eight areas of the SF-36 questionnaire. Muscle strength and range of motion were affected in a generalized manner in both patient groups. Patients with Merosin (-) are even more affected functionally in standing and transfers being positively correlated with muscle strength of the groups of this task postures

Title: Neuro Biomechanical principles in robot-assisted gait training for pediatric patients Background: There is a lack of data on how robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) contributes to gait changes in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: This research study investigated efficacy of a 4-week RAGT intervention in twelve ambulatory spastic diparesis children with CP (10.8±2.6 years old; 2 girls and 10 boys; Gross Motor Function Classification System I-III) by using computerized gait analysis (CGA); passive joint range of motion (PROM); selective control assessment of lower limbs evaluation (SCALE), and the six-minute walk test (6MWT). Pre-post RAGT intervention data of children with CP was compared with the normative data curves of typically developing children by cross-correlation, and further statistically evaluated by a Wilcoxon test. Results: Significant pre-post RAGT intervention differences (p<0.05) that indicate more physiological gait comparing to the normative data curves were found. Biceps femoris, rectus femoris, and tibialis anterior decreased activity almost across all gait cycle phases. Medial gastrocnemius decreased activity mainly in terminal stance, mid-swing, and terminal swing phases. Internal hip rotations and foot progress angles decreased almost across all gait cycle...

Title: Influence of dynamic stretching on the resulting dynamics of lower extremities in volleyball Objectives: The aim of this work was to find out if there is a correlation between long term dynamic stretching and muscle dynamics of lower limbs of volleyball players. Methods: Theoretical part is based on foreign literature and researches. To gain the necessary data, experimental study was created. It contained 10 male probands in the age of 16-19. In the beginning of the experiment, all the participants attended the Bosco test at the biomedical lab at UK FTVS. The main parameter was the total flight time of the entire 60 seconds. After that participants attended 8 weeks of 2 times a week of dynamic stretching before the training instead of their usual stretching stereotype. Immediately after those 8 weeks, second Bosco testing took place and the comparison of the data of the whole group and individuals was made from the view of their volleyball posts. Results: There was a slight improvement in all the data at the whole group and significant improvement in anaerobic endurance. After comparing of the results of all the probands no significant differences between the probands from the perspective of player's volleyball posts. Keywords: volleyball, stretching, static stretching, dynamic stretching,...

Bei einer altersgerechten Arbeitsgestaltung mittels digitaler Menschmodelle (DMM) sind die altersbedingten Veränderungen der menschlichen Leistungsfähigkeit zu berücksichtigen. Altersbedingte Veränderungen wie bspw. der Beweglichkeit sind aktuell nur rudimentär bei der virtuellen Arbeitsprozessgestaltung abbildbar. Deshalb wird im Beitrag ein Konzept zur Integration von Altersfaktoren in DMM vorgestellt. Dem User-Centered-Design Prozess folgend, werden die einzelnen Schritte zur Integration von Altersfaktoren am Beispiel der Beweglichkeit dargestellt. Dazu werden die erhobenen Nutzeranforderungen und die Darstellung der nutzerorientierten Konfiguration der Altersfaktoren im DMM dargestellt. Im Ergebnis wird gezeigt, wie altersbedingte Veränderungen der menschlichen Leistungsfähigkeit in DMM nutzer-orientiert eingebunden werden können. Dem Nutzer soll damit perspektivisch eine effektive und effiziente altersgerechte Gestaltung in DMM mittels akkurater, relevanter Daten sowie geeigneter Unterstützung ermöglicht werden.

No / When descending stairs bodyweight becomes supported on a single limb while the forwards-reaching contralateral limb is lowered in order to make contact with the step below. This is associated with lowering of the centre of mass (CoM), which in order to occur in a controlled manner, requires increased ankle and knee joint torque production relative to that in overground walking. We have previously shown that when descending steps or stairs older people operate at a higher proportion of their maximum eccentric capacity and at, or in excess of the maximum passive reference joint range of motion. This suggests they have reduced and/or altered control over their CoM and we hypothesised that this would be associated with alterations in muscle activity patterns and in the CoM vertical acceleration and velocity profiles during both the lowering and landing phases of stair descent. 15 older (mean age 75 years) and 17 young (mean age 25 years) healthy adults descended a 4-step staircase, leading with the right limb on each stair, during which CoM dynamics and electromyographic activity patterns for key lower-limb muscles were assessed. Maximum voluntary eccentric torque generation ability at the knee and ankle was also assessed. Older participants compared to young participants increased muscle co-contraction relative duration at the knee and ankle of the trailing limb so that the limb was stiffened for longer during descent. As a result older participants contacted the step below with a reduced downwards CoM velocity when compared to young participants. Peak downwards and peak upwards CoM acceleration during the descent and landing phases respectively, were also reduced in older adults compared to those in young participants. In contrast, young participants descended quickly onto the step below but arrested their downward CoM velocity sooner following landing; a strategy that was associated with longer relative duration lead-limb plantar flexor activity, increased peak upwards CoM acceleration, and a reduced landing duration. These results suggest that a reduced ability to generate high eccentric torque at the ankle in the forward reaching limb is a major factor for older participants adopting a cautious movement control strategy when descending stairs. The implications of this CoM control strategy on the incidences of falling on stairs are discussed.

No description available.

In a quest to design novel deployable structures, flexible polyhedra provide interesting insights. This work follows the discovery of flexible polyhedra and aims to make flexible polyhedra more useful. The dissertation describes how flexible polyhedra can be made. The flexible polyhedra first considered in this dissertation have a rotational degree of freedom. The range of this rotational movement is measured and maximised in this work by numerical maximisation. All polyhedra are established computationally: an iterative solution method is used to find vertex coordinates; several clash detecting methods are described to define whether each rotational position of a flexible polyhedron is physically possible; then a range of motion is defined between occurrences of clashes at the two ends; finally, an optimisation tool is used to maximise the range of motion. By using these tools, the range of motion of two types of simplest flexible polyhedra are maximised. The first type is a series of flexible polyhedra generalised from the Steffen flexible polyhedron. The range of motion of this type is improved to double that of Steffen’s original, from 27° to 59°. Another type of flexible polyhedron is expanded from a model provided by Tachi. Based on the understanding of Steffen’s flexible polyhedron, optimisation parameters are carefully given. This new type has achieved a wider range of motion, so now the range of motion of flexible polyhedron is tripled to 80°. After enlarging the range of motion of the degree of freedom in the 1-dof systems, the dissertation found multiple degrees of freedom in one polyhedron. The multiple mechanisms can be even repetitive, so that an n-dof polyhedron is found. A polyhedron of two degrees of freedom is first presented. Then, a unit cell for any number of mechanisms is found. As a repetitive structure, a 3-dof polyhedron is presented. Finally, this work presents the possibility of configuring a flexible polyhedral torus and a closed polyhedral surface that is able to flex without the need to stop.

In der vorliegenden Studie wurde daher den Einfluss exzentrischen Trainings, mit unterschiedlicher Reizmagnitude, Bewegungsgeschwindigkeit und Muskellänge bei Reizapplikation, auf die Adaptation des M. vastus lateralis (VL) untersucht. Die 31 Studienteilnehmer wurden randomisiert in zwei Trainings- und eine Kontrollgruppe aufgeteilt. Die Trainingsgruppen führten 30 Trainingseinheiten mit exzentrischem Training der Knieextensoren an einem Isokineten durch. Gruppe 1 (n=10) trainierte ein Bein mit 65% der maximalen willkürlichen isometrischen Kontraktion (MVC) und das andere Bein mit 100% MVC, bei einer Winkelgeschwindigkeit von 90°/s und einem Kniewinkel von 25°-100°. Gruppe 2 (n=10) trainierte beide Beine mit 100% MVC, ein Bein aber mit einer Winkelgeschwindigkeit von 90°/s in einem Kniewinkel von 25°-65° und das andere Bein mit 240°/s und 25°-100°. In der Pre- und Postmessung wurde die VL Muskelfaserlänge mittels Ultraschall bestimmt und die Moment-Winkel- und Leistungs-Winkelgeschwindigkeitsrelation mit einem Dynamometer erfasst. Die Ergebnisse zeigen nur für Bein mit 240°/s eine signifikante (p / The present study investigated the effects of magnitude, velocity and muscle length at which the eccentric stimulus is applied on the longitudinal adaptation of the vastus lateralis muscle (VL). The 31 participants were randomly assigned into two experimental groups to perform 30 sessions of eccentric training for the knee extensors (3 times/week) and one control group. The first experimental group (n=10) exercised one leg at 65% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) and the second leg at 100% MVC at 90°/s from 25° to 100° knee angle on an isokinetic device (Biodex 3). The second experimental group (n=10) exercised one leg at 100% MVC at 90°/s from 25° to 65° knee angle and the other leg at 100% MVC at an angular velocity of 240°/s from 25° to 100° knee angle. In pre and post measurements the fascicle length of the VL was examined by ultrasonography and the moment-angle and power-angular velocity relationship of the knee extensors with a dynamometer. The results showed an increase (p