Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 2008. / Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Glasgow, 2008. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brock University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-50).

A magnetic stimulator consisting of a capacitor discharge and associated control circuits was designed and constructed for use in research and practice. This stimulator is capable of delivering an output voltage of 1000 V and output peak current of 8 kA to a coil. Depending on the coil used, the rise time of the current pulse can be varied in steps of 30 µs or less. After each discharge, the stimulator measures the output current amplitude to within 0.2 kA and rise time to within 10 µs, and displays their values on a liquid crystal panel. The stimulator can operate in pulsed or in repetitive discharge mode (1 pulse per 5 seconds). With minor modifications, the stimulator can operate up to 1600 V and provide up to 16 kA. The rise time can be changed in steps of 10 µs or less. The capability to provide output current of variable rise time makes this stimulator is a versatile instrument for both research and clinical use of magnetic stimulation. This feature, which is found in no other stimulating instrument, is important for studying the effect of current rise time on magnetically induced stimulation. With this device we can determine the optimum current pulse shape for effective stimulation with the minimum energy. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Power and strength training, using conventional techniques, has been studied by several researchers. Investigations into the use of different training methods and their effect on power and strength development are continually being studied and re-assessed. Recently, the use of faradic or electrical stimulation has become an interesting alternative method, although much controversy surrounds this technique. It has been reported by Johnson et al. (1977) and Kots (1977) that faradic stimulation is used with success as part of a strengthening program by elite Soviet athletes. The combined effects of a program consisting of exercise as well as electrical stimulation was undertaken to determine the muscular power and strength potentials. The main objective of this study was to compare power and strength changes between equated groups employing the following training techniques: electrical stimulation plus isokinetic exercise, isokinetic exercise and electrical stimulation, respectively. Twenty-seven, moderately trained, female subjects, nine per group, were tested on three separate occasions. During the first session, height, weight, left and right quadriceps power evaluation, time to peak tension of the muscle contraction at the four velocities :(30, 100, 180 and 0 degrees per second) and two thigh girth measurements were determined. The three groups were equated for power after the pretest was conducted. The second and third testing sessions assessed the power and time to peak tension of the non-dominant leg at the four velocities and patellar and gluteal thigh girths. A significant difference for power was found between the pre and post tests and the pre and mid tests for the combined groups during the six week period of training. Although no difference was found between each of the three groups, the results indicated that programs involving electrical stimulation and isokinetic exercise, isokinetic exercise and electrical stimulation only, are potentially effective in improving muscular power and strength in normal subjects. The study revealed that one method was not superior to another after six weeks of training. There was significant power differences between the pre and post tests and pre and mid tests at the slow isokinetic speeds of 30° and 0° per second. Since the training was conducted at the speeds of 30° and 0° (isometric) per second, the slow testing speeds reflected neural adaptation and muscular recruitment when the specificity of training theory is considered. These findings imply that power and strength training benefits are limited to speeds used during training. During the six week training period, time to peak maximal torque and hypertrophy of the quadriceps muscle group did not alter significantly when examining the means of all three groups. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

After knee surgery, the development of leg strength and size to its original levels are important requirements in the recovery. The major aim in the rehabilitation of a meniscectomy is to return the injured limb to its original size by a program of active exercises. Failure to do this may result in limited activity and re-injury to the knee joint A program of electrical stimulation has been found to be effective in controlling muscle atrophy during the time of denervation in animals and humans (in animals - Schimrizk et a 1976; Herbison et al, 1973, 1971; Stillwell et al, 1962 and Guttman and Guttman, 1942; in humans - Osbourne, 1951 and Jackson and Seddon, 1945). At the present time no studies have been done to determine if electrical stimulation will be effective in controlling muscle atrophy in normally innervated muscles during the period of immobilization. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a 10-12 day program of electrical stimulation on the control of muscle atrophy and strength loss during the period of immobilization. A subproblem of this investigation was to determine the relationship between muscle atrophy and strength loss. The subjects for this study were eighteen patients undergoing a meniscectomy operation (mean age 22.7 yrs.). Subjects were rated according to strength per body weight and assigned to a control or an experimental group. The experimental group participated in a five session program of electrical stimulation in addition to a standard physiotherapy program. The control group participated only in the standard physiotherapy program. The electrical stimulation consisted of five sessions each lasting ten minutes. Ninety muscle contractions were made during the ten minute session. The sessions were held on weekdays within a 10-12 day period of the operation. The first session was held 48 hours after the operation. In the first two sessions the leg was stimulated at the immobilized angle and in the remaining three sessions the leg was stimulated at 115 degrees of extention. All subjects were tested one day prior to the operation and at the end of the 10-12 day period for thigh volume and maximal isometric leg strength. The following hypotheses were tested for significance at the .05 level. 1. The use of electrical stimulation in addition to the standard physiotherapy program will show less muscle atrophy as compared to the standard physiotherapy program. 2. The use of electrical stimulation in addition to the standard physiotherapy program will maintain a higher level of original isometric strength as compared to the standard physiotherapy program. 3. There is a positive linear relationship between muscle atrophy and strength loss. Analysis of variance revealed that hypothesis #1 is supported at the .01 level and hypothesis #2 is not supported at the .05 level of significance. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation showed that hypothesis #3 is supported when the two groups were combined and for the control group only at the .01 level of significance, but not for the treatment group only, at the .05 level. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

No description available.

Thesis (MPhil) -- AUT University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (xiv, 156 leaves : charts. ; 30 cm.) in the Archive at the City Campus (T 616.810645 ROS)

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 179-190). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.