Thesis (M.S.B.M.E.)--Baylor University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-78)

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology and Health Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-47). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11739

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Description based on contents viewed Oct. 14, 2008; title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-71).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 202-220.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Rehabilitation Science - Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on October 23, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology & Health Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ86295

Introdução: Instabilidades adquiridas do ombro são uma afecção comum do membro superior na prática esportiva, ocasionadas particularmente pela posição de abdução e rotação lateral da articulação glenoumeral durante movimentos explosivos. O manguito rotador proporciona grande parte da estabilidade dinâmica do ombro, sendo que nos movimentos esportivos, a estabilização necessita ser rápida para evitar a movimentação excessiva da cabeça umeral. O tempo entre a ativação do músculo e a produção de tensão é conhecida como Retardo Eletromecânico (REM), podendo este estar associado à velocidade a qual um músculo transmite sua tensão à articulação. Objetivo: avaliar o REM do músculo infraespinhal durante a rotação lateral (RL), o REM do músculo Peitoral Maior durante a rotação medial (RM) e o atraso entre a ativação do Peitoral Maior e Infraespinhal durante uma RM e relacionar estes eventos com a presença ou não da instabilidade glenoumeral adquirida. O comportamento mecânico do infraespinhal foi avaliado também por meio de mecanomiografia, possibilitando subdividir o REM em relação aos eventos elétricos e mecânicos. Métodos: Os músculos Peitoral Maior e Infraespinhal foram monitorados por eletromiografia (EMG) de superfície (2 kHz); o sinal mecanomiográfico (MMG) (2 kHz) foi coletado do Infraespinhal e os torques (2 kHz) explosivos isométricos de RM e RL do ombro foram coletados na posição do ombro de abdução e rotação lateral a 90° em um dinamômetro. Após uma avaliação funcional do membro superior, 18 indivíduos do sexo masculino, praticantes de atividade esportiva overhead, participaram do estudo, sendo nove com ombros saudáveis e nove com instabilidade glenoumeral anterior. Após a coleta e armazenamento dos sinais, esses foram filtrados e analisados. Os sinais EMG do peitoral maior e EMG e MMG do infraespinhal foram filtrados (EMG 5-500 Hz e MMG 4-400 Hz) e um envoltório linear foi calculado. O início dos sinais foi identificado usando-se o limiar de repouso + 3 desvios padrão para EMG e MMG e 2% do pico de torque para o limiar de força. Os limiares de ativação foram usados para calcular o início de cada sinal (EMG, MMG e Torque). Os intervalos de tempo entre os eventos foram mensurados e comparados entre os grupos (ombro instável, ombro contra-lateral e ombro saudável). Os picos de torque e taxa de produção do torque de RM e RL foram calculados para todos os grupos. Resultados: O REM do infraespinhal em ombros com instabilidade e nos ombros contralaterais ao instável foi menor do que nos ombros saudáveis. Pico de Torque, Taxa de Produção de Torque, atraso entre EMG do peitoral maior e EMG do infraespinhal e REM do peitoral maior não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre os grupos. Conclusão: Ombros instáveis e contralaterais aos instáveis apresentam adaptação crônica do manguito rotador com diminuição do REM. O REM está possivelmente associado ao aumento da rigidez dos elementos elásticos em série. O aumento da demanda pelos estabilizadores dinâmicos em decorrência da falência dos mecanismos estáticos de estabilização do ombro poderia explicar tal adaptação do infraespinhal. / Introduction: Acquired shoulder instabilities are a common upper limb injury in sports, mostly related to abduction and external rotation of glenohumeral joint during explosive contractions. Most of the dynamic stabilization of the shoulder joint is provided by the rotator cuff. In sports movements the stabilization must be quick to avoid humeral head excessive motion. The time between muscle activation and force production is named Electromechanical Delay (EMD), and is related to the speed of transmited tension to the joint/bone. Objetive: Evaluate the EMD in the infraspinatus muscle during External Rotation (ER), the EMD of Pectoralis Major during an Internal Rotation (IR) and the delay between Pectoralis Major and Infraspinatus activation during an IR and relate those mesurements to the shoulder stability/instability. The mechanical behaviour of the infraspinatus muscle was also assessed by mechanomyography, enabling to subdivide the EMD with respect to the electrical and mechanical events. Methods: Pectoralis Major and Infraspinatus muscles were monitored by surface Electromyography (EMG) (2kHz); the mechanomyographic (MMG) signal was collected from infraspinatus muscle (2kHz) and the isometric explosive IR and ER of shoulder were collected at 90° of abduction and external rotation on a dynamometer. After a functional evaluation of the shoulder, 18 male subjects, overhead sports participate in the study, nine with stable shoulders and nine with anterior shoulders instability. After data collection and storage, the signals were filtered and analysed. The EMG signals from Pectoralis Major and EMG and MMG from infraspinatus were filtered (EMG 5-500 Hz and MMG 4-400 Hz) and a linear envelope was calculated. The signal onset was identified using the threshold of resting signal plus 3 standart deviations for EMG and MMG and 2% of peak torque to torque threshold. The thresholds were used to calculate the beginning of each signal (EMG, MMG and Torque). The time delays between events were measured and compared between the groups (stable, unstable and contralateral to the unstable). Peak Torque and Rate of Torque Production of IR and ER were calculated to all groups. Results: The infraspinatus EMD in the unstable and contralateral to unstable shoulders were smaller than the healthy shoulders. Peak Torque, Rate of Torque Production, delay between pectoralis major EMG and infraspinatus EMG and pectoralis EMD were not different between the groups. Conclusions: Unstable and contralateral to unstable shoulders showed a chronic adaptation of rotator cuff with decrease in EMD. The EMD could be related to increase in stiffness of series elastic components. The increased demand for the dynamic stabilization caused by the loss of static stabilization mechanism could lead to the infraspinatus adaptation.

Este estudo teve como objetivo implementar um modelo biomecânico, de segmentos articulados, associado à solução inversa que permita a análise em três dimensões das forças de reação proximais e momentos proximais resultantes para diferentes gestos do membro superior. O modelo implementado é composto por cinco segmentos rígidos (mão, antebraço, braço, escápula e tronco) conectados. A resolução das equações de movimento de Newton-Euler é feita através da solução inversa. Para registro cinemático foram utilizadas cinco câmeras digitais, com freqüência de amostragem de 50 campos/seg. O modelo implementado foi avaliado de quatro formas: estimativa da acurácia da medida tridimensional obtida pela cinemetria, comparação quantitativa e qualitativa dos resultados parciais oferecidos pelo modelo implementado com resultados obtidos por instrumentos de mensuração direta (eletrogoniômetro e eletromiografia) e cálculo da propagação do erro nos valores de força de reação resultante e momento proximal líquido. Os resultados sugerem que o modelo apresenta resultados coerentes. A acurácia do sistema de videogrametria estimada foi, em média, de 1,7 (± 1,5) mm. As medidas angulares da cinemetria e eletrogoniometria divergiram em até 36°. O erro propagado no cálculo da força de reação proximal pode chegar até 25% e até 100% no cálculo do momento proximal. O sinal eletromiográfico e o momento proximal apresentaram sincronismo temporal. O modelo foi capaz de avaliar as forças de reação proximal resultantes e momentos proximais líquidos nos diferentes gestos. / The goal of this study was to implement a link segments biomechanical model, associate to the inverse solution for three dimensions analysis of proximal reaction force and proximal net moments during upper limb movement. The implemented model is composed by five connected rigid segments (hand, forearm, arm, scapula and trunk). The resolution of Newton-Euler movement equations is done through the inverse solution. For kinematics acquisition five digital cameras were used, with a frequency sample of 50 fields/sec. The implemented model was evaluated in four ways: accuracy estimation of the three-dimensional measurements, quantitative and qualitative comparison of the partial results offered by the implemented model with results obtained by instruments of direct measurements (electrogoniometer and electromyography) and calculation of the error propagation in proximal reaction force and proximal net moment values. The results suggest that the model presents coherent results. The estimated accuracy videogrammetry system was, on average, of 1.7 (± 1.5) mm. The joint angular values obtained by kinematics system and electrogoniometer diverged in 36°. The error propagation in proximal reaction force values can arrive up to 25% and up to 100% for proximal net moment. The electromyographic sign and the proximal moment presented temporary synchronism. The model was able to evaluate the proximal reaction force and proximal net moment during upper limb movement.

Patients with subacromial pain syndrome (SPS) display a number of sensorimotor deficits including alterations in pain processing, poor proprioception, and weakness at the symptomatic limb. The primary purpose of this dissertation was to explore whether the aforementioned deficits: (1) can be quantified by using the non-involved limb as a measure of control, (2) are purely localized to the symptomatic limb or represent a more generalized deficit, (3) are influenced by the presence of subacromial pain, and (4) present similarly in male and female patients. Here, we utilized modern clinical techniques in both a patient cohort with SPS and uninjured control cohort to address these aims. The results of this dissertation are applicable towards treatment of SPS as well as scientific understanding of sex on sensorimotor behavior.

This project focuses on the risk to the operatives and the public arising from hard-shoulder incursions on motorways, which are defined as the temporary violation of this lane by a vehicle travelling on the nearside lane. Even though interest has been raised around safety when stopping on the hard-shoulder, there is no significant research conducted to investigate and quantify this risk. In this EngD project, motorway hard-shoulder accidents were investigated individually from the main traffic lanes to explore the factors affecting their severity and likelihood and identify potential differences using discrete choice and time-series modelling techniques. Based on the safety triangle theory, it was assumed that eliminating the contributory factors for injury accidents would also minimise the risk of hard-shoulder incursions, which were used as a risk indicator. An observation-based survey was conducted to gain initial knowledge on the frequency of incursions within a motorway stretch and also basic conditions that may affect the severity as well. Further to the survey, in order to collect hard-shoulder incursion data automatically, potential vehicle detection solutions were investigated. A radar sensor-based system was identified as the most suitable for this purpose and was adapted to suit the project s requirements. The sensor was installed on a motorway site, following a series of requirements to ensure safe and effective deployment. The data collected from the radar sensor were processed to minimise the errors and then corresponded to the traffic related and environmental data available for the same period of time. Using the Generalised Linear Autoregressive Moving Average model, the final models developed provided the factors that mostly affect the occurrence of hard-shoulder incursions. The main factors are temperature, humidity, traffic composition and average speed on the main carriageway. Using these models it is possible to quantify the risk and forecast when this will be minimised at a particular motorway section at any time. The risk is estimated according to the explanatory variables proposed, by inputting the predictions of these conditions in the model. This model is a tool that may then allow the operatives to be deployed on the network in the safest manner, according to the levels of tolerable risk.