scholarly journals Changes in the Linear Relationship between Muscle Contraction Intensity and Muscle Hardness after Rectus Femoris Muscle Strain

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Takayuki Inami ◽  
Takuya Shimizu ◽  
Tomoaki Osuga ◽  
Takaya Narita ◽  
Norikazu Hirose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Contraction ◽  
Linear Relationship ◽  
Rectus Femoris ◽  
Ultrasound Elastography ◽  
Muscle Strain ◽  
Muscle Hardness ◽  
Muscle Contraction Intensity ◽  
Muscle Strain Injury ◽  
Rectus Femoris Muscle ◽  
Femoris Muscle

Objective. Joint torque differences between healthy and rehabilitated legs are often measured as a clinical index of recovery from muscle strain injury. Unfortunately, it should be noted that this is a questionable evaluation measure of the muscle after injury because it is a composite value including related cooperating muscles. Meanwhile, the use of ultrasound elastography for the measurement of individual muscle mechanical properties (i.e., muscle hardness) has recently expanded. The purpose of this study was to examine, using ultrasound elastography, the differences in the linear relationship between muscle contraction intensity and muscle hardness during knee extension in athletes who had recovered from grade II rectus femoris muscle strain injury through comparison of the healthy and rehabilitated legs. Methods. Six athletes participated. Rectus femoris muscle hardness, determined during isometric contraction at 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% of maximum voluntary contraction, was evaluated using ultrasound strain elastography. Results and Conclusion. The results indicated that for the healthy legs, the strain ratios, as indicated by muscle hardness, decreased linearly (became harder) with contraction intensity, but the strain ratios for the rehabilitated legs decreased nonlinearly. These results show the danger of judging the recovery period using only the difference between healthy and rehabilitated muscle strengths and the importance of evaluating individual muscles.

scholarly journals Counterstrain as a Diagnostic and Treatment Tool for Rectus Femoris Origin Injuries: A Case Report

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
Edward K. Goering ◽  
Lisa Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Rectus Femoris ◽  
Tender Point ◽  
Muscle Strain ◽  
Thoracic Region ◽  
Tender Points ◽  
Advanced Imaging ◽  
Structural Examination ◽  
Rectus Femoris Muscle ◽  
Femoris Muscle

Abstract Counterstrain (CS) is an osteopathic manipulative technique that utilizes indirect and passive positions of strained tissues to address musculoskeletal dysfunctions. As such, CS has potential as a treatment option for muscle strain injuries, such as rectus femoris origin (RFO) injuries. This case highlights an instance where the CS technique was used as an effective and inexpensive diagnostic tool to confirm the involvement of the reflected head of the rectus femoris muscle (RHRF) in an RFO injury. The presentation of symptoms in this case, like many other hip pain cases, was nonspecific, making it difficult to diagnose without the use of advanced imaging techniques, which are often time consuming and costly for patients. The use of CS was able to support a diagnosis of a reflected head of the RFO injury. After an osteopathic structural examination, it was noted that the patient had multiple bilateral tender points of the anterior thoracic region and hip: anterior thoracic-10 (AT10), proximal psoas (PP, formerly abdominal lumbar 2), iliacus, and reflected head of the rectus femoris (RHRF).1 In his 1981 text, Jones referred to an anterior medial trochanter tender point that is similar to the RHRF point; however, the location was described to be more lateral, rather than inferior, to the anterior inferior iliac spine than the RHRF point.2 Once all tender points were identified, treatment using the CS technique was administered weekly over the period of a month, and the patient noted markedly reduced tenderness of the tender points treated and was able to reincorporate soccer and other athletic activities back into his life.

scholarly journals Electromyographic Analysis of Traditional and Nontraditional Abdominal Exercises: Implications for Rehabilitation and Training

2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 656-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael F Escamilla ◽  
Eric Babb ◽  
Ryan DeWitt ◽  
Patrick Jew ◽  
Peter Kelleher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Latissimus Dorsi ◽  
Rectus Femoris ◽  
Rectus Abdominis ◽  
Oblique Muscle ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Internal Oblique ◽  
Rectus Femoris Muscle ◽  
Femoris Muscle ◽  
Roll Out

Abstract Background and Purpose. Performing nontraditional abdominal exercises with devices such as abdominal straps, the Power Wheel, and the Ab Revolutionizer has been suggested as a way to activate abdominal and extraneous (nonabdominal) musculature as effectively as more traditional abdominal exercises, such as the crunch and bent-knee sit-up. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises in activating abdominal and extraneous musculature. Subjects. Twenty-one men and women who were healthy and between 23 and 43 years of age were recruited for this study. Methods. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to assess muscle activity from the upper and lower rectus abdominis, external and internal oblique, rectus femoris, latissimus dorsi, and lumbar paraspinal muscles while each exercise was performed. The EMG data were normalized to maximum voluntary muscle contractions. Differences in muscle activity were assessed by a 1-way, repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results. Upper and lower rectus abdominis, internal oblique, and latissimus dorsi muscle EMG activity were highest for the Power Wheel (pike, knee-up, and roll-out), hanging knee-up with straps, and reverse crunch inclined 30 degrees. External oblique muscle EMG activity was highest for the Power Wheel (pike, knee-up, and roll-out) and hanging knee-up with straps. Rectus femoris muscle EMG activity was highest for the Power Wheel (pike and knee-up), reverse crunch inclined 30 degrees, and bent-knee sit-up. Lumbar paraspinal muscle EMG activity was low and similar among exercises. Discussion and Conclusion. The Power Wheel (pike, knee-up, and roll-out), hanging knee-up with straps, and reverse crunch inclined 30 degrees not only were the most effective exercises in activating abdominal musculature but also were the most effective in activating extraneous musculature. The relatively high rectus femoris muscle activity obtained with the Power Wheel (pike and knee-up), reverse crunch inclined 30 degrees, and bent-knee sit-up may be problematic for some people with low back problems.

Ultrasonographic Morphologic Changes of the Central Aponeurosis of the Rectus Femoris Muscle in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-246
Author(s):  
Yusuke Takahashi ◽  
Kyoji Okada ◽  
Akira Saito ◽  
Isao Saito ◽  
Kazuo Kinoshita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Osteoarthritis ◽  
Rectus Femoris ◽  
Rectus Femoris Muscle ◽  
Femoris Muscle ◽  
Morphologic Changes

scholarly journals Reliability Limits Of The Modified Thomas Test For Assessing Rectus Femoris Muscle Flexibility About The Knee Joint

2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason D. Peeler ◽  
Judy E. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Knee Joint ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Rectus Femoris ◽  
Scoring Systems ◽  
Nonparametric Tests ◽  
Method Error ◽  
Statistical Reliability ◽  
Active Population ◽  
Rectus Femoris Muscle ◽  
Femoris Muscle

Abstract Context: The modified Thomas test is commonly used in the clinical setting to assess flexibility about the thigh region. Objective: To evaluate the clinical reliability of the modified Thomas test for evaluating the flexibility of the rectus femoris muscle about the knee joint. Design: Descriptive laboratory study using a test-retest design. Setting: Institution-based clinical orthopaedic setting. Patients Or Other Participants: Fifty-seven individuals between the ages of 18 and 45 years with no history of trauma participated. Of those, 54 completed the study. Intervention(s): Three Board-certified athletic therapists with an average of 12.67 years of sport medicine expertise assessed rectus femoris flexibility using pass/fail and goniometer scoring systems. A retest session was completed 7 to 10 days later. Main Outcome Measure(s): Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to compare participants' test-retest results. Results: Chance-corrected κ values (intrarater x¯  =  0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]  =  0.30, 0.54; interrater x¯  =  0.33, 95% CI  =  0.23, 0.41) indicated generally poor levels of reliability for pass/fail scoring. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values (intrarater x¯  =  0.67, 95% CI  =  0.55, 0.76; interrater x¯  =  0.50, 95% CI  =  0.40, 0.60) indicated fair to moderate levels of reliability for goniometer data. Measurement error values (standard error of measurement  =  7°, method error  =  6°, and coefficient of variation  =  13%) and Bland-Altman plots (with 95% limits of agreement) further demonstrated the degree of intrarater variance for each examiner when conducting the test. Conclusions: These results call into question the statistical reliability of the modified Thomas test and provide clinicians with important information regarding its reliability limits when used to clinically assess flexibility of the rectus femoris muscle about the knee joint in a physically active population. More research is needed to ascertain the variables that may confound the statistical reliability of this orthopaedic technique.

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