Motor Function of Children with SMA1 and SMA2 Depends on the Neck and Trunk Muscle Strength, Deformation of the Spine, and the Range of Motion in the Limb Joints

The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional relationships between selected ranges of motion of the neck, upper and lower limbs, the strength of the neck and trunk muscles, postural parameters, and the motor function of children with SMA1 and SMA2—27 children, aged 6 months-15 years, with genetically confirmed spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (19 children) and 2 (8 children) undergoing pharmacological treatment. All children were examined, according to the methodology, including the motor function evaluation, measurement of selected ranges of motion, assessment of postural parameters, and measurement of neck and trunk muscle strength. The functional status of 15 children was assessed with the CHOP INTEND (CHOP group) scale and of 12 children with the HFMSE (HFMSE group). The results obtained showed that, in children examined with the CHOP scale, greater limitation of flexion in the shoulder joints was observed. As the deformation of the chest increased, the functional abilities of children deteriorated. In participants examined with the CHOP group, the ranges of neck rotation decreased with the increase of the chest deformity. In the HFMSE group, the ranges of head rotation showed a strong relationship with some parameters of muscle strength and the sum of the R coefficients. Participants showed many significant relationships between the range of motion in the neck and joints of the limbs, with more significant relationships in the CHOP group. The following conclusions were made: motor skills of children with SMA depend on muscle strength, range of motion, and deformities of the spine and chest; the development of scoliosis adversely affects the motor function, ranges of motion, and muscle strength; and movement ranges are related to motor skills and strength values.

Download Full-text

Relationship between trunk muscle strength and trunk muscle mass and thickness using bioelectrical impedance analysis and ultrasound imaging

Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering ◽

10.3233/bme-211218 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Ryo Miyachi ◽

Nana Koike ◽

Suzu Kodama ◽

Junya Miyazaki

Keyword(s):

Muscle Strength ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Ultrasound Imaging ◽

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis ◽

Muscle Thickness ◽

Bioelectrical Impedance ◽

Impedance Analysis ◽

Trunk Muscle ◽

Trunk Muscles ◽

Trunk Muscle Strength

BACKGROUND: Although trunk muscles are involved in many important functions, evaluating trunk muscle strength is not an easy task. If trunk muscle mass and thickness could be used as indicators of trunk muscle strength, the burden of measurement would be reduced, but the relationship between trunk muscle strength and trunk muscle mass and thickness has not been clarified. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between trunk muscle strength and trunk muscle mass by bioelectrical impedance analysis and trunk muscle thickness by ultrasound imaging in healthy adults. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one healthy university students were included in this study. Trunk flexion/extension muscle strength and trunk muscle mass by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and trunk muscle thickness by ultrasound imaging were measured. RESULTS: Both trunk flexion strength and trunk extension strength were significantly correlated with trunk muscle mass and oblique and rectus abdominis muscle thickness. Multiple regression analysis showed that trunk extension muscle strength had an independent relationship with trunk muscle mass. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that trunk muscle mass or trunk muscle thickness can be used as an alternative means for evaluating trunk muscle strength, making the evaluation of trunk muscles less burdensome.

Download Full-text

Isokinetic Muscle Strength and Postural Sway of Recreationally Active Older Adults vs. Master Road Runners

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.623150 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Henrique V. Taveira ◽

Claudio A. B. de Lira ◽

Marilia S. Andrade ◽

Ricardo B. Viana ◽

Hirofumi Tanaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Muscle Strength ◽

Postural Control ◽

Elderly People ◽

Center Of Pressure ◽

Average Power ◽

Trunk Muscle ◽

Trunk Muscles ◽

Control Group ◽

Physically Active ◽

Trunk Muscle Strength

Trunk muscle strength and control is an important prerequisite for everyday activities among elderly people decreasing the predisposition to falls. High levels of physical exercise performed by older athletes could offer benefits to core/trunk muscle strength and postural control compared with recreational physical activities and among elderly people with lower levels of physical activity. The present study aimed to compare trunk muscle strength and postural control of older running athletes vs. older physically active adults. Participants were master road runners (RUN, n = 15, six women, 64.3 ± 3.6 years) and physically active elderly (control group, CON, n = 15, six women, 65.4 ± 5.0 years) people that were submitted to the evaluations: esthesiometer, posturography (force plate), and isokinetic test (Biodex dynamometer) of trunk muscle extension and flexion. RUN presented higher values for relative peak torque of trunk extensor muscles at 60°/s (p = 0.046) and 180°/s (p = 0.007) and relative average power during trunk extension at 60°/s (p = 0.008) and 180°/s (p = 0.004) compared to CON. CON had a higher medial-lateral oscillation speed of the center of pressure in the stable condition with eyes closed (p = 0.004) compared to RUN. RUN presented higher isokinetic torque of extensor trunk muscles and better postural control than CON. This supposedly could help with postural control and balance and contribute to the prevention of falls among the elderly. The practice of running systematically by master athletes may partially explained our findings.

Download Full-text

Prospective study of spinal orthoses in women

Prosthetics and Orthotics International ◽

10.1177/0309364614545416 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 39 (6) ◽

pp. 487-495 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Yannis Dionyssiotis ◽

Georgios Trovas ◽

Sofia Thoma ◽

George Lyritis ◽

Nikolaos Papaioannou

Keyword(s):

Back Pain ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Postmenopausal Women ◽

Trunk Muscle ◽

Trunk Muscles ◽

Muscle Strengthening ◽

Trunk Muscle Strength ◽

Rehabilitation Programs ◽

Spinal Orthoses

Background: There are not many clinical trials investigating the efficiency and compliance of using spinal orthoses in the management of osteoporosis. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term use and the compliance of spinal orthoses in postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures. Study design: Clinical trial of spinal orthoses in postmenopausal women. Methods: Women were separated into groups wearing different types of orthoses (Spinomed, Osteomed, Spinomed active, and Spine-X). Isometric maximum strength of trunk muscles (F/Wabdominals–extensors) was calculated and back pain was assessed in all women. In addition, women completed a compliance questionnaire about the use of the orthoses. Results: Spinomed decreased pain ( p = 0.001) and increased trunk muscle strength (F/Wabdominals, p = 0.005 and F/Wextensors, p = 0.003, respectively). The compliance of wearing an orthosis for 6 months was 66%. Conclusion: The results suggest that orthoses could be an effective intervention for back pain and muscle strengthening in osteoporotic women. Clinical relevance In women with established osteoporosis, wearing Spinomed orthosis for at least 2 h/day for 6 months decreased back pain significantly and increased personal isometric trunk muscle strength. All spinal orthoses could be valuable instruments to help all requested rehabilitation programs like spine muscles’ strengthening and postural correct behavior, but only when used properly.

Download Full-text

Measures of trunk muscle strength and their measurement properties: a protocol for a systematic review and narrative synthesis of clinical measures

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041499 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. e041499

Author(s):

Shouq Althobaiti ◽

Alison Rushton ◽

Deborah Falla ◽

Nicola R Heneghan

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Clinical Setting ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Trunk Muscle ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Trunk Muscles ◽

Measurement Properties ◽

Narrative Synthesis ◽

Trunk Muscle Strength

IntroductionSpinal musculoskeletal conditions, including low back and neck pain, are leading causes of disability globally. The trunk muscles, which comprise muscles in the thoracic and lumbar regions, are essential for functional activities, necessitating mobility, motor control and strength. To investigate the effectiveness of interventions directed at improving trunk muscle strength, it is essential to have valid, reliable and responsive performance-based outcome measures (PBOM). While isokinetic dynamometry is considered the gold-standard PBOM, the associated costs, size/weight and operational complexity of this equipment preclude its use in a clinical setting. There is, therefore, a need to evaluate the measurement properties of alternative accessible measures of trunk strength. This systematic review therefore aims to investigate the measurement properties of PBOM of trunk muscle strength measures appropriate for use in a clinical setting.Methods and analysisThis protocol has been designed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. CINAHL, Web of Science, Pedro, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SPORTDiscuss will be searched systematically from the database start date up to 16 April 2020, along with reference checking and the grey literature searching. Eligibility criteria include studies investigating measurement properties of PROM for trunk muscle strength for use in a clinical setting in adults with and without spinal musculoskeletal complaints. Two independent reviewers will determine the eligibility of the studies through screening process of titles, abstract and the full text. Both reviewers will assess the risk of bias using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments risk-of-bias tool and then extract the data from included studies. The overall quality of the included studies will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. A narrative synthesis will be carried out if meta-analysis is not applicable. Findings from this systematic review will aid clinicians and practitioners working in the field for example, sport, in using the most appropriate PBOM to measure trunk muscle strength.Ethics and disseminationNo research ethics application is needed as there are no patient data in this study. The results of this study will be submitted to a peer reviewed journal and presented at conferences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020167464.

Download Full-text