scholarly journals Immediate Effects of Acupuncture on Explosive Force Production and Stiffness in Male Knee Joint

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9518
Author(s):  
Jun Wang ◽  
I-Lin Wang ◽  
Rui Hu ◽  
Shun Yao ◽  
Yu Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Joint ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Joint Stiffness ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Sham Acupuncture ◽  
Significant Interaction Effect ◽  
Average Maximum ◽  
Explosive Force ◽  
The Right

Acupuncture can improve explosive force production and affect joint stiffness by affecting muscle activation levels. This study aims to explore the effects of true acupuncture (TA) compared with sham acupuncture (SA) on the explosive force production and stiffness of the knee joint in healthy male subjects. Twenty subjects were randomly divided into the TA group (n = 10) and SA group (n = 10) to complete isokinetic movement of the right knee joint at a speed of 240°/s before and after acupuncture. Futu (ST32), Liangqiu (ST34), Zusanli (ST36), Xuehai (SP10), and Chengshan (BL57) were selected for acupuncture. The intervention of SA is that needles with a blunt tip were pushed against the skin, giving an illusion of insertion. The results showed that acupuncture and the intervention time had a significant interaction effect on knee joint explosive force and joint stiffness (p < 0.05). The average maximum (max) torque, average work, average power, average peak power and total work of the TA group increased significantly after acupuncture (p < 0.05), while the SA group did not (p > 0.05). Therefore, true acupuncture can immediately improve the explosive force and joint stiffness of the male knee joint by inducing post-activation potentiation (PAP) and/or De-Qi.

scholarly journals Effects of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture Compared with Sham Acupuncture on the Explosive Force Production by the Forearm Muscles in Female: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Shu Zhou ◽  
I-Lin Wang ◽  
Yi-Ming Chen ◽  
Rui Hu ◽  
Yu Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Angular Velocity ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Sham Acupuncture ◽  
Chinese Acupuncture ◽  
Forearm Muscles ◽  
Isokinetic Test ◽  
Explosive Force

Background. Acupuncture can effectively enhance musculoskeletal rehabilitation, with effects such as reduced pain intensity and muscle tension and decreased disability. Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) compared with sham acupuncture (SA) in explosive force production by the forearm muscles in females. Methods. A total of 32 subjects were included and randomly assigned to two groups: TCA group (n = 16): stimulated specific acupoints including Quchi (LI11), Shousanli (LI10), Hegu (LI4), Xiaohai (SI8), Tianjing (SJ10), and Waiguan (SJ5) for 15 minutes; SA group (n = 16): using superficial needle insertion at nonacupoints without stimulation. The subjects warmed up for the 3-time isokinetic test with an angular velocity of 30°/s and then performed a set of 15 full flexion (Flex) and extension (Ext) with an angular velocity of 180°/s using the CON-TREX isokinetic test training system recorded as the pretest. After acupuncture for 15 min, perform a set of the same isokinetic movement isokinetic records as the posttest. The average max torque, average work, average power, average peak power, average max speed, and total work were collected to evaluate the forearm explosive force changes. Use two-way repeated measures ANOVA to compare the difference before and after acupuncture between two groups. Results. The results showed that acupuncture conditions (sham acupuncture as well as true acupuncture) and the intervention times (not acupuncture or acupuncture for 15 min) have a significant interaction effect on forearm explosive force and joint stiffness ( P < 0.05 ). The simple main effect showed that the selected parameters of the TCA group increased significantly after acupuncture ( P < 0.05 ), while the SA group did not ( P > 0.05 ). We speculate that the activation of muscle may be related to the selected acupuncture points. Conclusion. Acupuncture can produce excitation in motor nerves and muscles, and nerve stimulation increases the recruitment of motor units, thus improving the muscle explosive force.

scholarly journals Effects of Acupuncture on Explosive Force Production by the Healthy Female Shoulder Joint

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
I-Lin Wang ◽  
Yi-Ming Chen ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Rui Hu ◽  
Ke-Ke Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shoulder Joint ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Maximum Speed ◽  
Maximum Torque ◽  
Shoulder Muscles ◽  
Potentiation Effect ◽  
Average Maximum ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Explosive Force

Background. Acupuncture is often used to treat chronic conditions, such as pain. In recent years, given the importance of the explosive forces generated by shoulder muscles for the completion of motor tasks, studies in which nerves were stimulated through acupuncture to increase the explosive forces were conducted. This study explored the effect of acupuncture on explosive force production by the muscles of the female shoulder joint. Methods. Eighteen healthy women underwent shoulder adduction (Add), abduction (Abd), flexion (Flex), and extension (Ext) tests with an isokinetic measurement system. Acupuncture was used to stimulate the Zhongfu (LU1), Tianfu (LI3), Xiabai (LU4), Binao (LI14), Naohui (SJ13), Jianliao (SJ14), and Xiaoluo (SJ12) points, and electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded before and after acupuncture. Results. After acupuncture, there was a significant difference in the average maximum work, the average maximum power, the average maximum speed, the total work in Add/Abd and Flex/Ext, the EMG signals, and the stiffness of the muscles in Abd and Ext ( P < 0.05 ). There were no significant differences in the average maximum torque in Abd or Flex. Conclusion. Based on the results, there may be a significant correlation between the manipulation of different acupoints by acupuncture and the average maximum torque and stiffness. Acupuncture may stimulate nerves to activate muscles and induce a postactivation potentiation effect that improves explosive force production. Therefore, acupuncture as an auxiliary tool may increase the explosive forces generated by acupoint-related muscles by stimulating nerves.

Neuromuscular Reflexes Contribute to Knee Stiffness During Valgus Loading

2005 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 2698-2709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Y. Dhaher ◽  
A. D. Tsoumanis ◽  
T. T. Houle ◽  
W. Z. Rymer
Keyword(s):  
Knee Joint ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Joint Stiffness ◽  
Muscle Contractions ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Lateral Direction ◽  
Reflex Responses ◽  
Torque Response ◽  
Joint Dynamics ◽  
Periarticular Tissue

We have previously shown that abduction angular perturbations applied to the knee consistently elicit reflex responses in knee joint musculature. Although a stabilizing role for such reflexes is widely proposed, there are as of yet no studies quantifying the contribution of these reflex responses to joint stiffness. In this study, we estimate the mechanical contributions of muscle contractions elicited by mechanical excitation of periarticular tissue receptors to medial-lateral knee joint stiffness. We hypothesize that these reflex muscle contractions will significantly increase knee joint stiffness in the adduction/abduction direction and enhance the overall stability of the knee. To assess medial-lateral joint stiffness, we applied an abducting positional deflection to the fully extended knee using a servomotor and recorded the torque response using a six degree-of-freedom load-cell. EMG activity was also recorded in both relaxed and preactivated quadriceps and hamstrings muscles with surface electrodes. A simple, linear, second-order, delayed model was used to describe the knee joint dynamics in the medial/lateral direction. Our data indicate that excitation of reflexes from periarticular tissue afferents results in a significant increase of the joint’s adduction-abduction stiffness. Similar to muscle stretch reflex action, which is modulated with background activation, these reflexes also show dependence on muscle activation. The potential significance of this reflex stiffness during functional tasks was also discussed. We conclude that reflex activation of knee muscles is sufficient to enhance joint stabilization in the adduction/abduction direction, where knee medial-lateral loading arises frequently during many activities.

scholarly journals The Influence of Verbal Instruction on Measurement Reliability and Explosive Neuromuscular Performance of the Knee Extensors

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamdi Jaafar ◽  
Hanene Lajili
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Knee Extension ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Maximal Rate ◽  
Measurement Reliability ◽  
Verbal Instruction ◽  
Electromechanical Delay ◽  
Explosive Force ◽  
Voluntary Contractions

Abstract The current study aimed to examine the effect of verbal instruction on explosive force production and between-session measurement reliability during maximal voluntary contractions of knee extensors. Following familiarization, 20 healthy males performed 3 maximal contractions with a “hard-and-fast” instruction and 3 maximal contractions with a “fast” instruction during 2 test-retest sessions. Knee extension maximal voluntary force (Fmax) and the maximal rate of force development (RFDmax) were measured. Maximal electromechanical delay (EMDmax), and the maximal rate of muscle activation (RMAmax) of quadriceps muscles were determined. No significant effect of instruction was observed on Fmax (p > 0.05). The RFDmax and RMAmax were significantly higher with the “fast” compared to the “hard-and-fast” instruction (36.07%, ES = 1.99 and 37.24%, ES = 0.92, respectively), whereas EMDmax was significantly lower with the “fast” instruction compared to the “hard-and-fast” instruction (-3.79%, ES = - 0.29). No significant differences between test and retest measurements were found (p < 0.05). However, the reliability of the RFDmax was higher with the fast instruction compared to the hard-and-fast instruction (CV: 7.3 vs. 16.2%; ICC: 0.84 vs. 0.56). Besides, the RFDmax was associated with the RMAmax and EMDmax with a significant effect of instruction. Data showed that the instruction given prior contracting muscle affected explosive force production and associated neuromuscular variables. As a result, the “fast” instruction may be preferred in the assessment of explosive force capacity of skeletal muscle during maximal efforts.

scholarly journals Using Customized Rate-Coding and Recruitment Strategies to Maintain Forces During Repetitive Activation of Human Muscles

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Wei Chou ◽  
Trisha M Kesar ◽  
Stuart A Binder-Macleod
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Stimulation Frequency ◽  
Peak Force ◽  
Muscle Performance ◽  
Force Level ◽  
Stimulation Intensity ◽  
History Of ◽  
Rate Coding ◽  
The Right

Background and Purpose During functional electrical stimulation (FES), clinicians typically increase stimulation intensity to offset fatigue and maintain functional levels of force production. However, recent studies have suggested that increasing the stimulation frequency is an effective strategy for overcoming fatigue during FES. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 5 stimulation strategies on maintaining forces during repetitive isometric muscle activation. Subjects and Methods The right quadriceps femoris muscles of 12 subjects with no history of lower-extremity orthopedic, neurological, or vascular problems were tested. The 5 stimulation strategies were: progressively increasing the frequency, progressively increasing the intensity, and 3 combination protocols that first increased the intensity and then increased the frequency. The only difference among the 3 combination protocols was the starting frequency used in each protocol (20, 30, or 40 Hz). For all protocols, the stimulation frequency or intensity was increased progressively every time the peak force declined more than 10% from a targeted force level. The specific step increases in frequency or intensity were customized for each subject. A contraction was defined as successful when its peak force exceeded 90% of the targeted force level. Results The results showed that progressively increasing only the frequency produced 59% more successful contractions than progressively increasing only the intensity. In addition, the combination stimulation protocol that began with 30-Hz trains produced the most successful contractions (mean=1,205 contractions; 35%–74% more than the other 4 protocols tested). Discussion and Conclusions The results suggest that increasing the stimulation intensity and then the frequency is the best strategy to maintain muscle performance and could help clinicians design optimal stimulation protocols to use for each patient during FES.

scholarly journals SCIENTIFIC TRAINING OF SPORTS MEDICINE FOR BALANCE OF KNEE JOINT MUSCLE STRENGTH OF ATHLETES

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 498-503
Author(s):  
Yanhua Men
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Knee Joint ◽  
Strength Training ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Static Balance ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Right ◽  
Flexion And Extension

ABSTRACT Introduction: As skiers need to complete their movements in high mountains and snow, the athlete's landing's stability is directly related to the movement's success. The stable landing action wins high scores for the athletes’ participating actions and protects their safety. Objective: This article analyzes the characteristics of lower limb muscle strength and static balance ability of female freestyle skiing aerials athletes to provide athletes with targeted strength training, evaluation of muscle effects after training, and athlete selection to provide a scientific basis valuable Theoretical reference. Methods: The paper uses isokinetic testing and balance testing methods to study the characteristics of the hip and knee flexor and extensor strengths of the Chinese great female freestyle skiing aerials athletes and the static balance characteristics in four standing positions. Results: The right flexor-extensor force, flexor-extensor force ratio, and average power value of the right hip joint were slightly greater than the left flexor power. The left and right knee joint extensor unit peak weight moments and the left and right average power values were all four indicators. Greater than the flexor, at different test speeds of 60°/s (slow speed) and 240°/s (fast), the peak flexion and extension torque per unit weight, the average power of flexion and extension, the force of flexion and extension, and the average power appear with the increase of the test speed as a significant difference. Conclusions: The research in the thesis recommends reasonable weight control and balanced training of muscle strength, using the condition of moderately increasing exercise speed, to strengthen the training of lower limb extensor strength, provide targeted strength training for athletes, evaluate the muscle effect after training and providing the scientific basis and valuable theoretical reference. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

scholarly journals Effect of Acupuncture on the Timeliness of Explosive Forces Generated by the Male Shoulder Joint

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
I-Lin Wang ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Yi-Ming Chen ◽  
Rui Hu ◽  
Yu Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shoulder Joint ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Muscle Force ◽  
Alternative Therapy ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Sports Performance ◽  
Flexion Extension ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Explosive Force

Athletes aim to improve muscle strength to optimize sports performance and gain a competitive edge. Although modern sports medicine includes rehabilitation treatment methods for improving the explosive force of athletes, including acupuncture, a common alternative therapy, research on the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving the timeliness of explosive forces is limited. There is uncertainty regarding how long the effects of acupuncture treatment persist after treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effect of acupuncture on the timeliness of explosive forces generated by the male shoulder joint. Eighteen healthy men underwent tests of shoulder adduction/abduction (Add/Abd) and flexion/extension (Flex/Ext) through an isokinetic measurement system. Acupuncture was used to stimulate LU1 (Zhongfu), LU3 (Tianfu), LU4 (Xiabai), LI14 (Binao), SJ13 (Naohui), SJ14 (Jianliao), and SJ12 (Xiaoluo), and the isokinetic parameters were recorded before and after acupuncture. After acupuncture, isokinetic muscle force parameters including the maximum (Max) torque, the average power, the average peak power, the average work, and the total work increased significantly ( P < 0.05 ), whereas the average max torque Abd/Flex did not. Additionally, the preintervention values of the shoulder joints for Add/Abd and Flex/Ext were significantly greater than those at post 1 and post 2 ( P < 0.05 ). The isokinetic results suggest that acupuncture can increase the explosive force of the male shoulder joint Add/Abd and Flex/Ext. Muscle cannot be fully activated when calcium saturation is below the maximal level. In this case, the postactivation potentiation (PAP) may enhance voluntary muscle force production. The effect of acupuncture is time-dependent, that is, the effects of acupuncture gradually weaken and disappear by approximately 10 minutes after acupuncture. Therefore, we suggest that acupuncture is used as an alternative therapy in sports competitions to increase the explosive forces of the shoulder joint, thereby improving sports performance.

Comparison of single and multiple joint muscle functions and neural drive of trained athletes and untrained individuals

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Kale Mehmet
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Time Windows ◽  
Knee Extension ◽  
Electromechanical Delay ◽  
Neural Drive ◽  
Lower Limb Muscles ◽  
Explosive Force ◽  
Biarticular Muscle ◽  
Voluntary Contractions ◽  
Maximum Voluntary Force

BACKGROUND: There is insufficient knowledge about the rate of force development (RFD) characteristics over both single and multiple joint movements and the electromechanical delay (EMD) values obtained in athletes and untrained individuals. OBJECTIVE: To compare single and multiple joint functions and the neural drive of trained athletes and untrained individuals. METHODS: Eight trained athletes and 10 untrained individuals voluntarily participated to the study. The neuromuscular performance was assessed during explosive and maximum voluntary isometric contractions during leg press and knee extension related to single and multiple joint. Explosive force and surface electromyography of eight superficial lower limb muscles were measured in five 50-ms time windows from their onset, and normalized to peak force and electromyography activity at maximum voluntary force, respectively. The EMD was determined from explosive voluntary contractions (EVC’s). RESULTS: The results showed that there were significant differences in absolute forces during knee extension maximum voluntary force and EVC’s (p< 0.01) while trained athletes achieved greater relative forces than untrained individuals of EVC at all five time points (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The differences in explosive performance between trained athletes and untrained individuals in both movements may be explained by different levels of muscle activation within groups, attributed to variation in biarticular muscle function over both activities.

scholarly journals Slow scrambling in extremal BTZ and microstate geometries

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Craps ◽  
Marine De Clerck ◽  
Philip Hacker ◽  
Kévin Nguyen ◽  
Charles Rabideau
Keyword(s):  
Field Theory ◽  
Black Holes ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Nonzero Temperature ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Conformal Field ◽  
Btz Black Holes ◽  
The Right ◽  
Extremal Black Holes

Abstract Out-of-time-order correlators (OTOCs) that capture maximally chaotic properties of a black hole are determined by scattering processes near the horizon. This prompts the question to what extent OTOCs display chaotic behaviour in horizonless microstate geometries. This question is complicated by the fact that Lyapunov growth of OTOCs requires nonzero temperature, whereas constructions of microstate geometries have been mostly restricted to extremal black holes.In this paper, we compute OTOCs for a class of extremal black holes, namely maximally rotating BTZ black holes, and show that on average they display “slow scrambling”, characterized by cubic (rather than exponential) growth. Superposed on this average power-law growth is a sawtooth pattern, whose steep parts correspond to brief periods of Lyapunov growth associated to the nonzero temperature of the right-moving degrees of freedom in a dual conformal field theory.Next we study the extent to which these OTOCs are modified in certain “superstrata”, horizonless microstate geometries corresponding to these black holes. Rather than an infinite throat ending on a horizon, these geometries have a very deep but finite throat ending in a cap. We find that the superstrata display the same slow scrambling as maximally rotating BTZ black holes, except that for large enough time intervals the growth of the OTOC is cut off by effects related to the cap region, some of which we evaluate explicitly.

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