The purpose of this study was to quantify the response of the forearm musculature to combinations of wrist and forearm posture and grip force. Ten healthy individuals performed five relative handgrip efforts (5%, 50%, 70% and 100% of maximum, and 50 N) for combinations of three wrist postures (flexed, neutral and extended) and three forearm postures (pronated, neutral and supinated). 'Baseline'...

The number of injuries that force golfers to quit is also increasing. In particular, the upper body injuries are concerns for amateur golfers. This study was conducted not only to investigate muscular balance, such as ipsilateral and bilateral ratios of the upper body, but to also evaluate the possible problems of muscular joints in amateur golfers. Male golfers (n=10) and a healthy control gro...

OBJECTIVES to establish the reliability of the modified Ashworth scale for measuring muscle tone in a range of muscle groups (elbow, wrist, knee and ankle; flexors and extensors) and of the Medical Research Council scale for measuring muscle power in the same muscle groups and their direct antagonists. DESIGN a cross-sectional study involving repeated measures by two raters. We estimated reli...

Prevalence rates of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in the wheelchair user population are high. One of the possible causes of CTS in this population is the movement pattern of the wrist during handrim wheelchair propulsion, which could include large wrist joint angles and wrist/finger flexor activity. Combined with the repetitive character of the movement, this could, in time, be detrimental to th...

Wrist angular kinematics (flexion/extension) and electromyography (EMG) data of a one-handed tennis backhand groundstroke were compared for an elite, intermediate and novice standard tennis player. For this purpose, synchronisation of the data with respect to ball impact time was achieved by a system of wireless and wired triggers and receivers. All three players maintained wrist extension for ...

The goals of the present study were 1) to assess effects of antagonist coactivation on mechanical interactions between synergistic muscles, and 2) to quantify the extent of epimuscular myofascial force transmission between synergistic and antagonistic muscles in the rat forelimb. Connective tissues enveloping the muscle bellies in the antebrachium were left intact. Forces exerted at the distal ...

The objective of the present study was to gain insight into the effects of precision demands and mental pressure on the load of the upper extremity. Two computer mouse tasks were used: an aiming and a tracking task. Upper extremity loading was operationalized as the myo-electric activity of the wrist flexor and extensor and of the trapezius descendens muscles and the applied grip- and click-for...

BACKGROUND While spasticity is commonly treated with oral agents or botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injection, these treatments have not been systematically compared. METHODS This study performed a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to compare injection of BoNT-Type A into spastic upper limb muscles versus oral tizanidine (TZD), or placebo, in 60 subjects with upper-limb spasticit...

OBJECTIVES Spasticity can contribute to poor recovery of upper limb function after stroke. This is a preliminary evaluation of the impact of botulinum toxin treatment on disability caused by upper limb spasticity after stroke. METHODS Seventeen patients with severe spasticity and a non-functioning arm were treated with intramuscular botulinum A neurotoxin (median age at treatment 54.5 years; ...

INTRODUCTION Approximately 70% of patients with stroke experience impaired arm function, which is persistent and disabling for an estimated 40%. Loss of function reduces independence in daily activities and impacts on quality of life. Muscles in those who do not recover functional movement in the stroke affected arm are at risk of atrophy and contractures, which can be established as early as 6...