We analyze muscular dystrophy recorded by sEMG and use standard methodologies and nonlinear chaotic methods here including the RQA. We reach sufficient evidence that the sEMG signal contains a large chaotic component....We analyze muscular dystrophy recorded by sEMG and use standard methodologies and nonlinear chaotic methods here including the RQA. We reach sufficient evidence that the sEMG signal contains a large chaotic component. We have estimated the correlation dimension (fractal measure), the largest Lyapunov exponent, the LZ complexity and the %Rec and %Det of the RQA demonstrating that such indexes are able to detect the presence of repetitive hidden patterns in sEMG which, in turn, senses the level of MU synchronization within the muscle. The results give also an interesting methodological indication in the sense that it evidences the manner in which nonlinear methods and RQA must be arranged and applied in clinical routine in order to obtain results of clinical interest. We have studied the muscular dystrophy and evidence that the continuous regime of chaotic transitions that we have in muscular mechanisms may benefit in this pathology by the use of the NPT treatment that we have considered in detail in our previous publications.展开更多
We perform an analysis of brain-neuromuscular synchronization and coupling strength in muscular dystrophy before and after NPT treatment. In order to estimate with accuracy the level of brain synchronization, we intro...We perform an analysis of brain-neuromuscular synchronization and coupling strength in muscular dystrophy before and after NPT treatment. In order to estimate with accuracy the level of brain synchronization, we introduce and use the method of the cross GMI that was elaborated by Pompe. The finality is to account for the nonlinear chaotic dynamic contributions that regulate the dynamics. We find that this method is excellent and it may be applied in such case of sEMG and EEG study as well as at a general neurological level. By it we arrive to quantify the coupling strength and synchronization first between two muscular sections (left and right trapezes) and after between Brain activity, as recorded by the EEG, and the trapezes. We compare the results before and after the NPT treatment and we find that the improvement obtained following such treatment is very consistent. We have now in progress other studies relating in particular the application of such new methodologies to other more serious pathologies as the HSP (Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia).展开更多
Introduction: gait analysis of a subject with total hip replacement is described. Objective: instrumental gait analysis of a subject 12 years after the total hip arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: in a movement anal...Introduction: gait analysis of a subject with total hip replacement is described. Objective: instrumental gait analysis of a subject 12 years after the total hip arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: in a movement analysis laboratory, locomotion studies were carried out at freely chosen walking speed by a 64-year-old subject, obtaining kinematic, kinetic and surface electromyographic data in time and space. All measurements were assessments by applying walking protocols on a straight surface of 8 m long. Results: abnormal slight activations of semitendinosus and tibialis anterior muscles, of the left limb, were observed throughout the gait cycle, no spatiotemporal parameters far from normal values were detected. Conclusions: it was possible to obtain an exhaustive analysis of the parameters associated with the gait of a subject after 12 years of total hip arthroplasty.展开更多
BACKGROUND Paraspinal muscle strength and fatigue are considered important in low back pain(LBP)prevention and rehabilitation.High reliability of paraspinal strength and electromyographic(EMG)-fatigue parameters has n...BACKGROUND Paraspinal muscle strength and fatigue are considered important in low back pain(LBP)prevention and rehabilitation.High reliability of paraspinal strength and electromyographic(EMG)-fatigue parameters has not been universally reported.Moreover,the discriminative validity of these parameters requires further exploration,under the threat of potentially poor reliability of the methods examined.AIM To investigate the reliability and discriminative validity of paraspinal strength and EMG-related fatigue in subjects with recurrent LBP and healthy participants.METHODS Test-retest measurements were performed in 26 healthy and 66 LBP volunteers,for reliability.Paraspinal isometric maximal and mean strength were determined with a maximum voluntary isometric contraction(MVIC)protocol,performed in a custom-made device.For the fatigue test,participants performed a 60% MIVC level continuous isometric contraction of the paraspinals,in conjunction with EMG analysis from 4 muscle sites of the lumbar spine.Initial median frequency(IMF),the median frequency slope(MFslope),as well as the root mean square(RMS)slope EMG parameters were used as fatigue measures.Data were analysed with repeated measures ANOVA for test-retest differences.For reliability,the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC3,1),standard error of the measurement(SEM)and the smallest detectable difference(SDD)were reported.Group-related differences for fatigue measures were analysed with a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance,with age,weight and strength as covariates.RESULTS Isometric strength presented statistically significant between-day differences(P<0.01),however these did not exceed 10%(healthy:7.2%/LBP-patients:9.7%)and ICC reliability values were excellent,yet test-retest error was increased for the patient group(healthy:ICC3,1:0.92-0.96,SEM:5.72-5.94 Hz,SDD:18.51%-18.57%/LBP-patients:ICC3,1:0.91-0.96,SEM:6.49-6.96,SDD:30.75%-31.61%).For the frequency data,IMF reliability was excellent(healthy:ICC3,1:0.91-0.94,SEM:3.45-7.27 Hz,SDD:9.56%-20.14%/patients:ICC3,1:0.90-0.94,SEM:6.41-7.59 Hz,SDD:17.75%-21.02%)and of MF raw and normalised slopes was good(healthy:ICC3,1:0.78-0.82,SEM:4.93-6.02 Hz,SDD:13.66-16.67%/LBP-patients:ICC3,1:0.83-0.85,SEM:6.75-7.47 Hz,SDD:18.69%-20.69%).However,the reliability for RMS data presented unacceptably high SDD values and were not considered further.For discriminative validity,less MVIC and less steep MFslopes were registered for the patient group(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Reliability and discriminative ability of paraspinal strength and EMG-related frequency parameters were demonstrated in healthy participants and patients with LBP.展开更多
文摘We analyze muscular dystrophy recorded by sEMG and use standard methodologies and nonlinear chaotic methods here including the RQA. We reach sufficient evidence that the sEMG signal contains a large chaotic component. We have estimated the correlation dimension (fractal measure), the largest Lyapunov exponent, the LZ complexity and the %Rec and %Det of the RQA demonstrating that such indexes are able to detect the presence of repetitive hidden patterns in sEMG which, in turn, senses the level of MU synchronization within the muscle. The results give also an interesting methodological indication in the sense that it evidences the manner in which nonlinear methods and RQA must be arranged and applied in clinical routine in order to obtain results of clinical interest. We have studied the muscular dystrophy and evidence that the continuous regime of chaotic transitions that we have in muscular mechanisms may benefit in this pathology by the use of the NPT treatment that we have considered in detail in our previous publications.
文摘We perform an analysis of brain-neuromuscular synchronization and coupling strength in muscular dystrophy before and after NPT treatment. In order to estimate with accuracy the level of brain synchronization, we introduce and use the method of the cross GMI that was elaborated by Pompe. The finality is to account for the nonlinear chaotic dynamic contributions that regulate the dynamics. We find that this method is excellent and it may be applied in such case of sEMG and EEG study as well as at a general neurological level. By it we arrive to quantify the coupling strength and synchronization first between two muscular sections (left and right trapezes) and after between Brain activity, as recorded by the EEG, and the trapezes. We compare the results before and after the NPT treatment and we find that the improvement obtained following such treatment is very consistent. We have now in progress other studies relating in particular the application of such new methodologies to other more serious pathologies as the HSP (Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia).
文摘Introduction: gait analysis of a subject with total hip replacement is described. Objective: instrumental gait analysis of a subject 12 years after the total hip arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: in a movement analysis laboratory, locomotion studies were carried out at freely chosen walking speed by a 64-year-old subject, obtaining kinematic, kinetic and surface electromyographic data in time and space. All measurements were assessments by applying walking protocols on a straight surface of 8 m long. Results: abnormal slight activations of semitendinosus and tibialis anterior muscles, of the left limb, were observed throughout the gait cycle, no spatiotemporal parameters far from normal values were detected. Conclusions: it was possible to obtain an exhaustive analysis of the parameters associated with the gait of a subject after 12 years of total hip arthroplasty.
基金Supported by Greek State Scholarships Foundation(IKY),Athens,Greece,No.T104830098Hospital Saving Association(HSA),London,United Kingdom,No.99/2.
文摘BACKGROUND Paraspinal muscle strength and fatigue are considered important in low back pain(LBP)prevention and rehabilitation.High reliability of paraspinal strength and electromyographic(EMG)-fatigue parameters has not been universally reported.Moreover,the discriminative validity of these parameters requires further exploration,under the threat of potentially poor reliability of the methods examined.AIM To investigate the reliability and discriminative validity of paraspinal strength and EMG-related fatigue in subjects with recurrent LBP and healthy participants.METHODS Test-retest measurements were performed in 26 healthy and 66 LBP volunteers,for reliability.Paraspinal isometric maximal and mean strength were determined with a maximum voluntary isometric contraction(MVIC)protocol,performed in a custom-made device.For the fatigue test,participants performed a 60% MIVC level continuous isometric contraction of the paraspinals,in conjunction with EMG analysis from 4 muscle sites of the lumbar spine.Initial median frequency(IMF),the median frequency slope(MFslope),as well as the root mean square(RMS)slope EMG parameters were used as fatigue measures.Data were analysed with repeated measures ANOVA for test-retest differences.For reliability,the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC3,1),standard error of the measurement(SEM)and the smallest detectable difference(SDD)were reported.Group-related differences for fatigue measures were analysed with a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance,with age,weight and strength as covariates.RESULTS Isometric strength presented statistically significant between-day differences(P<0.01),however these did not exceed 10%(healthy:7.2%/LBP-patients:9.7%)and ICC reliability values were excellent,yet test-retest error was increased for the patient group(healthy:ICC3,1:0.92-0.96,SEM:5.72-5.94 Hz,SDD:18.51%-18.57%/LBP-patients:ICC3,1:0.91-0.96,SEM:6.49-6.96,SDD:30.75%-31.61%).For the frequency data,IMF reliability was excellent(healthy:ICC3,1:0.91-0.94,SEM:3.45-7.27 Hz,SDD:9.56%-20.14%/patients:ICC3,1:0.90-0.94,SEM:6.41-7.59 Hz,SDD:17.75%-21.02%)and of MF raw and normalised slopes was good(healthy:ICC3,1:0.78-0.82,SEM:4.93-6.02 Hz,SDD:13.66-16.67%/LBP-patients:ICC3,1:0.83-0.85,SEM:6.75-7.47 Hz,SDD:18.69%-20.69%).However,the reliability for RMS data presented unacceptably high SDD values and were not considered further.For discriminative validity,less MVIC and less steep MFslopes were registered for the patient group(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Reliability and discriminative ability of paraspinal strength and EMG-related frequency parameters were demonstrated in healthy participants and patients with LBP.
