european college of sport science

Hubal MJ, Rubenstein SR, Clarkson PM. (2007). Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39, 461–468.
Warren GL, Lowe, DA, Armstrong RB. (1999). Sports Med, 27, 43–59.
PP-RE01 Rehabilitation 1
CONTRALATERAL CHANGES IN RANGE OF MOTION FOLLOWING UNILATERAL PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCLAR
FACILITATION STRETCHING.
SHEARD, P.W., PIEROZYNSKI, L.C., PAINE, T.J.
UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE
Background: Carrol et al.’s (2006) meta-analysis indicates that unilateral resistance exercise will elicit strength gains in the unexercised
contralateral limb at about 50% of the gains measured in the exercised limb. They suggest two forms of increased motorneuron output
as likely routes to this contralateral gain: “spillover” from the central control mechanisms from the exercised to the unexercised limb; and,
adaptations in the exercised limb that may be “accessed” by the unexercised limb. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis
that the spillover effect may be present in proprioceoptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching techniques allowing for
contralateral gains in range of motion (ROM) from unilateral PNF stretching.
Methods : Thirty-six screened participants (F = 15) attended a familiarization and MVIC testing session and two, counterbalanced, experimental
sessions. One experimental session consisted of the application of post-isometric relaxation (PIR) PNF: straight leg raise (SLR)
to first point of bind, build from 30 to 70% of MVIC over 5 seconds, hold 70% MVIC for a further 7 seconds, draw to new point of bind, hold
for 12 seconds; repeat cycle a further 2 times. Isometric contractions were resisted by an anchored strap with a strain gauge in-line for
real-time %MVIC feedback. The second experimental session consisted of 3 unresisted SLR to point of bind, 24 seconds apart. ROM of
both limbs were measured using a liquid goniometer pre-intervention and after each of the three experimental cycles. EMG was measured
in the homologous muscle of the contralateral limb to measure level of concurrent (in)activity.
Results: Three participants were excluded from analysis: 1 due to injury and 2 due to EMG signals in excess of 2 SD above baseline,
indicating concurrent contraction. No significant changes (p = 1.000) were found in the ROM of either limb for the unresisted SLR session.
The limbs that underwent the PIR-PNF protocol showed significant increase in ROM (mean diff = 11.2 degrees; p < 0.0001). A lesser, but
still significant, increase in ROM was also seen in the ‘dormant’ contralateral limb (mean diff = 5.9 degrees; p < 0.0001).
Discussion: The significant change in ROM in the unstretched contralateral limb indicates that some degree of neurological crossover had
occurred. This may indicate a spillover of: GTO induced relaxation; suppression of muscle spindle fibre activation; and/or, alterations to
the participants’ stretch perception. These findings may have application in rehabilitation settings where stretching of one limb may be
restricted by injury; some degree of flexibility may be maintained, decreasing the time necessary to return to full ROM once the injury has
healed sufficiently to undertake direct rehabilitation.
References
Carrol TJ, Herbert RD, Munn J, Lee M, Gandevia SC. (2006) Contralateral effects of unilateral strength training: evidence a possible
mechanisms. J Appl Physiol 101:1514-1522.
THE INFLUENCE OF AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN TACTILE SENSIBILITY AND MUSCULAR STRENGTH ON HAND FUNC-
TION IN OLDER ADULT FEMALES
MURATA, J., MURATA, S., HIROSHIGE, J.
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, NAGASAKI UNIVERSITY
Introduction: The effects of aging on motor function include a marked decline in strength and muscle mass, leading to impairments of
mobility and activities of daily living. Aging also affects human hand function. For example, a decline in manual dexterity often accompanies
old age. This decline corresponds to age-related changes in muscle and/or tactile functions. This study investigated whether agerelated
changes in muscular strength and tactile sensibility are related to hand function in older adults.
Methods: The subjects were 49 older adult females (young-old, 27 females, 68.8 ± 3.7 years; old-old, 22 females, 80.2 ± 3.0 years).
Hand function was assessed using the Perdue pegboard test. Handgrip strength was measured using a handgrip dynamometer. Tactile-pressure
threshold on the distal palmar pad of the index finger was evaluated using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments.
Results: Scores on the Perdue pegboard test showed significant differences between the two age groups (p < 0.01) and decreased with
age. Tactile-pressure threshold was augmented with increasing age (p < 0.05), whereas handgrip strength did not differ between the
two age groups. There was a significant relation between the Perdue pegboard test score and tactile-pressure threshold (r = -0.513), but
not handgrip strength (r = 0.255).
Conclusions: These results suggested that manual dexterity in hand function was attenuated with increasing age. We considered that this
attenuating effect was associated with a decline in tactile sensibility rather than a change in the muscular strength of the hand.
INFLUENCE OF LEG AND HIP STRENGTH ON LOWER BODY INJURIES IN ELITE SNOWBOARDING
PLATZER, H.P., RASCHNER, C., PATTERSON, C.
UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK
INTRODUCTION: The overall injury incidence was 1.3 injuries per 1000 runs in the snowboarding FIS World Cup season 2002/2003 (Torjussen
and Bahr, 2006). The most common injury location was the knee (18% of all acute injuries). Physical fitness is important for snowboard
performance (Platzer et al. 2009), and could be a factor in injury prevention. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of
different leg strength parameters on lower body injuries in elite snowboarders.
METHODS: 27 elite Austrian snowboarders took part in this study. The subjects mean values±SD for age, height and body mass were
24.1±4.8 years, 172.6±8.3 cm and 67.1±10.3 kg. All injuries in the season 2007/2008 were recorded during an interview. Concentric and
eccentric leg/hip strength and power for flexors and extensors were measured on a Contrex leg press (closed kinetic chain). For statistical
analysis t-tests were used to investigate differences between injured and non-injured athletes and to analyse the variation of strength
and power between left and right leg/hip. A Phi test was used to correlate gender and standing position with the occurrence of injuries.
RESULTS: In the comparison of front and back legs, all athletes’ back legs had greater absolute and relative eccentric strength and power
(p