Intrarater Reliability of Functional Performance Tests for Subjects With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common clinical entity seen by the sports medicine specialist. The ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to return the patient to the highest functional level in the most efficient manner. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the progress of patients with PFPS using reliable functional performance tests. Our purpose was to evaluate the intrarater reliability of 5 functional performance tests in patients with PFPS. DESIGN AND SETTING: We used a test-retest reliability design in a clinic setting. SUBJECTS: Two groups of subjects were studied: those with PFPS (n = 29) and those with no known knee condition (n = 11). The PFPS group included 19 women and 10 men with a mean age of 27.6 +/- 5.3 years, height of 169.80 +/- 10.5 cm, and weight of 69.59 +/- 15.8 kg. The normal group included 7 women and 4 men with a mean age of 30.3 +/- 5.2 years, height of 169.55 +/- 9.9 cm, and weight 69.42 +/- 14.6 kg. MEASUREMENTS: The reliability of 5 functional performance tests (anteromedial lunge, step-down, single-leg press, bilateral squat, balance and reach) was assessed in 15 subjects with PFPS. Secondly, the relationship of the 5 functional tests to pain was assessed in 29 PFPS subjects using Pearson product moment correlations. The limb symmetry index (LSI) was calculated in the 29 PFPS subjects and compared with the group of 11 normal subjects. RESULTS: The 5 functional tests proved to have fair to high intrarater reliability. Intrarater reliability coefficients (ICC 3,1) ranged from.79 to.94. For the PFPS subjects, a statistical difference existed between limbs for the anteromedial lunge, step-down, single-leg press, and balance and reach. All functional tests correlated significantly with pain except for the bilateral squat; values ranged from.39 to.73. The average LSI for the PFPS group was 85%, while the average LSI for the normal subjects was 97%. CONCLUSIONS: The 5 functional tests proved to have good intrarater reliability and were related to changes in pain. Future research is needed to examine interrater reliability, validity, and sensitivity of these clinical tests.     

A new syndrome of triphalangeal thumbs and brachy-ectrodactyly

Two Mexican families in which a total of 17 persons exhibited the same pattern of limb malformations are described. The syndrome is characterized by triphalangeal thumbs and brachydactyly affecting the index fingers and the third toes. The clinical findings are variable and the inheritance is autosomal dominant. The syndrome, to the best of our knowledge, has not been described before.     

Effect of maximal arm exercise on skin blood flux in the paralyzed lower limbs in persons with spinal cord injury

 The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of maximal arm exercise on the skin blood circulation of the paralyzed lower limbs in persons with spinal cord injury (PSCI). Eight male PSCI with complete lesions located between T3 and L1 performed graded maximal arm-cranking exercise (MACE) to exhaustion. The skin blood flux at the thigh (SBFT) and that at the calf (SBFC) were monitored using laser-Doppler flowmeter at rest and for 15 s immediately after the MACE. The subject's mean peak oxygen uptake and peak heart rate was 1.41 ± 0.22 l · min^–1 and 171.6 ± 19.2 beats · min^–1, respectively. No PSCI showed any increase in either SBFT or SBFC after the MACE, when compared with the values at rest. These results suggest that the blood circulation of the skin in the paralyzed lower limbs in PSCI is unaffected by the MACE. Accepted: 12 September 1996     

Isolated mesomelic shortening of the forearm in father and daughter: a new entity in the group of mesomelic dysplasias

In this report we describe the occurrence of severe mesomelic shortening of the forearms due to hypoplasia of the ulnae with severe radial bowing. In contrast to the mesomelic dysplasias, i.e. Langer type of mesomelic dwarfism, this apparently autosomal dominantly inherited skeletal anomaly occurred as an isolated anomaly without concomitant involvement of shanks or other parts of the skeleton, and did not influence final adult height.     

下肢肌肉功能模型应用软件的开发与应用

目的建立人体下肢肌肉功能的数学模型并编写相应的计算机软件,为人体运动过程中的下肢各肌肉力学描述及评估提供快速可靠的数据支持。方法利用现有的国人下肢肌肉附着点的三维坐标数据及其与体表骨性形态学参数的回归方程等相关研究成果,利用VisualC++6.0平台,编写下肢肌肉功能评定软件。结果软件系统可输出任意模拟姿态或实际运动过程中的下肢肌肉功能参数。结论本研究成果可从肌肉动力学层面来指导运动员的专项力量训练,提高运动成绩,也可应用于相关医学领域。     

肢体负压对周围动脉闭塞性病变犬皮肤SP免疫反应阳性神经纤维影响

目的　观察肢体负压对周围动脉闭塞性病变犬皮肤中 SP免疫反应阳性神经纤维的影响 .方法　犬 17只 ,随机分治疗组 10只、非治疗组 5只和正常对照组 2只 ,治疗组和非治疗组均将动物制作左后肢缺血模型 ,治疗组在模型制作后 14d,开始行患肢负压治疗 10 d(15 min·次 - 1 ) ;非治疗组不做负压治疗 ;正常对照组不行缺血模型制作及负压治疗 . 3组均行左后肢趾皮肤免疫组化染色 ,检测 SP免疫反应阳性纤维 .结果　非治疗组皮肤中 SP免疫反应阳性神经纤维均较正常对照组明显增多 (P<0 .0 1) ,治疗组较非治疗组减少(P<0 .0 1) ,但仍较正常对照组增多 .结论　肢体负压疗法可促进皮肤感觉神经纤维中 SP的释放