Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology
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J Electromyogr Kinesiol · Oct 2016
Patients with chronic, but not episodic, migraine display altered activity of their neck extensor muscles.
The current study aimed to investigate differences in activity of neck flexor and extensor muscles in women with migraine considering the chronicity of their condition. Thirty-one subjects with episodic migraine, 21 with chronic migraine and 31 healthy controls participated. Surface electromyography signals were recorded bilaterally from the sternocleidomastoid, anterior scalene, splenius capitis and upper trapezius muscles as subjects performed 5 stages of cranio-cervical flexion (CCF), representing a progressive increase in range of CCF motion. ⋯ The group with chronic migraine exhibited increased activity of their extensor muscles compared to the control and episodic migraine groups (splenius capitis: F=3.149, P=0.045; upper trapezius: F=3.369, P=0.041). No significant between-group differences were found for the superficial neck flexors (sternocleidomastoid: F=1.161, P=0.320; anterior scalene: F=0.135, P=0.874). In conclusion, women with chronic migraine exhibit increased activity of their superficial neck extensor muscles when acting as antagonists during low-load isometric CCF contractions in comparison to non-headache subjects.
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J Electromyogr Kinesiol · Jun 2016
An investigation on the simultaneously recorded occlusion contact and surface electromyographic activity for patients with unilateral temporomandibular disorders pain.
The present study examined if unilateral pain from temporomandibular disorders (TMD) was associated with the occlusion contacts and surface electromyographic (SEMG) activities of jaw-closing muscles. Eleven patients with unilateral TMD pain and 20 healthy volunteers who all had Angle's Class-I occlusions were enrolled. The numbers and load distributions of the occlusion contacts and the SEMG activities of the anterior temporalis (TA) muscles and masseters muscles (MM) during maximal voluntary clenching (MVC) in the centric and eccentric positions were simultaneously recorded on both sides. ⋯ The SEMG activities of the non-pain-side TA and the normalized SEMG activities of the bilateral TAs and MMs were higher during protrusive MVC (p<0.05). During pain-side MVC, the normalized SEMG activities of the working-side MM and balancing-side TA were higher than those of the controls. In conclusion, the TMD pain side was not associated with the occlusal contacts, but the patients with TMD had TA and MM SEMG activities during different tasks that differed from controls and that did not seem related to the pain side.
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J Electromyogr Kinesiol · Apr 2016
Influence of chronic low back pain and fear of movement on the activation of the transversely oriented abdominal muscles during forward bending.
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) and fear of movement (kinesiophobia) are associated with an overactivation of paravertebral muscles during forward bending. This impairs spine motor control and contributes to pain perpetuation. However, the abdominal muscles activation is engaged too in spine stabilization but its modulation with kinesiophobia remains unknown. Our study tested whether CLBP and kinesiophobia affected the activation pattern of abdominal muscles during trunk flexion/extension. ⋯ The phase-dependence of IO/TrA activation during trunk flexion/extension in standing may have a role in spine motor control. The influence of kinesiophobia in CLBP should be further investigated as an important target in CLBP management.
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J Electromyogr Kinesiol · Apr 2016
Neck and shoulder muscle activity and posture among helicopter pilots and crew-members during military helicopter flight.
Neck pain among helicopter pilots and crew-members is common. This study quantified the physical workload on neck and shoulder muscles using electromyography (EMG) measures during helicopter flight. Nine standardized sorties were performed, encompassing: cruising from location A to location B (AB) and performing search and rescue (SAR). ⋯ Sortie time (%) with non-neutral neck posture for SAR+NVG and AB-NVG was: 80.4%, 74.5% (flexed), 55.5%, 47.9% (rotated), 4.5%, 3.7% (lateral flexed). Neck pain intensity increased significantly from pre- (0.7±1.3) to post-sortie (1.6±1.9) for pilots (p=0.028). If sustained, UNE activity of ∼10% MVE is high, and implies a risk for neck disorders.
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J Electromyogr Kinesiol · Dec 2015
Pain intensity attenuates movement control of the lumbar spine in low back pain.
Pain intensity attenuates muscular activity, proprioception, and tactile acuity, with consequent changes of joint kinematics. People suffering from low back pain (LBP) frequently show movement control impairments of the lumbar spine in sagittal plane. This cross-sectional, observational study investigated if the intensity of LBP attenuates lumbar movement control. The hypothesis was that lumbar movement control becomes more limited with increased pain intensity. ⋯ Our results indicate changes in movement control in people suffering from LBP. Whether decreased recurrence and determinism of lumbar movement patterns are intensifiers of LBP intensity or a consequence thereof should be addressed in a future prospective study.