Comparison of Lower Extremity Muscle Flexibility in Amateur and Trained Bharatanatyam Dancers and Nondancers

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-25
Author(s):  
Monica Sharma ◽  
Shibili Nuhmani ◽  
Deepti Wardhan ◽  
Qassim I Muaidi

OBJECTIVE: This study compared lower limb muscle flexibility between amateur and trained female Bharatanatyam dancers and nondancers. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 105 healthy female volunteers, with 70 female Bharatanatyam dancers (35 trained, 35 amateurs) and 35 controls, with a mean (±SD) age of 16.2±1.04 yrs, height 155.05±4.30 cm, and weight 54.54±2.77 kg. Participants were assessed for range of motion (ROM) in hip flexion, hip extension, hip abduction and adduction, hip external rotation, hip internal rotation, knee flexion, knee extension, ankle dorsiflexion (DF), and ankle plantar flexion (PF) by using a standardized goniometer. To assess for significant difference between groups, one-way ANOVA was applied, and multiple comparisons were made using Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: Trained dancers had a significantly greater hip flexion, extension, abduction, and external rotation ROM than amateurs and nondancers (p<0.05). Also, internal rotation and adduction were markedly less in trained dancers (p<0.05). Knee flexion, extension, and ankle DF were higher and ankle PF ROM was lesser in trained dancers. However, not much variation was found in ankle DF and PF between amateur dancers and nondancers (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Results showed that there are significant differences in lower limb muscle flexibility between trained and amateur Bharatanatyam dancers and nondancers. These differences may be due to individual dance postures such as araimandi and muzhumandi.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
AYKUT OZCADIRCI ◽  
FERHAT OZTURK ◽  
SUKRU ALPAN CINEMRE ◽  
GIZEM IREM KINIKLI

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the lower limb muscle strength in terms of gender and limb dominancy in prepubescent swimmers. Material and Methods: Seventy-four prepubescent swimmers (mean age: 11.01±1.58 years; 42 boys; 32 girls) who were training for at least 8 hours a week and without current lower limb pain participated in the study. Isometric muscle strength of lower limb was measured by hand-held dynamometry. Independent samples-t test was used to determine the difference between genders, while paired samples-t test was used for dominant-nondominant side comparison. The significance level was accepted as p<0.05. Results: Knee flexion (p<0.001), extension (p<0.001) and ankle dorsiflexion (p=0.003) muscle strength were stronger on the dominant side than on the non-dominant side. Knee flexion/extension strength ratio was similar (p=0.957); while ankle plantar flexion/dorsiflexion strength ratio was significantly different (p=0.011). Boys swimmers had stronger isometric muscle strength in the dominant side together with knee flexion (p=0.018) and knee flexion extension strength ratio (p=0.007) than girls swimmers. Conclusion: Boys swimmers had higher dominant side knee flexion muscle strength compared to female peers. Gender and lower limb dominancy might be important for lower limb muscle strength to show varieties in prepubescent swimmers before planning a training program.


Author(s):  
Calvin H.N. Yuen ◽  
Christine P.Y. Lam ◽  
Kate C.T. Tong ◽  
Jessica C.Y. Yeung ◽  
Chloe H.Y. Yip ◽  
...  

(1) Background: Squatting is one of the common closed-kinetic chain (CKC) exercises for knee rehabilitation. Some patients cannot perform squatting exercises on land occasionally due to knee pain. Several studies had suggested that lower limb muscle activities are lower in water than on land while performing CKC exercises. The purpose of this study is to investigate the surface electromyography (sEMG) activities of Rectus femoris (RF) and Biceps femoris (BF) muscles when doing a squatting exercise in water and on land. (2) Methods: This was a cross-sectional experimental study. A total of 20 healthy participants (10 males, 10 females) were recruited by convenience sampling. The sEMG of RF and BF muscles in water and on land were collected and the knee motions were videotaped. Participants were instructed to perform closed kinetic-chain back squatting exercises at a specific speed (30 beats per minute) in water and on land at angular speed of 45°/s. Eight repetitions of the squatting exercise (0–90° knee flexion) were performed. The mean percentage maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) between two muscles was compared in two conditions. The %MVC of RF and BF muscles at different specific knee flexion angles (30°, 60° and 90° knee flexion) was also identified. (3) Result: Muscle activities of RF (p = 0.01) and BF (p < 0.01) muscles were significantly lower in water than on land. The %MVC of RF and BF muscles was found to be 15.01% and 10.68% lower in water than on land respectively. For different knee angle phases, the differences in %MVC between land and water had significant difference for both RF muscles and BF muscles. (4) Conclusion: This study found a difference of mean percentage MVC of RF and BF muscles between land and water in different phases of squatting. The water medium reduced the two muscles’ activities to a similar extent. The result showed that the aquatic environment allows an individual to perform squatting with less muscle activation which may serve as an alternative knee exercise option for patients who encounter difficulty in land squatting due to lower limb muscle weakness or a high level of knee pain.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjartan Vårbakken ◽  
Håvard Lorås ◽  
Kjell Nilsson ◽  
Monika Engdal ◽  
Ann-Katrin Stensdotter

Abstract BackgroundThe aim of the study was to explore the relative predictive potentials of a discriminative and comprehensive set of lower-limb muscle strength factors onto self-reported physical-activities-of-daily-life-function (SR-ADL-function) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), when adjusting for prior known strong prospective predictors in a statistical model which covers the functional domains of the International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health (ICF). MethodsThe design was exploratory, patient-only, cross-sectional, and multivariable regression-based, rotating 8 strength-variables onto a hierarchical model. The setting was an Osteoarthritis-school in a secondary-care hospital in Norway. The participants were 28 Caucasian patients with mild-to-moderate symptomatic and radiographic KOA (mean age 61; 64% women) referred by general physicians to an osteoarthritis-school. Excluded patients had trauma to the lower limbs, BMI >35, and age beyond 45 to 70. The dependent/outcome variable was SR-ADL-function (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS-ADL]). The known predictors were prior documented discriminative KOOS-Pain and psychosocial difficulties (Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire), together with 8 candidate predictor lower-limb muscle-strength actions (Biodex and Commander II dynamometer recorded).ResultsMutually adjusted for pain and psychosocial difficulties (R2 = 0.71), the predicting muscle-strength actions explained the following unique variances in SR-ADL-function: hip external rotation 7.6% (p<0.010), ankle eversion 4.0% (p=0.050), hip internal rotation 3.8% (p=0.060), ankle inversion 3.6% (p=0.066). The remaining 4 muscle-strength actions explained from 2.0% to 1.2% (p>0.099), where knee extensor strength explained the least unique variance. Flipped, the current three best potential prediction models explained the following substantial proportions of variance in SR-ADL-function: 1) KOOS-pain, 66%; 2) KOOS-pain and Örebro psychosocial difficulties, 71%; and 3) KOOS-pain, Örebro psychosocial difficulties, and hip external rotation strength, 78%.ConclusionsAdjusted for pain and psychosocial difficulties, hip rotations and ankle eversion-inversion strength indicate substantial cross-sectional potentials for predicting SR-ADL-function for patients with KOA aged 45 to 70 in primary/hospital health-care. Relevant for future prevention and prediction/treatment studies, however, we suggest clinical researchers to consider the current muscle-strength actions together with the even stronger biopsychosocial predictors KOOS-pain and Örebro psychosocial difficulties for future ICF domain-covering models of SR-ADL. Future confirmative studies are needed to refute or generalize these pioneering exploratory conclusions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7077
Author(s):  
Joel Marouvo ◽  
Filipa Sousa ◽  
Orlando Fernandes ◽  
Maria António Castro ◽  
Szczepan Paszkiel

Background: Foot postural alignment has been associated with altered gait pattern. This study aims to investigate gait kinematic differences in flatfoot subjects’ regarding all lower limb segments compared to neutral foot subjects. Methods: A total of 31 participants were recruited (age: 23.26 yo ± 4.43; height: 1.70 m ± 0.98; weight: 75.14 kg ± 14.94). A total of 15 subjects were integrated into the flatfoot group, and the remaining 16 were placed in the neutral foot group. All of the particpants were screened using the Navicular Drop Test and Resting Calcaneal Stance Position test to characterize each group, and results were submitted to gait analysis using a MOCAP system. Results: Significant kinematic differences between groups were found for the ankle joint dorsiflexion, abduction, and internal and external rotation (p < 0.05). Additionally, significant differences were found for the knee flexion, extension, abduction, and external rotation peak values (p < 0.001). Significant differences were also found for the hip flexion, extension, external rotation, pelvis rotation values (p < 0.02). Several amplitude differences were found concerning ankle abduction/adduction, knee flexion/extension and abduction/adduction, hip flexion/extension and rotation, and pelvis rotation (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Flatfooted subjects showed kinematic changes in their gait patterns. The impact on this condition on locomotion biomechanical aspects is clinically essential, and 3D gait biomechanical analysis use could be advantageous in the early detection of health impairments related to foot posture.


2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Chan Oh ◽  
Heon-Seock Cynn ◽  
Chung-Hwi Yi ◽  
Hye-Seon Jeon ◽  
Tae-Lim Yoon

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 2325967119S0002
Author(s):  
Nicole Mueske ◽  
Daniel T. Feifer ◽  
Curtis VandenBerg ◽  
J. Lee Pace ◽  
Mia J. Katzel ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Dynamic limb valgus, combining hip adduction and internal rotation with knee abduction posture and moments, has been implicated in ACL injury. However, the contribution of static lower extremity alignment to dynamic limb valgus is unknown. This study assessed the relationships among lower extremity static alignment and dynamic kinematics and kinetics during side-step cutting in uninjured adolescent athletes. METHODS This prospective study included 88 limbs from 44 uninjured athletes aged 8-15 years (mean 12.3, SD 2.3; 19 (44%) female) who were evaluated during an anticipated 45° side-step cut. 3D lower extremity kinematics and kinetics from a custom 6 degree of freedom model were assessed while standing and during the loading phase of the cut from initial contact to peak knee flexion; 2-3 trials per limb were averaged for analysis. Femoral anteversion was measured for each limb with the participant lying prone. Relationships among static and dynamic measures were investigated using correlation and multiple linear regression. RESULTS In terms of static alignment, more static hip internal rotation and more static knee external rotation (tibia external relative to femur) were associated with more internal hip rotation and external knee rotation dynamically during cutting (r=0.34, p=0.001) (Table 1). Static hip adduction was also related to more external hip rotation and less hip flexion dynamically (p=0.24, p=0.02). More static knee abduction, external hip rotation and hip adduction were associated with higher average knee abduction angles during cutting (r=0.25, p=0.02). However, only static external knee rotation was associated with higher dynamic knee abduction moments (r=0.48, p<0.0001) (Figure 1). During cutting, positive associations were observed between hip flexion, knee flexion, and hip internal rotation (r=0.24, p=0.03). Knee adduction angles were related to more hip flexion, internal hip rotation, and knee external rotation (r=0.25, p=0.02). Additionally, lower peak knee flexion was associated with higher peak ground reaction force and more external knee rotation (r=0.24, p=0.02). Both simple correlation and multiple regression analysis indicated that higher knee abduction moments were related dynamically to higher knee abduction angles, greater knee external rotation, higher hip abduction angles, and greater hip internal rotation (R2=0.72, p<0.001). After considering dynamic metrics, no static measure remained significantly related to knee abduction moments. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE Static knee rotation was the only anatomic alignment measure associated with knee abduction moments during side-step cutting in uninjured adolescent athletes. Knee abduction moments were influenced more by dynamic posture than static alignment. As knee abduction moments have been implicated in ACL injury, this study supports the notion of dynamic limb valgus, specifically increased knee abduction and hip internal rotation, relating to ACL injury. Motion analysis can be used to identify these risky biomechanical patterns, and neuromuscular training can be used to correct them. Since knee abduction moments are primarily determined by dynamic posture, neuromuscular training can be used to reduce these moments and ACL injury risk. [Figure: see text][Table: see text]


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-495
Author(s):  
Amir Ali Jafarnezhadgero ◽  
◽  
Amin Hoseinpour ◽  

Background and Aims This study evaluated dynamic balance, quadriceps, and hamstring strength in individuals with Covid 19 compared with healthy control ones. Methods A total of 30 people were divided into two groups, including healthy people (n=15) and people with Covid-19. Dynamic balance was measured using the star excursion balance test. A dynamometer performed lower limb muscle strength measurements. An independent t-test was used to compare the two groups statistically. The significance level was considered 0.05. Results Quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength were similar in both groups (P>0.05). The results showed that the values of dynamic balance in the lateral (P=0.001), medial (P=0.001), and posterior medial (P=0.001) directions were significantly lower in the group with Covid-19 than that in the healthy group. Conclusion In general, the balance of people with Covid-19 was significantly lower than the healthy group. Decreased balance due to this disease can increase the risk of injury. There was no significant difference in lower limb muscle strength in patients with Covid-19 compared with healthy individuals. Perhaps more research is needed in the future to prove this better.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 854-859
Author(s):  
Osamu Yanagisawa ◽  
Kenta Wakamatsu ◽  
Hidenori Taniguchi

Context: Compared to shoulder and elbow functions, the hip functional characteristics of baseball pitchers have not been fully investigated. Therefore, little is known about the relationship between hip function and pitching performance. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of hip flexibility and strength, focusing on their influences on the ball velocity in baseball pitchers. Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Setting: Laboratory and university baseball facility. Participants: Twenty-three college baseball pitchers. Interventions: Passive hip range of motion (ROM) and isometric hip muscle strength were bilaterally measured. The pitchers threw 20 fastballs at an official pitching distance. Main Outcome Measures: Bilateral hip ROM and strength in flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and external and internal rotation; the maximal ball velocity. Results: The pivot side showed smaller hip external rotation ROM (P < .01), larger hip internal rotation ROM (P = .03), and greater hip adduction strength (P = .03) than the stride side. The hip extension ROM on the stride side had a negative correlation with the maximal ball velocity (r = −.58, P < .01). The maximal ball velocity (135.3 [4.1] km/h) positively correlated with the hip extension (r = .59, P < .01), flexion (r = .57, P < .01), abduction (r = .55, P < .01), and adduction (r = .55, P < .01) strength on the pivot leg, and the hip flexion (r = .53, P = .01), abduction (r = .67, P < .01), and adduction (r = .46, P = .03) strength on the stride leg. Conclusions: These findings suggest that baseball pitchers do not have marked side-to-side differences in hip flexibility and strength, and that an important fitness factor for increasing ball velocity is not the hip flexibility but the hip muscle strength of both legs.


1999 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-7
Author(s):  
James J. Mangraviti

Abstract The accurate measurement of hip motion is critical when one rates impairments of this joint, makes an initial diagnosis, assesses progression over time, and evaluates treatment outcome. The hip permits all motions typical of a ball-and-socket joint. The hip sacrifices some motion but gains stability and strength. Figures 52 to 54 in AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), Fourth Edition, illustrate techniques for measuring hip flexion, loss of extension, abduction, adduction, and external and internal rotation. Figure 53 in the AMA Guides, Fourth Edition, illustrates neutral, abducted, and adducted positions of the hip and proper alignment of the goniometer arms, and Figure 52 illustrates use of a goniometer to measure flexion of the right hip. In terms of impairment rating, hip extension (at least any beyond neutral) is irrelevant, and the AMA Guides contains no figures describing its measurement. Figure 54, Measuring Internal and External Hip Rotation, demonstrates proper positioning and measurement techniques for rotary movements of this joint. The difference between measured and actual hip rotation probably is minimal and is irrelevant for impairment rating. The normal internal rotation varies from 30° to 40°, and the external rotation ranges from 40° to 60°.


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