Relevance of inertial fatigue test in sport applications

in Isokinetics & Exercise Science (2008), 16(3), 190

Validity, reproducibility and sensitivity ofthe Myotest® during bench press exercise.

in Abstract Book of 6th International Conference on Strength Training (2008)

La marche du sujet fibromyalgique et d’un sujet dépressif est-elle différenciable ? Exploration de deux affections « voisines » à partir d’un accéléromètre tri-axial.

in Revue du Rhumatisme (2008), 75

Objectif : Analyser la marche de populations souffrant d’affections présentant certaines similitudes en termes de symptomatologie (fatigue, stress, anxiété, ralentissement psychomoteur, …) et pour ... [more ▼]

Objectif : Analyser la marche de populations souffrant d’affections présentant certaines similitudes en termes de symptomatologie (fatigue, stress, anxiété, ralentissement psychomoteur, …) et pour lesquelles le diagnostic différentiel apparaît parfois malaisé. Patients et méthodes : Cette étude inclut 32 sujets fibromyalgiques (46  10 ans), 20 sujets hospitalisés pour un état dépressif (49  14 ans) et 20 sujets volontaires contrôles (49  16 ans). L’analyse tri-dimensionnelle de la marche est réalisée à partir d'un système ambulatoire d'accélérométrie triaxial (Locometrix® Centaure Metrix, France) et d'une ligne de chronométrage. Le sujet marche à sa vitesse de confort, équipé de l'accéléromètre fixé à l'aide d'une ceinture élastique. L'épreuve, composée de 6 trajets rectilignes de 40 mètres, permet de suivre le profil des paramètres analysés tout au long de la distance totale parcourue (240 mètres). Les paramètres analysés sont : la vitesse de marche, la fréquence de pas, la longueur de pas, la symétrie et la régularité des pas, la puissance mécanique suivant les axes antéro-postérieur, crânio-caudal et médio-latéral, le coût énergétique. Résultats : La marche de la population fibromyalgique présente diverses altérations significatives non seulement en comparaison de la population contrôle mais aussi de la population dépressive. Nous observons chez le fibromyalgique une réduction significative (p < 0,05) de la vitesse de marche, de la longueur de pas, des activités suivant les axes antéro-postérieur et crânio-caudal. En outre, cette population présente une marche moins régulière (p < 0,05) alors que le coût énergétique de la marche est diminué (p < 0,05). Les paramètres de marche enregistrés au sein de la population dépressive apparaissent intermédiaires entre sujets contrôles et fibromyalgiques. Cependant, aucune modification significative ne s’observe entre populations contrôle et dépressive. Des travaux ultérieurs tenteront en outre de mettre en relation l’altération des paramètres de marche avec le degré d’anxiété et de dépression objectivé. Discussion : Bien que l’on évoque régulièrement un ralentissement fonctionnel chez les sujets souffrant de ces 2 affections « voisines », ce travail démontre que la marche d’un sujet dépressif et d’un sujet fibromyalgique semble différenciable. Ce dernier adopte une marche plus lente, moins régulière et visant à une « économie » d’énergie comme l’atteste le coût énergétique et les activités suivant les 3 axes. Conclusion : Cette épreuve pourrait constituer un outil original dans la caractérisation d’une population pathologique et le suivi longitudinal d’un patient. [less ▲]

Dix ans d’isocinétisme et lésions musculaires.

in Abstract book des 10èmes Rencontres de Médimex (2008)

An adapted eccentric training in the management of chronic lateral epicondylar tendinopathy

in Abstract book of 13th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (2008)

Benefits of Physical Training in Fibromyalgia and Related Syndromes

in Annales de Réadaptation et de Médecine Physique (2007), 50(6), 363-368

OBJECTIVE: To review the published information on physical training for fibromyalgia (FM) and related syndromes. METHODS: A search of Medline literature (via Ovid and PubMed) with the following keywords ... [more ▼]

OBJECTIVE: To review the published information on physical training for fibromyalgia (FM) and related syndromes. METHODS: A search of Medline literature (via Ovid and PubMed) with the following keywords: FM, chronic fatigue syndrome, therapy, rehabilitation, aerobic, exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy. The reference lists of articles were examined for additional related articles. RESULTS: Several studies investigated the benefits of graded exercise therapy for patients with FM or related syndromes. Although some systematic reviews have not established an unequivocal benefit of physical training, most authors report a benefit for patients with chronic pain or fatigue. Ideally, such a therapy should be a part of multidisciplinary program. Muscular rehabilitation is reserved for preventing the deconditioning syndrome often reported in patients and the vicious cycle of pain, avoidance and inactivity behaviors, or even kinesiophobia, deconditioning, incapacity and psychological distress. CONCLUSION: This review emphasizes the relevance of graded physical training for treating FM and related syndromes. The development of rehabilitation centers, with experts able to propose a relevant therapy to patients with chronic pain or fatigue, should help alleviate this public health problem. [less ▲]

An isokinetic eccentric programme for the management of chronic lateral epicondylar tendinopathy

in British Journal of Sports Medicine (2007), 41(4), 269-275

Background: Lateral epicondylitis represents a frequent overuse injury. In spite of many conservative treatment procedures, prolonged symptoms and relapse are frequently observed. Objective: To compare ... [more ▼]

Background: Lateral epicondylitis represents a frequent overuse injury. In spite of many conservative treatment procedures, prolonged symptoms and relapse are frequently observed. Objective: To compare the outcome of patients performing an isokinetic eccentric training with that of age-, gender-, activity-matched patients receiving a non-strengthening classical rehabilitation. Methods: Ninety-two patients with unilateral chronic lateral epicondylar tendinopathy (mean duration of symptoms 8 +/- 3 months) were assigned either to a control group (n = 46) or to an eccentrically trained group (n = 46). The control group underwent a passive standardised rehabilitation programme that excluded strengthening exercises. In addition to this programme, the trained group also performed eccentric exercises based on the repetitive lengthening of the active musculo-tendinous unit. The latter exercises started with submaximal contraction intensity and slow speed movement. Modalities were progressively intensified (increase in intensity contraction and speed movement) over a long priod of treatment. Programme effectiveness was assessed through pain score evaluation, a disability questionnaire, muscle strength measurement and ultrasonographic examination. Results: Compared to the non-strengthening control group, the following observations were made in the eccentrically trained group: (1) a significantly more marked reduction of pain intensity, mainly after one month of treatment; (2) an absence of strength deficit on the involved side through bilateral comparison for the forearm supinator and wrist extensor muscles; (3) an improvement of the tendon image as demonstrated by decreasing thickness and a recovered homogenous tendon structure; and (4) a more marked improvement in disability status during occupational, spare time and sports activities. Conclusion: These results highlight the relevance of implementing isokinetic adapted eccentric training in the management of chronic lateral epicondylar tendinopathy. [less ▲]

Benefits of an out-patient multidisciplinary rehabilitation program in the treatment of chronic low back pain

in Abstract book of 6th Interdisciplinary World Congress on Low Back & Pelvic Pain (2007)

L’exercice excentrique dans le traitement des tendinopathies

in Livre des résumés du 22ème Congrès de la Société Française de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation (2007)

Isokinetic assessment of the scapular muscles

in Isokinetics & Exercise Science (2007), 15

The scapula plays an important role in normal shoulder function. In sports in which demands on the shoulder are extremely high, the quality of movements depends on the interaction between scapular and ... [more ▼]

The scapula plays an important role in normal shoulder function. In sports in which demands on the shoulder are extremely high, the quality of movements depends on the interaction between scapular and glenohumeral kinematics. Comparatively to a normal status, the scapular dyskinesis is defined as observable alteration in the position of the scapula and in the patterns of scapular motion in relation to the thoracic cage [1]. Surprisingly, only sparse literature focused on the isokinetic assessment of scapulothoracic muscles. To our knowledge, only Cools et al. [2,3] have investigated such evaluation, using a closed kinetic chain system. The aim of this study was to provide new insights in the isokinetic assessment of the scapular muscle performances, among sedentary and overhead athletes populations. 10 sedentary men (23.5  2.6 years; 67.3  62 kg) and 10 overhead athletes (22.2 +/- 2.3 years; 72.9 +/- 9.7 kg) participated into the study. All subjects were free of previous shoulder pathology. The overhead population included 2 volleyball, 2 handball, 3 tennis and 3 badminton players, all with at least 9 years of intensive practice. They sustained a bilateral isokinetic assessment (Biodex 3 dynamometer) of the protractors (PRO) and retractors (RET) of the scapula (closed kinetic chain). Subjects were seated and the closed kinetic chain attachment was placed in a horizontal plane, at 30° from the frontal plane, which corresponded to the scapular plane; the elbow was placed in full extension. The range of motion was individualized from the maximal protraction to the maximal retraction positions. After a specific warm up using an elastic theraband and familiarization on the isokinetic device, the isokinetic protocol consisted in 3 repetitions at slow speed (12.2 cm/s) and 5 repetitions at high speed (36.6 cm/s). The strength performances (peak-force in N) and ratios (Protractors / Retractors; PRO/RET) are described in Tables 1 and 2. The maximum force developed by scapular muscles decreased with increase in motion velocity. Generally, there was no dominance effect, except for the RET at high speed within the sedentary population (Table 1). The PRO/RET ratios remained inferior to 1 indicating higher performances on RET muscle group (Table 2). Even if the athletes recruited in our study used their shoulder in an asymmetrical way, we did not find any significant difference between the dominant and non dominant ratios in that population; only the PRO/RET ratio of sedentaries at high speed showed a dominance effect. The PRO/RET ratios were higher into the athletes, yet the difference did not reach statistical significance. There was no significant difference between both populations, if considering the absolute strength or the bodyweight normalized peak force. The sports population appeared more homogenous with lower standard deviation values for all data. Nevertheless, in such closed kinetic chain assessment, compensations of the trunk during protraction and of the elbow during retraction must be strictly controlled. The shoulder assessment in a closed kinetic chain allowed to investigate the force developed by the protractors and the retractors of the scapula. In spite of upper limb asymmetrical use through overhead activities, a dominance effect in strength performances or agonist-antagonist ratios was not detected among athletes recruited in that study. These preliminary results could be useful for further comparison with pathological cases. REFERENCES 1. W. Kibler, The role of the scapula in athletic shoulder function, Am J Sports Med 26 (1998), 325-337. 2. A. Cools, E. Witrouw, L. Danneels, Test-retest reproducibility of concentric strength values for shoulder girdle protraction and retraction using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer, Isokin Exerc Sci 10 (2002), 129-136. 3. A. Cools, E. Witrouw, G. Declerq, G. Vanderstraeten, D. Cambier, Evaluation of isokinetic force production and associated muscle activity in the scapular rotators during a protraction-retraction movement in overhead athletes with impingement symptoms, Br J Sports Med 38 (2004), 64-68. [less ▲]