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Aug 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-5020.jnrt-15-750
Adam Thrasher TimothyCorresponding author
Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
Background To quantify the underlying rhythmic patterns observed in surface electromyography (SEMG) in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), to compare rhythmicity of PD gait with normal gait, and to compare overground walking to treadmill gait. Methods Eight individuals with idiopathic PD, and ten individuals with no history of neurological disorders participated. SEMG was recorded from the vastus lateralis, tibialis anterior, lateral gastrocnemius and biceps femoris muscles bilaterally. Each participant performed two trials of overground walking and two trials of treadmill walking at a self-selected comfortable walking speed. SEMG was analyzed using a non-linear statistical model that identified underlying recurrent locomotor patterns, which estimated the relative contribution of central pattern generators to the observed muscle activation signals. An index of rhythmicity was determined from the statistic, R2. Results The rhythmicity of PD gait was significantly higher than that of normal gait (p = .0458). There was also a significant difference between the rhythmicity of overground walking and treadmill walking (p = .0097). Conclusions Individuals with PD appear to walk with muscle activation patterns that are more rhythmic than normal. This suggests that there is more stride-to-stride consistency, and there are fewer postural adjustments and responses to perturbations. We also found that treadmill gait was more rhythmic than overground walking. These findings, although preliminary, challenge the paradigm and current approach to gait retraining of patients with PD.
Jun 2026 DOI 10.14302/issn.2694-2283.jsem-26-6247
Quintero GabrielCorresponding author
Background Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in sports, often characterized by high recurrence rates despite appropriate local treatment. Traditional approaches primarily focus on the injured joint, with limited attention to proximal biomechanical factors that may predispose athletes to injury. Objective To propose a functional, longitudinal kinetic chain model in which sacroiliac joint dysfunction may act as a predisposing factor for ankle sprain/strain injuries in athletes. Methods This paper presents a clinical hypothesis based on biomechanical reasoning and observational findings. The proposed model describes how sacroiliac joint dysfunction, particularly posterior innominate rotation (PI), may lead to pelvic obliquity and functional leg length discrepancy. These changes may induce compensatory femoral external rotation and foot toe-out, altering ground contact mechanics during gait and running. Results (Hypothesis) The altered alignment and loading pattern may increase the vertical impact force and modify the ground reaction vector on the functionally shorter limb, resulting in reduced mechanical stability at the ankle during heel strike or foot contact. Over time, this may increase susceptibility to inversion or eversion injuries, manifesting clinically as recurrent sprain/strain. Conclusion Ankle sprains in athletes may, in some cases, represent the distal expression of a proximal biomechanical imbalance. Incorporating assessment of the sacroiliac joint and the longitudinal kinetic chain into routine clinical evaluation may improve injury risk identification and contribute to more effective prevention strategies. Further research is needed to investigate this proposed relationship.
Feb 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-5020.jnrt-20-3226
Jalal Al Mosawi AamirCorresponding author
Children Teaching Hospital, Baghdad Medical City, Bab Al Muadham, Baghdad, Iraq
Charcot Marie Tooth disease is a is a very chronic progressive hereditarymotor and sensory neuropathy characterized by progressive weakness andloss of touch sensation across various parts of the body. There are no curative or effective medical therapies that can ameliorate the disability associated with Charcot Marie Tooth disease. The aim of this paper is to describe the safe novel use of cerebrolysin in an Iraqi patient with Charcot Marie Tooth disease. Patients and Methods A boy who was born on the seventh of November, 2009, and was first seen on 29th of January, 2018 at the Children Teaching Hospital of Baghdad Medical City and had Charcot Marie Tooth disease was observed. He had difficulty in walking and abnormal gait that made him left first grade primary school. The nerve conduction study and electromyography study supported the clinical diagnosis of chronic symmetric sensori-motor polyneuropathy of moderated severity. The boy was treated with a safe novel therapy for one month. He receivedten doses of 3 ml intra-muscular cerebrolysin every three days. Results The short term effect of the therapy was dramatic with noticeable improvement that has never been reported before with this condition. Conclusion Further studies enrolling more patients are highly recommended.
Sep 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-5020.jnrt-18-2185
Yilmaz AtillaCorresponding author
Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Medicine Faculty Neurosurgery Department, Hatay, Turkey.
Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) provides efficient treatment for the alleviation of motor signs in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but more studies about gait and functionality are needed. We aimed to understand whether short-term DBS treatment will can relieve the symptoms of PD patients, specifically we examined its effect on motor-cognitive-complication parameters, fine motor skills and daily living activity (DLA) of these patients. Method: Ten patients from Mustafa Kemal University Neurosurgery Department were recruited. The assessments were made twice, first time preoperatively, which was within one week prior to the surgery, second time postoperatively, which was 55-65 days post treatment. The motor scores, DLA scores, mental scores and complication scores were measured with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), fine motor skills measured with The nine-hole peg test (9-HPT), balance measured with Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and falling risk measured with Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). Results: 10 patients (5 female, 5 male) aged between 40-60 (mean=49.44±6.69 years) were included in the study. Duration of the disease’s mean was 5.60 years. We found significant difference between pre-op and post-op results in UPDRS DLA, UPDRS motor, UPDRS complication, UPDRS total score and TUG tests (Table 2). There was no significant difference between preop-postop assessment in UPDRS mental, BBS and 9-HPT results (p>0.05). Discussion: Balance, walk and fine motor impairment occurs almost always in Parkinson’s disease and resulting in difficulties with daily living activities. We found that DBS has positive effect on PD complications, balance and walking abilities. PD patients that have falling risk and multiple motor symptoms may have benefit from DBS.