---

Background and aim: The shoulder area is the most complex region of the body and inherently unstable that motions are produced and controlled by sequenced activation of muscles in force couple patterns. It seems that investigating of shoulder muscle activation pattern is essential in the various tasks in healthy subjects due to the unstable structure of the shoulder and vital role of muscles in the stability. In order to evaluate motor control changes in the various movement, designing the therapeutic programs suitable to the shoulder pain and to evaluate effects of physiotherapy and preventing of side effects, this study was conducted. Up to now, it has not been evaluated in the D1flex & D1ext patterns yet.

Materials and methods: Thirteen female healthy volunteers participated in the experiment. Dependent variables of muscle activation such as onset and offset as well as sequencing of muscles (upper trapezius, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, pectoralis major, anterior deltoid and posterior deltoid) of dominant side were calculated during D1flex & D1ext patterns by surface EMG and Data log software in the standing position with speed movement of 25 degree/second.

Results: Special patterns of muscle activation were observed during D1flex & D1ext. Sequencing of muscle activation was different in the both movement patterns. Also, significant differences were found in the latency time of all muscles (p<0.05) except upper fibers of trapezius related to flex/ext goniometer (p=0.33) between both movement patterns.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there are special patterns of activation of muscles around the scapulohumeral articulation in the normal subjects. Rehabilitation and conditioning programs should be designed to restore and optimize the activation sequences and task specific functions of these muscles.

---

Background and aim: Belts and back supports are frequently used to prevent low back pain. Despite many studies, there are not sufficient evidence and conclusive consensus about the effects of these supports. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of lumbosacral supports on motor control pattern during combined trunk motion.

Materials and Methods: 30 healthy young men were selected for the study. Temporal parameters of motor control and activity level of three pairs of trunk muscles were measured during combined trunk motion against minimum resistance and resistance equal to 50% of maximal isometric strength, under with and without back support conditions.

Results: By application of a lumbosacral support, movement response time was significantly decreased under minimum resistance (P=0/004). Application of support decreased reaction time and motor time under two resistance conditions significantly (P<0/05). No significant changes were found in trunk muscle activity levels following wearing a back support (P>0/05).

 Conclusion: By application of a lumbosacral support, individual reaction time was decreased. Although back support did not change the trunk muscle activity level, but the erector spinae muscle efficiency was increased to initiate desired movement.

---

Background and aim: Altered muscle activity in the scapulothoracic and glenohumeral muscles is commonly believed to be a factor contributing to shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS), then, the aim of the study was to determine and compare the activity pattern of the shoulder muscles in subjects with and without SIS.
Materials & Methods: In this case-control study, 9 female subjects with shoulder impingement syndrome and 13 matched healthy female subjects were participated voluntarily by simple random sampling. Surface electromyography of serratus anterior, pectoralis major, upper trapezium, lower trapezium, posterior deltoid, anterior deltoid muscles of dominant side were recorded during D1ext and D1flex movement. Muscle activities were processed and compared in subjects with and without SIS. Non parametric test (Mann-Whitney Test)) was used for data analysis
Results: In both movement patterns, all muscles of the patient showed a greater normalized RMS than healthy group but this increase was statistically significant in anterior deltoid (p=0/003, p=0/04), pectoralis major (p=0/01, p=0/02), serratus anterior (p=0/01) and posterior deltoid (p=0/01) during D1ext and in lower trapezium (p=0/005,p=0/006) and pectoralis major (p=0/01) during D1flex.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that patients with impingement symptoms show abnormal muscle activity. The findings support the theory that shoulders impingement may be related to altered muscle activity in the scapulothoracic and glenohumeral muscles.

---

Background and Aim : The purpose of the present study was to determine the influence of demographic variables and disease characteristics on the quality of life scores and the distribution of the scores at different stages of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) .

Materials and Methods: One hundred patients with COPD participated in this cross-sectional study. Interview and the validated Persian version of the clinical COPD questionnaire (PCCQ) were used for data collection. The method of data collection for the study was interview with a demographic and validated Persian version of the clinical COPD questionnaire (PCCQ).

  

Results: Six percent of patients were revealed as mild COPD, 34 percent of patients as moderate COPD, 49 percent of patients as severe COPD and 11 percent of patients as very severe COPD. Significant differences were observed for total score and the component scores of the PCCQ among four stages of the disease. The age and length of the disease correlated significantly with the total PCCQ score (P<0.05). In order to compare between the CCQ total score and three domains of male and female groups , the results showed that women compared to men had lower quality of life in CCQ total score and functional areas (P<0/5).

Conclusion: Distribution of the quality of life scores in patients with different stages of COPD patients showed that there is an overlap quality of life scores in the mild, moderate , severe and very severe stages of COPD patients. As a result, classifying the disease using spirometry cannot distinct patients with COPD according to impairments in their health status. In adittion, the age, sex and length of the disease are the main factors that may affect the quality of life.

Keywords: Quality of life, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Demographic information, Clinical COPD questionnaire