Background and Aim: Perceptual motor abilities are based on motor functions and conceptual growth. Therefore, regarding the weak perceptual motor abilities in mental retarded children, it will be an effective step in eliminating their learning problems and improving their functional activities at school, at home and in the society. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of instruction of balance exercises along with gross movement exercises on the balance function and gross movement in mental retarded children.

Materials and Methods: Using a simple non-probability sampling method, based on a pilot sample and the sample size formula were considered 10 children in the treatment group and 10 children in the control group. Inclusion criteria include educable children with mental retardation without significant skeletal, neurological and mental illness and the age group is between 4.5 to 14.5 years. Exclusion criteria include uncooperative child and absence of more than one session. Treatment group for 10 weeks, 3 sessions per week for 30-minute exercises; balance training and gross motor was taught. No intervention was done on control group. Then all subjects retested. The effectiveness of the treatment on balance and gross motor function were performed by statistical analysis.

Results: Before treatment, balance and gross motor scores were not significant (P≥0.05) between the intervention and control groups. In the interventional group, gross motor scores were significant (P≤0.05) but balance scores were not significant (P≥0.05). Balance and gross motor scores between pre-and post-intervention in control group were not significant (P≥ 0.05).

Conclusion: Lack of experience in the motor skills resulted poor motor skills in mental retarded children. Therefore, according to the findings of this study, we can provide requirements for gaining motor experiences with planning, targeted training and utilization of effective rehabilitation and occupational therapy.         

Keywords: Balance exercises, Gross exercises, Mental retardation

Background and Aim: There have been disabled people in every society. Disabled who employed and working in organizations has less ability in physical and motor area, so it is important to consider personality dimensions of disabled people for promoting productivity of organizations. Also, as organizational commitment have an effective role in progress and maintain health statues of workers, so ignoring this important factor might result in decreasing productivity. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between personality extraversion-introversion with organizational commitment in disabled employees.

Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical and comparative cross-sectional study. The target population included all of the disabled employed in the offices of Aligudarz city who were 110 people, which were selected by census method, and all of them completed the questionnaire. The research tools included Eysenck personality and organizational commitment questionnaire. In order to analyze the data, Pearson correlation and regression were performed.

Results: The results indicated that a positive and meaningful relationship between personality extraversion and organizational commitment and a negative and meaningful relationship between personality introversion and organizational commitment were obtained. A positive and meaningful relationship between personality extraversion and affective commitment (r=0.36), between personality extraversion and continuance commitment (r=0.52) and between personality extraversion and normative commitment were obtained (r=0.56). A negative and meaningful relationship between personality introversion and affective commitment (r=0/31), between personality introversion and continuance commitment (r=0.47) and also between personality introversion and normative commitment were obtained (r=0.54) that generally has indirect relationship introversion with organizational commitment. (P≤ 0.01)

Conclusion: On the basis of the findings of the study, it can be concluded that the disabled subjects that have personality extraversion have more organizational commitment in their work environment. Disabled introverted personality is essential to pay more attention to the business environment.

Keywords: Introversion٬Extraversion٬Organizational commitment ٬Disabled. 

Background and Aim: Measures of oral diadochokinesis are widely used in the assessment and detecting motor speech disorders and functional abnormalities of speech performance. Preschoolers have great difficulties with this clinical task. One reason for this problem is application of using of non-words in the test. Since, such words were not designed in Farsi; therefore we compared some words and non-words repetitive articulatory rate in preschool children.

Materials and Methods: In this analytic cross-sectional study design, 142 children (65 boys & 77 girls) aged 4 to 6 years old were participated. We compared timing for 10 fast repetitions between two meaningful words /motækΛ, golΛbi/ and tri-syllabic sequences /pΛtΛkΛ/. Data was analyzed by repeated measures of ANOVA test.

Results: In children aged 4 to 5 years old, mean ± SD of timing for 10 repetitions of /pΛtΛkΛ, motækΛ, golΛbi/ were 7.72±1.02, 6.58±1.68 & 6.65±1.13 seconds respectively, and in children aged 5 to 6 years, were 7.57±0.95, 6.35±1.38 & 6.30±1.01 seconds respectively. This Analysis showed that regardless of all factors, the main effect of type of words on oral diadochokinesis was significant (p=0.0001). There were no other significant main effects or interactions.

Conclusion: Children aged 4 to 6 years old could repeat meaningful words /motækΛ, golΛbi/ faster than non-word /pΛtΛkΛ/. Sex and age group factors had not significant effect on oral diadochokinesis function. Finally, it is suggested that speech therapists can examine this ability with meaningful words.

Keywords: Oral diadochokinesis, Word, Non-word

Background and Aim: ACL injury is one of the most common sport injuries which undergo reconstructive surgery. Electromyography or recording of muscles’ electrical activity is a suitable means to assess changes in motor control system output. The goal of this study is to compare the lower limb muscles EMG activity during drop landing in individuals after ACL reconstruction and healthy subjects.

Materials and Methods: Eleven men who had undergone ACL reconstruction 6 to 24 months ago (Age 29±6 years old) and 11 healthy men (Age 28±2 years old) participated in the study. Amount of electrical activity for tibialis anterior, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, semitendinosus and biceps femoris muscles was recorded using surface electrodes during drop landing and calculated for two time intervals. The amount of activity was measured in -150 to +50 and +50 to +180 intervals in relation to the landing moment. Subjective IKDC questionnaire and cross-over hop functional test were used to determine the subjective and objective functional level.  Independent t test was used to determine between-group statistical differences.

Results: Feed forward activity of semitendinosus (P=.041) and biceps femoris (P=.008) muscles were significantly higher in ACLR group and feedback activity of vastus medialis (P=.03) muscles was significantly lower in ACLR group. Healthy individuals showed higher score on both the functional test and IKDC questionnaire. (P<.0005)

Conclusion: Individuals who had undergone reconstructive surgery of ACL showed different muscular activity compared to healthy subjects and closer to ACL deficient individuals 6 months after surgery and routine rehabilitation.

Keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, Electromyography, Neuromuscular control

Background and Aim: Children with cerebral palsy have impaired quality of life for reasons such as sensory-motor impairments. There is no tool in Persian to examine quality of life of children with cerebral palsy based on their specific conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess psychometric properties of the  Persian version of the parent report of the Quality of Life Questionnaire for adolescence with Cerebral Palsy (CP QOL Teen).

Materials and Methods: In this psychometrics measurement study, CP QOL (parent report) was translated to Persian based on the International Quality of Life Assessment Project (International Quality Of Life Assessment Project: IQOLA), and then its face validity, content validity, construct validity, and reliability were assessed. A convenient sample of subjects including 82 parents of adolescence with cerebral palsy (13-18 years old), were recruited.

Results: Face and content validity were obtained by parents and experts respectively. Content Validity Index was 0.62. There was a significant correlation between total score and subscales scores of the questionnaire and also, between total score and GMFCS. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the total score was 0.994. Also, cronbach's coefficient &alpha; for the internal consistency of all of the questions of the questionnaire were 0.996

Conclusion: Persian version of the parent report of CPQOL has acceptable reliability and validity. It is a useful assessment tool for evaluating the quality of life of adolescence with cerebral palsy.

Keywords: Reliability, Validity, Persian version of parent report of the quality of life questionnaire for adolescence with cerebral palsy.

Background and Aim:  The aim of this study was to determine the short-term and long-term effects of one protocol of physiotherapy on reduction of pain, improve active lumbar range of motion and disability in the patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain.

Materials and Methods: A total of 12 patients with lumbar radiculopathy were included in this study. Physical therapy included electrical nerve stimulation at sensory level, superficial heat and therapeutic exercise for patients. Pain intensity of lumbar and affected lower extremity, active lumbar range of motion and disability were considered as variables in this study. The evaluation was performed 6 months after the end of therapy sessions. The repeated measure of ANOVA was used to assess the effect of physiotherapy and pair t-test was used to assess the follow-up.

Result: Statistically significant differences were found in lumbar pain, affected lower extremity, active lumbar flexion, right and left lateral flexion and disability after treatment (p<0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in lumbar pain, affected lower extremity , active lumbar right and left lateral flexion in the last session of treatment and 6 month later (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Physiotherapy is an effective treatment in order to reduce pain and improve active lumbar range of motion in patients with lumbar radicular pain.

Keywords:  Physiotherapy, Radicular pain, Range of motion, Disability

Background and Aim: Depression is one of the most important threats to psychological well-being of individuals in the 21^st century. Individuals experiencing depression will have unpleasant feelings of sadness and discouragement. This feeling stops individuals, especially students, to have the ability of experiencing fun and joyfulness in life. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of short-term resistance exercises on occupational performance areas and depression severity in students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

Materials and Methods: Convenience sampling was used in this study. Participants included 40 freshmen of medical sciences in experimental group and a matching group as control group (40 participants). The Beck Depression Inventory (second edition) and Canadian Occupational Performance Measurement were tested before and after implementing the designed protocols. Participants in experimental group performed resistance exercises 3 days a week, each session last 90 minutes over an 8-weeks period. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis.

Results: The paired t test expressed that there are significant differences in performance (P<.001), satisfaction (P<.001) and depression (P<.001) regarding experimental group before and after intervention of the study. The independent t test suggests significant differences in performance (P<.001), satisfaction (P<.001) and depression (P<.001) among both groups after implementing exercise program.

Conclusion: Short-term resistance exercises can effectively reduce depression severity and improve performance and satisfaction among students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

Keywords: Resistance exercises, Occupational performance areas, Depression, Students

Background and Aim: Fatigue is a factor that disrupts balance and leads to sport injuries. Female athletes have a much higher incidence of ligament injuries than men. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of gender and functional fatigue on dynamic balance.

Materials and Methods: Thirty two non athletic healthy subjects (16 women and 16 men) aged between 18-35 year participated in this study. Star excursion balance test was performed pre and post functional fatigue at the posterolateral and posteromedial directions.

Results: Main effect of fatigue was significant (F=37.62, P<0.01). Both groups showed reduced reach distance after fatigue in posterolateral and posteromedial directions. Fatigue and group Interaction was not significant (F=0.045, P>0.05). The Interaction of fatigue and directions of star excursion balance test was not significant (F=1.169, P>0.05).

Conclusion: Fatigue reduced the dynamic postural control in both gender. However, this reduction was not different between the groups. It seems that other factors rather than the effect of fatigue on postural control contribute to the difference in the risk of injury between men and women.

Keywords: Functional fatigue, Balance, Gender

Background and Aim: Standing stability is resulted by normal functioning of various neuro-muscular and musculo-skeletal systems. Patients with below knee amputation cannot use ankle strategy due to limb loss and they have to rely on other mechanisms to improve their standing stability. The effect of prosthesis foot on standing stability of patients with below knee amputation is not well understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of below knee amputees and determine the influence of prosthesis foot on stability

Materials and Methods:  Fourty subjects participated in this study. Participants were divided into three groups including:  (a) normal individuals, (b) amputees using SACH foot and (c) amputees using single axis foot. The stability of subjects was evaluated by use of a Kistler force plate. The subjects were asked to stand on the force plate for one minute and look forward with their hand at their sides. The stability was evaluated by use of some parameters such as excursion of Center of Pressure (COP) and path length and velocity of COP in mediolateral and anteroposterior directions. The difference between the stability of the subjects was determined using One-way ANOVA and Post Hoc test.

Results: There was a significant difference between stability of the three groups during standing with regard to path length and velocity of COP in mediolateral and anteroposterior directions (P < 0.05). No significant difference was reported with regard to all of the measured parameters when comparing normal individuals and amputees with single axis foot (P >0.05).

Conclusion: Below-knee amputees standing stability who are using single axis foot have the same standing stability compared to normal subjects; moreover, stability of amputees who are using SACH foot was surprisingly better than normal subjects in some of the parameters including path length and velocity of COP in mediolateral and anteroposterior directions.

Keywords: Standing stability, Below knee amputation, SACH foot, Single axis foot, Force plate

Background and Aim: The structure and function of the hamstring and quadriceps can contribute to the development and process of patellofemoral pain syndrome. As open and closed kinetic chain exercises have different effects on the knee joint, the aim of the current study was to investigate motor control of knee joint in both kinetic chains according to voluntary response index aspect.

Materials and Methods: 12 healthy knees and 12 injured knees (6 females in each group) were examined. Surface electromyography were performed in knee muscles including vastus medialis oblique, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis and biceps femoris while the subjects were doing flexion-extension of knee joint by isokinetic dynamometer system and one leg semi-squat movement. Then voluntary response index was calculated.

Results: There were no significant difference between the patients and healthy groups (p>0.05). In the patient group, correlation between similarity index and magnitude was seen.

Conclusion: Probably in the low intensity patellofemoral syndromes, voluntary response index could not differentiate between healthy and the patient groups. In the patients with patellofemoral syndrome group, correlation between similarity index and magnitude may represent co-contraction in their muscles.

Keywords: Patellofemoral pain syndrome, Motor control, Voluntary response index, Surface electromyography

Background and Aim: Perception of words is one of the parameters that examine to assess the language skills, due to lack of appropriate test in this field, informal assessing was done and evaluating of Perception of words has been challenged. The aim of this study is to design and determine the characteristics of Picture perceptive Objective Vocabulary Test for normal Persian-speaking 6-13 years-old children in order to examine the perception of words accurately.

Materials and Methods: In this methodological study that was done cross-sectional, a list of words that had the ability to visualize, prepared. To determine the content validity index, 7 speech therapists were surveyed and were chosen 240 images of words, finally this test was done on 118 children (57 girls, 61 boys) in seven age groups. Reliability of this test was assessed by repeatability and internal consistency and correlation between children’s scores and their age was determined by Spearman’s correlation.

Results: Content validity index  for total of 240 words were 1. In assessing reliability of this test Spearman’s correlation and internal consistency were 0.87 and 0.83 obtained respectively. There was a significant correlation between children’s ability to respond and their age (p<0.0005).

Conclusion: Pictures test for assessing the ability for perception of words in different categories of 6-13 years old children have appropriate content validity and reliability. In the age range of the study, child's ability to perception of words increases with age.

Keywords: Picture Perceptive Objective Vocabulary Test, children, Validity and Reliability

Background and Aim: Having a proper posture is one the aspects of good health which has important role in activity of daily living and sport skills. Spine abnormality is the most prevalent disorder and hyperkyphosis is more propagated one. The purpose of present study was to compare the effect of conventional corrective exercise and physioball exercise on improvement hyperkyphosis and vital capacity in girl students.

Materials and Methods: 44 girl students (13±0.83 age) with the hyperkyphosis were participated in this study. Participants did not have any history of surgery, trauma or pain in their limbs. In pre-test and post-test, curvature of the back  measured by a flexible ruler and  vital capacity measured by a digital spirometer.

 Students in terms of the curvature of the back were divided in to three subgroups of experimental 1 (Corrective exercises physioball), experimental 2 (conventional corrective exercise), and the control group (did not participated in any exercise program). The training program was done eight weeks, 3 times per week.

Results: The result of ANOVA showed that there are significant differences between pre-test and post-test. The results of Tokey showed that there are significant differences between both experimental groups compare to control group in hyper kyphosis and vital capacity in post-test. However there is not different between 1 and 2 experimental groups (P&ge;0/05).

Conclusion: Performance training with physioball and without physioball are useful for improvement of hyperkyphosis and vital capacity in young female students. There is not different between two groups.

Key words: Corrective exercise, Vital capacity, Physioball,  Hyperkyphosis

Background and Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sensory-motor integration on Balance and Reaction time in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder( DCD). Motor developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a statement that the American Psychiatric Association was described for children who have difficulty in implementing some of the skills and competencies necessary to deal with the needs of the motor suffering their everyday lives, proposed locomotors.

Materials and Methods: This study was a semi-experimental study. Twenty patients (mean age, 8.5years old) were randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control groups from the DCD children rehabilitation center in Kermanshah. Continuous performance test, test improved stork and test walk heel to toe were used. After the pretest, the experimental group had a protocol for 8 weeks, three sessions per week of 120 minutes exercise (Swinging, jumping on Trampoline, baby turn around, turn around and coach children). To investigate the differences between the groups and the effect of exercise, ANOVA with repeated measures design with 2 × 2 (two with double measurement) were used. Post hoc t-test and t-test was used to analyze differences within groups and between groups.

Results: The results showed that the experimental group showed a significant improvement in reaction time, dynamic and static balance. There was a significant difference at post-test in experimental group due to the extent of the practice.

Conclusion: Improvement in balance is more likely due to the increased proprioception and stability. It is also likely to reduce the reaction time of integrated activities due to the pre-movement or speed up of the processing of perceptual or cognitive.

Keywords:  Sensory-motor integration, Balance , Reaction time, DCD

Background and Aim: This study was conducted dueto the limited results of past studies in relation to postural control in children with developmental coordination disorders and the importance of postural control with the ability to integrate the vestibular, visual and somatosensory inputs. In this study the postural control of the children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and their normal peers was compared under the reduced or the conflicted sensory input conditions.

Materials and Methods: Twenty two children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (16 males, 6 females with mean age of 7 years old and 9 months, SD 1 year and 5 months) and 19 children with normal motor development (13 males, 6 females, with mean age of 6 years and 11 months, SD 1 year and 1 month) were evaluated. Standing balance, sensory organization and motor control strategy were evaluated using the sensory organization test (SOT).

Result: The results showed that the children with DCD had poorer function than the normal children in the composite equilibrium (p&le; 0.001), visual ratios (p=0.005) and vestibular ration (p=0.002). There were no meaningful differences between groups in their average somatosensory ratio. Additionally, children with Developmental Coordination Disorder had lower motor strategy scores than the normal children when they were forced to depend on vestibular cues alone (p < 0.05). The children with Developmental Coordination Disorder had deficits in standing balance control in conditions that included reduced or conflicting sensory signals. The visual and vestibular systems tended to be more involved in contributing to the balance deficits than the somatosensory system. Moreover, children with Developmental Coordination Disorder were tended to use hip strategy excessively when forced to rely primarily on vestibular signals to maintain postural stability.

Conclusion: In order to improve the postural control in the patients, the rehabilitation protocols should focus on the sensory-motor deficits.

Keywords: Postural control, Postural stability, Developmental Coordination Disorder

Background and Aim: The voice is an important verbal communication in voice problems. In addition to physical problems, pay attention to communication, emotional and mental health in our life and work is very important. The aim of this study is to assess and compare of voice handicap index (VHI) in patients with vocal mass lesion and healthy people.

Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. Participants were divided into two groups, patients with mass lesion (n=40) and healthy people group (n=40). Basic information was collected by interview. Voice handicap index (VHI) questionnaire was assessed. The data was analyzed with SPSS₁₆ (IBM corporation) software. In order to compare the two groups, the independent sample T-test was used.

Results: Patients with vocal mass lesion had high scores in total and three subscales (physical, emotional and functional) VHI than healthy people and there was a significant differences between two groups in all variables (p˂0.05).

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that patients with mass lesion in larynx have higher and significant VHI scales than healthy people, which presents less voice related quality of life. Therefore, patients with voice disorder should pay attention to the psychological aspects in addition to medical and surgical treatments.

Keywords: Voice Handicap Index, Mass lesions, Voice disorder

Background and Aim: Whole body vibration (WBV) is a new therapeutic modality which improves muscle function, proprioception and postural control by creating an oscillatory mechanical stimulation. The aim of this research was to investigate the immediate effect of WBV on postural control in young adults.

Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 22 healthy subjects were participated as a single group. Non-probability simple sampling method was used. Subjects were treated with 4 minutes WBV bout. The subjects repeated four times a 60-s light exercise program according to instructions which was shown by the therapist. During the vibration intervention, the vibration frequency increased in 1 minute intervals from 15 Hz for the first minute to 30 Hz for the last minute. Postural control indexes were recorded using the Biodex Balance system in situations of two leg standing with open and close eyes that included overall stability index (OSI), anterior-posterior stability index (APSI), medial-lateral stability index (MLSI) . In order to analyze the data, paired t-test was used.

Results: The results indicated that in the case of standing on two legs with eyes open, OSI and MLSI were statistically significant (P = 0.02; P = 0.01, respectively) and with eyes closed, OSI, APSI and MLSI were statistically significant (P = 0.000; P = 0.001; P = 0. 001, respectively).

Conclusion: Four minutes WBV bout can induce improvement of postural control and balance in young adults.

Keywords: Whole body vibration, Balance, Young adults, Stability

Background and Aim: Leg stiffness has recognized as a parameter related to sports performance and injury risk. The aim of the present study was to compare of leg stiffness during hopping test between female and male athletes.

Materials and Methods: Thirteen females and 12 males of the best Iranian racket-players participated in this study and<span style="font-family:;" dir="RTL" new="" b="" fa;="" mitra";="" roman";="" "times="" roman";"="" 12pt;=""> performed the bilateral hopping test at a frequency of 2.2 Hz. The subjects' leg stiffness was measured and was normalized through dividing by their body weights. Independent samples t-test was used to compare the mean of research variables between the female and male groups.

Results: Leg stiffness in the females was significantly lower than the males (p< 0.001), however the body mass-normalized leg stiffness was not significantly different between two groups (p = 0.290).

Conclusion: The lower leg stiffness observed in the female athletes may be a factor justifying their weakness in speed-based performances during horizontal movements. Furthermore, non-significant difference in normalized leg stiffness between two groups may indicate using a risky strategy by the females in vertical movement to compensate for the less inherent stiffness of their tendinous and muscular structures. Choosing the proper training programs to change the leg stiffness, may be an effective method to enhance the performance and to decrease the injury risk.

Keywords: Leg stiffness, Female and male athletes, Sports performance, Injury risk

Background and Aim: Knee joint injuries are the most common injuries in routine life and stirring sports. The most common injuries in knee joint are meniscus injuries, anterior cruciate ligament rupture and kind of tears of above structures. Diagnosis of meniscus tear is generally clinically and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging). In this study, meniscuc tear was recognized by recorded the knee vibration signals (VAG: Vibroarthrography).

Materials and Methods: Forty subjects (20 normal and 20 abnormal) with meniscus tear were selected and recorded the signals by electrostethoscope, 3 times in 15 sec. Testimonial form was taken from all of participants. 

Results: After recording, the signals were processed and reduced the noise by singular value decomposition algorithm (SVD: Singular Value Decomposition), four parameters of these signals were extracted in energy and frequency domain. These were included energy parameter (EP: Energy Parameter), energy spread parameter (ESP: Energy Spread Prameter), frequency parameter (FP: Frequency Parameter) and frequency spread parameter (FSP: Frequency Spread Parameter). Mean and standard deviation of each feature were considered and analyzed eight features of the signals. Statistical analyzes showed the P-Value less than 0.05 ( ) for each feature. Three methods for data classification were used. ) Mean and standard deviation of the parameters were obtained as below: Multi Layer Perceptron (MLP: Multi Layer Perceptron), Support Vector Machine (SVM: Support Vector Machine) and K- Nearest Neighbor (KNN: K-Nearest Neighbor) with ( ), ( ) and ( . K-nearest neighbor method (K=5) has the highest percentage of accuracy.

Conclusion: Knee signals processing (VAG signals) is a suitable and non-invasive method for diagnosis of meniscus tear which can save the time and reduce the costs.

Keywords: Articular pathology, Meniscus tear, VAG signals, Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), Time- frequency distribution.

Background and Aim: Stuttering is a multifaceted disorder that affects motor control, language performance and communication attitude. It seems that investigating the relationship between overt (stuttering severity) and cover (communication attitude) features of stuttering is necessary. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between stuttering severity and the communication attitude of adults who stutter.

Materials and Methods: Fifty-six adults who stutter participated in this study. The SSI-3 (Stuttering Severity Instrument-3) in the 200 words read text and communication attitude by Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES-A) were used. Spearman's correlation coefficient and Non-parametric Mann-Whitney test were used to determine relationship between severity of stuttering, communication attitude, age and history of treatment.

Results: This study showed that there was not significant correlation between the severity of stuttering assessment and communication attitude (P >0.14). As well as, age with communication attitude (P&ge; 0.050) and history of treatment with the stuttering severity (P <0.001) were correlated. The relationship between stuttering severity with age (P >0.13) and communication attitude with history of treatment (P >0.7) were not correlated.

Conclusion: There was no relationship between the severity of stuttering and communication attitude. Since, in people who have had a history of treatment, severity of stuttering was reduced but communication attitude did not reduce, therefore, communication attitude should be considered in treatment.

Keywords: Stuttering, Stuttering severity inventory, Communication attitude, Overall assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering.

Background and Aim: Forward Head Posture (FHP) is one of the most common postural disorders which related to current life style. This disorder may cause some changes in motor control of cervical muscles.

Materials and Methods: Eight subjects with Forward Head Posture and 8 matched healthy subjects wereParticipated. The kinematic and electromyographic activity of each subject was analyzed and the flexion- Relaxation phenomenon was determined.

Results: The results showed that the cessation of flexion-relaxation phenomenon was different between two groups (P<0.05). The result of Pearson correlation showed a significant positive correlation between Cranio-vertebral angle and cessation of the phenomenon (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The flexion- relaxation phenomenon was different in Forward Head Posture related to the healthy subjects and the concentric contraction was started with delay in the Forward Head Posture subjects. Therefore, the motor control and balance disorder may be seen in these subjects.

Keywords: Forward Head Posture, Flexion- Relaxation, Electromyography, Kinematic