Background and Aim: There are many disputes concerning the role of skin receptors on excitability of spinal motoneurons. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the motoneuron excitability and H-reflex recovery curve of Soleus and Gastrocnemius muscles after application of local anesthesia on the skin of vertebral column.

Materials and Methods: Thirty healthy non-athlete female volunteers with a mean age of 27.20 ± 3.11 years old, were tested in two separated sessions. The H-reflex recovery curve of Soleus and Gastrocnemius were recorded before intervention and 15 minutes after the application of anesthesia (lidocaine 10%) or placebo anesthesia (water), with two excitation intensity of 30% and 100% of Hmax and interval interpulses of 1-202 ms. After extraction the amplitude of H1 and H2 response and fitting the recovery curve their amplitude and interval of the peak, area under the curve and, thresholds of the early and secondary facilitation were calculated and analyzed.

Results: After application of lidocaine, the sensory threshold of the vertebral column skin increased significantly. Due to a significant increase in H1 amplitude, peak, and area under the curve of the early facilitation showed a significant decrease (p<0.05). Threshold of the secondary facilitation showed a significant decrease in the Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The results suggest that decrease of skin receptors activity after anesthesia can facilitate motoneurons excitability and H-reflex recovery. It seems that using the method of paired stimulation and H-reflex recovery curve may be useful to investigate the effect of physical therapy modalities on the fast and slow motoneuron excitability.

Keywords: H-reflex recovery curve, Local anesthesia, Cooling, Motoneuron excitability.

Background and Aim: Low back pain is the most common and most costly musculoskeletal disorder among nurses. The studies have showed that ergonomic risk factors are the main cause of back injury. Our aim in this study is to evaluate the incidence of low back pain in nurses with participating in manual handling of patients and determination of its relationship with ergonomic risk level of inpatient wards in a subspecialty hospital in Tehran.

Materials and Methods: Thirty nurses who were active in manual handling of patients, (aged between 25to43), participated in this study. The Nordic standard questionnaire and Slump clinical test were used for evaluation of low back pain and pressure on the nerve root, respectively. MAPO (Movement and Assistance of Hospital Patients) quantitative index was used for evaluating the ergonomic risk level of manual handling of patients in 16 sectors of a hospital including 174 wards.

Results: The results showed that ergonomic risk level was high. Ninety percents of evaluated wards were in red band. Based on results of Nordic questionnaire, %66.7 of nurses had experienced back pain in the past 12 months. Based on the results, 46.7% of  nurses who were active in sectors with high ergonomic risk have been suffering of back pain in the past 12 months and 53.3% of theirs slump test were positive. The Chi-Square test confirmed that there is a significant relationship between low back pain prevalence and risk level from the MAPO index in parts. (p=0.004)

Conclusion:  Findings from this study showed that there was a relationship between ergonomic conditions of hospital’s sectors with back pain in nurses. Therefore, it is expected to improve ergonomic conditions particularly supply of adequate human resources, supply of auxiliary equipments for patient transmission, repairs timely and implementation of reforms constructive is associated with reduced incidence of back pain in nurses.

Key words: Ergonomic risk level, MAPO index, Slump clinical test, Low back pain, Nurses.

Background and Aim: Hearing impaired children encounter many problems for learning language and communication skills. The aim of this research is to compare morphological skills in conversational speech and story retelling of hearing impaired with typically normal children.

Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional analytic research 16 typically normal and 9 hearing impaired children between 48 to 72 months were selected in a convenience sampling method .After considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, linguistic sampling for conversational and story retelling data was gathered. Parametric, nonparametric statistical analysis and U Mann-Whitney and t- test was performed on gathered data.

Results: In story retelling there was significant difference between using conjunction,whole free grammatical morphemes, clitics, zero morphemes (p˂0.05). There were significant differences between using conjunction, proposition, conversational grammatical morphemes, inflectional affixes, clitics zero morphemes and whole bound grammatical morphemes in conversational speech (p˂0.05).

Conclusions: Hearing impaired children have more morphological errors than typically normal children. They tend to omit lexical morpheme in story retelling, but typically normal children tend to substitute a lexical morpheme with another one in story retelling. The most kind of error in both groups was omission of morpheme in conversational speech.

Keywords: Hearing impaired children, Morphological errors, Conversational and Story retelling

Background and Aim: Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common musculo-skeletal problems and can effect on patient's daily activity and produce dependency in their daily activity and functional disability such as including the balance of these patients. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate the effect of a period of therapeutic exercise and detraining after that on balance in the women with knee OA.

Materials and Methods: This research was a semi-empirical and applied on 24 inactive female patients with osteoarthritis of the knee with a physician's diagnosis and entering in Research. Subjects randomly classified into two groups, the therapeutic exercise and control. The Biodex Balance machine was used to determine static and dynamic balance in patients with pre-test and post-test in order to stabilize the situation and jeopardize. After pre-test in order to evaluate the durability of training, the tests were repeated after one months of detraining experimental group subjects. The therapeutic exercise protocols executed on subjects over 20 sessions (4 weeks and duration of each session about 60 minutes). During this time, the control group did not do any practice. The raw data was analyzed by SPSS version19. Friedman test and wilcoxon were used.

Results: Application of one course of treatment on the static balance: the overall stability and also dynamic balance of women with knee OA was significantly affected of (P &le; 0/05). Also, one month detraining after of the training period showed lasting improvement of balance (static-dynamic).

Conclusion: Based on the results of the present research, execution of period of 4 weeks in therapeutic exercise can significantly effect on balance improvement in women with knee OA. This change will be stable after one month of detraining. Therefore, therapeutic exercise even in a short period of 4 weeks can be advised to be effective way to cure and improve balance in patients.

Key words: Therapeutic Exercise, Detraining, Balance, Knee Osteoarthritis

Background and Aim: One of the impaired senses in patients with chronic hemiparesis is the sole cutaneous sense. The role of this sense in maintaining the functional balance and mobility is still controversial in these patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the threshold of sole cutaneous sense and functional balance and mobility tests in patient with chronic hemiparesis.

Material and Methods: In this correlational study, seventeen chronic stroke patients by mean age of 59.10 (13.31) years and mean time after injury of 31.70 (23.61) months were selected by simple non– probability method. Functional Reach with ankle and hip strategy (FR), Step Test (ST) in affected and non- affected foot, Bend– Reach test (BR), Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used for assessment of functional balance and mobility and Semmes- Weinstein monofilaments test was used to measure the cutaneous sense of seven different points of sole in affected and non– affected foot.

Results: The main effect of foot (affected and non– affected foot) and points (seven different points of sole) of cutaneous sense threshold was significant (P˂0.0001) and interaction effect of foot ˣ points not significant (P=0.2).

The cutaneous sense threshold in all seven points of affected sole showed significant (p˂0.05) low to high correlation (r= 0.24-0.81) with all of functional balance and mobility tests. There was not significant correlation between cutaneous sense threshold in seven points of non- affected foot and any of functional balance and mobility tests, with the exception of cutaneous sense threshold of the little toe floor with total, dynamic and static score of BBS, FR with ankle and hip strategy and TUG; cutaneous sense threshold of big toe with static score of BBS and FR with hip strategy; and medial border of sole with static score of BBS and FR with ankle strategy.

Conclusion: The cutaneous sense threshold of affected sole has a more correlation with functional balance and mobility tests. The cutaneous sense threshold of sole in big toe and medial border points has a significant role in functional balance and mobility tests in patients with hemiparesis.

Keywords: Functional balance and mobility, Cutaneous sense threshold, Hemiparesis

Background and Aim: Cerebral palsy is a common cause of inability in childhood that effects on posture and motor development and leads in activity limitation. One of the difficulty of cerebral palsy is impairment in arm and hand function. Splints and orthosis are used to improve position, range of motion and hand function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of static anti-pronation splint on spasticity, range of motion, grip and pinch strength and function of affected hand of spastic hemiplegic children of 8-12 years old.

Materials and Methods: This is an interventional study. Twenty spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy children with 8 to 12 years old were selected through students who studied in physical disabled schools in Tehran city and had the inclusion criteria. Patients randomly divided into intervention and control group. Patients in intervention group used a static anti-pronation splint for two months, 6 hours daily. In this study the Jebsen Taylor test was used to evaluate hand function, the Modified Ashworth Scale was used to assess spasticity of wrist, forearm and elbow, ROM of wrist, forearm and elbow were measured with goniometer and grip and pinch strength were evaluated with MIE.

Results: Results in intervention group showed a significant improvement in hand function (p<0.003), in wrist`s spasticity (p<0.005), forearm`s spasticity (p<0.003), wrist`s ROM (p<0.001), forearm ROM (p<0.003), grip strength (p<0.001) and pinch strength (p<0.003) in intervention group. The data did not show significant improvement on elbow`s joint ROM (p<0.343) and spasticity (p<0.157).In control group, significant improvement did not seen (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Information from present research shows that using static anti-pronation splint for 2 months ,6 hours a day, can be an effective method to improve hand function, wrist and  forearm spasticity and range of motion, strength of grip and pinch in hemiplegic CP children.

Keywords: Static anti-pronation splint, Hand function, Spastic hemiplegic, Cerebral palsy.

Background and Aim: Reliability or unreliability of the results achieved from recording of surface electromyography of muscles has always been questioned. The aim of present study was to  measure the reliability of the delayed reaction time of muscle electromyography of the knee joints on the exposure of unexpected rotary turbulence in the transverse plane from the area of supporting surface.

Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy women from 19 to 30 years old and free from any clear deformities in the lower extremities were participated in the present study. Surface electromyography of the six knee musculature was carried out for every subject separately in 4 situations including: External Rotation (Ext Rot) from plantar area on the transverse plane with bent and straight knee, Internal Rotation (Int. Rot) with the same conditions, Single Leg Stance situation in 4 stages, and repeatability of Intra Session through intra-class correlation coefficients when the muscles are in action on the exposure of turbulence in four applied forms were analyzed.

Result: The results from 24 analyzed forms showed that 18 forms of muscles at the time of action had moderate to high repeatability (Monroe Classification)

Conclusion: Regarding reliability, the muscles indicated different amounts in onset latency time, on the exposure of rotary turbulence, according to joint angle and the direction of applying rotation on the transverse plane. In respect to direction of rotation, most of the muscles indicated more reliability on the exposure of external rotation turbulence (clockwise) in relation to internal rotation (anti-clockwise) and also regarding the joint angle in turbulences with straight knee in relation to turbulences with bent knee. 

Keyword: Knee muscles, Surface electromyography, Reliability, Rotational turbulence

Background and Aim: The main cause of Myofascial pain syndrome is trigger point. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle energy technique (MET) with dry needling (DN) on latent trigger point of upper trapezius.

Materials and Methods: Fourty females, with diagnosis of latent trigger point of upper trapezius after adopting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were equally and randomly allocated into either the muscle energy technique or dry needling groups. Each patient received one treatment to the upper trapezius muscle. Outcome measures (visual analogue scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and range of active contra lateral flexion (CLF) measured before and 48 hours after treatment.

Results: Two techniques which used in this study were effective for treating latent trigger point of upper trapezius (P<0/001) but no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of the above variables (p>0/05).

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that muscle energy technique was as effective as dry needling in improvement of VAS, PPT and ROM in subjects with latent trigger point of upper trapezius muscle. But since muscle energy technique is safe and non-invasive method, therefore, if you want to select one of these two techniques, muscle energy technique is recommended.

Keywords: Dry needling, Muscle energy technique, Trigger points

Background and Aim: Proprioception is a component of somatosensory system. One of the most important somatosensory receptors is muscle spindles. Neck area with high density of muscle spindle, plays a significant role in providing this sense. With repeated contact sports, with high trauma on head and neck region, it is likely that proprioception will be impaired. The present study was conducted to compare proprioception between wrestlers, taekwondo players and non-athlete subjects to determine the effect of trauma on proprioception of craniocervical region.

Material and Methods: This study was a case-control study of 75 male with the age range of 18-30 years (Including: 25 professional wrestlers, 25 professional taekwondo players and 25 non-athlete subjects). Participants were selected through simple non-probability sampling. To assess proprioception of craniocervical region, angular repositioning of two positions (neutral and 50% of range of motion) was evaluated by using the cervical range of motion device (CROM device). The statistical method which used in this study was one way ANOVA.

Results: Accuracy of target repositioning (50% of range of motion) of extension, right and left rotation were significantly different between three groups (p<0.05). Returning to neutral position from mentioned movement was associated with a significant error (p<0.05).

Conclusion: It is assumed that proprioception of craniocervical region has been affected by trauma in wrestlers and taekwondo players, so that the accuracy of head repositioning for both neutral and target positions were reduced in wrestlers. However, taekwondo players had more errors in repositioning of target angle.

Keywords: Proprioception, Repositioning error, Craniocervical, Wrestlers, Taekwondo players

Background and Aim: A Concrete and Abstract Word Synonym Test is a test which assessed semantic system in patients with acquired language disorder specifically semantic impairment. The aim of this study is to design a valid and reliable test for assessment of comprehension of concrete and abstract words in different types of aphasia.

Materials and Methods: The type of study is test construction and was computed as cross-sectional. First, a collection of words based on frequency were chosen in order to construct the test. These words were given to 15 experts (10 speech and language pathologists and 5 linguists) in 3 stages, in order to rate words with 0-100 scale. Then words, which had higher average than 90 score were chosen. After determining face and content validity, the test was performed on subjects. Subjects included 20 aphasic patients (12 men and 8 women) and 50 normal people (28 men and 22 women) ranging in age from 20 to 65 years. After 5 to 7 days, to determine reliability of test, test was performed on subjects again. Results of this study were analyzed by SPSS 16.

Results: Results showed that this test has a higher validity than %90. Coronbach alpha for internal consistency was 0.500. For investigation of test-retest reliability, mean difference of test scores in 2 stages of administration was significance (p<0.038). Pearson correlation coefficient between mean scores of patients in 2stages were 0.857 and ICC range was 0.857-0.923 that was significant (p<0.001). The cut of point of test was also 46. Comparison of mean scores of concrete and abstract word synonym test in patients and normal people and also in patient with temporal lesion showed significant difference (p<0.001).

Conclusion: A Concrete and Abstract Word Synonym Test is a proper tool for assessing semantic system in aphasic patients and it can indicate semantic impairment in these patients.

Keywords: Synonym comprehension test, Concrete and abstract words, Validity, Reliability, Aphasia, Semantic impairment.

Background and Aim: Shoulder injury is one of the most common injuries in overhead sports. Impingement syndrome is most frequent cause of these injures. Scapular has important biomechanical role in normal shoulder function .Muscle imbalance changes normal scapular arthrokinematic and as a result the risk of injury is high. One of the treatment methods which is used in athletes with impingement syndrome is kinesio taping. Goals of this study was to investigate the effects of kinesio taping of trapezius muscles on pain , functional movements of shouhder joint and lateral scapular slide in athletes with impingement syndrome.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen athletes with a mean age of 30.53±3.56 with impingement syndrome participated in this study. Pain with visual analog scale , functional movements and lateral scapular slide test in 3 positions was  assessed . Then kinesio taping was used for trapezius muscles .Repeated evaluation was performed in 3 different periods of : 20 minutes , 72 hours , 6 days  after first session.

Results: Mean of  pain was reduced in 72 hours and 6 days after kinesio taping (p=0.003) .  Ext.rot + abd movement after kinesio taping was improved and the most improvement was 6 days after kinesio taping (p=0.004). Int.rot+add movement after kinesio taping was improved and the most improvement was 6 days after kinesio taping (p=0.001). Lateral scapular slide test in first position and second position improved significantly. In third position test did not change significantly after kinesiotaping.

Conclusion: Kinesio taping of trapezius muscles in athletes with impingement syndrome has effects on pain reduction, improvement of functional movement of shoulder and improvement of scapular kinematic. Therefore kinesio taping can be used as a treatment in athletes with impingement syndrome.

Keywords: Kinesio taping, Trapezius muscles, Impingement syndrome.

Background and Aim: Forward head deformity is one of the most common undesirable situation abnormalities associated with weakness of cervical stabilizer muscles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-weeks strength training, stretch training and comprehensive training in patients with forward head posture.

Materials and Methods: Forty females students with excessive angle (FH>46 degrees) were chosen as samples using purposive sampling method. Anthropometric data were as below: age 22.22 ± 1.77 years, weight 61.22±1.90 kg, height 161.85±2.55 cm and body mass index of the samples 23.37±0.9 kg/m². The subjects were randomly divided into four groups of 10 experimental and control groups. The first experimental group performed strength training, second group stretch training and third group comprehensive training for 6 weeks. In this period, the control group did not receive any training. In this study photogrammetric method technique was used to measure the angle of the forward head. Head angle changes of the subjects before and after 6 weeks were measured.

Conclusion: The results demonstrated a significant decrease in the angle of forward head in the experimental group. Therefore, using of this program is recommended in subjects with this deformity.

Keywords: Forward head, Corrective exercises.

Background and Aim: Different aspects of the motor control parameters of dominant and non-dominant legs are investigated but the effect of dominancy on motor control strategy is still unclear. The aim of the present study is to compare the pre- motor time, motor time and reaction time in dominant and non- dominant leg muscles of the non- professional healthy athletes in response to visual stimulus during forward jumping.

Methods and Materials: Eleven non- professional healthy athletes participated in this cross-sectional study determined by convenience non probability sampling. Surface electromyography were performed in the dominant and non-dominant leg muscles including  gastrosoleous , peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, and tibialis anterior in response to visual stimulus during forward jumping.

Results: There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the dominant and no-dominant legs with respect to the pre-motor time, motor time and reaction time of the gastrosoleus, peroneus longus, peroneus brevis and tibialis anterior.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that limb dominancy is not an important parameter in the motor control studies.

Keywords: Motor control strategy, Visual stimulus, Forward jumping

Background and Aim: Osteoarthrosis is a common condition in the cervical region due to the high mobility of this region. Despite the clinical popularity of traction that is often prescribed for patients with neck pain, there is no agreement on the effectiveness of traction. Due to the high controversy and the lack of experimental documents in the efficiency of the pneumatic traction device in reducing symptoms of neck pain, present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the pneumatic traction device in reducing pain and amount of drug use, and improving disability level in patients with neck osteoarthrosis compared to the control group.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-six patients with neck pain aroused by osteoarthrosis were randomly assigned into two groups of control or experimental. The control group received hot pack, TENS, US, exercise therapy and ergonomic training as their usual physical therapy care. Patients in the experimental group also benefited from the sustained traction via the pneumatic traction device too. All participants were treated for 10 sessions. Pain (NPRS), the level of disability (NDI), the number of sedative drugs and NSAIDs were evaluated in the beginning of the first session and at the end of the last session.

Results: A significant decrease in the levels of the pain and disability in both groups were found (P<0.05). The decrease of pain and disability in the experimental group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than the control group. There was no significant difference in terms of the sedatives and NSAIDs within and between the groups at the end of the last session (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Although physical therapy and ergonomic trainings may lead to a significant improvement in neck pain and related disability in the osteoarthrosis patients, the use of pneumatic traction device can increase the rate of improvement.

Key words: Spondylosis, Neck pain, Traction, Air neck traction device

Background and Aim: In recent years, introducing the quantitative methods for diagnosing the joints injuries and its level of severity, surveying the recovery progress and effectiveness of rehabilitation methods are important for clinical practice. Using the inertial sensors is one of the custom methods for quantifying joints motion. The purpose of this study is to quantify injuries in ankle joint.

Materials and Methods: By setting the Sharif-HMIS inertial sensors on the leg and ankle of patients and control subjects, the motion of their ankle was evaluated and the amount of velocity and acceleration in 8 distinct motions were measured.

Results: Using the gathered data from the sensors in different motions and by implementing the assumed criterions, several parameters are calculated that can give a rather precise and quantitative distinction between injured people and control subjects. The results showed that RAV, M and P scores indicate the differences between patients and control subjects clearly, although their performance as a parameter for qualifying the level of ankle injuries is not good.

Conclusion: Motion analysis of ankle and comparing the results of patients and control subjects showed that the assumed criterions are valid and can be used for diagnosing the ankle injury. Also, this method is utilized to measure the ankle motion of both elderly and young groups and the results showed that this method is suitable for indicating the ankle motion differences between two groups.

Key words: Ankle sprain, Motion measurement, Arthritis, Inertial sensors.

Background and Aim: Several studies have investigated the effects of angular velocity on mechanical and physiological variables such as joint net torque, muscle force and myoelectrical activity, but so far its effects on the control of the pattern of synergist muscle activation during isokinetic movements have not been studied. In this experiment, a computational method of identifying and analyzing muscle synergies were used which is based on the framework of the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis to determine the variability of muscle synergies following movement velocity alteration.

Materials and Methods: Twelve healthy females without any known neurological or motor disorders participated in the experiment. The participants were positioned on a Biodex dynamometer. They were asked to perform ten continuous knee extension and flexion motions with maximal strength at 45˚/s or 300˚/s. Electromyographic activity of the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) were recorded and variance within the UCM (VUCM) and orthogonal to the UCM (VORT) with respect to an appropriate Jacobian matrix was computed. An independent t-test was used to compare VUCM between two velocities.

Results: Across subjects, VUCM was significantly higher than VORT (VUCM>VORT) in both tasks. There was no significant difference in VUCM between two velocities (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that angular velocity is not an important parameter when a controller of a multi-element system wants to stabilize a particular value of a performance variable.

Keywords: Variability, Angular velocity, Muscle synergie, Externsor muscle.

Background and Aim: Semantic test “pyramids and palm trees” (PPT) are the most common tests for assessing memory. Since this test is related to language and culture, normative data in different populations are needed. This study was done in Persian language.

Materials and Methods: Current study was cross-sectional and was done in 270 male and female from 20 to 69 years old. After performing Mini-Mental Status Examination test, Persian version of PPT was done. Subjects must select a picture or word between two pictures or words that was closer to target. First picture version was performed and then word version was carried out after 10 to 14 days. Data was analyzed by Spss16 software and the statistic tests were included of T-Test and a Paired T-Test and ANOVA.

Results: The Results show that difference between picture and word scores increased with rising age. There were significant differences in gender between scores of picture and word version (male P<0.001, female P=0.003). It also points out the difference increases between picture and word scores with education. 

Conclusion: Both versions are affected by demographic variables and so the scores should be interpreted accordingly.

Keywords: Persian normative data, Pyramids and palm trees, Adult

Background and Aim:  Diabetes mellitus comprises a group of disorders associated with hyperglycemia. Diabetes can cause many complications for the person which can affect various aspects of health. This study aimed to assess the function in diabetic patients based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, evaluation of function was based on selection of assessment tools from the components of the ICF system, including the hand function (strength, dexterity, sensation), the ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living, quality of life, ability to work, social support and their self-management on 94 patients with diabetes type 1 and 2(refer to the community support for diabetic patients in Shiraz) took place. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS.

Results: In this study of the 94 participants with diabetes, 39 were male (41/5 %) and 55 females (58/5 %). 40 patients (42/6 %) with type 1 diabetes and 54 (57/4 %) patients had type 2. The results show that the strength, dexterity, sensation, self-management and work ability were significantly associated with blood sugar levels (P <0/001).

Conclusion:Using the ICF as a framework for evaluating the function and determining the health status of diabetic patients, hand function and the ability to work in patients with diabetes was not desirable. Hand function and ability to work decreases with an increase in blood sugar levels.

Keywords: Diabetes, function, International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Background and Aim:: Muscular shortness is one of the most common musculoskeletal impairments. It may occur as a result of trauma or even a sedentary life style and cause clinical symptoms. Hamstring muscle, due to its functional roles, is prone to injuries during physical activities. Research has shown that decreased hamstring muscle flexibility may lead to lower extremity injury. The goal of this study is to compare the effects of myofascial release (MFR) and muscle energy technique (MET) effects on hamstring muscle flexibility. 

Materials and Methods: Twenty four non-athlete healthy subjects (means ± SD= 26/12 ± 5.4 Years) were randomly assigned to two groups; myofascial release group and muscle energy technique group. Passive range of motion (ROM) of knee extension was measured using a digital goniometer before and immediately after the intervention.

Results: There was a significant increase in the knee passive range of motion immediately after both interventions (in MFR group p=0.000 and in MET Group p=0.000).The amount of knee extension increase was greater in myofascial release group (p=0.023).

Conclusion: Both MFR and MET can increase hamstring muscle flexibility; however, in this study MFR has shown to be more effective than MET.

Keywords: Flexibility, Muscle energy technique,  Myofascial release technique,  Hamstring muscle

Background and Aim: In order to compare word definition skill between bilingual and monolingual SLI (specific language impairment), we can investigate characteristics of these children and limited processing capacity (LPC) hypothesis about SLI.

Materials and Methods: Six (7-8 years old) bilingual (Azeri- Persian) children with specific language impairment were evaluated about their word definition and then compared with 12 normal children. Impaired children were diagnosed as exhibiting a significant delay (more than one year) in language that cannot be explained by intelligence deficits, hearing loss or visual impairment. We used specific language impairment and language development tests for diagnosis and Man Whitney and Wilcox tests for analyzing data.

Result:  There is no meaningful difference between bilingual and monolingual children with SLI (p=0.394) (p=0.394).There is meaningful difference in structural aspect of definition skills (p=0.02) between Persian and Azeri language of bilingual children but in content aspect there is not significant difference (p=0.17).

Conclusion:  Findings showed that there is no meaningful difference in comparison between Bilingual and monolingual children with SLI. Therefore, LPC hypothesis about SLI is rejected.

 Keyword: Specific language impairment, Bilingualism, Monolingual, Word definition skill.