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Background and aim: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common disorder in human society with many somatosensory problems that affects on functional capability. Dexterity affects activity of daily activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Progressive resistive exercises on strength and dexterity of cerebral palsy persons.

Materials and methods: Twelve CP persons between 8 to 16 years old (10 boys and 2 girls) with mean age of 11.9 years old participated in this study.

Progressive resistive exercises (PRE) protocols were done on upper extremity of  study group 3 times a week for 6 weeks.  Strength of shoulder abductors and extensors were evaluated by MMT NICHOLAS apparatus. Grip strength and dexterity were evaluated by Jammar Dynammometer and Purdue peg board respectively.

Results: Shoulder abductors and extensors strength increased %29.4 (p=0.0001) and %30.1 (p=0.014). Grip strength and dexterity improved %9.8 (p=0.048) and dexterity %23 (p= 0.016) respectively.

Conclusion: PRE increase muscle strength of upper extremity and may improve dexterity in children with cerebral palsy.

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Background and aim: Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of mortality in adult with atherosclerosis. Based on recent studies decrease of transferring level is very important in coronary vascular disease development. The main goal of this study was to survey the effects of endurance, resistance and combination training on the transferring level.

Materials and methods: Forty three volunteers with 18- 25 years old participated in this study. Transferring, heart rate and blood pressure assessed before & after one session of exercise. Subjects randomly put in to one of the four groups (control, endurance, resistance and combination).

Results: There was no significant difference between transferring before and after in endurance & combination groups; But there was a significant difference between transferrin before and after one session of resistance exercise group (P= 0.04).

Conclusion: The results of this pilot study showed that one session of resistance exercises decreased the transferrin level whereas endurance and combination exercises were ineffective upon it.

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Background and Aim: Muscle weakness can be a major problem for many young people with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Strength affects on gross motor function. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of loaded forward and lateral step up resistance exercises on Gross Motor Function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic diplegia.

Materials and Methods: Twenty CP persons between 5 to 12 years old (11 boys and 9 girls) with mean age of 8.15 years old were participated in this study. Loaded forward and lateral step up resistance exercises protocols were done 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Isometric strength of hip abductor, hip extensor, knee extensor and ankle plantar flexor were evaluated by MMT NICHOLAS apparatus. Gross Motor Function were evaluated by GMFM.

Result: The strength of Hip abductor, hip extensor, knee extensor and ankle plantar flexor increased (p < 0.05). The scores of GMFM dimensions D and E improved (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Loaded forward and lateral step up resistance exercises increased muscle strength of lower extremity and improved scores in GMFM. 

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Background and aim: The elderly people are one of the most vulnerable people in any society. Falling in this group is accompanied with decrease of daily living activities. With regard of improvement of balance in perevention of falling, the aim of this study is survey about the effect of Cawthorne and Cooksey exercises on improvement of balance.
Material and Methods:36 elder men with age above 60 years old put in two groups (control group= 19 and exercise group= 17) who lived in the elderly center in city of Mashhad. The subjects in exercise group participated in the Cawthorne and Cooksey exercises during three months, three times a week, during sixty minutes. Balance status of subjects evaluated with Berg Balance Scale(BBS) in 4 stages ( befor exercise and one month, two months and three months) after exercises.
Result: Results showed that improvement of the balance in the different evaluation stages of BBS was significantly increased particularly in the first and second months (p< 0.05). The effects of exercise group were significantly different from control group(p=0.000).
Conclusion: Cawthorne and Cooksey exercises were effective on the balance improvement of elderly men in center of Mashhad and two months of these exercises were enough to improve balance in this group.

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Background and aim: One of the most important part of management and modification of CAD risk factor is to control the level of plasma lipid profile. Application of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation in patient with CAD could decrease the level of CHL, TG, LDL and increasing of HDL .There are a lot of studies that discuss the effect of rehabilitation on different people with different races and life style
Material and Methods: Thirty six patients with the age (40-75) who were referred by cardiologist participated in this study. Fast walking on treadmill, biking on stationary bicycle and cycling with upper body ergometer were chosen as aerobic exercises. For assessing the short term and long term effects of this protocol, blood sampling were taken at three stages before exercise initiation, after 12 and 24 sessions of exercise.
Results: Following the cardiac rehabilitation protocol, the level of CHL, LDL and the ratio of LDL/HDL and CHL/HDL decreased significantly.
Conclusion: Cardiac rehabilitation could be used as means to improve lipid profile level in blood serum, prevention of cardiovascular disease and reducing mortality and morbidity rates.

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Background and Aim: Aging is a natural phenomenon that affects on different systems of our body. This process is not due to diseases and accidents. Activity of Daily Living (ADL) is important for elderly persons. The aims of this study are to investigate the effects of progressive resistive exercises on Activities of Daily Living of elderly persons.
Material and Methods: Fifty elder men with age above 61 years old participated in this study. Twenty five elder men in exercise group with mean age of 69.45 and 25 elder men in control group whit mean age of 72.24. Strength of shoulder and knee extensors were evaluated by Tekdyne Incentive Dynamometers (TID). Activities of Daily Living were evaluated by Barthel - Index
Results: The measurements of shoulder and knee extensors of elder men were evaluated with TID. The data showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p ≤ 0/0001). The measurements of self care activities, mobility and total score of elder men were evaluated with Barthel-Index. The data showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p ≤ 0.0001).
Conclusion: Presents data showed that progressive resistive exercises could be an effective approach to increase strength upper and lower body and improve Activities of Daily Living of elder men.

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Background and aim: Many studies have been carried out about bedrest and its effects on different systems including musculoskeletal,neuromuscular,cognition and vascular systems throughout the world.The purpose of this paper is to review systematically all Berlin Bedrest Studies on musculoskeletal system.The focus of this review is  mainly Second  Berlin Bedrest Study (2^nd BBRS) supported by European Space Agency(ESA).Such studies provide a chance to study the specific effects of immobilization without interference of other diseases.
Materials and Methods: A literature search was carried out using MEDLINE and ESA database to assess existing literature about the effect of bedrest on musculoskeletal system published by Berlin Bedrest Studies.It has been searched for efficacy of interventions  as high load resistive exercise and whole body vibration,as well.
Results: Fourty six articles have been found from 2000 to 2011year: 2 articles in 2000 and 2003,the other ones  between 2005 to 2011. Seventeen  articles were related to muscle and intervention on it,three ones about bone and related intervention on it,four  ones related to both bone and muscle and twenty two ones about the other systems  such as heart,vesseles,sleep and cognition.
Conclusion: According‏‏‏ to study results,bedrest has widespread effects on musculoskeletal system specially in early bedrest . These  effects remain up to 180 days  after bedrest course.Thus,high load resistive exercise and vibration should be prescribed in early stage of bedrest to reduce the detrimential effects of prolonged bedrest.

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Background and Aim: One of the consequences of obesity is coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. Effective exercise programs for patients with the coronary artery disease is a strategy for decreasing obesity and is expected to help in eventually limiting obesity-associated long-term health. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a physiotherapy and exercise based cardiac rehabilitation  on the anthropometric measurements of obesity in the diabetic and non diabetic men. 

Materials and Methods: Seventy one 45- to 75-years-old male volunteers with coronary artery disease (32 diabetic & 39 non diabetic patients) participated in 6-8 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise training consisting of 45 min sessions of  treadmill, stationary bicycle and arm bicycle. Anthropometric measurements of obesity (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio and waist to height ratio) were measured at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of exercise sessions in both groups.

Results: Following the cardiac rehabilitation program, all of the anthropometric measurements except hip circumference in diabetic patients decreased significantly (P<0.05). BMI, waist circumference and waist to height ratio  increased in non diabetic patients (P<0.05).

 Conclusion: Exercise training alone in cardiac rehabilitation program is not sufficient to reduce the anthropometric measurements of obesity in non-diabetic patients. 

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Background and Aim: One of the consequences of obesity is coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. Effective exercise programs for patients with the coronary artery disease is a strategy for decreasing obesity and is expected to help in eventually limiting obesity-associated long-term health. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a physiotherapy and exercise based cardiac rehabilitation  on the anthropometric measurements of obesity in the diabetic and non diabetic men.

Materials and Methods: Seventy one 45- to 75-years-old male volunteers with coronary artery disease (32 diabetic & 39 non diabetic patients) participated in 6-8 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise training consisting of 45 min sessions of  treadmill, stationary bicycle and arm bicycle. Anthropometric measurements of obesity (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist the hip ratio and waist to height ratio) were measured at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of exercise sessions in both groups.

Results: Following the cardiac rehabilitation program, all of the anthropometric measurements except hip circumference in diabetic patients decreased significantly (P<0.05). BMI, waist circumference and waist to height ratio  increased in non diabetic patients (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Exercise training alone in cardiac rehabilitation program is not sufficient to reduce the anthropometric measurements of obesity in non-diabetic patients. 

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Background and Aim : Chronic non-specific low back pain is one of the important health problem in military and different factors have been reported in its emergence. The aim of this study is to determine the association between low back pain and education level, Body Mass Index (BMI), exercise, smoking status ,work status and bad postures in military men.

  

Materials and Methods : In this non-experimental case-control study, 92 subjects (mean age= 29.16 year, SD= 8.55 year) with chronic non-specific low back pain and 93 subjects (mean age= 26.80 year, SD=9.22 year) without low back pain were selected by simple non-probability method from military centers in Tehran. Evaluation tools of this study included a self-administrated questionnaire, weighting scale and metal tape measure.

  

Results : According to the results of bivariate logistic regression, risk factors of exercise (P= 0.003), smoking status (P= 0.042), grade of BMI (P= 0.034), bad posture grades including heavy objects lifting movements (P= 0.007), bending movements (P= 0.003), rotating movements from the lumbar (P= 0.011), carrying bulky objects (P= 0.034), carrying heavy objects (P= 0.05) and working in squatting position (P= 0.005) had a significant association with low back pain. Job status (P= 0.999), education level (P= 0.056) and bad postures grades movements like wringing clothes (P= 0.958) had not a significant association with low back pain.

  

Conclusion : Doing regular exercise and having normal BMI decrease the risk of suffering from low back pain in the military while smoking and doing injurious physical activities during work (lifting heavy objects, bending movements and rotating from the lumbar, carrying bulky and heavy objects, and working in squatting position for a long time) increase the risk of suffering from low back pain.

  

Key Words : Chronic non-specific low back pain, Military forces, Biomechanical risk factors, Exercise

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Background and Aim: Idiopathic scoliosis is a common orthopaedic condition affecting 1.5% to 3% of the adolescents. Conservative treatments for idiopathic scoliosis involve bracing, exercise therapy, electrical stimulation and chiropractic treatment. Bracing in association with exercise is a well known method in the treatment of scoliosis. In spite of the disagreement among researchers, no study has assessed the effect of Blount &Moe exercises accompanied with a milwaukee brace on the kyphotic and scoliotic cobb angle at the beginning of weaning phase up to now. Therefore the aim of the present study was to investigate the role of Blount &Moe exercises on improvement of kyphotic and scoliotic cobb angle at the beginning of weaning phase.

Materials and Methods: The patients were evaluated in terms of the quantity and quality of performing the exercises. Mean Cobb angle was compared  before bracing and at the beginning of weaning phase.

Results: Kyphotic and scolioitic cobb angle were reduced after using the milwaukee brace(p> 0.05), but no significant difference was found among all groups for the kyphotic and scoliotic cobb angle.

Conclusion: Miwaukee brace reduces kyphotic and scoliotic cobb angle, but the quantity and quality of exercise doing before weaning phase does not affect this parameter.

Key words:Kyphoscoliosis,Milwaukee brace, Exercise, Cobb angle

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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.

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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

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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&ge;0.05) between the intervention and control groups. In the interventional group, gross motor scores were significant (P&le;0.05) but balance scores were not significant (P&ge;0.05). Balance and gross motor scores between pre-and post-intervention in control group were not significant (P&ge; 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

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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

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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