Search Results (2,544)

Background: This study investigated associations between anthropometric characteristics, postural deviations, musculoskeletal and visceral symptoms, and squat movement quality to clarify how individual physical attributes and symptom profiles influence fundamental movement performance. Method(s): A cross-sectional observational study recruited adults aged 18–65 who could ambulate without pain. Anthropometric and body composition measures were collected. Standardized posture images and multi-angle squat videos were obtained, and visual classifications of posture and squat technique were conducted using predefined criteria. Descriptive statistics characterized the sample, and multivariable logistic regression with LASSO regularization examined associations between demographic, postural, and symptom variables and binary squat outcomes. Results: Two hundred participants (57.5% female; median age 26 years) were included. Males showed higher stature, lean mass, and waist circumference, whereas females exhibited higher body fat and reported more neck pain and headaches. Forward head posture was common (62%), while women demonstrated more favorable upper-body alignment. Most participants maintained neutral lumbar posture and grounded heels during squats, with sex differences in foot rotation and knee path. Higher fat mass predicted reduced squat depth (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.11, p = 0.033); heel lift and absent forward knee movement were associated with better spinal neutrality (OR = 0.07 and 0.18, both p ≤ 0.002); and low skeletal muscle mass (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79 to 0.95, p = 0.004) and heel lift (OR = 7.09, 95% CI: 1.86 to 26.2, p = 0.003) predicted suboptimal knee tracking. Only 8% achieved a fully “perfect” squat. Conclusion(s): Suboptimal squat mechanics were linked to higher fat mass, lower skeletal muscle mass, and compensatory lower-limb strategies, suggesting that squat quality reflects an interaction among body composition, posture, and motor control rather than any single demographic or anthropometric factor. Full article

Background/Objectives: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper limb. The aim of this study was to analyze the safety and effectiveness of ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) and open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) in patients with moderate-to-severe CTS. Methods: A total of 185 patients with idiopathic CTS were assigned to either the electrolysis group (75 patients) or the surgery group (73 patients); 112 patients completed the final follow-up assessment 12 months after randomization. The surgical procedure consisted of OCTR. The electrolysis group received four sessions of US-guided PNE applied every seven days. Main outcomes were nights waking up due, pain, paresthesia, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire Symptom Severity Scale (BCTQ-SSS), Functional Status Scale (BCTQ FSS) and adverse events. These variables were evaluated in the short (6 weeks), medium (3 months), and long term (6 and 12 months). Results: In the short term (6 weeks), both interventions did not show significant differences in the severity of symptoms; however, the electrolysis group had less adverse events than the surgery group (2 vs. 100). In the medium (3 months) and long term (6 and 12 months), surgery was slightly more effective regarding nocturnal awakenings, paresthesia and BCTQ-SSS (p < 0.002). Conclusions: US-guided PNE may be a safe and effective technique for patients with moderate-to-severe CTS with a sustained long-term pattern of improvement. Although both treatments were effective, OCTR showed superior long-term symptom reduction. Therefore, PNE may serve as a first-line or bridging treatment in selected clinical scenarios. Full article

Background: Upper-limb rehabilitation is a decisive factor in improving the quality of life for patients who have experienced a stroke. Modern rehabilitation techniques promote the recovery of upper-limb functionality and prehension, contributing to a reduction in disability. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study aimed to highlight improvements in prehension through the application of current actual and modern rehabilitation techniques targeting key muscle groups involved in upper-limb recovery. Data from a total of 52 patients were identified and categorized into two groups based on the specific rehabilitation protocols they received during their hospitalization: a study group and a control group. Both groups underwent individualized rehabilitation, differing only in the type of electrotherapy applied: the study group received functional electrical stimulation (FES) and shock wave therapy (RSWT), while the control group received conventional electrical stimulation. Results: After adjusting for baseline differences in severity and time since stroke, patients in the study group demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in functional parameters compared to the control group. The results show us a significant improvement of functionality after RSWT and FES in the study group, with values from 0.28 ± 0.28 to 0.99 ± 0.36 (p-value < 0.001) regarding Hand Grip, suggesting that the treatment effect persists even when initial clinical advantages in the control group are accounted for. Muscle force increased from 0.39 ± 0.54 to 7.67 ± 3.89, p-value < 0.001. Conclusions: The combined application of functional electrical stimulation and shock wave therapy, as modern rehabilitation interventions, provided additional benefits in upper-limb and prehension rehabilitation compared to classical electrical stimulation alone. Our findings suggest that the combined application of RSWT and FES is strongly associated with improved upper-limb recovery, even after adjusting for baseline clinical imbalances. While these results support the integration of these modern techniques into stroke protocols, further prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the definitive treatment advantage over conventional methods. Full article

Background: Mechanization in olive harvesting has improved productivity but introduced new ergonomic challenges, particularly related to vibration exposure and sustained overhead work. This study investigates the acute and short-term physiological effects of using an electric olive harvester through objective instrumental assessment. Methods: Ten healthy male volunteers performed a standardized 15-min simulated harvesting task using an electric olive harvester. Muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity of bilateral deltoid, biceps, and triceps were assessed by myotonometry at baseline (T0), immediately post-task (T1), and after 2 h recovery (T2). Infrared thermography evaluated cervical, dorsal, and lumbar skin temperature at the same timepoints. Results: Significant, side-dependent alterations in myotonometric parameters were observed, with marked increases in tone and stiffness of dominant upper-limb muscles and asymmetric adaptations between limbs (p < 0.001, large effect sizes). Infrared thermography revealed significant post-task reductions in skin temperature across spinal regions, with a partial return toward baseline within the 2 h observation window (p < 0.01). These findings describe short-term, task-related thermoregulatory responses following sustained work. Conclusions: Even short-term use of electric olive harvesters induces measurable biomechanical and thermophysiological stress. The integrated use of myotonometry and infrared thermography provides a sensitive, field-adaptable framework for early ergonomic risk detection and prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in agriculture. Full article

This paper presents RehabHub, a home-based exergaming system that integrates standardized physical assessment directly into gameplay by using a common webcam and MediaPipe for real-time pose estimation. The system quantifies upper-limb movement quality, specifically abduction, shoulder flexion, and elbow flexion based on FMA-UE guidelines, by applying Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) together with a Z-score-based scoring model that relies on data from non-clinical adult participants. A pilot study, which included movements simulated with a 5-kg resistance band, evaluated three feature-extraction methods. The findings indicate that the single-angle method provides the clearest distinction between normal and abnormal movements, particularly for abduction and elbow flexion. In the case of shoulder flexion, the score separation was less distinct because of movement variability and posture-related angle fluctuations, which suggests that further refinement of feature design is needed. The cloud-based platform supports remote monitoring and gives caregivers access to both performance scores and recorded exercise videos. Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility of a low-cost webcam-based assessment integrated into exergaming, and they highlight important trends for improving abnormal-movement detection in home rehabilitation systems. Full article

Surface electromyography (EMG) can drive assistive training systems in neurorehabilitation. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated whether EMG-driven device-assisted rehabilitation improves upper-limb (UL) and lower-limb (LL) outcomes versus conventional therapy (CT). The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251029642). We searched databases for randomized controlled trials in adults with neurological disorders; three reviewers screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2). Seven trials (n = 160) were included, all in post-stroke populations (UL: 3; LL: 4). UL trials showed mixed findings, and pooled effects were imprecise and not statistically significant for activities of daily living (ADL) (standardized mean difference, SMD −0.55; p = 0.09; I² = 0%). LL pooled estimates showed no significant differences in motor function (Fugl-Meyer Assessment, lower extremity, FMA-LE) (mean difference, MD −1.69; p = 0.40), walking independence (Functional Ambulation Categories, FAC) (MD −0.24; p = 0.61), balance (SMD 0.12; p = 0.61), mobility (Timed Up and Go, TUG) (MD −3.24; p = 0.71), or endurance (SMD −0.19; p = 0.43). Current evidence does not demonstrate clinical superiority over CT. EMG-driven systems may be used as an adjunct, but larger trials with standardized protocols, implementation outcomes, and neurological pathologies beyond stroke are needed. Full article

Human upper-limb movement is produced through the antagonistic action of tendons and is controlled in a joint space-oriented manner. Inspired by this functionality, a fully decoupled tendon-driven humanoid arm (FDTDH-Arm) is proposed, in which joint space decoupling is achieved at the mechanical level via humanoid antagonistic actuation and joint regulation rather than complex modeling-based compensation. To characterize the motion behavior introduced by rolling constraints, joint-level and whole-arm kinematic models are established. A prototype of the proposed arm is developed and experimentally validated. The results demonstrate effective mechanical joint space decoupling, passive joint stiffness of the same order of magnitude as that reported for the human upper limb, a mean positioning error of 0.40 mm, and rapid whole-arm motion with a maximum end effector velocity of 3.62 m/s. The proposed design provides a mechanical implementation and biomimetic solution for humanoid manipulation in human-interactive environments. Full article

Background: This study aims to characterize the musculoskeletal injury landscape among Italian adolescent and adult breakdancers, specifically evaluating the correlation between technical execution and various risk factors. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis on a cohort of 97 practitioners (68 professionals and 29 amateurs). Data were retrieved using the “Breakdance Injury Questionnaire” (BIQ), a specialized 28-item tool covering training volume, clinical history, and technical specialization. Results: The data reveal a striking injury burden, with an overall prevalence rate of 94.84%. The most frequent sites of injury were the knee (63.9%), shoulder (60.8%), and wrist (57.7%). A significant statistical disparity in injury risk was observed between professionals and amateurs (p = 0.037), with amateurs exhibiting a higher vulnerability to acute trauma. Of clinical note is the significant correlation between intensive powermoves practice and shoulder pathology (p = 0.029). Conversely, generic preventive measures, including standard warm-ups (p = 0.168) and protective equipment (p = 0.164), showed no significant efficacy in reducing trauma incidence. Conclusions: Breakdancing is a high-demand discipline with a traumatic profile comparable to elite gymnastics. The functional inversion of the upper limbs predisposes athletes to specific overuse syndromes. Future prevention strategies must focus on specific conditioning protocols and qualified coaching rather than generic warm-up routines. Full article

Background: Traditional common spatial pattern (CSP) algorithms for upper limb neural rehabilitation face inherent challenges of overlapping cortical representations and frequency sensitivity, which hinder the decoding performance of motor imagery (MI) electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Objective: To address these issues, this study adopts an improved discriminative filter bank CSP (DFBCSP) framework and applies it to the decoding of upper limb MI-EEG signals, achieving remarkable classification performance. Methods: EEG data were acquired from sixteen participants performing two-class (left upper limb flexion-extension vs. relaxing) and three-class (left upper limb flexion vs. right upper limb extension vs. relaxing) MI tasks. The acquired EEG data were then decomposed into nine distinct sub-bands, followed by the adoption of a mutual information-based feature selection strategy to optimize the feature sets. These optimized feature sets were subsequently input into three classification models, namely multilayer perceptron (MLP), support vector machine (SVM), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), for MI task classification. Results: Experimental results demonstrate that the DFBCSP + MLP method significantly outperforms the traditional CSP approach. Specifically, it achieves an accuracy of 94.83% (Kappa coefficient: 0.890) in two-class MI tasks and 86.20% (Kappa coefficient: 0.775) in three-class MI tasks. Conclusion: The DFBCSP + MLP framework exhibits high robustness and provides a potential technical framework and theoretical basis for future research on the rehabilitation of patients with upper limb motor dysfunction. Full article

Humanoid mobile manipulators integrate a humanoid upper body with a mobile platform, forming a highly redundant system capable of performing complex manipulation tasks. To address the redundancy arising from the coordinated motion of the wheeled base, waist, and dual arms, this study proposes a human-inspired holistic control method based on multi-objective optimization. The degrees of freedom (DOF) of the upper limbs and the mobile base are unified within a single control framework, thereby enhancing overall motion coordination. Specifically, the controller is formulated as a strictly convex quadratic program (QP) that ensures accurate end-effector tracking while effectively handling joint position and velocity constraints. Inspired by human motor characteristics, the method incorporates a hierarchical weight assignment strategy and base DOF optimization to preserve arm manipulability while achieving effective coordination between the base and waist. Simulation studies of dual-arm handling tasks and real-world experiments involving mobile handling and peg-in-hole assembly demonstrate that the proposed method generates smooth, humanoid-like motions, thereby validating the effectiveness of the proposed control framework. Full article

As a core functional component of the prosthetic system, the prosthetic socket’s adaptability to the residual limb is directly correlated with the prosthetic’s performance, comfort level, and safety profile. Although traditional sockets can satisfy basic suspension requirements, they commonly suffer from inherent drawbacks in practical applications, including uneven pressure distribution, poor air permeability, and inadequate adaptability to the morphological variations of individual residual limbs. To enhance socket adaptability across multi-task scenarios, this study proposes an intelligent physiological adaptation-based optimal design method for active upper-limb prosthetic sockets. Specifically, this method first employs a dynamic force optimization algorithm for multi-contact units oriented to prosthetic manipulation tasks, which real-timely optimizes the output force of each unit under varying external loads to achieve stable socket suspension with minimal interface pressure. Second, biomechanical experiments are conducted to obtain the pain threshold distribution characteristics of forearm soft tissues under compressive loads, thereby providing a physiological basis for the spatial layout of the contact units. Furthermore, the mechanical performance of different socket structures is evaluated under various representative task scenarios, with peak normal force, mean normal force, and force distribution variance adopted as the key comfort evaluation indices. The results demonstrate that the proposed active multi-unit socket, particularly the double-layered eight-unit symmetric radial staggered configuration, enables a robust balance between comfort and stability across diverse task scenarios, thereby establishing an effective and scalable design paradigm for long-term adaptive upper-limb prosthetic sockets. Full article

Post-stroke rehabilitation integrates technological feedback systems to enhance motor relearning and autonomic regulation. Among these, physiological biofeedback—based on electromyography (EMG), heart rate variability (HRV) and electrocardiography (ECG)—represents a multimodal approach for restoring neuromotor control and autonomic balance. EMG biofeedback enables patients to visualize and voluntarily modulate muscle activation, supporting cortical reorganization and improving movement precision through real-time feedback. Recent meta-analyses confirm that EMG biofeedback significantly improves upper- and lower-limb function in stroke survivors, particularly when combined with task-oriented physiotherapy. EMG biofeedback demonstrates improvements in swallowing function, motor control, and patient motivation. Beyond the motor domain, HRV biofeedback has shown substantial benefits lately, especially in regulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, improving vagal tone, and reducing sympathetic overdrive: a major contributor to fatigue and cardiovascular instability post-stroke. By targeting the sympathetic–parasympathetic balance, HRV biofeedback not only enhances autonomic flexibility but also supports emotional and cognitive recovery. Together, these modalities integrate neuromuscular and autonomic rehabilitation, offering a path toward individualized, feedback-driven recovery protocols. This narrative review synthesizes recent evidence on the mechanisms, the clinical outcomes, and translational potential of EMG- and HRV-based biofeedback in stroke rehabilitation, highlighting their role in advancing physiotherapy toward an adaptive, data-driven, and neuroplastic paradigm, as from now on, the emerging directions will include integrating physiological biofeedback with immersive or AI-driven platforms for enhanced personalization and motivation. Full article

Background: Motor imagery (MI) and mirror therapy (MT) are widely used neurorehabilitation strategies to enhance motor recovery after stroke and are commonly applied as adjuncts to conventional rehabilitation therapy (CRT). However, direct comparative evidence between these interventions remains limited. This systematic review compared the effects of MI and MT on motor function, functional performance, spasticity, and gait-related outcomes in adults after stroke. Methods: A systematic comparative review with narrative synthesis was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251274308). PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were searched up to July 2025. Clinical trials directly comparing MI and MT in adults with stroke were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale, and risk of bias was evaluated with the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. Results: Six clinical trials involving 206 participants were included. Both MI and MT were associated with significant pre–post improvements across motor function, functional performance, spasticity, and gait-related outcomes. Between-group comparisons yielded heterogeneous findings, with no consistent evidence supporting the superiority of either intervention. Isolated advantages of MI were reported for specific upper-limb subdomains, but these effects were not consistently replicated. Overall methodological quality ranged from low to moderate, and all included studies were judged to be at high risk of bias according to the RoB 2 tool. Conclusions: MI and MT appear to provide comparable benefits for motor and functional recovery after stroke when used as adjuncts to CRT. Current evidence does not support the preferential use of one intervention, highlighting the need for well-designed trials with improved methodological rigor. Full article

Background: Central cord syndrome (CCS) is the most common incomplete spinal cord injury, producing more severe motor deficits in the upper than lower extremities and impairing sensory and autonomic function. Although transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) has shown benefits in motor and sensory recovery after spinal cord injury, studies have not explicitly documented whether CCS subjects were included. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of tSCS over 12 weeks on motor and sensory outcomes in a subject with CCS. Methods: A 20-year-old male with a C7 injury was evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks with the American Spinal Cord Injury Impairment scale, Modified Ashworth Scale, Penn and Spasm Frequency Scale, 3-Meter Walk Test and 6-Minute Walk Test, 9-Hole Peg Test, Box and Block Test, hand dynamometry, and lower-limb EMG. tSCS was applied between T9 and L1 at 30 Hz. Results: At 12 weeks, upper-limb motor and sensory scores improved, while spasm frequency and hand spasticity were reduced. Manual dexterity improved bilaterally in the 9-Hole Peg and Box and Block Tests, with a 2 kg gain in right-hand grip strength. In the 6-Minute Walk Test, the distance covered increased from 224.4 m to 295.2 m, and a 1.36 s reduction in 3-Meter walking time was achieved. Conclusions: tSCS improved motor and sensory function and reduced spasticity and spasms. These findings suggest that tSCS may serve as an effective complementary intervention for motor and sensory rehabilitation in individuals with mild cervical injuries, including CCS. Full article