Michele Egloff

Innervation zone locations in 43 superficial muscles: Toward a standardization of electrode positioning

Introduction: We describe the innervation zone (IZ) location in 43 muscles to provide information for appropriate positioning of bipolar electrodes for clinical and research applications. Methods: The IZ was studied in 40 subjects (20 men and 20 women) using multichannel surface electromyography (sEMG). Signal quality was checked visually to identify motor unit action potentials and estimate muscle fiber conduction velocity. Results: Results in 33 muscles were classified as excellent or good, because it was possible to identify an area which is favorable for appropriate positioning of an electrode pair without the need to previously determine the IZ location. Conclusions: Knowledge of IZ location will increase standardization and repeatability of sEMG measures. Muscle Nerve 49:413–421, 2014

Test–retest reliability of pain extent and pain location using a novel method for pain drawing analysis

Pain drawings (PDs) are an important component of the assessment of a patient with pain. The aim of this work is to present the test–retest reliability of a novel method of quantifying the extent and location of pain. Additionally, the association between PD variables and clinical features in patients with chronic neck pain (CNP) and chronic low back pain (CLBP) was explored.

Rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of the supraspinatus muscle: Intra- and interrater reliability of thickness and cross-sectional area.

OBJECTIVE To examine intra- and interrater reliability of thickness and cross-sectional area (CSA) measurements of the supraspinatus muscle using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI). METHODS Two physical therapists acquired b-mode images of the supraspinatus muscles in twenty-five healthy subjects. Thickness and CSA were measured. Intra- and interrater reliability were examined. RESULTS Intrarater reliability for thickness was high, (ICC1.1 0.91) for rater 1 and (ICC1.1 0.92) for rater 2. Intrarater reliability for CSA was also high, (ICC1.1 0.90) for rater 1 and (ICC1.1 0.85) for rater 2. Interrater reliability for the thickness was high, (ICC3.1 0.86). For CSA, interrater reliability was moderate, (ICC3.1 0.70). CONCLUSION Supraspinatus muscle thickness and CSA can be reliably measured by physical therapists in healthy subjects. These findings confirm that RUSI has an interesting potential for physiotherapy clinical practice, especially to assess morphometric changes in skeletal muscles. Further research is needed in subjects with shoulder disorders.

Test-retest Reliability in Reporting the Pain Induced by a Pain Provocation Test: Further Validation of a Novel Approach for Pain Drawing Acquisition and Analysis

Pain drawings (PD) are frequently used in research to illustrate the pain response to pain provocation tests. However, there is a lack of data on the reliability in defining the extent and location of pain. We investigated the test–retest reliability in reporting an acute painful sensation induced by a pain provocation test using a novel approach for PD acquisition and analysis in healthy volunteers.

Upper Limb Neurodynamic Test 1 on Healthy Individuals: Intra- and Intersession Reliability of the Angle between Pain Onset and Submaximal Pain

Assessment of nerve trunk mechanosensitivity using the upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1) often includes measurement of the angle of occurrence in the range of pain onset (PO) and submaximal pain (SP). A measurement that better fits the idea of mechanosensitivity could be the angle between PO and SP (AbOS). This study investigated the intra- and intersession reliability of AbOS, PO, and SP during the ULNT1. Forty-four healthy volunteers underwent three ULNT1 to the point of PO and SP, twice in the first session and once in the second. AbOS, PO, and SP angles of occurrence reliability were examined using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC 3,1) and Bland-Altman plots. The intra- and intersession ICC values for AbOS were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.47; 0.85) and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.60; 0.89), respectively. The intra- and intersession mean difference and 95% limits of agreement (±1.96 SD) in the Bland-Altman plots were 2.3° (−18.3°; 23.1°) and 2.8° (−14.7°; 20.4°), respectively. The intra- and intersession reliability of the AbOS during the ULNT1 in healthy individuals is high and higher than the reliability of PO and SP angles of occurrence. The AbOS could be a preferable variable in the assessment of neural mechanosensitivity.