Peter Sojka

A 10-Year Incidence of Acute Whiplash Injuries After Road Traffic Crashes in a Defined Population in Northern Sweden

To examine the annual incidence of acute whiplash injuries after road traffic crashes in a geographic catchment area in Northern Sweden during the period 2000‐2009.

Symptoms, disabilities, and life satisfaction five years after whiplash injuries

Abstract Background Chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WADs) are often associated with social functioning problems and decreased ability to perform previous activities. This may lead to decreased life satisfaction, which is insufficiently studied in the context of whiplash injuries. Symptoms included in chronic WAD are similar to symptoms frequently reported by persons who have sustained mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)/concussion. In cases of MTBI, the severity and number of symptoms have been suggested to have a diagnostic value. The corresponding importance of symptoms in chronic WAD has not been documented. Most studies of whiplash injuries have focused on neck pain because this is the dominant complaint, while other symptoms are less studied. The frequency of long-term symptoms after whiplash injuries seems to vary. It is difficult to compare the long-term outcome since the follow-up after whiplash injury in most studies has been rather short. Therefore, the primary aim of this investigation was to study neck pain and other symptoms, disability, and life satisfaction five years after whiplash injury in a defined population and geographical area. Methods The study was carried out at a public hospital in northern Sweden and was a cross-sectional survey of patients five years after the injury event in a cohort of whiplash-injured patients. Five years after the emergency department visit, 186 persons aged 18–64 answered questionnaires on symptoms (Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire, RPQ), disabilities (Rivermead Head Injury Follow Up Questionnaire, RHFUQ), and life satisfaction (LiSat-11). The answers were compared to those of a comparison cohort. Results The most common symptoms five years after whiplash injury were fatigue (41%), poor memory (39%), and headache (37%). Inability to sustain previous workload (44%) and fatigue at work (43%) were frequently reported disabilities. Only 39% were satisfied with their somatic health and 60% with their psychological health. Compared with healthy controls, the whiplash injured exhibited more symptoms and had lower life satisfaction. Women reported significantly higher pain intensity than men. Few significant differences between women and men regarding the other parameters were found. Conclusions This study shows that five years after a whiplash injury, patients reported symptoms that are typical of mild traumatic brain injury. Further, this study emphasizes the possibility of screening patients with chronic WAD for these symptoms as a complement to the assessment. Implications Untreated symptoms may negatively affect the outcome of pain rehabilitation. This implies that it might be clinically meaningful to quantify symptoms earlier in the rehabilitation process

Increased prefrontal activity and reduced motor cortex activity during imagined eccentric compared to concentric muscle actions.

In this study we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine differences in recruited brain regions during the concentric and the eccentric phase of an imagined maximum resistance training task of the elbow flexors in healthy young subjects. The results showed that during the eccentric phase, pre-frontal cortex (BA44) bilaterally was recruited when contrasted to the concentric phase. During the concentric phase, however, the motor and pre-motor cortex (BA 4/6) was recruited when contrasted to the eccentric phase. Interestingly, the brain activity of this region was reduced, when compared to the mean activity of the session, during the eccentric phase. Thus, the neural mechanisms governing imagined concentric and eccentric contractions appear to differ. We propose that the recruitment of the pre-frontal cortex is due to an increased demand of regulating force during the eccentric phase. Moreover, it is possible that the inability to fully activate a muscle during eccentric contractions may partly be explained by a reduction of activity in the motor and pre-motor cortex.

Insufficient loading in stroke subjects during conventional resistance training

Our objective was to assess the loading during a resistance-training task at a given training intensity in subjects with stroke and in healthy subjects. Subjects with stroke (n = 11) and two control groups (n = 11 in each) underwent strength measurements and a resistance-training task for elbow flexors. Torque and muscular activity obtained during the resistance-training task was related to values obtained during strength measurements. Even if relative loading throughout the concentric phase of the resistance-training task, expressed as percent of concentric isokinetic torque, was found to be similar among groups, we found indications of insufficient loading for the stroke group. Relative loading during the eccentric contraction phase, expressed as percent of eccentric isokinetic torque, was significantly lower for the stroke group. Also, when related to isometric maximum voluntary contraction, the loading was significantly lower for the stroke group, compared with the control groups, during the concentric and eccentric contraction phases. Furthermore, muscle activation during, as well as muscular fatigue after, the resistance-training task was somewhat lower for the stroke group. Hence, for subjects with stroke, the relative loading during resistance training, performed at a training intensity considered adequate for able-bodied, appears to be too low compared with the healthy controls.

Torque-angle relationship are better preserved during eccentric compared to concentric contractions in patients with stroke

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of isokinetic contraction mode and velocity on the torque-angle relationship during maximum voluntary elbow flexion in patients with stroke, age-matc ...

Is better preservation of eccentric strength after stroke due to altered prefrontal function

ABSTRACT Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) is part of a network that exerts inhibitory control over the motor cortex (MC). Recently, we demonstrated that VLPFC was more activated during imagined maximum eccentric than during imagined concentric contractions in healthy participants. This was accompanied with lower activation levels within motor regions during imagined eccentric contractions. The aim was to test a novel hypothesis of an involvement of VLPFC in contraction mode-specific modulation of force. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine differences in VLPFC and motor regions during the concentric and the eccentric phases of imagined maximum contractions in a selected sample of subjects with stroke (n = 4). The subjects were included as they exhibited disturbed modulation of force. The previously demonstrated pattern within VLPFC was evident only on the contralesional hemisphere. On the ipsilesional hemisphere, the recruitment in VLPFC was similar for both modes of contractions. The findings support a hypothesis of the involvement of VLPFC in contraction mode-specific modulation of maximum force production. A disturbance of this system might underlie the lack of contraction mode-specific modulation commonly found among stroke subjects, often expressed as an increased ratio between eccentric and concentric strength.

Can the marker of brain damage S-100B be used for prediction of time for return to sport after mild heal injury/concussion

Can the marker of brain damage S-100B be used for prediction of time for return to sport after mild heal injury/concussionThese abstracts are from the proceedings of the 13th European Congress of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine held in Brighton on 28–31 May 2002.