Raquel Pinheiro Gomes

Using an accelerometer for analyzing a reach-to-grasp movement after stroke

O objetivo deste estudo foi usar um acelerometro para avaliar a cinematica do movimento de alcance e preensao de individuos com hemiparesia. Participaram deste estudo oito individuos (59,4 ± 6,9 anos) com hemiparesia cronica (50,9 ± 25,8 meses pos-AVE). A avaliacao cinematica foi realizada atraves de acelerometro triaxial (EMG Systems do Brasil) fixado no antebraco. Os individuos realizaram 10 movimentos de alcancar uma garrafa de 500 ml pelo membro superior (MS) paretico e nao paretico. As seguintes variaveis espaco-temporais foram calculadas e utilizadas para comparar o MS paretico e nao paretico: tempo de movimento (TM), tempo para alcancar o pico de velocidade, absoluto e relativo (TPV e TPV%TM), duracao relativa da desaceleracao(DEC%TM), tempo para alcancar o pico de aceleracao (TPA) e pico de aceleracao da mao (PA). Os movimentos foram mais lentos no MS paretico com maiores TM, TPA e DEC. A utilizacao do acelerometro permitiu identificar alteracoes no movimento de alcance em individuos com hemiparesia. Quando sistemas mais compexos nao sao disponiveis, acelerometros podem ser uma alternativa para medir o movimento do MS.

Padronização de modelo experimental adequado a estudos do efeito do exercício na artrite

ABSTRACT Objective: To standardize an experimental model of chronic monoarthritis induced by complete Freunds adjuvant appropriate for the analysis of the effect of walking on nociception and on joint edema. Methods: The following factors were evaluated as to monoarthritis induction: route and site of administration, number and interval of inoculations, Mycobacterium species, and animal gender. Wistar male and female rats (200 to 250g) received two injections of complete Freunds adjuvant containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (1.0mg/mL; 50μL) or Mycobacterium butyricum (0.5mg/mL; 50μL) intra-articularly in the tibiotarsal or tibiofemoral joints, or an injection of complete Freunds adjuvant (Mycobacterium butyricum or tuberculosis) intradermally at the base of the tail and another intra-articularly (tibiotarsal or tibiofemoral). The animals were submitted to evaluations of articular disability and edema. Articular disability was assessed by paw elevation time (in seconds) during the one-minute walk test. Edema of the tibiofemoral joint was assessed by variation of joint diameter (cm). Tibiotarsal joint edema was measured by the volume of the paw (mL). Results: Administration of complete Freunds adjuvant containing Mycobacterium butyricum increased paw elevation time and edema in both joints. Conclusion: These data allow standardization of an animal model of chronic monoarthritis adequate for analysis of the effects of exercise on treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Feasibility and effectiveness of adding object-related bilateral symmetrical training to mirror therapy in chronic stroke: A randomized controlled pilot study.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adding object-related bilateral symmetrical training to mirror therapy (MT) to improve upper limb (UL) activity in chronic stroke patients. Method: Sixteen patients with moderate UL impairment were randomly allocated to either the experimental (EG) or control (CG) group. Both groups performed 1 hour sessions, 3 days/week for 4 weeks, involving object-related bilateral symmetrical training. EG performed the tasks observing their nonparetic UL reflected in the mirror, while CG observed the paretic UL directly. The primary outcome measure was unilateral and bilateral UL activity according to the Test d’Évaluation des Membres Supérieurs de Personnes Âgées (TEMPA). All measurements were taken at baseline, post-training, and follow-up (2 weeks). Results: TEMPA total score showed the main effect of time. Significant improvement was found for bilateral but not unilateral tasks. Both groups showed gains after training, with no differences between them. Conclusions: This study showed the feasibility of adding object-related bilateral training to MT. Both types of training improved UL bilateral activity; however, a larger sample is required for a definitive study. Other studies need to be carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of combining more distal-oriented movements and object-related unilateral training to improve these effects in chronic stroke patients.

Evidências de que um protocolo de atividade física pode reduzir a contagem de leucócitos sinoviais de ratos artríticos

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity is thought to be beneficial to arthritis, delaying disability and/or improving joint function. In vivo studies using experimental models of arthritis may provide useful information about such benefits. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the low-intensity exercise on a model of CFA-induced arthritis in rats. METHODS: Articular incapacitation was measured by the paw elevation time in 1-min periods of stimulated walk. Edema was evaluated by the knee-joint diameter. Synovial exudate was sampled after 10 days for leukocyte count. The exercise protocol consisted of a 2-min period of stimulated walk in the 1st day, 10 min in the 2nd day, and 20 min from the 3rd to the 10th day; The control animals were submitted to 1-min period of stimulated walk once a day over 10 days. Corticosteroid involvement was assessed by treating the animals with aminoglutethimide. RESULTS: The exercise protocol produced a slight but sustained reduction of disability and joint swelling associated with a large reduction in the synovial leukocyte count. Aminoglutethimide only prevented the effect on synovial leukocyte count. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a low-intensity physical activity does not aggravate the symptoms of arthritic animals, in fact showing a slight improvement, and still can markedly reduce the migration of leukocytes into the synovial space.

El uso de un acelerómetro para analizar un movimiento de alcance i e preensão después del accidente cerebrovascular

O objetivo deste estudo foi usar um acelerometro para avaliar a cinematica do movimento de alcance e preensao de individuos com hemiparesia. Participaram deste estudo oito individuos (59,4 ± 6,9 anos) com hemiparesia cronica (50,9 ± 25,8 meses pos-AVE). A avaliacao cinematica foi realizada atraves de acelerometro triaxial (EMG Systems do Brasil) fixado no antebraco. Os individuos realizaram 10 movimentos de alcancar uma garrafa de 500 ml pelo membro superior (MS) paretico e nao paretico. As seguintes variaveis espaco-temporais foram calculadas e utilizadas para comparar o MS paretico e nao paretico: tempo de movimento (TM), tempo para alcancar o pico de velocidade, absoluto e relativo (TPV e TPV%TM), duracao relativa da desaceleracao(DEC%TM), tempo para alcancar o pico de aceleracao (TPA) e pico de aceleracao da mao (PA). Os movimentos foram mais lentos no MS paretico com maiores TM, TPA e DEC. A utilizacao do acelerometro permitiu identificar alteracoes no movimento de alcance em individuos com hemiparesia. Quando sistemas mais compexos nao sao disponiveis, acelerometros podem ser uma alternativa para medir o movimento do MS.

Usando um acelerômetro para analisar o movimento de alcance e e preensão após o AVE

O objetivo deste estudo foi usar um acelerometro para avaliar a cinematica do movimento de alcance e preensao de individuos com hemiparesia. Participaram deste estudo oito individuos (59,4 ± 6,9 anos) com hemiparesia cronica (50,9 ± 25,8 meses pos-AVE). A avaliacao cinematica foi realizada atraves de acelerometro triaxial (EMG Systems do Brasil) fixado no antebraco. Os individuos realizaram 10 movimentos de alcancar uma garrafa de 500 ml pelo membro superior (MS) paretico e nao paretico. As seguintes variaveis espaco-temporais foram calculadas e utilizadas para comparar o MS paretico e nao paretico: tempo de movimento (TM), tempo para alcancar o pico de velocidade, absoluto e relativo (TPV e TPV%TM), duracao relativa da desaceleracao(DEC%TM), tempo para alcancar o pico de aceleracao (TPA) e pico de aceleracao da mao (PA). Os movimentos foram mais lentos no MS paretico com maiores TM, TPA e DEC. A utilizacao do acelerometro permitiu identificar alteracoes no movimento de alcance em individuos com hemiparesia. Quando sistemas mais compexos nao sao disponiveis, acelerometros podem ser uma alternativa para medir o movimento do MS.