Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia

BACKGROUND: This review will describe the main cellular mechanisms involved in the reduction and increase of myoproteins synthesis commonly associated with muscle atrophy and hypertrophy, respectively. OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) and stretching exercise on the molecular pathways involved in muscle atrophy and hypertrophy. We also described the main effects and limits of these resources in the skeletal muscle, particularly on the denervated muscle...

BACKGROUND: The Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) was developed from a modified version of the Berg Balance Scale aiming to obtain a balance scale more appropriate for the child population. OBJECTIVES: To adapt the PBS into Brazilian-Portuguese and to evaluate the intra and inter-rater reliability of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of PBS. METHODS: To perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the American version of PBS four translators were involved, who have performed two translations and their respective back-translations...

BACKGROUND: Evidence of self-sustained muscle activation following a brief electrical stimulation has been reported in the literature for certain muscles. OBJECTIVES: This report shows that the foot muscle (Flexor Digitorum Brevis - FDB) shows a self-sustained increase in muscle activity during upright stance in some subjects following a train of stimuli to the tibial nerve. METHODS: Healthy subjects were requested to stand upright and surface EMG electrodes were placed on the FDB, Soleus and Tibialis Anterior muscles...

BACKGROUND: Walking speed seems to be related to aerobic capacity, lower limb strength, and functional mobility, however it is not clear whether there is a direct relationship between improvement in muscle strength and gait performance in early postmenopausal women. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of muscle strengthening exercises on the performance of the 6-minute walk test in women within 5 years of menopause. METHODS: The women were randomized into control group (n=31), which performed no exercise, and exercise group (n=27), which performed muscle strengthening exercises...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of a six-month exercise program on neuropsychiatric disorders and on the performance of instrumental activities in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: The study included 20 patients with AD in the mild to moderate stages of the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) divided into two groups: the experimental group, composed of 10 women who participated in the six-month exercise program, and the control group, composed of the 10 remaining AD patients who did not take part in an exercise program during the same period...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of chest physical therapy (CP) in reducing the clinical score in infants with acute viral bronchiolitis (AVB). METHODS: Randomized controlled trial of 30 previously healthy infants (mean age 4.08 SD 3.0 months) with AVB and positive for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), evaluated at three moments: at admission, then at 48 and 72 hours after admission. The procedures were conducted by blinded assessors to each of three groups: G1 - new Chest Physical therapy- nCPT (Prolonged slow expiration - PSE and Clearance rhinopharyngeal retrograde - CRR), G2 - conventional Chest Physical therapy- cCPT (modified postural drainage, expiratory compression, vibration and percussion) and G3 - aspiration of the upper airways...

BACKGROUND: One factor that has consistently been shown to enhance learning in typical participants is self-controlled practice. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the learning benefits of self-controlled feedback found previously in non-disabled adults would also be found in adults with Down syndrome. METHODS: Participants with Down syndrome practiced a linear positioning task. In the self-control group, learners were provided with feedback about the movement outcome at their request...

BACKGROUND: In the literature, there are several experimental models that induce scoliosis in rats; however, they make use of drugs or invasive interventions to generate a scoliotic curve. OBJECTIVES: To design and apply a non-invasive immobilization model to induce scoliosis in rats. METHODS: Four-week old male Wistar rats (85±3.3g) were divided into two groups: control (CG) and scoliosis (SG). The animals in the SG were immobilized by two vests (scapular and pelvic) made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and externally attached to each other by a retainer that regulated the scoliosis angle for twelve weeks with left convexity...

OBJECTIVES: To measure the attitudes and beliefs of Brazilian physical therapists about chronic low back pain and to identify the sociodemographic characteristics that are more likely to influence these attitudes and beliefs. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 100 Brazilian physical therapists who routinely work with chronic low back pain patients. The attitudes and beliefs were measured by the Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapists (PABS...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the quality of the adaptation procedures as well as the clinimetric testing of the shoulder disability questionnaires available in Portuguese that has occurred for each adaptation. METHODS: Systematic literature searches on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCIELO and LILACS were performed to identify relevant studies. Data on the quality of the cross-cultural adaptation procedures and clinimetric testing were extracted. All studies were evaluated according to the current guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Gait disorders are very common in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (CP). In order to improve the CP children's gait and to quantify the outcomes of this intervention it becomes essential to perform an instrumented analysis before and after the intervention. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the correlation among the Edinburgh Visual Gait Scale (EVGS), the Visual Gait Assessment Scale (VGAS) and the Observational Gait Scale (OGS). METHODS: Cross sectional study aiming to analyze the gait of 8 children with spastic diplegia CP with level I or II in the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) through the EVGS, VGAS and OGS scales performed by 3 examiners...

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent condition that affects women of all ages. Pelvic organ prolapse in conjunction with UI is a common occurrence. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of pelvic prolapse on the outcome of physical therapy treatment for women with UI. METHODS: The study included 48 women aged between 35 and 78 years who underwent anamnesis and measurement of pelvic floor strength (bi-digital test and perineometry)...

BACKGROUND: The rapid aging of the workforce has motivated the development of studies that seek to maintain good health conditions, work ability, autonomy and the social integration of workers. OBJECTIVES: To present the theoretical framework, available measurements and models for promoting work ability. DISCUSSION: In the field of rehabilitation, the sedimentation of the conceptual model of the ability to work has a normative role and may be useful for assessing whether a person has a temporary or permanent loss of capacity as well as for defining a specific rehabilitation program...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Children are often exposed to ergonomic risk factors at school. Thus, the school is a potential environment for developing musculoskeletal disorders and implementing back care programs. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of an educational program on schoolchildren's knowledge regarding back pain prevention. METHODS: 392 students from 4th to 8th grade from a Brazilian state school took part in the study; 114 students (30%) were evaluated at follow-up...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate radiotherapy effects (RT) on mandibular movements of patients with head and neck cancer (H&NC) and associate them to the variables: functional capacity, radiation field, disease staging, type of feeding, concomitant chemotherapy and total dose of RT. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with H&NC were followed up at the RT service. Physical examination was performed in 3 follow up time points: before the beginning of RT (T0), between 14th and 17th session of RT (T1) and after the last session of RT (T2)...

BACKGROUND: Although respiratory physical therapy is considered fundamental in the treatment of hypersecretive patients, there is little evidence of its physiological and therapeutic effects in bronchiectasis patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the acute physiological effects of ELTGOL and Flutter VRP1® in dynamic and static lung volumes in patients with bronchiectasis and, secondarily, to study the effect of these techniques in sputum elimination. METHODS: Patients with clinical and radiological diagnosis of bronchiectasis were included...

BACKGROUND: Exercise training (ET) can reduce blood pressure (BP) and prevent functional disability. However, the effects of low volumes of training have been poorly studied, especially in elderly hypertensive patients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of a multi-component ET program (aerobic training, strength, flexibility, and balance) on BP, physical fitness, and functional ability of elderly hypertensive patients. METHODS: Thirty-six elderly hypertensive patients with optimal clinical treatment underwent a multi-component ET program: two 60-minute sessions a week for 12 weeks at a Basic Health Unit...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of different instructions for the assessment of maximum walking speed during the ten-meter walking test with chronic stroke subjects. METHODS: Participants were instructed to walk under four experimental conditions: (1) comfortable speed, (2) maximum speed (simple verbal command), (3) maximum speed (modified verbal command--"catch a bus") and (4) maximum speed (verbal command + demonstration). Participants walked three times in each condition and the mean time to cover the intermediate 10 meters of a 14-meter corridor was registered to calculate the gait speed (m/s)...