GSI Introduces New Tympanometer

Grason-Stadler (GSI) released its latest handheld screening tympanometer, the GSI Allegro™.

The Allegro is ready to take on any testing environment that requires tympanometry or ipsilateral acoustic reflexes. The Allegro has a four-button navigation panel, making it easy to use and easy to learn.

The Allegro comes equipped with a charging cradle, printer, and a convenient carrying case allowing for easy transport to satellite clinics and off-site community events. A fully charged battery will last for approximately eight hours of testing and the device holds up to 32 patient records. Flexible printing options include printing all tests at the end of the day or individually after each patient.

Additional features of the Allegro include auto-start and customizable user settings. With auto-start, the Allegro automatically begins recording a tympanogram as soon as the ear canal seal is obtained, allowing for quick and efficient testing even on the most challenging patients. Default test settings such as reflex frequencies may be customized on the Allegro to fit each clinic’s preferences. To learn more about the Allegro, visit www.grason-stadler.com.

Published: 10/11/2018 12:52:00 PM

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GSI Introduces New Tympanometer

Grason-Stadler (GSI) released its latest handheld screening tympanometer, the GSI Allegro™.

The Allegro is ready to take on any testing environment that requires tympanometry or ipsilateral acoustic reflexes. The Allegro has a four-button navigation panel, making it easy to use and easy to learn.

The Allegro comes equipped with a charging cradle, printer, and a convenient carrying case allowing for easy transport to satellite clinics and off-site community events. A fully charged battery will last for approximately eight hours of testing and the device holds up to 32 patient records. Flexible printing options include printing all tests at the end of the day or individually after each patient.

Additional features of the Allegro include auto-start and customizable user settings. With auto-start, the Allegro automatically begins recording a tympanogram as soon as the ear canal seal is obtained, allowing for quick and efficient testing even on the most challenging patients. Default test settings such as reflex frequencies may be customized on the Allegro to fit each clinic’s preferences. To learn more about the Allegro, visit www.grason-stadler.com.

Published: 10/11/2018 12:52:00 PM

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Assessing lower extremity coordination and coordination variability in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during walking

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Kylie Davis, John L. Williams, Brooke A. Sanford, Audrey Zucker-Levin

Abstract

Background

Despite our knowledge of several biomechanical risk factors related to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, such as decreased knee flexion, increased knee abduction, and increased hip flexion, adduction and internal rotation during walking, jogging, and landing from a jump, the incidence of ACL tears remains high. Quantifying variability in the lower extremity provides a continuous measure of joint coordination and function that may elicit an additional aspect of ACL injury mechanisms. Research question: The aim of this study was to assess joint coordination patterns and variability in individuals following ACL reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods

Twenty participants with unilateral ACLR and twenty uninjured participants matched by sex and body mass index (BMI) walked over-ground at self-selected speed. Two force plates embedded in the walking platform recorded ground reaction forces (GRF), and a motion capture system collected kinematic data. Vector coding was used to describe coordination patterns and measure coordination variability in hip-knee and knee-ankle coupled motion. Results: Individuals with ACLR had greater variability in hip-knee coordination compared to their healthy counterparts for both the reconstructed and contralateral limbs. The individuals with ACLR also exhibited altered coordination patterns, one of which was characterized by constrained hip motion.

Significance

These results are evidence that differences in joint coordination exist between individuals with and without ACLR, even after the former are cleared to return to sport. This new insight into coordinative function after ACLR may be useful for improving rehabilitation strategies as well as identifying those at risk of injury during return to sport testing.

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Identifying methods for quantifying lower limb changes in children with idiopathic toe walking: A systematic review

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Antoni Caserta, Prue Morgan, Cylie Williams

Abstract

Background

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a diagnosis of exclusion for children walking on their toes with no medical cause. This systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate the clinical utility, validity and reliability of the outcome measures and tools used to quantify lower limb changes within studies that included children with ITW.

Methods

The following databases were searched from inception until March 2018: Ovid MEDLINE, EBESCO, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PubMed. Inclusion criteria were studies including children with ITW diagnosis, reporting use of measurement tools or methods describing lower limb characteristics, published in peer-reviewed journals, and in English. The relevant psychometric properties of measurement tools were extracted, and assessed for reported reliability and validity. Included articles were assessed for risk of bias using McMaster quality assessment tool. Results were descriptively synthesized and logistic regression used to determine associations between common assessments.

Results

From 3164 retrieved studies, 37 full texts were screened and 27 full texts included. There were 27 different measurement tools described across joint range of motion measurement, gait analysis, electromyography, accelerometer, strength, neurological or radiology assessment. Interventional studies were more likely to report range of motion and gait analysis outcomes, than observational studies. Alvarez classification tool in conjunction with Vicon motion system appeared the contemporary choice for describing ITW gait. There was no significant association between the use of range of motion and gait analysis outcomes and any other outcome tool or assessment in all studies (p > 0.05).There was limited reliability and validity reporting for many outcome measures.

Significance

This review highlighted that a consensus statement should be considered to guide clinicians and researchers in the choice of the most important outcome measures for this population. Having a standard set of measures will enable future treatment trials to collect similar measures thus allowing future systematic reviews to compare results.

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Are accelerometer measures of temporal patterns of static standing associated with lower extremity pain among blue-collar workers?

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Francisco Locks, Nidhi Gupta, Pascal Madeleine, Marie Birk Jørgensen, Ana Beatriz Oliveira, Andreas Holtermann

Abstract

Background

Pain in the lower extremities is common among blue-collar workers, with prolonged static standing as a potential risk factor. However, little is known about the association between diurnal accelerometer measures of static standing and pain in the lower extremities, and the potential importance of temporal patterns of static standing for this association.

Research question

We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association between accelerometer measures of total static standing time and temporal patterns (bout duration) of static standing (short: 0-5 min; moderate: >5-10 min; and long bouts: >10 min) during total day, work and leisure and pain intensity (on a 0-10 scale) in hips, knees and feet/ankles.

Methods

Accelerometers were used to measure static standing during four consecutive days among 677 blue-collar workers. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate the association between static standing time and pain intensity in the lower extremities.

Results

Total static standing time comprised, on average, 3.9 hours per day. 72.6% of the workers were exposed to long bouts of static standing, averaging 0.1 hours per day. Short bouts of static standing were positively associated with hip and knee pain during total day, and positively associated with knee pain during work. Also, total static standing time during leisure was positively associated with knee and hip pain. A negative, but not significant, association was found for static standing in moderate bouts at work and hip pain.

Significance

Even though the associations found were weak, these findings suggest that the temporal pattern of static standing is of importance for pain in the lower extremities. Future research should examine the possibility that moderate bouts of standing could play a role in preventing lower extremity pain.

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Performance and reliability of the Lower Quarter Y Balance Test in healthy adolescents from grade 6 to 11

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Gerrit Schwiertz, Dennis Brueckner, Simon Schedler, Rainer Kiss, Thomas Muehlbauer

Abstract

Background

The Lower Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-LQ) has been widely used in the field to assess dynamic balance performance in various populations. However, no study has demonstrated test-retest reliability of the YBT-LQ in adolescents including several age cohorts, even though reliability is necessary to provide repeatable performance data.

Objective

Thus, we examined test-retest reliability of the YBT-LQ in healthy adolescents.

Methods

In a school setting, 178 secondary school students (93 female, 85 male) in sixth to eleventh grades (11-19 years) performed the YBT-LQ twice, 7 days apart. Normalized maximal reach distances (% leg length) for all three directions (i.e., anterior, posterolateral, posteromedial) and both legs and the composite score were used as outcome measures. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC_3,1) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated to assess relative and absolute test-retest reliability, respectively. Practical relevance of the YBT-LQ was determined by calculating the minimal detectable change (MDC_95%).

Results

Irrespective of grade, test-retest reliability for all distances reached was predominately "excellent" (i.e., ICC_3,1 > 0.75) and the rather small SEM values ranged from 1.77 to 5.81%. Depending on grade and reach direction, MDC values of 4.90 to 16.10% represent the minimum amount of change needed to identify clinically relevant effects in repeated measurements of the YBT-LQ performance.

Conclusions

The observed values suggest that the YBT-LQ is a reliable test and suitable to detect changes of dynamic balance performance in healthy adolescents from grade six to eleven (i.e., aged 11-19 years).

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Assessing lower extremity coordination and coordination variability in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during walking

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Kylie Davis, John L. Williams, Brooke A. Sanford, Audrey Zucker-Levin

Abstract

Background

Despite our knowledge of several biomechanical risk factors related to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, such as decreased knee flexion, increased knee abduction, and increased hip flexion, adduction and internal rotation during walking, jogging, and landing from a jump, the incidence of ACL tears remains high. Quantifying variability in the lower extremity provides a continuous measure of joint coordination and function that may elicit an additional aspect of ACL injury mechanisms. Research question: The aim of this study was to assess joint coordination patterns and variability in individuals following ACL reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods

Twenty participants with unilateral ACLR and twenty uninjured participants matched by sex and body mass index (BMI) walked over-ground at self-selected speed. Two force plates embedded in the walking platform recorded ground reaction forces (GRF), and a motion capture system collected kinematic data. Vector coding was used to describe coordination patterns and measure coordination variability in hip-knee and knee-ankle coupled motion. Results: Individuals with ACLR had greater variability in hip-knee coordination compared to their healthy counterparts for both the reconstructed and contralateral limbs. The individuals with ACLR also exhibited altered coordination patterns, one of which was characterized by constrained hip motion.

Significance

These results are evidence that differences in joint coordination exist between individuals with and without ACLR, even after the former are cleared to return to sport. This new insight into coordinative function after ACLR may be useful for improving rehabilitation strategies as well as identifying those at risk of injury during return to sport testing.

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via IFTTT

Identifying methods for quantifying lower limb changes in children with idiopathic toe walking: A systematic review

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Antoni Caserta, Prue Morgan, Cylie Williams

Abstract

Background

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a diagnosis of exclusion for children walking on their toes with no medical cause. This systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate the clinical utility, validity and reliability of the outcome measures and tools used to quantify lower limb changes within studies that included children with ITW.

Methods

The following databases were searched from inception until March 2018: Ovid MEDLINE, EBESCO, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PubMed. Inclusion criteria were studies including children with ITW diagnosis, reporting use of measurement tools or methods describing lower limb characteristics, published in peer-reviewed journals, and in English. The relevant psychometric properties of measurement tools were extracted, and assessed for reported reliability and validity. Included articles were assessed for risk of bias using McMaster quality assessment tool. Results were descriptively synthesized and logistic regression used to determine associations between common assessments.

Results

From 3164 retrieved studies, 37 full texts were screened and 27 full texts included. There were 27 different measurement tools described across joint range of motion measurement, gait analysis, electromyography, accelerometer, strength, neurological or radiology assessment. Interventional studies were more likely to report range of motion and gait analysis outcomes, than observational studies. Alvarez classification tool in conjunction with Vicon motion system appeared the contemporary choice for describing ITW gait. There was no significant association between the use of range of motion and gait analysis outcomes and any other outcome tool or assessment in all studies (p > 0.05).There was limited reliability and validity reporting for many outcome measures.

Significance

This review highlighted that a consensus statement should be considered to guide clinicians and researchers in the choice of the most important outcome measures for this population. Having a standard set of measures will enable future treatment trials to collect similar measures thus allowing future systematic reviews to compare results.

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via IFTTT

Are accelerometer measures of temporal patterns of static standing associated with lower extremity pain among blue-collar workers?

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Francisco Locks, Nidhi Gupta, Pascal Madeleine, Marie Birk Jørgensen, Ana Beatriz Oliveira, Andreas Holtermann

Abstract

Background

Pain in the lower extremities is common among blue-collar workers, with prolonged static standing as a potential risk factor. However, little is known about the association between diurnal accelerometer measures of static standing and pain in the lower extremities, and the potential importance of temporal patterns of static standing for this association.

Research question

We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association between accelerometer measures of total static standing time and temporal patterns (bout duration) of static standing (short: 0-5 min; moderate: >5-10 min; and long bouts: >10 min) during total day, work and leisure and pain intensity (on a 0-10 scale) in hips, knees and feet/ankles.

Methods

Accelerometers were used to measure static standing during four consecutive days among 677 blue-collar workers. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate the association between static standing time and pain intensity in the lower extremities.

Results

Total static standing time comprised, on average, 3.9 hours per day. 72.6% of the workers were exposed to long bouts of static standing, averaging 0.1 hours per day. Short bouts of static standing were positively associated with hip and knee pain during total day, and positively associated with knee pain during work. Also, total static standing time during leisure was positively associated with knee and hip pain. A negative, but not significant, association was found for static standing in moderate bouts at work and hip pain.

Significance

Even though the associations found were weak, these findings suggest that the temporal pattern of static standing is of importance for pain in the lower extremities. Future research should examine the possibility that moderate bouts of standing could play a role in preventing lower extremity pain.

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2NBnJTY
via IFTTT

Performance and reliability of the Lower Quarter Y Balance Test in healthy adolescents from grade 6 to 11

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2018

Source: Gait & Posture

Author(s): Gerrit Schwiertz, Dennis Brueckner, Simon Schedler, Rainer Kiss, Thomas Muehlbauer

Abstract

Background

The Lower Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-LQ) has been widely used in the field to assess dynamic balance performance in various populations. However, no study has demonstrated test-retest reliability of the YBT-LQ in adolescents including several age cohorts, even though reliability is necessary to provide repeatable performance data.

Objective

Thus, we examined test-retest reliability of the YBT-LQ in healthy adolescents.

Methods

In a school setting, 178 secondary school students (93 female, 85 male) in sixth to eleventh grades (11-19 years) performed the YBT-LQ twice, 7 days apart. Normalized maximal reach distances (% leg length) for all three directions (i.e., anterior, posterolateral, posteromedial) and both legs and the composite score were used as outcome measures. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC_3,1) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated to assess relative and absolute test-retest reliability, respectively. Practical relevance of the YBT-LQ was determined by calculating the minimal detectable change (MDC_95%).

Results

Irrespective of grade, test-retest reliability for all distances reached was predominately "excellent" (i.e., ICC_3,1 > 0.75) and the rather small SEM values ranged from 1.77 to 5.81%. Depending on grade and reach direction, MDC values of 4.90 to 16.10% represent the minimum amount of change needed to identify clinically relevant effects in repeated measurements of the YBT-LQ performance.

Conclusions

The observed values suggest that the YBT-LQ is a reliable test and suitable to detect changes of dynamic balance performance in healthy adolescents from grade six to eleven (i.e., aged 11-19 years).

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