Browsing by Author "Freitas, Sandro"
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- Does epimuscular myofascial force transmission occur between the human quadriceps muscles in vivo during passive stretching?Publication . Freitas, Sandro; Antunes, André; Salmon, Pierre; Mendes, Bruno; Firmino, Telmo; Cruz-Montecinos, Carlos; Cerda, Mauricio; Vaz, João RThis study sought to examine the shear modulus (i.e., an force index) of three quadriceps muscles [i.e., vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and rectus femoris (RF)] during passive stretching to determine whether epimuscular myofascial force transmission occurs across muscles. Secondly, this study compared the shear modulus between the quadriceps muscles, in both proximal and distal regions. Twelve healthy individuals were assessed during a passive knee flexion maneuver between 0 and 90 of knee flexion with the hip in two positions: flexed (80 ) vs. neutral (0 ). Muscle electrical activity was also assessed during the testing. No differences were observed between the hip testing positions for myoelectric activity (p > 0.43), and for VL and VM shear modulus (p = 0.12–0.98). Similarly, there were no differences between the proximal and distal regions for all muscles (p = 0.42–0.93). RF showed a higher shear modulus with the hip in the neutral position (p = 0.004). With the hip flexed, the VL showed the greatest shear modulus among the tested muscles (p < 0.025); while with the hip in the neutral position, no differences were observed for shear modulus between VL and RF (p = 0.817). These findings suggest that epimuscular myofascial force transmission (at a muscle belly level) does not occur between the quadriceps muscles when passively flexing the knee until 90 . Whether epimuscular myofascial force transmission occurs in the quadriceps muscles bellies with greater muscle stretch (either through knee flexion or hip extension) remains to be examined.
- Hamstring muscles volume of elite football athletes assessed using magnetic resonance imagingPublication . Firmino, Telmo; Santos, F; Abrantes, F; Til Perez, L; Mascarenhas, V; Mendes, B; Vaz, João R; Oliveira, Raúl; Martins, A; Freitas, Sandro
- Hamstring stiffness pattern during contraction in healthy individuals: analysis by ultrasound-based shear wave elastographyPublication . Mendes, Bruno; Firmino, Telmo; Oliveira, Raúl; Neto, Tiago; Infante, Jorge; Vaz, João R; Freitas, SandroPurpose To assess the stiffness of hamstring muscles during isometric contractions in healthy individuals, using ultrasoundbased shear wave elastography to (1) determine the intra- and inter-day assessment repeatability, (2) characterize the stiffness of semitendinosus (ST) and biceps femoris long head (BFlh) along the contraction intensity, and (3) characterize stiffness distribution among the hamstring muscles and inter-limb symmetry. Methods Two experiments were conducted. In experiment I (n = 12), the intra-day repeatability in assessing the BFlh and ST stiffness were determined at intensities between 10–60% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in a single session. In experiment II (n = 11), the stiffness of the hamstring muscles of both thighs was assessed at 20% of MVIC in the first session; and retested (for one randomly chosen thigh) in a second session. Isometric contraction of knee flexors was performed with the knee flexed at 30° and with the hip in a neutral position. Results Moderate-to-very-high intra- and inter-day repeatability was found (ICC = 0.69–0.93). The BFlh/ST stiffness ratio increased with contraction intensity. At 20% of MVIC, the ST showed the highest stiffness among the hamstring muscles (p < 0.02), with no differences between the remaining hamstring muscles (p > 0.474). No differences were found between limbs (p = 0.12). Conclusions The stiffness distribution among the hamstring muscles during submaximal isometric contractions is heterogeneous, but symmetric between limbs, and changes depending on the contraction intensity. Shear wave elastography is a reliable tool to assess the stiffness of hamstring muscles during contraction.
- Noninvasive measurement of sciatic nerve stiffness in patients with chronic low back related leg pain using shear wave elastographyPublication . Neto, Tiago; Freitas, Sandro; Andrade, Ricardo; Vaz, João R; Mendes, Bruno; Firmino, Telmo; Bruno, Paula; Nordez, Antoine; Oliveira, RaúlObjectives—The purpose of this study was to determine whether sciatic nerve stiffness is altered in people with chronic low back–related leg pain by using shear wave elastography. Methods—In this cross-sectional study, the sciatic nerve shear wave velocity (ie, an index of stiffness) was measured in both legs of 16 participants (8 with unilateral low back–related leg pain and 8 healthy controls). Sciatic stiffness was measured during a passive ankle dorsiflexion motion performed at 28/s in an isokinetic dynamometer. The ankle range of motion and passive torque, as well as muscle activity, were also measured. Results—In people with low back–related leg pain, the affected limb showed higher sciatic nerve stiffness compared to the unaffected limb (111.3%; P5.05). However, no differences were observed between the unaffected limb of people with low back–related leg pain and the healthy controls (P5.34). Conclusions—People with chronic low back–related leg pain have interlimb differences in sciatic nerve stiffness, as measured by a safe and noninvasive method: shear wave elastography. The changes found may be related to alterations in nerve mechanical properties, which should be confirmed by future investigations.
- O primeiro emprego dos licenciados em Fisioterapia pela ESSAPublication . Lopes, António M F; Freitas, SandroO presente trabalho tem como objectivo estudar: a “Empregabilidade”, “Natureza do primeiro emprego”, “Grau de preparação profissional” e “Grau de satisfação profissional”, dos alunos que concluíram o Curso Bietápico de Licenciatura em Fisioterapia da ESSA, dos anos lectivos de 2001, 2002 e 2003. Para a concretização deste estudo procedemos à construção e validação de um questionário que posteriormente foi aplicado no nosso estudo. Na construção do questionário, recorreu-se à revisão da literatura existente sobre as diferentes temáticas abordadas no estudo e em particular ao “Inquérito de percurso aos diplomados do Ensino Superior – 2001” da equipa de projecto ODES, do Instituto para a Inovação na Formação. O processo de validação realizou-se mediante a verificação da validade de conteúdo das várias perguntas a incluir no questionário, tendo sido utilizado um painel de experts constituído por nove elementos, seleccionados tendo em conta o domínio das temáticas abordadas no estudo. A população em estudo é constituída por 110 fisioterapeutas que concluíram o Curso Bietápico de Licenciatura em Fisioterapia da Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão (apenas os que realizaram os dois ciclos do Curso sem interrupção). Responderam ao questionário 73 (66.4%) elementos da população. Relativamente à variável “Empregabilidade”, tendo em conta as respostas obtidas, podemos afirmar que é de 100%. Em relação à variável “Natureza do primeiro emprego” verificamos que 76.7% elementos exerce ou exerceu o 1º emprego no sector privado, assim como 61.6% dos elementos tem por vínculo contratual no 1º emprego o regime de prestação de serviços (recibo verde). A remuneração auferida (salário médio mensal bruto) em média no 1º emprego é de 889 euros. Quanto à variável “Grau de preparação profissional” os valores obtidos são positivos, 87.7% consideram-se pelo menos medianamente preparados, mas destes, inclusivamente, 53.4% consideram-se muito bem preparados e apenas 12.4% pouco ou nada preparados. Na variável “Grau de Satisfação Profissional” verifica-se que, ao nível da satisfação com o percurso profissional, 86.3% encontram-se pelo menos satisfeitos e destes praticamente metade (41.1%) até se encontram muito satisfeitos e apenas 12.7% afirmam estar pouco ou nada satisfeitos. Face aos resultados obtidos, e comparativamente ao estudo do ODES (2001), os resultados do nosso estudo são globalmente muito positivos.