Virtual reality has the advantage to provide rich sensory feedbacks for training balance function. This study tested if the home-based virtual reality balance training is more effective than the conventional home balance training in improving balance, walking, and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Twenty-three patients with idiopathic PD were recruited and underwent twelve 50-minute training sessions during the 6-week training period. The experimental group (n = 11) was trained with a custom-made virtual reality balance training system, and the control group (n = 12) was trained by a licensed physical therapist. Outcomes were measured at Week 0 (pretest), Week 6 (posttest), and Week 8 (follow-up). The primary outcome was the Berg Balance Scale. The secondary outcomes included the Dynamic Gait Index, timed Up-and-Go test, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire, and the motor score of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. The experimental and control groups were comparable at pretest. After training, both groups performed better in the Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, timed Up-and-Go test, and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire at posttest and follow-up than at pretest. However, no significant differences were found between these two groups at posttest and follow-up. This study did not find any difference between the effects of the home-based virtual reality balance training and conventional home balance training. The two training options were equally effective in improving balance, walking, and quality of life among community-dwelling patients with PD.

Objectives—To evaluate the differences in strength and mobility of shoulder rotator muscles in the dominant and non-dominant shoulders of elite volleyball players.Methods—Isokinetic muscle strength tests were performed at speeds of 60 and 120°/s, and shoulder mobility was examined in ten players from the England national men's volleyball squad. The subjects also completed a questionnaire that included a visual prompt and analogue pain scale.Results—The range of motion of internal rotation on the dominant side was less than that on the non-dominant side (p<0.01). The average peak strength at 60°/s external eccentric contraction was lower than that of internal concentric contraction in the dominant arm, but was higher in the non-dominant arm. Six of the ten subjects reported a shoulder problem, described as a diffuse pain located laterally on the dominant shoulder.Conclusions—These elite volleyball players had a lower range of motion (internal rotation) and relative muscle imbalance in the dominant compared with the non-dominant shoulder.

To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasonographic guided botulinum toxin type A injections into the plantar fascia to reduce pain and improve gait in patients with unilateral plantar fasciitis. A randomized double-blind control study. Fifty patients with chronic unilateral plantar fasciitis were recruited, and divided into experimental and control groups. Subjects in the experimental group were injected with 50 units botulinum toxin type A, reconstituted with normal saline, into the plantar fascia under ultrasonographic guidance. Follow-up evaluations were made 3 weeks and 3 months after injection. The control group subjects were injected with normal saline under ultrasonographic guidance. Outcome measures included comparing scores from the visual analogue pain scale, changes in thickness of the plantar fascia and fat pad, and gait assessment including the maximal centre of pressure velocity during first step loading response. Visual analogue pain scale and plantar fascia thickness in the symptomatic foot decreased significantly, as noted at follow-up 3 weeks and 3 months after botulinum toxin type A injections (p < 0.001). However, the fat pad thickness remained unchanged. The centre of pressure velocity during loading response increased 3 months after injection (p < 0.05). Outcome measures of the control group remained unchanged. Botulinum toxin type A is effective in the treatment of foot pain associated with plantar fasciitis and increases the centre of pressure velocity during loading response without inducing fat pad atrophy.