Background and Objective: Corrective exercise interventions are often utilized to manage subjects with thoracic hyper-kyphosis, yet the quality of evidence that supports their efficiency is lacking. In this study, the efficacy of local and comprehens

Context: Hopping exercises are recommended as a functional training tool to prevent lower limb injury, but their effects on lower extremity biomechanics in those with chronic ankle instability (CAI) are unclear. Objective: To determine if jump-landing biomechanics change after a hop-stabilization intervention. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-eight male collegiate basketball players with CAI were divided into 2 groups: hop-training group (age = 22.78 ± 3.09 years, mass = 82.59 ± 9.51 kg, height = 187.96 ± 7.93 cm) and control group (age = 22.57 ± 2.76 years, mass = 78.35 ± 7.02 kg, height = 185.69 ± 7.28 cm). Intervention(s): A 6-week supervised hop-stabilization training program that consisted of 18 training sessions. Main Outcome Measure(s): Lower extremity kinetics and kinematics during a jump-landing task and self-reported function were assessed before and after the 6-week training program. Results: The hop-stabilization program resulted in improved self-reported function (P < .05), larger sagittal-plane hip- and knee-flexion angles, and greater ankle dorsiflexion (P < .05) relative to the control group. Reduced frontal-plane joint angles at the hip, knee, and ankle as well as decreased ground reaction forces and a longer time to peak ground reaction forces were observed in the hopping group compared with the control group after the intervention (P < .05). Conclusions: The 6-week hop-stabilization training program altered jump-landing biomechanics in male collegiate basketball players with CAI. These results may provide a potential mechanistic explanation for improvements in patient-reported outcomes and reductions in injury risk after ankle-sprain rehabilitation programs that incorporate hop-stabilization exercises.

Background: Freestyle and Greco-Roman are two types of wrestling that place the spine of athletes in different positions. Theoretically, it can be argued that this can lead to adverse effects on the spine and might be an important factor associated with changes in the degree of kyphosis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the extent of thoracic kyphosis differs in two groups of elite wrestlers and a group of non-athletic participants. Methods: Sixty elite Iranian male wrestlers including 30 freestyle (mean (SD) age 23.5 (2.8) years, height 176 (7.1) cm and weight 77.8 (16.1) kg) and 30 Greco-Roman (age 23.9 (2.9) years, height 176 (4) cm and weight 80.1 (11.1) kg) wrestlers and 30 male non-athletes (age 23.3 (2.1) years, height 175 (8) cm and weight 75.2 (6.7) kg) were recruited. All wrestlers competed at international level with the Iranian national team or Iranian student national team. Each selected wrestler had to meet a minimum criterion of 5 years' wrestling. The degree of kyphosis was measured using a modified electrogoniometer. Results: Mean (SD) kyphosis was 30° (3.8), 24.3° (3.7) and 27.4° (3.2) for the freestyle, Greco-Roman style and non-athlete groups, respectively. A significant difference was found in mean kyphosis between all groups (p<0.05) with freestyle being the highest and Greco-Roman the lowest. Conclusions: The degree of kyphosis was highest in freestyle wrestling, followed by non-athletes and then Greco-Roman wrestlers. The extent of kyphosis was not influenced by years of training or age of starting wrestling.

To investigate the validity and reliability of a smartphone application for selected lower-limb kinematics during treadmill running. Validity and reliability study. Biomechanics laboratory. Twenty healthy female runners. Sagittal-plane hip, knee, and ankle angle and rearfoot eversion were assessed using the Coach's Eye Smartphone application and a 3D motion capture system. Paired t-test and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) established criterion validity of Coach's Eye; ICC determined test-retest and intrarater/interrater reliability. Standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) were also reported. Significant differences were found between Coach's Eye and 3D measurements for ankle angle at touchdown and knee angle at toe-off (p < 0.05). ICCs for validity of Coach's Eye were excellent for rearfoot eversion at touchdown (ICC = 0.79) and fair-to-good for the other kinematics (range 0.51-0.74), except for hip at touchdown, which was poor (ICC = 0.36). Test-retest (range 0.80-0.92), intrarater (range 0.95-0.99) and interrater (range 0.87-0.94) ICC results were excellent for all selected kinematics. Coach's Eye can be used as a surrogate for 3D measures of knee and rearfoot in/eversion at touchdown, and hip, ankle, and rearfoot in/eversion at toe-off, but not for hip and ankle at touchdown or knee at toe-off. Reliable running kinematics were obtained using Coach's Eye, making it suitable for repeated measures.

Context: Neuromuscular control deficit has been reported in people with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and hopping exercises have been recommended as a functional training tool to prevent lower limb injury, but its effects on lower-extremity neuromuscular control in those with CAI are unclear. Objective: To investigate the effect of hop stabilization training on neuromuscular control and self-reported function in college basketball players with CAI. Study Design: A randomized controlled trial. Setting: Research Laboratory. Patients (or Other Participants): A total of 28 college basketball players with CAI were randomly assigned to the experimental hop stabilization group (age = 22.78 [3.09] y, weight = 82.59 [9.51] kg, and height = 187.96 [7.93] cm) or the control group (age = 22.57 [2.76] y, weight = 78.35 [7.02] kg, and height = 185.69 [7.28] cm). Intervention: Participants in the experimental group performed supervised hop stabilization exercises 3 times per week for 6 weeks. The control group received no intervention. Main Outcome Measures: Preparatory and reactive muscle activation levels and muscle onset time were assessed from 8 lower-extremity muscles during a jump-landing task before and after the 6-week training program. Results: Significant improvements in preparatory muscle activation, reactive muscle activation, and muscle onset time were noted across the lower-extremity in the experimental group relative to the control group (P < .05). Self-reported function also improved in the experimental group relative to the control group (P < .05). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that 6 weeks of hop stabilization training is effective in improving neuromuscular control and self-reported function in college basketball players with CAI. Hop stabilization exercises can be incorporated into the rehabilitation program for CAI.