Introduction The dual tasks (DT) is learned during the whole life and a prerequisite in functional performance in different activities of daily living. Healthy elderly have reduced ability to perform motor activities and cognitive tasks simultaneously, compared to young adults. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly and classic motor symptoms coexist with prejudice in cognitive domains. Objective To compare balance, gait and performance in dual tasks of individuals with Parkinson’s disease and healthy elderly. Material and method Transversal study consisted of 21 individuals with PD, classified between 1.5 to 3 in Hoehn and Yahr scale and 21 healthy individuals. To evaluate the performance on simple tasks and dual tasks the participants were submitted to five simple tasks (motor) and each was associated with a cognitive task, featuring a DT. To balance and gait evaluation was used the following instruments: Berg Balance Scale, Tinetti Scale and Dynamic Gait Index. Results In respect to gait and performance in dual tasks, there was a statistically significant difference with the worst performance for the group of individuals with PD. Conclusion It was found that the group of elderly people with PD has lower performance in the execution of concurrent tasks when compared with healthy elderly, so the DT can be introduced in rehabilitation programs to improve the performance of these patients.

Introdução Entre as consequências da lesão medular (LM), está o deficit na função sexual, o que interfere na qualidade de vida do indivíduo. Objetivos Conhecer e descrever o perfil da sexualidade de homens com LM, comparando os períodos pré e pós-lesão. Materiais e métodos Estudo transversal com 36 homens com LM. Os dados foram coletados através de um questionário (QSH-LM) e um roteiro. As variáveis quantitativas foram apresentadas por média e desvio padrão. As variáveis categóricas foram apresentadas por frequências absolutas e relativas e as associações foram realizadas através do teste Qui-quadrado. Todos os testes apresentaram significância de 5%. Resultados Houve prevalência de pacientes paraplégicos e de lesões do tipo completa. A prática, frequência, desejo e satisfação sexual decaíram após a LM, assim como as respostas sexuais. Dentre essas estão ereção, ejaculação e orgasmo, que decaíram de forma relevante após a LM. A sensação mais relatada durante o ato sexual foi o aumento da resposta cardiorrespiratória, antes ou após a LM, e mais indivíduos passaram a sentir nenhuma sensação durante a atividade sexual após a LM. Houve significativa associação entre tipo de lesão e presença de orgasmo e entre prática e satisfação sexual após a LM. Conclusão Foi observado que a resposta sexual após a LM altera na ordem crescente: ereção, orgasmo e ejaculação. Percebe-se que muitas vezes a reabilitação é focada nas capacidades motoras e a sexualidade é pouco abordada.

Purpose: In incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), there is a partial decrease in motor or sensory or autonomic function. Mainly due to the motor impairment in SCI, a muscle–machine interface is a tool that can bring functional benefits to this population. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of the non-invasive myoelectric signal–functional electrical stimulation (MES-FES) interface on the response of the quadriceps muscle in an individual with incomplete SCI. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental, uncontrolled, longitudinal case report study carried out with an individual with incomplete SCI in the chronic phase. The assessments performed before (pre) and after eight (post₈) interventions were neuromuscular assessment (surface electromyography (EMG) in rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles); muscle strength (load cell); knee extension range of motion (goniometry); spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale); and quality of life (Spinal Cord Injury Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (SCI-QoL.Br)). The MES-FES interface was associated with physical therapy exercises on the extension knee joint muscle group. Results: Improvement in neuromuscular activation (normalized increase in EMG_RMS of 2% (RF) and 3.3% (VL)) and synchronism of the motor units (normalized reduction in EMG_MDF of 22.8% (RF) and 5.9% (VL)); 1.4 kgf increase in quadriceps strength; 10.6° increase in knee joint extension amplitude; 1 point spasticity reduction; improved quality of life, confirmed by a 12-point reduction in the SCI-QoL.Br score. Moreover, along with interventions, the participant increased the correct FES activation rate, indicating a user learning curve ($\rho$ = 0.78, p-value = 0.04). Conclusions: The MES-FES interface associated with physical therapy promotes neuromuscular and quality of life improvements in the SCI participant.

Introduction Spinal cord injury (SCI) radically changes a person’s life because of alterations in body dynamics, leading to disabilities and reduced functionality. Objective To analyze the functional independence of individuals with spinal cord injury and compare the groups. Methods Individuals with SCI were interviewed about their functional independence using the Brazilian version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure - Self-Reported Version (brSCIM-SR) and later their respective domains and subdomains were compared between diagnostic groups, time since injury and sex. Results The sample consisted of fifty individuals aged 40.92 ± 13.93 years, predominantly men and diagnosed with paraplegia. In most brSCIM-SR domains, all respondents achieved good independence in self-care, respiration and sphincter management, and in the total brSCIM-SR, except for mobility. In paraplegia, chronic SCIs and both sexes achieved excellent independence in most subdomains and in the total. Significantly low values were found for tetraplegia and recent SCI in the self-care subdomain. In most subdomains, tetraplegia reached significantly lower values. In the subdomains of respiration and sphincter management, the participants were independent in the breathing function, but in tetraplegia, they showed significant dependence on transfer to the toilet. In terms of mobility, there was great dependence on the items going up and down stairs and transfer from the floor to the wheelchair. Conclusion The brSCIM-SR measures the degree of functionality, allowing health professionals and the patient to quantify and locate the items that indicate their deficits or gains during the rehabilitation process. Here, individuals with SCI showed good functional independence, with worse performance in the tetraplegia and recent injury groups: however, mobility showed partial dependence in the participants.

Introdução. O sangramento causado pelo cavernoma pode levar a déficits focais, afetando a articulação do tornozelo, dificultando a dorsiflexão, atividades funcionais decorrentes deste movimento e o desenvolvimento da marcha. A plataforma baropodométrica permite a visualização de variáveis oriundas do tornozelo. Objetivo. Verificar a efetividade da interface MES_s-FES_s associada a exercícios de reabilitação neurofuncional sobre a dorsiflexão de tornozelo e execução da marcha em um indivíduo após sangramento intraparenquimatoso por cavernoma. Método. Estudo de caso com uma participante avaliada por meio da (i) escala modificada de Ashworth, (ii) goniometria, (iii) eletromiografia de superfície (os dados foram normalizados) e (iv) baropodometria estática e dinâmica. A intervenção foi realizada em 6 sessões com duração de 30 minutos, onde a interface MES_s-FES_s era associada a exercícios de reabilitação. Resultados. O músculo tibial anterior não obteve aumento no seu valor eficaz (EMG_RMS), porém, o músculo gastrocnêmio medial apresentou uma redução no EMG_RMS de 55% durante a marcha, levando a um aumento de 30% da ADM, na baropodometria detectou-se maior simetria nas respostas plantares durante o ortostatismo, durante a marcha houve melhora no posicionamento do calcanhar, durante o contato inicial, e aplainamento do pé com subsequente maior tempo de apoio no membro acometido. Adicionalmente, foi observado melhora na mobilidade de tornozelo. Conclusão. A associação da interface MES_s-FES_s com exercícios de reabilitação mostrou ser efetiva como instrumento de auxílio no tratamento de sequelas de paresia do tornozelo. Sendo uma ferramenta viável e segura para inserção no ambiente clínico.