Objective: A common form of therapy in physical therapy is the strengthening of muscles. As regards the probability of increasing muscular strength by electrical stimulation, we have tested the effect of that on muscle strength and endurance.

Materials & Methods: 34 healthy male students of rehabilitation Sciences College (29-31 old) were subjected to two weeks of interferential current stimulation program, consisting of 7 sessions per week, each of 15 minutes duration. The stimulation was a 40-60 Hz beat with 25 seconds on and 35 seconds rest time. We were tested all of subjects before and after the program. Assessment parameters were: 1) Maximum circumference of right arm at rest (cm) 2) Maximum circumference at maximum isometric contraction 3) Maximum time (sec.) that he can hold a constant weight. 4) Integral of interference pattern at Max. contraction (µv.s) 5) Amplitude of the M. response (mAmp) 6) Duration of the M. response (ms.).

Results: T-Pair test employed to data processing, confirm significant changes on l) rest arm circumference 2) contracted arm circumference 3) Muscle Endurance 4) IEMG 5) M. response Dur.

Conclusion: In conclusion we can develop muscle strength and endurance by specific program mentioned above.

Objective: Increased normal thoracic kyphosis due to postural reasons is one of the conditions which needs accurately be measured for better evaluation and treatment .Flexible Ruler is a tool which measures the amount of kyphosis non-invasively but there is not any study about its validity and reliability in postural hyper Kyphotic subjects. The objective of this study was investigating the validity and reliability of measurement taken by flexible ruler in quantifying the amount of thoracic kyphosis in postural hyper kyphotic patients.

Materials & Methods: In 25 patients with postural hyper-kyphosis and 15 healthy subjects we measured the amount of kyphosis twice using flexible ruler by a single tester. In kyphotic subjects also the amount of kyphosis was measured as Cobb angle on radiographic films in two times by one tester and repeated in one time by another tester. The Reliability of measurements in two subject groups and validity of measurements compared with radiology in kyphotic group was studied.

Results: In both of the groups we found excellent Intratester reliability in measurement of kyphosis using flexible ruler. The measurement of kyphosis on radiological films also had excellent Intratester and intertester reliability. The validity of the measurement of kyphosis angle using flexible ruler was very good but the" Index of Kyphosis" on the curve taken by flexible ruler had poor validity.

Conclusion: Based on our results, the flexible ruler can be used as a valid and reliable tool for non-invasive measurement of thoracic curve in healthy and postural kyphotic subjects.

Objective: This research determined oral stereognosis (form recognition and spent time to recognize) in normal children in north and south of Tehran city to use it in assessment and therapy of oral senses and speech in children with articulation disorders.

Materials & Methods: This research was done in 200 children who were 6 & 7 years old and normal in Tehran city. 20 items with different shapes were used and children were wanted to recognize the shapes which were put in their mouth and they should choice one of three shapes located in front of them. Responses and the spent time were calculated.

Results: The mean scores of form recognition in children of 6 years old is 17/34 and in children of 7 years old is 17/59. There was no significant difference between them in their scores (P=0.31). In addition, the time of formation diagnosis in 6 years old children is 2/67s (seconds) and in 7 years old children is 2/82s, there was no significant difference between them (P=0.11).The northern city children responded slower than the other group (P=0.000). The only statistically significant score between two sexes was the time of formation recognition which was shorter in girls relative to the boys (P=0.043).

Conclusion: Based on this study, a significant correlation could not be found in ability of oral stereognosis in 6 and 7 years old children. But in south of city children can recognize faster than children in northern city. Based on importance of this sense in speech, we suggest normalization of it in different ages.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess impact of foot sensory modulation on inhibition of hypertonicity of the lower limb in children with diplegia spastic cerebral palsy.

Materials & Methods: 24 selected children (aged 2.5 to 4.5 years) were randomly assigned to a control and experimental groups. Muscle tone was assessed using modified Ashworth scale, passive Range of motion by goniameter (Pedretti), neurodevelopmental level by Bobath scale. All children were pre-post tested in an interval of ten weeks.

Results: Significant reduction was observed in hypertonicity of hip extensor (p<0/1) and ankle planter flexor (P<0/05). Significant increase was observed in passive Range of motion of hip flexion (P<0/1), knee extension (P<0/05) and ankle dorsi flexion (P<0/05). There was found no significant difference of reduction in hypertonicity of knee flexor and improvement neurodevelopmental level. Meaningful relationship was observed between reduction hypertonicity of the hip extensor (P<0/05) and improvement of neurodevelopmental level (P<0/05).

Conclusion: Impact of sensory modulation on children with diplegia spastic cerebral palsy reduces spasticity of lower limb and also extends joints domain of motion.

Objective: Growth and development are considered as complex and special issues. Growth is increase in body size or segments but development is changing in function that can be affected by environmental factors.Developmental evaluation is very important at infancy because of high growth and developmental rate in this period. It is well known that incidence of developmental disorder in high risk infants are higher than low risk ones and special follow up to be needed for such early detections and furtherly a proper intervention. The purpose of this study was to determine, risk factors influency such developmental delay during an infancy period.

Materials & Methods: In this descriptive- analytical study, we screened 6150 in consecutive 4-18 months infants during 12 months period that referred from Karaj health centers for vaccination or monthly follow up by perinatal evaluating questionnaire and examining by Infant Neurological International Battery Test by occupational therapists on two groups: Control (Normal Scoring) and Case (Abnormal Scoring).

Results: The results showed that CNS problems after 2 months of age such as siezure disorder, meningitis with (odds ratio=5.54),neonatal convulsion with (odds ratio=4.37), Prematurity with (odds ratio=2.52) and neonatal sepsis with 2.39 are the most important risk factors for developmental disorder.

Conclusion: In aspect of results of this study and increasing survival of high risk neonates with biological and environmental risk factors and effectiveness of early intervention(rehabilitation & treatment) if there are any economic problems on Neuro-developmental Screening and Follow-up in our country, we propose such intervention only for High Risk infants.

Objective: After two decades of nomber expansion of universities of medical sciences and increasing the number of students as one of the most attainable solutions for the problem of substandard status of Iranian community health, recently, the quality-based policies in medical education have taken priority over most of the national health plans. The goal is determine differences in the field of education between schools providing rehabilitation sciences programs in Iran by stratifying their educational services.

Materials & Methods: To measure the educational performance of rehabilitation sciences programs nationwide, a benchmarking tool, consisting of aboute 50 indicators, was devised. Their values were defined through consensus developing methods. Each school was asked to introduce a representative who would complete a questionnaire, which was designed to collect schools’ information. In the next step, all the divisions were visited by one of the project’s members and the school’s representative. Then, data retrieval was performed and verified at the project’s office. Finally, a special computer software was exploited to perform the final analysis.

Results: Schools providing rehabilitation sciences programs were stratified based on their individual scores. Furthermore, all schools were also ranked in each indicator. Among schools providing bachelor’s rehabilitation sciences programs, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences gained the first rank, with the score of 73.41 out of 100 Iran Rehabilitation School was the second with the score of 70.91 and Tehran Rehabilitation School gained the third rank with the score of 68.91.

Conclusion: This study defines the educational strengths and weaknesses of rehabilitation sciences programs in Iran that could be used as a measure for authorities to devise practical strategies for qualitative and quantitative improvement.

Objective: Improving of muscle flexibility is an important issue in physiotherapy and sport sciences. There are many methods for increasing muscle length and decreasing muscle stiffness. In research findings, PNF method has been found to be better than static and ballistic methods. There is another method named Harmonic technique (introduced by E. Lederman 1997) that has been claimed to be more effective, but there is not enough documentation about this claim. Aim of this study was to compare effects of stretching by PNF and harmonic techniques on hamstring flexibility.

Materials & Methods: This research is a RCT study in that 45 colledge students aged 18-35 years were arranged in three groups (Harmonic, P.N.F, and control). Subjects haven’t had any painful pathology in low-back and lower extremities for last six months. Subjects had limited hamstring length (20 degrees deficiency in Active-Knee-Extension test) and hadn’t professional sport activities. Dependent variablies were muscle stiffness and hamstring length which popliteal angle in AKE test was its indirect index. In pilot study, reliability of measurement of these variables were approved. Then hamstring muscle of subjects in harmonic and PNF groups were stretched by harmonic and PNF methods for six weeks, 5 minute per day and 3d/wks, whereas control group hadn’t any exercise.

Results: Findings of this study showed that in both used techniques, changes of hamstring length were significant (P=0.000), but in control group there wasn’t significant change. There wasn’t significant differences between changes of hamstring length in PNF and Harmonic groups. Only in harmonic group, muscle stiffness had significant changes (P<0.03).

Conclusion: According to findings of this research, both harmonic and PNF methods equally increased length of hamstring, and harmonic technique can be used as an alternative stretching method for other techniques. Maybe harmonic technique is better than PNF, because the significant changes of stiffness observed only in harmonic group ie. not only length of muscle increased in this group, but also stiffness decreased significantly which can be an indicator of considerable biomechanical changes in muscle and possibly increase of muscle length in PNF group is not real improvement in flexibility, and indeed, tolerance of subjects to stretching in this group has increased.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the motor skills differences between girls and boys (aged 7) in Tehran in 2004.

Materials & Methods: This research was analytical descriptive The subjects were 120 children includes 60 girls and 60 boys. those were selected by simple random sampling at the first grade of primary School. Each subject was individually assessed by Lincoln Oseretsky motor developmental scale.

Results: The findings of this research after data analysis by spss soft ware and sample t Test indicated that: There is not any significant differences between total score of motor skills, total balance score, static and dynamic balance with open eyes, bilateral motor coordination, upper limbs coordination, upper and lower limbs coordination, velocity and dexterity of hand movements in boys and girls (P>0/005). The only Significant differences between boys and girls motor skills is eye hand coordination (P<0/03).

Conclusion: The findings of this research is used to better planning and defining the theraputic and educational programs in the field of motor development.

Objective: Riversal visual perception discrimination test is one of the dyslexia diagnostic tests in children which can be performed in the group (group-based) and it is reliable to detect these disorders in students of the primary schools especially those who spend their first educational weeks or months. The aim of this survey is comparison of Riversal test pictures among three groups of students: normal, educable mental retarded students and students with learning disabilities, aged 8-12 years old that were under coverage of Tehran Welfare Department.

Materials & Methods: This Comparative cross – sectional study has performed on 150 girls and boys of mentioned groups that were selected by simple randomize selection.

Results: The findings suggested that there was significant difference between surveyed groups (P=0.001). The highest scores were related to normal students and the lowest scores to educable mental retarded. The interval of negative scores of educable mental retarded from normal students was more than that of between educable mental retarded and learning disabilities.

Conclusion: This survey indicates that students with learning disabilities (dyslexia) have problems in their visual perception and this test can help to diagnose and determine abnormal children as soon as possible in order to better treatment.

Objective: Handedness is the most prominent behavioral asymmetry in human. The term of hand preference points to prefer hand or functional asymmetry in manual tasks. The items were considered in this study were: the comparison of handedness between normal and congenitally deaf students the effects of age, sex, and pressure on using right hand for unimanual tasks on handedness the frequency of left-handers among student’s families, the influence of hand preference on English language capabilities, and the point of view of people rather to left-handers have been investigated.

Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on 760 students including 380 normal students and 380 deaf students with congenital severe or profound sensory-neural hearing loss from 12 to 18 years of age by that were selected purposefully, completing Edinburg handedness inventory in Tehran. The students didn’t have any confirmed diseases or neurological disorders, except hearing loss in deaf student. Data were gathered through the completion of the Edinburg Handedness Inventory by the students. The student’s aural records and also the confirmation of the audiologist in the deaf schools were considered in order to determine the kind and degree of hearing loss.

Results: The prevalence of left-handedness among normal (9.7%) and deaf (10.3%) students were near to each other, and there was no significant difference between them (P=0.901, z=-1.24). The prevalence of left-handedness was higher in boys rather than girls, but there was no significant influence of sex and age on results (P>0.05). The family and/or teacher pressure for using right hand was 16.0% in normal students and 5.0% in deaf students, and they didn’t report any strict pressure or severity regard this mater. The frequency of left-handers was higher among family of normal students (22.6%) than deaf students (13.2%), and the difference between them was significant statistically (P=0.003, Z=-2.976). In both normal and deaf students, there was no significant difference between left and right-handers relate to English language ability (P>0.05). Regarding point of view people relate to left-handers, there was no significant difference between normal and deaf students (P=0.541, Z=-0.611).

Conclusion: In present study, the prevalence of left-handedness was near to it’s prevalence in North-America and Western Europe, and revealed considerable difference with statistics of some Asian countries. The sameness of left-handedness prevalence in normal and deaf students, didn’t confirm the Previc’s hypothesis regard no differential ear sensitivity or advantage in congenitally deaf persons.

As interests in complementary and alternative medicine grows, the scientists are looking forward in researches which determine the mechanisms in which they exert their effectiveness. Some of these modalities like Yoga, Acupuncture, and especially other bio-field therapies such as none contact therapeutic touch, affects the bio-field which spreads throughout the body and into the space around it. According to physic’s law, when electricity flows throw the living tissues, like what happens in our heart and brain, biomagnetic fields are being induced in the surrounding space. Beside that moving charges like ions and free radicals which finally produce electromagnetic fields. Using very sensitive magnetometers, biomagnetic fields have been detected and get amplified up to 1000 times by meditation. This phenomenon could be the basis for most of most complementaty therapeutic approaches like therapeutic touch. On the other hand the electrical, magnetic and bio-magnetic fields have a well known application in conventional medicine. Modern research about bio-magnetism and magneto-biology suggests that in term of both aspects, the effects and the mechanisms for all the different looking modalities used in conventional medicine and complementary medicine which have commons in their fundamentals. This article reviews some of the recent works on biological effects of natural or artificial electromagnetic fields.

Objective: The purpose of present study was comparatively analyze the effect of ankle taping on postural stability in patients with functional ankle instability and healthy individuals.

Materials & Methods: Studied variables were the stability indices including overall stability index,antero-posterior and medio- lateral stability indices. In the first stage, a methodological research for evaluating the reliability of measurements was implemented in two groups of patients (n=8), and healthy individuals (n=8). All variables showed excellent relative and absolute reliabilities. In the second stage, a quasi-experimental case control study was conducted in two groups of patients (n=15) and healthy females (n=15). Biodex Balance System was used to measure postural sways in patients and healthy females in one and two legged stance, with and without taping. Data was analyzed by using coefficient of correlation and ANOVA.

Results: The finding showed significant improvements of postural sways in all conditions of tests after taping compared with same measurements before taping.

Conclusion: Based on the results, postural control problems may be considered as very important aspects in evaluate and management of patients with functional ankle instability. Also taping is suggested as valuable for improving dynamic postural control via reinforcement of proprioceptive inputs in females with functional ankle instability.

Objective: Stuttering is one of the most common speech disorders. However, its etiology is poorly understood, and is likely to be heterogeneous. Impairment of cognitive functions such as emotional memory and attention is one of the important factors. The aim of this research is to compare explicit and implicit memory between stutterers and normal individuals and also comparison of anxiety and depression between 2 groups.

Materials & Methods: This is a case-control and analytical research.The participated individuals in this research were 30 male and female stutterers and the same number as the matched control group. The control group was matched for gender, age, education and bilingualism. The cue recall task performed to investigate explicit memory and the word stem completing task for implicit memory. The anxiety and depression of the individuals were measured by using general Hygiene Questionnaire (GHQ28) in this study. The performance of the individuals was measured based on positive and negative words in explicit and implicit memory and was compared with anxiety and depression score they obtained. Data was analyzed by using independent T-test, paired T-test, U-Man Witney and Willkaxon test.

Results: The data indicated that stutterers recognized less emotionally positive words in explicit memory as compared with nonstutterers. Also, stutterers recognized more emotionally negative words as compared with emotionally positive words in explicit and implicit memory tasks (P<0/05). Additionally, stutterers showed more anxiety and depression as compared to nonstutterers. This difference was significant except for depression (P<0/001 & P>0.05).

Conclusion: Taking into consideration the role of cognitive functions including emotional memory in motor speech programming and the difference in the function of positive versus negative emotional memories between stutterers and nonstutterers in this research, the role of emotional memory can be considered as an important factor in stutterers.

Objective: To investigate the intra-tester reliability of electromyographic (EMG) activity of lumbo-pelvic muscles during prone hip extension in subjects with chronic hamstring strain.

Materials & Methods: A convenience sample of 10 athletes with history of hamstring strain injury was studied. EMG signal amplitude of the right and left erector spinae, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris and semitendinosus was measured during prone hip extension three times a day. The peak amplitude of the muscles was normalized to maximum voluntary exertion of each muscle. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Standard Error of Measurement were used to assess the reliability.

Results: The ICC values were greater than 0.90 for all tested muscles. The results indicate high reliability for EMG activity of the lumbo-pelvic muscles during prone hip extension in subjects with chronic hamstring strain.

Conclusion: The prone hip extension test can be used as a reliable method to assess the activity pattern of the lumbo-pelvic muscles in subjects with history of hamstring strain injury.

Objective: The aim of present study is to compare the suggestibility between addict and non-addict people.

Materials & Methods: In this research 176 participants (76 addict people by systematic random and 100 non-addict people by convenience method) were selected and completed the Ganji suggestibility test. The independent t-test and variance analysis were used for statistical analysis.

 Results: The results suggested that addict people significantly were high in suggestibility than to non-addict people) P<0.05). The type and gender had no significant effect on suggestibility of addict people) P<0.05).

Conclusion: Addict people apart from type of opioid use had high suggestibility than non-addict people.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of electromyography measurements of abdominal muscles activity during different manoeuvres (pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction, abdominal hollowing and abdominal bracing with and without PFM contraction) in subjects with and without chronic low back pain (LBP).

Materials & Methods: In this methodology research 21 subjects (9 with LBP, 12 without LBP) who were selected simply & conveniently participated in the study. Abdominal muscle activation amplitude was assessed. Each maneuver was performed in triplicate and repeating of the test was done on the same day with a period of at least 30 minutes. Data were analyzed by Kolmogroff–Smirnoff test and Interclass correlation coefficient.

Results: The results showed high reliability for the muscle activation amplitude during abdominal hollowing with and without pelvic floor muscle contraction and isolation pelvic floor muscle contraction and abdominal bracing (ICC=80–90). Also moderate reliability in abdominal bracing with pelvic floor muscle contraction (ICC=70–80).  

Conclusion: Electromyography is a reliable method for assessment of voluntary and automatic activity of abdominal muscles during different conditions.

Objective: This study was designed to compare vastus medialis oblique (VMO): vastus lateralis longus (VLL) electromyographic intensity ratio during squat with hip adduction in athletes with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

Materials & Methods: In this non-experimental and case-control study, 16 male athletes with PFPS were selected purposefully and 16 healthy male athletes aged 18-30 years from national teams (Volleyball, Handball and Taekwondo) were matched based on variables such as weight, height, age, dominancy. All subjects selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. EMG activity of VMO and VLL muscles was recorded by surface electrodes with Telemetric EMG System at 15, 30 and 45 degrees of squat and VMO: VLL ratio was calculated. One way ANOVA was used to compare these muscles ratio between two groups.

Results: The ratio of VMO: VLL in both groups with and without PFPS in almost all angles were lower than one. However, healthy athletes had lower ratios. Also, there were no significant differences in VMO: VLL ratio at various angles.

Conclusion: It seems that sports activities prevent VMO weakening in athletes. However, VMO: VLL ratio in athletes with and without patellofemoral pain does not influence by this syndrome.

Objective: The aim at this study was the comparison of balance indices between professional athletes with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and healthy athletes.

Materials & Methods: In this comparative and Case-Control study, 16 national teams’ male athletes who were selected purposefullyand 16 healthy national teams’ male athletes who were matched based on variables such as weight, height, age, sport, predominance of the lower limbs, have participated. The Biodex balance system was utilized to assess postural balance as overall stability, anterior-posterior and mediolateral stability indices in open and blind conditions on dominant limb. The K-S test has been used to examine the normality of distribution, while the independent T for comparing the target groups.

Results: There was a significant difference between two groups in the open situation only for the overall stability index (P<0.05). In addition, there was a significant differences between the blind condition of both overall stability index (P<0.004) and the anterior-posterior stability index (P<0.01). There was no significant relationship between the other variables.

Conclusion: May be the dynamic stability indices in the athletes with PFPS have been distorted due to ineffectual activity of muscles.

Objective: Myofascial trigger point is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal pain and disorders. Myofascial trigger point in upper trapezius has been reported as a frequent symptom in patients with neck and thoracic pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dry needling compared with ischemic pressure on active trigger point in upper trapezius muscle.

Materials & Methods: 32 women with active myofascial trigger point in upper trapezius muscle participated in this randomized clinical trial (RCT) study. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: dry needling (N=15) and ischemic pressure (N=17). The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain intensity before and after treatment in both groups. Paired t-test was used to determine any significant difference in pain intensity after treatment sessions compared with pre-treatment score in control and experimental group. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was calculated to determine the significance of differences between the control and experimental groups in post-test scores, with pre-treatment scores used as covariates in the analysis.

Results: Statistical analysis (paired t-test) revealed significant decrease in pain intensity after treatment sessions in control and experimental group (P=0.00) compared with pre-treatment score. In the ANCOVA, controlling for pre-test scores, no significant difference was found between the two groups (P=0.8).

Conclusion: It seems that that both dry needling and ischemic pressure are effective in improvement in the pain intensity in subjects with myofascial trigger points. However, dry needling can be used by clinicians and therapist in physiotherapy clinics.

Objective: Neck pain is a common cause for which people refer to physiotherapy centers. Neck pain may be related to prolonged static posture in head, neck, and shoulder during daily activities and studying. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between Forward head posture (FHP) and neck pain in female and male students of different educational levels.

Materials & Methods: 1017 students (511 girls, 506 boys) from the University of Tehran in undergraduate, graduate and PhD level participated in this correlation study. Selection in departments have been target, however sample, s selection have been random. The mean of age of girls and boys was 23.78±3.74, the weight was 63.24±12.1, and height 162.42±7.14 and boy’s age was 23.74±3.91, weight 57.23±8.87, and height 168.53±9.74.FHP was measured in students by questionnaire, visual analog scale (VAS) and by using the Head Posture Spinal Curvature Instrument (HPSCI). Spearman correlation test was administered to analyze the data using SPSS 18 software (P&le0.05).

Results: Neck pain was significantly and negatively correlated with FHP in female PhD students (P=0.007), while this relationship between undergraduate, graduate students and male PhD students was not significant (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Neck pain is associated with forward head posture in PhD students. Therefore, it is important to address these faulty postures and correct them in treatment sessions. However, due to the progression of student community to higher education level, it is more critical to be aware of the correct of posture position in students.