Acute effect of inhibitory kinesio-tape of the upper trapezius on lower trapezius muscle excitation in healthy shoulders

The effects of facilitatory and inhibitory kinesiotaping of Vastus Medialis on the activation and fatigue of superficial quadriceps muscles

This study aimed to investigate how facilitatory and inhibitory KT of the Vastus Medialis affected the activation and the fatigue indices of VM, Vastus Lateralis (VL) and Rectus Femoris (RF) throughout a dynamic fatigue protocol. Seventeen collegiate athletes (Ten males, seven females, age: 24.76 ± 3.99 years, height: 1.73 ± 0.10 m, mass: 68.11 ± 8.54 kg) voluntarily participated in four dynamic fatigue protocol sessions in which no-tape (control condition), inhibitory, facilitatory and sham KTs were applied to the Vastus Medialis in each session. The protocol included 100 dynamic maximum concentric knee extensions at 90°/s using an isokinetic dynamometry device. The knee extensor muscle activities were recorded using wireless surface electromyography. The average muscle activity (Root mean square) during the first three repetitions and the repetitions number of 51-100, respectively, were used to calculate the before and after exhaustion muscle activity. Furthermore, median frequency slope during all repetitions was reported as the fatigue rate of muscles during different KT conditions and for the control condition (no-tape). The results showed neither muscle activation (significance for the main effect of KT; VM = 0.82, VL = 0.72, RF = 0.19) nor fatigue rate (significance for the main effect of KT; VM = 0.11 VL = 0.71, RF = 0.53) of the superficial knee extensor muscles were affected in all four conditions. These findings suggest that the direction of KT cannot reduce, enhance muscle activity or cause changes in muscle exhaustion. Future studies should investigate the generalizability of current findings to other populations.

The Application Value of MRI in the Training and Physical Rehabilitation of Gastrocnemius with Acute Sports Injury

The purpose of this study was to analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signs of acute gastrocnemius injury and to provide the basis for clinical diagnosis. Thirty-two patients with acute gastrocnemius muscle injury (19 males and 13 females, aged 18-63 years, mean 46 years) were recruited, and MRI scans were performed. The results showed that all the lesions of calf gastrocnemius were detected in 32 patients, including first-degree injury in 15 cases, second-degree injury in 15 cases, and third-degree injury in 2 cases. MRI can display the location and pathological changes of acute gastrocnemius injury, providing good imaging data for clinical diagnosis and treatment.