It has been observed consistently and is well accepted that the steady-state isometric force after active muscle stretch is greater than the corresponding isometric force for electrically stimulated muscles and maximal voluntary contractions. However, this so-called force enhancement has not been studied for submaximal voluntary efforts; therefore, it is not known whether this property affects everyday movements. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was force enhancement during submaximal voluntary contractions. Human adductor pollicis muscles (n = 17) were studied using a custom-built dynamometer, and both force and activation were measured while muscle activation and force were controlled at a level of 30% of maximal voluntary contraction. The steady-state isometric force and activation after active stretch were compared with the corresponding values obtained during isometric reference contractions. There was consistent and reliable force enhancement in 8 of the 17 subjects, whereas there was no force enhancement in the remaining subjects. Subjects with force enhancement had greater postactivation potentiation and a smaller resistance to fatigue in the adductor pollicis. We conclude from these results that force enhancement exists during submaximal voluntary contractions in a subset of the populations and suggest that it may affect everyday voluntary movements in this subset. On the basis of follow-up testing, it appears that force enhancement during voluntary contractions is linked to potentiation and fatigue resistance and therefore possibly to the fiber-type distribution in the adductor pollicis muscle.

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[Purpose] This review article is designed to expose physiotherapists to a physiotherapy assessment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and the treatment and possibly preventive roles that they might play for women with SUI. Specifically, the goal of this article is to provide an understanding of pelvic floor muscle function and the implications that this function has for physiotherapy treatment by reviewing articles published in this area. [Methods] A range of databases was searched to identify articles that address physiotherapy for SUI, including the Cochrane Library, Medline, and CINAHL. [Results] According to the articles identified in our databases research, greater improvements in SUI occur when women receive a supervised exercise program of at least three months. The effectiveness of physiotherapy treatment is increased if the exercise program is based on some principles, such as intensity, duration, resembling functional task, and the position in which the exercise for pelvic floor muscles is performed. Biofeedback and electrical stimulation may also be clinically useful and acceptable modalities for some women with SUI. [Conclusion] We concluded that the plan for physiotherapy care should be individualized for each patient and include standard physiotherapy interventions.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of neuromobilization combined with routine physiotherapy in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome through subjective, physical, and electrophysiological studies. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (totally 32 hands) were assigned two groups: treatment and control groups. In both groups, patients received the routine physiotherapy. In addition to the routine physiotherapy, patients in the treatment group received neuromobilization. The symptoms severity scale, visual analogue scale, functional status scale, Phalen’s sign, median nerve tension test, and median nerve distal sensory and motor latency were assessed. [Results] There were significant improvements in the symptoms severity scale, visual analogue scale, median nerve tension test, and Phalen’s sign in both groups. However, the functional status scale and median nerve distal motor latency were significantly improved only in the treatment group. [Conclusion] Neuromobilization in combination with routine physiotherapy improves some clinical findings more effectively than routine physiotherapy. Therefore, this combination can be used as an alternative effective non-invasive treatment for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

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