Segmental BMS therapy using the Swisswing device appears to have significant acute benefits for improving flexibility and reducing perceived stiffness in healthy adults with ankle or hamstring injury. Future research is needed to determine the duration of these effects and if repeated periods of segmental BMS therapy aid in long-term injury recovery.

This study investigated the eff ects of biomechanical muscle stimulation (BMS) on low-back and hamstring fl exibility and perceived low back stiff ness. Three healthy populations were examined: college-aged nonathletes, college-aged athletes, and physically active older adults. Low-back stiff ness was reported using a stiff ness Likert scale and range of motion was measured using the sit-and-reach test. Each group received BMS treatment and was retested. The college-aged nonathletes completed a control (no BMS treatment) condition on a separate day. Signifi cant improvement (P Ͻ .001) in sit-andreach performance after treatment in all treatment groups was noted (pre-BMS, 27.8 Ϯ 10.6 cm; post-BMS treatment, 30.1 Ϯ 10.4 cm). Average perceived stiff ness decreased (P = .01) in all groups after undergoing treatment (pre-BMS, 5.0 Ϯ 2.4; post-BMS, 3.2 Ϯ 2.1). Perceived stiff ness did not change (P = .7) in the control condition for the nonathlete group (precontrol, 5.3 Ϯ 2.2; postcontrol, 5.2 Ϯ 2.0).

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder which often results in joint rigidity, bradykinesia and decreased range of motion (ROM). Segmental biomechanical muscle stimulation (BMS) can increase ROM in healthy young adults. However, acute effects on ROM in PD have not been examined. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether BMS and active-assisted cycling (AAC) of the legs results in acute changes in ROM in PD. METHODS: Seventeen individuals with PD completed four sessions. Subjects first came to the lab 'on' PD medications and completed baseline assessments. During session 2, subjects were 'off' PD medications and watched a video describing the interventions. In the 3rd and 4th visits, subjects were 'off' medications and the order of AAC or BMS was counterbalanced. Shoulder and hip ROM was measured prior to and immediately after each intervention and hip kinematics were examined during over-ground walking. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in hip and shoulder ROM after BMS and AAC. Hip velocity during over-ground walking improved after BMS but not after AAC. CONCLUSIONS: Single bouts of BMS and AAC have a positive effect on ROM and hip velocity during over-ground walking. This suggests that BMS and AAC may be altering central motor control processes.

Context The Cuban medical education and health care systems provide powerful lessons to athletic training educators, clinicians, and researchers to guide educational reform initiatives and professional growth. Objective The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the Cuban medical education system to create parallels for comparison and growth strategies to implement within athletic training in the United States. Background Cubans have experienced tremendous limitations in resources for decades yet have substantive success in medical education and health care programs. As a guiding practice, Cubans focus on whole-patient care and have established far-reaching research networks to help substantiate their work. Synthesis Cuban medical education programs emphasize prevention, whole-patient care, and public health in a unique approach that reflects disablement models recently promoted in athletic training in the United States. Comprehensive access and data collection provide meaningful information for quality improvement of education and health care processes. Active community engagement, education, and interventions are tailored to meet the biopsychosocial needs of individuals and communities. Results Cuban medical education and health care systems provide valuable lessons for athletic training programs to consider in light of current educational reform initiatives. Strong collaborations and rich integration of disablement models in educational programs and clinical practice may provide meaningful outcomes for athletic training programs. Educational reform should be considered an opportunity to expand the athletic training profession by embracing the evolving role of the athletic trainer in the competitive health care arena. Recommendation(s) Through careful consideration of Cuban medical education and health care initiatives, athletic training programs can better meet the contract with society as health care professionals by integrating the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's core competencies of patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice now promoted in the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education's 2020 Standards for Accreditation of Professional Athletic Training Programs. Conclusion(s) Educational and health care outcomes drive change. Quality improvement efforts transcend both education and health care. Athletic training can learn valuable lessons from the Cubans about innovation, preventative medicine, patient-centered community outreach, underserved populations, research initiatives, and globalization. Not unlike Cuba, athletic training has a unique opportunity to embrace the challenges associated with change to create a better future for athletic training students and professionals.

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