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Background: Evaluation of plantar pressure in stroke patients is a parameter that could be used for monitoring and comparing how the timing of starting a rehabilitation program effects patient improvement. Methods: We performed the following clinical and functional evaluations: initial moment (T1), intermediate (T2), and final evaluation at one year (T3). At T1 we studied 100 stroke patients in two groups, A and B (each 50 patients). The first group, A, started rehabilitation in the first three months after having a stroke, and group B started after three months from the time of stroke. Due to the impediments observed during rehabilitation, we made biomechanic evaluation for two lots, I and II (each 25 patients). Assessment of the patient was carried out by clinical (neurologic examination), functional (using the Tinetti Functional Gait Assessment Test for classifying the gait), and biomechanical evaluation (maximal plantar pressure (Pmax), contact area (CA), and pressure distribution (COP)). Results: The Tinetti scale for gait had the following scores: for group A, from 1.34 at the initial moment (T1) to 10.64 at final evaluation (T3), and for group B, 3.08 at initial moment (T1) to 9 at final evaluation (T3). Distribution of COP in the left hemiparesis was uneven at T1 but evolved after rehabilitation. The right hemiparesis had uniform COP distribution even at T1, explained by motor dominance on the right side. CA and Pmax for lot I increased more than 100%, meaning that there is a possibility for favorable improvement if the patients start the rehabilitation program in the first three months after stroke. For lot II, increases of the parameters were less than lot I. Discussions: The recovery potential is higher for patients with right hemiparesis. Biomechanic evaluation showed diversity regarding compensatory mechanisms for the paretic and nonparetic lower limb. Conclusions: CA and Pmax are relevant assessments for evaluating the effects on timing of starting a rehabilitation program after a stroke.

Background: Understanding the brain function and how it coordinate the motor activity, means to have a map of brain using a lot of modern technologies which can give us information about the role and functions of different brain areas. Objective: The aim of our study is to explore the brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG) and make the evaluation of differences in brain functions depend on specific sport activity. Methods: We make the study on two lots of athletes from judo (12subjects) and volleyball (11subjects), yrs. 22. All of them have a great sport activity experience and the anthropometric characteristics are similar. For recording the brain activity we use Nihon EEG product. The protocol of the research includes recording of brain activity during muscle contraction and relax of hand flexors. The parameters that we follow up are alpha1, alpha2 and theta waves. The information have been analysed using statistic methods and Pearson coefficient. Judo players present a little bit increase values of theta waves and we observe also a correlation between alpha waves for dominant hemisphere. For the second lot the the values of theta waves are highest. Conclusions: Analyse the behaviour of EEG waves could help the trainer and staff for approach the training results in term of build the brain and motor pattern. This is the result of professional approach of training based on neurophysiologic assessment using the brain mapping.

Introduction Physical exercises and sport activity induce myocardium and vascular tree important functional and morphologic adjustment changes, which mostly explain the aerobe performances improvement. The present work studied the anthropometric and morphofunctional cardiac parameters in 30 junior football players, with ages between 10 and 18 years, during specific training period. Methods In order to appreciate the athletes anthropometric profile, that have been measured the height, the weight, the body mass index, the thoracic perimeter and the Erismann harmony index. Was recorded the ECG for the 12 classic derivations using the HEART 112D device and also the blood pressure and the heart rate values. The parameters obtained through echocardiography using the SIEMENS Acuson CV/70 device were: the cardiac cavity diameters, the cardiac volumes, the ejection fraction and the interventricular septum dimensions. Results The results were compared with the ones of a 30 subjects control group, having the same age but not practicing any performance sports. Anthropometric measurements reveal that 32.5% of the sportsmen were underweight, 62.5% had a normal weight and the others were overweight. The thoracic diameters were moderately statistically correlated (r = 0.42) with a slight increase of left ventricle telesystolic and telediastolic volumes. The cardiac volumes were within studied age specific limits, being correlated with the presence of pulmonary regurgitation and ejection fraction (r = 0.78). Conclusions The effort practice by the professional junior football players ameliorates the anthropometric parameters, but also the morphofunctional cardiac ones.