Introduction For those individuals who have suffered an injury to the knee or undergone a surgical intervention, the early recovery of the muscle strength contraction properties of the quadriceps is essential for a favorable recovery and for a return to the activities of daily living and other work- or sports-related activities. Objectives To evaluate the changes in maximal isometric strength (MIS) of the quadriceps muscle after the application of ultrasound-guided percutaneous neuromodulation (US-guided PNM) on the femoral nerve. Materials and Methods A case series involving subjects who had previously presented unilateral knee pathology and were in the stage of recovery of quadriceps strength. The subjects were pain-free at the time of the dynamometry measurements, which were performed before and after the application of the US-guided PNM technique. The isometric measurement was performed using the KINEO dynamometry system, performing a preintervention measurement of the mean maximal isometric strength (mMIS) based on 3 repetitions (3 seconds contraction and 6 seconds relaxation). The US-guided PNM technique was performed on the femoral nerve, using the Physio Invasiva CE0120 device (Prim Physio, Madrid, Spain) and a GE Logiq e R7 ultrasound (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA). Results In total, 13 subjects participated in the present study. Significant changes were obtained (p < 0.001) in the mMIS of the quadriceps of the affected knee, which progressed from a mean strength of 25.91 kg (standard deviation [SD]: 7.17 kg) to a mean strength of 29.98 kg (SD: 9.06 kg). Discussion In subjects with knee pathology, the quadriceps muscle is inhibited despite being pain-free during the strength measurements. This process of inhibition can improve with the application of low frequency percutaneous electrical stimulation on the femoral nerve. This technique represents a complementary strategy for the recovery of the normal strength values in pathological knees with or without prior surgery. Conclusions Ultrasound-guided PNM is an effective technique for the reestablishment of quadriceps strength in inhibited muscles.

Aims. To evaluate the presence of perforating cutaneous vessels (PCV) in different lower limb acupuncture points (AP) using thermography.Material and Methods. An analytical cross-sectional study was performed on the two lower limbs (n=6) of volunteer subjects. In total, 144 AP and 144 control points (CP) were analysed, one for each AP. First, the AP and CP were located on each individual. Subsequently, both the real and thermographic images were created. In the real images, the location of the AP and the established CP were highlighted with boxes. FLIR Tools Plus and Physio Thermal Imaging software were used to merge the real image with the AP and the CP and to merge the thermographic image with the PCV. By superimposing both images, we were able to verify the presence of PCV among the AP and CP.Results. PCV were identified in 87.5% of the 144 AP examined and in 18.1% of the respective CP. All the AP had a higher percentage of PCV compared to their respective CP, with statistically significant differences in all points, except for ST33 and ST34. The probability of finding PCV in AP was 11 times higher than the probability of not finding it.Discussion. Thermography may serve as a useful tool in the assessment and treatment of patients using acupuncture. The presence of PCV in the area of the acupuncture needle insertion could partially influence the effects generated by the acupuncture technique from the vascular autonomic point of view.Conclusions. There is a high proportion of PCV in the AP area located in the lower limb.

Objective To verify the presence of perforating cutaneous vessels (PCV) among different acupuncture points (AP) of the upper limb by means of infrared thermography (IT). Material and Methods An analytical observational cross-sectional study examining the upper limb of volunteer subjects (n = 7). A total of 91 AP were analyzed, as well as 91 control points (CP), one for each AP. In each subject, first, the AP and their corresponding CP were marked and, second, the thermographic images were taken. The images were then processed using the Physio Thermal Imaging (PTI) software, observing the presence or absence of these PCV on the AP and corresponding CP. Results PCV were identified in 68.1% of the total 91 AP examined. However, despite the strong trend in the presence of PCV in the studied AP, certain AP did not display significant differences with their corresponding CP. Conclusions This study shows a certain correlation between the PCV and the AP chosen in this sample, due to the high presence of PCV in the AP. IT is a useful tool during physical therapy treatment procedures using acupuncture.

Background Ultrasound-guided percutaneous neuromodulation (US-guided PNM) is an invasive physiotherapy technique which is employed for neurofunctional improvement and treatment of pain. To date, no study has related this technique with muscle stimulation and dynamometry changes. Within the functional assessment tools, dynamometry tests were performed with devices which enable the calculation of variables related with isometric and isokinetic movement. Aim To assess the changes in maximum isometric strength after the application of US-guided PNM. Material and Methods A retrospective case study comprising 13 subjects (26 lower limbs) receiving US-guided PNM, with pre and post-intervention measurements.The inclusion criteria comprised subjects without pain at the time of study, with coefficients of variation (COV) below 15% and in the process of improving loading work. We excluded subjects with pathology provoking pain at the time of the measurements and with contraindications for dynamometry or US-guided PNM. An isometricmeasurement was performed using the KINEO dynamometry system with 90° hip flexion and 45° knee extension, without strapping and with manual grips in lateral supports of the system. The lever arm was placed at 2 cm of the malleoli in the ventral aspect without strapping the ankle and a pre-intervention measurement was performed of the maximum isometric strength based on a mean of 3 repetitions (3 seconds' contraction and 6 seconds' relaxation). Subsequently, the US-guided PNM technique was performed on the femoral nerve, using the Physio Invasiva device and the PES modality (10 Hz frequency, 240 μs pulse width). Ten maximal and pain free stimulations were performed lasting 10 seconds each, with a 10 second rest between each contraction. After the intervention, a post intervention measurement was performed, in the same manner as the previous measurement. Results In total, 13 volunteer subjects participated in the study, aged between 27 and 59 years, of which, 2 were women and 11 were men. After the application of US-guided PNM on the femoral nerve, changes were observed in the maximum mean isometric strength of the quadriceps, which increased from 26.75 kg in the pre-intervention mean with a standard deviation of 7.42 kg to 30.05 kg for the post-intervention mean, with a standard deviation of 9.23 kg. The results were statistically significant with p < 0.000. Conclusion US-guided PNM applied to the femoral nerve is able to produce changes in maximum isometric strength measured using dynamometry.