Browsing by Subject "Electrical stimulation"
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Item The efficacy of electrical-stimulation for acquired dysphagia : a critical literature review(2012-05) Spivack, Jennifer Naomi; Marquardt, Thomas P.; Granof, DenaElectrical stimulation has been a controversial treatment option for acquired dysphagia since the initial study by Freed, Freed, Chatburn, and Christian (2001). This report investigates the efficacy of electrical stimulation by addressing three issues related to the use of this technique: 1) the movement of the hyolaryngeal complex during stimulation, 2) the population(s) for which electrical stimulation is efficacious, and 3) the necessity of combining electrical stimulation with traditional treatments for the treatment to be effective. Twenty-two studies were evaluated and revealed overall positive findings for the use of electrical stimulation as a treatment technique. To further analyze the strength of these findings, the studies were evaluated for methodological limitations with regards to participant selection, treatment design, and outcome measure selection. This analysis revealed two main methodological limitations: 1) a lack of established treatment protocol which led to differences in how and with what other techniques electrical stimulation was used and 2) an absence of follow-up measures. While these factors do not appear to affect the applicability of the study findings, future research should focus developing a treatment protocol and investigating the long-term benefits of electrical stimulation treatment.Item Muscle force potentiation and motor unit firing patterns during fatigue : effects of muscular endurance training(2010-05) Mettler, Joni Ann; Griffin, Lisa; Abraham, Larry; Farrar, Roger; Jones, Theresa; Spirduso, WaneenMuscular fatigue limits athletic performance as well as activities of daily living that require repetitive or sustained contractile activity. The decrease in force output or inability to maintain a given force level during fatigue occurs as the result of neural and muscle physiological factors. In contrast to muscle fatigue, potentiation is an increase in muscle force following voluntary muscle activity. The simultaneously occurring processes of potentiation and fatigue influence force output. The aims of this research were to investigate parameters used to potentiate muscle via electrical stimulation and voluntary contraction, and to better understand how muscle force is sustained, we studied single motor unit firing patterns and force potentiation following muscular endurance training. In study 1, electrical stimulation trains matched for pulse number of various frequencies and of increasing pulse number at a given frequency were administered to determine the effects of these stimulation parameters and of the force-time integral (FTI) produced during the train on potentiation magnitude. No difference in potentiation magnitude was found across trains of matched pulse number for frequencies of 15, 25, 30 and 50 Hz. Potentiation increased as pulse number increased and there was a positive correlation between potentiation and the FTI. In study 2, we measured maximal potentiation following conditioning contractions (CC) of 25%, 50% and 100% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and during a 25% MVC fatigue task, pre-post 8 weeks of muscular endurance training. Results showed significant potentiation for all CC intensities. Potentiation increased as CC intensity increased and CC duration required to achieve maximal potentiation decreased as CC intensity increased. Muscular endurance training resulted in increased maximal potentiation, and potentiation was greater during the fatigue task after training. Potentiation was also correlated to endurance time. In study 3, the effects of muscular endurance training on motor unit firing rates were investigated. There was a small increase in mean motor unit firing rates during the course of the fatigue task after training. This research contributes to our understanding of muscular force production and muscular endurance. The findings suggest that motor unit firing frequency and force potentiation may contribute to enhanced muscular endurance.Item A review of the multiple treatment approaches for oropharyngeal dysphagia and the effectiveness of intervention(2010-05) Prather, Keith Williams; Marquardt, Thomas P.; Byrd, CourtneyThis master’s report collected the available literature regarding the multiple treatment approaches for oropharyngeal dysphagia and the efficacy of each approach in the remediation of swallowing deficits. A variety of traditional intervention techniques are described and their efficacy data is presented, as well as limitations and contraindications to intervention. Efficacy data for modern oropharyngeal dysphagia intervention techniques such as Vitalstim and E-stim is also presented, and the differences between the two techniques are discussed. Ethical decision-making in dysphagia treatment is also discussed.