METHODS: Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore, and Google Scholar databases were searched for relevant studies published between January 2013 and July 2019. The quality of the included studies was objectively evaluated using the Downs and Black checklist.
RESULTS: A total of 129 articles on FES cycling were retained for analysis. A total of 51 articles related to Cybathlon were reviewed, and 14 articles were ultimately evaluated for the quality. In 2017, the year following the Cybathlon championship, Web of Science cited 23 published studies on the championship, which was almost 5-fold more than that in 2016 (n = 5). Training was most often reported as a topic of interest in these studies, which mostly (76.7%) highlighted the training parameters of interest to participating teams in their effort to maximize their FES cycling performance during the Cybathlon championship.
CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that the Cybathlon championship in 2016 contributed to the number of literature published in 2017 on FES cycling for individuals with SCI. This finding may contribute to the lessons that can be learned from participation in the Cybathlon and potentially provide additional insights into research in the field of race-based FES cycling.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the single-blind, randomized controlled trial performed between April 2015 and August 2016, 28 participants were randomized between two exercise interventions (FES-LCE+PRT and FES-LCE alone), and training was conducted over 12 weeks. The isometric muscle peak torque and muscle volume for both lower limbs were measured at the baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks. Linear mixed-model analysis of variance was performed to test the effects of FES-LCE+PRT versus FES-LCE on each outcome measure over time via an intention-to-treat analysis.
RESULTS: Twenty-three participants (18 males, 5 females; mean age: 33.4±9.7 years; range 21 to 50 years) completed study (10 in the FES-LCE+PRT group, and 13 in the FES-LCE group). The 12-week pre-and posttraining change for left hamstrings' muscle peak torque in the FES-LCE+PRT group (mean difference=4.5±7.9 Nm, 45% change, p<0.05) was consistently higher than that in the FES-LCE group (mean difference=2.4±10.3 Nm, 4% change; p<0.018). The improvement in the right quadriceps muscle's peak torque of the FES-LCE+PRT group (mean difference=19±7.6 Nm, 31% change, p<0.05) was more significant compared to the FES-LCE group. The left muscle volume showed a remarkable increase after 12 weeks in the FES-LCE+PRT group (mean difference=0.3±9.3 L, 7% change, p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The combination of PRT and FES-LCE was better in improving lower limb muscle strength and volume in chronic incomplete individuals with spinal cord injury.
METHODS: Bibliometric analysis was made, including the publications' profiles, citation analysis and research trends of the relevant literature over the last 60 years. Publications from all time frames were retrieved from Scopus database. A subgroup analysis of publications pertinent to people with SCI was also made.
RESULTS: Research on RMT has been steadily increasing over the last 6 decades and across geographical locations. While medicine continues to dominate the research on RMT, this topic also continues to attract researchers and publications from other areas such as engineering, computer science and social science over the last 10 years. Research collaboration between authors in different backgrounds was observed since 2006. Source titles from non-medical backgrounds have also published articles pertinent to RMT. Among people with SCI, researchers utilised a wide range of technology from simple spirometers to electromyography in both intervention and outcome measures. With various types of interventions implemented, RMT generally improves pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength among people with SCI.
CONCLUSIONS: While research on RMT has been steadily increasing over the last 6 decades, more collaborations are encouraged in the future to produce more impactful and beneficial research on people who suffer from respiratory disorders.
METHODS: MMG and EMG were used to record the activity of the SCM in 32 untrained singers reciting a monotonous text and a standard folk song. Their voices were recorded and their pitch, or fundamental frequency (FF), and intensity were derived using Praat software. Instants of inhale and exhales were identified during singing from their voice recordings and the corresponding SCM MMG and EMG activities were analysed.
RESULTS: The SCM MMG, and EMG signals during breathing while singing were significantly different than breathing at rest (p < 0.001). On the other hand, MMG was relatively better correlated to voice intensity in both reading and singing than EMG. EMG was better, but not significantly, correlated with FF in both reading and singing as compared to MMG.
CONCLUSIONS: This study established MMG and EMG as the quantitative measurement tool to monitor breathing activities during singing. This is useful for applications related to singing therapy performance measure including potentially pathologically effected population. While the MMG and EMG could not distinguish FF and intensity significantly, it is useful to serve as a proxy of inhalation and exhalation levels throughout a particular singing session. Further studies are required to determine its efficacy in a therapeutic setting.