Tibial rotation during foot pronation has been proposed as a key factor in running related injuries. Precise analysis of knee motion during running, including the analysis of motion in the coronal plane, is difficult, and the effect of the wearing shoes on tibial rotation during running is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effect of wearing shoes in reducing tibial rotation during running. Fifteen healthy subjects (nine males, six females) participated in this study
25 markers were secured on the left lower extremity of each subject. Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected using the MAC3D System (Motion Analysis Co.). The data were processed using the point cluster technique (Andriacchi et al. 1998, J Biomech Eng 120, 743). The subjects were required to run (a) barefoot and (b) while wearing athletic running shoes (Adidas Response Cushion). Tibial motion with respect to the femur was assessed in the stance phase. The internal/external rotation, adduction/abduction and flexion of knee joint were analyzed for a period of 100 ms after foot strike. In both the conditions, all subjects experienced internal tibial rotation after foot strike. During the 100-ms period after foot strike, the shoes reduced the amount of tibial rotation during running (barefoot 16.0 ± 4.1°, shod 13.7 ± 5.3°). The angular change of the knee flexion was increased with running shoe (barefoot 20.8 ± 4.9°, shod 26.5 ± 4.2°). These findings suggest that tibial rotation can be reduced by wearing athletic running shoes. © 2009 Taylor &amp
Francis Group, LLC.

A decrease of deep knee flexion torque after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, using a semitendinosus (and gracilis) tendon, has been reported. However, the cause of this weakness remains controversial. Architectural and functional differences in the knee flexor muscles influence this weakness. the fiber length of the semitendinosus, gracilis, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris were directly measured in six human cadavers. The flexion torque and EMG of the hamstrings were measured in both limbs of 16 patients (23 +/- 5 years) after ACL reconstruction (12-43 months post-operation), using ipsilateral semitendinosus tendon. Magnetic resonance imagings were taken, over both the thighs of those patients, to measure muscle volume and to confirm a state of semitendinosus tendon regeneration. The position of the musculotendinous junction of the semitendinosus was also analyzed. The fiber length of the semitendinosus and gracilis were three to four times longer than that of the semimembranosus and biceps femoris. The difference of flexion torque between the normal and ACL reconstructed limbs significantly increased as the knee flexion angle increased. The EMG value for the semimembranosus and biceps femoris of both limbs as well as the semitendinosus of the ACL reconstructed limbs, significantly reduced as the knee flexion angle was increased. The volume of the semitendinosus in the reconstructed limb was significantly smaller than in normal limbs. The regeneration of the semitendinosus tendon was confirmed in all subjects, and the musculotendinous junction position of the reconstructed limb in almost all subjects was found in further image from the knee joint space than that for the normal limb. The decrease of deep knee flexion torque, after ACL reconstruction, could be due to the atrophy and shortening of the semitendinosus after its tendon has been harvested, as well as the lack of compensation from the semimembranosus and biceps femoris, due to the architectural differences between the semitendinosus and the semimembranosus and biceps femoris.

In this study, the effect of biological maturity in developments of central information processing (CIP) evaluated from choice reaction time (CRT) was investigated from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. The subjects were Japanese adolescent soccer players. Biological maturity was evaluated according to skeletal age. CRT was measured using the Talent-Diagnose-System. In the cross-sectional study, skeletal age correlated with CRT (r = -0.52, p &lt
0.01), and there were some differences in developmental aspects of CRT between chronological age and skeletal age. In the longitudinal study, CRT improved significantly from 10 to 11 years of chronological age. During this period, development of skeletal age exceeded chronological maturation. Moreover, the annual improvement of CRT correlated with that of skeletal age (r=-0.45, p &lt
0.01). Our results suggest that while we have to consider the effect of external input, such as experience and training, development of CIP was influenced by development of biological maturity in Japanese adolescent soccer players.

KONISHI, Y. Y. SUZUKI, N. HIROSE, and T. FUKUBAYASHI. Effects of Lidocaine into Knee on QF Strength and EMG in Patients with ACL Lesion. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 35, No. 11, pp. 1805-1808, 2003. Purpose: In our previous study, we found that injection of lidocaine into intact knees reduced the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and integrated electromyogram (I-EMG) of the quadriceps femoris (QF). This study was designed to investigate changes in the MVC and I-EMG of the QF in response to lidocaine, in patients with anterior cruciate, ligament (ACL) lesion, to evaluate alpha-motoneuron activity innervating the QF. Methods: The MVC of knee extension and I-EMG of the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and rectus femoris (RF) muscles were measured in eight patients with ruptured ACL, before and after lidocaine injection into the knee. Results: There were no significant differences between preinjection and postinjection values of MVC (preinjection: 167 +/- 49 N(.)m; postinjection: 164 +/- 55 N(.)m) and I-EMG (preinjection: VL: 0.11 +/- 0.06, VM: 0.13 +/- 0.10, RF: 0.09 +/- 0.04) (postinjection: VL: 0.12 +/- 0.07, VM: 0.13 +/- 0.10, RF: 0.09 +/- 0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicated that hindrance of afferent feedback from the knee in patients with ACL rupture did not significantly change alpha-motoneuron activity. Lidocaine injection into the knee joint of the subjects in this study only attenuated afferent feedback from mechanoreceptors in the knee joint cavity, but not in the ACL. as afferent feedback from ACL was already lost due to ACL rupture. This indicated that attenuation of afferent feedback from mechanoreceptors in the knee joint cavity other than the ACL did not significantly decrease the activity of alpha-motoneurons innervating the QF during MVC exertion. Therefore, our findings provide evidence that afferent feedback from the ACL has a major influence on the MVC exertion of the QF.

Introduction: Acupuncture is used to modulate the physical well-being of athletes in Asian countries. However, there is little information on the immediate effects of acupuncture treatment on physiological or psychological responses to exercise. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acupuncture treatment on the physical well-being of elite female soccer players during a competition period. Methods: Subjects were divided into two groups: those who received acupuncture treatment (18.1 +/- 2.3 yr [+/-SD], N = 9) and a control group (17.7 +/- 2.8 yr, N = 12). In the treatment group, acupuncture stimulus was applied at LI 4 (Goukoku), ST 36 (Ashi-sanri) for 20 min, and ST 6 (Kyosya), LU 6 (Ko-sai) points for 15 min 4 h after the game every night during the competition period. The measured parameters included salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) level, cortisol level in saliva, subjective rating of physical well-being, and profile of mood states (POMS). Results: The following were the main results: 1) Exercise-induced decrease of salivary SIgA and increase of salivary cortisol were inhibited by acupuncture. 2) Acupuncture improved subjective rating of muscle tension and fatigue. 3) The POMS score was modulated by acupuncture. Conclusion: These results support the effectiveness of acupuncture for physical and mental well-being of athletes.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to test for any neurophysiological abnormality in the gamma loop in the quadriceps femoris muscle on the uninjured side of patients with unilateral rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Methods: Maximal voluntary contraction of knee extension and integrated electromyography (I-EMG) of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris were measured in the uninjured limb of 13 patients with unilateral ACL rupture and 10 normal subjects, before and after 20-min vibration stimulation applied to the infrapatellar tendon. Results: The mean percentage changes of maximal voluntary contraction and I-EMG in quadriceps femoris of the uninjured side of patients with ACL rupture were significantly different from those of the control group. Maximal voluntary contraction and I-EMG after prolonged vibration stimulation did not decrease as much as those of the control group even though the same protocol of vibration stimulation was applied. Conclusion: The abnormal response to prolonged vibration stimulation could represent abnormal gamma loop in the quadriceps femoris muscle of the uninjured side in patients with ACL rupture since the normal response of maximal voluntary contraction and I-EMG to prolonged vibration stimulation could not be evoked without normal function of the gamma loop.

This study evaluated intramuscular movement of hamstrings muscle after reconstruction of the ACL with a hamstrings tendon graft. The movement of the muscles during knee flexion was measured using a novel MRI technique called the "tagging snapshot" technique, which labels multiple tagging bands within the musculature. Eleven patients who underwent ACL reconstruction using autogenous semitendinosus and gracilis tendons were studied. The difference in the maximum active knee flexion angle between the ACL-reconstructed and the intact knee was calculated as knee flexion lag. Knee flexion strength was measured in 8 of the 11 patients. The semitendinosus muscle of the ACL-reconstructed knee exhibited three different morphological patterns
group I, similar shape to the intact knee with distal tendonlike structures
group II, smaller proximally than the intact knee with distal tendonlike structures
and group III, considerably smaller proximally than the intact knee without distal tendonlike structures. Each group was associated with a different knee flexion lag and different knee flexion strength. Our results indicated that the effect of hamstrings tendon harvest on knee function is not uniform.

Sometimes athletes seemed to have troubles in their behavior. They are caused from the abnormal growth of Kansei in adolescence. The purpose of this study was to investigate Kansei with junior football player's growth. Questionnaires about Kansei in the daily life and in sports activity were carried out to the junior football players. Statistic Analysis was used to clarify the difference of Kansei among the elementary, junior, and senior high school players. As the result, it became clear that elementary school players had more communication with their families, teachers, friends, neighbors, teammates, and the nature than the others. Junior and high school players were not so egoistic as elementary players were. On the other hand they were not good at playing with their teammates, judging the momentary situation, and anticipating the game.

A part of top athletes attach importance to Kansei at the time of competition, and admit closed relation between Kansei and best performance. On the other hand it is told that top athletes have the chance of so-called "strange experience"when they are creating best performance. The objective of this study is to clarify the "strange experience". Interview studies were carried out to the forty-one Japanese top athletes in the national and world level. As results 228 "strange experience"cases were obtained. They were classified into eight categories, "sensory information", "positive sense", "unconsciousness", "unity/harmony", "beyond time and space", "natural flow", "Qi", and "expander consciousness than the size of body/outer force". This "strange experience"would be the same phenomenon as "super experience"and "peak experience", which is commonly used in the ultra-psychological field. We discussed this phenomenon from the Jung's Theory in psychology and Matsumoto's theory in brain science. Kansei would act as a Key factor to produce "strange experience"to achieve the best performance.

This study was designed to clarify the causes of throwing injuries of the elbow and shoulder joints in baseball.Five varsity-skilled baseball players without pain in the elbow and shoulder joints were subjects for this study.They were fixed to a chair and asked to throw a baseball using three different throwing arm movements(T_0, T_<45>and T_<90>).These movements were filmed using three-dimensional DLT videography.Linked rigid-body segment inverse dynamics were then employed to determine resultant joint force and torque at the elbow and shoulder joints.Peak varus torque at the elbow joint for T_<90> was less than for other movements during the acceleration phase.In the follow-through phase, however, a large anterior shear force(70N)at the elbow, for elbow extension, was present for T_<90>.These results indicate that T_<90> was a high risk movement which leads to extension injuries rather than medial tension injuries.After the ball release, a large superior shear force(118N)at the shoulder joint was present in all movements.This superior force may result from the subacromial impingement syndrome, except for critical zones of impingement caused by the different throwing arm movements.These findings suggest that the mechanisms of throwing arm injuries are closely related to differences in throwing arm movements.