Journal of

Introduction: Foot pronation can lead to different lower limb injuries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term training on sand on ankle joint co-contraction in individuals with pronated feet during walking.
Methods: The present study was a randomised controlled clinical trial type. Statistical samples of the present study included 15 males with excessive pronated feet in the control group and 15 males with excessive pronated feet in the experimental group which was selected with available sampling. During both pre and post-test, muscle activities were recorded by an 8-channel electromyography system during walking. The eight weeks training on sand (3 sessions per week) was only done in the experimental group. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measure test was used for statistical analysis at the significant level of P<0.05.
Results: The results demonstrated greater ankle directed co-contraction during post-test compared with the pre-test in the experimental group (p=0.034). Other components of ankle co-contraction did not demonstrate any significant differences during post-test compared with pre-test (P>0.05).
Conclusion: It seems that an increase in directed ankle joint contraction due to sand training may be associated with improvement in ankle joint stability. Further study is warranted.

Introduction: As a person gets older, their gait patterns change and their ability to walk decreases. Orthoses are used to relieve musculoskeletal disorders, skeletal problems, disabilities, etc. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of orthoses on timing of lower limb muscles in the older adults during gait.
Methods: The present study was a clinical trial. 14 females (with average age of 60.50±4.40 years) and 14 males (with average age of 63.35±5.55 years) were selected with available sampling, voluntarily participated in this research. Eight electrodes were placed on the selected muscles (tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medial, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, gluteus medius, erector spinae) to record electrical activity during the gait with and without orthoses. To analyze the data SPSS software (version 16), and a repeated analysis of variance test was used. The significance levels in all tests were considered to be 0.05.
Results: The main effects of orthoses and the interaction effects of orthoses and sex for the onset of selected muscles activities did not show any significant differences (P>0.05). The effect of sex for the onset of activities in medial gastrocnemius (P=0.007), vastus medialis (P=0.002), vastus lateralis (P=0.027), semitendinosus (P=0.004), gluteus medius (P=0.030), and erector spinae (P=0.039) muscles was significant, so that the onset of muscle activity in the female group was earlier than in the male group.
Conclusion: Orthoses showed no improvement on onset of selected muscles activities, although significant differences were observed between the male and female groups.

Introduction: Patellofemoral pain syndrome is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders of the knee area. Previous studies have pointed to the positive effects of exercise. Therefore, it is very important to check the types of exercise protocols for the treatment of this condition. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the scientific framework of research related to the application of various exercise protocols on patellofemoral pain syndrome, as well as to make a favorable summary and provide more appropriate information from previous researches. In this review study, the search for articles in Persian and English languages in 2022 (until November) was carried out on WOS, Magiran, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Springer databases. The keywords of patellofemoral pain syndrome, knee and knee rehabilitation were used to extract articles. 100 relevant articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. After reviewing 100 articles, the number of 53 article titles that were close to the research title met the criteria for inclusion in the present study. After re-examining the articles, 25 articles were selected with the aim of examining the exercise protocol on patellofemoral pain.
Conclusion: It seems that sports exercises with the aim of strengthening the muscles around the knee joint are effective in the recovery process and reducing the pain of people suffering from patellofemoral syndrome.
 

Introduction: The elderly population faces numerous challenges threatening their quality of life, autonomy, and mobility. Therefore, it is essential to implement activities that address and enhance these issues. This study aimed to examine the effects of rehabilitation exercises on the mechanics of transitional movements among the elderly.
Methods: The present study was a systematic review. Articles in Persian and English were searched from December 2020 to May 2024. The study examined the effects of various rehabilitation exercises on the biomechanics of transfer movements in elderly individuals. Specialized databases, including Magiran SID, Scopus، PubMed، ISC، WOS, and Google Scholar were utilized for the review. Initially, 74 relevant articles were selected, and ultimately, 21 articles related to different types of rehabilitation exercises for the elderly were analyzed based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Results: The results showed that a variety of rehabilitation exercises can effectively enhance the reduction of peak ground reaction forces during transitional movements. Additionally, it was observed neuromuscular exercises improved the balance index. Conversely, resistance exercises improved both static and dynamic balance and reduced the risk of falling among the elderly.
Conclusion: Prolonged participation in combined exercises, which merge two or more rehabilitation exercises, might yield more beneficial results. However, further research is needed to determine the best type and intensity of exercise for improving the biomechanics of transfer movements in the elderly.