We examined 59 patients (33 symptomatic and 26 presymptomatic) from 21 autosomal dominant families with 4q35 linked muscular dystrophy with the initial involvement of the face and shoulder girdle muscles and subsequently of the peroneal group (anterior tibial) muscles. However in most symptomatic patients the dystrophic process is not limited to these anatomical regions and is gradually extended to the thighs (posterior group of the muscles, but not quadriceps), pelvic girdle (gluteus maximus, but not gluteus medius) and not always to upper arm (biceps brachii). The dynamics of the clinical muscle pattern at different stages of the disease was confirmed by CT and MRI muscle study. Thus, our clinical study, CT and MRI studies show that in observed patients there are widespread involvements of the lower limb muscles. In this connection, the inaccuracy of the term “facio-scapulo-humeral (FSH)” or “Facio-Scapulo-Peroneal (FSP)” or “scapuloperoneal with minimal/slight affection of facial muscles [(F)SP]” muscular dystrophy becomes evident. The term “Facioscapulolimb Muscular Dystrophy, type 2 (FSLD2), descending with a “jump” with initial (F)SP or FSP phenotypes with 4q35 deletion” would be more correct. The (F)SP or the FSP phenotypes constituted merely a stage in the development of FSLD2. In many observed patients we revealed a very slight weakness (or atrophy) of individual mimic muscles or their parts, especially during the scapuloperoneal phenotype stage of the disease. A usually slight degree of weakness of the biceps brachii muscles was followed as a rule by the weakness of the peroneal group, posterior group of the thigh and gluteus maximus muscles. We suppose the FSLD2 is an independent form of the muscular dystrophy.

Many pregnant women suffer from pelvic girdle pain (PGP) during pregnancy. Etiologies are multifactorial and affect the joint stability of the sacroiliac joint. Pelvic belts could restore stability and reduce pain during gait. The Center of Pressure (COP) is a reliable parameter to assess gait and balance. The objectives of this study were to analyze the COP during gait in pregnant women with PGP, to evaluate the effect of pelvic belts and to compare two types of belts on COP parameters.

Methods:
46 pregnant women with PGP, 58 healthy pregnant women and 23 non-pregnant women were recruited. The motor task consisted of three gait trials at different velocities on an electronic walkway. Two pelvic belts for pregnant women were used. An analysis of variance was performed to determine the effects on the COP parameters of the progression of the pregnancy, gait speed, being pregnant or not and having pain or not.

Results:
Compared to the control group, pregnant women with PGP had a higher stance time, but COP displacement and velocity were lower. The COP parameters vary between pregnant women with and without pelvic girdle pain: the use of a belt during pregnancy decreases the walking velocity. No difference was found according to the type of belt.

Discussion:
Differences in COP parameters during gait between pregnant women with or without PGP were minimal. Pelvic girdle pain did not affect the center of pressure. Wearing a belt during pregnancy modified the center of pressure velocity during gait in pregnant women with PGP.

TemporoMandibular Disorders (TMDs) are comprised of varied conditions that result in Temporo Mandibular Joint (TMJ) pain, masticatory muscle pain or both.

Perceptual psychology suggested that behavior was controlled by information about the world and the self conjointly. The information has now been described. What about the control? In this article, we asserted that locomotion was controlled by rules. Surely, however, they are not rules enforced by an authority. The rules are not commands from a brain; they emerge from the human-environment system.

We found that the rule is: The line of the Ground Reaction Force (GRF) vector is very close to the Knee Instantaneous Axis (KIA). It aligns the knee joint with the GRF such that the reaction forces are torqueless. The reaction to the GRF will then be carried by the whole structures on the body instead.

Cervical Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) can result as a consequence of traumatic cervical spine fractures or dislocations. Reduction of the dislocation would help to restore the deformity and would help maintain canal diameter and may lead to an improved neurological outcome. There have been several authors who feel that traumatic disc herniation with fracture-dislocation or a facet joint dislocation increases the risk of spinal cord herniation after reduction. In 2002, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons / Congress of Neurological Surgeons published guidelines on the efficacy of closed reduction. This review looked at the efficacy of acute cervical spine fracture dislocation injuries, looking at over 1200 patients who were treated with closed reduction. They noted that roughly 80% of these reductions were successful with a low transient or permanent complication rate. Patient with cervical facture dislocations who cannot be examined because of decreased conscious levels, cannot have post reduction neurology assessed. For these set of patients, an MRI before attempted reduction would be recommended as a treatment option.

Animal laboratory tests which demonstrate that the strength of neuroprotection seems to have an inverse correlation with time to decompression. STASCIS looked at early decompressive surgery being defined at 24 hours or earlier and late surgery being classified as after this. There was a significant improvement of at least  grade 2 AIS for those who were operated on within 24 hours compared to delayed surgery. The Canadian cohort study published by Wilson et al also advocated early decompression. What is defined as early surgery is a topic of contention.

The third area of discussion is around the use of steroid in acute spinal cord injury. Many drugs have been utilized in experimental models and have been shown to improve outcome in rat models. Methyprednisolone is the most studied drug for spinal cord injury. The three prominent trials were the NASCIS (North American Spinal Cord Injury Studies). They did not demonstrate any additional benefit for the use of steroids in patients with acute spinal cord injury.