Although tape measurement of thigh girth is a common component of a clinical knee examination, the implications of thigh girth asymmetry are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between thigh girth asymmetry and torque asymmetry for extension and flexion of the knee.

Thirty subjects with thigh girth asymmetry of at least 2 cm, measured at a site 15 cm proximal to the superior pole of the patella, were studied. Subjects were measured for girth at 10 sites along each thigh. Knee flexion and extension torque production were also tested on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. Girth asymmetry was determined by the difference in measurements between the subjects' smaller and larger thighs. Percent girth asymmetries varied by site, with the greatest average girth asymmetry (asymmetry = 5.94%) at 16 cm proximal to the superior patellar pole. Percent peak torque asymmetries were computed from the differences between subjects' stronger versus weaker thighs.

Correlations and regressions of both extension and flexion torque asymmetries upon girth asymmetry sites showed higher associations and less error for more proximal measurements. Fair to moderate correlation coefficients (r = .37-.42, p<.05) were statistically significant for extension torque asymmetry compared with girth asymmetry at sites 12, 14, 16, and 20 cm proximal to the patella and for flexion torque asymmetry only at the 14 cm site. Although girth and torque asymmetries were found to be somewhat related, percent girth asymmetry provided only a limited prediction of percent peak torque asymmetry.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1993;18(6):661-666.

Key Words: knee, girth, muscle strength

Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the superficial heating modality, Fluidotherapy, on skin temperature and on sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) conduction latency and amplitude of the superficial radial nerve in healthy individuals. Background: Fluidotherapy is a dry, superficial heating modality, which also provides tactile stimulation through the bombardment of air-fluidized cellulose particles. Previous literature has documented a direct relationship between skin temperature and neural conduction velocity; however, there is an absence of published research examining the effects of Fluidotherapy, and of tactile stimulation specifically, on neural conduction. Methods and Measures: Twenty-one subjects between the ages of 22 and 31 years (mean ± SD, 25.5 ± 0.7 years) and without prior history of diabetes, alcoholism, renal or metabolic dysfunction, current pregnancy, or heat sensitivity were invited to participate. Subjects completed an upper quarter screening exam and medical history form prior to participation. One group underwent heat (46.7°C-48.9°C) and tactile stimulation, a second group underwent tactile stimulation alone, while a third served as controls. Dependent variables were assessed at 3 intervals: before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 20 minutes after the intervention. All interventions were 20 minutes in length. Results: A mixed 2-way analysis of variance indicated a significant interaction between time of neural conduction velocity assessment and treatment group for the dependent variables of sensory nerve action potential latency (P<.001) and skin temperature (P<.001). Appropriate post hoc tests were performed for simple effect comparisons. An inverse linear relationship existed between skin temperature and latency (r² = .65; Pearson product coefficient, –.81). Conclusions: Fluidotherapy treatment, which combines the effects of heat and tactile stimulation, significantly elevated superficial skin temperature, while tactile stimulation alone and no treatment (control group) did not bring about a temperature change. As the superficial skin temperature increased, there was a concomitant decrease in the distal sensory latency of the superficial radial sensory nerve action potential. These results should be an important consideration for the clinician using superficial heating modalities.

J Orthop Sport Phys Ther. 2005;35(1)16-23. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2005.1138

Key Words: heat, latency, neural conduction, physical agents