Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center of Ioannina

Dynamometry and Electromyography includes:

1. Telemetric electrophysiological control of movement and power
2. Myodynamic control
3. Balance control
4. Assessment of explosive and muscle power in athletes and sports active people before and after the basic training period

1. Telemetric electrophysiological control of movement and power

Used for testing of:
 Injured athletes or sports active people
 Reconstructing athletes after a surgery in upper or lower extremity
 Children with cerebral paralysis and gait disorders before and after medicated treatment
 Healthy athletes for evaluation of their muscle function and athletic performance

A wireless electromyographic device is used for the telemetric electrophysiological control which records the start, the total duration and the activation of the lower limb muscles. It is a valuable tool for the study of muscle activity and muscle dysfunction identification.

2. Myodynamic control

Accomplished with the Biodex System-3 and used for the study of athletes or sports active people:
 With ligament injuries
 With muscle ruptures and tendonitis
 After surgical reconstruction

Ligament injuries, muscle ruptures and tendonitis are common in sports active people. The higher the sports level is, the higher the increase of the sports injuries and surgical reconstruction incidence is. Common feature of all the sports injuries is the impact on the athlete's myodynamic function. These malfunctions cause lack in a series of muscle contraction parameters: peak torque, ascending and descending rate of torque, total work, peak torque time and others.
The myodynamic control in injured athletes identifies the nature and the extent of muscle disorders and helps us determine the rehabilitation goals. So we are able to give the proper directions for muscle training and after an adequate time to recheck the athletes to test the intervention success. Finally, by recognition of muscle weaknesses and instabilities we try to prevent injuries or their recurrence.
The myodynamic control after a surgical treatment helps us evaluate the lack in muscle function which is commonly large. An objective evaluation of every rehabilitation phase is therefore possible and the return time in sports activities can be accurately defined. Last year we monitored about 60 athletes.

3. Balance control

The control of balance ability is accomplished with the KAT-2000 System (Breg, Inc). The maintenance of balance is a multifunctional procedure. Distal afferent stimuli (from eyes, ear and proprioceptive balance organs in muscles, tendons and ligaments) come in the Central Nervous System, where other efferent stimuli start and end up in the muscles to maintain the body balance. Injuries cause disorders to balance ability which can be estimated and monitored through static and dynamic tests of KAT-2000.
This device is used in our lab to control the balance efficiency in people suffering from lower limb ligament injuries before or after the potential surgery or during the rehabilitation period.
Healthy people can also be evaluated with KAT-2000 assessing in parallel the effect of other injury risk factors like fatigue.

4. Assessment of explosive and muscle power in athletes and sports active people before and after the basic training period

The assessment of explosive and muscle power is also achieved through the Biodex System-3.
The muscle power, that is the ability of muscle work production per unit time, shows a great correlation with the explosive power and is very important for all the competitive sports.
The isokinetic dynamometer is a useful tool for planning a complete evaluation program of the muscle function and therefore for optimization of sports performance. We use the dynamometer in our lab to control "power" athletes like football players, rowers and basketball players before and after their basic training period and during the competitive season. The athlete's performances in these protocols are then compared and in this way the effectiveness of the training program affecting the muscle and explosive power is evaluated. The proper directions are given for further planning of the training program according to the athlete's performance.