[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to apply early intervention via microcurrent and cryotherapy in patients who underwent rotator cuff reconstruction surgery, and to investigate the effects of such interventions on pain and inflammation levels based on the analysis of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and on changes in muscle tone. [Subjects and Methods] The study population consiste...

Howitt L, Sandow SL, Grayson TH, Ellis ZE, Morris MJ, Murphy TV. Differential effects of diet-induced obesity on BKCa 1-subunit expression and function in rat skeletal muscle arterioles and small cerebral arteries. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 301: H29–H40, 2011. First published May 2, 2011; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00134.2011.— Mechanisms underlying obesity-related vascular dysfunction are uncl...

The airway narrowing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has often been misunderstood as being irreversible. However, a large proportion of patients with COPD do respond to bronchodilator agents with significant changes in lung function. Unlike in asthma, abnormalities in airway smooth muscle structure or function are not believed to play a key role in COPD airway narrowing. Althoug...

Hindlimb unweighting (HLU) has been shown to alter myogenic tone distinctly in arterioles isolated from skeletal muscles composed predominantly of fast-twitch (white gastrocnemius) compared with slow-twitch (soleus) fibers. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that HLU would alter myogenic tone differently in arterioles isolated from distinct fiber-type regions within a single skeletal musc...

The association between muscle tone and postural sway characteristics during standing was investigated in 27 healthy men aged 17–31 years. Frequency of muscle oscillations as an indicator of the tone, logarithmic decrement of the dampening of muscle oscillations as an indicator of the elasticity, and stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle were measured bilaterally using a hand-held M...

Kotecha, Neela, and Michael A. Hill. Myogenic contraction in rat skeletal muscle arterioles: smooth muscle membrane potential and Ca signaling. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 289: H1326–H1334, 2005. First published April 29, 2005; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00323.2005.—The present studies examined relationships between intraluminal pressure, membrane potential (Em), and myogenic tone in skeletal mus...

The myotonic response of the masseter muscles following various doses of suxamethonium was measured using a unique myotonometer in 50 apparently healthy patients, the majority of whom showed a myotonic response which lasted less than 100 s. A maximum increase in masseter tone was found to be greater than 1 kg in five patients, and 12 patients developed a maximum tone of greater than 500 g. An i...

During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, muscle tone in the "anti-gravity" muscles is suppressed. This "atonia" prevents one from "acting out" his dreams. Pathology in the systems producing REM sleep suppression of tone is responsible for cataplexy, a loss of muscle tone in waking triggered by environmental variables that produce sudden excitement. The REM sleep without atonia syndrome, which in ...

BACKGROUND Age and gender effects on muscle tone and mechanical properties have not been studied using hand-held myometric technology. Monitoring changes in muscle properties with ageing in community settings may provide a valuable assessment tool for detecting those at risk of premature decline and sarcopenia. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to provide objective data on the effects of ageing and ...