According to the established clinical tradition about the distribution of weakness, the ratios of flexor/extensor strength of patients with upper motor neuron lesions are expected to be relatively high for the elbow and wrist and low for the knee. To assess the diagnostic value of these patterns of weakness, muscle strength of 70 patients with limb weakness of central or peripheral origin was m...

According to the established clinical tradition about the distribution of weakness, the ratios of flexor/extensor strength of patients with upper motor neuron lesions are expected to be relatively high for the elbow and wrist and low for the knee. To assess the diagnostic value of these patterns of weakness, muscle strength of 70 patients with limb weakness of central or peripheral origin was m...

A combination of electrophysiological and genetic studies has resulted in the identification of several skeletal muscle disorders to be caused by pathologically functioning ion channels and has led to the term channelopathies. Typical hereditary muscle channelopa thies are congenital myasthenic syndromes, non-dystrophic myotonias, periodic paralyses, malignant hyperthermia, and central core dis...

Acute muscle weakness in children is a pediatric emergency. During the diagnostic approach, it is crucial to obtain a detailed case history, including: onset of weakness, history of associated febrile states, ingestion of toxic substances/toxins, immunizations, and family history. Neurological examination must be meticulous as well. In this review, we describe the most common diseases related t...

Quadriceps strength relates to exercise capacity and prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We wanted to quantify the prevalence of quadriceps weakness in COPD and hypothesised that it would not be restricted to patients with severe airflow obstruction or dyspnoea. Predicted quadriceps strength was calculated using a regression equation (incorporating age, sex, height and fa...

We have studied, prospectively, 116 patients with motor deficits associated with herniation of a lumbar disc who underwent microdiscectomy. They were studied during the first six months and at a mean of 6.4 years after surgery. Before operation, muscle weakness was mild (grade 4) in 67% of patients, severe (grade 3) in 21% and very severe (grade 2 or 1) in 12%. The muscle which most frequently ...

Typical West Nile virus paralysis is characterized by muscle weakness, decreased tone, and loss of deep tendon reflexes attributed to destruction of anterior horn cells. Two cases in which deep tendon reflexes were initially preserved in the presence of profound and persistent muscle weakness are presented here. In both cases, deep tendon reflexes were later severely attenuated or lost, while w...

To the Editor: A 55‐year‐old woman presented with sudden onset symmetric weakness of both lower limbs along with truncal weakness and urinary retention for 7 days. However, she denied any history of pain, trauma, loss of consciousness, or any evidence of upper limb weakness, breathlessness, or cranial nerve involvement. According to history, a provisional diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis ...

background: fear of falling is not only a risk factor for falls, but it is also an important clinical predictor of functional decline in older adults. this study identified sex differences in fear of falling and related factors in older adults with low grip strength. methods: the data of 902 older adults from the 2012 korean national survey, conducted as a research project by the korea employme...

Humans have a remarkable capacity to perform complex movements requiring agility, timing, and strength. Disuse, aging, and disease can lead to a loss of muscle strength, which frequently limits the performance of motor tasks. It is unknown, however, how much weakness can be tolerated before normal daily activities become impaired. This study examines the extent to which lower limb muscles can b...