64 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Dry needling (DN) is becoming more frequently performed by physical therapists around the world to treat musculoskeletal pain. Dry needling is a form of trigger point therapy that evolved from using injections of local anesthetics. Although dry needling is becoming more commonly used, there is little agreement on how it works. Researchers have focused their efforts investigating other forms of manual therapy until very recently. To date, no studies have looked at how dry needling effects muscles distant from the area being treated. Most of the body's sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) is located in the thoracic spine, it may be a "silent" contributor to musculoskeletal problems in the arms and legs. The purpose of this study is to determine how dry needling the thoracolumbar junction affects pain, flexibility, and other non-invasive measures of nervous system output in people who have low back pain and tightness of their hamstring muscles. Standard dry needling treatment will be compared with a placebo. The investigators hypothesize that dry needling will have a greater sympathetic nervous system response, as measured by changes in heart rate, skin temperature and skin conductance, when compared with the placebo. The investigators also hypothesize that dry needling will have a greater positive effect on flexibility of the low back and hamstring muscles when compared to the placebo.
The objectives of this study are to investigate if Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) will impact back and leg flexibility over both the short-term and the long-term. It is hypothesized that NET will improve flexibility and that these changes are durable.
Based on their preliminary quantitative gait findings suggesting that limited passive hip extension range is a key functionally limiting impairment affecting gait, the investigators propose a supervised, specific stretching exercise with the aim to improve both peak hip extension and overall gait performance. While one goal is to demonstrate that reduced peak passive hip extension is a key, functionally significant, but reversible, impairment another is to improve our understanding of the relationship between impairment, functional limitation and gait ability.
Scoliosis bracing is an effective treatment method for idiopathic scoliosis, but only if worn consistently for many hours a day. Unsurprisingly, brace discomfort is a significant deterrent against treatment adherence. For decades, custom braces for idiopathic scoliosis have been fabricated using one of three materials - copolymer, polypropylene, or polyethylene. The application of the biomechanical principles behind bracing have improved over the years, but the materials have not. The investigators' goal is to expand fabrication options by testing a 3D-printed scoliosis brace with variable flexibility. The aim is to improve patients' perceived brace comfort. After optimizing the brace design, the investigators will collect patient feedback about the design from currently braced participants. These participants understand what a standard brace feels like and will provide impactful feedback.
The goal of this study is to learn whether a single non-invasive brain stimulation alpha-transcranial alternating current stimulation (alpha-tACS) session changes measures of excitability in the prefrontal cortex. It will also learn whether these changes predict differences in habitual action selection in a laboratory task and whether the effects depend on alcohol use history. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does alpha-tACS reduce habitual action selection by reducing excitability in the prefrontal cortex? Is alpha-tACS most effective in reducing habitual action selection in hazardous drinkers who engaged in binge-drinking during adolescence? Researchers will compare alpha-tACS to sham stimulation to see if alpha-tACS changes habitual action selection by changing prefrontal excitability. Participants will: Visit the lab for behavioral training Visit the imaging center for an MRI session Visit the lab to receive alpha-tACS or sham stimulation during behavioral testing and undergo EEG recordings before and after stimulation Visit the imaging center for a repeat MRI session Provide a small sample of blood from a finger-prick in the first and last visits.
Metabolic flexibility is the capacity to adapt fuel oxidation to fuel availability so that ATP synthesis can match its cellular demands. Thus, for example, increases in glucose availability after a meal would increase glucose oxidation, while increases in lipid availability during fasting would increase lipid oxidation. Enhanced metabolic flexibility has been proposed to protect humans from metabolic diseases. Nevertheless, most studies examining associations between metabolic flexibility and metabolic health outcomes have used cross-sectional designs. Whether impaired metabolic flexibility causes or results from metabolic health impairment is thus unclear. In this study, the investigators will use the data from a study conducted approximately 16 years ago in healthy participants without obesity. Using the data already collected in that study, the metabolic flexibility of each participant will be calculated. To test the association between metabolic flexibility and the change in metabolic health, the investigators will call back all the participants for a single follow-up visit to reassess several metabolic health outcomes. Thus, the main aim of the study is to test the association between metabolic flexibility and the change in metabolic health outcomes after 16 years in humans.
The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of real-world shiftwork on metabolic flexibility.
The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of the HyperVolt percussive massage device, body tempering, and dry cupping to static stretching of the hamstrings of healthy adults aged 18-39 years on the active knee extension and back saver sit-and-reach test.While these modalities are frequently used in healthcare settings there is a paucity of research regarding effectiveness. If the effects on flexibility are comparable, patients could save time and money by performing static stretching.
Using a stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial, the study will test whether a clinic-level multidimensional intervention conducted in 36 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) will improve clinical decision making, regulatory confusion, legal liability concerns, capacity for clinical practice change, and financial barriers to take- home dosing (THD) for methadone as compared to treatment as usual.
Evaluation of increase in body flexibility in female high school athletes undergoing education on nutrition and body image
This project explores the association between learning and cognitive flexibility by testing whether a cognitive behavioral intervention designed to improve flexibility in ASD changes learning and associated neural activation using model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (m-fMRI). The study proposes that variability in learning mechanisms is associated with behavioral flexibility and explains differences in adaptive and treatment outcomes. The study employs a longitudinal case-controlled design in 60 14-18 year old youth with ASD at 3 time-points 8 months apart, each including m-fMRI during learning and behavioral measurement of executive and adaptive function. Aim 1 tests the hypothesis that individual variation in learning biases and their neural correlates predicts behavioral flexibility and is stable over time. Aim 2 tests plasticity of learning mechanisms induced by a cognitive-behavioral intervention for flexibility. Aim 3 tests hypothesis about intervention-induced plasticity of neural functional connectivity.
This study is designed to test the reliability of a novel procedure for measuring metabolic flexibility, i.e., the ability to quickly adapt macronutrient oxidation to macronutrient availability, in a respiratory chamber. The investigators will compare paired measurements of metabolic flexibility determined 5-7 days apart in a metabolic chamber to assess reliability. The investigators will also compare their novel method of measuring metabolic flexibility in a respiratory chamber with a more convention method, metabolic flexibility during a hyperinsulinemic clamp.
This study investigates whether slow-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting frontal pole can acutely modulate brain circuits which show abnormal functioning during behavioral flexibility in obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as performance on a behavioral task.
The main purpose of this research is evaluate if HBMT reduces HAB in Soldiers, reduces intra-team conflict, improves trust, and improves unit cohesion. A secondary purpose of this research is to test Soldier acceptability and perception of the training. Volunteers will be randomized to a training or placebo version of a computer task designed to reduce HAB and interpersonal conflict. Soldiers will then complete surveys at multiple time intervals before, during, and following deployment. If successful, this research would demonstrate the ability of a computer based training to improve unit cohesion and Soldier attitudes during pre-deployment training and deployment itself.
The purpose of the study is to determine if a 6-week exercise training program promotes exercise-induced metabolic flexibility, that is, the ability to switch fuel sources for energy, in older prediabetic adults.
The overarching aim of this study: To determine the effect of different meal compositions (high- vs. low-fat) on metabolic flexibility as it relates to meal-stimulated change in respiratory quotient (ΔRQ1) and sleep (ΔRQ2) metabolic flexibility, as well as the time course changes in respiratory quotient, RQ (i.e., peak RQ, time to peak RQ, nadir RQ, time to nadir, slope).
To determine whether a 5-week computer-based cognitive training intervention results in changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) within the brain networks.
This study will explore differences in energy metabolism and metabolic flexibility under various conditions in older men and women.
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of a new brain stimulation tool called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a new technique used to stimulate the brain. The investigators believe that it may help to change brain function in individuals with anorexia nervosa. The brain stimulation occurs outside the head. The tDCS procedure involves applying a small amount of electrical current across the scalp, for a short period of time. This small electrical current is able to change the electrical activity inside areas of the brain. In the current study, the investigators will ask participants to complete computer-based brain training sessions. While participants do the brain training exercises, they will receive either real tDCS for "sham" tDCS. "Sham" tDCS means that participants might feel sensations like tingling or vibrations from the tDCS machine, but will not actually receive the electrical current. Investigators will also ask participants to complete several tests to assess changes in brain function. The information gained from this study will help investigators to understand how tDCS could be used to improve brain function and learning in individuals with anorexia nervosa.
Consumption of slowly digestible carbohydrates can elicit higher satiety feeling compared to rapidly digestible carbohydrates, however not all individuals respond the same. The physiological mechanism that accounts for the satiety effect and the lack of consistency among subjects is not fully understood. The overall aim of this research is to determine if consumption of slow digestible carbohydrates can induce non-responding subjects (i.e., with rapid gastric emptying) to activate the ileal brake and delay rate of gastric emptying.
To determine whether participation in a cognitive training program over a training period of five weeks improves cognitive flexibility in patients with chronic hip, knee, and back pain.
The purpose of this study is to measure the metabolic phenotype of a range of body weights in individuals with and without type 1 diabetes.
The investigators hypothesize that a dietary intervention aimed at increasing unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) consumption is feasible and has the potential to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, metabolic flexibility and glucose tolerance in symptomatic obese heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients.
This observational study aims to determine the association between preoperative cognitive flexibility and the risk of developing PPSP by preoperative administration of cognitive tests.
The purposes of this double-blinded, randomized controlled trial are (1) to determine if the addition of trigger point dry needling (TDN) to a standard stretching program results in greater improvements in hamstring flexibility versus stretching alone in a population with atraumatic knee pain; (2) measure length of time that flexibility gains are maintained, (3) assess resulting movement mechanics and (4) assess patient reported changes in pain. Findings will potentially lead to insights as to the benefit of applying this intervention to additional body regions.
The aim of the study is proof of concept and to establish the feasibility of performing a study of resistive flexibility and strength training (RFST) in patients with asthma, with the future goal of designing a larger randomized trial to test the hypothesis that RFST leads to greater improvement in asthma symptoms, pulmonary function tests, range of motion and connective tissue mobility compared with a control conventional physical therapy intervention.
The investigators propose in this project to determine the effect of 3 days of frequent interruption of prolonged sitting on metabolic health in healthy overweight sedentary adults (n=24), as compared to 3 days including a single long bout of isocaloric exercise or a control condition where subjects do not exercise but are subjected to prolonged sitting. The investigators believe that this proposed project will provide an initial evidence base for the health benefits of breaking up prolonged sitting with short bursts of moderate-intensity activity, like walking.
The purpose of this study is to determine if stabilizing the scapula (shoulder blade) during a common shoulder stretch is more effective at improving shoulder range of motion than not stabilizing the scapula. Investigators hypothesize that scapular stabilization during horizontal adduction stretching will demonstrate greater gains in shoulder range of motion than stretching without scapular stabilization.
The objective is to develop a new metabolic flexibility biomarker, which has application in the study of changes diet and exercise on fuel management in humans. The new biomarker involves the characterization of an individual's metabolic flexibility utilizing room calorimeters rather than the current method, which is based on glucose clamp data. It is hypothesized that this new metabolic flexibility method will be a useful and noninvasive biomarker for measuring adaptation to exercise and diet challenges.
Approximately 780,000 people suffer a stroke annually in the United States; 200,000 are recurrent strokes. The 17,000 veterans who suffer a stroke yearly are at great risk for a second stroke and therefore should be targeted for stroke risk factor management and prevention interventions. Balance and fear of falling negatively impact activity and function. Decreased activity and blood pressure (BP) are important modifiable stroke risk factors. These can be addressed through a yoga exercise intervention. Yoga, like tai-chi, is old world alternative medicine that has the potential to greatly impact the lives of older adults.