Daniel J. Wilson

Bio: Daniel J. Wilson is an academic researcher from University of Missouri. The author has contributed to research in topics: Gait analysis & Lameness. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 17 publications receiving 690 citations.

Evaluation of mild lameness in horses trotting on a treadmill by clinicians and interns or residents and correlation of their assessments with kinematic gait analysis

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To estimate sensitivity and accuracy of subjective evaluation of mild lameness in horses during treadmill locomotion and to correlate subjective evaluation with kinematic analysis. ANIMALS: 19 lame and 5 clinically normal horses. PROCEDURE: Lameness was evaluated by subjective score and kinematic analysis before and after palmar digital nerve block (PDNB). Evaluations were made by 6 clinicians and 7 interns or residents. Within- and between-observer agreement analyses (kappa values) were calculated and compared, using a Student's t-test. Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated between clinician's change in score and the change in kinematic variables after PDNB. RESULTS: Within-observer agreement was within the range expected for conditions of moderate diagnostic difficulty. Within-observer agreement was higher for clinicians than for interns or residents. Between-observer agreement was acceptable for scores within 1 value of each other. Between-observer agreement of change in lameness score after PDNB was poor. When kinematic variables were ranked with each clinician's subjective change in score, only 2 were among the top 3 for the majority of clinicians. Asymmetry of vertical head movement between contralateral forelimb stance phases and the point of maximum hoof height during swing decreased as lameness subjectively improved. CONCLUSION: Mild lameness may be difficult to evaluate during treadmill locomotion. Although clinicians were more repeatable in their subjective evaluation of lameness than interns or residents, they were not more reliable at detecting the true state of lameness. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Lack of agreement between clinician scoring of mild lameness emphasizes the need to use more objective measures for quantifying lameness.

Botulinum toxin type A use in piriformis muscle syndrome: a pilot study.

Abstract: Objective This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that intramuscular botulinum toxin type A decreases chronic pain attributed to piriformis muscle syndrome to a greater extent than a similar injection with vehicle (saline) alone. Design This double-blind, single group, crossover study was performed at an outpatient university clinic. Nine women with chronic buttock, hip, and lower limb pain without evidence of lumbar disk herniation or nerve root impingement on imaging studies participated in the study. The analgesic efficacy of a fluoroscopic/electromyographically guided unilateral intramuscular piriformis injection with 100 units botulinum toxin type A was compared with a similar injection of vehicle alone. Visual analog pain scales (VASs) were used to measure pain intensity, distress, spasm, and interference with activities. Results No differences in mean VASs were detected between groups at baseline or after injection with vehicle. However, decreases were observed between baseline and post-botulinum toxin type A injection mean VASs, but only in one of four categories (interference with activities). VASs from every time point (days) were also compared with the average baseline VASs. After injection with vehicle, decreases were detected, but only in one of the four categories (distress). In comparison, after injection with botulinum toxin type A, decreases were observed under all VAS categories. Conclusions VAS data suggest that intramuscular piriformis injection with 100 units of botulinum toxin type A can reduce pain to a greater extent than similar injections with vehicle alone.

Efficacy of strength training in prepubescent to early postpubescent males and females: Effects of gender and maturity

Abstract: There has been considerable debate concerning the benefits of children participating in weight training programs. With the potential benefits of such training in specific rehabilitation regimens, the safety/efficacy of weight training is a topic in need of scientific study. Fifty-two experimental and 39 control subjects participated in this study. A 2 x 2 x 2 (gender by treatment by Tanner stage) ANOVA was used to examine pre- to post-test differences in six strength measures, eight anthropometric measures, five motor performance measures, and one flexibility measure associated with participation in a 12-week progressive resistance programme. In addition, safety of the weight training programme was examined. For strength differences, there were two significant main effects favouring strength gains in males and four favouring the experimental group. For anthropometric changes, 3-way interactions occurred that were not easily explained. However, the predominant main effect was treatment; the experimental group generally experienced gains in body segment girths with decreases in skinfold thickness. For motor performance, the experimental group had greater improvements in three of five parameters. The experimental group also had significantly greater gains in flexibility. The weight training programme was associated with only one injury. These findings support the general observation that physical benefits can be gained safely by children who participate in a weight training programme.

Kinematics of the hind limb in trotting horses after induced lameness of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints and intra-articular administration of anesthetic

Abstract: Objective—To identify hind limb and pelvic kinematic variables that change in trotting horses after induced lameness of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints and after subsequent intra-articular administration of anesthetic. Animals—8 clinically normal adult horses. Procedure—Kinematic measurements were made before and after transient endotoxin-induced lameness of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints and after intra-articular administration of anesthetic. Fourteen displacement and joint angle (metatarsophalangeal [fetlock] and tarsal joints) measurements were made on the right hind limb, sacrum, and the right and left tubera coxae. Kinematic measurements were compared by general linear models, using a repeated measures ANOVA. Post hoc multiple comparisons between treatments were evaluated with a Fisher least squared difference test at α = 0.05. Results—After lameness induction, fetlock and tarsal joint extension during stance decreased, fetlock joint flexion and hoof height during...

Changes in kinematic variables observed during pressure-induced forelimb lameness in adult horses trotting on a treadmill.

Abstract: Objective—To determine whether kinematic changes induced by heel pressure in horses differ from those induced by toe pressure. Animals—10 adult Quarter Horses. Procedure—A shoe that applied pressure on the cuneus ungulae (frog) or on the toe was used. Kinematic analyses were performed before and after 2 levels of frog pressure and after 1 level of toe pressure. Values for stride displacement and time and joint angles were determined from horses trotting on a treadmill. Results—The first level of frog pressure caused decreases in metacarpophalangeal (fetlock) joint extension during stance and increases in head vertical movement and asymmetry. The second level of frog pressure caused these changes but also caused decreases in stride duration and carpal joint extension during stance as well as increases in relative stance duration. Toe pressure caused changes in these same variables but also caused maximum extension of the fetlock joint to occur before midstance, maximum hoof height to be closer to midswing,...

Youth resistance training: updated position statement paper from the national strength and conditioning association.

Abstract: Faigenbaum, AD, Kraemer, WJ, Blimkie, CJR, Jeffreys, I, Micheli, LJ, Nitka, M, and Rowland, TW. Youth resistance training: Updated position statement paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. J Strength Cond Res 23(5): S60-S79, 2009-Current recommendations suggest that school-aged youth should participate daily in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity that is developmentally appropriate and enjoyable and involves a variety of activities (). Not only is regular physical activity essential for normal growth and development, but also a physically active lifestyle during the pediatric years may help to reduce the risk of developing some chronic diseases later in life (). In addition to aerobic activities such as swimming and bicycling, research increasingly indicates that resistance training can offer unique benefits for children and adolescents when appropriately prescribed and supervised (). The qualified acceptance of youth resistance training by medical, fitness, and sport organizations is becoming universal ().Nowadays, comprehensive school-based programs are specifically designed to enhance health-related components of physical fitness, which include muscular strength (). In addition, the health club and sport conditioning industry is getting more involved in the youth fitness market. In the U.S.A., the number of health club members between the ages of 6 and 17 years continues to increase () and a growing number of private sport conditioning centers now cater to young athletes. Thus, as more children and adolescents resistance train in schools, health clubs, and sport training centers, it is imperative to determine safe, effective, and enjoyable practices by which resistance training can improve the health, fitness, and sports performance of younger populations.The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recognizes and supports the premise that many of the benefits associated with adult resistance training programs are attainable by children and adolescents who follow age-specific resistance training guidelines. The NSCA published the first position statement paper on youth resistance training in 1985 () and revised this statement in 1996 (). The purpose of the present report is to update and clarify the 1996 recommendations on 4 major areas of importance. These topics include (a) the potential risks and concerns associated with youth resistance training, (b) the potential health and fitness benefits of youth resistance training, (c) the types and amount of resistance training needed by healthy children and adolescents, and (d) program design considerations for optimizing long-term training adaptations. The NSCA based this position statement paper on a comprehensive analysis of the pertinent scientific evidence regarding the anatomical, physiological, and psychosocial effects of youth resistance training. An expert panel of exercise scientists, physicians, and health/physical education teachers with clinical, practical, and research expertise regarding issues related to pediatric exercise science, sports medicine, and resistance training contributed to this statement. The NSCA Research Committee reviewed this report before the formal endorsement by the NSCA.For the purpose of this article, the term children refers to boys and girls who have not yet developed secondary sex characteristics (approximately up to the age of 11 years in girls and 13 years in boys; Tanner stages 1 and 2 of sexual maturation). This period of development is referred to as preadolescence. The term adolescence refers to a period between childhood and adulthood and includes girls aged 12-18 years and boys aged 14-18 years (Tanner stages 3 and 4 of sexual maturation). The terms youth and young athletes are broadly defined in this report to include both children and adolescents.By definition, the term resistance training refers to a specialized method of conditioning, which involves the progressive use of a wide range of resistive loads and a variety of training modalities designed to enhance health, fitness, and sports performance. Although the term resistance training, strength training, and weight training are sometimes used synonymously, the term resistance training encompasses a broader range of training modalities and a wider variety of training goals. The term weightlifting refers to a competitive sport that involves the performance of the snatch and clean and jerk lifts.This article builds on previous recommendations from the NSCA and should serve as the prevailing statement regarding youth resistance training. It is the current position of the NSCA that:

Position statement on youth resistance training: the 2014 International Consensus

Abstract: The current manuscript has been adapted from the official position statement of the UK Strength and Conditioning Association on youth resistance training. It has subsequently been reviewed and endorsed by leading professional organisations within the fields of sports medicine, exercise science and paediatrics. The authorship team for this article was selected from the fields of paediatric exercise science, paediatric medicine, physical education, strength and conditioning and sports medicine.

The Long-Term Athlete Development model: Physiological evidence and application

Abstract: Within the UK, the “Long Term Athlete Development” (LTAD) model has been proposed by a variety of national governing bodies to offer a first step to considering the approach to talent development. ...

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology position paper: resistance training in children and adolescents

Abstract: Many position stands and review papers have refuted the myths associated with resistance training (RT) in chil- dren and adolescents. With proper training methods, RT for children and adolescents can be relatively safe and improve overall health. The objective of this position paper and review is to highlight research and provide recommendations in as- pects of RT that have not been extensively reported in the pediatric literature. In addition to the well-documented increases in muscular strength and endurance, RT has been used to improve function in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis and cerebral palsy, as well as pediatric burn victims. Increases in children's muscular strength have been attributed primarily to neurological adaptations due to the disproportionately higher increase in muscle strength than in muscle size. Although most studies using anthropometric measures have not shown significant muscle hypertrophy in children, more sensitive measures such as magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound have suggested hypertrophy may occur. There is no mini- mum age for RT for children. However, the training and instruction must be appropriate for children and adolescents, in- volving a proper warm-up, cool-down, and appropriate choice of exercises. It is recommended that low- to moderate- intensity resistance exercise should be done 2-3 times/week on non-consecutive days, with 1-2 sets initially, progressing to 4 sets of 8-15 repetitions for 8-12 exercises. These exercises can include more advanced movements such as Olympic- style lifting, plyometrics, and balance training, which can enhance strength, power, co-ordination, and balance. However, specific guidelines for these more advanced techniques need to be established for youth. In conclusion, an RT program that is within a child's or adolescent's capacity and involves gradual progression under qualified instruction and supervi- sion with appropriately sized equipment can involve more advanced or intense RT exercises, which can lead to functional (i.e., muscular strength, endurance, power, balance, and co-ordination) and health benefits.