Josef Kollmitzer

• TGM - The School of Technology

Background: In the primary and secondary medical health sector, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are widely used to assess a patient's disease-related functional health state. However, the World Health Organization (WHO), in its recently adopted resolution on "strengthening rehabilitation in all health systems", encourages that all health...

As part of our quest for digital biomarkers of neuromuscular aging, and encouraged by recent findings in healthy volunteers, this study investigated if the instantaneous median frequency (IMDF) derived from back muscle surface electromyographic (SEMG) data monitored during cyclic back extensions could reliably differentiate between younger and olde...

Purpose: Motivated by the goal of developing new methods to detect early signs of sarcopenia, we investigated if surface electromyographic (SEMG) data recorded during the performance of cyclic, submaximal back extensions are marked by age-specific differences in their time and frequency characteristics. Furthermore, day-to-day retest reliability o...

Unfortunately, the author names in the author group section were incorrectly captured in the published online paper.

Introduction/Background To facilitate the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), linkage rules were developed. But these rules do not provide statistical methods for the linkage process. Thus, the aim of this study was to facilitate the use of the ICF by linking patient questionnaires to the ICF categor...

Evidence suggests that chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients with fear-avoidance or endurance behavior are at risk of treatment failure and pain maintenance. This study sought to examine whether or not the avoidance-endurance model (AEM)-subgroups: fear-avoiders (FAR), distress-endurers (DER), eustress-endurers (EER), and adaptive responders (AR),...

Aim: Intrigued by the idea to develop a risk indicator of early sarcopenia, this research investigated whether the surface electromyogram (SEMG) recorded during cyclic, submaximum back extensions would discriminate between younger and older individuals with comparable back strength; examine the between days test –retest reliability of these measure...

Objectives: Evidence suggests that chronic low back pain patients with fear-avoidance (FAR) or endurance behavior are at risk of treatment failure and pain maintenance, with bodily overuse or underuse being assumed as mediating mechanisms for pain chronification. This study sought to examine whether or not the avoidance-endurance model subgroups,...

The aim of this study was to evaluate in which values clbp patients experience the greatest discrepancy between importance and success with a German version of the Chronic Pain Values Inventory and to find out on which values therapy should focus especially.

Purpose: To investigate the differences in neural control of back muscles activated during the eccentric vs. the concentric portions of a cyclic, submaximal, fatiguing trunk extension exercise via the analysis of amplitude and time-frequency parameters derived from surface electromyographic (SEMG) data. Methods: Using back dynamometers, 87 healthy...

PurposeDynamic trunk flexion–extension testing has been proven to objectively diagnose low back pain in persons under the age of 60 years but older persons have difficulty complying with standardized movement velocity. Methods190 patients and 71 matched healthy volunteers (18–90 years of age) performed modified testing by holding static positions a...

Hintergrund: Ziel dieser Studie war es die unterschiedliche Kontrolle der motorischen Einheiten während der muskelverlängernden und -verkürzenden Abschnitte einer submaximalen, ermüdenden dynamischen Rückenextensionsübung mit Oberflächenelektroden zu untersuchen. Methoden: 87 gesunde Freiwillige (46 Männer, 41 Frauen) im Alter von 18 – 90 Jahren...

Hintergrund: Die Studie wurde durchgeführt, um die Kurz- und Langzeitreliabilität von isometrischen Maximalkraftmessungen der Rückenmuskeln bei alten und jungen chronischen Kreuzschmerzpatienten zu untersuchen. Methoden: 210 Patienten im Alter von 18 – 39, 40 – 59 und 60 – 90 Jahren wurden zu Beginn, nach 1 – 2 Tagen und nach 6 Wochen getestet. E...

Objective: To investigate the short- and long-term reliability of isometric trunk strength measurements in patients with chronic low back pain in different age groups. Design: Test-retest reliability study. Patients: A total of 210 patients (age groups 18-39, 40-59 and 60-90 years). Methods: Patients performed testing at baseline, 1-2 days (...

Background: The root mean square surface electromyographic activity of lumbar extensor muscles during dynamic trunk flexion and extension from standing has repeatedly been recommended to objectively assess muscle function in chronic low back pain patients. However, literature addressing older patients is sparse. This cross sectional study sought t...

The generation of functional biomimetic skeletal muscle constructs is still one of the fundamental challenges in skeletal muscle tissue engineering. With the notion that structure strongly dictates functional capabilities, a myriad of cell types, scaffold materials and stimulation strategies have been combined. To further optimize muscle engineered...

The root mean square surface electromyographic activity of lumbar extensor muscles during dynamic trunk flexion and extension from a standing position and task specific spine ranges of motion objectively assess muscle function in healthy young and middle age individuals. However, literature on neuromuscular activation and associated spine and hip k...

Background To examine whether or not median frequency surface electromyographic (MF-EMG) back muscle fatigue monitoring would be able to identify alterations in back muscle function in elderly muscles, if a protocol was used that allowed optimum standardization of the processes underlying electromyographic fatigue, and whether these tests were reli...

Objective: To determine the short- and long-term test-retest reliability of maximum isometric trunk moment measurements in healthy volunteers over 50 years of age, to compare these results with those from volunteers younger than 50 years, and to test whether volunteers' anticipatory emotional state affects the precision of these measurements. Met...

The trunk is frequently modelled as one fixed segment ignoring possible multi-segmental contributions during manual handling. This study compared segmental trunk motion in a young and older population during a lifting task. Twelve elderly and 19 young subjects repeatedly lifted a 5 kg box from bench to shelf under two stance conditions. Displacemen...

Electromyographic and biomechanical methods were utilized to investigate correlations between indexes of localized muscle fatigue and changes in the kinematics and kinetics of motion during a cyclic lifting task. Recent advances in time-frequency analysis procedures for electromyographicic signal processing provide a new way of studying localized m...

This study identified those harmonics from the frequency spectrum of electrical impedance rheographic signals that discriminate between patients with and without peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Ninety-four patients with suspected PAOD were evaluated by impedance rheography and ankle-arm blood pressure index. The leg with the lower ank...

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of step aerobic (StA) and cycle ergometer training (CET) on physical performance, coordination, and pleasure, during workout. Forty untrained persons (40-70 years) were randomly assigned to either of the two regimens. Prior to and after three months of training, we investigated the participants' p...

Pulsed magnetic field therapy is frequently used to treat the symptoms of osteoarthritis, although its efficacy has not been proven. We conducted a randomized, double-blind comparison of pulsed magnetic field and sham therapy in patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee. Patients were assigned to receive 84 sessions, each with a duration...

To test the short-term and long-term reliability of time-frequency electromyographic (EMG) measures of fatigue during repetitive dynamic lifting and compare it with the reliability of median frequency (MF) EMG measures of fatigue during static lifting. Fourteen' healthy male subjects (26 +/- 5 years) repetitively (12 lifts/min) lifted and lowered a...

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation can be used to increase strength of skeletal muscle. In neuromuscular electrical stimulation of innervated skeletal muscle, the application of the highest possible intensities of electricity is an important determinant of therapeutic success with regard to strength training. The therapeutic goal of "strengthenin...

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation can be used to increase strength of skeletal muscle. In neuromuscular electrical stimulation of innervated skeletal muscle, the application of the highest possible intensities of electricity is an important determinant of therapeutic success with regard to strength training. The therapeutic goal of "strengthenin...

Any voluntary motion of the body causes an internal perturbation of balance. Load transfer during manual material handling may increase these perturbations. This study investigates effects of stance condition on postural control during lifting. Nineteen healthy subjects repeatedly lifted and lowered a load between a desk and a shelf. The base of su...

Pelvic floor muscles (PFM) play an important role in maintaining urinary continence with increasing age. Therefore, their contractile properties need to be evaluated. The aim of the study was to examine the reliability and correlation of simple techniques to measure PFM strength in elderly women with urinary incontinence. An interview was used to e...

In a previous study, exercise and manual therapy demonstrated a 90% success rate in patients with osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joints in the short-term. The aim of this follow-up study was to assess the long-term effect of these treatment modalities. Seventeen patients were evaluated. All patients suffered from osteoarthrosis of the temp...

This study intended in evaluating the effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with craniomandibular disorders (CMD). Twenty consecutive patients suffering from CMD with anterior disc displacement without reduction consulting a CMD service were included in the study if they met following criteria: (i) pain in the temporomandibular region, (ii)...

Although low back pain (LBP) is a widespread and disabling health problem, there is a lack of evidence based medicine with respect to its treatment and rehabilitation. A major reason for this is the poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the LBP syndromes. In an attempt to fill this gap, the present review article provides an overview o...

To evaluate the long-term effects of calisthenic home exercises on the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal women. Controlled long-term observational study. Postmenopausal women between 45 and 75 years of age who had been randomly assigned to an exercise or control group in the course of a previous study conducted 5-10 years ago, were invited f...

Unlabelled: The background and purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the use of a treatment protocol which included active and passive jaw movements, manual therapy techniques, correction of body posture, and relaxation techniques for the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthrosis (OA). Twenty consecutive patients suffering...

Aim of this study was to investigate effects of 1) regular back extensor strength training as opposed to balance training, and 2) the influence of the sequence of both training types on postural control, force, and muscle efficiency. Twenty-six young, healthy subjects were investigated at baseline, 1 month and 2 months later. At each examination, s...

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different loads on tremor around 10 Hz during fatiguing contractions. Eighteen healthy volunteers performed sustained isometric knee extensions at 30%, 50% and 70% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). During the fatiguing contractions, mechanical recordings were made with a high-resolution forc...

Patients with severe chronic heart failure (CHF) suffer from marked weakness of skeletal muscles. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) proved to be an alternative to active strength training. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility and effectiveness of NMES in patients with chronic heart failure. Seven patients (56.0 +/- 5.0...

The aim of the study was to investigate short-term, intermediate-term and long-term reliability of surface electromyographic (EMG) measurements. Eighteen healthy subjects performed 810 isometric knee extension tests. Reliability for maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and 50% MVC was assessed with retest intervals of 3 min, 90 min and 6 weeks. Reli...

Isometric knee extensions until exhaustion at 30%, 50%, and 70% of maximum voluntary contraction were performed by 18 healthy subjects. During muscle fatigue, surface electromyographic activity was recorded from the knee-extensors vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris, and the coactive antagonistic biceps femoris. The electromyograp...

Isometric knee extensions until exhaustion at 30%, 50%, and 70% of maximum voluntary contraction were performed by 18 healthy subjects. During muscle fatigue, surface electromyographic activity was recorded from the knee-extensors vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris, and the coactive antagonistic biceps femoris. The electromyograp...

This paper describes the structure, training and computational abilities of the local cluster (LC) artificial neural net architecture. LC nets are a special class of multilayer perceptrons that use sigmoid functions to generate localised functions. LC nets train as fast as radial basis functions nets and are more general. They are well suited for b...

Isometric, fatiguing knee-extensions at 30%, 50% and 70% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were performed by 18 healthy human subjects. Surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity was recorded from the mono-articular vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, and the bi-articular rectus femoris muscle (RF). To make the bi-articular mus...

Low bone mass, functional impairment, low muscle strength, and postural instability are predictors of the risk of fracture in an elderly person. The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional impact of an unvarying long-term exercise program to be carried out at home. The exercises had been shown to delay bone loss in an elderly popula...

According to most published guidelines of cardiopulmonary resuscitation chest compression is performed on the lower half of the sternum by compressing the sternum with the heel of one hand and the other hand on top of the first. In all guidelines and during CPR training great importance is attributed to exact localisation of the so-called compressi...

Recent findings in auditory research have significantly changed our views of the processes involved in hearing. Novel techniques and new approaches to investigate the mammalian cochlea have expanded our knowledge about the mechanical events occurring at physiologically relevant stimulus intensities. Experiments performed in the apical, low-frequenc...

Determination of the ankle-arm-index (AAI) by Doppler ultrasound is the method of choice as a screening test for peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). The easily performed Impedance Rheography (IR) may serve as an alternative screening method. This study investigates the correlations between parameters obtained by IR curve to the AAI. 56 pa...

Four different gait analysis techniques (three-dimensional kinematic analysis, two force plates, dynamic electromyography (EMG), dynamic analysis of plantar pressure distribution) were employed in a study on 10 normal subjects and 12 patients after treatment of displaced calcaneal fractures. The aim was to evaluate each method for accuracy of measu...

Without Abstract

As a supplement to our publication in the Journal Handchirurgie, Mikrochirurgie, Plastische Chirurgie 21 (1989) 315-317, we would like to report a five-year follow up of a patient with recurrent sigmoid carcinoma, infiltrating all layers of the abdominal wall. Treatment was by radical tumor excision and reconstruction with a combined tensor fasciae...