Karagiannis, Christos

2013-02-01, Savva, Christos, Karagiannis, Christos, Rushton, Alison Beverley, Savva, Christos

The objective of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of measurement of grip strength in full elbow extension. The grip strengths of 19 healthy participants were measured using the Jamar dynamometer by the same rater on two occasions with an interval of 7 days between measures. Test-retest reliability of grip strength measurement was excellent in full elbow extension and associated with low values of standard error of measurement and small variations in the differences between the two measurements in both testing sessions.

2014-03-01, Savva, Christos, Giakas, Giannis, Efstathiou, Michalis, Karagiannis, Christos, Savva, Christos

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of handgrip strength measurement using a hydraulic hand dynamometer in patients with cervical radiculopathy (CR). MethodsA convenience sample of 19 participants (14 men and 5 women; mean ± SD age, 50.5 ± 12 years) with CR was measured using a Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer by the same rater on 2 different testing sessions with an interval of 7 days between sessions. Data collection procedures followed standardized grip strength testing guidelines established by the American Society of Hand Therapists. During the repeated measures, patients were advised to rest their upper limb in the standardized arm position and encouraged to exert 3 maximum gripping efforts. The mean value of the 3 efforts (measured in kilogram force [Kgf]) was used for data analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficient, SEM, and the Bland-Altman plot were used to estimate test-retest reliability and measurement precision. ResultsGrip strength measurement in CR demonstrated an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.976, suggesting excellent test-retest reliability. The small SEM in both testing sessions (SEM1, 2.41 Kgf; SEM2, 2.51 Kgf) as well as the narrow width of the 95% limits of agreements (95% limits of agreement, −4.9 to 4.4 Kgf) in the Bland-Altman plot reflected precise measurements of grip strength in both occasions. ConclusionsExcellent test-retest reliability for grip strength measurement was measured in patients with CR, demonstrating that a hydraulic hand dynamometer could be used as an outcome measure for these patients.

2016-09-01, Savva, Christos, Giakas, Giannis, Efstathiou, Michalis, Karagiannis, Christos, Mamais, Ioannis A., Savva, Christos

BackgroundThe effectiveness of both neural mobilization and intermittent cervical traction (ICT) has been previously explored in some studies of generally low methodological quality. However, the effect of simultaneous application of these techniques in people with cervical radiculopathy (CR) has not been previously investigated. AimTo investigate the effect of neural mobilization with simultaneously applied ICT on pain, disability, function, grip strength and cervical range of motion in patients with CR. DesignRandomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, clinical trial. MethodsParticipants (n = 42) diagnosed with unilateral CR were randomly allocated to intervention (neural mobilization combined with ICT, n = 21) or control (n = 21) groups. Participants in the intervention group were asked to attend for 12 treatment sessions to receive 6 sets of 60s grade II–IV ICT with simultaneously applied ‘slider’ neural mobilizations with median nerve bias. Participants randomized to the control group did not receive any type of treatment and were asked to avoid prescription or over-the-counter analgesia or anti-inflammatory medication. The Neck Disability Index (NDI), the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and measures of grip strength (GS) and cervical spine active range of motion (CSAROM) were administered at baseline and at 4-weeks. ResultsThe intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in NDI scores (mean difference = −16.95; 95% CI = −22.47 to −11.43, ES = 0.42), PSFS scores (mean difference = 2.88; 95% CI = 2.33 to 3.43, ES = 0.66), NPRS scores (mean difference = −3.74; 95% CI = −4.92 to −2.96, ES = 0.37), GS (mean difference = 1.87 kg; 95% CI = 0.51 to 3.23; ES = 0.07), and CSAROM (except for lateral flexion), compared to the control group where significant changes were not detected. ConclusionNeural mobilization with simultaneous ICT can improve, pain, function, disability, grip strength and cervical range of motion in people with CR. Further clinical trials comparing neural mobilization with cervical traction to other standard interventions are justified.

2018-03-01, Savva, Christos, Mougiaris, Paraskevas, Xadjimichael, Christoforos, Karagiannis, Christos, Efstathiou, Michalis, Savva, Christos

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of test-retest reliability of grip strength measurement using a hand dynamometer in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. MethodsA total of 19 patients (10 women and 9 men; mean ± standard deviation age, 33.2 ± 12.9 years; range 18-59 years) with shoulder impingement syndrome were measured using a hand dynamometer by the same data collector in 2 different testing sessions with a 7-day interval. During each session, patients were encouraged to exert 3 maximal isometric contractions on the affected hand and the mean value of the 3 efforts (measured in kilogram-force [Kgf]) was used for data analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1) as well as the standard error of measurement (SEM) and Bland-Altman plot were used to estimate the degree of test-retest reliability and the measurement error, respectively. ResultsGrip strength data analysis revealed an ICC2,1 score of 0.94, which, based on the Shrout classification, is considered as excellent test-retest reliability of grip strength measurement. The small values of SEMs reported in both sessions (SEM1, 2.55 Kgf; SEM2, 2.39 Kgf) and the small width of the 95% limits of agreement in the Bland-Altman plot (ranging from −7.39 Kgf to 7.03 Kgf) reflected the measurement precision and the narrow variation of the differences during the 2 testing sessions. ConclusionsResults from this study identified excellent test-retest reliability of grip strength measurement in shoulder impingement syndrome, indicating its potential use as an outcome measure in clinical practice.

2017-01-01, Karagiannis, Christos, Savva, Christos, Mamais, Ioannis A., Efstathiou, Michalis, Monticone, M., Xanthos, Theodoros

BackgroundEccentric (ECC) exercise is an “economical” type of exercise with low energy requirements and does not cause early fatigue. Therefore, it is used for cardiac patients, who have low physical activity and exercise intolerance, as an easier kind of training. ObjectiveThis systematic review aimed to investigate the efficacy of ECC exercise for functional capacity (FC) in patients with ischemic heart disease. DesignSystematic review. MethodsMEDLINE via PubMed and EBSCO databases were searched for articles of randomized controlled trials of adults with ischemic heart disease who underwent ECC training as compared with other forms of exercise (concentric exercise) or no exercise and assessed FC. The methodologic quality of studies was assessed by the PEDro scale. A meta-analysis was performed with sufficient homogeneity between at least 2 studies in the pre-defined comparisons. ResultsFour studies, investigating a total of 99 subjects, met the inclusion criteria. The results of the studies did not clearly indicate whether ECC exercise could improve FC better than traditional forms of exercise. However, the small number of studies and their methodologic weaknesses do not allow for drawing firm conclusions. ConclusionsWe found contradictory results about the effectiveness of ECC as compared with concentric exercise in terms of FC in ischemic cardiac patients. Further investigation with well-designed randomized trials is needed to determine the effectiveness of this kind of exercise for FC in such patients.