Purpose: The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is increasing worldwide. This survey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of leg pain among female hairdressers in Shiraz, Iran, in 2010.
Methods: This is a descriptive-correlational study that was conducted on female hairdressers in Shiraz, Iran. A total of 239 hairdressers were selected by available sampling method. Data were collected by interview and a questionnaire regarding their age, body mass index, marital status, experience, total work time, positions during work (sitting and standing), daily exercise, types of shoes worn during work, and use of arch support. Also existence of pain in feet and legs was evaluated. We used descriptive statistics and Chi-square test to analyze the collected data. The statistical analyses were done by SPSS version 16.
Results: About 30.1% of subjects had a BMI lower than 18 and 56.1% of them were married. Also 38.9% of subjects had a total work time of more than 8 hours per day and 69.5% of them worked in the standing position. According to the results, 53.1% of the subjects worn ordinary sandals and only 8.4% of them used arch support. Majority of the subjects (70.7%) reported pain in their feet and legs. The result also revealed the significant correlation between pain prevalence and age, BMI, marital status, total work time per day, and type of shoes worn during the work. Also, married people reported pain more.
Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, several factors are associated with discomforts in the legs and feet among hairdressers. Therefore, hairdressing training in correct work procedures and modifying work conditions such as designing a proper chair, reducing working hours, use of medical shoes and sandals can prevent the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in this occupational group. 

Purpose: Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by social and communicative problems as well as movement skills. Anxiety is one of the widespread problems among the people affected by autism. The aim of the present research was to survey the effect of one period of selected spark motor program on the anxiety of children with autism.
Methods: Twenty autistic children (Asperger symptom) participated in this study. They were divided into experimental and control groups. Experimental group participated in selected spark motor program for 4 weeks. The anxiety level was measured by using Spence children’s anxiety scale questionnaire before and after the exercise program. Data were analyzed by using the dependent and independent t test with SPSS 21 and the α value was considered 0.05.
Results: The results showed that after the exercise program, the level of obsessive-compulsive disorder (P<0.001), separation anxiety (P<0.001), social phobia (P<0.001), general anxiety (P=0.02), physical injury fears (P=0.01), and agoraphobia (P=0.01) decreased significantly in the experimental group. While the control group showed no significant difference.
Conclusion: Training and exercise not only reduce anxiety in autistic children but also can be used as useful nonpharmaceutical method to reduce anxiety.

Purpose: The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is increasing worldwide. This research surveys the prevalence of pain among female hairdressers in Shiraz in 2010.
Methods: This is a survey study and a total number of 239 hairdressers were selected in Shiraz, Iran by available sampling method. Data were collected by interview and filling out questionnaires about their age, body mass index (BMI), marital status, work experience, total work time, positions during work, types of shoes worn during work, and use of arch support. Also, different diseases such as hallux valgus, hallux rigidus, turf toe, hammer toe, arch foot, plantar fasciitis, posterior tarsal tunnel syndrome, metatarsalgia, metatarsal neuralgia, and cuboid syndrome were evaluated among them. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test through SPSS software (version 16) to estimate the prevalence of pain and structural disorders among hairdressers.
Results: The results showed that 30.1% of subjects had a BMI lower than 18 and 56.1% of them were married. Also 38.9% of subjects worked more than 8 hours per day and 69.5% of them worked in the standing position. According to the results, 53.1% of the subjects worn ordinary sandals and only 8.4% of them used arch support. Hallux valgus was found as a common deformity (54.9%) among study subjects, also 34.8% of them had hallux rigidus and 31% calf pain and metatarsalgia. The result also revealed a significant correlation between prevalence of structural deformity and variables of BMI, marital status, total work time per day, work experience, use of arch support, and type of shoes worn during the work.
Conclusion: Several factors can cause discomfort in the legs and feet in hairdressers. Therefore, hairdressers should be trained in correct work procedures. Furthermore, modifying work conditions such as designing a proper chair, reducing working hours, and using medical shoes and sandals can reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in this occupational group.

Purpose: Proprioception is a part of the somatosensory system responsible for sending information to the central nervous system to monitor the status of various body parts relative to each another. One of the main causes of impaired proprioception is fatigue. In the following study, the effects of fatigue on quadriceps muscle and hence on knee proprioception in healthy subjects was studied. 
Methods: This is a pretest-posttest study. By available sampling, 34 healthy young subjects with a mean (SD) age of 22.15 (1.97) years, a normal knee motion range and muscle strength, with no skeletal muscle nerve damage, volunteered for this study. The subjects tested the target angle reconstruction (45° flexion) of their knee joints while contracting the quadriceps muscles. We used a digital inclinometer to assess proprioception before and after fatigue. Then, by using the paired t-test, the rate of constant error and absolute error were compared. For the statistical analyses, SPSS (version 16) was used.  
Results: quadriceps muscle fatigue causes a significant increase in the error rate of the knee joint reconstruction angle at 45° (absolute error and constant error) (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Quadriceps muscle fatigue decreases accuracy and increases absolute error and constant reconstruction angle of the knee joint in healthy individual. 

Purpose: Forward Walking (FW) and Backward Walking (BW) on different gradients of the treadmill is a common exercise for lower extremity rehabilitation. However, limited studies are found about the three-dimensional analysis of lower extremity and status of the knee joint during FW and BW on different gradients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the lower extremity joints kinematics during FW and BW on incline and decline surfaces.
Methods: The current research has a quasi-experimental design. Sixteen healthy males with the mean (SD) age of 22.4(2.5) years, volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects’ FW and BW with their preferred speed on a treadmill at four gradients (-7.5%, 0%, +5% and +10%), were analyzed by using motion capture system. All data were analyzed using paired sample t test (P<0.05).
Results: Significant differences were seen between FW and BW in most angular variables in sagittal plane. However, there were no significant differences between FW and BW in most parameters of knee angle in frontal plane.
Conclusion: Based on the results, with increase in FW inclination and decrease in BW inclination, the knee varus angle in frontal plane reduces. Therefore, FW on the upslope surfaces or BW on downslope surfaces, probably is a suitable solution to reduce the loads exerted on medial compartment of the knee.

Purpose: The elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis who developed end-stage renal failure are at higher risk for falling and its critical outcomes compared with their healthy counterparts due to of poor balance, reduced muscle endurance, and sedentary lifestyle. The current study aimed at evaluating the effect of selected core stability exercises on balance and muscle endurance in the elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis.
Methods: In the current quasi-experimental study, a total of 30 patients undergoing hemodialysis with the mean age of 62.24±6.51 years, the mean hemodialysis duration of 29.4±18.44 months, and the history of falling at least once during the last year were selected using the purposive convenience sampling method and then, the subjects were randomly allocated into 2 groups of intervention (n=15) and control (n=15). To assess the static balance, dynamic balance, and muscle endurance in the patients, the stork stand test, the timed Up and Go test (TUG), and the sit-to-stand-to-sit test for 60 seconds (STS-60) were used, respectively. The selected core stability exercises were performed for the intervention group in 6 weeks, three 45-minute sessions per week. To analyze data, the repeated measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA) with SPSS version 22 was used; P<0.05 was considered the level of significance.
Results: Results of the current study indicated significant differences between the groups in terms of static balance, dynamic balance, and muscle endurance (P<0.001). In other words, the implemented exercises significantly affected the studied variables. 
Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, the therapists can suggest the core stability exercises as a safe and functional strategy to improve balance and muscle endurance in patients undergoing hemodialysis, which may result in increased independence of action and reduced risk of falling due to loss of balance.