Gait & posture
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Comparative Study
Coordination of push-off and collision determine the mechanical work of step-to-step transitions when isolated from human walking.
In human walking, each transition to a new stance limb requires redirection of the center of mass (COM) velocity from one inverted pendulum arc to the next. While this can be accomplished with either negative collision work by the leading limb, positive push-off work by the trailing limb, or some combination of the two, physics-based models of step-to-step transitions predict that total positive work is minimized when the push-off and collision work are equal in magnitude. Here, we tested the importance of the coordination of push-off and collision work in determining transition work using ankle and knee joint braces to limit the ability of a leg to perform positive work on the body. ⋯ We found that reduced push-off work increased the collision work required to complete the redirection of the COM velocity during each transition. A greater amount of total mechanical work was required when rocking departed from the predicted optimal coordination of step-to-step transitions, in which push-off and collision work are equal in magnitude. Our finding that transition work increases if one or both legs do not push-off with the optimal coordination may help explain the elevated metabolic cost of pathological gait irrespective of etiology.
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This study assessed the addition effect of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) on the balance control of patients who simultaneously suffered a whiplash associated disorder (WAD). ⋯ A similar pattern of balance impairment was present in patients with whiplash injury with and without MTBI. However, the impairment was greater for stance and complex gait tasks in WAD patients with MTBI.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of 3D spinal motions during stair-climbing between individuals with and without low back pain.
In spite of the importance of stair-climbing (SC) as an activity of daily living, 3D spinal motion during SC has not been investigated in association with low back pain (LBP). The purpose of this research is to investigate the differences of the spinal motions during SC between an LBP group and a healthy control group, in order to provide insight into the LBP effect on the spinal motions. ⋯ It was found that the only variable having the p-value of a t-test lower than 0.05 was the flexion/extension of the lumbar spine in both SCs (i.e. the LBP group's ROM
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Postural recovery following voluntary arm movement is impaired in people with chronic low back pain.
Recovery of postural equilibrium following bilateral voluntary arm movement was evaluated using a case-control study, with 13 subjects with chronic LBP and 13 age- and gendermatched control subjects. ⋯ These data suggest that while COP is tightly controlled during postural recovery, the finetuning of the control of postural equilibrium is compromised in people with LBP. Postural control dysfunctions should be considered in the management of chronic low back pain.
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The present study investigated the relative slip resistance of commercially available non-slip socks during gait. Twenty-four healthy subjects (29.3±10.4 years) participated in the study. Each subject completed 4 different test conditions (barefoot, non-slip socks, conventional socks, backless slippers) in a randomized, balanced order. ⋯ No significant differences were observed between the barefoot and non-slip socks conditions. The present study shows that non-slip socks improved slip-resistance during gait when compared to conventional socks and slippers. Future investigations should verify the present findings in hospital populations prone to slip-related falls.