Gait & posture
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Previous research on the biomechanics of stair negotiation has ignored the effect of the approaching speed. We examined if initiating stair ascent with a comfortable self-selected speed can affect the lower-extremity joint moments and powers as compared to initiating stair ascent directly in front of the stairs. Healthy young adults ascended a custom-built staircase instrumented with force platforms. ⋯ Also, for both the conditions combined, participants generated lesser peak ankle plantiflexor, greater peak knee flexor moment, lesser peak ankle negative power and greater peak hip negative power while encountering the first step. These results identify the importance of the starting position in experiments dealing with biomechanics of stair negotiation. Further, these findings have important implications for studying stair ascent characteristics of other populations such as older adults.
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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.